Hello everyone!!!!
Before I start with the chapter I thought I better describe this a bit better, please take the time to read.
Well, basically, I have had this idea for a Titanic story for about three years now but that was before I knew that this site existed. I watched Titanic again recently and was inspired to get on here and write. I have two other stories on the go as well but I thought I need to write this before I forget about it.
Anyways, I figured that I would invent a passenger, first class, who boarded the Titanic. His name, Daniel Taylor, aged 24. This character is me by the way, just about 9 years older, to make the plot work. He grew up with a one friend, and only one friend, that is Caledon Hockley. In this story Cal is 29. Basically this a story that has a bit of romance and a reunited friendship.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
THIS IS NOT A SLASH STORY.
I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARCTERS EXCEPT DANIEL.
THIS MAY BE SLIGHTLY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.
Right, with that said I think I should start writing now.
Hope you enjoy.
CHAPTER ONE
BOARDING
The car pulled to a stop in the filled dock. There were people everywhere, waving on in awe at the ship above them.
Daniel hopped out of the red car, not impressed with the ship in the slightest. He had never had a love for things mechanical and would much rather be at home reading a book than pretend to be interested in boarding a ship that would take him to America.
He sighed as he realised that he didn't have a choice. His father had died, his only relative, and he had to attend a funeral in America. Daniel was from England and lived with his mother and father until he was two, his mother died of Typhoid so his Father, overcome by grief sailed to America, cutting all links to his past life. He had not wanted his only son, presumably because he was so much like his mother.
Daniel had been sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle and had been there ever since, in their First Class society. His parents were poor but his father's brother had struck gold in a mine in India, so they lived a life of luxury.
Daniel was forced to act like a gentleman, with suits and slicked back hair. He was not allowed to run and play like other children and was forced to endure the lectures from his childless Aunt and Uncle over his behaviour.
Daniel was now 24 and was the heir to his Uncle's riches because he and his Uncle David had no children.
Daniel was reluctant to go on the Titanic, because of his fear that his father had started another family in America, and he was being lead into the lion's den so to speak. He was swayed when he found out that his childhood friend Caledon Hockley was going to board with his fiancé.
Daniel and Cal had met when their father's were talking business at some held in London. Cal and Daniel were the only children there, even though they were five years apart in age, they became good friends, and had been visiting each other over the summer through the years.
The last time he had seen Cal was when he had finished University at the age of 18. Cal was by then 23 years old and they both felt that they were too old to keep travelling, like children to see each other in the summer.
"Where is your ticket, sir?" A voice asked, breaking his reverie.
Daniel turned around and noticed that he had been staring at the ship for five minutes, while thinking about his childhood.
"I have it here." He replied to the steward that was prompting him.
"A magnificent ship isn't she?" The steward stated, misinterpreting his staring for wonder.
Daniel nodded gloomily and grabbed his luggage, preparing to board the ship. His maid, Katherine grabbed the others. He gave her a friendly smile, in truth they were cousins, through his mother's side, but no one knew that. Katherine had appeared at his Uncle's house one night in rags and was at once aided by himself, who encouraged his Uncle to let her stay as his maid. Daniel refused to allow her to wait on him, as they were best friends, though of different class.
The pair started off for the ship but was at once relieved by their luggage from an attendant who took them to their rooms, A-35 and A-36. Daniel knew of the expense of these tickets and realised that he would be seen as another rich man who drank constantly and smoked cigars while talking about politics.
He walked up the ramp, taking in the smell of the fresh paint, the calm of the water and the sound of the crowd.
He handed the Officer his ticket at the First Class entrance and forced a smile onto his pale face. He was constantly told he looked ill, but he had inherited his snowy complexion from his mother, a beautiful woman in her own right.
"Welcome to the Titanic, you will find your luggage is in your rooms."
Daniel nodded and walked slowly with Katherine to their rooms. He absorbed the luxury and the glamour of the hallways, the thick carpet under his feet, the white panelled corridors.
