Hello again everyone, sorry for such a long delay in chapters, but I am on Study Leave so I should have some more time to update and hopefully finish this story!
Psycho Fox- Thank you for the review.
Onwards and upwards as they say, to the day of the sinking.
A.N. I have said that the morning mass service was held in the First Class Dining salon. I am not 100 sure of this is what actually happened, I watched that bit from the movie and I have tried every looking over the web but I couldn't find the information I needed, so if this incorrect, please forgive me and know that I tried.
I have also tried to make the conversation language more to fit the time period the story is set in. I hope it works out okay!
And Last thing, if anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, I would be grateful if they could email me and let me know!
CHAPTER SEVEN
PRAYER
Daniel moved slightly, still drugged by hours of sleep. It wasn't until he heard a muffled scream did he decide to wake up properly.
"Keisha, you frightened the life out of me!" He gasped, clutching his heart.
"You almost squashed the life out of me!" She exclaimed, leaping out of the bed.
The pair stared at each for a few moments before both bursting into unceremonious laughter. It took a few moments to subside, and leaving both with pains at their sides and out of breath.
"I must go to morning service, I have no time for breakfast, but I will be back in time to order you some lunch."
Keisha nodded, and left to get changed.
Following suit, Daniel clambered into some clothes haphazardly, pausing twice to make sure the clothes were on the correct parts.
Satisfied with his appearance, he left the grand room to attend morning mass like he did every Sunday. Hopefully it will be more interesting on an ocean liner, he thought to himself, smirking.
Taking the elevator down to the E Deck, he mused on the last few days he had been on board the Titanic. He had met Keisha, bumped into his old best friend and was fast becoming friends with several people he didn't know existed last week.
Overall a good four days.
"Thank you." He said politely to the man operating the contraption, smiling widely.
Morning Mass was held in the Firs Class Dining Salon. A special table had been set out in front of many rows of chairs, recreating the Church pews effectively.
Daniel had never been one for religion, he had always found services tedious since he was little, but his Uncle forced him to go, and it was unfortunately a habit that stuck.
Nodding at various passengers as he passed, he gracefully sat down in a chair next to Ruth DeWitt-Bukator.
"Why good Morning Mr Taylor, how are you feeling on this bright day?" She asked politely.
"Much the same as yesterday I would imagine." Cal answered for him, who was sitting on the other side of Ruth in a dark cream suit.
Laughing, Daniel smothered out the creases in his dark brown suit, before quickly checking the time on the stopwatch he kept in the light cream waistcoat he was wearing.
"Ignore Cal's jesting Mrs DeWitt-Bukator, he means no disrespect. And I am fine thank you ma'am, and you?" He asked, glancing over at the red-headed woman next to him.
"Why, please call me Ruth, and I am splendid thank you kind Sir."
Luckily, the service had now begun, forcing an end to the conversation.
Finding the service dull, Daniel's thoughts drifted, becoming fixed on a beautiful dark skinned girl who was sitting in my state room, most likely bored out of her brains.
Halfway through a hymn, while staring out to the sea though one of the windows, he noticed Jack was trying to get in through the reflection on the glass.
"Uh-oh." He whispered, causing Ruth to give him a peculiar look.
Ignoring Ruth, he waited for the service to end, intending to find out what Jack wanted.
Luckily for him, the service ended quickly, allowing him to walk as fast as humanly possible (well, as fast as you could in upper class society).
Jack was nowhere to be found, for he had obviously not being allowed admittance to the service, not that Daniel was surprised, he was in steerage after all.
Deciding to check on Keisha, he headed the way to his state room, nodded numbly as people walked by, though his attention was elsewhere.
It was inevitable that he would walk into someone, and he would have realised this had he being using the eyes God had given him.
"I am awfully sorry kind lady, please accept my forgiveness." He said to the young woman he knocked into, who turned out to be a maid.
"Are you Mr Taylor?" She asked, fixing the white cap neatly onto her brilliantly blonde hair.
Confused slightly, Daniel nodded, looking at the young woman directly.
"Sir, you are required by the Master Of Arms, it seems a stowaway managed to get into your stateroom, a black one at that!" She exclaimed, before stalking off down the plush carpet.
Groaning, Daniel headed down to E deck, hoping that this would be sorted out quickly.
I wonder how she was discovered, I looked the room after all, he thought, stopping to ask a steward to where the Master Of Arms was.
He ended up being led by the steward, unable to understand his rich Scottish accent. The stark white of the walls and the plain red floor really showed that the Titanic was not luxurious in most places. Daniel was by now accustomed to these settings, but he still thought it was odd.
