A/N: Certain quotes from this chapter were taken from a deleted scene of James Cameron's film. If you search up on YouTube, "Ismay Panics Deleted Scene," I'm sure you can find it immediately. It's less than a minute long, but a rather nice scene indeed! ;)
Harold Lowe's POV
Chapter 29
"What has gotten into you, Lowe?"
Smith continued to roar at me, slamming his fist angrily upon the desk.
I think the slice of ham had somewhat spoiled his usually good mood.
A very ecstatic Bruce Ismay stood by his side, eager to condemn me even further. Looks like he had completely forgotten about the dinner we offered to him the previous evening.
"All these reports! Passengers reportedly saw you partying in steerage last night. Steerage! You've become the center of gossip aboard! You and Jamie are even on the bloody cover of today's issue."
With an infuriated snort, the White Star Line executive flung a newspaper upon the desk.
"Esteemed Officer Falls in Love with Mystery Girl from Storage"
Whoa, wait. What? When did Titanic start issuing a daily paper?
Secondly, how did word about Jamie spread so quickly?
I stared at the ground and bit my tongue.
If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it.
Just stay silent for her sake...
"So?" spat Smith. "What do you have to say to all this?"
"Sir, I-"
"You're behavior is simply intolerable!" interrupted Ismay once again.
Dammit! Why demand for my say in all this if you're just gonna keep yapping?
The two men remained silent, glaring sinisterly at me.
Are you finished?
The moment I opened my mouth to start speaking, Ismay - you betcha! - started speaking.
My knuckles tightened by my sides.
Count to ten.
Take a deep breath.
Calm. Down.
"Once Titanic docks, we're putting an end to all this hoopla! That girl is trouble. I'm not going to be made a laughing stock of! I'll see to it myself that she is immediately escorted to the authorities."
Silence.
Even Smith knew that the man had crossed the line.
The volcano erupted within me.
I shot up from my seat and crossed right over to the fool.
"Don't you DARE even think about doing such a thing!"
"Mr. Lowe, do you know who I am? Do you know the power I have over everyone-"
"YOU ARE A PASSENGER! AND I AM A SHIP'S BLOODY OFFICER! IT IS MY JOB TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE ABOARD! SO YOU KEEP YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF THAT GIRL!"
Wow. I didn't know I had that in me.
My fists still shaking furiously from the outburst, I stormed outside and slammed the mahogany door to the Captain's quarters behind me.
I was instantaneously swarmed by my other fellow officers.
They had been eavesdropping, no doubt.
"Harold, that was brilliant!"
"My God man, you have one hell of a voice-"
"You could move mountains, Lowe!"
"Well said! Well said!"
Jimmy fought his way through the crowd, his face eerily stolid of all emotion.
Suddenly, he broke into a blinding smile and embraced me, who was still covered in potatoes and all.
"Harry, I humbly fall at your feet!"
I couldn't help but grin. These people - they were my family now.
The crowd of men slightly cleared to reveal a familiar face hiding in the corner.
"Was I really that loud?"
Jamie shyly nodded in assent. "Yeah, a bit. Y'know, I only heard you from all the way in the room...around the corner...with the door shut."
Unable to contain herself any longer, she rushed forward to sweep me up in a tight hug. "Harry, what you did was simply marvelous! I love you."
Three tiny words.
Only eight letters.
They meant the world to me.
I held her in my arms, my fingers clutching longingly at her waist.
Suddenly, I heard an annoyed moan from the crowd of bystanders.
"Oh! Alright! Alright! Here-just-just take it. Take it all, Moody!"
Wilde reached into his pocket and slammed twenty pounds into Jimmy's outstretched palm.
My friend smiled smugly and amiably shook hands with the Chief Officer.
"Why, thank you, Henry."
The surprises were just never going to cease, were they?
My eyes darted suspiciously between the two men. "Sorry, but...is there something that I'm missing here?"
