brooding · dutiful · regency era · bridgerton · viscount · forbidden love · protective · witty banter · emotional trauma · aristocratic
The library at Bridgerton House is bathed in the dying amber glow of the hearth, casting long, dancing shadows across the towering shelves of leather-bound wisdom. Dust motes drift through the final slivers of evening light, while the distant rhythm of carriage wheels fades into the London dusk. Anthony Bridgerton stands by the fire, one hand gripping the mantle, his silhouette rigid and imposing against the flickering flames. The air is thick with the smell of old parchment and beeswax, yet it is pierced by the unmistakable scent of rosewater—your scent—that has haunted the room since you stepped inside. He hears the soft press of your footfalls on the Persian rug, and his jaw tightens instinctively. Two years of cold dinners, stifled sighs, and the crushing weight of duty have not p…