Titanic -The Heart Never Lies HL Griffiths
Consequences – Chapter thirteen
Ruth
I let myself back into the Hockley's New York Town House, carrying a package containing Roses silk evening gloves ready for her to wear tomorrow night at the Engagement Gala.
She would be wearing a beautiful white and silver evening gown that made her look so regal, she and Caledon made such a handsome pair. And then we would leave for Philadelphia and Caledon had kindly promised me a home for life at their lovely Country house "Crosswinds" I was so relieved, everything was going to plan.
I was smiling for the first time since the ship went down. Involuntary I shivered, I was trying hard to forget the horrors of that night, and it paid not to dwell on it.
I closed the door behind me softly. Bonner the new valet was standing in the hall way eyes cold and hard. "Your back" he barked.
"Pray, Bonner, what is happening" I asked confused, the atmosphere in the house unnaturally tense. Suddenly the door to Caledon's office swung open and it banged hard. Caledon stormed out, his face was red and his eyes were bleak.
"Caledon?" I queried, fear beginning to rise in me.
"Ruth" he said coldly "Have you seen Rose?"
"No" I said "I have been collecting the gloves that Rose was going..."
"THERE WONT BE ANY PARTY for Rose to wear her gloves at" he spat out.
"Your daughter has gone, she has escaped and what's worse my dear Ruth she's stolen something of immense value of mine"
"Oh" I gasped and my hands flew up to my face and the parcel dropped on the floor
Cal was telling Rose had run away, and stolen expensive goods why would she do that? I could not begin to understand what went through that girls head. Tears welled in my eyes and I was struck dumb.
"Bonner, see Mrs Dewitt Bukater to the parlour to regain her senses" Caledon yelled loudly in the background. "And then go to the station to seek if you can track her down, silly little idiot".
Rose
The noise of the train filled my head, I had been so lucky. I had managed to slip onto a train that was leaving straight away, California. It was fate
I has found an empty carriage; I was feeling nauseous and cold. I laid my cheek against the cool window and tears slipped down my face, as I remembered...
"Jack, we'll go to California and ride horses on the beach, through the surf. I want to ride like a man." I cried happily
His laughing voice "Yep. We'll drink cheap beer till we throw up and then go on the coaster at Santa Monica; we'll do it together..."
I could see his blue eyes sparkle and he was ecstatically filled with enthusiasm, and mischief.
We were clasping arms and laughing and crying at the same time, high on life, my heart falling for this quirky, caring young man, who spirit was so special and made me alive. The first stirrings of love beating in my soul, that there was another way and that my soul would be forever entwined with his...
"I will honour you Jack, I will become Rose Dawson and this baby will always be a part of you" I whispered. I wiped my tears away. A sense of peace fell on me.
I had escaped my chains. I had done it
"Jack you would be so proud of me I outfoxed the snake" I murmured, "I will never let go of you but I also promise I will go on" I laid my head on the seat and sleep overtook me.
Ruth
Caledon and I faced each other in the summer parlour, the tension was unbearable. Caledon didn't say a word. He went to the drinks cabinet and poured me a brandy.
"Drink it Ruth" he commanded. I took a few sips and the liquid made my eyes water. and my throat burn
He downed his in one and then poured another and turned to face me.
"Well your daughters gone and done it now, run away and taking the necklace" he said, anger making the corners of his mouth turn down "Why would she do that?"
"I I don't know, Caledon" I stammered " I am so sorry"
"SORRY" he cried, his eyes narrowing "Oh you're sorry," he mocked
"Your tart of a daughter has made me look a laughing stock, after I gave her a second chance, wait till I catch up with her" He slammed the drink down harshly on the sideboard.
His anger made me nervous and I stepped backwards. He caught the movement. His eyes met mine and I had never seen such coldness. The kind polite suave man I had known all these months, through all the society parties and the trip through Europe was stripped away before my eyes to be replaced by a hard hearted mean stranger.
