Philadelphia, April 20, 1912.
"Caledon.." Nathan Hockley said, holding out a hand to his son.
"Father." Cal said equally as formally, shaking his father's hand. In Nathan's eyes affection was best left for behind closed doors. Cal's childhood had been devoid of any real emotion after his mother's early death. It wasn't until he was grown up that Nathan really spoke to him like an equal. And most of their conversations were confined to business and politics. For that matter Nathan also believed rage was best left for behind closed doors, and Cal saw his Father's eyes go towards Eliza, who was standing there silently.
"This is her then?" Nathan asked, sighing.
"Yes..Eliza, this is my father; Mr. Hockley." Cal said.
Eliza muttered something that could perhaps of been interpreted as hello, but Nathan was not sure. "She doesn't speak much then?" He asked his son, as they walked towards the porter who was unloading what little Cal had from the train. All his luggage had gone down with the Titanic, but Nathan had wired some money into the New York bank for his son to buy some more clothing.
"No more than necessary." Cal replied. The train journey had been completed in silence, other than Cal's occasional curt questions as to was she alright? Did she need a drink? Did she need to go to the toilet?
"Hmmm..maybe she's dumb?" Nathan asked.
Cal was quick to shake his head. "The lady from the government seems to think she is quite bright. It's just that she's in shock after what happened and all..Apparently they asked about her parents, but she just started crying. I can't imagine that some people would leave their own children and think of their safety only!" Cal replied.
"Well not everyone has our class.." Nathan replied. "Caledon, have you considered what you're going to do with your..charge?"
"Not really Father." Cal admitted. "I was waiting to consult with you about it."
"Indeed." Nathan replied, sounding remarkably like his son. "I have to tell you that this really is most inconvenient. Now that the marriage between you and Rose can no longer be undertaken you'll have to find someone else. A child, esspecially one of her class, is not exactly a great incentive."
"I disagree there Father." Cal said, a little surprised at his own comment. "From the impression I got in New York everyone was impressed with what I was doing..in fact there was a brief article in the times yesterday morning about my unselfish act, and it implored the rest of society to follow my example and hope that something can come from the whole tragedy! If I quote it said "If every good man and woman takes in one orphan to raise then surely we are doing our bit for the world." Of course not everyone can afford to really..."
Nathan sighed. "I guess we have to make the best of it then don't we? But honestly Caledon your actions-"
"Father, please not now..I'm still in mourning for Rose." Cal said quickly interrupting his father.
"Mourning?" Nathan repeated a slight smile on his face. When he had arranged the marriage between Caledon and Rose, he had thought at the time it was a good match. Rose's family name was very respectable, not only in her native England, but also in America, and her mother was a fine woman. When he'd met the girl this was confirmed; she was beautiful and nice, and very well brought up. Yes, it had been a fine match. Even if both her and her mother had tried to deceive him about how much money they had been left. Oh maybe not so much Rose, but her mother, Francis, had certainly tried, and he'd been forced to tell her that he knew they had no money. Her eyes had widened, and she'd gone pale. "How did you know?" She'd asked. "I had a detective look into your affairs. With all due respect madam, my son's marriage is an important event. Did you think I would let him marry just anyone?" She didn't reply for a moment, and then in a quivering voice asked "Does this mean it's over then?" "Over?" He'd repeated. "No.no..The thing is, Cal's getting on. It's time he settled down and produced a heir..Rose is a nice girl, and I think she could be an asset to the Hockley's." And the two of them had promised that neither Rose, nor Cal, would know of this conversation. As far as Rose knew he, Nathan, had no idea they were broke. But as he had told her mother, Nathan didn't care about the money. The Hockley's had more than enough to not be concerned by it. Rose was a beauty, and Cal had to get married soon! But imagine Cal saying he was in mourning; for someone he barely knew and when he had been brought up to treat women merely as accessories!
"That's right." Cal said. "Rose meant a great deal to me-"
"Be honest with your father Caledon; Rose was nothing more than someone to make you look good. And of course someone to produce my grandchildren!" Nathan said harshly.
Cal didn't reply, instead he was looking over at Eliza, who stood where they had left her, staring into the distance.
"In New York they suggested therapy for her..." Cal said.
"Therapy? Ridiculous!" Nathan snorted.
"I don't know-she's been through a lot..we all have..." Cal said quietly.
