AN: First many thanks you everything for their reviews! I apologize for saying that only now, but I had some important tests in the last time, hopefully it'll be getting better now (also with the updating).
And now to this chapter (others will follow on this subject): Fabrizio and Gisela are quarrelling over Südtirol/Alto Adige (South Tyrol in English). I've thought long what country I should make Jack's wife come from and finally decided for my home country (but don't worry she's surely not at all like me).
I just needed something that Fabrizio and Jack's wife could be differing on and so I thought that I add something of the ST/AA-conflict to my story.
For anyone to know: ST/AA was part of the Austrian monarchy since the 14th century. After the First World War despite the fact that 90 % of the people living there were speaking German, it was after all handed over to Italy. And of course in this time most Austrians weren't happy about this.
But with Fabrizio being Italian he would of course have a different opinion on that matter.
Most cities in this area have a German and an Italian name, so Fabrizio would use the Italian, while Gisela the German one.
…
Cal noticed Rose's envious stare over at Jack and Gisela, as Jack kissed his wife slightly on her cheek.
Cal was sitting between Helga and his own wife. Athenaise hadn't said anything the whole evening. Helga would've wanted to talk with her, but she didn't know what so ask her. But she would occasionally look over to her, Athenaise clearly wanted to be somewhere else.
Well who of them didn't?
Other than Cal and Henry no one was really happy about the situation.
They had surely heard enough now of Cal's boring stories about his business.
Jack couldn't help but remember the dinner in first class on the Titanic.
Now they're going to sip brandy's and reassure each other that they're the masters of the universe.
He smiled slightly at the reminder.
Cal meanwhile thought about a way to make Rose angry. He knew that he just needed to be friendly to Gisela to hurt her.
This was really good. The gutter rat was married, but not to her. And Rose was seemingly still in love with him. Cal of course never cared about other people's feelings least not about those of his ex-fiancée.
Cal was so sure of himself, he couldn't know of course that he was about to drop a brick.
"Mrs. Dawson," Cal spoke up so suddenly that he completely startled Gisela.
She still wondered why he was so friendly to her.
"Yes," she looked at him.
What did he want from her?
Although Cal was nice to her Gisela didn't really like him, though she couldn't exactly tell why, but something told her that there was something strange and uneven about him. She had noticed how he had always eyed both Jack and her new friend Rose and how he seemingly been staring at her new friend. Gisela found this odd and even more so disrespectful considering that his wife sat beside him. Her thoughts were interrupted, when she noticed Cal speak up again.
"Well Mrs. Dawson, I and my wife," he began and Gisela immediately noted that he put himself before Athenaise when speaking of her, something that was very rude in her opinion. "We thought that a nice trip to Europe might be quite nice. You know we haven't had a holiday for so long."
Gisela looked at him stunned.
Why would he ask her of all persons about his holiday? He had only met her about two hours ago.
"That sounds great and how can I help you?" she still asked him politely.
Any other talk had stopped by now and everyone's eyes where now focused on them. Cal shot a quick glance at Rose trying to see her reaction. When she noticed his stare she immediately looked away. Cal had already noted what a beauty she still was.
"As you may know my wife is originally from France, so we thought about visiting her family there in…" he stopped unexpectedly "Oh how is it called?" he turned to Athenaise smiling his sickly sweet smile that Rose knew so well.
Gisela was shocked.
He didn't even know the hometown of his wife?
Jack however just thought that it was typically Hockley.
"It's called Montpellier," she simply answered leaning again back in her chair.
She wanted to go home now more than ever.
Helga shook her head. Unlike Gisela she knew the whole story of Cal and Rose, but she just as equally stunned as her that Athenaise put up with everything.
"Oh yes of course Montpellier," Cal repeated turning his attention back to Gisela. "Anyways we would her family there and afterwards visit some other countries as well."
"That sounds nice. But why would you ask me?" she told him.
"I hope you don't find me impolite, but I couldn't help but notice your accent and…well you obviously don't seem to be American from birth so I thought that you may know some interesting places in Europe. Let's say in Italy for example," he told her.
"So Italy and which cities did you think of visiting?" she wanted to know.
"I thought about Merano and Bolzano," he said to her.
When she heard that her eyes were immediately dark.
"You mean Meran and Bozen," she told him angrily.
Jack had to laugh slightly at Cal's mistake. Of course he couldn't know, but it was still funny seeing Hockley in this situation.
Cal didn't understand what she was talking about.
"What are you referring to Mrs. Dawson?" he asked her confused.
Cal was a business man, true also interested in politics, but he knew nothing of the real situation in Europe or anywhere else. Unlike Jack and Fabrizio Cal hadn't fought in the war, as his father's business was considered a military-related facility and Nathan had managed to pull him out simply by offering the army canons for free.
Helga sucked under her breath. Could it be that this evening became even more awful than it already was?
"I mean what I said and for your information the so called Italian cities you're talking about in reality belong to Austria. It wasn't right to draw them away from us," she said to him.
