(A/N: I would like to apologize for the lack of updates on all of my stories. I have no excuse except for writer's block and a lack of motivation. I won't promise updates will come more quickly, but I can promise that they will come. I thank you for all of your patience and sticking with the stories. I really appreciate you. I hope that you enjoy this update.)

It took a full week for things to return to normal in the Dewitt Bukater household. Rose had decided to be on her best behavior, not wanting to give Ruth a reason to refuse Emilie's offer. She was present at her mother's tea parties, she kept her posture straight and conversation polite. She never spoke out of turn and was at Ruth's beck and call. She was the picture of the perfect daughter, thinking that if she kept Ruth happy, the better the chance that her mother would accept the offer to spend the summer with the Dawsons...which meant a summer with Jack.

Rose couldn't help but smile at the thought of Jack. She had been so angry at first about his deception, or rather omittance of the truth, but now that time had passed and she was beginning to feel more hopeful about her situation, all anger was gone. If Jack's plan worked, she'll never have to worry about Caledon Hockley again. She would have a real chance at happiness.

Happiness. Now that was an emotion that she had never thought she would even have a chance to feel once her father had passed and her mother's plans were apparent. But she had felt it. The moments that she had spent with Jack, she had felt it at last. A light, free feeling that she had never wanted to end. She had felt hopeful and full of opportunities. She had felt...alive. Jack made her feel like herself again. How could she even face the possibility of losing that now? She had to make her mother see that Caledon Hockley was the wrong choice. That her place was with Jack.

Of course, Ruth was reluctant. In her eyes, the Hockley's were a sure solution. Caledon had already made his intentions clear and a deal was already on the table, if not yet agreed to. The Dawsons...well they haven't even made an offer yet. In fact, Ruth wondered if they even were aware of their situation. She didn't want to turn down a sure thing for something that hasn't even been offered and may never be.

Maybe Rose should bring up Coney Island again. Make it clear how much she enjoyed Jack's attention and how she looked forward to continuing her friendship with Emilie. Maybe if Ruth saw how much it would mean to Rose...maybe that would convince her to accept the offer. Rose was sure that Ruth could care less about what made her happy, but it was worth a a try.

Rose was at the top of the stairs, about to walk down to the sitting room where her mother was crocheting when there was a knock at the door. She slipped back up the stairs and out of sight as Trudy opened the door to Nathan Hockley, whose face was dark with annoyance. Rose bit her lip, curious about what this was about. She watched as Trudy lead Cal's father to the sitting room and announced his arrival. Once the man was inside and Trudy went on about completing her chores, Rose slipped downstairs and pressed her ear against the closed door, wondering what was going on. Why did Cal's father look so angry? What could have brought him all this way without an appointment and without his son accompanying him? Hopefully, this had nothing to do with the Dawsons.

"Nathan, what a surprise. I was not expecting a visit today. Is Caledon with you? I can call Rose and have her ready for a walk in the gardens," Ruth's voice came through the door, her surprise and apprehension was clear in her voice.

"Caledon is not joining me today, Ruth. There is no need to bother your girl. What I have to say is between us. I know that this visit is unexpected, but some things have come to my attention and they must be addressed immediately," Nathan pushed away any notions of Rose having to spend time with Cal, making the young redhead relieved.

"Oh?" The surprise was still in Ruth's voice. "May I send for some tea or refreshment then? I am sure that you have had a long trip and..."

"None of that will be necessary. What is necessary is that you explain these...balances. My accountant had just showed me just how much you are in debt and I must say...the numbers are disturbing!"

Ruth nearly stammered. Rose could just picture her mother's trembling hand resting against her pale throat, her cold eyes wide with alarm.

"The numbers?"

"The lawyer costs are staggering...not to mention the price of real estate and office space and transportation companies..."

"Like I've already explained, William had handled all of the family business, I had no idea just how badly he had handled it. The Dewitt Bukater name is still a good respectable name, I assure you, despite my husband's bad choices..."

