Chapter XVI: Moonlight Cocktail

A/N: Parts of this chapter were easier to write than others. Still having computer access issues. A certain very foolish historically accurate question that was asked during the inquiry is in this chapter. I've also started a Titanic ghost story in time for Halloween. It is titled Frozen in Time. Some newspaper nastiness starts in this chapter for our heroes. Looking forward to seeing what you all think of that. I cannot thank The Cowgirl Bookworm enough for her help. SSD

While he was not the first awake, James always tried to be the first to get his hands on the newspaper.

Grabbing the New York Journal he began reading. The Inquiry was front page news, mainly going after Mr. Ismay.

James was flicking through the society pages to get to the rest of the newspaper when he saw:

Ice Queen has Close Run In with Frozen Relative
By Christopher Little

James rolled his eyes but started reading anyway.

Cecily Lethbridge cannot escape ice no matter where she goes. On her return trip home from relatives in England, she ran into another relative in the form of a rather large iceberg that sank the ship she was on. Perhaps having the Ice Queen on board sank the unsinkable Titanic? Did the huge chank of ice feel a call to one of its own?

This was much of what had been expected. Mr. McLewis mentioned that there had been a prior incident between Cecily's father and the owner of the New York Journal. James's eyes widened in horror as he began to read the second part of the article:

Is Murder What it Takes to Melt the Ice Queen?

Murder it seems, is the way to Cecily Lethbridge's heart. She's been around her brother too much as she has acquired a taste for sailors it seems. In particular one that fired his pistol, swore in the presence of women, and was rumored to be drunk at the time of being in the lifeboats, Harold Lowe was able to charm the frigid heiress out of her skirts. Perhaps Miss Lethbridge's prior suitors should have brought a condemned man and slit his throat in front of her for her viewing pleasure? The reporter also wonders if Miss Lethbridge's not inconsiderable inheritance is in danger?

With a foul taste in his mouth, James took this section of the newspaper, and bolted to the dining room, where he knew Murdoch and Lightoller were eating.

Not even bothering to explain, he laid the article right next to the First Officer's right arm.

His eyes scanned the article, widening when they got to the second part of the article, Will's eyes narrowed in disgust before passing it to Lights.

Once he was done, Charles said, "Bugger, out of all of us to accuse of being drunk that night, they pick the one that doesn't touch a drop!"

"Lowe's going to lose his mind. And his temper," Will muttered, massaging his temples.

"Wouldn't you do the same if they were printing garbage like that about Ada? I would want to beat the man to a pulp for printing such filth about Sylvia," Charles replied.

"Who gets to show them when they come downstairs? I don't want it to be me," James begged.

"Your turn Charles," Will smirked.

"That is hardly sporting. He's liable to punch the first man he sees after reading that," Charles groused.

"And you're not up for taking one in the chin," Will asked

"He's in a foul mood already due to having to testify today. This will only make it fouler," Charles argued.

"So you want me to be the sacrifice," Will fired back.

"You're better at ducking than I am," Charles snickered back.

James had a feeling that he was missing a joke between the two older men. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"That's far from fair," Will countered before shutting up as the two subjects of the vile article entered the dining room, holding hands.

They were completely occupied with staring at each other. James did not envy his superior bursting that bubble.

Once they sat down, Charles placed the newspaper down in between the two of them saying, "Quit mooning over each other and read this!" He quickly got back to his seat at the other side of the table.

Cecily started reading the article first. Her face went pale and as emotionless as possible.

Lowe on the other had turned dark red and was furious. To express said fury, he got up and began to shouting in Welsh.

"I haven't the slightest idea of what he's saying but it's definitely negative. And doesn't sound like he's coughing up something unlike someone else I could mention," Charles attempted to bait Will.

Cecily soon joined in, speaking the same language, in an attempt to calm Harold down. Though she still sounded upset as well.

"I wish I knew what they were saying," James said as he finally got to eating.

"They've probably been speaking it since they were children. While not impossible to learn now, it wouldn't be easy," Will remarked.

It took some time, and quite a bit of bickering before Lowe sat back down to eat.

