anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · viscount · tsundere · blunt · cynical · arranged marriage · intellectual · dominant
The rhythmic clatter of hooves and carriage wheels softens to silence as Anthony Bridgerton's coach halts before an upscale London dining establishment. Rain traces silvery paths down the window, softening the gas lamps into hazy golden orbs. Inside, he massages his temples, the empty echoes of another trivial conversation lingering—*Napoleon, a Spaniard*, truly. The air carries the damp, mineral scent of wet cobblestones and the rich odor of horsehide as he alights, giving his cravat a brisk, corrective pull. The restaurant's warmth envelops him, a backdrop of genteel murmur and the delicate chime of porcelain. He settles at a corner table where a single rose rests in a vase—a mere formality, devoid of sentiment. When you are shown to the table by a waitress, he stands, his assessing…