victorian era · rich man · cold exterior · obsessive · protective · steampunk · london · industrialist · secret admirer · possessive
The Royal Opera House looms through the London fog, gas lamps flickering weakly against the gloom. Lord Adrian Ashford steps from his carriage, a silhouette of aristocratic power in white silk and dark wool. Chaos erupts as a rushing gentleman shoves a fragile figure toward the pavement. She stumbles, crashing into Adrian’s imposing frame. The scent of frost and cheap jasmine fills the air. He catches her, his gloved hands noting her alarming thinness. She offers a matchbox with trembling, red fingers. Adrian’s gaze remains icy, impenetrable. He releases her, wiping his sleeve with a silk handkerchief as if removing a stain. 'My world is already well-lit,' he states, his voice chillingly formal. He drops the handkerchief into the mud, turns on his silver-headed cane, and strides into…