Chapter thirty-three:
Dinner that evening couldn't have been stuffier. Despite the fact Rose had skipped lunch to be with Jack she had thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon and had not remembered the fact that she was hungry until she had been dressed for dinner. The sudden excitement of the day and the sun had caused her to forget about eating.
The Hockley's dined with the Astor's, Benjamin Guggenheim, Madame Aubert and Colonel Gracie. Thomas Andrews sat to the left of Rose as well as Molly Brown.
Rose remained quiet for the majority of it. She simply enjoyed the food and allowed her mind to wonder back to her afternoon with Jack. The fun which they had and he had brought out a whole new side to her, one she didn't know existed even during their time in Paris together. The occasional smile and nod allowed people to believe she was engaged and then she sipped her wine generously, her mind still engrossed in that afternoon.
The wine tasted stronger than previously, the white bringing out the flavour of the goose. She sipped steadily and glanced around the table as she did so.
The table spoke of art. Cal particularly spoke of Paris, he seemed to magnify their trip ensuring the table believed it was a beautiful adventure for the newly married couple.
''My dear wife Rose actually possesses a Monet which I purchased there especially.'' He turned to her with adoration. Her smile seemed to light up his world but he failed to recognise the forcedness of it all.
''Yes, Cal imported it for me.'' She turned to him. ''He presented it to me the day we set sail.''
''How wonderful!'' Madam Aubert touched her chest. ''Which piece is it?''
''Water Lilies.''
''Lovely. A magnificent piece.'' Gracie agreed.
''I was lucky enough to visit a gallery whilst in Paris…'' Rose began to tell the table.
''Of course, Rose and I differ somewhat in our definition of fine art.'' Cal over spoke her as though any of what she had to say was unimportant. Rose piped down immediately, she glanced about and no one seemed to notice except perhaps Molly. She gave her the knowing look.
''I am not one for landscapes or pretty flowers like Rose here.'' Cal laughed as he sipped his wine. He seemed to amuse the table but not her. She returned to the place in her mind where it was just her and Jack. Cal wasn't there to put her down in any way.
Thirty minutes later the dessert cart arrived and cigars were being served. The men started clipping ends and lighting them.
''Darling, I am to retire to the smoking room. Would you like me to escort you back to the cabin?''
''No, I shall stay here a while longer.''
Cal nodded as he left with Benjamin Guggenheim. Rose was sat with her Mother, the Countess and Madeline Astor. Molly stood from the seat which she had occupied at dinner. Her eyes didn't leave Rose at all.
''Chin up, darling.'' She said cheerily.
Rose smiled. She seemed to perk up in that moment. ''Thank you.''
Molly left alone.
Rose found herself wishing that the other ladies were much more like Molly. Rose found herself standing from the table and was excused by her mother a second later after feigning tiredness. Rose was in her own little world as she left the dining room and began to walk up the Grand Staircase. She was fixated by the clock which read 9pm. With every step she took up the steps it gonged another chime until she reached the top and it chimed one final time.
At the final chime, a hand reached out to hers. She turned to find Jack, still wearing his suit. His hair was gelled back and a boyish grin upon his face.
''So, can I take you to a party?''
Below decks...
Loud Irish music could be heard coming from the third-class common room. The people were so alive and moving to the music. People of all ages were dancing, drinking beer and wine, smoking, laughing and even brawling. Sitting at a small table, Rose accepted a beer from Tommy and hoisted it. She had never tasted anything like it. She felt alive here. She clapped her hands widely, watching Jack dance with Cora Cartmell. The child had melted their hearts and as she danced on Jack's feet, she laughed happily. Rose didn't have a care in the world here, all of her problems were forgotten.
Tommy elbowed Rose lightly and leaned in towards her. He was mid arm-wrestle with a Swede. ''So how do you like the Irish music?''
''I love it. It just makes you want to dance.''