"I still cannot believe that you are used to this sort of filth," Harold growled.

"I caught a ton of this after I slashed Thornton's face up. It gets brought up from time to time still. When my father was dealing with Patrick's uncle during the trial to get the money he was owed, he was dragged through the mud as was I. He even tried to bribe Antin, that did not end well for him. He went digging around on Roland's Navy career and came up with squat. Hearst had to use the fights he got into during his last two years at prep school. It's nothing new," Cecily tore into her Eggs Benedict, clearly hungry.

Most women James had seen in first class ate like birds. She was clearly an exception.

Mr. McLewis came down a few minutes later. Cecily handed him the article.

"So, Hearst has finally come out to play. Excellent. This means we can start firing back at his nephew. They can't play the victim now."

James had seen sharks with less deadly looking smiles.

Harry wanted to beat the senator from Michigan senseless. Not as badly as the man who wrote that disgusting article about Cecily and himself, but enough to get his point across.

Cecily had come to the inquiry today. She was wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit with a white blouse. One of the 40 Thieves was there with her, he believed it was the former sailor.

"Do you know what an iceberg is composed of?"

Did he just ask… Dumbfounded. He had to answer this question but how to do it…

Will, Charles, and the rest were coughing in their failing attempts to hold back their laughter. Cecily, her guard, and others in the room weren't even bothering. There was even a younger senator that was laughing outright!

There was only one real way for him to reply. He could not help himself but say, "Ice, I suppose."

This time, the whole room erupted with laughter. Just about everyone in the room was laughing bar of course Senator Smith and a few others. Once order was restored, the Senator dismissed him from the stand.

As Harry was walking by, one of the younger representatives from New York called out, "Mr. Lowe several of us here are dying to know, is the Ice Bitch at least warm between her legs?"

Despite a burning desire to punch the man, he politely replied, "With all due respect, my private life is exactly that. Private."

Harry walked stiffly back to his seat next to James, focusing on breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, in order to try and control his temper.

Soon a break was called for lunch. Cecily smiled as soon as she saw him outside.

"Really, an iceberg is made of ice," Cecily drawled after she hugged him.

"Well, it's right there in the word. Pretty obvious I should think," he cheekily replied as he offered his arm.

"How thick can you be to ask a question like that," Joseph wondered, clearly contemptuous of the senator.

"Pretty damn thick," Adam Wallace replied. Other than Mr. McLewis himself, he was the member of the 40 Thieves who seemed to know the best ways around the American capital city.

Soon they got to a decent restaurant not too far away. Once they ordered however, Joseph's eyes narrowed.

"What is it," Harry asked.

"It's those cretins who tried to bribe Fabrizio and Turner. I'd bet my next pay check that they're here for your girl and Mr. Murdoch," he growled.

Once the two unwelcome men were within range, Joseph snarled, "Get the hell away from us!"

"We aren't here to speak to you Mr. Boxhall, but rather your first officer and Miss Lethbridge," one of them said.

"I'll stop you right there. There is no amount of money you can offer that would remotely tempt me to change my mind," Cecily said, all sweetness, unless you knew better. Which everyone at the table did.

"Our boss is not offering you mere money Miss Lethbridge. How about keeping you and loverboy out of the newspapers indefinitely?"

Harry saw a glimmer of temptation in Cecily's eyes. He knew how much she hated being in the papers. A moment later it was gone.

She then hissed, "Why don't you two go fuck yourselves and take some goats along for the ride?" Cecily was using her sailor's mouth to cover her brief moment of temptation.

Everyone at the table snorted into their drinks. Lights however snorted, "What did the poor goats do to deserve that?"

Harry shuddered at the mental image.

Will also elected to cut the men off: I too am not interested in whatever Mr. Hearst has to offer. My honor prevents me from it. I saw his nephew shoot a man in cold blood. Not to mention I despise the man." How he was staying calm was a marvel.

"It would have in both your best interests to listen to us. Newspapers can be used to change public opinion. Villains become victims. Heroes become the villains. Honor is a cold comfort Mr. Murdoch. Our boss has dealt with you and your family before Miss Lethbridge. It's known you're melting. It'd be easy to change who you are melting for," with that hanging in the air, the two men left.

