Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic.
Author's Note: I would like to extend a special thanks to our beta hmweasley. Thank you for all of your help along the way. Your suggestions have been very helpful. Thank you on behalf of myself and co - author PaulWalkerlover73.
Historical Note: The William Murdoch Memorial Prize has been given to students in Dalbeattie, Scotland after the death of First Officer William McMaster Murdoch. This memorial prize is given once a year to a student after taking a school wide test.
A special thanks to LaueeeCarter for your help about the memorial plaque that was erected in Dalbeattie, Scotland. Thank you once again.
Chapter 3 - The Calm Before The Storm - Part 1
Dear Diary,
Uncle Henry seems ever so nice to me. Ever since we went on our picnic, things have gotten a little better for us. Well, almost everything. Diana King is the worst person I've ever had the least honorable pleasure of meeting.
I learned he courted my mummy. That was well over twelve years ago it seems. I think Uncle Henry is hiding something about that courtship. I have a feeling he was going to marry my mum.
Then I have yet to hear anything from Aunt Peg. Grandfather might not want her to write just yet. I've written to my aunt, and I wonder what is going on in Scotland?
I wonder ever since a letter came from Grandfather just this morning. I wonder if Grandfather wants me to come home and live with them. That would be ever so grand to be home again. Well, home again where my Daddy grew up. I can only dream for that or even if Uncle Charles is coming to see me.
Speaking of Uncle Charles, he left me without looking back. I don't like what he did to me. Uncle Henry said it had to happen that way. What's that supposed to mean to me? Everyone says I'll understand more when I grow up.
I have to sign off since Uncle Henry is calling me for breakfast.
Carrie
"Carrie," Henry called from the breakfast table as he sipped on a cup of tea.
"Carrie Hannah, come and eat this moment, young lady," Henry called out again for Carrie, who walked into the room in a hurry.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied as she quickly took her place across from Henry at the breakfast table.
"Carrie?" Henry said as he sat down his tea cup and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied as she poured milk over her porridge without looking up to see how upset Henry might have been at her.
"I'm not angry, Carrie. I wanted to know why you're late for breakfast?" Henry asked as Carrie very reluctantly looked up at him a bit nervously.
"I was writing in my diary that Daddy gave me after Mummy died. I'm sorry, I won't let it happen again," Carrie said as she finally looked up at Henry before taking a bit of her porridge.
"See that it won't. I've gotten a post from your grandparents in Scotland," Henry announced as Carrie sported a grin on her face for the first time in months.
"What did they say?" Carrie asked as she was very eager to know the news in the letter.
"I'll read it to you, and then we should discuss your schooling for this year," Henry said as he pulled the letter out of the envelope for the second time that day.
"Yes, sir."
When the room yet fell silent once again, Henry looked down at the letter. While the young girl he looked on at sat in silence eating her breakfast. The letter held the best news for Carrie as far as Henry could tell with the grin she sported on her face.
"Dear Mr. Wilde and Carrie,
"We've received word of a memorial that is to be erected in memory of our William. It has come to our family's attention that Carrie will be desired to attend this ceremony in honor of her father's life as a seafaring officer.
"A date has not been made known to us at the currently. Carrie will need to be here in plenty of time. If it is found suitable for our young Carrie to be in attendance. We here hope that the little miss can come, since the entire family will be here for the ceremony.
"Now for our Carrie girl.
"Grandmother sends her love and begs for you to write her a letter. We all know this is a hard transition to your new home. We all here at home hope to see you later this year, Carrie.
"Do your father proud and obey Mr. Wilde.
"Much Love to Carrie from Auntie Peg, Grandfather, and Grandmother.
Sincerely,
Samuel Murdoch," Henry said as he finished reading the short letter sent.
"Carrie," Henry said as he finished reading the post.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied as she looked up from her bowl that was now empty.
"I've enrolled you in school," Henry said as Carrie's face lit up with a huge grin.
"Goody. I can't wait to see my old friends again. Daddy said schooling is a good way to have a good start in life," Carrie replied with a tone of happiness with a thought to see her old friends again.
"No, Carrie. You'll be in attendance at a school in our area," Henry stated the facts since he knew this school was in a better area than Carrie's old school.