Cal was really taken aback now.
"Mrs. Dawson, I'm sorry…I didn't know that…I…," he stammered.
Rose was smiling now too turning her face down so that her husband wouldn't notice. Henry was just as confused as Cal. Rose would've never thought that anyone could make Cal speechless.
"Mr. Hockley is right Gisela. These cities belong to Italy now," Fabrizio spoke up earning a cold stare from Gisela and an unnerved one from Jack.
Jack really didn't want to discuss this now.
Helga tweaked her husband in the side.
"Was this really essential?" she whispered into his ear, but Fabrizio didn't even react.
"Gisela and I have a slightly different opinion about this matter Mr. Hockley," Fabrizio told him.
Cal was still too stunned to answer anything.
Jack remembered the dinner on the Titanic again, when Cal had spoken of his and Rose's different opinion about pictures. He wondered if he should say something now.
Looking at his wife, he could tell that she was still angry. Of course Cal couldn't have known and Jack would've felt sorry for any other one, but not for Caledon Hockley.
Jack simply led a hand on hers, letting her know that he supported her.
Gisela looked at him happy that he seemed to understand her.
"Maybe we should change the subject," Helga silently suggested.
She didn't like the tense situation at all.
"So you're from Austria, Mrs. Dawson?" Cal spoke up again, finally having found his speech.
"Yes, I'm," she simply told him.
Rose had to agree with Helga. The evening was already hard enough. They didn't need another quarrel.
Cal watched Jack again, trying to make out his opinion. He had of course noted that Jack and Fabrizio seemed to be best friends and wondered on which side Jack was on that matter.
Maybe he should just ask him?
Athenaise stifled in her chair. At least her headache was gone by now. She had noticed the dispute going on, but didn't really care.
"I'm not feeling well," she stated unexpectedly for everyone. "I think I'm going outside to gain some fresh air."
Rose had noted her face turning all white.
Maybe she was pregnant?
Athenaise stood up to go outside.
As Cal didn't make any signs of following his wife, Jack couldn't help, but to remember him of his duty.
"Don't you want to accompany your wife?" Jack asked him earning an icily stare from Cal.
How dare this little gutter rat told me what to do.
Cal was furious, but he noted the stares of the others sitting around on him.
"I…," he began, but Athenaise quickly stopped him.
"Oh I won't need anyone, just stay here with your friends, darling," she said to Cal. She knew better then to object his wishes. She understood that he wouldn't want to go outside with her.
Helga and Gisela were stunned. Jack didn't wonder at all however.
It was just typically Hockley again.
As Cal obviously didn't want to come with her, Helga decided that she would.
"I'm coming with you," she told her startling Athenaise and stood up.
"No, please there's no need to bother you," she spoke up.
"You're not bothering me," Helga firmly told her.
Jack meanwhile was kissing Gisela on her lips, as Rose quickly looked away again. Hopefully Jack hadn't noticed her stares.
But Cal had. He laughed under his breath. So she still had feelings for him. Cal wondered, if Jack had ever told his wife about his love affair with Rose. Probably not otherwise Gisela wouldn't have been so friendly towards Rose.
Helga moved back over to Fabrizio.
"Would you come with us?" she asked him though Fabrizio knew that it wasn't a question now. She wanted to end a certain discussion.
"Of course," he said standing up as well.
Taking Athenaise in the middle of them they went outside with her.
Jack and Gisela were still kissing and smiling at each other.
"I love you," Jack told her touching her cheek.
"I love you too," she mouthed back.
Rose meanwhile was more jealous than ever. If only they hadn't come back here to New York life would be a little bit less complicated.
Cal laughed again, yes that was funny.
"Do you want to dance?" Jack asked his wife.
But Gisela wasn't really interested.
"How nice of you to ask," she answered giving him another kiss.
Rose felt her heart break once more as she saw them together.
"I'd love to she told him."
Jack took her hand and led her on the dance floor.
Cal watched Rose carefully. He could tell that he was more than hurt now.
Henry stood up as well excusing himself that he wanted to smoke a cigar, which was forbidden in this room leaving Cal and Rose alone.
"I hope you'll be alright alone here, darling?" he asked her. It was however more a statement than a question.
Rose just nodded smiling a fake smile up at him, she really didn't care at all about what he did now. She realized that her mind was just on Jack again.
"I'm sure Mr. Hockley is going to watch you," he added.
Of course he would and Henry should've been a little bit more concerned about just how carefully he would.
"Of course Mr. Calvert," Cal told him. "You've no need to worry about her."
Once Henry was out of eavesdropping Cal instantly took the chance to move over to Rose.
She was still watching Jack and Gisela dancing happily together.
"Now how does it feel sweet pea to be the second best suddenly?" Cal told her in his evil voice again trying to hurt her even more.
Rose looked at him. She knew what he was referring to, but had no idea what she should answer.
After all wasn't the situation between Jack, Gisela and her completely different from the one of Jack, Cal and her?