"Who could Hearst possibly suggest I am involved with besides you Harry," Cecily turned to him curiously.

"I'm sure he'll come up with some people. Perhaps even your fellow witnesses," Adam suggested.

Cecily, though she clearly wanted to react more vocally, settled for a shudder of clear revulsion at the thought.

Will's eyes tightened into a glare at the former US Navy sailor.

"If I were him and I was picking among your three fellow witnesses, I would go with Lieutenant Murdoch here. It'd be more of a scandal," Adam continued before saying, "That's all. I'm not saying you two would ever do anything!"

Will gave Charles a look and growled, "Not a bloody word from you!"

"I didn't say anything," Charles replied innocence clear in his voice.

"I could hear you thinking. The day I get involved with Miss Lethbridge is the day you learn to mind your mouth!"

"So never?"

"Never."

"When I get home today, I'm going to need some of Antin's moonshine to erase that image from my head," Cecily muttered after shuddering again.

"Most here will take you up on that," Harry agreed."

"I cannot believe you did not tell me what happened at the pool until just now. I thought we were friends," Lucy giggled once her friend finished telling her tale after she got home from the inquiry.

"Roland was around too much. I think he's getting suspicious," Cecily replied.

"You haven't said anything to him?" Surprise was only the beginning of Lucy's reaction. The two siblings had always been close.

"At first I'd thought he would see it fairly easily. So that's why I did not say anything. Now I can't find the words," Cecily was twisting her fingers."

"How hard can it be? You just go up to him and say, "Roland, I want to kiss our old friend senseless!"" Lucy could not help but grin at her closest and only female friend. She did have her much younger sister Gwendolyn, but she was in Denver and was well, 11 years younger than her.

"That's good to hear; Erik will be pleased that you want to kiss him like that Luce," it was Roland, still in his blues. He had a newspaper with him.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me Cecily," Roland sounded odd.

"No… Roland what's going on? Are you alright," Cecily's green eyes were light with worry.

"I'd be a hell of a lot better if I hadn't had to read a disgusting article from the New York Journal about you. The first part was bad enough, but that second part was outright slander," Cecily's brother was barely keeping his voice calm as he slapped the paper from this morning onto the coffee table before them.

Lucy eyed the article with distaste. It was vile, even by Hearst's standards. While she knew that Cecily and Harry had probably done a bit more than they should have, they gone nowhere near as far as was implied.

"Are any parts of it in any way true," Roland inquired.

"William Randolph Hearst is trying to ruin my credibility as a witness since I saw his favorite nephew commit murder on the high seas," her friend replied simply.

"Obviously, but did he make it up whole cloth," he pressed onward.

"Patrick Hearst likely saw Harry and I talking on the deck of the Carpathia. The man should become an author he's so good at making up stories. I'm looking forward to what story he and his defense team cook up for the trial," Cecily answered. Lucy could tell she was getting nervous, as her friend was cracking her ankles.

"I haven't been around much I know; I am your brother. You can tell me anything. Even the truth, however nauseous it may make me," Roland admitted.

"Roland there is nothing to give you cause for concern," Cecily replied tightly.

"I will consider the subject closed for now then. We'll revisit it at a later time. I was just stopping buy on my way to deliver some books for Erik. See you both again in a few days," Roland nodded his goodbyes.

Once he was gone and they were certain of it, Lucy remarked, "That was close."

"Too close," Cecily agreed.

"Back to our original conversation, Do you think he stayed turned around when you asked him to?"

"Of course he did," her friend replied indignantly.

"Cecily this is how it works: The hero always peeks. At least in the stories I've read."

Cecily could not suppress her grin as she buttoned up her coat. She was about to head out and stargaze with Harry.

Both versions of it.

She couldn't decide which she was actually looking forward to more.

Harry was going to have a much harder time getting out and away than she was. Cecily would not be surprised if Rafaela had booby trapped the passageway between Harry's room and the kitchen. He had to avoid Lieutenant Murdoch. She was feeling in the mood to prank him herself, if not quite on the scale of the previous one.

