The next day, Rose spent her time in the garden, thinking over Irene's advice. Make Jack's father see for himself how serious she was about Jack. That it was Jack she wanted, not the Dawson money. She had thought about just knocking on the man's office door and having a conversation with the elder Dawson, let him get to know her, but she felt that may be too forward and would make her seem desperate. She also thought about making herself available and by chance run into Jack's father and have a spontaneous conversation that way, but she never did run across his path for such an impromptu conversation to happen. Really, she was at a loss. She didn't know what to do. So she decided to just make use of the garden for a bit. Perhaps some fresh air would give her some new ideas.

Rose had just settled into her favorite spot when Ruth came out, her eyes scanning the area for her daughter. Her face lit up when she spotted Rose and quickly made her way over.

"Rose, there you are. I have been looking everywhere for you," Ruth tsked. "Why are you once again out here alone instead of making yourself...useful somewhere? What must the Dawsons think?"

Rose frowned, taken aback by her mother's audacity. While she was just drifting around the mansion, enjoying the fruits of high society, Rose was out here trying to secure their future without involving the Hockley's! Something which would have been easier to do if it weren't for Nathan and Cal Hockley discussing their family business!

"Thanks to your friend Nathan Hockley, mother, the Dawsons probably think that we're golddiggers wanting to get our claws into their money."

Ruth blinked, shocked by Rose's outburst, having no idea where it had come from. "Pardon me?"

"Jack proposed to me. He wants to marry me, mother."

"Why that's splendid! That is the answer to all of our problems. "

"It would have been if it hadn't been for Nathan Hockley."

Ruth's frown deepened as she lowered herself onto the bench next to her daughter. "What do you mean? What does Nathan Hockley have to do with the Dawsons?"

"Well, Jack had gone to his father to tell him his intention to propose to me, when Mr. Dawson informed Jack that Mr. Nathan Hockley had called him and informed him of our precarious situation."

"What?!"

"According to Jack, Mr. Dawson isn't as keen on an engagement as he once was. He wants to wait until the end of summer to make a final decision."

.

"Why would Nathan Hockley do such a thing? Especially after making it clear that you're not Cal's only option? What does he get from sabotaging us like this?"

"It doesn't matter why he did it, he did and now I have to show Jack's father that it's not the money I care about. It's Jack. I'm in love with Jack. He can be a penniless artist and I'd still want to be with him."

Ruth gasped at Rose's declaration. "Rose, what about the debts your father has left? If they're not paid...I'll be out on the streets! Does that not matter to you?"

Rose softened a bit. She did love her mother, despite the woman's snobbery and selfishness. "Oh mother, you'll be okay. Even if the debtors take the house...I'm sure you'll be provided for somehow. It's just not right to expect the Dawsons or anyone else for that matter to take care of Daddy's bills."

"I have some words for Nathan Hockley. I doubt very much that a match with his son would be suitable, under the circumstances," Ruth sighed, not wanting to argue with her daughter and rather upset with the Hockley patriarch. "What are we to do now?"

"Well, I suppose that I'm going to have to somehow prove to Mr. Dawson that it's not his fortune I'm after. That my feelings for Jack are real."

Ruth frowned as she looked at her daughter, for the first time realizing where she had been failing when it came to Rose and finding her a husband. "I look at you and...you never really cared for Cal, did you?"

Rose simply shook her head, tired of voicing how much she disliked the Hockley heir. It felt like she had gone over the subject with her mother a thousand times already. "I despise him, really. But Jack...I am in love with him mother. Not because he's heir to a huge fortune, but because he's kind and compassionate. Attentive. I'm not just a decorative arm piece to him. I'm a person and he treats me as such."

"I see..."

"He loves me and I love him. I know that when it comes to marriage, love is the least of all requirements, but he meets all your other requirements as well, don't you think, mother?"

"Well, I cannot say that I disapprove of the match. But that does not solve the original problem. Your father's debts..."

"Father's debts? Mother...they are father's debts. Let them take the mansion! It's too big for both of us and neither of us was really ever happy there! We can acquire more fine things, we don't need what's in that house! And you won't have to be a seamstress. You know french, you can be a tutor or an assistant of some kind. Mother, there are other avenues for you...for both of us!"

