Hi all :) First of all, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Again, feel free to drop me a note in the reviews if you like, all comments and criticism are welcome.
Secondly, I'd like to apologise in advance for any slow updating in the next couple of weeks. When I'm not scribbling down stories, I'm actually training to become a veterinary nurse, and I'm working nine days in a row at the hospital starting today. Not that I'm complaining, mending broken animals is my calling :) Also a family member has just surprised myself and my partner with a trip home to Malta for a few days after, so again, not much time for writing!
Also I'm working on another story idea, which would be a two-series novel. Still very early days, but once I have the first few chapters ready they will be published for your inspection :)
For now, enjoy this latest chapter.
Ciao :) x
Rose's POV
It brought back painful memories, telling the story of how I'd met and gotten engaged to Cal. I felt sick to my stomach when I told them about the times he'd hit, threatened, and intimidated me. It hurt even more when I told them about how many times he'd pressured me to come to his bed. Nathan looked furious, his fists clenched like he wanted to tear Cal to shreds. I guess he probably did. Jack looked as bad as I felt when I told Nathan and Selina about the Titanic. Nathan and Selina both turned ghastly pale hearing about the details of the sinking and what Cal had done during it. I was nearly in tears by the time I'd finished. I felt Jack's arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me to lean against him. His comforting touch helped a great deal and several moments later I felt calm again.
Reliving the disaster like that made the realization of what had happened finally sink in. Fifteen hundred people had died on a ship they trusted, which didn't hold enough lifeboats for more than half the people on board. Those poor third class people who were trapped below decks, left to die. It made me burn with fury. I felt a mix of emotions-guilt at having lived when so many had died, anger at the White Star Line for the lack of lifeboats, grief for the fifteen hundred dead. I felt so many things.
Nathan stayed sitting still, staring at the opposite wall. His eyes were blank, his fists clenched. It was like he was in shock. I didn't blame him. One of his best friends had just been in one of the worst shipwrecks in years and had been living with an abusive fiancé.
When he finally spoke, he seethed, "How could he? How could he do that to you, Rose? He ought to have died that night!"
I had to admit that he had a very good point. Cal had selfishly tried to bribe his way off of the ship with no thought for anyone else's safety, even lying to me about being able to help Jack. I shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if I'd believed him. It was atrocious that he should be able to get away with it.
"Well" said Selina shakily. "That's all over now. All we can do is be thankful that you're both here safely"
"Yeah. I guess so," Jack replied with a polite smile. "Though we're not too sure where to go from here. We haven't really made any plans for where to go or what to do now we're here in America. We have a bit of money, we'll pay for your letting us stay with you, of course"
Nathan shook his head.
"No you will not" he said firmly. "I couldn't help Rose when she was stuck with that bastard, the least I can do is put you both us for as long as you need. You'll need that money, don't waste it on me"
Yep, that was Nathan. Always so selfless and eager to help.
"Well I think the first thing we'll need to spend that money on is some new clothes" I chimed in.
"And I'm assuming you want to get rid of those," said Nathan, indicating Jack's wrists.
I looked down at them and suddenly realised Jack still had the steel handcuffs locked onto his wrists. I had grown so used to seeing them on him that I had forgotten all about them. He agreed that he should go and see to getting them off tomorrow, as well.
"I know a locksmith in town who could help you out," Nathan said. "He's a bit slow, not too bothered about much. Won't any questions"
That was useful. Few locksmiths would want to remove broken handcuffs from someone without any knowledge of why they were there in the first place.
"Okay, we can go tomorrow" Jack agreed.
"I'll take you to a good store I know, Rose" said Selina to me. "Judging by the wonderful pattern of that dress, I'm sure you already have excellent taste, but I never miss the chance for a trip to a clothes store. Old habits die hard!"
"That would be wonderful" I smiled. Truth be told, I was relieved. Venturing alone into New York felt far too terrifying. "Does Lucy like shopping?"
"Hmm, not as much as I would prefer" Selina chuckled. "She looks so lovely in nice dresses, but at her age she'd rather be outside getting them filthy and torn, or covered in dog hair. The arguments I get from trying to get her to wear anything nice! She can be quite a little madam when she wants"
"Yeah, she can," said Nathan in agreement. "Like someone else I know used to be..."
I rolled my eyes at him. "It's not my fault I was brought up surrounded by posh, hoity-toity brats. Doesn't mean I was one of them. Anyway, you were quite a strange person yourself."
"I was not!"
"Yes you were!"
I thought back to when we were younger. Nathan had seemed quite odd to me, as all the boys his age I knew-not that Mother let me associate with many-were miniature Cals. He was a funny, cocky boy with messy clothes and tousled hair. I'd found him interesting and a fun guy to be with.
We told Jack and Selina about when we were younger. Like the time Mother had caught me helping Nathan to messily shovel hay, and had been furious. Or the time we were having a tree climbing race and I fell and tore my skirt, causing Mother to explode. Nathan even had a few old photographs from the time I'd stolen my father's old box brownie camera and we had taken several snaps of ourselves with the horses. I had slipped Nathan the money to go to town the next day and get them developed. I peered down at the faded black and white image of myself, in a ridiculously expensive dress, standing next to one of the horses in the stable. Nathan had snapped the photo mid-laugh. I looked so young and happy. Those times together with Nathan must have been the few times I did look so happy. None of the formal photographs of me at my family home showed me looking so happy.
It felt good to relive those happy memories. I didn't even know Nathan had kept those crumpled old photos all these years. I felt bad that I hadn't kept any memorabilia of our friendship, but then again, after everything that had happened, the chances of me still having it was slim to none.
