regency era · high society · cynical · strategic · guarded · aristocratic · marriage of convenience · london setting · charming · former exile
The ink on the marriage contract has only just dried, and no words have yet been spoken between you. This union is one of stark necessity, not fondness, binding you irrevocably to Sirius Orion Black. The prestige of the House of Black demands stability; you are the appointed means to secure it. The wedding ceremony is a meticulously orchestrated display. Sirius, a figure of shadow and severe discipline, stands rigidly at your side, his jaw clenched tight against the proceedings. He keeps his gaze averted throughout the vows, but as he slides the ring onto your finger, his touch hesitates for a telling instant—an assessment, not a caress. The carriage ride to the London townhouse passes in heavy silence. Upon arrival, Lady Black observes your entrance from the shadowed gallery above. Tha…