He found their rooms and barged in, ready to act like his true self. He stopped at a mirror over a marble fireplace. His hand reached up and touched the dark locks that were plastered to his head, ending at his neck in a few curls that would never lie flat.
He had been told that he was a handsome man and that any rich girl would marry him. So far, he had managed to stay single but he knew that time was running out.
The only part of his appearance he actually liked were his eyes. A dark brown that reflected his true soul, not the first class person he was made out to be.
"Daniel, we had better put your things away."
He turned to face Katherine, who was opening one of the many suitcases he carried. He gave her a smile and turned to help her.
"These rooms are beautiful." Katherine exclaimed, pointing at the dark panelled walls, the gold trimmed fireplace, and the silk sheets on the beds.
He made an agreeing sound while putting his real clothes away. He had managed to sneak a few coloured shirts and black trousers on board, with a few plain waistcoats that gave the appearance that the clothes belonged to steerage. Daniel had hated suits and ties ever since his Aunt first showed him some.
He shut the carved wardrobe door quickly and slid the suitcases out of the way.
The ship had been sailing for a while now; they were speeding for Cherbourg where more passengers would come aboard. They had not bothered to go up on deck, he was unimpressed by the hype that this ship created and wished not to see it.
With nothing more to do, Daniel sat on a chair and opened the book her brought with him, Katherine was sleeping in her room, ill by sea sickness. He had asked her to alert him if she needed anything.
He skipped lunch, not wanting to leave Katherine. Dinner was no fast approaching and his stomach demanded food. He grabbed a sheet of paper from a notepad nearby and wrote a note to Katherine which he placed on her bedside table.
It took him approximately ten minutes to dress in his formal tuxedo. He made sure his shoulder length dark hair was slicked back, not revealing its length. His Uncle had given him a lecture on how he should cut it short, but his mother had it shoulder length, and he wanted to feel closer to her, even after twenty two years from her death.
Daniel slipped out of the room and walked down the corridors on his won. He nodded to several people, and couldn't help but think that he should have stayed with Katherine; he was receiving odd looks for going to dinner on his own.
He reached the Grand Staircase and descended down the steps to the D Deck, where the restaurant was located. He admired the wood work and iron work, noticing the detail of the carvings.
He walked straight into someone, not looking where he was going.
"I am so sorry, I was admiring the woodwork and I must have stopped looking."
Daniel hated being formal, but realised that he was representing his Uncle, he was a well known heir to the massive fortune his Uncle had, an eligible bachelor.
Daniel eyes locked onto brown ones that seemed so familiar. He realised he was looking into the face of Caledon Hockley.
"Cal?" Daniel asked, hoping to get the attention of the retreating figure who had not said a word. The man froze and turned to see Daniel, immediately recognising his old friend.
"Daniel Taylor, why I never." The dark haired man walked over to him and the two shared a firm handshake, aware that they could not be informal in public.
Cal was smiling a real smile at seeing his only friend. Daniel knew it was a real smile; he had witnessed a fake one on many occasions.
Daniel was half dragged down the remaining steps and almost knocked into a middle aged red haired woman in a pink beaded dress.
"Ruth, I would like you to meet Daniel Taylor, heir to a diamond fortune, one of my truest friends."
Daniel smiled graciously and lifted the woman's hand to kiss, the custom with first class men to do to a high status woman.
"A pleasure to meet you." He said, standing up to his full height (5'11")
"This is Ruth DeWitt Bukator, my fiancée's mother."
Daniel smiled again, noticing the fake smile that Ruth displayed. He tried his hardest to keep his demeanour friendly and civil.
"Why are you David Taylor's son?" Ruth asked, interested in his wealth.
"Yes, but technically nephew, though I am his heir."
Daniel made small talk with the woman, turning on his charm ever so slightly, knowing that he wanted to get on the good side of this woman.
"Daniel please meet my wife to be, Rose." Cal said, causing Daniel to turn on the spot.
He was met with the most beautiful woman on the planet, though not his taste, he could see why Cal liked her.
