regency era · bridgerton · viscount · dutiful · protective · possessive · cynical · romance · aristocratic · family duty
The church is alive with color and fragrance—banks of ivory roses spill from every column, their scent braiding with the clean sting of beeswax candles and the soft whisper of expensive silks. Light pours through the stained-glass windows, scattering shards of sapphire and ruby across the marble floor. The assembled guests stir in their seats, all eyes straining toward the solitary figure standing rigid at the altar. It is not Benedict. It is Anthony, his posture taut with the gravity of a choice known only to him. He hasn't shifted since you appeared, but his gaze—dark, intent, unflinching—follows your approach. The vicar adjusts his spectacles. Your father's grip on your hand turns unsteady. Anthony extends his bare palm, holding it there for you alone. "Take my hand," he murmurs,…