"But his bad choices make the Dewitt Bukater name near worthless! How can I explain agreeing to a marriage that costs me more money than the wedding itself?! I don't know, Ruth. I just don't know if agreeing to this union between our children is a worthwhile business deal. It seems just as bad as your late husband's choices."

"Now, Mr. Hockley..."

"Goodness, it's no wonder all of your fortune and poor Rose's inheritance is gone! Did that man have no sense? And now he dies, leaving his mess for me to clean up! I don't think so! I will not have it! We may be wealthy, but our wealth is finite! I will not risk my son's future inheritance like this! It is not even worth our while!"

Rose winced as she heard her mother stammer some more, obviously lost for words. She had not been expecting this at all. Rose did not want to marry Cal. The Hockley's not going through with the deal would be a dream come true for her, yet she couldn't help but to feel bad for her mother, who had settled all of her hopes on the Hockley engagement.

"Mr. Hockley...what are you saying? Are you backing out? Do you not want Caledon to marry my Rose?"

The man sighed, sounding weary. He hesitated before answering, measuring each word. "What I am saying, Mrs. Dewitt Bukater is that you should look into other suitors. I can no longer promise that an engagement to my son is a closed deal. I have to think this through some more and of course there are other options for my son to choose from."

"Oh. Well, let me assure you that you are not the only suitor interested in my Rose. I had just assumed that there was a deal made, with how much time Caledon had spent with Rose and all."

"Well, you had assumed wrong. There is no deal, not yet anyway."

"Very well then. I will continue...our search. But is it safe to say that Cal is still in the running?"

"Oh, of course he is. Caledon is very fond of Rose. Perhaps he can convince me that this deal is a good one for our family's future. If he can't...well...you know the consequences."

This was met with silence from Ruth, who was probably watching all of her hard work topple over into oblivion. Rose on the other hand felt even more hopeful. She could use this to help Jack. Make her mother see that the Hockley's were not the only choice.

Having heard enough, Rose rushed out into the garden, not wanting her mother to catch her eavesdropping. That would not do at all. Ruth would become suspicious and may insist on Cal just out of spite.

She walked down towards the edge of the garden and sat on her favorite bench, situated under an oak tree and surrounded by a few rose bushes. She breathed in the scent of flowers and closed her eyes, pretending to be lost in her thoughts, her mind far away from any coming marriage proposals or offers of summer get aways with a handsome surprise suitor. She was pretending to be totally relaxed and at peace. She didn't open her eyes until she heard her mother's tense footsteps approach.

"There you are. I have been looking all over the house for you. I'm not surprisded that you are out here wasting time instead of practicing your french."

Rose opened her eyes and sighed, looking up at Ruth, who seemed full of nervous energy, her hands gripping each other and her eyes wide and almost accusing, as if all of her troubles were Rose's fault.

"Mother, I have already mastered the french language. There is no need to practice it," Rose simply stated.

"You have to keep the skill fresh Rose, least you forget. You never know when you will end up in Paris and need the language. It'd be a shame if you had forgotten all that you had learned in that finishing school that had costed your father a pretty penny. It was probably one of the reasons we're in our situation now."

"So again, father's debt is my responsibility," Rose rolled her eyes, already feeling tired of this conversation and where it was heading. If her mother was just going to accuse her of being a part of their problems instead of discussing the obvious solutions, they might as well not have this conversation at all in her opinion.

"That is not what I am saying at all, Rose. Even though making sure that you had the best of everything did not help the situation..."

"And what about you, mother? Always forever shopping, needing to be the first to have the latest in fashion. Always in the shops. Always spending money to keep up with your society friends? Did that not take a toll on the finances as well?"

Ruth grew quiet as she took a seat next to her daughter, staring straight ahead. "It does not matter now, I suppose."

"What is it that you want, mother? Why did you come search me out? Surely it wasn't to argue about the past and who was responsible for our situation."

"Nathan Hockley was just here. He is not happy. He has realized just how much a marriage between our families would cost him. He's talking about walking away from the deal."