Cecily was just shutting the door to her room when Lucy asked from hers, "Where are you going?"

"Out," she replied simply.

Looking at her coat pocket, Lucy definitely saw her binocular. She asked, "Going stargazing."

"Yes. And I'm taking Lieutenant Murdoch along for the ride," Cecily replied toothily.

"Anyone who believes that, stand on your head. Harry has to get past him, if I'm not mistaken," Lucy smirked.

"We're both hoping that Rafaela hasn't booby trapped the passage yet. Then he has a clean way past Murdoch," she grumbled. Her fellow murder witness was a pain when it came to her spending any kind of time with Harry.

"Just be sure to come back to bed by yourself. I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning to shouting," Lucy replied before closing her own door.

Cecily rolled her eyes before setting off on her way walking as quietly as she could, avoiding the squeaky stairs at strategic points.

Shortly before arriving at the room where the back balcony was, she heard a hiss, "Over here."

Harry came from behind a plant, dressed in darker clothing. "How hard a time did you have getting away?"

"The passage is no longer available. I had to use the direct route. Good think Will and Charles were bickering. Which meant I could leave unnoticed. Hopefully they'll be in bed when I get back, I am not in the mood for jokes," Harry replied.

"What were they bickering about," Cecily inquired as they picked their way through the room to the balcony.

"Wasn't really paying attention, I was trying to get out and away unnoticed. I see you come out here here often," her suitor acknowledged as he took in her stargazing nest.

It usually only had one chair, a blanket, and an upturned apple crate to rest her feet on. It had not been easy to move a second set of those items around without notice.

"This is cozy," he remarked as he folded himself into his seat.

"I'm usually up here alone," she replied.

"You're not alone now," Harry said in a voice that ran down her back and made her shiver. In an enjoyable way.

"I'm happy for it, now pick a star to find and let's see what we can see," Cecily replied trying not to blush.

They were quiet for a time passing the binoculars back and forth until she said, "It's a shame that so many of the stories behind the constellations have sad endings. I wonder if any of them ever wanted to do something different with their lives? Not having to follow their destiny and do what they wanted for a change: Fall in love, have a family, grow old and die that way? The Greek gods were not known for leaving humans well enough alone."

"Is that what you want," Harry asked, scooting his chair a bit closer, "Defy the stars and do what you want?" He glanced through the binoculars. "They weren't all sad you know. Take a look at Andromeda. Got saved by Perseus. Became a queen, got placed in the stars with her husband and parents. They didn't turn out so bad," he recounted with a smile.

"Everyone did win in that one. Except for Perseus's evil stepfather. And Poseidon. I love a good happy ending," she smiled back.

"It's rarity makes it all the more enjoyable," Harry agreed.

"Yes," Cecily looked back up at the night sky asking, "You think they'll put our tragedy in the stars?" She was leaning on the balcony's rail.

"What makes you think our story is a tragedy," Harry had an intense look in his eyes as he backed her towards the wall. In the clear light of the nearly full moon, she could see that they were almost black.

"Well, there are the papers. God, I wish I wasn't so-" any further words were cut off when Harry had her completely up against the wall, his lips swallowing her words. Any further complaints she was going to make on her height were far from her mind.

Though it was still quite a reach for her to reach his mouth. As he wasn't wearing a tie, Cecily pulled on the straps on the binoculars.

With a low groan, he leaned down a bit to give her better access. They kissed for a while longer, then air became a necessity.

"You're so damn tall," she muttered trying to catch her breath.

"Well, you know what they say about tall men," Harry smirked.

"They take too long to get to the blasted point," Cecily suggested.

"My point is that I want to do far more than kiss you, but we have time enough for that," his voice was thick with emotion.

Now was point where Cecily wished for a not nearly full moon. She was quite certain that Harry could see her turning maroon in the moonlight. What did he want of her next?

Should she in some way touch him? Or continue kissing him? Her fingers twitched, unsure of what to do next. Cecily couldn't even speak; Harry must think her a fool to not know what was supposed to happen next. She looked away from him.

