Chapter two
Meeting an Old Foe
Cora sat down and cried, she had enjoyed the first 15 minutes of being on her own, having escaped her mothers watchful gaze, but now she lost and alone. . . and scared. Around her the crowd didn't seem to notice or care that a little girl sat in the corner wailing for her mother. Maybe they where too busy, or maybe they couldn't hear her above the noise of the crowd, but no one stopped to help.
"Can you hear that Cal?" Cal Hockley stopped impatiently beside his wife. "What?" he asked quietly. First Prudence had wanted to go to the charity event, and then this fair, full of low lives and no goods. "Can you hear that?" she asked, oblivious to his discomfit. "Can you?" Cal listened, in spite of himself. Crying, a faint crying of some young child, it was hard to distinguish from the other loud sounds, but now that he carefully listened he could hear it. Prudence walked down a small makeshift ally, as the sound got steadily louder. "look!" she said in dismay. "some commoner has left their child here, now really." she glared at Cal crossly. "can you believe that Cal dear? Letting their children run off and get lost? It's disgusting!" Cal agreed quickly. He couldn't have cared less, let the scum do as they liked! But he had been reminded strongly of something that happened almost six years ago, a shameful event he had committed on the titanic long ago . . . "come sweet pea," he said quietly, clearing his throat, he tried to lead her away. "Cal, honey," she said defiantly, "we can't just leave her here, that would make as bad as them." Cal kept his cool, he was good at that, at least when others were around, but he demanded authority, and Prudence knew that. "Please," she begged. "what if it was Oliver?" she said, referring to there son. "fine, but this better not hinder me, I can't be late for my meeting." Prudence rushed towards the child. "hello dear," she said, eyeing the girl with pity and disrespect, if at all possible in one glance. "what's your name?"
"are you sure you haven't seen her?" rose was desperate. "No," the man shook his head, "not at all, ma'am, but I hope you find her." Rose rushed off, breathless, without saying thankyou-she was too worried. Cora had been missing for so long! What if she was hurt? Or worse? Panic was rising within her, she had to find her! Oh why did she run off? If only jack were here, he would know what to do. Minutes passed and she continued her desperate search. If she was almost in tears when she heard a voice. "Mummy! Mummy!" she turned around and there was Cora burying herself into her arms. "oh Cora!" she hugged her hard. "don't you ever, ever run off on me like that again! Do you understand? You scared me!"
"Hem, hem"
Rose looked up to see who was standing next to her. A lady well dressed in elegant clothes and very expensive jewellery was clearing her throat. "is this your child?" she nodded towards Cora. "yes." Said Rose, a little uneasily, she defiantly didn't like this woman. "I suppose so," she snapped, "you should be ashamed of yourself, letting your child get lost like that." Rose got up to her feet, holding onto Cora's hand tightly. "Excuse me," she said loudly, putting on the same, classy well spoken manner that she was so used to. the lady seemed taken back. "I don't know where you learnt to speak like that, but if you speak in such a manner I would expect you would take better care of your children." Rose narrowed her eyes. "this is absurd!" she said angrily. "Cora is my child, and I take good care of her, she escaped my eyes for less than a minute and she was gone." She paused. "what would you know, why with maids and all caring for your children."
The woman, who ever she was, opened her mouth to retaliate, as Rose turned to walk away, when a voice sent shivers down her spine. "sweet pea, did you find it's mother?" Rose spun around in horror-and came face to face with Cal.
Cal actually took a step back, he looked like he had seen a ghost, and a frighted squeak escaped Rose's lips. "what?" Prudence looked between her husband and the strange woman. "have you two . . . met before?" she gave Rose a strange look. "well!" she demanded, "have you?" Cal cleared his throat, and quickly tried to go back to his carefree and strict manner, the red hair woman stared as if she were in shock. "we've . . . met." Said Cal quietly, his eyes gazing at Rose's beautiful face, travelling down and finely resting on her belly. He cleared his throat again. "I see, this child then . . . she's yours." He spoke slowly, in a strained voice; it sent shivers down Rose's spine. Rose turned to look at her beautiful daughter, who was confused at what was going on. "yes," she said, somehow finding her voice. "why wouldn't I have a daughter Cal." She added, regaining some of her fiery independence. "I see you've moved on." Suddenly Prudence gasped. "it her, isn't it?" she said, quickly turning to Cal. "my god it's her." Cal nodded his head slightly, yet his eyes never left Rose. "you!" snarled prudence. "Rose, I've heard about you!" "what lies did Cal feed you then?" snapped Rose, loosing her temper. "that I was some crazy little girl with silly idea's in my head? I'm happy, if you haven't noticed." Cal grabbed hold of his wife's arm. "come Prudence," he whispered, "lets not waste our breath here, c'mon sweet pea." That was just like Cal, running away before the truth came out. "sweet pea?" she said loudly, "wasn't that my pet name, Cal?" Prudence swung round in shock. "pardon?" "Sweet pea." Repeated Rose, "that was my pet name." Cal went a shade whiter. Prudence narrowed her eyes, but was unable to speak. Rose watched her carefully, ignoring Cora who was getting impatient and pulling her arm.
Then suddenly Cal got mad, it was a long time before he had gotten so mad, and it was the first time he had an outburst that was not hidden from the public eye. "why don't you go back to him." He whispered, "to your gutter rat." Rose's pale face flushed, she narrowed her eyes. How dare Cal call Jack that, how dare he! Before she knew what she was saying, before she could stop herself, the words escaped her lips. "Missing the heart of the ocean Cal?" suddenly all the noise seemed to disappear, everything seemed so deathly quiet. She'd made a mistake, a big mistake. "Come Cora," she whispered quietly, but before she could walk away a stabbing pain brought her to her knees.
"Mummy! Mummy!" prudence watched in horror as Rose fell to her knees. In truth she hated the girl, she heard all about her, and her "silly business" but at the moment she wasn't too fond of Cal either, and she was a good person-she'd help anyone in trouble. "are you okay?" she rushed to the beautiful girl's side, she was clearing in distress. Gasping with pain. "Cal!" she spun around and angrily shouted at her husband, "Cal get help! I think she's gone into labour."