"I don't doubt it." Nathan said, his tone indicating that he actually did doubt it. "The thing is Caledon a child of Eliza's class is not really going to amount to anything other than a servant of some kind is she? Why don't we get Mrs. Limley to take her under her wing?"
Cal hesitated. His father's voice made it blindingly clear that he assumed Cal would go along with his plans. And maybe he would have before..before the Titanic that is! But that night had changed things. On the train between New York and Philadelphia he'd been able to think about what had happened in more detail. He'd seen men, women and children struggling for their lives regardless of class! He'd seen people from rich, important families die alongside families who had not a cent to their name! Most strikingly he'd seen his fiancée desert him for someone who had nothing; not even a home! Whilst he still had strong feelings about the class divide, and whilst he knew he would never have chosen to be with someone like that gutter-rat, he also knew that he owed Rose something. She'd died, and he'd lived, and he owed her something. And maybe, just maybe, this child had been sent to him for him to find some kind of redemption? He knew he couldn't explain this all to his father, and even if he could there was no way Nathan would understand!
"Sorry Father, but the point of us taking in Eliza, the government made this clear, was not to treat her as a servant-"
"Ridiculous!" Nathan spluttered. "I won't believe it!"
"They've told me point blank Father, that should they receive reports about her that are in any way unsatisfactory the agreement will be null and void. We're both businessmen Father; we know what that means. We break our agreement in not looking after Eliza the way they expect-which I believe includes schooling!- and my actions aboard the Titanic will be let out of the bag. Whilst you and I know that in private many men will agree with my actions, in public they can't condone them..our name would be mud Father.." Cal lied.
Nathan looked at him for a moment, and then his eyes dropped. He'd swallowed it! He knew that his son's actions could have dire consequences for the Hockley family!
"Fine.but it comes from your money you understand. And I don't wish to see her more than I can help...and education or no education you realise the best someone of her class can expect in society is to be a teacher or something. Certainly not a debutante!"
Cal didn't reply. He was planning on engaging a governess for Eliza before he could send her away to school. Surely Rose would not expect him to treat her like his own child? By educating her, by giving her a chance to be something in life- albeit something lowly, wasn't he doing enough?
"Caledon.." Nathan Hockley said, holding out a hand to his son.
"Father." Cal said equally as formally, shaking his father's hand. In Nathan's eyes affection was best left for behind closed doors. Cal's childhood had been devoid of any real emotion after his mother's early death. It wasn't until he was grown up that Nathan really spoke to him like an equal. And most of their conversations were confined to business and politics. For that matter Nathan also believed rage was best left for behind closed doors, and Cal saw his Father's eyes go towards Eliza, who was standing there silently.
"This is her then?" Nathan asked, sighing.
"Yes..Eliza, this is my father; Mr. Hockley." Cal said.
Eliza muttered something that could perhaps of been interpreted as hello, but Nathan was not sure. "She doesn't speak much then?" He asked his son, as they walked towards the porter who was unloading what little Cal had from the train. All his luggage had gone down with the Titanic, but Nathan had wired some money into the New York bank for his son to buy some more clothing.
"No more than necessary." Cal replied. The train journey had been completed in silence, other than Cal's occasional curt questions as to was she alright? Did she need a drink? Did she need to go to the toilet?
"Hmmm..maybe she's dumb?" Nathan asked.
Cal was quick to shake his head. "The lady from the government seems to think she is quite bright. It's just that she's in shock after what happened and all..Apparently they asked about her parents, but she just started crying. I can't imagine that some people would leave their own children and think of their safety only!" Cal replied.
"Well not everyone has our class.." Nathan replied. "Caledon, have you considered what you're going to do with your..charge?"
"Not really Father." Cal admitted. "I was waiting to consult with you about it."
"Indeed." Nathan replied, sounding remarkably like his son. "I have to tell you that this really is most inconvenient. Now that the marriage between you and Rose can no longer be undertaken you'll have to find someone else. A child, esspecially one of her class, is not exactly a great incentive."
"I disagree there Father." Cal said, a little surprised at his own comment. "From the impression I got in New York everyone was impressed with what I was doing..in fact there was a brief article in the times yesterday morning about my unselfish act, and it implored the rest of society to follow my example and hope that something can come from the whole tragedy! If I quote it said "If every good man and woman takes in one orphan to raise then surely we are doing our bit for the world." Of course not everyone can afford to really..."
