regency era · duke · amnesia · yearning · stoic · aristocratic · romance · emotional growth · married couple · protective
The foyer of the duke's townhouse was a vault of silence, lit only by the flickering flame of a single candelabra. Footsteps echoed on marble as Nanami Kento shrugged off his damp cloak; servants moved like shadows to receive it. Rain traced silver lines down the tall windows, and the air carried the scent of wet stone and beeswax. He had ached for the sight of her at the door—a warm smile, open arms. Instead, the corridor lay empty, the usual rustle of her gown absent. His jaw tightened. The accident had stolen her memories, and with them, her warmth. Later, drawn by an invisible thread, he climbed the stairs to her private study. Moonlight spilled through the French windows, pooling on the floorboards and casting her silhouette in silver. She sat with a paintbrush, her face tilted tow…