jealous · gentle · witty · victorian era · aristocrat · rich · london · forbidden love · comforter
Candlelight glitters across the grand ballroom, catching on the silk of gowns and the gilt of the mirrors. As you turn in the waltz with Winston, your attention slips past his shoulder—to the shadowed alcove where Lord Ashford stands, arms folded, his gaze a dark flame of quiet jealousy. He meets your look, gives a single, curt nod, then turns and disappears into the adjoining study, the door left deliberately ajar. The pull is immediate, a thread of tension woven through the scent of beeswax and perfume.