Somewhere in the crowd Fabrizio was dancing with Helga Dahl. The Swedish girl he had met the day before.
She turned her attention back to Jack who was spinning Cora in a circle. A loud bang caught her attention, as a drunk man fell from a chair. She laughed and shook her head at his behaviour. This really was a different world. She took another sip of her beer. It was refreshing. It beat the wine which she had drank at dinner earlier in the evening and even the expensive champagne which she had sipped the evening before.
A loud bang sounded from the table which she sat on, Tommy had defeated the Swede in yet another arm-wrestle. It was his third time.
''That's another beer you owe me. Get to the bar.''
Jack came to sit beside Tommy breathless, Cora had followed him out of the crowd, obviously taken by him. She watched him with big sad eyes.
''Why are you stopping, Uncle Jack?'' she grabbed his hand and pulled at him.
Jack laughed at the child, she never tired. ''He's tired.'' He grinned to her. Her father approached, sensing his daughter would never leave the poor guy alone.
''Come on Cora, its well past bedtime already.'' He took her by the hand.
''But one more dance.'' She stamped her foot.
Jack curled his finger for her to go to him. He leant forward on his chair so he was near her face. ''I promise, Miss Cartmell that if you go bed now like daddy says, you can have all the dances tomorrow.''
Cora smiled beyond satisfied. She waved her goodbyes and skipped out of the crowd.
''She is precious.'' Rose watched as she skipped away. She shouldn't have been so surprised that he was brilliant with children as well.
''She is.'' He agreed as he took a swig of his beer.
Moments later, a loud whistle sounded, followed by guitar strumming and a harp playing. Jack got to his feet, he necked what was left of his beer and held his hand out to Rose.
''Come on, Rose.''
''Come where?'' she asked, getting to her feet but trusting him completely.
''Come dance with me.''
The floor was already filling with people dancing, there were men and women together, two women together and men stood tapping their feet as they drank their beers. Jack pulled Rose onto the floor and she offered slight hesitation, but why she did not know. Glancing around her she saw the other people dancing and realised she had no idea how they danced. The music was fast and Jack pulled her closer towards him.
''Jack, I can't do this.''
She turned her attention back to him and realised just how close they were. Her heart pounded inside her chest.
''It's all right.'' Jack placed his right hand on the small of her back and pulled her a little closer to him. ''Just ignore everyone else and look at me.''
Picking up her dress in her right hand, Rose slipped her hand into Jack's.
''But Jack, I don't even know they steps.'' He began to lead her into the middle of the floor before dancing.
''Neither do I.'' he shouted above the music. ''Just go with it, and don't think.''
Listening to his words, Rose followed his lead and simply did as he told her. He led her around the floor, and she screamed having never danced this way before. She felt so wild and free and her grip on Jack tightened as he whirled her around, her shoulders bashing into the others dancing but not one of them seemed to care.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Fabrizio on the stage dancing with Helga. Jack pulled Rose through the throngs of the dancing people onto the stage, she followed him onto the stage but glanced out towards the crowd noticing them all now staring at her and Jack.
''Jack, no.''
Moving his hair from his face, Jack proceeded to clog a few steps which he had learned in California in an Irish bar. Rose watched, having no idea Jack could dance so well. She recognised the steps and laughed, removing her shoes, she threw them to a lady in the crowd before lifting her skirts to reveal her stocking feet and continuing clogging with Jack. He clapped along before clogging with her and then linking her arm through his and dancing in a circle before spinning her around faster and faster. She screamed and laughed with joy, having never had so much fun in her life. Her stomach churned as they span faster but she didn't care. The crowds of people watching were forgotten and the only thing what she was aware of was herself and Jack dancing.
''I need a drink.''
Rose giggled breathlessly as she whirled around with Jack one final time before almost falling into his arms. They both laughed hysterically as Jack lead her from the stage.
''Come on, we will get one.''
''I feel so dizzy.''