"A pleasure, I am Daniel Taylor, one of Cal's old friends."
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise of his friendship with Cal, luckily only Daniel noticed.
"May I escort you to dinner Ruth?" Daniel asked the older woman, noticing Cal and Rose walking off to the dining area.
"Of course." The woman answered, linking her arm through his.
He could tell that this woman was fake, but he wanted to know the real person behind that, at least to give her chance.
"So tell me Ruth, do you read?" He asked, hoping to find she had some interests that didn't involve money.
She laughed with a fake sound, knowing that she was trying to be polite. "Of course not, I much prefer to socialise."
Daniel smiled politely and escorted her to her table promptly. He noticed that the table was full of the highest classed people on the ship; unfortunately he noticed there was a seat for him.
"Do sit with us Master Taylor." Ruth asked, lowering into her chair. Daniel obliged and couldn't help but notice that fact that she emphasized the word Master to portray his single status.
He did not listen to the mindless chatter around the table; he just focused on eating and looking interested.
"Do tell us why you are not married good sir, you are quite eligible I would imagine."
Daniel turned to Ruth, the speaker of these words and noticed the female members of the table perk up in interest.
He took a sip of wine before answering, wishing he had beer instead. "All of the women I have been introduced to seem to want for the money I will have. I do not mean to be rude to anyone on this table, but I would much prefer to stay single then marry someone I do not love, the problem is my Aunt seems set on to marry me to some girl I don't even know. It was proving quite hard to resist for much longer, we all know how a woman gets her way."
The men of the table laughed heartily, nodding in agreement. Daniel looked into the cold eyes of Ruth and realised that was answer she had hoped for.
The dinner passed without further distraction and Daniel couldn't help feeling that this was going to slowly.
"Gentlemen, care for a brandy?" J.J Astor asked, smiling at all the men who stood up. Daniel was left the only male on the table.
"Are you not joining us Daniel?" Cal said to him, noticing he had remained seated.
Daniel plastered on a fake smile looked up at his friend.
"I do not like brandy, you know that Cal."
The men all looked shocked and Daniel couldn't help but laughing, and was quickly joined in by Cal, who both held a memory of a similar occasion about seven years ago.
"Come have a smoke with us instead." Archie said, and older man, who obviously wanted to know about his Uncle's business.
"I do not smoke, I do not like it." Daniel supplied between laughter, which was once again increased by the appalled look on the men's faces. Cal remained smiling and herded the men to the Smoking Room.
Daniel stopped laughing and looked at the beautifully dressed women around him.
No one seemed to want to speak to him, obviously startled by his outburst.
"A man that doesn't like brandy and cigars, I thought the world was not blessed enough." Madeline Astor said, allowing herself to say something educated for the first time that night.
Laughter once gain surrounded the table, to which Daniel joined in.
"You are a unique man." The Countess said to him, smiling still.
"Well, I try to be different." Daniel said, standing up from the table. His vision was partly obscured by a long strand of hair that had slipped down.
"Well Ladies, it has been a pleasure meeting you, but I must tend to my maid, she is sea sick and I need to make sure she is okay."
Silence fell upon the table, the women looked appalled, all except Rose, who looked at him in interest.
"You care for such a lower class being?" Ruth asked in her cold voice.
"Yes ma'am, I do." Daniel said, not wanting to go into details.
He rushed his departure form the dining room and grabbed some rolls from the table, in case Katherine was hungry. He ran up the grand staircase, nodding to a few more people on the way, he quickly walked down to his room.
He entered to find Katherine up and about, looking slightly ill but happy.
He placed the rolls on the table and hugged Katherine, making sure she was alright,
After a quick bath, he retired to his room and tried not to think about the rumours about him that he had already begun.
This trip was going to be one to remember.
………………………
There we go. I hope that was alright, please review if you have anything to say. Do you think I should continue? Anyways, thanks for reading my longest chapter ever in any story. (Lol, I am pleased with myself.)
Dan.