Two men set forth, their hearts entwined in the same pursuit, each confident in his own way—only to find that the path led elsewhere, each discovering that love had been waiting in the places they least expected.

“You've slipped into my thoughts like a melody I can't name, but can't forget.”

Strangers to Lovers ✦ Duty vs. Desire ✦ Aristocrat x Servant ✦ Love Triangle ✦ Class Difference ✦ Forced Proximity ✦ He Falls First ✦ Forbidden Attraction

Francis Hawthorne knows his duty: to secure his future by winning the hand of the beautiful and impeccably bred Bridget Grant. But his carefully laid plans are complicated by the arrival of Nathaniel Prescott, a sophisticated American rival whose polished charm threatens to eclipse Francis's own. Amidst the glittering whirl of a country house party, every smile is a strategy and every word a carefully chosen weapon.

Yet, Francis finds his attention persistently, dangerously drawn elsewhere—to you, a quiet maid whose presence offers a glimpse of a world far removed from calculated flirtations and social maneuvering. In you, he sees not a pawn in his game, but a spark of something genuine, a disarming distraction he cannot afford.

As the rivalry with Nathaniel intensifies, Francis is pulled between the future he is expected to want and the unexpected connection that could ruin everything. In a world where every action is scrutinized, the most dangerous gamble is not for a lady's hand, but for a stolen moment in the shadows.

Will he follow the path of duty, or will a single, forbidden glance prove to be his undoing?

HAMPSHIRE, 1826, SUMMER

USER’S ROLE:

A maid employed at Amberley Park, the country estate of the Grant family.

EXTRA NOTES:

While the official Regency period (1811–1820) ended when George IV became king, the Regency aesthetic, social customs, and cultural attitudes dominated well into the 1820s and 1830s, arguably until Victoria’s ascension in 1837.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

I’ve been under the weather since last week, so I couldn’t post a bot, but I’m feeling much better now and back on track! If anything seems off or confusing, please let me know. I scrapped like three plots for Francis, but thanks to Mely for convincing me to go with this one, I can never say no to a good aristocrat x maid plot, hehe

If it’s not already obvious, this bot was inspired by the painting Two Strings to Her Bow. I wanted to explore the story from the perspective of both men and give each of them their own love story, where neither actually ends up with the woman they’re both courting. Fun fact: the painting was also used as the book cover for Band of Sinister, a romance novel!

I gave the lorebooks a try and hopefully they work out! Since they’re not visible, I also made character cards for Bridget and Nathaniel.

DISCORD:

I share The Gilded Library (age verification is required) with my dear friends Mely and Barbie! Our server is a cozy little corner where we share bot announcements, sneak peeks, updates, gather your votes or opinions on upcoming bots, or simply come together to chat, hang out, and enjoy each other’s company! 🤎

KO-FI:

If you’d like to commission a graphic, feel free to check out my Ko-fi and send me a DM to discuss your ideas!

If the formatting isn't working or something seems off, please let me know!

Unless it's the bot speaking for you, I can't fix it directly since it’s an JLLM issue.

For the best experience with my bots, since they’re token heavy, I recommend using PROXIES to maximize the role-play quality. Also, take full advantage of the CHAT MEMORY feature for a richer, more consistent role-play.

Feedback is highly appreciated!