"I want to go to my old school. Please, Uncle Henry. I want to see my friends, please," Carrie begged as she came and stood next to Henry, who was still sitting at his own seat.
"Not another word, Carrie Murdoch. I want you to understand that I'm doing what's best for you. Besides, you already know one of your classmates. It's Diana," Henry announced as he wiped his mouth with the napkin as the clock chimed nine.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied with her gaze lowered in a feeling of defeat.
"I'll see you tonight. I must leave since the I must be at the office. Carrie," Henry said causing Carrie to look up at her guardian.
"Yes, Uncle Henry," Carrie replied.
"Walk me to the door," Henry told Carrie who gave him a smile.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied as she walked Henry to the hall, where he put on his bowler hat and peacoat.
"You'll start school tomorrow with Diana," Henry informed Carrie, who looked rather nervous.
"Yes, Uncle Henry," Carrie replied as she opened the door for him.
"Be good for Mrs. King, and I'll bring home your supplies for school tonight and maybe a surprise for you, Carrie," Henry said as he bent down and pinched her nose causing Carrie to smile.
"Bye," Carrie replied as Henry walked out of sight to go to work in an office.
As Carrie paced the flat for the next several hours, thoughts ran through her own mind. Until one Diana King interrupted Carrie's thoughts of how she could convince "Uncle Henry" to allow her to go back to her old school.
"What are you doing?" Diana announced as she skipped into the room.
"Thinking," Carrie simply replied as she had begun to pace again.
"Why? You heard Mr. Wilde, he's sending you to my school," Diana replied, thinking she'd have some upper hand against Carrie.
"I know, Diana," Carrie remarked as she crossed her arms and let out a sigh before she began to pace the flat once again.
"I know you do," Diana said with a smirk on her face with the pleasure of seeing Carrie in such a fix.
"Mother told me to go with you and bring you Mr. Wilde's lunch," Diana informed Carrie who had no interest in going anywhere with Diana but knew she didn't have much of a choice.
"Let's go," Carrie announced as she put her hat on her head.
"Fine, you grab his lunch traitor," Diana said in low hushed tones trying to hide her true feelings of anger towards Carrie.
"I'll tell your mother that we're taking our leave," Carrie said as she walked towards the kitchen.
"Sure,' Diana replied. As she saw Carrie walk away, she rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at Carrie.
"Mrs. King," Carrie called as she walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, dear," Mrs. King replied as she got up from scrubbing the kitchen floor.
"Diana and I are taking Uncle Henry his lunch," Carrie said to the housekeeper.
"Alright, off you girls go then. Diana has his lunch with her. I want you girls to deliver it and come back here directly," Mrs. King informed Carrie as she walked the child to the kitchen door.
"Yes, ma'am," Carrie replied.
"Now off you both go," Mrs. King said as both girls were now out of her sight.
Diana King's - Point Of View
I'm going to teach that dumb orphan an lesson. One way or another, Mister Wilde is going to be my stepfather. Carrie is going to beg him to send her to a person she calls "Uncle Charles." Carrie ruined everything by coming here.
I hate her! I ever do hate Carrie Hannah Murdoch. It's all her father's fault that Titanic sank.
Nobody should be nice to that good for nothing orphan girl. Mother likes her to some extent. I can't wait for her to get into trouble for being alone and at the docks no doubt. That should teach Carrie a lesson. One that she can't mess with me: Diana King.
I can't wait to see the look on Mister Wilde's face. Especially when he escorts her home to make her get punished. I know I'll be watching nearby. My work here is going to be more fun than ever. Making Carrie get into so much trouble.
Carrie Murdoch's - Point Of View
I do love the docks. I can't wait to smell the sea air and to see some of the men Daddy worked with or the ships for that matter. Even if Diana King is one annoying part of the package. I know that we're getting older, and we have to go any where in groups. Boys have more freedom than us girls. It's so unfair that our reputation is all we have is what my mummy told me. Along with "Growing up his ever so hard to do."
On other terms, I remember coming to see the Titanic. Daddy was right, and she was ever so grand. I wonder if I'll see Uncle Charles, that is if he's in port or not.