Rose swallowed, forcing herself to keep any emotion out of her voice. Especially any signs of happiness or relief. "Oh. Well that is...troubling, but not surprising. No one wants to be saddled with someone else's debt."

Ruth gave her daughter a sharp look, already guessing what was going through Rose's mind. She knew very well that Rose was not fond of Caledon. She knew that the girl would be relieved if the marriage did not happen. But if there was no marriage, they would be ruined. Her daughter had to see that. "Rose, if Nathan withdraws his offer...that is it for us. We will lose everything. This mansion...our standing in society...we'll be out on the streets, penniless! You cannot possibly want that."

This was it. It was time to make her mother see that Caledon was not their only choice. All would not be lost if Nathan Hockley did not go through with the deal.

"Mother, don't you think that you are being melodramatic?"

Ruth blinked, shocked by Rose's answer. She was expecting a little bit more compassion. "Pardon me?"

Rose sighed as she faced her mother head on. "Mother, have you forgotten the gala in Boston? The invitation that Emilie Dawson and her family had offered? The fact that the Dawson heir...Jack...he is very fond of me. And we have a lot in common, and he's taking his place in the family now and is looking for a bride himself...mother a new option has fallen into our laps and you are ignoring it!"

Ruth blinked a few more times, her daughter's words sinking in. She sighed and shook her head. "If the Hockley's refuse to honor the deal, what makes you think that a family of a higher station, such as the Dawsons would want to take us on? They would not be gaining anything from such a deal. In fact, it would be a loss of money for them..."

"But it would perhaps make Jack more likly to stay focused on his birth right and not take off into the horizon again and keep the Dawson line going. I mean, isn't that what is important to all of these old money families? Keeping the lineage alive? Jack and I are both young. Together we can do more than that. Plus, I have to admit...I am very fond of Jack as well. He's a true gentleman with me. He listens and he's interesting and...I prefer him so much more than Cal. I would behave like the daughter you brought me up to be if it were Jack I was to marry...you saw that yourself at the gala."

Ruth had to admit, that her daughter spoke the truth. Ever since the gala, during and after, Ruth had found herself rather pleased with Rose. All of the rebelliousness seemed to have left her. She had done what she was told and behaved like the well brought up girl that she was meant to be. She had not given this change of attitude much thought, but now that she thought of it, she probably did have the Dawsons to thank. But still...the Dawsons were of a higher station. She could not see them agreeing to pay off her husband's debts...but then again, her daughter had a point. If Jack was anything like her daughter, giving the boy what he wanted was a way to get him to become the young heir he was meant to be...and keep the old line going. Her daughter was certainly able to help in that. That was something that she hadn't really thought about. Maybe...the offer of an heir would be a suitable gain. She doubted that the Dawsons would make an offer...that this offer of a summer at Coney Island was just so the girl Emilie could have a friend...but it wouldn't hurt to at least try to gain another suitor for Rose...to at least show Nathan Hockley that he was not the only one interested in making Rose a part of the family. They really had nothing to lose.

"I suppose that accepting that offer to Coney Island would not harm anything...I will have Trudy send a telegram accepting the invitation," Ruth nodded, seeing Rose's point. She had no delusions. She did not think that the Dawsons would put in an offer for Rose's hand in marriage...but she could still try, especially with how Nathan Hockley was now hedging.

Rose forced herself to smile, but not too widely, and to keep the thrill of excitement out of her voice. She was going to see Jack again! She was going to get to spend an entire summer in his company! It was all she had hoped for! But she didn't want her mother to see just how happy this made her, sure that her mother would do anything to keep her miserable rather to see any excitement in her life.

"I think that would be a good idea, mother. After all, we would have nothing to lose. If anything, I could deepen my friendship with Emilie."

"Of course."

Rose nodded, once again looking straight ahead, looking at the garden in a new light. It looked so much different now, so much more colorful and bright. Now that she had hope, everything in her life looked a whole lot better than it ever had before Jack Dawson had come into her life.