Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Thirty-Two

Benedict

The air was cold as I threw rock after rock into the lake. I wasn't sure what I'd been thinking when I'd asked Sophia to meet me here. I simply wanted to see her again, and I wanted her to choose me. I tried to make myself very clear, I needed her to know that I would marry her, regardless of her title, and I hope that was enough.

It's been an hour since I got here, and with every rock I throw, a tiny bit of hope flees from my body. I am not expecting her to come, she had already agreed to marrying the prince, and even though I am sure she does not look forward to that, I am a little unsure that she would be happy to marry me either.

I throw another rock into the water, and just as the stone hits the surface of the water, I hear footsteps behind me. I nearly trip as I turn around, my heart bursting with light as I see Sophia walking towards me, a cute grin plastered on her face. I let go of the remaining rocks in my hand and I make my way over to her.

"You came." I smile.

She nods carefully, "I did."

"Does this-..." I begin, unsure if I'm ready to ask the question. Unsure if I'm ready to hear the answer.

"I threatened prince Benedict." She says then, surprising me,

"you did what?" I ask.

"I told him that if he would ever tell anyone what he saw that night, I would tell everyone he had an illegitimate child." She states.

"He does?" I ask surprised.

"Well, I did not know he did when I threatened him, but he practically admitted to it when he asked how I knew. He seemed the type for it so I took the risk." She shrugs. Of course she shrugs. She just threatened the prince of a powerful country by lying to him and she just shrugs.

"So.." I breathe, "Does this mean that you're a free woman once more?"

She nods, "Yes, which is very confusing, since I was supposed to wed very quickly and now, suddenly, I am not."

I take a small velvet box out of my pocket and with my heart pounding, I take Sophia's right hand, "Unless you would like to get married very quickly." I suggest, getting down on one knee.

I open the box and Sophia's mouth falls open as she sees the ring.

"Benedict.." Her eyes are wide open.

"Sophia Badger, will you marry me? Right now or in ten years I don't care, as long as you promise me we'll grow old together. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" A round of fencing is nothing compared to proposing, even more so when you're desperate for the other person to say yes.

Sophia is frozen in place, her free hand covering her mouth. Then slowly, she nods, and it all seems to register in her mind. She falls into my arms and I nearly fall backwards,

"Yes, I'll marry you. Of course I'll marrry you." She says, her arms wrapped around my neck. I place the ring back in my pocket for a second, so I can pull her closer to me, and her body seems to melt right against mine. I breathe in the scent of her hair and the world has gone quiet.

"I love you." Sophia whispers, and my body grows warm.

"I love you too." I whisper back and I pull away to place the ring on her finger.

"Hyacinth is going to freak out when she hears this, and so is my grandmother." Sophia says, her eyes stuck on the ring on her finger.

"Well at least you won't be the one to tell Anthony, he is going to lose his mind." I say. Sophia laughs and I help her upright,

"Are you sure you want this?" she asks, biting her lip.

"Do you think I would have rushed through all of Londen to find the perfect wedding ring this afternoon if I didn't?" I ask smiling, and just to make my point even more clear, I step forward and kiss her. I can feel her smile against my lips and I know deep down, that all the boring balls and formal clothes and endless conversations were worth it to be here with Sophia right now. That everything I've ever done, both the good and the bad, is what led me to be here tonight, and so I wouldn't change a thing.