Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Seventeen

Benedict

The doctor was very clear when he told me I was supposed to stay in bed for at least one more day. He also did not stutter when he said I should go to bed early. Yet here I am, sneaking around my own house in the middle of the night, trying to get to the ball without being seen.

I truly was planning on staying home, on getting all the rest I need so that when I finally get the green light to go and live my life again, I'll be ready for it. But then I saw Sophia leave, in the most beautiful dress I had ever laid my eyes on. She was chatting with Hyacinth and she sounded so anxious yet.. excited. And that excitement was contagious, very contagious.

I tried to sleep, honestly I did, but my mind kept wandering to her and that... Luke. Whether they would be dancing together or talking to each other, maybe he was offering her a drink or introducing her to one of his family members. that is probably where it all went wrong. Because I could not stand the thought of them. Not that I love Sophia or anything, I do not, I was just concerned, you know? I mean what did we know about this Luke? He could be dangerous for all we knew.

So now I hide behind a pillar, exit in sight. I'm wearing my usual evening attire and since I can't use a carriage I will have to take one of the horses. Luckily I can access the stables from the inside so I won't have to cross the garden. Most of the maids and valets have already left for the evening, and since everyone thinks I'm asleep they won't check my room until the next morning.

I open the door to the stables and takes a quick look around, just to discover that no one is there and without any further hesitation I lead the horse nearest to me outside and hop on. It's cold and the wind seems to fly right through my clothes, making me shiver as I race toward the queen's castle. The ball started almost two hours ago, which makes me very very late. I also have no invitation, which means I must hope the valets outside know who I am and let me in.

Fast forward: The valet in question had no idea who I was. Which means I am still out in the cold, completely freezing, with no way in. I say goodbye to the valet, pretending to walk back to my 'vehicle' which, in this case, is my horse standing just around the corner. But instead of giving up and going back home, I walk around the castle, trying to get a good look inside.

After multiple windows that were covered with curtains, I finally arrive to one that gives me a perfect view into the ballroom. I can even hear the music, and smell all the different kinds of perfumes. It doesn't take long to find some of my siblings, most likely because I have quite a lot of them. I spot Sophia quickly too, and I sense that I am not the only one looking at her. She is on the middle of the dancefloor with a man, one I assume to be Luke. Her eyes are on his and she looks incredibly content to be there with him.

My heart sinks a little as she laughs at something he says and I seem to be frozen in place. I keep staring at her, the way she moves around the room so gracefully, how his hand is placed on her waist, how they are in sync. I can tell other people see it too, the mothers gossiping, the men looking her way.

It isn't until the music stops and Sophia leaves Luke's side that I breathe again, and undertake action immediately. It's like there's a string wrapped around my heart that can't help but pull me towards her, and now it's taking my body with it.

Quite heroically, I climb up the drainpipes to find myself an entrance. It would perhaps have saved me a lot of stress and effort, had I taken a quick look around the building before I climbed up, so i did not have to scale the walls like a complete moron. Nevertheless, I do find an open window and I so much as roll inside, landing on a desk. I quickly close the window behind me and slide off the desk, making my way over to the hallway.

I spot a guard on my right, but he walks past without seeing me, and I decide to simply go for it. Once I am in the ballroom, all will be well. I'm not sure how happy my brother Anthony will be when he sees me out of bed, but at least I will not be cast out of the castle like I might be now.

Unfortunately, the castle is quite like a maze, and every hallway looks the same. I round corner after corner, unsure whether I'll ever make it out when all of the sudden, I have to stop in my tracks. Leaning against the wall is Sophia, her eyes low, clearly deep in thought. I look around, is she waiting for someone? What is she doing so far from the ballroom?

Sophia looks over her shoulder ar the door next to her, and then I know. It's Hyacinth with her marvellous investigation about... what was it again? Something to do with the queen, I assume, since they are quite literally breaking into her house.

I walk over to Sophia, who is still lost in her thoughts. I don't say a word, unsure whether she will be happy to see me or not. My shadow falls over her and her hands stop moving. Ever so slowly, she looks up at me.

I open my mouth, but don't actually say something. The thing is, she doesn't speak either, so we simply stare at each other for... I'm not sure how long. I can't remember moving, yet I can tell I've moved closer to her.

"I shall need that book now, this party is awfully boring." The sound of the queen's voice shakes us both up and Sophia's eyes grow big. She looks at the door again and I can hear the queen moving closer to us, which I'm pretty sure includes Hyacinth illegally looking through the queen's library.

If Sophia didn't need an escape, I wouldn't do this. If she didn't look at me like I am the only one who can save her right now this would not happen. But she does and she is so I do the one thing that comes up in my mind.

I kiss her.