Chapter 17

I woke up hours later, my head resting comfortably on Harry's shoulder. His arm was still wrapped around me, even through his slumber he had kept in there. He slept so sweetly, his mouth slightly open, breathing in and out softly.

I sat up in the bed and reached for my chemise and slipped it on. My movement must have woken Harry, because I felt him stir and then reach for me.

"Where are you going?"

"It's late, I'm sure they've noticed I'm not there."

"What time is it?"

I reached for my stockings "Around 11, I think." I slipped one on and then the other.

He yawned and fell back on the pillow. "I can get a few more minutes of sleep before I have to go relieve, Jimmy. Would you mind if I did?"

I shook my head. "No that's fine, can you help me first?"

He nodded and got up and helped me put my corset on and then zipped my dress up for me. I got my coat and slipped the watch inside of the pocket, before he walked me to the door and kissed me goodbye.

"You really don't have to leave." he said while holding me close.

I pulled away and smiled at him. "I know, but for right now I want to avoid any conflict."

He nodded, his eyes were tired and I didn't want to keep him up anymore. "Get some sleep; I'll see you in the morning."

"All right…" he kissed me and then hugged me again. "…I love you"

"I love you too."

Later…

When I reached my room, I quietly put the key in the lock and let myself in. I clicked on the light and took off my jacket. I pulled the watch out of the pocket and sat on the bed and looked at it. The gold glittered brightly in the lamplight and I traced my fingers softly over the engraving on the front. I then popped it open and looked at the clock face.

It was white, with gold roman numerals as the numbers.

11:35...I read.

I smiled and shut the watch and laid it on my night table. I then proceeded to get undressed, laying my clothes on the couch and slipping on a warm night gown. I washed my face off in the basin before clicking the light off and crawling in under the warm blankets.

I had just closed my eyes when I felt an abrupt rumbling coming up from underneath me. I thought it to be the engines. It was as if they had suddenly stopped. I turned on the light and sat up in my bed. Everything was quiet, the gentle hum that had been present through most of the trip was now gone. I swung the blankets off of me and reached for my robe. I slipped it on and went to the door. I opened it, peering out in the hallway. I could see a few other people, roused from their sleep, doing the same.

I shut the door and shrugged my shoulders.

Maybe we just stopped for the night. That had happened once when George and I were coming home for Christmas a few years ago. The ice was really bad and they decided to just stop where they were. It upset a few people, but I didn't really mind. It might be nice to get some sleep without engines rumbling underneath you.

I went back to my bed and crawled under the covers.

It couldn't have been too much longer when I was woken up, by a rude knocking on the door. The person didn't even wait for me to answer. I heard the door open and just as I was sitting up Aunt Ruth appeared.

"You're awake, good. Get your robe on and come with me." she picked my robe up and threw it at me.

"What's going on?"

"Cal has been robbed and the Master at Arms would like to speak to everyone who had access to his suite."

Still puzzled I did as she told me and put my robe on, I followed her across the hall and into Rose and Cal's suite. Cal was seating on the sofa, his legs crossed, smoking a cigarette. He looked up at me when I walked into the room. I couldn't tell if he was angry or something else entirely.

The man who I assumed to be the Master at Arms approached me and began to ask me questions. When he was finished, he seemed very unsatisfied. Obviously none of my answers helped him. I sat down in a chair and crossed my arms tightly around me. Something about all this just didn't sit well with me. I didn't even know what was missing. Cal kept stealing glances over in my direction, but I kept my gaze glued to the wall. Behind us, Aunt Ruth was pacing frantically.

"This isn't like her…" she kept muttering.

For some reason I thought then to ask where Rose was.

"A very good question!" Aunt Ruth snapped in my direction. "You were the last one that saw her."

"She'll be back." Cal replied, almost prophetic like.

Sure enough not even a minute later, Rose walked into the room. Jack was right behind her. Her hair was flowing wildly and she wore no makeup and a simple, sheer lavender dress. I thought she looked beautiful.

"Something serious has happened." she replied, she was still holding onto Jack's hand who looked around the room, obviously feeling uncomfortable in our presence.

"That's right. Two things dear to me have disappeared this evening. Now that one is back... "He turned from Rose to Jack. "I have a pretty good idea were to find the other…search him!" he barked at the master at arms beside him.

"Coat off mate" he replied. Jack, irritated looked around the room in annoyance, almost as if he expected this. The man began to pat him down and Jack replied, "This is horseshit!"

