The carriage arrived before the designated time. Benjamin looked at it briefly through the window. You would expect the carriage to be opulent, a splendor to behold but as no one was to know his connection to the King and Queen, he was being picked up in an ordinary carriage with some not so ordinary drivers.

The driver's were the Queen's personal guard, dressed in normal garb, instead of their usual bright colored uniforms. He pulled the curtain back into place and decided it best not to keep them waiting. Obviously, the Queen was anxious about something and the sooner he discovered what it was the quicker he could put her mind to rest.

The carriage took him through the bustling streets of London on a journey to Windsor Castle. Most guests' would have been brought to the Upper Ward and taken to the Queen's Presence and Audience Chambers however he was not an actual guest.

The carriage headed instead to the Lower Ward on the north side of the castle to where the spiritual home of the Order of the Knight's of the Garter resided, St. George's Chapel, the place never failed to move him. The Queen's Beasts stared down at him as he unfolded his limbs from the carriage and stretched, after not moving about for a few hours.

As a young boy, he remembered desperately wishing to be a Knight of the Garter but as they were only appointed by the Sovereign, his father told him it was a dream he may need to forfeit. Working now for the crown, he would have to forfeit many dreams of which being esteemed with a knighthood was just one. It would never happen as the order had been disbanded a few years back.

He entered into the Quire and had found her, his Queen, seated in a stall facing the altar. She seemed quite contemplative; yet serene would be the word he would use to describe her features at this moment.

She rose to greet him as he walked up the aisle. The guards stayed close by the door to ensure their meeting would not be interrupted.

Benjamin bowed deeply and was rewarded with her smile as he rose. "You must be wondering why the sudden need for such a visit?" 

She motioned for him to sit and she very unceremoniously sat across the aisle from him. This was undoubtedly one of the most informal meetings he has ever experienced with her Majesty.

"I have been troubled as of late, besides that of my husband's failing health, the unrest of my family with their endless arguing, I have recently received news which requires me to ask a favor of you, but first what news have you for me?"

Benjamin's mind raced at what this new request could mean. "As you know the restrictions have lifted. Your son's decision to keep the Tory government in place has made him very unpopular among the Whigs he use to call friends."

The Queen looked away from Benjamin's scrutinizing gaze. "He has done so under the sound advice of Sir Halford who strongly believes a change in government would kill the King should he recover."

"Will he..." Benjamin dared ask, "recover?"

Tear filled eyes met his. "No. Not as it stands. I do not believe so. In fact, I find myself praying nearly every day for the Lord to end his suffering. He calls out for Emily to rescue him often and take him from this world, into the next, and I find myself wishing it were possible."

Benjamin wished there was something he could do to give her comfort but knew he could not. There was no end but death for such torment. He thought of Clara and could sympathize with the pain of losing someone. It is very acute even if that person may still be among the living.

"This unpopular decision will only increase Perceval's dislike. His harsh measures of dealing with the war have caused such unrest and poverty among the people. I fear should he stay in power much longer, he may come to an unscrupulous end."

The Queen's eyes widen. "You speak of termination."

"Assassination, my Queen. There are many who would love to see him come to an end. I had hoped your son would do so by putting the Whigs in place as promised, but now that he has not I would not be surprised if actions were taken to bring him to an end, of a different kind."

"Do you have any suspects?"

"Several, the problem is not that we do not know whom would try but that there are so many who would consider."

The Queen nodded. "My own Granddaughter, the Prince's own blood as spoken out against her father's decision. She has revealed herself to be quite Jacobin in her ways of thinking. He as forced her to do penance here adding to my troubles. She has a penchant for warring with her Aunts."

Benjamin thought of the princesses. Prisoners, all of them, in gilded cages, held back from marriage and love due to a law passed by their father that they could not marry before the age of twenty-five, their choices disapproved of when they had come of age, and now they are well past their prime and the lot have been fated to become spinsters. A fate Princess Charlotte most likely fears will become hers, now that she is force to live among them.

"That however, is a family affair and has nothing to do with you."

She had gotten his attention, as he believed her about to reveal the reason for him being called into her presence today.

"I have received a letter from Lord Fitton, who is on a mission for me and it has deeply disturbed me."

The name did not ring any bells for Benjamin, and before he could ask who he was or what was the mission, the Queen had continued to ramble. Something she does often when her nerves get the better of her.

"You see he is a professor of botany. He has been helping me with my work in Kew Gardens and in cataloging various species of plants our countrymen may never see but in the journals he has compiled."

She paused a moment looking at the altar again. A botanist, a professor, it made Benjamin's mind spin wondering where she was headed with all this.

She turned back and she looked lost. "I had asked him to take this trip. To see if he could possibly find a cure for the King. We are only beginning to understand the healing properties of certain plants but in the East Indies..."

Benjamin's head shot up at the name...

"I have hope... perhaps foolish of me but if there is a chance..." The Queen looked away again and Benjamin wished he could speed her up some how.

"It is a risk worth taking, your Majesty. Is he sailing with the East India Company?"

"Yes, with Captain Redgrave I believe he said was the name of the Commander of the fleet. However, one ship is already lost to sea and they had taken severe damage during a storm. When they came to port to repair the ship Lord Fitton was badly beaten by a press gang. I am ashamed to say it was a lieutenant of one of our own ships. Lord Fitton's valet was taken along with several others of Commander Redgrave's crew."

"Valet?" Benjamin's heart stuck in his throat. Could it be?

"I swear the boy would have earned himself a knighthood if the Garter was it still intact."

"What do you mean?"

"It would seem the boy, put himself in harms way to save the impressed men."

Benjamin swallowed the bile that threatened to surface. "Harms way?"

"Yes, the letter mentioned the boy was shot."

Benjamin felt light-headed. "Did the letter mention an outcome?"

"No, only a request that Redgrave and his crew be pardoned for their transgressions against the Crown as the Royal Ship was damaged and the boy would be considered a traitor, a deserter, as he signed on to be a part of His Majesty's Navy."

"What was the boy's name?"

The Queen pulled open the letter from her parcel and scanned the contents.

"I believe Lord Fitton said the boy's name was Claremont, Benjamin Claremont."

Benjamin felt suckered. He breath caught in his chest. Could it be coincidence? Both his and Clara's name intertwined in this boy's. Panic was threatening to overcome logic.

"Benjamin, I need you to go to the East Indies. I need you find Lord Fitton and be certain he does not fail in returning from his mission. I will send word ahead that he is to wait for your arrival at the end of his journey. I would wish for you to meet with him sooner but as they already have a head start this is not possible. Commander Redgrave would undoubtably never stand for just a delay. But once he reaches India, I will have him meet with you there and I ask that you escort him home."

"Consider it done," Benjamin said at once. "I will leave on the next ship out of port today."

The Queen held out her hand to him and he took it. "Thank you Benjamin. I know much is going on here at home but I must risk everything if it means a cure."

Benjamin knelt before her. "I swear upon my life, Lord Fitton will return."