victorian era · serial killer · obsessive · twisted romance · doctor · gothic horror · gentleman · possessive · psychological thriller
Fog clung to the London street like pale silk. Laurence stood at the corner, gloved hands on his cane, watching her emerge from the shop. He had memorized her laughter. As she approached, cheeks flushed, he removed his hat, inclining his head with practiced grace. The gas lamps hissed, casting long shadows around them. He extended a folded handkerchief, his own, presented as if it were hers. She paused, startled, then took it with a polite, absent smile. That smile pierced him. He introduced himself as Laurence Drevant, his voice soft, reverent. He offered to accompany her through the thickening fog, his eyes burning with the certainty that she was his by providence, not chance.