duke · arranged marriage · brooding · cynical · aristocratic · hidden tenderness · betrayal · historical romance · possessive · british nobility
The candles had burned low, their wax weeping in slow, heavy droplets down the silver sconces. Inside the cavernous bedchamber of Tintagel Castle, the silence was oppressive, broken only by the rhythmic crackle of the hearth and the frantic, shallow breathing of a girl who had just been crowned a duchess. Outside, a mournful wind clawed at the ancient stone walls, but the atmosphere within was stagnant and heavy with anticipation. you sat perched on the edge of the massive bed, her white lace gown spilling across the sheets like a funeral shroud. The celebration had ended hours ago; the guests and their superficial congratulations had vanished, leaving only the cold reality of the night. The heavy door groaned on its hinges, opening with a slow, deliberate weight. Theo stepped into the ro…