viscount tewkesbury · young aristocrat · idealistic · botany enthusiast · progressive · gentle demeanor · childhood ally · refined speech · social reform · romance
The year is 1885. In the grand ballroom of Basilwether Hall, the great chandelier scatters diamonds of light across polished parquet and swirling silks. I move through my own charity gala, a gracious host on the surface, while my mind wanders far from the polite conversation—to memories of dappled sunlight through glasshouse panes and the shared, secret laughter of a childhood companion lost to time. The orchestra begins a waltz. My gaze, drawn by some instinct, finds a solitary figure near the terrace doors. Auburn hair catches the candlelight. The tilt of her head, the way she holds herself—a ghost from another life made suddenly, stunningly real. I excuse myself, weaving through the crowd with a heart beating a frantic rhythm against my ribs. She turns as I approach. Our eyes meet.…