Thank you to ALL my readers and reviewers, new and old, for sticking by me (even when I was late this week - yikes!). I'm thrilled to see that you liked hearing some of Harry's backstory - and that some of you recognized the stories as well! NickiO: I too am very picky about FF, so I'm so flattered that you are enjoying this one! Hvala :) Hi Sam! Yes, I intended from the start for Corrine to end up in Collapsible A - because that was the one that Lowe picked up, after all ;) But even if she had ended up on B (as in, if Lights had pulled her over the side with him), I probably wouldn't have included the story about Captain Smith. As much as I wish that story were true (and believe me, my heart melts at the thought of Smith and Lightoller saving a baby), I just don't find it plausible; Lightoller never mentioned this incident in any of his accounts... and if it did happen, well, we know that there were no babies saved on Collapsible B, so that particular tale would have had a tragic ending :( But yes, I have given Smith short shrift in this story; I don't mention him much because it would have been unlikely for Corrine to have had any interactions with him (unlike Murdoch, who seemed to be everywhere that night). And yes, I have seen the film ANTR - I just watched it for the first time on the anniversary of the sinking! And I do prefer it in many ways to Cameron's Titanic (although there's not enough Lowe in it, ha!)... except there's nothing quite like those Nearer My God To Thee scenes in Cameron's, which get me in the feels every time :( And finally to my dear Rosie, thank you once again for all your love and support - always ;) Love you!
A long-awaited reunion is coming! Also, I love Storytelling Harry, so here he is for an encore :)
The next morning, Harry was back, waking her with a breakfast of tea and a bowl of hot oatmeal. He gave the oatmeal a snooty expression. "The doctor says it will fill your stomach and give you strength, but it looks like plaster." He wrinkled his nose. "I'll try to filch you some ham and eggs later, when he isn't watching."
They kept the conversation over breakfast as light as possible considering the circumstances. She knew he wanted to keep her spirits up, and in turn, she didn't want to burden him unduly with her own worries. They carefully avoided any discussion of the disaster - or their future. Fortunately, his unsettled look from the night before had vanished, and she made a mental note not to demand more from him than he was willing to give.
She was scooping the last of the oatmeal - which wasn't nearly as tasteless as Harry had implied - onto her spoon when he said with a gleam in his eye, "I have a few surprises for you today, Corrine."
"Good ones, I hope?" she said lightly.
"You'll see soon enough," he said mysteriously, and got to his feet. "I'll be back in awhile." He reached out and caressed her cheek with his hand, took up the dirty dishes, and left with a wink.
Idly, Corrine sat in the bed, moving her legs up and down as she waited. Just as she was starting to get bored, and wonder where Harry had gone off to, she heard the sound of female voices outside of her room. Her heart leaped; she would have recognized those voices anywhere. Sure enough, the door flew open, and there stood Kate and Katie.
The three girls had a tearful but joyful reunion. Katie, always the demonstrative one, curled up in bed next to Corrine. "I'm so sorry, about everything - especially Thomas," Katie wept, as Corrine held her.
"Nonsense - it's not your fault at all. How were you to know he was a total wanker?" she said soothingly.
Kate goggled at her language, but Katie snorted through her tears. Then she grew serious again. "I would have rather died myself than lose you, Corr." She put her head on Corrine's shoulder. "Thank God for Harry," she murmured.
"Indeed," Corrine quietly agreed.
"You know," said Katie, regaining some of her usual effervescence, "It's because of me that he went back to the wreck to look for you."
"Katie-" Kate warned, rolling her eyes.
But Corrine, intrigued, gestured for her to continue. So Katie - above Kate's objections - explained about the tea leaf prophecy, and how when Harry had overheard the conversation, he decided to take a boat back to look for survivors from the sinking.
"Katie, he was going to do that anyway, no doubt, with or without your interference," Kate retorted, exasperated.
Katie waved off her protests airily. Then she turned serious. "The tea leaves were right, Corr. No, they were," she said firmly, holding up a hand as Corrine tried to laughingly protest. "You were dead when Harry found you. I know, because I talked to a man that was on that terrible boat with you, and he told me. You had stopped breathing and everything. They had all given up on you - all but Harry."
"I didn't know that," Corrine said slowly. "He didn't tell me."
"Probably didn't want to frighten you," Katie reassured quickly. "Anyhow, your story has become legend already, Corr! All the steerage passengers are talking about you! The brave lass who led a group up from the bottom decks, saw her friends put on boats, and then went down with the ship, who was then saved at the very last minute by a dashing officer..." She sighed dreamily and pretended to swoon. "It's all so dramatic, and so romantic, isn't it?"
Corrine looked down at her hands, uncomfortable at Katie's blithe description of what was, to her, a very dark and traumatic experience. "That's all a bit much-" she started, but Kate interrupted.
