Beginning of the end

"O Christ, whose voice the waters heard

and hushed their raging at your word,

who walked across the surging deep

and in the storm lay calm in sleep..."

The Captain is leading us in song for the Sunday service.

John and I are sat behind mother and rose, Molly is on my right.

Cal's little henchmen are at the back, keeping an eye on Rose.

From what I got from Rose this morning the brief tee had before the service started.

He had followed rose to third class and reported to cal.

Rose still won't tell me what happened this morning, whatever it was it must have been big.

Rose was pale and looked like a spooked horse.

I would bet anything cal was responsible.

The service went on as usual Readings, praying, hymns are sung.

Finally, the Captain had Finished saying grace and we were all free to depart.

Cal, mother, rose, Molly, John and I met Mr Andrews by the door to begin our tour.

Mr Andrews had been kind enough to take time out of his day to give us a tour of the boat.

Of course, it wasn't the while ship, somehow I doubt mother would ever interact with the "lowers."

Mr Andrews began on the boat deck.

Our first stop was the gymnasium.

I had already visited with John but it was Still interesting to see all the different contraptions

Cal always one to show of is working the oars of a stationary rowing machine with a well-trained stroke.

"Reminds me of my Harvard days."

McCauley the gym instructor was all the happier to show us around his gym.

"The electric horse is very popular.

even have an electric camel." He praised.

He turns to mother.

"Care to try your hand at the rowing, ma'am?"

"Don't be absurd. I can't think of a

a skill I should likely needless."

He then turned to John.

"What about you sir?"

"I don't see why not."

John hands me his hat and sits in the machine and grabs the ores.

While he may not have been as smooth as cal, John still kept up a good pace.

"The next stop on our tour will be

bridge. This way, please." Andrews leads the way.

I hand John his hat.

The bridge was so interesting, we could see the wheel and all the different dials that had direct links to the engine and could room.

As Andrew explained how it works young crewman skirts around Our tour group to hand a Marconigram to Captain Smith.

"Another ice warning, sir. This one

from the Baltic."

Ice?

"Thank you, Sparks." The captain dismissed him

Smith glances at the message then nonchalantly put it in his pocket. He nods reassuringly to Us.

"Not to worry, it's quite normal for

this time of year. We're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit."

Andrews scowls slightly before motioning us towards the door.

I take it he doesn't agree with captain smith's judgement.

We journey to the Starboard side of the ship with Mr Andrews leading us back from the bridge along the boat deck.

"You've been quite dear." John placed a kiss on my knuckles.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with."

"If you say so."

Rose is speaking with me, Andrews.

"Mr Andrews, I did the sum in my

head, and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned... forgive me, but it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard."

"About half. Rose, you

miss nothing, do you? I put in these new type davits, which can take an extra row of boats here."

he gestures along the deck

"But it was thought... by some... that the deck would look too cluttered. So I was over-ruled."

Cal slapped the side of a boat

"Waste of deck space as it is, on an unsinkable ship!"

Why does everyone keep calling it an unsinkable ship!? she made out of iron, she could.

Next to boat 7, I spot a familiar face.

Disguised with a coat and hat he keeps his head down.

We catch eyes.

What's he doing here?

He discreetly nods towards Rose.

Oh!

I let go of John and link arms with Rose.

Rose looks at our linked arms.

"What is it marigold?"

I pretend to be shocked.

"Can't a sister wish to spend time with Her little sister?"

We are now at the back of the group.

Perfect.

Jack taps Rose on the arm and she turns, gasping. He motions to her to follow him, I quietly let go of Rose and watch as jack pulls Rose into a room.

I hurry to catch up with John.

"I was wondering where you had disappeared off to."

"Oh, I just wanted to have a chat with Rose," I tell him nonchalantly.

John leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Are you sure it has nothing to do with a certain 3rd class passenger that was loitering by the boats?"

My eyes widen.

How did...

John merely raises an amused eyebrow.

