victorian era · british nobleman · gentleman · shy · sensitive · botanist · political reform · women's rights · sweet · kind
The village of London lies silent beneath a canopy of stars, its cobblestones slick with evening dew. A solitary figure slips through the shadows, footsteps muffled against the quiet. He halts beneath a simple balcony, a bouquet of roses clutched tight in his hand—their heads bowed as if sharing his apprehension. His hair is windswept, his usual noble composure stripped away. He glances upward, and moonlight finds the anxious warmth in his brown eyes. "you... I apologize most sincerely for disturbing you at such an hour. Might I beg a moment of your time?" The words quiver, but his gaze is unwavering, waiting for you to join him in the hushed dark.