"People have very little to celebrate. You're a small bright spot in a time of great grief. Let them have that," she said softly.
"Yes, and let Harry have his moment in the sun, too. He's a regular John Bull," Katie said admiringly. She sat up, suddenly animated. "He even commandeered an officer's cabin for you, Corr," Katie crowed, waving her hand at the room around them. "Went to Captain Rostron himself and near demanded it, as I heard. He said you were in a delicate state... and the good captain mistook you for being with child." She giggled. "Harry didn't try to correct him, and so here you are - set up like a queen in your own private room."
Corrine laughed incredulously. So that's how it had really happened, then. Harry's version of the story had made him out to be much more courteous and tame about it - but even if slightly exaggerated, Katie's words rang true. It seemed that Harry had forgotten he no longer had a ship, and thought he was master of this one as well. And so his legend grows, she thought, amused.
"He loves you so much, you know," Katie continued, a note of envy creeping into her voice. She sighed. "He would move heaven and earth for you."
"Oh, I don't know, Katie," Corrine protested, startled at the rather mortifying turn the conversation had taken. "I mean, he's never told me-"
"Don't be daft, Corr," Katie barked impatiently. "His boat was the only one to go back - and why do you think he did? Because of you, you eejit. How could you possibly question his devotion after what he did?"
"It's not that... it's just... well, he asked me to wait for him, and be his girl, but that doesn't mean he feels... that way. You know... love, I mean. That's a pretty strong word..." She trailed off and blushed, looking to Kate for assistance, but to her surprise, Kate was looking at Katie and nodding her agreement.
"She's right, Corrine. You're being a ninny - and an insecure one at that. Why else would he have searched the entire ocean for you?"
Just then, the man in question entered the room. At once, the conversation stuttered to a halt; all three girls blushed and suddenly found something interesting to stare at on the floor.
Harry sensed the awkwardness immediately and stopped cold. "Did I interrupt something?" he asked, his eyebrows climbing up his forehead.
"Nothing at all, Mr. Lowe," Kate hastened to assure him. Corrine smiled to herself. Someone had finally straightened her out about Harry's name, then. Turning back to Corrine, Kate said, "I think we should let our friend rest now, don't you, Katie?" She nudged her friend pointedly, nodded to Harry, and waved goodbye to Corrine before leaving the room.
Katie rolled her eyes but acquiesced. "Think about what I said," she whispered in Corrine's ear as she rose from the bed. Giving Harry a dazzling smile and a conspiratorial wink, she sashayed after Kate.
Corrine closed her eyes and shook her head, a faint smile tracing her lips. That girl was incorrigible - and to have Kate agree with her in a rare show of solidarity was quite surprising indeed.
When she opened her eyes again, Harry was looking at her quizzically. "Do I want to know what that was all about?"
She blushed. "No," she said, and quickly changing the subject, asked, "What news, Harry?"
His look turned somber. "Not much. Survivors are telling their stories, comparing notes, trying to piece together what happened that night. And there's a great deal of misery and suffering, Corrine. Everyone lost someone they know, and although there were a few happy reunions that first morning, most everyone is now coming to terms with the cold hard fact that there aren't any more survivors, and their missing loved ones are gone." His eyes slid away from her. "Third class was hit the hardest. Only around twenty-five percent survived."
She shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut as memories from that night flashed through her mind: the hundreds of passengers patiently waiting in the dining room and on the staircase; the men who were prevented from ascending to the boat deck; the families refusing to be separated; the foreign immigrants who couldn't understand what was happening. "I'm not surprised," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "No one came to help us... except Mr. Hart." Fresh pain welled in her heart as she thought of it. Third class passengers hadn't stood a chance; they hadn't recognized the danger until it was too late - and no one had told them.
"There will be a reckoning, Corrine," he said, his eyes hardening. "When we get home, the Board of Trade will hold an inquiry into the disaster, and they'll sort it out." Once again, he looked away from her. "I'm certain that everyone who contributed to the disaster will be held responsible."
She furrowed her brow at that last comment, puzzled. He almost sounded... remorseful. But he hadn't done anything wrong, after all - if anything, he had done more than anyone else to save lives that night. Before she could pursue it, however, he said gently but firmly, "I won't endanger your health by burdening you further with such sad tidings, Corrine. You've had a long morning. I think the best thing for you to do would be to take a nap." His mouth quirked up in a grin. "I'll even tell you a bedtime story, if you like."
She knew he was trying to change the subject, and she allowed it; he needed a distraction as much as she did. She pondered his offer. "Does this one involve men running around starkers?" she asked cheekily.
He chuckled at that. "No... but I can include that bit, if you want," he said with a mischievous grin.
