Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Five

Sophia

"The blue one? You're certain?" Hyacinth asks, holding the dress in front of her body as she watches herself in the mirror. I step into her view,

"I'm entirely certain, it compliments your eyes." I smile. She lays the dress down on the bed,

"Well, thank you," she says as she sits down.

"It was my pleasure, though I am unsure why you would ask someone like me for advice."

Hyacinth looks down and smiles to herself, "You looked like you wouldn't lie to me." I can tell she's entirely sincere while saying this.

"Does this mean that other people do lie to you?" I sit down next to her.

"My mother, when she tells me I have nothing to worry about. The maids, who seem to only be telling me what I want to hear. Which is sometimes the opposite of what I want to hear."

I nod, "I'll promise to be truthful with you then, at all times."

"You'll come with me tonight right? To the ball?" She gives me a pleading look.

I sigh, "Hyacinth, I am six years older than you, a spinster almost, there is no point."

"Yes, there is. We could have fun, together. Please? If only just for tonight..."

I look around the room, secretly longing for the life I'm being offered, "Alright, one ball, and then I'm returning home."

"Yes!" Hyacinth jumps up from the bad, "How marvellous, I shall tell mama!" She rushes out the door, leaving me behind on the bed laughing. I get up and walk over to the window, where I spot Lady Bridgerton walking through the garden. Not much later I see Hyacinth too, still running, eager to tell her mother the news.

"You said yes then."

I turn abruptly, Benedict stands only inches away from me.

I nod, "I'll be gone right after, I promise."

He steps even closer, "Don't. The only one eager for you to leave is you."

I look up at him, "I feel like an intruder. Technically I am."

He moves his hand towards my face and I hold my breath. His thumb moves over the scratch last night's events left behind and I'm running out of air. Our eyes lock and no matter how hard I try, I can't pull my eyes away from his face.

The door slams open and my back hits the wall as I stumble backwards. Hyacinth is grinning from ear to ear, "Mama is pleased you will be joining us tonight, we simply have to find you a plausible backstory."

I cough, "Oh, right, uhm, perhaps I could be some sort of cousin?" I suggest carefully. Hyacinth looks at me intently, then at Benedict and the little space between us,

"Definitely not. You shall be a family friend." She decides. "Oh, and we shall be leaving to get you a dress made in merely five minutes so make sure you are prepared." And with that she vanishes out the door once again.

"A new dress? I'm already wearing one?" I sigh, I feel guilty enough as it is.

"Yes, but unfortunately that dress has been worn to a ball before, which sort of goes against an unwritten law in londen society." Benedict comes to stand next to me and leans against the wall.

"I've never felt like a thief the way I do now, and I'm not even stealing." I let my head hang low.

"Please enjoy it, will you? Hyacinth is delighted to have you as a friend and my mother cannot have enough debutantes to take care of so just imagine you're doing them a favor. And me, as well."

"You? How am I doing you a favor?"

"Well, with all the fainting and climbing and falling you've done so far I rely upon you to add some extra drama to the ball tonight, they tend to be rather wearsome."

I give him a little slap on the chest, "I did go to finishing school you know, I'm not entirely uneducated" I cross my arms.

Benedict pushes himself off the wall, "I never said you were"