"Cal, you can't be serious! We're in the middle of an emergency and you…"

She stopped when she saw the master at arms pull a beautiful diamond necklace out of the jacket's pocket.

"Is this it?" he asked.

I looked at the necklace flabbergasted. It was a huge diamond. I had never seen anything like it before.

"That's it" he replied in an almost triumphant voice. I scowled at him. This was horseshit.

"Right then, don't make a fuss" he replied pulling some handcuffs out and beginning to lock them around Jack's wrist.

"Don't you believe it Rose" Jack yelled.

Rose looked around the scene with confusion. "He couldn't have…" she replied. Yes, that's right you know that he didn't, I thought to myself.

"Of course he could. Easy enough for a professional. He memorized the combination when you opened the safe." Cal replied in a way to knowledgeable voice.

"But I was with him the whole time"

Cal walked closer to her and whispered something in her ear that made her turn white. I turned to Aunt Ruth who had stopped pacing and was watching the scene before her with wide eyes.

"They put it in my pocket." Jack exclaimed. I wanted to agree with him but Lovejoy spoke up before me.

"Not even your coat, son…property of A.L. Ryerson" he read from the tag.

The man took it from him "That was reported stolen earlier."

Jack looked at Rose helplessly, "I was going to give it back Rose."

She didn't listen though and backed away from him, lost in her own confusion and feeling of betrayal.

"Rose, don't listen to them... I didn't do this! You know I didn't! You know it!" Jack disappeared into the hallway.

She backed up into her mother's arms and Aunt Ruth laid a comforting arm around her daughter. "Why do women believe men?"

Rose began to sob into Aunt Ruth's arms and I looked around the room, in utter confusion. This wasn't right. I didn't know Jack very well, but I found it to be a far fetched idea that he would even try and steal a piece of jewelry like that. It didn't make sense.

Did it?

Later…

After everyone had cleared the room, Aunt Ruth grabbed my arm and told me to follow her, saying we needed to leave Cal and Rose alone. I looked at Rose, whose eyes were on me, hurt and confused. I wanted to run to her and wrap my arms around her, but I was being pulled from the room and before I knew it the door had slammed shut behind me.

She pushed me into my room and followed in herself, shutting the door behind her.

"All right out with it! Where were you after dinner?"

"With friends."

"Friends? Who, that uncouth girl you've been spending time with or that Officer who can't seem to keep his hands off of you?"

I exhaled, irritated by this. It was always the same with her. She was such a…a…bitch!

"Both"

She looked at me shocked and also smug. "Well wait until my mother hears word of this. That girl is a bad influence on you and that boy needs to learn he can never have you…"

"…In fact I was alone with Harry for most of the evening," I interrupted, acting as if she hadn't said anything at all. "… and there's obviously nothing you can do about it. You keep threatening me, but you have no power over me and you know it. Grandmother loathes you; she would never believe anything that you had to say about me!"

Her hand went to her chest, and her eyes bulged from their sockets. "You…you whore!"

"Is that the best you can say? Or are you going to use this opportunity to tell me how much like my mother, I am? Which I can honestly say I don't understand. What did she do that was so horrible? Couldn't have been all that bad if Grandmother still mourns her as if she died only yesterday."

"Yes you are a whore! Just like her! Seizing something just because you want it. Putting yourself before everyone else, because you claim to be in love! Ridicules!"

"Oh shut up you old hag! I'm tired of this! You aren't my mother; you never were and never will be! Now get out!"

"Well I never…"

"Yes I'm sure you haven't! Now out or I will summon the master at arms!"

She kept her glare fixated on me, but quickly made her way out of my room. As the door shut I couldn't help but be proud of myself. I'm sure I would hear about it later, but I honestly didn't care.

I was just taking my robe off when there was another knock on the door. I sighed; I swear that woman just didn't stop did she? I swung the door open, but it wasn't Aunt Ruth that was outside of it.

An older steward, kind face and voice, greeted me.

"Sorry for the interruption, Miss. But the captain has requested that everyone dress warmly and put on their lifebelts…"he pushed his way passed me and came into my room where he fetched my life vest from the closet. "…I suggest you dress very warmly, its quite cold out."

"Why, is something the matter?"

"Oh nothing, just a precaution I'm sure."

He handed me the life vest and I looked at him, seeing the doubt in his face. He left the room before I could ask another question.

What had happened? I had been traveling on ships for years and this had never happened before. My mind started to whirl and I began to realize that it must have had something to do with why the ships engines had ceased only minutes ago. I wanted to go see Harry; he would tell me what was going on.

First I decided to dress, just like the steward had told me to.