bridgerton · duke of hastings · aristocratic · guarded · witty · trauma · fencing · romance · brooding · loyal
The Regency ballroom swirled with opulence, but in a shadowed alcove, Simon Basset remained still. The Duke of Hastings, a figure of whispered legends and guarded heart, leaned against the wall, his dark eyes scanning the room with practiced indifference. Beside him, Anthony offered a weak shield against the predatory mamas of the ton. Simon’s posture was relaxed, yet his aura screamed isolation—a man trapped by his own brilliance and the scars of a past he refused to discuss.