[A/N. I realised that I've only been putting the month instead of the day
of the month, but I don't think it really matters. The only reason I've got
the day here is because I wanted to make sure people knew it was only just
after Melanie and the children had left. I also know that this chapter is
fairly small, but I think the next one will be fairly big!]
Philadelphia, January 12, 1931.
Eliza sighed, as she tucked her feet up under her to keep warm. The winter seemed colder than any she had experienced, but she knew that this could possibly be more in her mind than anything. She thought back a few mornings before when Melanie and the children had left for England and Cal had suddenly decided to see them to their ship in New York so he could do some business there at the same time: He told Eliza she could remain in the house with the cook and the maid until he returned. She'd thanked him, and then asked how long he'd be in New York for, and he'd shrugged. "I'm not sure. A few days, a week or two. I don't really know at the moment Eliza." Eliza had taken a deep breath. "Cal, when you get back I want to speak to you about something." She had said. Cal had sighed deeply. "I thought you might want to. I've spoken to Melanie. She's far from impressed about me letting you stay here, but that's her problem. Regardless of anything she may have told you Eliza I really do view you as part of the family now.." Eliza had smiled weakly. Was that an admission of guilt? Had he really been blackmailed into keeping her? Before she could say anything else Melanie and the children had come into the hallway. The children had been sad to say goodbye to her, but Melanie had simply looked at her, and said nothing.
Eliza knew that Melanie and the children had sailed on the fifth and therefore Cal would conduct his business and return soon. And even though the look on his face and his brief comment had all but confirmed the truth of Melanie's words she still needed to hear it from his mouth before she left forever.
"Eliza?" The maid was in the doorway. "Are ya' hungry? Cook's made a stew and it'll warm ya' insides!"
Eliza sighed and stood up nodding. "I am hungry actually."
*****
"Did ya' hear something?" The maid asked suddenly, pausing in the middle of eating her stew.
"Hear something? Like what?" The cook demanded.
Eliza had also heard something, and she got up and went to the front door. A cloud of dust was making it's way up the driveway, and as it got closer Eliza realised that it was a car speeding up the driveway. It came to a stop before the front door and a young man in a dark suit got out, and took his hat off to her.
"Are you Eliza?" He asked.
She nodded, not sure what was going on.
"Miss Eliza, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there has been a terrible incident. Caledon is dead." The man said, coming closer to her.
Eliza stared at him. "Cal? Dead? He can't be dead! He's in New York doing business and he'll be back any day." She told the strange man.
The man looked sad. "I wish I could tell you that you're right. But Caledon killed himself the other day." He said. "Mrs. Hockley and the children were on their way to England when the news reached her, and the children are being sent on to England in the care of someone, and she is coming back here for the funeral before joining them. The thing is Miss Eliza, we want to make sure you remain here for a few days. I'm here on behalf of Mr. Hockley's lawyer, and Caledon specifically requested that you remain for the reading of the will."
Eliza nodded numbly. She was in shock. Cal had killed himself? And before she even got the chance to find out what had happened aboard the Titanic. Suddenly she realised that even if he had been blackmailed into taking her into his home he had done far more than he needed to, and when he said she felt like part of the family he wasn't lying to her. A few tears escaped her eyes, but she brushed them back. The chances were she'd need her strength in the days to come-especially when Melanie returned home soon.
Philadelphia, January 12, 1931.
Eliza sighed, as she tucked her feet up under her to keep warm. The winter seemed colder than any she had experienced, but she knew that this could possibly be more in her mind than anything. She thought back a few mornings before when Melanie and the children had left for England and Cal had suddenly decided to see them to their ship in New York so he could do some business there at the same time: He told Eliza she could remain in the house with the cook and the maid until he returned. She'd thanked him, and then asked how long he'd be in New York for, and he'd shrugged. "I'm not sure. A few days, a week or two. I don't really know at the moment Eliza." Eliza had taken a deep breath. "Cal, when you get back I want to speak to you about something." She had said. Cal had sighed deeply. "I thought you might want to. I've spoken to Melanie. She's far from impressed about me letting you stay here, but that's her problem. Regardless of anything she may have told you Eliza I really do view you as part of the family now.." Eliza had smiled weakly. Was that an admission of guilt? Had he really been blackmailed into keeping her? Before she could say anything else Melanie and the children had come into the hallway. The children had been sad to say goodbye to her, but Melanie had simply looked at her, and said nothing.
Eliza knew that Melanie and the children had sailed on the fifth and therefore Cal would conduct his business and return soon. And even though the look on his face and his brief comment had all but confirmed the truth of Melanie's words she still needed to hear it from his mouth before she left forever.
"Eliza?" The maid was in the doorway. "Are ya' hungry? Cook's made a stew and it'll warm ya' insides!"
Eliza sighed and stood up nodding. "I am hungry actually."
*****
"Did ya' hear something?" The maid asked suddenly, pausing in the middle of eating her stew.
"Hear something? Like what?" The cook demanded.
Eliza had also heard something, and she got up and went to the front door. A cloud of dust was making it's way up the driveway, and as it got closer Eliza realised that it was a car speeding up the driveway. It came to a stop before the front door and a young man in a dark suit got out, and took his hat off to her.
"Are you Eliza?" He asked.
She nodded, not sure what was going on.
"Miss Eliza, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there has been a terrible incident. Caledon is dead." The man said, coming closer to her.
Eliza stared at him. "Cal? Dead? He can't be dead! He's in New York doing business and he'll be back any day." She told the strange man.
The man looked sad. "I wish I could tell you that you're right. But Caledon killed himself the other day." He said. "Mrs. Hockley and the children were on their way to England when the news reached her, and the children are being sent on to England in the care of someone, and she is coming back here for the funeral before joining them. The thing is Miss Eliza, we want to make sure you remain here for a few days. I'm here on behalf of Mr. Hockley's lawyer, and Caledon specifically requested that you remain for the reading of the will."
Eliza nodded numbly. She was in shock. Cal had killed himself? And before she even got the chance to find out what had happened aboard the Titanic. Suddenly she realised that even if he had been blackmailed into taking her into his home he had done far more than he needed to, and when he said she felt like part of the family he wasn't lying to her. A few tears escaped her eyes, but she brushed them back. The chances were she'd need her strength in the days to come-especially when Melanie returned home soon.