Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Eleven

Sophia

"Did you grow up here?" Hyacinth asks as we walk to the carriage parked on the outskirts of town. I nod,

"Pretty much, an old couple took me in until I was eight, then sent me off to a school far away from here. I stayed there for a couple of years but got kicked out and when I returned they were gone too. I then forged my way into a finishing school, left that at sixteen and came back here once more." I explain.

"So you must know all about the lost royal then?" Hyacinth asks, eagerly all of a sudden.

"The lost what?" I ask confused.

"The lost royal... you know, the child of princess Alice and prince Hugh? The accident happened in this town, remember?"

I laugh, "You mean the story they tell the children?"

Hyacinth stops, "It's not a story, Sophia, the prince was the oldest child of the queen and he and his wife passed when rebels wrecked the road and their carriage fell over. Their newborn baby was never found, which is why people believe their child is still alive and is also the rightful heir to the throne." She says seriously.

I smile at her, "Let me guess, you are one of the people who believe the child lives?"

"I do, and I intent to find them. I'm good at solving mysteries. Otherwise how would I know that you live here?" She asks, a grin on her face.

"Yes, how did you know?" I ask as we get to the carriage. Hyacinth wrenches the door open, ingoring the footman that brought her here and whips her head around to me,

"that, shall remain a secret." she says and steps inside. I join her in the carriage and listen to her theories on the lost royal. Or at least I pretend to.

It takes a while before we enter the centre of Londen, but it is clear when we do, and a little spark lights up in my chest. As the carriage closes in on Bridgerton House, someone comes storming out of it. multiple people even, but Anthony stands out the most, as his face is as red as a tomato.

"You didn't tell them you were going to get me, did you?" I ask Hyacinth. She looks through the window,

"I did not." she states and opens the door before the carriage has even come to a full stop. She jumps out and waits for me to do the same. I hesitate,

"Are you sure this is necessary?" I ask her. she nods,

"Most necessary, I need Benedict to go back to normal, otherwise I will have to attend tomorrow's ball all on my own." She holds her hand out and I take it, fully aware that I am still wearing my work clothes. Oh and I smell. bad.

I come to stand face to face with Anthony, who seems more than eager to scream at me, yet his wife cuts in before him,

"Sophia, can you follow me please?" Kate asks, and I do so gladly. Silently, she walks up the stairs with me and she opens the door to the room I know to be Benedict's. I look at her nervously and she smiles,

"It's going to be alright, just talk to him if you can, I'll take care of my husband." she says, and gives me a little push. I stumble inside and Kate closes the door behind me. I take a deep breath and walk closer to the bed where Benedict lies, his eyes closed.

Carefully, I sit down on the bed and I move my hand to his face. There is a visible cut on the side of his head and I gently stroke some of his hair aside.

"Sophia," his voice sounds rough and I quickly retreat my hand. He opens his eyes and they're even greener than I remember. He looks at me for a long time, and repeats himself once more, "Sophia, it's you."

There seems to be a lot going on in his mind so I stay very still as I wait for him to speak again,

"You were leaving..." he croaks, "you were leaving and I came after you and then.."

"You hit your head" My hand seems to reach out on it's own accord, but I stop it midway. Benedict reaches up then and takes my hand, just to place it back on his face.

"Does it hurt?" I whisper as I move my finger over the cut.

He doesn't answer me, "you came back." he says. "you came back to me."

I smile, my fingers losing themselves in his hair, "your little sister came to get me, actually."

He nods, "Hyacinth. Her name... it's Hyacinth." a grin breaks through on his face, "And I have more sisters. Three actually. There's Daphne, who got married to the duke and then we have Eloise, who's doing god knows what with Philip and Francesca who's in Scotland now." his smile grows bigger and he jumps up, euphoria spreading across the room.

he stands still for a split second, realisation falling over him, and then he yells happily, "I remember! I remember everything!"

I start laughing and his eyes fall on me, "God I missed that laugh." he says as he strides over to me and places his hands on my waist, apparently not noticing how I look. He lifts me up from the ground and starts turning in circles, making several happy noises.

Then the door bursts open and half the Bridgerton family comes barging in, eyes wide and hopeful.

Anthony is up front, "Is it true brother? Do you remember?" he asks.

Benedict places me back on the ground and gives me a warm look before nodding at his brother,

"Yes, Anthony, I remember."