"You think you the only one who saw the looks miss rose and Mr Dawson we're exchanging."

In a panic, I look in front to see cal walking several places in front of Mother.

John kisses my hand.

"Do not fret my dear, I won't say anything to Mr Hockley," John reassures me.

It's only once we return to the Starboard Vestibule does Rose reappear.

I gently squeeze her arm to get her attention.

She is quick to shove me off.

Wordlessly she followed cal.

My heart skink's I guess the talk didn't go so well.

Wordlessly I turn and head towards the gymnasium in hopes of food-finding jack.

It's fruitless by the time I arrive Jack has already left.

My resolve set I begin my search for jack.

I unlatch the gate to go down into third class.

The steerage men on the deck stop what they're doing and stare at me.

I turn to them.

"Excuse me, if one were to find someone where would they look."

One of the men look me up and down and with a smirk replied.

"I don't think you'll find any of your lots down there." He snarks.

"I'm looking for a man who is a 3rd class passenger, he goes by the name of Jack Dawson."

The oldest of the men shrugs his shoulders.

"There are many gentlemen down there hon, but I guess you could have a look around the general room." He cocked his head down the stairs.

"Thank you."

I journey down the steps.

Finally, I was able to find my intended destination on C-Deck.

This was the social centre of steerage passengers. The was a stark comparison to the notoriety of first class.

With white enamelled pine and fitted with slat-seated benches and teak chairs.

unlike first class, it is a loud, boisterous place.

There are mothers with babies, kids running between the benches yelling in several languages and being scolded in several more.

Old women are yelling, men playing chess, girls doing needlepoint and reading dime novels.

Completely foreign to the stiff corsets, tea-sipping, the idle gossiping environment I was I used to.

The moment I walk into the room The activity in the room stops... a hush falls.

I couldn't help but feel self-conscious as the steerage passengers stare openly at this me, some with resentment, others with awe.

I look through the crowd, desperate to find my objective but it's too crowded to truly see anything.

Clearing my throat I address the room.

"Has anyone seen a young man, with blond hair and blue eyes, he goes by the name Jack Dawson?

Passengers look around.

two men stand up and walk to me.

Neither one of them was Jack.

One of them was it looked like of Italian descent he begins to speak.

"He's on the front by the rails." He tells me.

I grin in gratitude.

"Thank you, gentlemen."

I turn to exit, before I'm completely out of earshot I hear the other man speak to the Italian man.

"What are they putting in the water."

True to the man's words, jack was sat on a bench.

I join him.

"So I take it the talk didn't go well."

Jack's shoulders sag.

"You just have to give her more time, I know my sister."

"I wish that were true."

"Jack... trust me."

We both sit in silence enjoying the afternoon breeze.

"Why do you and rose hang out with those types of people?"

I open my eyes to gaze curiously at Jack.

"Excuse me?"

Jack looked sort of sheepish.

"Yesterday I saw the way the others looked down on me, they thought they were better than me."

I can't help but nod.

"I'm afraid those type of people don't like change, and you were a little out of their comfort zone."

"But see that's the thing, you, Molly and rose aren't like that at all. So why would you surround yourself with those types of people?"

"Well... like I said the high society is quite close-knit, we've all grown up around each other and our parents have grown up around each other, most of us marry into families we've known for generations that how it's always been, and over time you begin to make excuses for them, especially the asshole's."

Jack is in deep thought.

The sky is begging to turn pink, that's my due to depart.

"I must prepare for dinner."

I leave jack by himself and head on back to the room.

To my surprise, John is waiting for me.

"For once I'm back before you."

I give him a quick pick before I go to change.

I choose a beautiful gown with lavish embroidery in silver thread, bugle beads and diamante.

(queen Alexandra evening purple dress 1910)

Dinner was a quiet affair the evening, for instance, Rose was nowhere to be seen cal and mother attended dinner, but no Rose.

I have a gut feeling, I hope I'm correct.

