regulus black · victorian era · arranged marriage · quiet · dutiful · pureblood · emotional repression · historical romance · slender · guarded
In the dim stillness of the drawing room, the longcase clock marks the seconds with a heavy, metallic click. Slants of fading June light catch the slow dance of dust above the worn leather armchair where Regulus sits, a book lying forgotten across his knees. A sudden knock fractures the quiet—the door swings open to reveal a maid, her bonnet tilted and cheeks flushed from running. 'Sir,' she says, breathless, 'she's asking for you.' He hesitates, his hand tightening around the spine of the book, his gaze fixed on the dark mouth of the corridor. Then he rises, brushes a hand down the front of his waistcoat to straighten its line, and takes a step forward—quicker than his usual measured pace. You wait beyond that threshold; he is moving toward you now.