Nathan sighed. "I guess we have to make the best of it then don't we? But honestly Caledon your actions-"
"Father, please not now..I'm still in mourning for Rose." Cal said quickly interrupting his father.
"Mourning?" Nathan repeated a slight smile on his face. When he had arranged the marriage between Caledon and Rose, he had thought at the time it was a good match. Rose's family name was very respectable, not only in her native England, but also in America, and her mother was a fine woman. When he'd met the girl this was confirmed; she was beautiful and nice, and very well brought up. Yes, it had been a fine match. Even if both her and her mother had tried to deceive him about how much money they had been left. Oh maybe not so much Rose, but her mother, Francis, had certainly tried, and he'd been forced to tell her that he knew they had no money. Her eyes had widened, and she'd gone pale. "How did you know?" She'd asked. "I had a detective look into your affairs. With all due respect madam, my son's marriage is an important event. Did you think I would let him marry just anyone?" She didn't reply for a moment, and then in a quivering voice asked "Does this mean it's over then?" "Over?" He'd repeated. "No.no..The thing is, Cal's getting on. It's time he settled down and produced a heir..Rose is a nice girl, and I think she could be an asset to the Hockley's." And the two of them had promised that neither Rose, nor Cal, would know of this conversation. As far as Rose knew he, Nathan, had no idea they were broke. But as he had told her mother, Nathan didn't care about the money. The Hockley's had more than enough to not be concerned by it. Rose was a beauty, and Cal had to get married soon! But imagine Cal saying he was in mourning; for someone he barely knew and when he had been brought up to treat women merely as accessories!
"That's right." Cal said. "Rose meant a great deal to me-"
"Be honest with your father Caledon; Rose was nothing more than someone to make you look good. And of course someone to produce my grandchildren!" Nathan said harshly.
Cal didn't reply, instead he was looking over at Eliza, who stood where they had left her, staring into the distance.
"In New York they suggested therapy for her..." Cal said.
"Therapy? Ridiculous!" Nathan snorted.
"I don't know-she's been through a lot..we all have..." Cal said quietly.
"I don't doubt it." Nathan said, his tone indicating that he actually did doubt it. "The thing is Caledon a child of Eliza's class is not really going to amount to anything other than a servant of some kind is she? Why don't we get Mrs. Limley to take her under her wing?"
Cal hesitated. His father's voice made it blindingly clear that he assumed Cal would go along with his plans. And maybe he would have before..before the Titanic that is! But that night had changed things. On the train between New York and Philadelphia he'd been able to think about what had happened in more detail. He'd seen men, women and children struggling for their lives regardless of class! He'd seen people from rich, important families die alongside families who had not a cent to their name! Most strikingly he'd seen his fiancée desert him for someone who had nothing; not even a home! Whilst he still had strong feelings about the class divide, and whilst he knew he would never have chosen to be with someone like that gutter-rat, he also knew that he owed Rose something. She'd died, and he'd lived, and he owed her something. And maybe, just maybe, this child had been sent to him for him to find some kind of redemption? He knew he couldn't explain this all to his father, and even if he could there was no way Nathan would understand!
"Sorry Father, but the point of us taking in Eliza, the government made this clear, was not to treat her as a servant-"
"Ridiculous!" Nathan spluttered. "I won't believe it!"
"They've told me point blank Father, that should they receive reports about her that are in any way unsatisfactory the agreement will be null and void. We're both businessmen Father; we know what that means. We break our agreement in not looking after Eliza the way they expect-which I believe includes schooling!- and my actions aboard the Titanic will be let out of the bag. Whilst you and I know that in private many men will agree with my actions, in public they can't condone them..our name would be mud Father.." Cal lied.
Nathan looked at him for a moment, and then his eyes dropped. He'd swallowed it! He knew that his son's actions could have dire consequences for the Hockley family!
"Fine.but it comes from your money you understand. And I don't wish to see her more than I can help...and education or no education you realise the best someone of her class can expect in society is to be a teacher or something. Certainly not a debutante!"
Cal didn't reply. He was planning on engaging a governess for Eliza before he could send her away to school. Surely Rose would not expect him to treat her like his own child? By educating her, by giving her a chance to be something in life- albeit something lowly, wasn't he doing enough?