Forever Ruined

Chapter Forty-four

The men inside the room reacted with a start. The doors flew open, Benjamin cocked his gun aiming at the intruder wondering who the hell...

"Clara?" The single word came out a breathless whisper.

Tears sprung to Clara's eyes. She could not believe Benjamin stood a mere few feet in front of her. She nodded her head yes.

Benjamin tossed the gun to Lord Fitton who fumbled the dang thing, praying all the while it would accidentally go off as Benjamin rushed to Clara who now seemed incapable of moving another inch. Her bravado had left her as she watched Benjamin advance towards her.

"Clara, my God!" Benjamin's hand grabbed hold of her face. "It's you! You're here!"

"I'm here," Clara replied, holding his hands in place with her own.

Benjamin let out a half laugh and half sob when he said, "You always did know how to make an entrance."

Clara could stand it no longer. Her hands reached up to the nape of his neck and she pulled him oh so willingly towards her. She claimed his lips as he claimed hers, months of torment had finally come to an end. Benjamin's arms wrapped possessively around her body pulling her so close there was not a hair's breadth between them.

Clara melted into him. She never wanted him to let go ever again. She knew from this moment she could not withstand the idea. She needed him like she needed air to breathe.

"Ahem!" came from somewhere off in the distance and was dutifully ignored by the couple that for them the rest of the world had ceased to exist.

"AHEM!" Lord Fitton spoke louder, and Benjamin sighed and pulled away only slightly to reply with, "Don't make me regret not shooting you, Fitton. It would be a pity to have things end that way."

Clara's eyes went wide. "Shoot him! Why ever would you do that?!"

In response, Benjamin pulled her left hand to his lips, placing a light kiss upon it before pulling off Lord Fitton's ring. "Tsk, Tsk, my Dove but this does not belong to you." He slipped the ring from her finger. He pulled from his vest, her ring, and placed it back where it belonged.

Clara colored at the reminder that she was playing the part of another man's wife. "I...I would have never... you must know... let me explain."

Benjamin shook his head no. "There is no need. Fitton has explained everything to me, and I am most grateful to him for taking such good care of you in my stead."

He turned to Fitton and held out his signet ring. "Yours, I believe?"

"Yes," Lord Fitton said taking back the ring and handing Benjamin his gun, which Benjamin promptly disarmed.

"How did you get here, Clara? The carriages had stopped ages ago," Lord Fitton asked.

"Sturgis and I snuck out, grabbed some horse, and rode... Oh! Sturgis!" Clara ran to the window and waved to the anxious boy below. "It's okay, Sturgis. They're here!" she hollered down to him.

Sturgis nodded. "That's great but do you think someone might be so kind as to let me in. I'd prefer to enter the more conventional way."

Clara giggled. "Of course." She looked back at the two men in the room. Lord Fitton smiled at her. "I should not be surprised you pulled off this feat yet..." He shook his head. "I will go fetch him and give you both some time ... alone."

Clara ran over to him and threw her arms around Aaron's neck. "Thank you, Aaron! Thank you for everything!"

Lord Fitton looked suddenly awkward as he pulled her arms from his neck. "Let's not test your husband's patience with me, Clara."