"Going somewhere Ruth" he drawled. "Not till we have had a little chat"
He pushed me backwards into a chair. I fell heavily into a small lounge chair.
"I will find your daughter Ruth and will bring her home and marry her, she is my property. I will not be made a fool of, if you had brought her up properly" he shouted then spun around and punched the wall. The colour drained from my face. I could not move.
"I will have my wife" he screamed "I own her body and soul" his eyes has descended to some plane I couldn't fathom, they were burning with an intensity I couldn't fathom. Mad, deranged eyes.
I could hear Roses voice faintly in my thoughts through the past
"Mother, Caledon Hockley seems very keen on pursuing me, I find him a little intense"
"Mother he monopolised me all night at the dance, he was very antsy with other men who wanted to dance with me"
"I don't know if I like him but he seems so charming and brings me gifts and everything but there's just something..."
Then my voice "You must marry him Rose, he will make everything right, the money is all gone"
Rose "I don't know if I love him mother, he's very possessive and smothers me. Tells me what to do, what to say, I can't stand it"
"He's our future Rose" I saw myself in the plush state room on Titanic, Rose white-faced holding on to the bed rail as I laced her into her corsets. She was leading Cal a dance and I had bullied her and threatened no wonder she'd run headlong in to Jack Dawson's loving arms, She has tried to tell me about Caledon's callousness and I hadn't listened.
No wonder she had run, Cal was mad, unhinged.
Tears ran down my cheeks
What had I done to Rose? Oh my God!
Cal
Ruth sat still in the chair, her face ashen, she looked shocked. I was done being Mr Nice.
That little slut Rose had gone, taking my necklace with her. Oh she would pay!!! My heart was thumping and anger was coursing through my veins. I hated the sight of Ruth's whey tear streaked face, she's so uptight and proper, and why hadn't her daughter been like her.
"I can't believe our families misfortune" she whispered "Why didn't I listen to Rose"
I grabbed her arm and hauled her out the chair, she gasped and tried to pull away I dug my nails into her arms, she moaned with pain.
"Rose didn't know what was good for her, I could have given her the world, you knew that didn't you you old hag, you sacrificed her for money, like a golden calf"
"Please Caledon you're hurting me" she wept. I twisted her arm savagely and laughed
"Oh I had you taken in didn't I Ruth, well mannered, nice Mr Hockley. I played you and Rose so well. You didn't have to work so hard to push Rose at me. I had every move down pat in this sordid game"
"What do you mean" she sobbed. I released her and she fell back into the chair weeping.
"I know Dewitt-Bukater your laggard of a husband had gambled away every last penny. Leaving you and Rose destitute. But who was the brute who played Daniel for a fool. I will tell you" I watched her eyes open wide brimming with tears
"My father Nathan Frederick Hockley. He won The Dewitt fortune on the turn of a card; Daniel was as drunk as a skunk and broke the family. Leaving the only pawn your dear daughter"
"No" she shrieked ", Daniel ,he wouldn't wouldn't "
"Oh but he would Ruth, he left the way clear for me to pick off Rose at my will, and you encouraged that, My father wanted the marriage, you brought off with money as a lure and Rose as my willing Wife"
"I win, I always win and you will always lose"
Ruth rose to her feet
"You are a monster. You are hypocritical and evil" she yelled and lunged for me I eaily side stepped her and grabbed her by both arms, she groaned.
"Now I want you out of here, you have 20 minutes to pack a bag and GET OUT, then I will find Rose and she will be my wife your not needed"
I threw her backwards, she retreated sobbing.
"You will burn for this Caledon Hockley" she cursed " I'll tell Rose about this, you'll never have her"
"I'll find her first, get out you shrivelled up old prune, no wonder your husband screwed around, you frigid old harridan"
The door slammed as she left, crying harshly.
Now all I had to do was find Rose and make her pay, she would not make a fool of me again.