"Here you go, sir." The red headed steward said, pointing into a door where he noticed Keisha sitting a chair, smiling at him slightly.
"What is the meaning of this?" Daniel asked, gesturing at the handcuffs that kept Keisha pinned to the chair.
"A lady found her in your room Sir, claimed she was a stowaway, I'm not so sure, she seems awfully cleaned and well fed for a stowaway." The portly man added, fiddling with the brim on his cap.
"And you would be right, she is my maid, after all, my other one died on board this ship and Keisha is an old friend of mine, she agreed to the post, so I upgraded her third class ticket to first so she could travel with me." Daniel hoped that they would by the lie, and he showed them the ticket he had bought for her earlier, knowing they wouldn't bother to check her up on the third class passenger list.
"A native sir?" The Master Of Arms said disbelievingly, nodding in distaste at Keisha's dark skin.
"No, an Englishwoman." Daniel stated firmly, anger flaring up in him. After all, Keisha was much different from normal natives.
Nodding in a distracted manner, the officer released Keisha, who at once felt her wrists, which had deep impressions in the otherwise smooth skin.
"And what about the woman who broke into my state room. It was locked; I knew for a fact, she broke in." Daniel said, motioning Keisha to stand beside him.
"I didn't let her in." Keisha supplied helpfully, ignoring the dirty look the officer threw at her.
"She was a lady with bright red hair, part of the Hockley party I do believe, quite aged dare I say." The officer said, obviously not wanting to arrest a first class lady.
Ruth, he thought in distaste, nodding at the man, before turning away and taking Keisha with him.
"I should have known it was her." Daniel said not really talking to anyone, least of all the girl beside him.
Keisha kept her brown eyes glued to the floor, the dark curls shielding her face.
"What did she say to you?" Daniel asked eventually, as they went up the elevator from E deck. They both tried to ignore the curious glances the blonde steward gave them.
"Not a lot really, the usual. That I should not befoul the ship. There is another black family on board, I wonder if they get this." Keisha said in her usual colloquial manner, ignoring the shock on the steward's face.
Nodding, the dark haired man escorted her out of the elevator and along to their state room, ignoring the shocked glances and whispers from the other first class guests.
It was a mutual decision to have lunch in the rich state room, not wanting to go outside and enjoy the April sunshine. They both ate silently, devouring the food he had ordered quickly.
"I am going for a walk, will you be alright in here? I presume that Ruth will not attempt such antics again." Daniel said, setting his knife and fork down, and calling a maid to take away the dishes.
He gave her a smirk, and softened his eyes and his words.
"It feels good to be around someone real, I hate talking like a posh person all day." Daniel said, allowing his rich London accent to come out in its pride.
Keisha looked up at him, laughing.
"Well, even the posh people have faults." She said bemused, smoothing the crinkles out of her dark blue dress.
"Indeed we do." Daniel added, converting back to his dulled speech.
"When the ship docks I am going to ravel the world, I can not take this society anymore." Daniel said, grabbing Keisha's hand and tugging along to their private deck.
"That's crazy." Keisha whispered, leaning onto the wooden rail.
"Maybe, but it will be worth. Would you care to join me?" He asked, looking at with unmasked longing.
"I would be delighted." She said, giggling slightly.
Smiling again, Daniel leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. No lust, no desire, just a sweet kiss. After all, they were outside and kissing alone was bad enough.
Drawing away, he smiled again and left the state room, leaving a bewildered Keisha in his wake.
He almost collided with Rose as soon as he reached the corridor, but luckily he dodged just in time.
"Everyone's talking about it, scandal of the year some say." Rose said, linking arms with his.
Smiling slightly, the two friends walked to the Poop deck, Daniel giving Rose all the details that most didn't get.
She was disturbed to find her mother was the person who found his secret, but not surprised. She was vindictive, not doubt about it.
"I need to talk to Jack, I haven't seen him since earlier, since I told him…." Rose didn't complete her sentence, and she didn't have to.
Smirking, Daniel reached out to touch her arm. "Do not tell Cal I said this, but you should follow your heart, don't think. If I have learned one thing on this ship, it's that. Check the bow."
Leaving a thinking Rose behind him, Daniel left to get ready for dinner.
I hope they work things out, he thought sullenly, enjoying the sunset before entering the inside of the ship.
………….
Cool, so now we are on the night of the sinking.
Only about 4 more chapters to go I think. 1 for the evening, 1 for the sinking, an extra long on of course, and then the conclusion.
Please review, I hope you have enjoyed it!
Dan.