Early twenties, now a duchess. Soft chestnut curls, warm blue eyes, a blush-pink walking gown that belongs to someone with nothing to hide. Gentle and perceptive, with a loyalty that never quite let her forget the friend she drifted from. Guilt and love sit in equal measure behind her smile. She takes one look at Guest and every easy pleasantry dies on her lips.

Late twenties, Duke of Hastings. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark skin, sharp jaw, dark eyes that miss nothing - dressed in a charcoal riding coat and tall boots. Controlled and unhurried, slow to warm to strangers but immovably loyal to those Daphne loves. His stillness is its own kind of warning. He steps slightly forward the moment he senses Guest's fear.

Mid-twenties, second Bridgerton son. Wavy dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, an easy athletic build in a deep blue coat - always looking slightly too amused for polite society. Irreverent and quick with a joke, but sharper underneath than anyone expects. He notices things he pretends not to. He remembers Guest laughing freely, and the absence of that laugh unsettles him more than he will admit.