She shook her head, smiling back, and he sighed in mock resignation. "Right, then, we'll keep it clean."
She looked at him expectantly, and he obliged, launching into his tale.
"Once, long ago, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a beautiful maiden." Her eyebrows rose in amusement at his sly acknowledgement of her name's meaning. "The king who ruled her lands was rich as Midas, but never satisfied with his wealth - he always wanted more and more," he continued. "One day he heard that a ruler in a land across the sea had a beautiful blue diamond called the Heart of the Ocean. It was supposed to be the most rare and precious jewel in all the world, and the greedy king determined that he must have it at all costs."
He paused for dramatic effect, then went on. "The king knew it wouldn't be easy to obtain this prize, so he offered a fiefdom to anyone who could steal the diamond and bring it back to him. Of course, the only people qualified for this type of work were thieves, and upon hearing the king's pronouncement, they all rushed to apply."
She gave him a perplexed look. "What does all this have to do with the maiden?" she asked.
He laughed. "Well, I was just about to explain that part, Miss Impatient. The maiden was a thief, too, you see. She'd been stealing the hearts of the men in the kingdom for years." At her skeptical look, he raised his hands defensively. "It's true - there was even a price on her head, believe it or not. She had finally bewitched the wrong bloke, and he was out for blood. But she didn't decide to join the quest to escape certain death. Nor did she care about the reward it would bring; although she grew up poor as a church mouse, she had no interest in worldly possessions. No, instead she wanted to chase the Heart for the grand adventure she would have while obtaining it. She was quite bored with her utterly predictable life as a siren, you see."
Despite the outrageous premise, Corrine found herself drawn in by the obvious symbolism and Harry's animated manner; he seemed totally caught up in his role as storyteller. He noted her interest and plunged ahead. "So, using her considerable charm, she commandeered the kingdom's fastest sailing ship, and had it manned with only the best and bravest sailors to be sure she would reach her destination safely. When they were halfway there, and over the deepest, most dangerous part of the sea, however, an enormous monster rose from the cold, dark depths."
She shivered slightly, unable to hide her distress from him; she knew it was just a story, but the thought of cold, dark water - so soon after her own ordeal - still alarmed her. Disconcerted, he reached out hastily to hold her hand in his own. "I'm sorry, my darling, I didn't mean to upset you," he said gently. "But this has a happy ending, I promise."
She nodded at him to keep going. "This sea creature was a kraken - a giant squid with serrated suckers. And it was hungry for human flesh - particularly for young female flesh. It clambered up onto the deck, seeking the girl with a single-minded fixation. The sailors were terrified; they had heard legends of the kraken, but had never confronted one in person. To a man, they fled the besieged ship, leaving the brave but panic-stricken maiden on the deck to meet her tragic fate."
Corrine raised an eyebrow. "Harry... are you sure this is going to end well?" she asked uneasily.
"Yes, because here comes the hero of the tale," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "As it turns out, there was another ship nearby. It belonged to the pirate king, who had long been chasing the kraken, looking to rid the world of its hideous and malevolent presence. The king was fearless, dashing, and of course, the most devastatingly handsome lad in all the lands." With that, he threw her his signature cocky grin, and she rolled her eyes and huffed in mock exasperation, motioning for him to continue. "Right - back to the story. Well, when the pirate king saw the kraken, he sailed for it immediately, and then - because he was both a boatman and a sailor, you understand - he catapulted onto the deck of the doomed ship with an oar just as the kraken grabbed the maiden in its tentacle."
"And what did he do?" she asked breathlessly, captivated as much by his style of storytelling as by the tale itself.
"He negotiated for her release - by offering himself in place of the maiden," he responded matter-of-factly.
She threw him a haughty glance. "I certainly hope the maiden refused the deal," she said tartly.
"Well, she tried, of course. She was a bit of a feisty lass, and despite her desperate situation she didn't appreciate being bargained for like a sack of grain. So she was disinclined to acquiesce to his request, and said so in no uncertain terms. But it was out of her hands anyway, because..." and here he paused again, "with one smooth motion, the pirate king drew his sword, Indefatigable, from its jeweled scabbard, and sliced off the tentacle holding the maiden. Then he leaped into the kraken's mouth - and was swallowed whole, sealing the bargain."
"No!" she gasped, horrified at the twist the story had taken. "Why would he do such a thing?"
"Well, he was taking risks, you see. You must remember that in his mind there was not a moment to lose. Besides," added Harry, "he had fallen in love with our heroine the moment he laid eyes on her, and he decided then and there that he would sacrifice anything - including his own life - just to keep her safe."
Corrine's heart stuttered in her chest. What was he saying, exactly? Was he telling her...?
