Forever Ruined

Chapter Seventy-one

Commander Redgrave came topside with Sturgis close at his side. "Clara?"

Clara broke free of McCullen's embrace. "How is he? Please tell me he lives."

Sturgis looked up at Redgrave whose lips pressed into a firm line. "He lives Clara, but well there was nothing more my surgeon could do."

"What do you mean?"

Captain McCullen came up behind Clara, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder. He knew she would need to be brave for what was to come next.

"To stop the infection from spreading... he had to remove Benjamin's leg."

Clara gasped. Her trembling hands flew up to her lips.

"He is stable now and with medicines that Lord Fitton has brought back from India, his fever has broken, but only time will tell if he will come back to us."

Clara turned in McCullen's arm and she buried herself in his embrace. "God no!"

McCullen thought this may be the outcome. He'd seen enough of those wounds during his time in the navy and throughout the war. He smoothed down Clara's hair. "You must be strong now, Clara. He's going to need now more than ever. You can pull him through this."

Clara nodded her head slowly against his chest. Turning to the commander, she asked, "May I see him now?"

Sturgis came forward. "I'll take you." As Sturgis led Clara away, Commander Redgrave felt so helpless.

"I have never seen her look this frail or frightened," he said to Captain McCullen, his only audience.

McCullen's face was grim. "I only pray we don't lose them both."

----

Clara came into the room. The surgeon's face was full of remorse. "I'm sorry, there was no more I could do."

Clara reached out and took his hand in hers. "I know you did everything you could."

The surgeon nodded and left to clean himself up. Lord Fitton was standing by Benjamin's bedside. Wiping Benjamin's brow with a damp cloth. They had already dressed Benjamin's wound. Upon the sight of it, Clara's legs buckled beneath her, but Sturgis caught her.

"Steady, Clara."

"How will he survive this? Even if he pulls through, Sturgis. Benjamin is such a prideful man. How will he cope with this loss?"

Sturgis held firm to Clara's shoulders and stared into her eyes. 

"A lightning strike caused me to lose my sight, rendered me useless as a human being, but never once Clara did you give on me, doubt for a second my recovery. Benjamin needs that same faith now. Just as you pulled me into the light, you will pull Benjamin from this darkness. You can't give up on him, you mustn't ever give up on him."

Sturgis's words struck a chord in Clara's heart and cemented her resolve. She nodded her head, and her limbs filled with new determination. She approached Benjamin's side, and Lord Fitton tried to give her an encouraging smile.

"His fever has broken. I have packed the wound with some medicinal herbs I learned about from the Ayurvedic Masters. It should help speed his healing and hopefully lessen his pain."

"Thank you, Aaron," Clara said, and Lord Fitton handed over the rag and put Benjamin into his wife's care.

Day and night Clara stayed by Benjamin's side, caring for him, reading to him, even singing softly to him. It had been days and Benjamin still had not opened his eyes.