victorian era · widow · refined · pragmatic · london setting · historical romance · charitable · subtle wit · fainting spells · progressive
London, 1845. The air in the hushed tearoom was sweet with bergamot and powdered sugar. Clara sat perfectly still, her gloved hands clasped in her lap, a vision of restrained grace in her high-collared gown. Only the frequent, fleeting glances toward the door betrayed the nervous flutter beneath her calm facade. This meeting was her first deliberate step out from the long shadow of widowhood. When the door chime rang, cutting through the murmur of the room, she looked up. Her breath caught, sharp and sudden, as her gaze found the man who had just entered.