Placing his arm around her shoulder, Jack pulled her through the crowds of people towards the bar and steadied her walking.
''Don't worry, we'll sit down with our beers.''
Rose glanced back at the stage and saw Fabrizio dancing with the young blonde girl and felt as though she fit in here with Jack and his way of life. She felt so alive from the evening of dancing and she couldn't remember a time she had felt more happy and relaxed. She didn't have to care about how she looked, her etiquette for all the people in the room just wanted to have fun.
''Do you know what I always wanted to try Jack?'' Rose smiled, leaning against the side of the bar still out of breath from dancing.
''What?''
''Whisky.''
Jack eyes widened and he burst out laughing even more.
''Holy shit! You really are something, Rose.''
He waited for the tender to get his attention and he ordered two beers as well as two whiskies.
''Jack, this is crazy!'' She scraped her curls from her face feeling flushed from dancing. Sweat lined her forehead but she didn't care what she looked like or if her dinner dress was ruined.
''Of course.'' he grinned. Two small glasses of straight whisky were placed on the bar in front of them and Rose picked up the glass shakily, she brought the liquid to her nose and just the smell of it made her eyes water.
''It is Irish whisky. The strongest and purest they have.'' Jack told her. ''You sure you can do this?''
''Oh my God, it smells lethal.'' Rose laughed, but she wasn't yet put off. She felt like she wasn't herself tonight, that she could be as free and daring as she wanted to be.
''All right, bottoms up. One, two, three…'' Jack counted as he brought the glass to his lips and tasted the bitterness already. ''All right, down in one.'' They both tipped the glass and drank the liquid, Jack screwed his face and laughed slamming the glass on the side of the bar followed by Rose, who fell backwards slightly and Jack caught her in his arms.
''You alright?'' he asked, and she threw her head backwards laughing, some pins fell from her hair loosening some curls and she reached around and pulled the rest of them out freeing her hair allowing her curls to cascade around her shoulders almost taking Jack's breath away.
''I'm fine now.''
He grabbed their two beers and they made their way back to the table where Tommy was still mid arm-wrestle.
They walked to their table flourished and sweaty, she grabbed her pint from Jack and almost downed it all in one go, watching the stunned faces of the men round her. Jack raised his eyebrows; she never failed to surprised him.
''What? You think a first-class girl can't drink?''
''Well Miss, have you ever been to Ireland?'' Tommy stood from the table. ''Because I think you would fit in just fine with us men.'' He raised his glass in the air. ''But can you do this?''
He raised his glass before bringing it to his lip. He gulped down his pint in less than ten seconds.
Rose clapped his efforts.
''Wow, but I must say…I do demand equality with the male race.''
She unexpectedly took the lit cigarette from Tommy's mouth and she took a big inhale. Jack watched as she coolly took the cigarette in one breath, she did well for several seconds until she bent over double coughing.
Jack clapped her. She was fast becoming a modern woman. She could pass for ''one of them.''
Tommy held his hand out for her to shake it and she refused to. Instead she gave him his dead cigarette back.
''There is something that I would like to see you do.'' She stood back from the crowd which had gathered around them. ''Hold this for me, Jack.'' She handed the bottoms of her skirts so that her stocking feet could be seen to the knees.
''So, you think you're big tough men? Let's see you do this.''
Slowly, she did a ballet stand, carefully not to hurt herself. Her arms raised, and she went up on point, taking her entire weight on the tips of her toes. The guys gaped at her incredible muscle control. She came back down, then her face screwed up in pain.
''Shit. I haven't done that in years.''
Jack caught her as she lost her balance and she fell into his arms.
''I'll give it to you, lassie, you can party with the rest of us.'' Tommy shouted as he made his way to the bar for another pint.
Jack still encased her in his arms, unfazed by the gaze on them. His breath tickled her ears as he whispered to her. ''This is the world I wanted you to live in with me.''