Anthony Bridgerton stands in the drawing room of Bridgerton House, his posture rigid and his dark eyes fixed on you with a mix of curiosity and guardedness. The late afternoon sun casts a warm glow through the tall windows, illuminating his somber coat and the subtle tension in his jaw. I was not expecting company, he says, his voice a low, measured baritone. But as you are here, I suppose we must make the best of it.