AUTHOR'S NOTE: A new character is added to this story. Don't worry, she will serve a purpose later in the story. Keep reading and find out how. Anyway, enjoy.
Chapter 3.
Rose was certain that she would never love Cal, even if they stayed married for a hundred years. Very little people in her world knew her experiences with Cal. Very little people knew her real thoughts on Cal. Only Cal knew it. And her mother knew about her experiences and her thoughts too. And on the other side of town, a Miss Leila Kingswood, knew Rose's thoughts–but knew nothing of her experiences. That is why it was much easier for her to fall for Caledon Hockley.
There were many differences between Leila Kingswood and Rose. They both shared one powerful thing though. That was beauty, but they had different kinds of beauty. Where Rose, being a young girl, had innocent natural beauty, Leila possessed what people called "dark beauty." She was older than Rose and had the looks of a woman full of seduction and also, mystery. She was shorter than Rose, but her more sensuous figure made up for her disappointing height, and she only wore dresses that showed off that beauty. Of course, she showed off as much as she was allowed, heaven forbid anyone to think of her cheap or lacking virtue. Her skin was a little darker than Rose's but not tan, and her face was a lovely shape, and the way she held it, it made her look taller. Her eyes were not bright like Rose's, they were smouldering black eyes, but very cruel, and seemed to glare at you. Her long, thick, black curling hair, which was always pinned up in an elegant style, was what caused men to give a second (or even third) glance toward her way. She seemed to be something out of a fantasy, pure temptation.
Like Rose, she also knew she was pretty, but her vanity was intense, and began at a much earlier age, as did her womanhood. By the time Leila was a girl of twelve, she was already looking like a woman of twenty. Men were already looking at her, and she learned to take it in, as well as feed it by the time she was thirteen. Of course, being a young girl who looked far beyond her years, it gave a reason to enforce tighter corsets on her. And, since chastity in a girl was highly valued in her time and surroundings, her family became overprotective of her, out of fear she would disgrace their name.
She almost never worried about her future. She was wealthy, and during that time, a girl coming from as much money and prestige as she did only have to worry about one thing: finding a husband who would take care of her and, hopefully, her sons. Leila was an attractive woman, and her mother made sure she knew that, and kept it up. For Leila Kingswood, finding a husband was not going to be a challenge . . . or so she always assured herself. Now, she was a twenty-one-year-old woman, still living with her mother and father. She wasn't married yet. All of her childhood friends were married with families. Even her younger, plainer sister, Annabelle, who was nineteen, was married, and expecting her first child. But Leila, who was the sensuous beauty, the girl everyone believed would be married by her eighteenth birthday, was still not married. She wondered why men were such cowards, why they wouldn't come to her instead of standing there staring, and talking about her like she was some great, expensive jewel. She grew contemptuous of men. It's half the reason why her eyes are so cruel.
But despite her growing contempt for men, shealways had a soft spot for the handsome, and charming Caledon Hockley. She had an intense crush on him ever since she was fifteen, when she first heard about him. What girl wouldn't want Caledon Hockley as a husband? On the surface, he seemed like a god.
When Cal was looking for a wife, she was sure he would choose her. And besides, he met her on some occasions at parties and he seemed to enjoy looking at her. Of course, he would be smart enough and marry her . . .
No such luck actually. When Leila found out that he had taken the redheaded Rose Dewitt-Bukater as his bride, she was stunned and then angry. She wondered why he overlooked her. There was a reason. Everyone saw the reason but they never let Leila know. Yes, it could have been hard, since Leila and Rose, were both beautiful girls. But beauty was, all the girls had in common. Leila simply lacked the fiery spirit and intelligence Rose had. Unlike Rose, she was just a doll and a piece of temptation.
But Leila was ruthless. When she wanted something, she had to have it, and she never gave up until she got it. And she wanted Caledon Hockley. Even if he was now married to another woman, she still held onto him. She didn't want any other man besides Cal. And she would get him, no matter what. Rose seemed too young and childlike for a man like him. A man of twenty-five needed someone womanly like Leila. And besides, there were rumors that Rose didn't like Cal, which made her look ungrateful and stupid in the eyes of Leila. Cal probably gave her whatever she wanted, and treated her like royalty, and here she was, saying she didn't want to marry him! Of course, Leila didn't know a thing about how Cal abused Rose during their engagement. And even if she did know, she would have just dismissed them as silly rumors. Of course, Cal wouldn't treat Rose like that, she thought. He was too much of a gentleman to do that to any woman.
Due to an unexpected cold, she wasn't able to go to their wedding, which she regretted. She wanted to see him. And it wasn't because she wanted to flirt with him, but to comfort him too. She found out about the Titanic sinking, and about how Cal and Rose and her mother survived. The three survivors were obviously still in shock, since they didn't go out and socialize or throw lavish parties like they used to before. Everyone decided to give them a little time to themselves, to absorb the shock, and rest.
When Ms. Kingswood found out where Cal and his new bride were now living, she decided to pay a visit to her old friend, Ruth Dewitt-Bukater, who was, at the moment, living with the Hockley couple. She was said to be a little ill, but she was getting better, and could take some visitors. Well, when Leila found out her mother was going to the Hockleys she insisted on coming along. She was desperate to see that handsome, classic face of his again. And how he must be suffering, the poor thing! He went through so much! He was being quite strong, never whining about it to anyone. But he probably needed some comfort from someone. He probably needed to talk to someone about it.
And Leila was determined to be that person.