Chapter One

October, 1912

"What a wonderful day, Emma." Olivia Barlow said as she sat down at the dressing table in her suite. She glanced at herself and decided she liked what she saw. At eighteen, she was just coming into her own. She had grown taller and slimmer over the summer and she even thought she had gotten prettier. Cool, blue eyes were framed by dark, thick lashes and her ashen blonde hair framed her face and fell to her waist in soft waves. She flipped it forward over her shoulder and began to brush it, curling it around her fingers every so often.

"What are you so happy about?" Fourteen year-old Emma grumped from her bed.

"Need you even ask?" she laid the brush down and turned to her sister. "Caledon Hockley is coming to see me today. He is so handsome and debonair. Every girl thinks so."

"Caledon Hockley?" her sister threw back the blankets and slid from the bed. "I don't like him. He gives me the willies."

"Oh pooh! Every man gives you the willies. You're such a child. When are you going to grow up?" Olivia shook her head and resumed brushing her hair.

"Never!" Emma stuck her tongue out at her older sister. "I like being a child. Grown ups have no fun. It's always, 'do this' and 'do that' and you have to act so silly to get a man to notice you. Who cares anyway?"

"I care, that's who." Olivia stood and spun herself around. "Caledon Hockley is no ordinary man, Emma. He's one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia Society. He's the catch of the town and he's coming to see me!"

"He's so old though." Emma rubbed her eyes.

"He's not old, he's mature. Besides, twenty-six is not old."

"I'm never getting married." Emma declared. "I'm not going to have a man tell what to do."

"If you weren't such a child, you would understand how silly that sounds. Haven't you paid attention to mother and father at all? Mother lets him think he's making all of the decisions, but really it's her. She gets what she wants and he gets what he wants. That's the way my marriage is going to be. When I get married, that is."

Olivia walked to the window and pulled back the white, lace curtain to look down on the neatly manicured lawn that was several acres in width. She smiled wistfully as she imagined she and Cal walking along the path down to the pond. She would take his arm and he would hold her hand. When she looked up at him she would smile and he would fall madly in love with her. She already was with him and she had only talked to him once. When her parents told her that he had asked to call on her, she almost fainted with happiness.

She also knew that it had only been six months since he had lost his fiancée on the Titanic. But, her love for him would heal any pain he still may feel from that. While she was sad for his loss, she knew that she was better suited for him than Rose Dewitt Bukater.

Olivia and Rose had grown up in the same circles and went to the same schools, but she couldn't say that they were more than acquaintances most of the time. Rose was always different and Olivia never understood her. She always seemed to be unhappy and discontent with everything.

Once, Rose's family was having a party and Olivia was on her way to the powder room to freshen up when she saw Rose and her mother in a heated conversation on the balcony. One of the glass doors was partially opened so she stepped closer to hear what it was about. She knew she was eavesdropping and if she had been caught she would have been mortified, so she pretended to look in her purse while listening to what was being said.

"I don't care, Mother. You can't make me." Rose snapped hotly.

"I can and I will. Do you understand me, Rose?" Ruth's cool voice countered. "This is very important and I won't allow you to destroy the only chance we may have."

"I don't care about any of that. This is my life and I don't want to be forced to do something that I don't want to do."

"We all make difficult choices, Rose."

"You're not giving me a choice. You're making me do this! Don't you even care about what I want?"

Ruth's tone changed then. "Of course, I do. I want you to be happy, darling. And you will be if you'll just do this. This is the best thing for everyone."

"Everyone? Don't you mean you, Mother?"

Olivia peeked through the opening to see Rose walk to the balcony and cross her arms tightly. It was plain Rose was upset about something, but Olivia still couldn't discern what the conversation was about.

"I wish I could just leave here." Rose said in a low voice. "I wish I could fly away and never be found again. Then I could live my life the way I want."

"Don't be ridiculous, Rose." Ruth scolded. "Now, come… We're going back in and I won't hear anymore talk of running away. Remember what I said and smile, Rose, you look so much prettier when you do."

In a few moments the two women were headed for the doors and Olivia hurried away so as not to be caught. Later, when she thought of the conversation she had overheard between Rose and her mother, she couldn't help but wonder what they were arguing about. She wondered why Rose would want to run away. Was her life that bad? Even after she had become engaged to Cal she didn't seem happy and that was something Olivia couldn't understand. If she were engaged to Caledon Hockley, she would be the happiest girl in the world.

A few hours later Olivia stood in front of the full length mirror in her room. She reached behind her to tighten the sash on her dress. It was white organza trimmed in lilac lace. It was one of her prettiest dresses and she hoped Cal thought so, too.

There was a tap at her door and then her mother, Constance, came in smiling approvingly at her appearance.

"Very nice, Olivia. Mr. Hockley should be quite taken when he sees you."

"Do you really think so, Mother?"