I wished my life had taken a different turn. I wished I'd never left America, that I'd never met Cal. But then again, if that hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't have met Jack. And that was definitely something I didn't want to change.
Selina soon announced she would start to make dinner.
"I'll give you a hand," I said, determined to pull my weight and learn how to cook. I'd never been taught skills like cooking and cleaning. Mother had always left those jobs to the servants. Now I would need all the practice I could get. At first, Selina refused to let me help, saying I was a guest and shouldn't have to, but I was certain I wanted to, and she gave in when I said I needed the practice.
Once in the kitchen, I watched as Selina took a freshly plucked chicken out of the icebox and expertly prepared it for cooking. My eyes widened at her skill. This was certainly something that would take me a while to master. Selina set me the easier task of peeling potatoes and, after a couple of cuts on my fingers, I soon grasped the skill. Once I had put the potatoes to boil, Selina showed me how to shell peas. It was a fiddly job, but once I'd had some practice, I managed to shell the peas quite quickly. Soon they, too, were boiling with the potatoes. While we waited for the food to cook, Selina gave me a quiz on what I'd learned.
"And what's the most important thing about cooking chicken?" she asked.
I wracked my brain. "To make sure that it's properly cooked to avoid the risk of food poisoning."
Selina smiled. "Great! And how long does it take for potatoes to boil?"
"About twenty minutes, but pierce the potato with a fork halfway through to make sure it's cooking properly," I recited.
"Perfect!" Selina praised me. "We'll make a housewife of you in no time!"
I swelled with pride. I had always been a quick learner, especially when it was something I really wanted to learn, and cooking was definitely one of those things, but I had rarely received much praise from them, particularly by Mother.
Finally, Lucy was called in from her games out in the street, and we all sat down to eat. Everyone complimented my cooking attempts, even Lucy, who was finally beginning to come out of her shell around us.
"Can you make cakes, Rose?" she asked. "Mum showed me how to make sponge cake last week"
"Not yet I'm afraid" I replied. "Maybe one day you can show me how to do it?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
By the time Selina and I had finished cleaning up after the meal, it was after sunset. It wasn't really very late, but the day had still felt exhausting, and Jack and I both found ourselves just wanting to sleep. Nathan showed us upstairs to the spare bedroom, wished us goodnight, and left us alone.
"Dammit, I just realised, we don't have any night clothes" said Jack.
"No matter" I said casually. "We don't need them"
I turned my back and tossed my hair aside, gesturing for him to unbutton my dress.
"Are you sure?" he asked, hesitantly undoing the first button. I couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Jack, several nights ago you drew me naked wearing one of the most expensive diamonds in the world, and then we made love in the back of someone else's car. I think we can share a bed without any awkwardness"
"Okay, fair point" he smiled back, undoing the rest of the buttons. As the dress slid down to the floor, he placed a gentle kiss on my shoulder. "You're even more beautiful without those fancy clothes, you know"
My heart swelled.
That night we both slept more peacefully than we had in days, wrapped safely in the protection of each other's arms.
The next morning, I awoke to the glorious smell of food. It smelled of eggs, bacon, and toast. I yawned and sat up. Sunlight poured through the window and shone right in my face. I rubbed my eyes. I looked over at Jack, who was awake and staring at me, smiling.
"Good morning, beautiful," he said.
I leaned over and kissed him. "Now it is," I said.
We quickly dressed in the clothes Nathan and Selina had left laid out in the room for us until we could buy some more. Our own clothes had to be thrown away, as they were so water damaged. Thankfully, they were both very similar in size to us.
When we went downstairs, we found Nathan sitting on the sofa, reading the paper, and Lucy playing on the floor with the puppies. Lily looked perfectly happy to have the little girl play with her offspring, and lay close by, supervising. The strong smell of food cooking came from he kitchen. I went into the room to find Selina cooking breakfast. She smiled and said good morning to us.
"Good morning," we replied. I stayed in the kitchen and helped with the cooking while Jack joined Nathan in the sitting room, who was reading the morning paper.
It was tricky work, frying the eggs, because the oil spat at me angrily, but soon I learned to control the temperature and they cooked just fine. I could slice the bread easily enough, but toasting it under the grill was trickier than frying the eggs because it toasted so quickly. I left one slice alone for a second and it burned to a crisp. After several attempts, I got the hang of it.
We all sat down and ate while talking about the day ahead.
"Lucy? Do you want to come shopping with me and Rose?" Selina asked her daughter.
"Do I have to?" she whined. Selina sighed, but I chuckled. Her daughter clearly did not share her passion for fashion.
"Do you not like shopping, Lucy?" I asked her.
"Not really" she replied. "I wish I was a boy. Then I wouldn't have to like it"
"You don't really have to like anything" I told her. "What do you like most?"
"Animals" she smiled. "One day I'm going to be a doctor for animals"
"Which isn't going to happen if you don't start paying closer attention in school, young lady!" her mother chided. Lucy groaned and continued with her breakfast.
"Well, shall we leave about ten?" Selina asked me.
"Perfect, the sooner the better" I replied.
"We'll leave about the same time, then," said Nathan to Jack.
After breakfast, Selina and I washed up and gave the kitchen a quick cleaning while Nathan and Jack took Lily out for a quick morning walk. After much sighing from her mother, Lucy was allowed to stay behind. The street outside was already occupied by several children playing ball games, so she wouldn't be lonely. Finally, the rest of us left to start the day's tasks.
