Titanic -The Heart Never Lies HL Griffiths

I have to get away- Chapter Eleven

Rose

I cried and cried and kept coming to the same conclusion I had to escape and I needed money but how was I to pull off both I was keeping this baby.

The dress fitting later was been a strain, I had wiped my tears and had stood for hours as Amelie the designer pulled, tucked and pinned me. Cal stood and watched and my mother too. Both smiling broadly

"Rose, my sweet, you look divine, like a fairy princess" he told me.

My mother commented "She looks pale Cal"

"Nonsense she's excited at the party in two days time" Cal exclaimed.

I went to go back to my room after the fitting and I heard Cal down the corridor in his office talking to his new valet Andreas Bonner. Cal did not have any grief about the odious Lovejoy dying on the ship and had employed Bonner soon after and Bonner who was actually a cousin of Cals was just as devoted to Cal as Lovejoy had been.

"Well" Cal was saying "I did it and got away with it"

"Oh" queried Bonner

"Fleeced the Admiral Pacific Insurance Company for thousands of pounds for the disappearance of the "Heart of the Ocean"

I stopped dead halfway up the stairs as I listened in horror.

"Of course the necklace is in my safe, not at the bottom of the oceans as the insurance people think" he laughed out loud. "I win, I always get my way"

I pictured Jack drawing me wearing the necklace, a precious intimate moment. That necklace was my last link to Jack, oh how I loved you Jack!

I wanted to howl, but crept back upstairs to the nursery and sat down stunned.

Suddenly my plan was crystal clear and that necklace was the key, my way outta here.

Jack

Molly Brown told me bits about Rose, our love, about the ship dying. But I could not remember Rose at all. I could not feel anything, all I knew was my name.

"Where is she now?" I asked dully as I sat before a magnificent fire in Molly's luxury apartment.

Molly quietly passed me a paper. Turned to the Society pages, there was an article entitled "Grand Engagement of Caledon Hockley II and Rose Elizabeth Dewitt Bukater announced, party to follow, all Philadelphian society to be there"

There was a picture of her, so like my sketch, she was so beautiful. Then a picture of a dark eyed, and dark eyed Hockley looking smug. I didn't recognise him.

"Molly" I said, "if she loved me so much why is she marrying this Hockley guy when you say she despised him"

Molly frowned "I don't know Jack" she said "Maybe her family are forcing her"

So many questions, no answers. I could not help a girl I did not remember, maybe I had loved her? Maybe I should move on and make a life for myself and start anew. Work in a art studio? I was sure Molly would help me.