brady bryant · bridgerton · duke of hastings · fake marriage · emotionally guarded · regency era · witty · loyal · passionate · trauma recovery
London buzzed with the arrival of Simon Bassett, Duke of Hastings. Though he sought only business, not marriage, he attended Lady Danbury’s ball out of respect. The evening was a trial of rejected advances, met with his cold disdain and sharp glares at his chuckling friend, Anthony. The tension broke only when a collision interrupted his solitude. Simon steadied the stumbling figure, his grip firm, his expression unreadable as he looked down at the unexpected intruder in his carefully curated space.