Rose was very much aware of the tension between Cal and Jack as they stood there facing each other down, sizing each other up. Looking at them was like looking at night and day. One was dark and arrogant while the other was light and kind. Both were stunningly handsome, but only one held Rose's hopes of freedom.

"Jack Dawson. I did not recognize you the first night you were here," Cal gave a derisive snort. "I do apologize for my rudeness."

Jack wanted to roll his eyes, knowing that the apology was fake. If Jack really had been a poor wanderer and not a Boston Dawson, there would be no apology. He was tempted to tell Cal what he could do with his apology, but Emilie's glare stopped him.

"Well, I really wasn't looking to be recognized at the time," Jack forced a smile, reminding himself that he was supposed to be making friends with his peers. If only those peers weren't arrogant assholes!

Emilie looked at both men speculatively. She had not been expecting Caledon Hockley's presence at all! It had almost thrown her off track, but she had quickly recovered and was coming up with a plan to save the date. Forcing a smile of her own, she entwined her arm with Cal's and batted her eyes.

"Wow, Caledon Hockley in the flesh! I have heard all about you and your search for the perfect wife," Emilie steered the businessman away from Jack and Rose, giving her cousin a wink as she did so.

Once she was sure that Cal was good and preoccupied with the gorgeous and wealthy blonde Emilie, Rose turned her full attention to Jack, feeling the need to apologize. Their plan had obviously been ruined. "I'm sorry Jack. He had just shown up and mother wanted him to stay..."

"There's no need to apologize," Jack offered his arm for Rose to take so they could fall into step right behind Cal and Emilie. "I was going to have to meet him sooner or later anyway. Not to mention, his presence here can be a good thing. Now your mother can see that you prefer my company to his. He's still an arrogant asshole, so that's something else in my favor."

Rose simply smiled. "So you see why I don't want to marry him. I must say, I am in Emilie's debt. I am going to have to give her a gift for her sacrifice this afternoon."

"She loves perfume and jewelry."

"Well, picking her out a gift won't be a problem then. So….what now? The gala is tomorrow night."

Jack shrugged. "We'll attend it, of course. Will Hockley be there?"

"I highly doubt it. He and Edward hate each other immensely. I don't know why. Something about cheating and money...all on Cal's part of course."

"Hmmm, maybe making friends with this Edward fella won't be so hard after all."

"You have to make friends?" Rose frowned, not liking the sound of this. Jack already had friends here in Philadelphia. Lovely, interesting friends! They may not be first class, but they were good people and Jack seemed to care about them. Shouldn't that be enough?

"My father's orders. He says that it's time for me to make more prestigious friends. Friends who are profitable to know."

"Don't you have any friends of high society? I mean...surely you do. People like you."

Jack just smiled and again shrugged. "Well...I never went out out of my way to do so. I had Fabri and he was all the friend I needed during my boyhood. So much more interesting than the other boys, who were busy learning to be first class gentlemen. Anyway, if I hope for my father's approval of my pursuit of you, it's best to do as he asks."

"Oh Jack, I am so sorry. You gave up your freedom because of me and now you have to make friends of strangers," Rose sighed, feeling guilty. Was she really worth all of this? "What of the friends that you have already made here? Are you going to be able to see them while you're in town?"

"There's no need to apologize, Rose. All of this is worth it. I more than care for you. I want you to be happy and free to follow your dreams. I had that opportunity, you deserve to have that too. As for my friends here...They probably don't want to see me. Especially Tommy. He's most likely furious with me for lying about who I really am."

"Do you really think so? I mean...I was angry too, but I understand why you did it. Besides, you didn't fake your personality. "You are still the same person you were when we all thought that you were poor.".

"But you had a chance to see that for yourself. They haven't. To people like Tommy, I not only lied to them, I was probably taking slumming it to a new degree. They probably think that it was all a joke. That I was laughing at them."

"But you weren't laughing at them. You were their friend."

"They won't see it that way. I'm a liar in their eyes. It'll be a long time if they forgive me at all."

"I'm sorry, Jack. I really am. I know how much they have meant to you. Especially little Cora."

"Don't be. I knew that I would lose friends by going back to my real life. I didn't go back blind."

"I do promise to make it all worth it. I don't care what mother may say. Your sacrifice won't be for nothing."

At that moment, Jack wanted to kiss her, but he couldn't. Not with Cal just ahead of them and her mother somewhere watching. He had to be on his best behavior, but he couldn't help but fall deeper in love with this girl.

"You deserve so much better than Hockley. I am going to make sure that you get it."

Rose looked into Jack's deep, ernest, blue eyes and believed every word he said. Someday, she will be free of Cal. She'll be free of the cage she was in and would fly away into freedom with Jack by her side.