"Yes, sir. Will the lady come this way, and you, sir, follow him," the attendant said. I followed him to a curtained area, took off my dress, and wrapped myself in a towel. I laid on the table on my stomach, and in a few minutes, he was back, and gave me the massage, which was so relaxing. What a wonderful ship, this Titanic. Wonderful bubble baths, wonderful libraries, wonderful massages... It's like heaven on the sea. After the massage, I hugged Rob to thank him.
"Thank you, so much," I said.
"Your welcome," he said, hugging me back tightly. We walked around, and came across the swimming bath.
"Let me take you swimming tomorrow," he said.
"It's a deal," I agreed, smiling into his shinning eyes.
"Are you as hungry as I am?" he asked as we walked up to E deck.
"Famished," I said. We took the lifts back up to B deck, and Rob and I went into the a la carte restaurant, and sat at a small table for two off in a corner. Rob ordered a cold turkey sandwich, and I ordered a garden salad.
"There's so much to do on this ship," I said.
"Indeed. I heard that there's a squash court on board somewhere. I'll teach you the skills of squash," he said.
"Squash? I'd love to learn how," I said excitedly. I looked at my watch - 2:30. We continued talking while we finished our food.
"So, tell me, where do you get your beautiful, wavy hair?" Rob asked me.
"Let's see, my mother and my sister both have really curly hair, and my father as straight, so I'm kind of in the middle, I guess," I said.
"What a perfect combination," he said, smiling.
"You're flattering me," I said, my cheeks warming.
"You don't like to be flattered?" he smiled.
"No, it's just that, well, no one actually compliments me besides my father," I managed to say.
"Well, you would think a beautiful woman, such as yourself, would get plenty of compliments," he said, taking the last bite of his sandwich.
"But it's not so," I said, shaking my head.
"Then, I should compliment you more often," he said, we both laughed.
"I should be heading back, I have to have tea with my mother since I skipped lunch and breakfast," I said, getting up.
"I'll see you at dinner?" Rob said, getting up with me as a proper gentleman should.
"Yes, sir," I said, winking at him from over my shoulder. The restaurant was right by my room, so I was there in less than five minutes, leaving me plenty of time to change and make myself presentable for mother. There was a note on my table, instructing me to be in the First Class Lounge at four. I had just finished changing and was fixing my hair when Marie came barging in through the door that connected our rooms.
"Where have you been? You missed breakfast AND lunch!" she said with a motherly attitude.
"Do you have to use that tone with me?" I shot back.
"Well, somebody has to if mother won't. You're out prancing about, making the ladies gossip about you. It seems that I'm the descent daughter in this family," she said, sticking her nose in the air. I groaned, and turned back to the mirror.
"Fine, don't talk to me, then. I'll just tell mother that you're being a brat, and you'll have to skip dinner tonight," she said, walking out of the room.
"Bite me," I mumbled under my breath, when Marie was out of earshot. In the lounge, we sat with some ladies that I've never met before, and I wasn't too excited about meeting them, either. The same typical upper class wives, with the same typical gossip. Fortunately, my father came in around 4:30, and saved me. I excused myself, and took my father's arm, and he lead me out to the Grand staircase.
"Where are we going?" I asked him.
"Can't I take a leisurely stroll with my favorite daughter?" he asked, smiling down at me.
"Yes, of course you can, father," I said as we walked out onto the covered promenade.
"I know that your mother has been nagging at you a lot lately, and I've been trying to get her to tone down a bit, but she's stuck on turning you into a society bore," he said.
"I'll never let her do that," I said seriously.
"The only thing that I wish for you is that you find true happiness with someone, Belle," said my father.
"I already have," I said, looking up at him, to see his reaction. I knew that he would be thrilled, but I wasn't so sure about my mother.
"Really? Who?" he asked excitedly.
"I'm afraid it's someone I know mother will not approve of. Robert Wellington," I said.
"Oh, his father owns the railcar company. I suppose your right about your mother, she believes everything she hears about everyone, including the rumors," my father said, looking down at me kindly. The smile faded from my face.
"Oh," was all I could say.
"But Belle, who cares? If you are happy, then I'm happy," he said, smiling again. When I saw him smile, I knew it was all right with him.
"Father? Can you keep this a secret? I'm not ready to tell mother just yet," I asked.
"Of course, Belle, just between you and me," my father said, still smiling ear to ear.