"Rose...what are you saying? I should let the debtors take everything? I should plan to live a life in poverty?"

"What I am saying mother is, you should stop placing the welfare of this family on my shoulders. You should make plans for yourself. If you believe marriage is a way out, you're still a beautiful woman. Find an older wealthy gentleman in need of companionship and marry him. Allow me the freedom to marry who I want with no strings attached."

"I see. Well, I'll take your advice into consideration."

Rose sighed, thinking that her mother will just ignore her advice, just like she had ignored her all the other times Rose had voiced her displeasure and ideas on how to save themselves without Caledon Hockley's help. "Really, mother. I don't know why you insist on laying it all on my shoulders. It's not fair."

"Fair? Rose, we're women. Our choices are never easy."

"This choice is. I choose Jack. He is my choice, mother. Whether your debts get paid or not," Rose got to her feet, finished with the conversation.

"Rose..."

"Caledon is exploring other options. I doubt very much that his father would even allow an engagement, yet here they are spreading gossip and blocking off any options I may have, and yet..."

"Rose, I already said that a match with Hockley is not feasible."

"Well good. Because, whether I have a future with Jack or not, I will not be marrying that man!"

"I'll just have to figure something else out. Perhaps something that won't involve you at all."

"That would be for the best, mother. For the both of us."

Ruth watched as Rose turned to walk back to the mansion, leaving her alone to contemplate her situation and hopefully come up with a plan to save her marital home, or at least the good standing of the Dewitt Bukater name.

….

Jack had a plan. He needed to show his father that Rose could care less that he was the heir of a fortune, that her only reason for wanting to marry him was because she loved him. He needed to dispel the Hockley's gossip and show his father that Rose's feelings for him were true and there was one way he knew that he could prove this.

That afternoon, he had grabbed Emilie and they had gone to the fairgrounds, where Emilie found a pretty, yet inexpensive necklace that a penniless artist would gift to the girl of his dreams. Now a girl after money and nothing else would probably detest such a gift, but if Jack was right, and he knew he was, Rose would love it. The necklace was a silver chain with a simple silver rose hanging from it. Jack could have done better, but better wouldn't prove anything to his father.

Now it was nearly dinnertime. Everyone was gathering in the sitting room like they always did. His father was there with his mother, the patriarch of the family. Emilie was in there talking to Rose while Rose's mother Ruth stood off to herself, seeming to be deep in thought about something. Gripping the small jewelry box in hand, Jack entered.

"Jack, there you are, darling," Irene left her husband's side to kiss her son's cheek. "We were waiting for you. The servants probably already have the food set out on the table."

"Can we wait for a minute? There's something that I want to give Rose," Jack's grip tightened on the box as he turned away from his mother to face Rose, who looked at him curiously. After discussing it with Emilie, they both thought it'd be best if they didn't tell Rose so her surprise and reaction would be authentic.

"Jack?" Rose frowned, stepping away from Emilie as Jack approached, holding the box out in plain sight.

"Emi and I were out today at the fairgrounds and I saw this and was reminded of you. It's not much, you probably deserve something more lavish and expensive, but this was so lovely…," he opened the box to reveal the necklace. He smiled as Rose gasped and her eyes widened with a delight that he had only seen in Cora Cartmell back in Philadelphia.

"Oh Jack, it's gorgeous!"

"I know it's not a diamond or a pearl..."

"It's perfect! It's from you, which makes it priceless. I love it, Jack. I really do," Rose smiled, embarrassed as she felt tears leave her eyes. "Can I wear it now? I mean..."

"Of course," Jack chuckled, taking the necklace out of the box and unfastening it so he could slip it around Rose's neck.

Once Jack was finished fastening it, a tearful Rose wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, forgetting that they weren't the only ones in the room. "I love it, Jack. It's beautiful."

Albert Dawson stood next to his wife, watching the couple, taking note that such an inexpensive piece of jewelry had made the girl as happy as if it had been the rarest diamond, all because it was given to her by Jack. The glow of love and adoration was there for all to see and it made his mind up for him when it came to approving an engagement.

"Do you need any more convincing, darling?" Irene smiled as she stood by her husband's side, watching Jack and Rose smile into each other's eyes.

Albert just smiled before turning around to make his way into the kitchen, not answering his wife's question just yet.