AN: Sorry for the delay. I've been taking a break from this story, but now I have submitted the next chapter. Thank you marylinusca for helping me keep the story historically correct, I appreciate it greatly. And I also appreciate the others who have reviewed as well. Unfortunately the way my story turned out, I'm going to have to break a lot of rules of the time period, especially the social ones. I am aware of them at least and I have thought this over and over again and it would ruin the story if I didn't do this, so don't be displeased with the story for not being historically accurate. Thanks and Enjoy!

Chapter Two:

Guinievere was exploring her room's every feature, while Lily was rested in a comfortable seat by the faux fireplace, reading a book. Her long, wavy brown hair, which was usually tied in a tight bun, was now down, draped over the back of the chair. This was Lily's favorite pastime whenever her assistance wasn't required elsewhere.
By now Guinevere had grown bored, she had seen all there was to see and decided to sit down. Taking the seat directly across from Lily and tried to begin a small conversation.

"The ship is definitely grand." she began with a perky voice.

"Yes, it most definitely is." the preoccupied maid replied, not looking up from the book.

"What is it there that you're reading?"

"A book."

"Well obviously! What is it called and by whom?"

"Charles Dickens."

"Oh"

Guinievere had no need to dig further to find out more about the novel. She wasn't necessarily a Dickens fan. Most people found his work quite good but Guinievere thought it dull and slow paced. She quickly dismissed the brilliant idea to make conversation and stood up smoothing, the front of her light blue dress.

Guinievere began to examine the room again, since she had nothing else better to do. Sure, she had to do that needlepoint for her mother back home in England, but she just wasn't in the mood. She looked around until she noticed a door she had not opened yet on the other side of the room. Being the curious woman she was she strode over to the door which happened to be mahogany, and grasped the golden ornate handle. To her surprised it opened with a click revealing another room that was dimly lit. She looked back at Lily who was now curled up in the chair fast asleep the book slowly moving up and down upon her chest with every breath she took. Turning back towards the other room, she quietly walked in.

Although it was hard to see, the beams of sunlight still shown through the bay windows. As her eyes began to adjust she realized she was in a whole other suite. This one was different somehow. It had a different motif, slightly older than her own. She tiptoed towards the bed, where a large trunk stood.

'Oh no, someone has checked into this room already,' she thought to herself and she knew she had to be quick. She walked over towards the end table to see if this person had left anything that could let her know who this person was, but before reaching the table her foot had hit something, stubbing her toe. She let out a few audible "unladylike" words before calming down to see what the object was that caused her pain. Kneeling, she pulled out with some effort a heavy, wooden chest. Her hands slid across the glossy wood to the sides to open it, but there was a lock. Right above it was a gold plate with the initials JAZ engraved. Just then the door to the room opened and light from the outside corridor spilled in, catching Guinievere off guard. She turned to look, seeing a man tall of stature standing before her.

James towered over the young woman as if he were a cat, looking down on his next meal. Her locks of brown hair cascaded down the back of her light blue dress, her skin, white with fear as she looked back up at him with her large, round brown eyes. She was sitting on the floor her hands were still on the wooden chest before her.
"What are you doing?" he questioned.

"I'm so sorry sir, I- I didn't mean to go through your things, I just came through that door over there. It was unlocked." She pointed to the open door where another woman had walked through, looking to be her maid who had just woken up.

He returned his gaze on her. Her beautiful features came into better view as she stood up.

"So you came in here out of pure curiosity, noticed that this room was already occupied and walking through it, you managed to trip over this chest which seemed to come from nowhere?"

"Well as a matter of fact, that is true. I did trip over this box." she replied, with more confidence.
"Oh! Well then I'm sorry for wrongly accusing you." he said apologetically as he smoothly whisked the box away, putting it in the closet.

"What is your name, if I may ask?" he said as he returned to the place where the women were standing.

" My name is Guinevere and this is Lily." she pointed over to her maid, who shyly moved behind Guinievere, eyeing the stranger with subtle curiosity.

"I'm James Zimri, pleasure to meet you. Although not how I would've normally expected." He took up Guinievere's hand and brushed his lips against her soft skin, not taking his eyes off of hers. Then smiling, he moved towards the chairs.

"Please have a seat." he pointed to a plush couch.

The two women sat down and began talking to the new mysterious young gentleman, whom Guinievere so cleverly met.

Guinevere had found James quite easy to get along with. They seemed to have much in common and experienced many similar things in their short lives. She also liked the way his eyes had this twinkle whenever he laughed or smiled and his whole face would animate whenever he would tell them something "truly exciting." They had been talking for quite sometime when there was a loud BANG BANG, like gunshots from outside the ship. Guinievere, James, and Lily ran out to the corridor and headed for the front of the ship to see what had happened.

Reaching the aft of the ship, they could see that most of the passengers who were waving off Southampton were now on one side. The commotion was much louder than it should have been since the ship had already begun its departure. The three of them joined the on looking passengers, trying to see what was creating such a problem, when a woman near them with long, blond hair yelled "It's going to hit!" Guinievere became immediately alarmed and looked towards James, his face having a similar expression of worry. The other three around the panicked woman in front of them were watching intently, not paying attention to her constant whimpers of distress.

Guinievere walked towards them, being more bold then she could ever remember being in her life.

"Excuse me. What happened?" she asked the group as a whole.

All four turned to face her; she could feel the presence of Lily and James close behind her. The strangers looked them up and down noticing how much they stood out in their expensive clothing and accessories. Guinievere noticed this instantly but didn't care; she just wanted to know what was going on.

"The New York's moorings snapped. That was what you probably heard. She nearly collided right in to us." said the shortest of them, a blond, messy haired man with surprisingly handsome features.

"Yes it was close! We could have gotten shipwrecked right here in Southampton." said the tallest of them, a woman with dirty blond, shoulder length hair, looking like an older version of the woman standing beside her. 'They must be sisters.' Guinievere thought to herself. Stating the obvious as usual.

"That would've been quite exciting." said shorter of the sisters. The others looked at her as if she were crazy.

"What?! I do!"

Nicole felt like hitting her sister, but felt it impolite at a time such as this to do so. Instead she began to introduce them to everyone.

"I'm Nicole and this is my younger sister Olivia, I'm sure you have noticed the resemblance. He's Julian, and she is Jocelyn, she's in Second Class, the rest of us are in Third. We met them a little while ago. And you are?"

"Well I'm Guinievere, this is Lily and this is James." She told them pointing to each individual. I'm pleased to meet you."

Most First Class passengers would've treated the people of lower classes as scum, but not Guinievere she was different. She respected anyone who came her way.

Soon they heard the bugling of the horn for lunch.

"I hate to make this short but I must eat, I have gained such and appetite this afternoon. We should all meet someplace after, get to know each other a little more, Nicole said.

"Oh, I would surely love to join you later, but I have business I must attend to," James says quickly before leaning down and whispering something into Guinievere's ear. Her slight nod told him what he needed to know before he left.

"I shall try to make it, if I can." Guinievere added. "Where will we be meeting?"

"How about right here."

"Great!"

Everyone nodded in agreement and soon broke up to go their separate ways.