When Sebastian extended his offer of lunch, Jeff declined. As much as he didn't want to, he needed to face up to his responsibilities and spend the afternoon as he knew would be expected of him. He bid farewell to Nick, who promised to return the suit later, and made his way from steerage towards the Dining Room.
He was surprised upon entering the Dining Room to see just his mother, father and Brittany at a small round table. Approaching them, he sat down in the spare seat and looked around.
"Jeffery! I'm glad you're here. We decided that we needed to have a family meal together, just the four of us." His mother smiled at him.
Jeff nodded. "Sounds good." Although he wasn't sure whether the conversation would head into his whereabouts that morning, he was glad that he didn't have to laugh and talk politics with people he knew but wished he didn't.
Soon after, his father began telling him of Mr Astor's newest property in America, and Jeff was pleased to find that he didn't mind having a conversation when he wasn't in the presence of others. It was much easier to concentrate on the topic when he wasn't constantly minding his behaviour, conscious of the pressure upon him in public.
When his mother finished telling Brittany about the price of the rock on the finger of one of the young women, she turned to him.
"Darling," she began, "I think it would be wonderful if you and Brittany would take a stroll around the deck this afternoon. You've had hardly any time together since we boarded the ship yesterday morning. I think that both of you being in each other's presence would be beneficial for your image around the other men and women."
"It's true, Jeffery," his father added, "It is very important that you are viewed as a united front, especially considering your future in the business."
Jeff nodded curtly. "That sounds lovely, doesn't it Britt?"
"Yes, I could do with some fresh air." She smiled at him, and Jeff was shocked to see that it looked genuine. Maybe she was starting to warm up to him a bit more.
Maybe.
Thirty minutes later found the two of them strolling down the boat deck, Brittany's hand perched delicately in the crook of Jeff's elbow. The afternoon sun was shining down on them warmly as the sea breeze caught in their hair, loose strands blowing into their eyes. The crashing of the waves was a gentle hum in the background.
"It's a lovely day, isn't it?" Jeff turned his face upward, soaking in the sunlight.
Brittany's voice was distracted and distant. "Yes, I rather suppose it is."
Jeff turned to her. "What's wrong?"
The blonde girl sighed. "Look, Jeff. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about." She moved slowly over to the edge, placing her hands upon the railing. Jeff followed, his eyebrows furrowed.
Brittany hesitated for a moment, looking out over the ocean. "Do you love me?"
Jeff paused. He'd thought it was fairly obvious that he didn't love Brittany like he should, but it was also clear she didn't love him that way either. "Britt, I do love you..."
"Jeff, you know what I mean. Do you love me?"
He dropped his head, not particularly wanting to say it out loud.
"It's alright. I know you don't love me as a man would love his wife. Or fiancée, for that matter." She shook her head. "I don't love you as I should either, Jeff. But you are dear to me."
She looked over at him. "I know I wouldn't be your first choice for a wife, but, as it is, we are to be married."
Jeff looked at her, wondering where this was going.
"All my life, I've been brought up wealthy. I've had everything I ever needed, and my parents have taught me that money can give you anything you want, or need."
Now he was starting to see what her point was.
"And I believe that, Jeff. I really do. So, even if you don't love me like you should, or I as I should, there's nothing we can do about it. As long as I settle down and live very comfortably, I can do without love. After all, they say money makes the world go round."
All Jeff could do was stand there, dumbfounded. "Am I really hearing you correctly? I mean, I knew that you had some form of obsession with wealth, but is it really that important to you?"
She looked at him sharply. "Money is everything, Jeff. Without it we would be poor and sick and starving."
"You don't know that, Brittany! You've never had to experience it. Can't you imagine breaking free from all of this...pressure that's been placed upon us? You could travel, you could sleep soundly. Darn it, Brittany! You could eat without knowing there were so many pairs of eyes watching you, all the time. You could dress how you wanted. You could paint, you could write, you could draw!"
Her already narrowed eyes became smaller. "No, Jeff. This is the life that I want. And as long as we're together, I can have it all."
Jeff shook his head, defeated.
Brittany's voice was hard, sharp. "You speak of this other life as if you want it, Jeff."
"Maybe I do."
