Chapter 4: Romance blooms, A life is saved, An Invitation to Dinner
[April 12th 1912]
I blushed and chuckled as she spoke about when we were teenagers. I admit that when I left to join the navy at 16, part of me wished I had been able to take the next steps with her. But we were both so young and I was not sure that her parents would have appreciated my courting her until she was out. I wondered what they would think now. Then again, there is the potential that if they are on the ship, I will find out sooner rather than later. I chuckled at that thought. "I admit that I had intended to give you that at your first ball." I chuckled at the thought of sweeping her into my arms and kissing her in front of all the guests. She blushed at my comment. "I think that my father might have had something to say about that. Though I think that my mother would have found it terribly romantic." She giggled a bit as we continued to stroll along the deck, arm in arm as so many of the other couples were doing. We decided to pause again at the stern of the ship. Not to gawk at the passengers in Third Class as so many would do, but to gaze at what was behind. "You must admit that there is something exciting for all these passengers. On their way to a new life, leaving the old world behind." I smiled a bit wistfully, I may be a hard nosed navy officer, but that did not mean that I couldn't deny the sentimentality of it. Standing next to me, our arms still intertwined, Belle smiled. "I agree, though I cannot help wondering if they are enjoying themselves as much as we are up here." I chuckled, the years it seemed did not dampen her spirit of kindness and warmth. If anything they seemed to have improved them. As we continued our walk, I noted a slight shudder in the ship. They must have increased speed. Plus, I knew from my time at the admiralty that the ship had technology similar to that of most warships in the form of a turbine, so they must have engaged it also. As we continued down the other side of the ship from where we had begun, we talked about anything and everything that we had missed since we were kids, things were getting more interesting the older we got. Then we arrived at her season. This became the awkward moment, given what had just happened on the other side of the ship. I decided I needed to be the one to speak first. I had made a promise and had broken it, but perhaps that experience led to this. We continued chatting at the front end of the promenade deck until the bugler came out to announce the dinner call. With that I escorted her to her cabin and returned to mine. As I left her at her cabin door, I looked around to make sure nobody else was around and then gave her another chaste kiss on the lips, with that she disappeared inside.
[Line Break]
We had agreed that I would escort her to dinner, since we both happened to be at the same table. As I approached the door to her cabin, I saw it open and she stepped out. She was a vision. To me she looked like she was walking on a wave. Her dress was blue until it hit the floor where it had bits of white. I was stunned. I then took her gloved hand and gave it a kiss before offering her my arm so that we could walk down to the saloon. "I must admit that you look wonderful this evening, Lady Annabelle." I spoke with a kind voice and a smile, mostly trying to make sure she knew that it was true. "Why thank you kind sir, you look rather dashing yourself." She said as I grinned just a little bit at her comment. It was nice to know that despite what had happened we could continue with this courtship. We had known each other enough that I felt comfortable talking to her about this. "Lady Annabelle, I have a favour to ask, please just hear me out." I was blushing slightly, after all the invitation had said, plus lady on it so I figured I may as well ask. "I was invited to a wedding, the invitation also mentioned that a lady was invited given the fact that I'm not married, so I was hoping that you would do me the honour of accompanying me." I offered her what I considered to be my most charming and winning smile. Though in truth I was terrified of her rejecting my asking, thus ruining what we had just started to investigate this afternoon. But instead of doing something like slapping me and walking away, she just blushed. That surprised me, I was bracing myself for a slap and then the awkwardness of not talking to each other for the rest of the voyage. She spoke in a rather surprised tone, like she hadn't expected me to ask her. "I must admit Andrew, before I left, my parents received a most unusual request. They wanted me to go on a voyage to America, well, I dare say it all makes sense now." She chuckled. I wondered to myself. Oh, how my family had a sense of humor. "Of course, it does." I responded, not trying to sound sarcastic. I chuckled a bit.