Grandad loved the sea and the ships that came from far off places. Daddy told me that Mummy loved to hear the stories from the far off lands. Of the people, what they ate, and about their daily lives. Along with Daddy, Granddad told the most amazing stories about the things they'd seen.
How do I ever miss them. My family will forever belong to the sea. One thing is for sure, I can promise you that I'll never marry a sailor or officer. The risk is too high.
Carrie Murdoch and Diana King walked closer and closer to the docks. That was when the sea air became ever so apparent to one of the children. Memories flooded back to Carrie as if she'd seen Titanic yet again in port.
Memories of the tour EJ and her father gave her only a matter of days before sailing. Carrie was drawn to the ocean, and that was a plain and simple truth for anyone that knew the child. Carrie was exactly like her father, and no one could change that. One mistake that Carrie made was daydreaming as Diana slipped away once they came to the White Star Line docks.
Several officers and crew saw the child. Everyone here knew her as Captain Smith's granddaughter. One crew member who knew her father saw that she was alone and called out to Carrie, who was pulled out of her daydreams of the past and Titanic.
"Carrie!"
"Carrie Murdoch, is that you?" David Blair questioned as he approached the child.
"Hello, Mr. Blair," Carrie answered in a chipper tone.
"You looking for someone, Carrie?" Mr. Blair asked.
"Yes, sir. Uncle Henry," Carrie replied as she felt ever so happy to see an old colleague of her father's.
"Who's Uncle Henry, pet?" Mr. Blair questioned as Carrie walked along, and he joined her.
"Mr. Wilde. He's Uncle Henry," Carrie said as she saw the face of her guardian come out of the office to greet her.
"Bye Carrie," Mr. Blair said as Carrie took off towards Henry with his lunch.
"Goodbye, Mr. Blair," Carrie said as she stopped to wave one last time before coming face to face with a very calm Henry Wilde.
"Carrie Murdoch, where's Diana King?" Henry asked, worried that she walked to the docks alone.
"She was with me. I got lost in my thoughts and didn't see her leave. We or, well, I brought you your lunch," Carrie informed Henry as she held up the tin lunch pail.
"I'll escort you home and eat along the way," Henry told Carrie as he shook his head in shame that Carrie was alone.
"Uncle Henry," Carrie asked as he took her hand and left the office with his lunch.
Henry didn't respond to Carrie as he walked along the docks. This child in his care now worried him, especially when she was alone.
Henry Wilde's - Point Of View
What's the matter with this child? Carrie's growing up, and now I don't know what to do with her. Coming here alone is not acceptable. Carrie needs to be escorted. Growing up is hard on the girls today. Even my lovely daughter sometimes hated to be escorted by me.
Sometimes I do recall my wife telling our sweet one that girls are held to stricter rules than boys.
I'm going to be glad when Carrie starts back to school. That should help with her acting so quiet and alone.
This child is more of a handful than I ever expected for her to be. Will never had any problems with her. According to the Captain, she was a sweet angel. What am I going to do? One thing for sure is I'll be giving Carrie one lecture that she'll never forget.
When Henry and Carrie reached his flat, the only sound to be heard was tears. As they walked into the parlor, Henry found Diana King sobbing into her mother's arms.
"Mrs. King," Henry announced. As Carrie knew Diana had done something, she shrunk away thinking she was going to be blamed.
"You... You're a horrid little girl, Carrie Murdoch. How dare you leave my sweet Diana alone to fend for herself while you run off!" Mrs. King snapped at the child in anger.
"I never let her, ma'am. Your daughter left me along the walk to give Uncle Henry his lunch," Carrie replied since she knew it was the truth.
"Liar!" Diana said as she gave a preformance of falsehoods.
"I'm not lying. Uncle Henry, don't you believe me?" Carrie asked as she hoped one adult would see the truth.
"I'm afraid not, Carrie. Now go to your room. I don't want you to come out until I come home from work tonight. Plus, to add to your punishment ,you will not be allowed any luncheon or anything at tea time. I will come and get you when I get home. You will, however, join me for supper. I must be off since my office is calling me again," Henry said as Carrie stared at him in shock.
"But, Uncle Henry..." Carrie said before she was cut off.
"Don't make me tell you again. Go to your room now," Henry ordered as he gave Carrie a look of 'don't test me child.'
