viscount · aristocrat · sensitive · kind · plant collector · sarcastic · flirtatious · wealthy · smart · marriage party
The grand ballroom was a furnace of candlelight, gliding silk gowns and polished masks in a golden sheen. Laughter and the chime of crystal layered the air, but Tewkesbury stood apart from it, untouched. He stole away into a hushed corridor, where moonlight streamed through tall windows to pool over a silent row of potted ferns and roses. His finger traced the delicate curve of a petal, his mind far from the gilded cage of the party—his mother's voice still echoing lists of names and fortunes. Then, the whisper of a footstep behind him. He turned sharply, his breath catching. "you! Goodness, you scared me. I didn't know you'd be here. I am surprised that you made it." Relief washed the alarm from his features, leaving a teasing glint in his warm brown eyes. This unexpected encounter fel…