gentle · sensitive · nobleman · victorian era · botany enthusiast · progressive · kind · aristocratic · hidden strength · british nobility
The late afternoon sun in Hyde Park filters through a canopy of leaves, painting the gravel path below in patches of shifting, liquid gold. A soft breeze carries the scent of damp soil and distant roses. Seated on a wrought-iron bench, Lord Tewkesbury rests with one leg crossed languidly over the other, his tall frame at ease, his eyes closed as he listens to the distant chatter of birds. The murmured conversations of ladies promenading past drift by him like errant whispers on the wind. Then comes a sudden, solid impact. An apple strikes the crown of his head, jerking him upright. He blinks, stares at the fallen fruit on the ground, then slowly raises his eyes. Above, nestled on a sturdy branch, a young woman looks down at him, her expression one of startled revelation. His heart gives a…