"Yes darling, I do." She nodded and took her hands. "Now, I want to talk to you before you go downstairs."

"Okay, Mother." Olivia said as they sat on the trunk at the end of her bed.

"As you know Mr. Hockley suffered a great loss when he lost his fiancée on the Titanic. It was a tragic thing, but he has managed to survive and after a period of grieving has asked to call on you. I think you should realize how fortunate you are to be in this position."

"Fortunate?"

"Yes, fortunate. He could have asked to call on any one of very beautiful and eligible young ladies, but it was you he chose."

"I have thought of that, Mother and I have a very good feeling about all of it. I'm sorry he lost Rose, but he has to think of his future and I, for one, hope his future is with me."

"I was hoping to hear you say that, darling. Your father and I have discussed this and Caledon Hockley is the kind of man we had envisioned for you. He's everything a well brought up young man should be. Handsome, kind, well traveled and from a good family."

"I know you're right, but still I wonder…"

"About what, Olivia?"

Olivia stood and walked back to the full length mirror and looked at herself again. She knew it may have seemed foolish but she couldn't help but compare herself to Rose. Rose may have been different but there was no denying her beauty and there was a certain glimmer about Rose that Olivia knew she didn't have.

"What are you concerned about, darling?" Constance came up behind her.

"What if Cal doesn't see me as he… well, as he saw Rose?"

Her mother smiled reassuringly at her. "Olivia, you need not compare yourself to Rose DeWitt Bukater. You are an exceptional person and I'm sure Mr. Hockley will see this in you."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am. Now, we've kept him waiting long enough so let's go down and remember Olivia… you are a Barlow and that makes you very, very special."

Feeling better about the situation, Olivia followed her mother across the spacious hallway and down the long, spiral staircase. Just before they came to the parlor her mother stopped at the door.

"I have a few things to check on and I'll be in directly. Your father is already with Mr. Hockley so you go on in. Don't worry about anything, Olivia, you'll be just fine."

Taking a deep breath after her mother walked away, she opened the door to the parlor and walked in. When she did, both her father and Cal stood to their feet. She smiled when she saw him. He was just as handsome as she remembered. With his dark good looks and the grey wool suit that was tailored to fit him perfectly, he was the epitome of what she always thought the man of her dreams would be like.

"Well there you are, Olivia." Her father boomed. "I thought we were going to have to send out a search party for you."

"Oh, Father," Olivia laughed and came further in the room.

"Miss Barlow," Cal smiled and bowed his head. "You look exceptionally lovely today."

"Thank you, Mr. Hockley." She felt warm tingles when he took her hand and kissed it.

"Your father and I were just discussing how beautiful your home is and how nice it would be to take a walk on your grounds. That is, if you would oblige me."

Her father's chest protruded as he smiled broadly. "I think that's a fine idea and I'm sure Olivia would be more than happy to. Wouldn't you, Olivia?"

Olivia blushed under her father's enthusiastic response. "Of course I would."

"Shall we?" Cal lifted his arm toward her. When she stepped next to him she lost her breath for just a moment. She so wanted this man to fall in love with her and at that moment she would have followed him anywhere.

They stepped out onto the patio and made their way down to the path. The sun shone brightly overhead and filtered through the trees above them. The crunch of the leaves beneath her feet was a comforting sound to her. She felt his arm warm and hard beneath her hand. She never wanted this moment to end.

"So Olivia, your father tells me that you only made your debut at the beginning of the summer. You must have had many an invitation to only the best select parties."

"Yes, I have. It has been a wonderful time but I'm just as happy to be here walking with you as any party I've been to."

Cal stopped and stared down at her, a smile on his handsome features. "Sweet," he said as he touched her cheek. Then something like a scowl came over his face and she wondered if she had been too bold.

"I shouldn't have said that."

He shook his head. "Nonsense. I apologize for making you uncomfortable. It wasn't what you said, it was just a memory I had. A rather painful one."

"You mean about… Rose?"

A flash of darkness covered his face but it just as quickly it was gone. "Yes, I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have spoiled our afternoon."

"No, you didn't. It's quite alright. You cared for her and I understand that."

Cal jutted his chin out and turned from her for a moment. "I thought she cared for me too, but in the end…"

Olivia was at a loss for words. What was Cal saying? What had happened between he and Rose before her death? She suddenly felt like an intruder and it was only the two of them there. Confused and unsure of what to do, she placed a hand on his arm. He glanced down at her and took a deep breath.

"Forgive me. This is no time for sad memories. Shall we return and have the delicious lunch your parents had prepared for us?"

She nodded, feeling better that his dark mood had disappeared. "Yes, that would be lovely." She took his arm again as they made their way back to the house. The afternoon went wonderful and Cal was everything she had hoped for and more. Before, she had only imagined herself in love with him, but now she knew it. And, it was the most marvelous feeling in the world.