Chapter 10

Young and Beautiful

"It is a bit impressive how calm the water is tonight, eh?"

Pittman looked up from his stop watch to see Boxhall watching him. Herbert shrugged and then looked out towards the stern of the ship and beyond to the Atlantic Ocean, that looked black that evening. "I heard Lightoller saying how he had never seen anything like it," He smiled, "And Lights has seen everything."

"So how is your relationship with the married woman going?" Boxhall asked next.

"Joe come on," Herbert sighed, "I do not need to hear your condemning tone."

"Here is the thing. These first class men can be crazy and if they find out that someone is looking at their wife, they can go batty. Do you really want to risk losing your job over this girl?"

"She is worth everything to me," Pittman said, "Now I have to go get some supper. I will see you in the morning."

"Yeah yeah," Boxhall waved a hand to shoo him away.

Herbert took off for his usual meeting spot with Clara and just as he got there, Clara was exiting out onto the deck.

"Good evening," she smiled at him as she walked towards where he stood.

They ducked into the dining room and quietly, Herbert closed the door behind him. "You look lovely tonight," he said, smiling.

Clara took her coat off and turned to face him, "You say that every night."

"And every night it is true."

Clara wrapped her arms around Herbert's middle as he pulled her to him in a hug, "If you say so."

"I do say so," he kissed the top of her forehead, "And I will always say so."

"Ah just wait until I become old, I will look like my dear grandmother and then you will not be too impressed with my looks," Clara giggled as she took a seat.

"I will love you even when you are old and poor Benjamin will be having to push us around in wheelchairs," Herbert sat opposite of her and grinned at her.

"My poor little boy," Clara said, shaking her head in mock dismay.

"So has anything more been said about a divorce?" Pittman asked her.

"With David?" She shook her head, "I have not seen him since we were in church together this morning. He is probably with her now," Clara shrugged, "Nothing more I can do, I suppose."

"I find the nerve he had to bring her along and put her so close to you to be," Herbert paused as he looked for the word, "Daring."

"He could have at least put her down the hall and away from our child," Clara shook her head, "Anyway, let us not talk about David Moore and his poor life. How did you manage to get an evening off at last?"

"Ah I got out of a night shift because I went this morning to represent the ship and crew at the church service," Pittman smiled, "I only did it so I could see you."

"I have to say it was a welcome surprise. I thought I would not be able to see you until this evening."

"I am a man of many surprises apparently."

As the evening progressed, closer to the ten o'clock hour, Clara grew tired but the two stayed up as they talked about their families and how they hoped one day, both sides would be able to meet. They discussed what kind of life they would lead in America and how Benjamin would be raised.

"I think he should have the kind of childhood I had," Herbert stated, smiling as he brought a glass of water to his lips.

"Which was?" Clara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Go to school, do well and study, then do whatever you want. Enjoy life and be a child."

She smiled, "I would love that."

"We will build a big house in the middle of nowhere and Benjamin can run all around the yard with the dogs," Herbert told her.

"Dogs?"

"Yes dogs and plural!"

Clara put her hand over her face and shook it, "Oh maybe I will have to rethink this," she laughed, "Dogs and I have never gotten along."

"Are you a cat person?" He asked next.

She shrugged, "I was always fond of the cats on my grandfather's land in the country side, but I was never allowed to have one."

"Then we will get you a kitten."

Clara laughed again, "I would like that very much."

Herbert got to his feet then and walked around the table and offered his hand to her, "May I have this dance?"

"Bertie, there is no music."

"Then we make our own."

He took her hand anyway and pulled Clara to her feet. One of his arms slipped around her waist and Herbert took one of Clara's hands. Slowly they began to move and sway around the room to the imaginary music. At one point Herbert began to hum a tune and Clara placed her head on his chest as they moved, simply content to stand there and listen to the rhythmic thumping of his heart, in time with his tune.

"I just want to stay here forever," she whispered quietly.

"I am always going to take care of you Clara, I just want you to know that."

She pulled her head away from his chest and looked up at the man, this incredible man who she had only know for four days, but she had come to love in a deep and powerful way. The incredible thing to her was that he loved her back and he made her feel safe, a feeling she had only encountered in the very early stages of her life. Clara smiled at Herbert and a moment later their lips met. The couple became so wrapped up in each other that they did not hear anyone walk by the door and a moment later it opened. It was not until someone spoke that they realized they were not alone.

"What the Hell is going on?"

Clara pulled away from Herbert to see David standing in the doorway, his coat slung over his arm, and a look of pure anger on his face.

"Hello David," Clara said, frowning.

"So this is the real reason you want a divorce, eh? So you can run off with some ships officer that you met four days ago?" David scoffed, "Get your things, I am taking you back to our room."

"David, you hardly have room to get angry with me. You have been seeing another woman since before our son was born," Clara shrugged.

"That is different," David snarled.

"Oh right, a man being with a woman that is not his wife and treating her horribly, so the wife runs away to another man is very different. At least I treat Clara with the respect and love she deserves," Herbert said.

"Bertie please do not," Clara turned to look at him, "I should go, Benjamin will need me." She took his hand and squeezed it gently, trying to tell him with her eyes that she would see him in the morning.

"Clara-" Herbert began but David cut him off by grabbing Clara by the wrist and pulling her away from me, "I will have your job for this, Pittman. Stay the hell away from my wife or else I will personally see that you never work in this industry again."

Before Herbert or Clara could say another word, David had pulled his wife out of the room and dragged her off back to the first class entrance.

"David let go of me," Clara protested, "I can walk on my own and you are hurting my wrist!"

David ignored Clara and he did not let go of her wrist until they were back in the suite, "Clara you are to stay in this room for the rest of the trip. You will have your meals here and Esther will walk with Benjamin on the deck. I am not going to have you to continue with your affair and have you disgrace my name."

"Just leave me be, David," Clara said as she headed to her room, "I do not need you nor do I need to listen to you." There was a slam of her bedroom door and Clara locked it from the inside.

She listened by the door for a moment and after just a second she heard the suite door open and then slam shut, "Go see your mistress, see if I care," she muttered. Clara turned back to face her bed and decided she may as well try to sleep. Slowly she began to undress, she scrubbed her face clean and then got under the cover. She was asleep within seconds, but she would not stay asleep for long.

Xx

A/N- oooooooh lots of shit went down, huh?

Well I have to work...as usual. Yay /sarcasm. Thank you for your kind words as always! I will talk to y'all later! :)