This evening We were sat with the Carter's out of all the high society nobles they were the easiest to take in, unlike others they weren't that interested in gossip or rumours, it was a nice change.

Like every other evening since we boarded titanic johns and I separated me to the suite John to the gentlemen's club.

Little did I know what would be the last evening John and I would experience on titanic.

SHUDDERING.

My eyes open.

I sit up.

The room is shaking.

What on Earth.

After a while, the shaking stops.

What was that?

I look at the clock.

11:40pm

The familiar sound that I'm used to hearing is gone.

Why have the engine's stopped?

Hesitantly I get out of bed and find my dressing gown.

Opening The door I exit my room.

A couple of people also have come out into the corridor in robes and slippers much like myself.

I spot a steward and quickly stop him.

"Why have the engines stopped? I

felt a shudder?"

"I shouldn't worry, ma'am. We've

likely thrown a propeller blade, that's the shudder you felt. May I bring you anything?"

Thomas Andrews rushes past us, with an armload of rolled up to ship's plans. the expression on his face was not one of calm.

Something isn't right.

"No thank you." I dismiss the steward.

I return to my suit, however I so far from calm.

Where is John?

Unable to go back to bed I sit on an armchair I'll wait for him to come back.

The minutes tick by and still no John, a knock comes from the door.

Hesitantly I go over and unlock the door.

On the other side is a steward.

"I've been told to ask you to please put on your lifebelt, and come up to the boat deck."

"Excuse me."

The steward walks into my room and grabs the life belts of the top of the wardrobe.

"I'm sorry about the inconvenience, Mrs Astor, but it's Captain's orders. Please dress warmly, it's quite cold tonight."

My suspicions have been confirmed, worry fills me.

"Not to worry, miss, I'm sure it's just a precaution."

The steward is quick to leave the room.

Just then dotty walked into the room.

"Ma'am didn't think you would still be awake, is everything alright?"

"Umm... the steward has asked us to move to the boat deck, could you perhaps find me something warm to wear."

Dotty bows before scurrying off.

Dotty is quick to dress me in a thick wool dress of olive green, around my shoulders she places a fur shawl and a matching muff for my hands.

Finally to my relief John returns.

"John! Thank goodness you hear! we have been asked to..."

"Go to the boat deck yes I'm a-wear. The captain told me."

John grasped his life vest and the two of us leave the suite

John lead me in the direction of the crowd.

A large number of First Class passengers have gathered near the staircase.

John and I go to join them.

We can spot Molly, she is with the colonel, John and I move to stand with her.

"Evening J.J, marigold."

"Molly, what is going on?"

Molly looks around before grabbing a young steward.

"What's doing, sonny? You've got us all

trussed up and now we're cooling our heels."

The young steward backs away, actually stumbling on the stairs.

"Sorry, ma'am Let me go and find out."

Molly rolls her eyes in exaggeration.

"I don't think anyone knows what is going on."

"Well they said to go to the boat deck so why don't we head to the gymnasium and wait there for more news," I suggest.

The gymnasium is on the same level as the boat deck.

"Good idea Marigold."

"Hear hear."

John gestures to our group.

"Shall we?"

John leads the way.

We make our way to the gymnasium.

Mindful of the crew who are fumbling with the lifeboats.

"This is ridiculous." The colonel mumbles.

We enter the warmth of the gymnasium where more life vest is rested.

After some time We have joined my others and quickly the gymnasium becomes more crowded.

John and I are sat on a bench.

Lucile and Cosmo come to inform us of the latest news.

"They have started putting woman and children into the boats."

They have?

Well, what are we doing here?

I begin to stand but Cosmo holds out his hand.

"I assure you Marigold there is no need to that, trust me. You watch. They'll put us off in these silly little boats to freeze, and we'll all be back on board by breakfast. It's warmer In here."

I'm conflicted.

John is too.

He grasped my hand.

"Let's leave it a little longer marigold." John places a kiss on my palm.

Alright a little longer.