Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sophia

I must be dreaming. This simply cannot be real. Benedict Bridgerton is standing right in front of me and practically told me he loved me. Right? That is what he meant, correct? Or is that simply what I was hoping?

"Sophia, please say something." Benedict sounds concerned and I snap out of my thoughts,

"I.." I have completely lost the ability to form sentences and all I can do is just stare at him, my cheeks flushed, my eyes big and my heart pounding.

"Sophia, I'm sorry if-.." Benedict starts but I cut him off. By kissing him. Very quickly.

I pull away, completely appalled at what I've just done. I avoid Benedict's eyes on me and I step back, ready to apologise.

"Benedict I-..." This time he cuts me off as he presses his lips onto mine, his right arm slipping around my waist. I place my hand in his hair and-

"Cough, cough."

I push Benedict away from me, losing my balance and nearly falling to the ground. I steady myself and look up, an ugly smug smile is flashed my way.

"Prince Benedict." I say angrily. Why is he here? What is he doing in my room? He is not allowed to be in here.

Not that it matters now. Not that it matters now that he has seen me and Benedict kiss, in a room without a chaperone. Something we should have never done in the first place. Something that is all my fault.

I am frozen in place, my gaze shifting from Benedict to Benedict. No one says a word, clearly everyone is waiting for the other to speak. And as if this mess wasn't bad enough, The queen appears right around the corner, giving me a very stern look.

...

"He wishes what?!" I exclaim, walking circles around the room anxiously.

"Well what did you expect, my child? For him to simply forget about all this and move on?" My grandmother sighs.

I shake my head, "He could ask for money, we have more than we need. He could ask for gold or... power. He could get himself a title."

"But he wants you, my dear. And he wants you quick." She says quietly.

"Well, he cannot have me. I shall never marry him." I state.

The expression on my grandmother's face changes, she is the queen of England once more, "You believe you have a choice in this matter? You believe you have something to say about this at all? Because let me assure you, you do not. This is not about you or who you love, this is about the future of the monarchy. I used my power to change the law, so that a granddaughter of mine could be queen, and this is what I get in return?"

"Well I never wanted this! Not like this!" I'm panting, my knuckles have turned white, "I wanted to make a change but I'm stuck between all these rules that I'm expected to just follow after a life of freedom. I'm lonely, Charlotte. I'm so much more lonely than before, when I had no one. And I'm definitely more lonely than I was at the Bridgerton House."

"Well yes, you certainly made that clear last night." The queen turns her back towards me.

I lower my head, "I'm sorry. I truly am. I knew better and this really is all my fault. I should have never-.."

"No." She interrupts me, "It was my fault. I knew you had feelings for mister Bridgerton, who is indeed a fine match, though not a prince or a duke. Still, I invited prince Benedict, thinking you might change your mind."

"Is that what you wanted? For me to change my mind?" I ask.

She turns around and closes the distance between us, taking my hands in hers, "You've led a hard life, Sophia. Until mister Bridgerton, you had never met anyone proper, not like him or the other gentlemen in the ton. It did not surprise me that, therefore, you were attracted to him."

She lead me towards the window, and we look out over the garden blooming fully, "I was afraid that you may have fallen too quickly. How would you know better? How would you know what love really is? So I gave you an alternative."

"Quite a horrible one." I say, slapping my hand to my mouth right after, "Sorry. That slipped out." I apologize, my cheeks red.

To my surprise, Charlotte laughs, "Yes, he is quite horrible indeed. And I realised that I was wrong about you and mister Bridgerton long before you two... shared something... last night. Because I did not know a thing about love either, when I met George, and yet it was with him that I found all the love I needed."

"Do you really meant that?" I ask.

She squeezes my hands, "Yes, my darling, I do. Although your behaviour last night was not exactly... appropriate, I am not angry with you. I am simply angry with the situation."

"Right. The situation." I sigh, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. Marrying prince Benedict is not something I had on my 1825 vision board.

"We shall figure something out, my dear. Royals always do." Charlotte reassures me.

"Are you sure?" I look up at her,

"Oh yes. We simply need a plan. And a very good one at that."