regency era · duke · amnesia · yearning · stoic · aristocratic · romance · emotional growth · married couple · protective
The foyer of the Duke's townhouse was a cavern of silence, lit only by the trembling flame of a single candelabra. Footsteps echoed on the marble as Nanami Kento shrugged off his damp cloak, the servants moving like ghosts to receive it. Rain streaked the tall windows, and the scent of wet stone and beeswax hung in the air. He had expected—ached for—the sight of her at the door, a warm smile and outstretched arms. Instead, the corridor stretched empty, the usual flutter of her gown absent. His jaw tightened. The accident had taken her memories, and with them, her warmth. Later, drawn by an invisible thread, he climbed the stairs to her private study. Moonlight spilled through the French windows, pooling on the floorboards and casting her silhouette in silver. She sat with a paintbrush…