*Chapter 15*

In Claire and Clara's joined sitting room, the girls were discussing America.

"Is it any different? To London, I mean," Clara asked Claire, who was leaning back on a chair.

"Probably a lot busier. Oh and if you think I have a bad attitude, you should see the low class Yankees that hang around the streets!" Claire laughed to herself, imagining the look on Clara's face if she ever met one.

Claire looked at Clara, who was thinking about something.

"And what are you going to do, when we get to New York, and you never see Mr Lightoller again?" Claire asked sympathetically.

"I don't know. We can let fate decide that, cant we, Claire?"

"I guess."

"But, what I do need help with, is finding a dinner dress."

Claire walked over to Clara's wardrobe, and sighed at the amount of evening dresses she had taken on board.

Clara walked into the bathroom while Claire picked out a dress to impress. Clara was washing her face, when she heard Claire yelling excitedly, "I found it! I found it!"

Clara looked at the dress Claire had picked out, and gasped. This was the most expensive dress she owned. She was going to leave the dress behind, at her home in London, but at the last minute, decided to take it onboard.

The dress was beautiful. It was not a proper evening dress, but nevertheless, glamorous.

It was short sleeved, with purple chiffon sleeves, and the bodice was beautiful fuchsia taffeta.

The bottom half, was many layers. The first layer, the under most, was purple satin, then a pale blue chiffon layer, and the outermost was odd cut layers of blue and purple silk, draping over the skirt.

The gloves that matched it were shiny pale purple chiffon, with white fur trimming and little pink flowers at the elbow end, and at the fingers end, were diamonds, and more little pink flowers.

The shoes that matched were much like ballet slippers, with a diamond heart on each.

Clara went over all this information in her head, and rushed to her room to put the dress on.

It was now 6:00pm, ant it was getting rather chilly, for a night of Spring. It was starting to get dark, fast, as well.

Lightoller finally completed his watch and was going to head off on his rounds, just before going to bed. He leaned on the wall of the bridge, which only reached just below his chest, and stared out to sea, noticing it was very unusually calm.

He smiled to himself, when his thoughts shifted to the first night with Clara.

"Clara, Clara, Clara. Oh, I love you Clara. I really do. Where are you? I want to see you, hold you. Hmm."

Lightoller didn't notice Murdoch approach him from behind.

"Oh Clara!" Murdoch mocked.

"Shut up, Will."

The two men stood in silence for a few moments, and finally, they both walked into the wheelhouse to speak with Hitchens on speed and heading.

Then, Murdoch walked out of the wheelhouse, followed by Lightoller, and found something to say.

"Uh, did you ever find those binoculars, for the lookouts?" Murdoch asked.

"Haven't seen them since Southampton." Lightoller peered over the wall, as though the binoculars were beneath.

"Well I'll be on my rounds. Cheerio." He waved his hand around at Murdoch, who was just looking straightforward.

Lightoller was considering going to visit Clara, but remembered that he'd see her in the morning. Or maybe, if she couldn't sleep, she'd come to him.

He threw on a black turtleneck sweater, and some trousers, and sat on his bed, and smoked his pipe for a few minutes, before finally hitting the lights and drifting off to sleep, with thoughts of Clara still fresh in his mind.

Claire and Clara walked together down the grand staircase. Clara was in her beautiful dress Claire had picked out, and Claire was wearing a gold silk and lace dress.

Clara sat talking with Madeline Astor, to pass the time.

"So, when are you expecting the baby?" Clara asked nervously.

"In August."

"Right, Ok, then." Clara turned and looked at Claire.

"Jeez, dinner is so bloody boring. What do they expect us to do? Sit here? Speak stupid rich language? I don't think so! Come on." Claire was really frustrated now.

"Claire, we can't just leave! Mother" -

"Mom! We're just taking the air for a couple of minutes, ok!" Claire dragged Clara out of the room, just like she'd done on the first night.