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We entered the Grand Staircase to walk down to the reception room, nodding to a few of the other gentlemen on the ship. "I suppose you have had a chance to make your introductions last evening, Lady Annabelle?" I asked her, wanting to make one hundred percent sure. She chuckled a bit. "Of course. I also happened to meet Mr. Hockley and his lovely fiancee. Though I must say that he is rather rude for a gentleman. Did you see what he did at lunch?" She spoke as if he had done something to upset the sensibility of society. Perhaps this was a test. "Oh of course. Though I am afraid I missed most of it. I do remember him saying something as we were leaving about minding what she reads, to Mrs. Brown." I chuckled a bit. "Though I would say that Mr. Ismay not knowing about Dr. Freud and his theories was most entertaining. He seemed to be the only one at that table who did not know." I decided to stop talking as we entered the reception room. Nodding to a few of the people, I simply smiled, feeling like I was the luckiest man alive, seeing that I was on a ship heading to a wedding with a beautiful girl who, unknown to both of us until just a few minutes ago was a planned setup for us.
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Dinner seemed to drag on for ages, course after course came and went. Though I admit that I was too wrapped up the conversation to truly taste any of the food. I know it was rather good. In my discussions, Annabelle was talking to the young Miss DeWitt Bukater. After dinner service had concluded, we both decided, much to my appreciation to go up on deck. The air felt wonderful after the stuffiness of the dining saloon. Though as we were walking I noted what I thought to be a shout coming from the stern of the ship. I turned rather quickly to Annabelle, I decided to speak in a rather hushed tone. "Wait here, I will be back in a moment." She simply nodded to me, taking a seat on one of the chairs that were set up on deck.
[Line Break]
Arriving at the stern of the ship, I noted that Miss Rose was standing off to one side with a seman guarding a young man who looked vaguely familiar to me on the other. Descending the ladder I spoke in a rather smart tone of that of a naval officer. "Sailor, I'm Lt Florent, Royal Navy. What has this man done?" The sailor looked rather surprised at my reaction, though he must have been in the navy at some point because he instantly saluted me. "Sir, he was laying underneath this woman in a rather compromising position. I had heard shouting and sent for the Master-At-Arms sir." To say I was surprised is an understatement. I looked at the young woman and the man being detained. Though seeing the Master-At-Arms and party arriving, I slipped back into the shadows and observed from a distance. As the party left, Col Gracie and Mr. Hockley and his valet I approached from the darkness as he was smoking one of the cigarettes he had just bummed. "Excuse me, I just wanted to compliment you on your calmness under pressure back there." The man just chuckled and took a puff of his smoke. "Thank you sir, I was just trying to save a life." I smiled at his humble response. "May I ask your name? After all if you are coming to dinner tomorrow evening, it would be awkward if we were to meet and I would not know your name." He smiled this kind of odd smile. "Dawson, Jack Dawson." My ears quirked at that last name, I had relations somewhere in the states other than those in Philadelphia. I remember my mother talking about a cousin or something who married an American Billionaires second son and they left to go live a simple life. I think their name was Dawson. How ironic. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Dawson." I said with a kind smile as I returned to the promenade deck and Annabelle, I smiled as I approached her. "Nothing to worry about, just a lady wanting to watch the machines at work. Almost slipped into the water. A young man who happened to be at the back of the boat saved her." I spoke as we continued walking, knowing it was probably not the story, but I was not about to speculate. The air was beginning to get cooler as we continued walking so we decided to turn in, meeting again for breakfast. As I gave Belle a kiss at her door, I smiled a bit. Perhaps the feelings I had were returned.
A/N: Well that's my longest chapter yet. Yes, I know I went a bit AU, but hey, it's Fanfiction right, we can explore possibilities that we would normally not get to with movies.
I know I made my character move rather quickly from the Promenade deck to the poop deck, but he is a navy officer and so is used to doing things at the double, especially if action stations are sounded.
Andrew Florent is a Lieutenant, posted to the Admiralty in London and so would know about the technology on the Titanic including her Turbine engine. He calls Annabelle, Belle because when they were younger their families were close, allowing them to get to know each other.
Next time: More romance, A walk in the light of day brings feelings to light and Mr. Dawson comes to dinner.