She sneered. "With your father's business, the only freedom you will ever have is freedom through wealth. And it's about time you accepted that, so that we're all better off."
She threw him one last scowl before turning and heading back down the deck from the direction they came.
"Brittany!" He called after her.
She turned around, her eyes narrowed. "What?"
"Love. Its love that makes the world go round."
She sneered at him before turning again and continuing on her way.
Jeff gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe her. Sure, he always knew that all she wanted was wealth, but to that extreme? It was purely dangerous, and she didn't care who she hurt in the process, Jeff included. She would tread on anyone in the way of her own inheritance, and Jeff's too.
After his conversation with Nick earlier that day, Jeff had started to believe that maybe, just maybe, he could one day have what he wanted.
But now he could see it was impossible.
As long as he and Brittany were together, he would be miserable.
And he just couldn't see any way out.
That night, as the sun was setting once again over the ocean, Jeff sat in the Dining Room surrounded by the wealthiest patrons aboard the Titanic.
After his short, although enlightening, stroll with Brittany that afternoon, he had retreated to his room and stayed there until the dinner bells sounded.
All he could feel was hatred – hatred for Brittany, hatred for his parents for being wealthy, hatred for the nightmare he was stuck in that he could not escape.
But now he just felt defeated. It was becoming too much for him to bear, especially since truly learning of Brittany's motives. She didn't care about happiness, she didn't care about him. All she cared about was money – and herself.
All Jeff really wanted was for someone to care about him. His mother and father had always put wealth ahead of his wellbeing, and no child should have to stand for that. And although on the deck earlier that day Brittany had said he was 'dear' to her, she made it very clear she didn't care about him.
If she did, she wouldn't be putting him through this.
As another round of raucous laughter exploded from the table, Jeff sighed.
His eyes slipped closed, wishing he could be anywhere but there. He thought that anywhere in the entire world would be more appealing than his seat at that table. Even if he could just escape out into the fresh air upon the deck for just a few moments. But no. While his mother was alive and breathing there would be no chance of excusing himself from such an event.
Jeff heard a deep, posh voice by his side.
"More wine, sir?"
It only it were that easy to be able to forget.
"No, thank you."
The server cleared his throat. "More wine, sir?"
Jeff huffed. "I said no, thank you." He looked up, slightly annoyed, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw who was standing beside him.
Nick.
Jeff's eyebrows shot up. He was dressed in long black pants, paired with a long sleeved white button down shirt, black suspenders and a black bow tie. His brown hair was parted neatly at the side, his fringe falling into his eyes. Nick held a bottle of wine in his right hand, had his left tucked behind his back and a smirk written across his face.
And Jeff couldn't get over how handsome he looked.
"More wine?" Nick asked again, tilting his head towards the bottle.
Jeff recovered slightly as his initial shock began to wear off. "Oh, yes. Thank you."
Nick leant forward to fill his glass, and Jeff flinched in surprise as he placed his left hand upon his shoulder. He felt a blush creep up his neck as Nick fiddled with the collar of his suit jacket, placing something underneath it.
As he straightened up, Jeff looked up at him, raising his eyebrows. Nick cast a quick look at the other patrons before winking at Jeff and shooting a surreptitious glance at the back of his neck. Jeff nodded slightly, as if saying that he understood, and Nick gave him fleeting smile before turning on his heel and heading towards the kitchen area.
Jeff looked back around the table, wondering if anybody had noticed the exchange. He caught the eye of Lady Sylvester, and she simply raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say she saw the whole thing. Jeff looked quickly away, feigning nonchalance.
For several minutes, he involved himself in the conversation around the table, laughing when he was meant to, speaking when it was required. Jeff kept this up until the looks from Lady Sylvester became less and less frequent. When he noticed she was looking the other way, and those around him were involved in other conversations, he reached his hand behind his neck as if he was scratching it. Slipping his hand under the collar of his jacket, he felt his fingers enclose around a piece of paper. Making sure it was hidden in his hand, he pulled it out, dropping his hand into his lap. He unfolded the note, half concealing it under the tablecloth.
In Nick's scrawly handwriting, it read:
Meet me at the front of the boat when you escape the clutches of doom.
Jeff grinned.
Thanks for reading :)
