He appeared like the fabrication of a dream coming to life before your very eyes. For Anthony Bridgerton walked across the reflective tile and the exquisite line of trailing rose petals, dusting the floor as though they were merely fallen flakes of the purest snow. Sparkling as the sunset danced across their silken edges, silent as the heavy descent of his footsteps fell upon their elegant presence.
The horizon was bathed in the hue of a honeyed rich marigold, piercing through the softest breath of clouds that faded with the blue that slowly drained from the afternoon sky. Making way for the indigo that would soon bleed into the essence of coral and the palest peony pink and the breathtaking stars, that would soon twinkle amidst the grasp of the evening's blanket of deep shadows.
Aubrey Hall was as it always was, mesmerizing beyond compare. As it sat nestled upon a landscape more than you could ever hope to envision in the depths of your imagination. For the rolling fields were lush with the very essence of spring breathed right into the blowing blades of emerald grass, that shimmered beneath the heady glow of the dwindling sun, as if they were simply streaks in an oil painting with their unscathed perfection.
The gardens bloomed to life with colors that the skies could only dream of, as their aromas and perfumes engulfed the air surrounding the ancestral estate, leaving no one untouched by the scent of their richness and intoxicating beauty. It had always been your favorite home of the Bridgerton family's, as there was a sereneness found only in the depths of the countryside and a beauty that London simply could never hope to capture.
But perhaps, above it all, Aubrey Hall would always hold a place in your heart, as the place where you realized you'd loved the man who would soon reside full time within it's aged but beautiful walls. It was in that garden, bursting with life and vivacious colors, that you fell in love with Anthony Bridgerton and to this very day, your heart had never ceased to stop.
"I didn't think you would come." His voice alerted you to his sudden presence, but perhaps, it was the overwhelming nature of his aura that told you he was near. As if the very breath of his shadow, illuminated by the fallen sun, cast against your back with an occupancy you simply couldn't ignore.
For he'd always had that way about him, the entire room seeming to stand still once the Viscount entered, but with you it felt as though it was on an entirely different level. As if it were some ingrained part of your soul, that flared to life when Anthony drew near to you, igniting a part of yourself that saw nothing but darkness until it was the hand of his company that pulled it out into the fresh breath of light.
The corridor you'd turn down, was vacant as the attendees of the party that ensued occupied the main ballroom or the lawn that glistened beneath the sharp glow of the sunset. Your hands empty as you balanced the sleek and chilled silver platter under your arm, pressing the cold surface against your ribcage. Feeling it soak through the fabric of your frock, nearly seeping straight past the surface to your concealed flesh.
Your footsteps soon came to a halt at the interruption of his voice, the very tone that could stop you dead in your tracks and nearly knock you out cold, for it engulfed you in a warming aura. One that you craved with every fiber of your being, but feeling as though your hands were tied behind your back, unable to reach out for a single grasp. The patter of Anthony's steps resounded through the empty corridor, listening as they slowed and soon stopped just as you own had, leaving a measly five paces remaining between your bodies as you began to turn softly on your heel to face the man.
You hadn't expected him to appear anything less than handsome and yet, as you eyes fell upon his entirety and absorbed the sight of him, you felt your inhale catch in the base of your throat as he appeared more than handsome. There wasn't a word for the way he looked, not one that truly existed yet, for perfection was unattainable and yet, it was the only cemented word in the English language that attempted to come close.
