Holly
"So are you going to tell me what happened last night?" Holly asked, lacing up the back of Olivia's corset.
"I'm not actually sure. I think I must have had rotten caviar last night. I must report it to the kitchen staff at breakfast," Olivia replied, holding onto the sides of the mirror to steady herself against the tugging and pulling.
"You and I both know very well that it was not the caviar. That Mr. Ryan man said something to you and it affected you," Holly replied, tugging the strings a little tighter than she meant to.
"He did no such thing! I came to a little realization, and that is it. He may have said something to spark it, but it's nothing life changing or anything I need to go thanking him for," Olivia defended.
Holly smiled to herself, knowing it was a lie, but said nothing.
"And what of you and this officer? I saw you two leave the party together," Olivia changed the subject.
"Nothing. He walked me back to the suite. We talked on the way. He was very nice and a perfect gentleman," Holly replied.
"Are you going to see him again?" Olivia asked, her interest peaked.
"Certainly not. He is an officer. He has no time for a silly girl such as me," Holly sighed, finishing the corset.
Olivia turned to face her, "Would you see him again?"
Holly looked into Olivia's face, saw there was no trace of teasing, only curiosity, and sighed again.
"Probably. He really is quite a dish and very nice. And we got on quite well last night on the way back here," she mumbled.
"I knew it!" Olivia exclaimed as Holly walked over to the bed to get her Sunday dress.
Holly just smiled as she helped Olivia into her dress and laced up the back.
"Will you be returning to the suite after church?" Holly asked, coming around to the front and straightening the lace.
"Probably. I'll be having tea in the lounge area with the rest of the first class ladies and then there are two hours until lunch. Just be here when I get back from tea," Olivia replied.
Holly nodded and grabbed the brooch set out on the vanity table and pinned it to the front of the dress.
"Now, I know how you are about church and such things, so I've spoken to the doormen, and after you've dressed in your best, there will be a place waiting for you in the back of the chapel," Olivia said, straightening her sleeves.
Holly looked at her in shock.
"What? Is there something wrong with my hair?" Olivia touched her blonde curls piled on her head self-consciously.
"N-no. I've just- that's very nice of you, Liv," Holly stuttered.
There was a knock on the door.
"Yes, well, I'm in a very gracious mood. Now, hurry and fix your hair, girl. It looks quite a mess. I've left my rollers heated up for you. Now, go put on your Sunday best and get up to the chapel," Olivia said, hurrying out of the room and out to meet Michael Haim.
Holly stood quite still, not sure of what to do or how to react. Not only did Olivia go out of her way to include Holly, but she wanted her out of her uniform and looking nice. Holly shook her head and hurried to get ready.
She went into her bedroom and opened her trunk to pull out her finest dress, which was simply a pale blue dress with sleeves to the elbow and a sash that tied around the middle, producing a bow in the back. It was a hand-me-down dress from Olivia that had gone out of style, which Holly had simply hemmed to her size, as Olivia was a good five inches taller than her, and altered it slightly so it wasn't so out of style.
She quickly put the rollers in her long hair and pulled off her maids dress and slipping on the dress. She left the rollers in her already wavy hair for another five minutes, while she tried to clean a scuff off her nicest black shoes, before slipping her hair out of the rollers and pulling on her shoes. Before leaving, she looked quickly into the mirror and saw a whole other person staring back at her.
Her dark brown hair curled to her waist, and you could actually see she had some curves that were otherwise not visible in her frumpy maids dress. The dress didn't even look out of style and the bottom of it hid her scuffed shoes. She could almost pass for a first class lady. She smiled at her reflection before making her way out of the suite.
Holly walked down the hallway and up the staircase, going up several floors until she reached the one the housed the chapel. The doormen let her in and sure enough, there was a seat in the very back of the congregation. She grabbed the hymnal from the back of the seat in front of her and, peaking into her neighbor's, turned to the hymn they were currently on.
