The doorknob turned and the small attic door opened. She looked down at the girl, her beautiful red hair a disheveled mess. "Adeline, we are leaving in twenty minutes." The girl, Adeline, looked back over at the woman and nodded silently. One of the many servants of the household, Jeannette, walked into the room as Ruth walked out. "Come on child, we'd better hurry if we don't want to be left behind." the servant said to the girl. She nodded once again and stood. Jeannette pulled a corset out of the wardrobe. Adeline took off her nightgown and slipped into the corset. Jeannette tightened the corset around the girl's small frame and helped her into the dress. She brushed the girl's hair and put the tiniest bit of makeup on her face. She put her shoes on her feet and quickly packed the rest of her things into trunks. Adeline quietly walked down the stairs of the attic and then the stairs to the first floor of the house. There, Rose, Cal, Ruth and James were all standing there waiting for her. James smiled and took her arm gently.
They walked out to the car that was waiting for them. Cal opened the door for the three ladies and James and he both got in after them. The ride to the dock was quiet, no one said anything. Once they arrived, Cal was the first one out of the car, then Rose, then Ruth, followed by James and Adeline. "I don't see what all the fuss is about, it doesn't look any bigger than the Mauritania." Rose said. "It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauritania and far more luxurious." Cal replied. They began walking to the ship as Cal and LoveJoy stopped to talk to a steward. Cal joined them and they walked up the ramp and into the ship.
Rose, Trudy and Adeline were taking out the paintings and placing them around the sitting room. "Do you want all of them out, miss?" Trudy asked Rose. "Yes, we need a little color in this room." Rose replied. "Oh god, not those finger paintings again." Cal said, sipping his drink. "The difference between Cal's taste in art and mine, is that I have some. I think they're fascinating." Rose said, placing another painting down. Adeline chuckled quietly to herself. "What's the artist's name?" Trudy asked. "Picasso." Adeline whispered under her breath. "Picasso, he won't amount to a thing." Adeline rolled her eyes at Cal's ignorance. "Well Adeline and I are going to go for a walk." Rose said, taking Adeline's arm. Adeline looked at her in surprise but nodded, looking over at James and Cal. They both nodded and the ladies walked out of the room and down the hall. They stepped out onto the deck and felt the cold air blow past them. As the strong gust of wind blew, Adeline's hat flew right off of her head. She reached out to grab it but missed it by a hair. It flew across the deck and hit a man in an officer's uniform on the back.
The man turned around and looked down at the ground. He raised an eyebrow before leaning down and picking up the hat. He looked around the deck for the owner of the hat and saw two women with red hair standing about twenty feet away, looking at him. He walked over to the women and stopped in front of them. "This is yours I presume." he said to Adeline. "Merci Monsieur." she said in a thick french accent, taking it from him and putting it back on her head. "I'm Harold Lowe." he said, looking at the both of them. "Rose Dewitt Bukator." Rose said, smiling politely. Harold looked at Adeline. "Adeline Dewitt Bukator." she said quietly, looking down at the ground. Harold smiled. "Well it was a pleasure meeting you, ladies, but I'm afraid I must be off. Good evening." He said. Adeline looked back up at him and smiled lightly. "Good evening." she said. "Good evening, Mr. Lowe." she said to him. He smiled at the two of them and glanced quickly at Adeline before turning around and walking toward the front of the ship...