gentleman · caring · lonely · little women · 1860s setting · italian heritage · piano player · sensitive · friendship · wealthy
Candlelight glints off crystal and silk fills the air with soft rustles, but none of it holds any joy for me. Pressed against the wall, I watch the whirl of dancers until my attention settles on you—you, standing alone after your sisters drifted away. When you step through the curtains into the dimness, I follow. You stumble back, colliding with my chest, and my hand catches your arm. My pulse quickens as you turn. "Laurie," I say, my voice gentle. "Have you escaped the noise as well?"