But before she could ponder the implications of his words, he hurried on. "But the pirate king had one last trick up his sleeve. Indefatigable was forged from the finest, sharpest steel ever made, and as such, it was the only weapon in the world strong enough to slay a kraken. They're nearly indestructible, see, and only if you stab them in the heart - from the inside - can they be killed. So as the kraken was swallowing him, with the last of his strength the pirate king pushed the sword into his heart-" he mimed the motion with a swift thrust of his arm, "-and the kraken collapsed to the deck, dead as a doornail."
He smiled triumphantly at her. "And when our hero carved his way out of the kraken's stinking guts, the maiden was so overcome with relief and gratitude - and his virile good looks didn't hurt, either - that she too fell in love right on the spot, and pledged her smitten heart to him."
"Of course," she retorted, playing along. "Anyone could see that he was irresistible - even covered in kraken slime."
He burst out laughing. "Are you trying to hijack my story, Corrine?" he teased.
"No, Harry; I just thought it needed some... embellishment." The irony was not lost on him, and he laughed heartily again. "So what happened after that, then?" she urged, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Well, he brought her back to his kingdom of rogues and thieves - a decent lot, really, just misunderstood-" At this point he paused and looked at her steadily. "And she forgot all about her quest and lived with him in his castle happily ever after, never having any desire to roam again."
Faintly, an alarm bell went off in the back of her head, but she ignored it. She clapped her hands in appreciation. "Bravo, Harry. That was a lovely story - and very self-serving, too," she noted slyly.
"Well, I may have added a few personal touches," he said modestly, "but it's a tale as old as time, I suppose: 'the corsair and the maiden fair / wild and free / were meant to be'." He grinned at his own silly bit of poetry and winked at her as if sharing a secret just between the two of them.
His story concluded at last, Harry spread his hands in a gesture of finality as he rose with a smile. Although his face was reluctant, his voice was firm as he said, "All right, Miss Donnelly, I'd better leave you to your rest now."
"But I'm not tired anymore," she pouted. "I want another story."
"You're insatiable, aren't you?" he teased. Then he said adamantly, "Pirate king's orders, though - and all on the sea are bound to obey." He finished with another wink.
She sketched a salute and grumbled, "Aye aye, sir," smiling to take the sting out of her protest.
Harry blew her a kiss - why he refused to give her a proper kiss, she couldn't guess - and after promising to return later, he turned to leave the room.
Despite his insistence, she was reluctant to let him go. She realized that this was the most contented and carefree they had both felt since... well, since the disaster had torn the world apart, and a sudden apprehension seized her. The last time she had been this happy was the night of the hooley, and now, like then, she didn't want the time to end, for fear that whatever would come after might separate them once again. She wanted to call out, to beg him to come back... to spend just a little more time with her. But she soon scoffed at her own ridiculous worries; nothing could come between them now - they had survived the sinking, after all, which meant that the worst was already behind them. Still, she had to suppress a yearning sigh as he closed the door; as much as she wanted him to stay, she couldn't let her own selfish demands impose on his time.
After he left, Corrine lay back on the pillow and thought over his tale again. The unmistakable parallels with their own story had her searching for hidden messages... and they weren't difficult to find. She was sure that, in a rather roundabout way, he was telling her how much she meant to him, and the conclusion made her feel warm all over. He loved her; he must - he had all but said it just now! Katie was right - what more did he have to do to prove himself to her?
She had already forgotten the brief sense of disquiet she had felt at the story's conclusion, which had seemed less like a happy ending and more like a warning.
Who can tell a story that incorporates Hornblower, Titanic (the movie), and Pirates of the Caribbean? Harry, of course ;) There were also some obscure Hornblower references in the previous chapter as well (covering the hulled ship with the fothered sail and the infamous deck hose scene, haha). That Harry is decades ahead of his time, yes?
And that cheeky line about taking a nap was taken from a quote from Daisy Minahan, who said Lowe told the ladies in his lifeboat to do just that the night of the sinking.
Actually, both Katie and Harry are right about how Corrine came to occupy Bisset's cabin. Harry did indeed insist on a private room for Corrine, so that she could heal from her trauma in solitude and comfort, without the presence of other passengers to disrupt her recovery. And Bisset, who happened to be standing near Rostron when Harry made his demand, gallantly offered his own bed for his fellow officer's girl (in real life, he actually did relinquish his cabin to a female survivor, as he states in his autobiography). For story purposes, Corrine needed to be alone, with no roommates... and as far as I could tell from Carpathia's deck plans, all the passenger staterooms have at least 2 beds, and only the officers' cabins are single berths. I chose Bisset's cabin for several reasons, the first being that its layout in the deck plan fit with my vision of her room. But also I wanted to draw a deliberate comparison between Titanic's second officer, with whom Harry has a contentious, antagonistic relationship, and the Carpathia's second officer, who respects and accepts Harry immediately.