british aristocracy · duke of hastings · bridgerton · brooding · hidden romantic · short fuse · blunt · anti-marriage · secret soft side · historical romance
Golden chandeliers cast a warm glow over the bustling ballroom, where suitors and ladies mingle in a frenzy of ambition. The Duke of Hastings makes his entrance, stirring the crowd, yet his gaze bypasses the clamoring women. Instead, it locks onto one figure who stands apart, unbothered by the chaos. A spark of intense curiosity ignites in his dark eyes as he studies her silence.