Bridgerton - A Girl To Remember

Chapter Twenty

Louis's point of view

It has been a week since Julia transformed herself into a man and made it to the quarter-finals, which takes place today. She has some serious competition, but nothing she cannot beat. I have been considering telling Julia who I actually am, but the fear of ruining our friendship is too big. The lying feels wrong but somehow it is so satisfying, having someone finally not judging you because you are a prince.

"Louis, where are you going my dear?" my mother asks when I spurt towards the exit in my old clothes,

"the stables mother, as we discussed"

"and that has to be done in these clothes?"

"Mama, have you ever seen a stable boy wear brand new clothes?"

"if father saw you like this.."

"he would be proud, mother, I am sure, he was a fan of hard work"

"I love you, my son, now hurry up before I change my mind"

"I love you too, mother"

Back at the stables, I prepare Emily and I overhear a few of Julia's rivals talking to each other,

"I do not trust this William, he must be cheating somehow"

"I agree my lord, he is new to the competition, he could never be this good"

"maybe we should have a chat with him sometime"

"and do what? Ask for his secrets?"

"no. tell him to watch out, I have won this competition for years, I will not let this young man stand in my way"

"as you should, my lord" the men laugh very loud and I am relieved Julia leaves the competition early. The men leave and I hear someone coming my way,

"hey" she whispers, and she takes off the massive coat. Her face is revealed and besides her beauty, I notice some nerves,

"hey, are you ready?"

"I believe I am"

"you have twenty more minutes, I will wait outside for you," I say while handing her the clothes. After a few minutes of waiting, I hear her voice again,

"Chris... Chris!" I turn around and see her struggling with the high hat,

"wait, I am on my way" I sprint towards her, and she lets me take over, her hands are shaking a little, "you are going to do wonderful today, I can feel it"

"and since when can you predict the future?"

"since I am talking about you and... I have seen you ride"

"but I can fall, and Emily can hit the obstacle again... or worse.." I let go of the hat,

"you know you must believe in yourself for Emily to trust you right?"

"yes, I know. She will trust me, I just need to pretend as if the audience is not there"

"Imagine it is just the two of us, in the middle of the night, here in the stables. It was the first time I had ever seen a girl jump that high and a horse so fierce"

"thank you, Chris, but it is men that I must beat today"

"I am afraid this conversation has to wait, it is your turn my lady. Good luck.."

"No thank you, I will do it without luck this time" she smiles and covers her face with the hat. Her back is straightened and if I did not know it was her, I would be frightened by her. Odd, how clothes and a name could change a man's view, if the competitors knew it was a girl beating them, they would have simply laughed it off, but now it is different.

Julia rides onto the field and people clap a lot louder than the last time. The course is more difficult, but I believe in her, she is trained and ready, I just hope she can turn off all her thoughts. She starts strong when the gunshot fills the air, the obstacles seem no problem for her, and the audience loves it. I can see them try to look under her hat, but it is safely hiding her hair and face, it barely even moves when she jumps over the highest obstacle in the course.

She makes one tiny mistake and by her hand movements I can see the disappointment in herself. She ends the course as strong as she started, and her time secures her for the semi-finals. I follow her into the stables, and she is brushing Emily's hair,

"do not say anything, I know, it was not perfect"

"It was good, good enough to get to the next round"

"I am not sure if I should continue doing this Chris, I am sorry"

"what?.."

"I have important things on my mind, no one knows I do this, if they find out..."

"But how could they ever find out?"

"This was a bad idea, I will not achieve anything with this if I have to hide forever"

"you do not need to hide, you can reveal your true identity once you have won the competition"

"and what if I do not win?! Then all of our hard work has been for nothing.."

"We can at least try.."

"I must return home, my family is expecting me"

"Julia, will I see you next week?"

"maybe.."

"maybe?!"

"maybe not.."

"what if I will never see you again?"

"my apologies, I have to go" she hides in the coat and leaves me behind speechless. Is she truly not returning to the competition? Will I not see her again? I must enter society early from my mother, in three days to be precise, and the only spark of light in my days would have been her. I sigh, now the only thing I can look forward to are the delicious cakes presented at the ball this week.

Only thinking about the mothers, shoving their beautiful but mostly boring daughters into my faces, for the only reason that I have a high title. I wish I was born with a different name, a name that allowed me and Julia to run away far from the duties and responsibilities. And as I see her leave I realize I have been fooling myself for a long time. The only thing I wish is for her to be mine.