"Yes, sir," Carrie said as she made her way to her room.
Carrie Murdoch's - Point Of View
It's not fair. I didn't do anything wrong, and here I'm being punished. I'm so hungry right now. Uncle Henry sided with Mrs. King and her daughter without even listening to my side.
I wish Uncle Charles didn't leave me. I hate that he left me alone with someone else. Or that Grandfather is allowing me to be raised by someone who Daddy didn't want to raise me at all.
I have a bad feeling that I'm going to get in trouble more than just this once. All thanks to the likes of Diana King and her lies.
Then I'm going to be forced to attend school with that... that liar. I know without a doubt she's going to make my life a living nightmare.
Maybe when Uncle Henry cools his heels I can see Uncle Charles. I know they hate each other. I just want to be near someone I can talk to, and Uncle Charles was Daddy's closest friend aboard ships.
I know that I need to feel loved. Right now I don't feel that what so ever from my guardian. Who has little or no true feelings about my own well being, at least as of right now.
Later that night, Henry came home to find Diana King with her mother in the kitchen.
"Where's Carrie?" Henry asked as he held a few parcels for the child.
"In her room, sir. Mr. Wilde, you should send that horrid little girl away. She's done nothing but cause problems for my Diana," Mrs. King insisted.
"Mrs. King, might I remind you that you are employed by me? I will decide where Carrie is going to stay right now. Since I'm her guardian and not you. You may take your leave and come after the girls have left for school in the morning," Henry said as he was close to wanting to fire Mrs. King for not keeping her opinions to herself about Carrie.
"Yes, sir. Come along, Diana," Mrs. King said. Without another word she took her daughter and left for home.
"Good evening," Henry said as the door closed to his flat in a rather loud slam.
Once the rattling of the paintings and family photographs had stopped shaking, Henry left the parcels on the kitchen table before making his way to Carrie's room.
A gentle knock came as Carrie sat on her bed worried about what she'd face in anger if any from her guardian.
"Come in," Carrie said after she took a deep, calming breath.
"Hello, Carrie. Let's go have some supper," Henry said as Carrie stood up and simply nodded her reply.
"Carrie, that's not an answer. What do you say to an adult?" Henry asked, since he knew Carrie was raised with better manners than she was displaying towards him at this moment.
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied simply as she walked to the supper table and sat in silence.
As supper was a very silent affair that evening, Carrie didn't look up from her plate. Henry just sat in silence much like Carrie as he ate his supper until they had finished and it was time for him to speak to Carrie about her behavior earlier that day.
"Carrie, we must speak about your behavior," Henry announced as he wiped his mouth with the napkin and set it down onto the table.
"Yes,sir. Would you like for me to clear to the table first?" Carrie asked, knowing it was her job at home when she lived with her father.
"No. Shall we sit in the parlor?" Henry said as he stood up.
"Yes, Uncle Henry," Carrie replied as she followed him to have a chat.
Once they had both been seated and Henry had taken a while to light his pipe, he removed it from his mouth.
"Carrie, I want you to listen to everything I have to say without interruption. Is that understood?" Henry asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Carrie you're growing up. I understand that things are changing in your life. We all must endure change and for you, one is not going anywhere without an escort. Your name is all you have. You must keep it clean at all costs, child. I don't want you to be putting yourself in a bad spot at any point. Your father wouldn't have wanted that either. From now on, when you go anywhere I will do my best to accompany you or have another adult escort you. When it comes to your schooling, you may walk to school and then straight home with the other neighborhood children. I will treat you like I treated my daughter when she was alive. Same goes for you now as you must learn these lessons about being a proper young lady. Do I make myself clear?" Henry said as he gave Carrie the short speech she'd once heard from her father shortly after her mum died.
"Yes, sir," Carrie responded.
"Do you have any questions for me?" Henry asked in reply.
"No, sir," Carrie said as she shook her head. She gave a tired yawn.
"You may go to bed. I have some things for your schooling and a new dress that the local seamstress said would look rather pretty on you."
"Yes, sir," Carrie replied since she was too tired to even care.
"Good night, Carrie," Henry said as Carrie walked out of the room and down to her own room for the night.
"Night, Uncle Henry," Carrie said before she was out of hearing distance.