She was playing a game she did not know all of the rules for and that terrified her. What if she messed up?

Soon Harry tilted her face up so he could look in her eyes to whisper, "Cecily I don't expect more from you than what we're doing at the moment. I know the rules for you are different than they are me."

"I don't want to displease you. I would like to do those things, I just don't know what they are," Cecily replied.

Her sailor was a bit tongue tied for a moment before he suggested, "Ask your aunt when your father is not around. I really do not want to get shot or have Mr. McLewis do any of the things he suggested he'd do to me!"

"Whatever Antin said he'd do to you; he won't do it. Most likely," Cecily couldn't help but giggle.

"I could hardly sleep for two days without what he threatened me with playing in my mind," Harry shuddered before looking at his watch, "We should probably head back inside before we are noticed."

The both of them pushed the chairs back, folded the blankets, and put them in the apple crates under the chairs.

Once inside, Cecily felt some of her confidence return, decided to turn around and kiss Harry again making use of the binoculars that were still around his neck.

The intensity of the kiss made them both let out moans.

"Nos du Fe'ch gwelaf yn y bore," she whispered against his lips.

"Fe'ch gwelaf yn nes ymlaen hefyd," Harry murmured back against hers.

As it had been an off night for Antin (rank indeed had its privileges) was only just getting into his office. He saw a short report on his desk that made him smirk.

Cecily and Harry had snuck out of their rooms last night for some stargazing. He finally had some clarity on what that meant.

While they had indeed spent some time studying the night sky, the pair soon turned their attentions towards each other. According to the report, nothing beyond kissing occurred.

"And those two think they're so sneaky!"

Randall was walking around his uncle's house one last time as tomorrow he would be leaving on a Royal Navy vessel out of Newport News Virginia.

He was walking past a sitting room when he heard his uncle say, "I'm not judging you Mina. I'm just worried about all of you. If this were to come out in the papers right now, all hell would break loose."

What's he talking about? Randall didn't make a habit of eavesdropping often, but made an exception this time.

"I doubt severely anyone is going to find out. Randall is not even in the papers. He is of no interest to them," that was his mother talking. He'd clearly come in at the middle of the conversation.

"You'd better pray he doesn't. You saw what they've already printed about Cecily and Harold. I'm working on getting a counter strike done on that. Imagine how ruthless they'd be with Randall? They could follow him to Dartmouth Mina, and start digging around for anything. He should head back and you with him. I'd sleep better knowing you two weren't being looked at," his uncle was begging, he sounded afraid.

"You know Randall is heading back tomorrow. And he'll be on board a ship for weeks soon after returning. I'm not leaving Cecily. She needs someone to talk to who went through that same hell she went through," his mother continued.

"Hell Mina," it sounded like his uncle got up from a couch, "She's my daughter you don't think I can talk to her?"

"You can, but you weren't there," his mother's voice gentled.

"Jesus. Is it such a bad thing that I want to keep our family safe," his uncle was pacing.

"No it isn't. You can't help it. It's in your job description," his mother sounded amused.

"And yet you hardly ever listen to me," his uncle had a similarly amused tone.

Randall left his hiding spot. But kept on wondering.

What was his mother's secret that scared his uncle and how did he figure into it?

Not having enough life boats was the least of their problems!

Erik was thankful that he managed a rough sketch over the weekend that he could take back to the Florida with him. He still had to keep it well hidden in his locker.

Thomas Andrews may have been a good shipbuilder, but had needed to cater to the demands and whims of an overbearing client.

So there were design flaws: the way the rivets were installed towards the bow and the bulkheads did not go all the way to the top of the ship. Having three propellers also got his attention. The size of the rudder relative to the size of the ship seemed small.

All of these things were beyond the control of the officers. Erik hoped he found more. So much was riding on this.

A/N 2: This took quite a bit of time to type up. Had a lot of fun doing it. Roland will lose the idiot ball for good next chapter! Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD

Welsh translations

Nos du Fe'ch gwelaf yn y bore- Good night, I will see you in the morning

Fe'ch gwelaf yn nes ymlaen hefyd- I will see you later as well.