After they were done singing, everyone put their hymnals away and sat down. As the captain stood to speak, Holly caught a glance of James Moody up at the front with all of the other officers. She gave a small wave at him, and he smiled slightly and gave her a little wave back. She felt a little put out, until she saw the officer sitting next to him, Fifth Officer Lowe, if she wasn't mistaken, elbow him in the side and whisper in his ear. He got a startled look on his face and looked back in her direction, before his face broke into a wide grin and he waved a little more heartily at her. She giggled and blushed before turning her attention back to the captain.
After the service, Holly sat for moment to let all of the other passengers go in front of her before sliding out of her seat and starting for the door.
"Holly! Wait a moment!"
She turned to see James Moody hurrying to catch up with her. She smiled as he reached her.
"Hello, um, I was just wondering, well, I mean, I have the afternoon off, until I have to go on duty, I mean, and I was just wondering if maybe you might possibly want to have tea with me?" he asked quickly, wringing his hands and looking down.
Holly blushed and looked down as well, smiling widely.
"I would love to," she said shyly, looking back up at him.
He grinned broadly and held out his arm, which she looped hers through, and they were off.
"I hope you don't mind, but we'll be having our tea in the second class dining hall. I know you are a first class passenger," he said quietly, as if he were embarrassed.
"I am only a first class passenger because my mistress demanded it. Otherwise I would be in second class. And I take all of my meals in the suite, so being around people would be lovely," she replied, smiling up at him.
He gave a brief sigh, as if in relief, and they made their way to the second class dining room. They found a small table in the corner, him pulling out her seat for her and pushing her in when she was seated. She beamed at him as he sat across from her, not used to being waited on like that.
"You look very lovely today," he said, grinning at her with a slight red shade coming to his cheeks.
"Thank you," she bit her bottom lip and soothing out the wrinkles in her lap.
"I'm very glad you agreed to have tea with me. I almost didn't ask you, but my friend Harry convinced me too," he said.
"I'm glad you did ask me. Otherwise I would have been in my cabin, having tea alone. It gets very lonely in there sometimes," Holly replied, starting to feel more comfortable around him.
He smiled at her as their tea was set in front of them. They continued to talk, getting more comfortable around each other and realizing just how much they enjoyed the others company.
"I hate to cut this short, but my mistress will be arriving back at our suite soon, and I really should be there," Holly said, spying a clock over James' shoulder.
"That's alright," James smiled, taking his napkin from his lap and setting it on the table.
Before Holly had even moved, James was up from his seat and pulling hers out, holding out his hand to help her up. She smiled up at him before taking his hand and rising from her seat. He walked her to the promenade, but when she went to pull away, he grabbed her hand and held it still in the crook of his arm.
"And where are you going? Did you think I wouldn't walk you back to your suite? That's hardly proper," he laughed.
"But, what if someone sees? I mean, I am but a maid, and you are an officer. That is hardly proper," Holly replied.
"Have you not looked in the mirror today? You scarcely look the part of a maid. And besides, it doesn't matter. I would rather have people give us funny looks and gossip than let you walk alone back to your suite. I know this is a ship, but it is a large ship and I fear not all the passengers have good intentions," James said seriously.
With that, he steered her towards the door into the interior of the ship. He opened the door for her and she stepped through, waiting for him to come through himself and they resumed their walk to her suite.
When they reached the door, Holly put her hand on the door knob before turning to face him.
"Thank you for inviting me to tea. And thank you for walking me back to my suite, even though you didn't have to," she said honestly.
"It was my pleasure. And I was wondering, if perhaps you were going to be dining alone anyway, if maybe you wouldn't like to join me for lunch this afternoon? I mean, if your mistress doesn't have you doing anything?" he asked, once again slightly shy.
"I would like that very much," Holly replied, smiling widely at him.
He grinned again before grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on it. He blushed heavily, muttering, "I'll come for you in two hours' time," before racing off down the hall.
She giggled at his nervous behavior before walking into her suite, closing the door behind her and leaning against it, thinking very hard about the handsome boy she would be meeting very soon.