Chapter 12: Ruth, Cal, and Lovejoy
Ruth's Point Of View

"Rose darling, are you feeling okay?" I called as I locked the front door behind me the next morning. Not hearing her, I put my coat down and presumed she was asleep. After all, she was sick. Rose was hardly ever sick or not feeling well. And it was only 8:00 in the morning, she hardly ever got up that early unless it was to take a run around the neighborhood, which was completely uncalled for. She could very well go to the gym and run there. But the girl was stubborn, and terribly rebellious.

"Trudy?"

She darted into the foyer and said meekly, "Was anything disturbed last night or this morning?"

"No, ma'am. Everything was quiet."

"Alright, good. Is everything done from off of the list I gave you before I left?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Excellent. You may take the rest of the day off then, Trudy."

"Really? I- I mean, thank you so much, Mrs. Dewitt-Bukater." She changed her mind after seeing the look I gave her. Formalities were a necessity.

"Your welcome. I'm feeling a bit more generous than I usually do on a normal Saturday morning."

"Thank you again, ma'am."

I waved her away. It was because Caledon's father, Nathan, had proposed a promising looking relationship. Yes, after dinner, he had taken me to his mansion and came up with the idea that he saw something in me he didn't see in other women. No wonder! I was dignified; I carried myself like a first class woman, and behaved and acted like one.

He had mentioned something about Rose that had disturbed me though, and I planned a long talk with her today. She wasn't respecting Caledon like he should be respected. That was uncalled for and inappropriate for a man in his position. And he had been right, it had even shown at home; She was getting more like her father each day, more and more stubborn and opinionated.

"Rose? Can I talk to you for a minute?" I called, walking up the stairs with poise and confidence.

How dare she not answer me, her mother? Calm down, she's sick, I tried reminding myself. If she were half as sick as she looked last night, I would have to wait until later to talk to her. Walking to her doorway and seeing it shut, I knocked before going in. Her bed was made and her room nice and neat.

Where was she? Cal's. Maybe she had gone to Cal's and fallen asleep there. Like she would get any sleep if she stayed overnight at Cal's. Well, maybe she finally decided to listen to me and make her relationship with Cal better. He was a very nice young man, and rich too.

I walked back down the stairs to see Trudy putting on her coat.

"Did Rose leave last night, Trudy?"

"I heard the door shut, but she didn't come to me first. But not to worry, she took a suitcase and looked like she was going to Caledon's, because she called a cab."

A Cab! That was uncalled for! She could have called- No, he had been at his basketball game. She probably wanted to surprise him when he came home just in case he didn't win. I smiled.

"Thank you, Trudy. I'm going up to bed now because I'm tired. You may leave whenever you want."

I would call Caledon later and congratulate him on stealing her heart. He had done a very good job, even though she was probably cautious to show her true feelings. I crawled into my bed, and fell asleep dreaming of Rose's wedding.

1:00

I looked over at the clock. 1:00 in the afternoon.

"Oh dear, I must call Cal."

Getting out of bed, I replaced my shoes on my feet and walked down the stairs. I picked up the phone, dialing the number on the piece of paper by the phone.

"Hello, Caledon Hockley residence?"

"Caledon! How are you?"

"Just fine, Ruth, and how are you?"

"Very good, thank you."

"I heard you and my dad had one heck of a night."

"Caledon! It is not nice to speak of such matters to women."

He laughed. "I was just repeating what I heard."

"From where?"

"My dad, of course, where else would I hear it from?"

"Well I believe that that matter is our business, and although you are going to become my daughter's husband, I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you."

"I understand, Ruth."

"Thank you. So did you win your basketball game last night?"

"Of course we did, with me playing on the team we always win. Where was Rose last night?" He sounded curious.

"She hadn't been feeling good when I left the house. She had complained to me about wearing her make-up, so she couldn't have been feeling entirely terrible."

"Yes, I'm sure it passed though."

"Yes, probably. What is she doing now? Sleeping?"

"How would I know?"

"I don't know, I presumed since you both spent the night together-"

"Whoa! Unless I was drunk I don't remember her coming here last night. And believe me, I would remember. I don't think that girl will ever give herself to me."

"Oh, so she's really not there?"

"No, she's not."

"Well, she's not here so she has to be somewhere!"

"She left?"

"It certainly looks that way."

"Why did you think she came over here?"

"Because her bed was made and her room missing of some of her special things. Trudy said she saw her take a cab and carrying a suitcase down the walk."

"A cab!"

"My reaction exactly."

"She could have called my butler!" There was anger in his voice. Understandable, his girlfriend had disappeared for the time being. And what was more, it might ruin his image if anyone had seen her taking a suitcase into his home and getting over there by cab.

"I know, Caledon, but Rose doesn't appear to think sometimes-"

"Doesn't appear to think! She doesn't think. I know she's beautiful, but I'm beginning to think this is not worth the trouble."

"Now, Caledon, clear your mind and think logically."

"I am thinking logically, Ruth! She's so stubborn, not caring about my image, what I am going to become. I am the star of the basketball team, and going to inherit multiple steel mills when I am older. Couldn't you just imagine the headlines now? 'Wife of Hockley Steel owner runs and rebels, what will become of Caledon?'. She does not respect me in the least bit, and she's a rebellious spirit!"

"I noticed Caledon."

"I even tried fixing it by disciplining her, because she is my girlfriend and soon to be fiancée, but it went way too far."

"I understand, as your wife in practice and even your girlfriend she should listen and obey you at all cost."

"We have to find her and bring her back, to show here she can't go do anything she wants to, when she wants to. Break her spirit."

"I agree, and when she comes back you may discipline her any way possible to get that spirit out of her."

"I'm glad to know you approve."

"Oh, very much, Cal. I have learned to, because that's what she will eventually go through anyway if she stays like this."

"Yes, she will. I'll get Lovejoy to search for her. We will have her back in no time, believe me."

"I believe you. She couldn't have gone far because she refuses and won't get on a ship, and she's scared to death of trains."

"Really?"

"Yes, she won't step foot on one. She used to bawl like a baby, even up till she turned 10. It's been awhile since we've had to travel, but she was still scared of them last time I checked." She probably hadn't told him because she was afraid of him

"Alright, so he doesn't have to check the docks and train stations. That rules them out. It shouldn't be too hard for Lovejoy to locate her with those options not available."

"Yes."

"I'm going to put him on the trail immediately. I'll be in touch with you."

"Thank you so much, Caledon."

He answered, "My pleasure, Ruth, my pleasure," sounding more furious than I'd ever heard him.

Rose would be found, disciplined, and she would learn to accept what she had to live with. How had she gotten so rebellious when I had raised her the way I had? It was in the genetics, her father had been the same way. But no matter what it took, Caledon wouldn't take it, and she wouldn't be like that for much longer.