Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Two

Benedict

It was never the plan to sneak an actively chased fugitive into Bridgerton house, but the opportunity arose and, well, I couldn't help myself. Not when she was in so much distress, the police right behind her. Not when she looked at me with those massive eyes, begging me to rescue her, and certainly not when she so much as passed out in my arms.

We had only recently returned from the Blackwood ball on the other side of town and it had, as usual, been rather boring. As the rest of the family headed upstairs I decided to take in some of the fresh midnight air. That's when it happened.

I could hear the horses coming, but all the bushes were shielding my view, leaving me curious. I heard low voices, shouting at one another, and I realised they were chasing something... or someone. I was expecting a loose animal or a rugged criminal, but instead my eyes were met with a young woman crawling under our bush.

I assumed she would apologize once she'd realise I was there, but she was far too busy with the men behind her that she didn't notice me at all until she crashed into me. I had two options then; I could turn her over to the police and receive a halfhearted compliment, never knowing why they were chasing her at all, or I could help her.

I chose the latter, by locking the doors and closing the curtains, I hid her from those men until they'd raced by. I tried explaining to her that I could give her a spare room for the night, but as I awaited her reply I realised she'd never heard me at all. She was blinking excessively and was looking right through me instead of at me, her legs seemed ready to give out at any moment and she was still completely out of breath.

When my mother came looking for me, I had little choice left, and I picked her up. she let out a soft but somewhat annoyed sound and I couldn't help but smile a little,

"sorry," I whispered. Her body felt immensely cold against mine and I sped up, looking for a room I could give to her. It was when I arrived at said door and looked down at her that her body gave up on her completely. Her arm was hanging limp by her side and her head had bobbed to the side, now lying against my chest.

Quickly, I slid inside the room and laid her down on the bed gently. I lit some of the candles around the room and checked her airways, just in case. I stepped back, and for the first time since seeing her I actually saw her.

She was missing one of her shoes, and the one she still had on was completely drenched. Her dress was ripped in multiple spots, and where there weren't holes, there was mud, all over her, even in her hair. She had a scratch on her left cheek and-

There's a knock on the door. I blink, unsure how long I've been looking at her, this unnamed woman I just gave a room in our house. She seems so peaceful, lying there, even with all that mud and-

"Benedict, I know you're here." It's my mother, still after me. I push the doorhandle down carefully, hiding the bed from view.

"Hello," I whisper once our eyes meet. She doesn't reply to my greeting but scans my face instead, which is never a good sign. I hold my breath and just then I hear the sound of sheets moving. Well shit.

My mother doesn't bother to ask and simply pushes me aside, which I let her do. She takes a look at the girl ruining our perfectly white bedsheets and turns to me, furious,

"What did you do to her?" She hisses, barely able to keep her voice down.

"I didn't do anything!" I hiss back, "The police was after her so I let her in!" I continue. Hearing myself say those words makes me rethink my decisions quite heavily. Because why did I let her in again?

"And what do you plan on doing with her, Benedict? Keep her here?"

"What? No! I just want to... make sure she's alright."

My mother shakes her head, "I'm going to bed, we'll speak about this further in the morning."

"I am a grown man, mother," I reply softly.

"And I am the owner of this house," she replies not so softly.

"Well technically Anth-.."

"I shall see you in the drawing room tomorrow at dawn." And with that, she heads off.

I should really get married soon.