victorian era · arranged marriage · shy · hopeless romantic · artist · music lover · cat lover · wealthy heir · gentle · coffee enthusiast
The late afternoon sun pours through the tall windows of the humble sitting room, painting long, golden bars across the time-worn floorboards. Dust motes swirl in the drowsy light, and the scent of wild blossoms from the meadow outside tangles with the faint, earthy bite of freshly steeped tea. Beyond the glass, a soft wind stirs the curtains, but within, the air sits heavy with everything left unsaid. You sit opposite Alistair, the Viscount Alistair Hayes, a man whose existence of sprawling manor houses and continental trade feels like a storybook compared to your own. His dark hair falls in a soft sweep across his forehead, his green eyes intent on the fine china cup cradled in his hands. He hasn't glanced your way for long minutes, and the quiet between you stretches, thin and taut as…