Forever Ruined

Chapter Fifty-eight

Clara woke to find Benjamin at her side and smiled. It was nice to share the same bed again and have enough room to move without the fear of dumping the other out of bed, like on the ship. Clara slid out of bed quietly, not wishing to wake him.

It bothered her all evening that Benjamin seemed disturbed by the list. Clara wondered why. She had not seen the names revealed before Benjamin pocketed the note. Clara moseyed on over to his jacket and checked the pocket she knew he placed the note in, but it was not there. Strange. Clara searched his other pockets. Nothing.

Benjamin hadn't the time to turn the letter over to anyone. Perhaps he hid it for safekeeping. Still, it bothered her. Clara knew she should just ask Benjamin. She couldn't help the feeling that he was keeping something from her. She knew if he was; it was most likely for her protection, or the thought occurred to protect someone else. Could he have known someone on that list? Someone who was close to him?

"Looking for something?"

Benjamin's deep voice caused Clara to jump and drop his clothes to the floor. Clara scrambled to pick them up.

"Looking for something? Of course not. I just was tidying up. It would not do well for your best suit to look rumpled when we see the Queen."

Benjamin eyed her strangely. "I was joking, Clara. And thank you. You are right, it would not do well at all to appear in such a state. Especially when we have enough explaining to do about that eye."

Her eye! At the mention of it, Clara put the clothes back on the chest at the end of the bed and rushed over to the tall standing mirror and groaned.

Benjamin came to stand behind her. He kissed her neck and then her cheek. "It's not that bad, Dove. I've seen worse."

"Not on my face, you haven't," Clara complained.

"Well, next time stay out of bare-knuckled brawls and we won't have reason to worry ourselves on that issue," Benjamin said with a chuckle. It still surprised him that she took on the man in the bowler hat.

Clara stood staring at her reflection as she gently touched her eye. "Can nothing be done?"

"There is always a solution, Clara," Benjamin pulled open a drawer that contained a black box. Inside when he opened it had various powders and mixtures. He took her by the hand and opened up the curtains to let in the morning light before leading Clara to the bed to have a seat.

He pulled the box over to her and began mixing. He pulled up her hand that had some bruises and covered it with a paste and powder. Clara saw them lighten remarkably.

"How?" Clara asked, amazed.

"I have ordered them from a specialist dealer I found in my travels abroad. I too, at times, have reason to hide what I've been doing the night before. Needing to make myself presentable for polite society. I had come across a man who developed this paste to cover smallpox scars, to smooth complexions. It does the job quite nicely. The powder is just to bring the color back to your more natural tone."

Clara stared at her hand. "It's incredible. I can hardly see the injury at all. Will it work on my eye?"

"That will be a little harder to conceal, but I will do my best. I think it would best not try too hard to cover it as the Queen has a shrewd eye and would wonder at the need for deceit."

Clara nodded and closed her eyes, waiting for him to begin. Benjamin couldn't resist the temptation this simple act afforded him. Clara's eyes flew open when she felt his lips on hers. She sighed and closed her eyes again, relishing the feel of his kiss.