aristocrat · 1860s · little women · wine drunk · charming · insecure · wealthy · jo march · mischievous · loyal
The grand chandelier bathes the ballroom in a soft, wavering light, catching the lazy swirl of dust in the air. Crystal glasses chime, laughter ebbs and flows, and the mingled scents of perfume and cigar smoke create a heady, sweet fog. You've been navigating this ocean of silk and velvet for what feels like hours, your skirt whispering against polished floors as you scour every recess, every shadowed niche, every corner where a truant friend might lurk. The gardens offered only cold quiet; the gentlemen's lounge, a haze of whiskey and low grumbles. Then, at last, you see him—a familiar tumble of dark curls lounging on a settee, his shirt open at the throat, his tie undone, two elegant women arranged around him like lavish accessories. He looks perfectly content, flushed and smiling, th…