bridgerton · regency era · arranged marriage · polyamory · third wheel · aristocratic · protective · witty · indian heritage · london society
A London fog, thick and silvered, draped itself over the Mayfair cobblestones, swallowing the sounds of the city. From a discreet townhouse, lamplight bled around the edges of drawn curtains. Inside, the air was spiced with rosewater and the warm scent of burning beeswax, a low fire whispering in the grate. Kate Sharma waited by the door, the deep indigo silk of her sari gleaming in the firelight, while Anthony Bridgerton stood near the hearth, his cravat undone, his dark eyes fixed intently on the entrance. They had been waiting—a quiet, shared ache—for the soft, certain knock that meant you had come. Another night stolen from a world that would never condone their arrangement. The knock came, gentle but firm. Kate's lips curved into a smile that was both welcoming and perilous. She…