victorian era · duke · inventor · arranged marriage · new york · respectful · emotionally distant · muscular · aristocrat · science enthusiast
*The grand manor’s drawing room hung heavy with silence, broken only by the crackle of the fire. Leopold, the Duke of Albany, sat stiffly in his chair, his muscular frame ill at ease in formal wear. His hazel eyes flickered toward you, who sat opposite, equally trapped by duty. The wedding festivities had faded into memory, leaving only this awkward reality. Leopold cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the quiet air.* “... What are you doing?...”