I finally found time to update in between writing chapters of Olivia. Thank you for the reviews for Ch 9 everyone. I appreciate each and every one. I hope you like this chapter as well. It was somewhat difficult to write as there was so much activity going on. But, hopefully I did it justice.

Chapter Ten

Dinner with Jack

Cal and my mother were just ahead of me as we left our suite for dinner. I had chosen one of my favorite gowns, an intricately beaded paneled gown of sheer black organdy over satiny coral. Its design was one I favored more than any gown I owned. I wanted to look my best when I saw Jack tonight.

As usual, Cal was being his ever superior self as he and Mother turned toward the banister that led to the Grand Staircase and down to the First Class Lounge. I heard him boasting rather smugly as they walked along. "Did you know there are several thousands tons of Hockley Steel in this very ship?"

"Which part?" I heard Mother ask.

"Only the best ones of course," he laughed smugly.

That's as much as I could hear before they descended down the stairs. It was more than enough, I thought with distaste. I was so weary of hearing his constant boasting.

It was as I was coming down the stairs behind them that I first noticed Jack. Much to my surprise, he was dressed as well as any fine gentleman in a fitted tuxedo. His hand was outstretched behind Cal who clearly did not notice that it was him. I had to wonder where he acquired it since I knew his situation didn't allow for something as lavish as a tuxedo.

He turned then and saw me. I smiled as I came further down the stairs, pleased by the look of admiration on his face. He slowly came over to the foot of the staircase and stopped just as I reached the next to last step. We stood there for a moment looking at each other and before I realized what he was going to do, he lifted my gloved hand and brought to his lips in a smooth kiss.

Immediately he broke out in a boyish grin as he looked up at me. "I saw that in a Nickelodeon once and I always wanted to do it."

I couldn't help but laugh at his comment. He stepped back and offered his arm to me which I graciously accepted. As I descended the last of the steps, Jack threw his head back imitating the gentlemen around us and the way they carried themselves with their pompous noses in the air. It was most humorous to watch. We made our way toward Cal and Mother who were chatting with the Countess.

"Darling," I called for Cal and touched his sleeve. He turned to us and smiled. "Surely you remember Mr. Dawson," I said gesturing to him.

Cal's eyebrow's shot up as he looked over at Jack. "Dawson," he remarked in a surprised voice. "Why, it's amazing. You could almost pass for a gentleman."

"Almost," Jack answered unwaveringly, holding his head high against Cal's scrutinizing assessment.

"Extraordinary," Cal said as he took my mother's arm and led her toward the staircase.

I looked over at Jack and smiled reassuringly. He was going to be just fine, I surmised. He looked the part and I'm sure he could act the part. No one would ever know he was not one of us. We followed Cal and my mother down the staircase until we reached the dining room whereupon they came upon the Duff Gordon's. As they stopped to chat with them, I held Jack back to give him a quick guide of all who were present.

"There's the Countess of Rothes," I motioned toward the Countess. I then looked back over my shoulder and saw J.J. and Madeline Astor descending the stair case.

"That's John Jacob Astor," I told him. "The richest man on the ship. His little wifey there Madeline is my age and in a delicate condition. See how's she's trying to hide it. Quite the scandal," I informed him with a small laugh. "And that's Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Madame Aubart," I said of the older couple who were close by talking. "Mrs. Guggenheim is home with the children of course and over here we have Sir Cosmo and Lucille Lady Duff Gordon," the small group turned toward Jack and I and Lady Duff Gordon acknowledged us with a small wave. I waved back as I continued on with my summary. "She designs naughty lingerie among her many talents, very popular with the royals."

As I was finishing, Margaret Brown joined us then. "Care to escort a lady to dinner?" she held out her arm toward Jack.

"Certainly," Jack answered as she linked her arm through his.

Cal and Mother soon broke away and were heading toward our table. Cal turned back to us and called for me in that hideous nickname I despised. "Sweetpea, sweetpea," he said as we followed them.

"Ain't nothing to it is there, Jack? Remember, they love money so just pretend you own a gold mine and you're in the club," Mrs. Brown chimed in.

I was aware of how we must have looked to Jack then as we made our way down the aisle. I had always taken this kind of atmosphere for granted, it was just the way it was in my life, but to Jack I imagined he saw far more than those of us who actually lived this way. Before I could think further, Mrs. Brown took matters in her own hands as I suspected she always did.

"Hey Astor!" she yelled as we came up to him and Madeline.

"Well, hello Molly," he smiled graciously as we approached. "Nice to see you."

I took the opportunity to put Jack at ease with them and introduced him to them. "J.J., Madeline, I'd like to you to meet Jack Dawson."

"How do you do?" Madeline daintily shook his hand.

"Pleasure," Jack replied smoothly. He was nervous, but he hid it well.

"Hello Jack," J.J. nodded. "Are you of the Boston Dawson's?" he asked Jack, assuming he was one of us.

"No, the Chippewa Falls Dawson's actually," Jack answered truthfully.

"Yes," J.J. answered rather perplexed. I could tell he didn't know what to make of Jack but I smiled at him, pleased at his honesty. I was proud of him for still being himself among these people and stepped closely to him, wrapping my hand around his arm. He looked down at me as I did this.

"Shall we?" he asked, his eyes bright with happiness.

"Yes," I nodded and we walked over to the dining table we would be sharing with our group. As we approached the Countess turned to us and Jack immediately took her hand and kissed it, so much like a gentleman would. I could tell she was impressed by this. We took our seats, me beside Cal and Jack beside Mrs. Brown. As the introductions were being made, my mother made absolutely sure that no one would mistake Jack for who and what he was.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on this ship," she said imperiously.

Jack smiled at mother and answered without any reservation. "The best I've seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats."

Laughter tittered around the table at Jack's quick reply, something my mother didn't take kindly to I could tell. She wanted to embarrass Jack, to make him look inferior to those around the table.

"Mr. Dawson is joining us from third class," Cal clarified for everyone, as if they hadn't gathered that from my mother's remark. "He was of some assistance to my fiancée last night."

Wanting to repair some of the damage my mother had tried to inflict on Jack's presence, I leaned forward and told them of Jack's talent. "It seems Mr. Dawson is a fine artist and was kind enough to show me some of his work today."

Cal, who could always be counted upon to give his opinion in any situation, did just that. "Rose and I differ somewhat on our definition of fine art…" he looked up at Jack as he spoke. "Not to impugn your work, sir."

Jack shook his head to let him know he was not offended by Cal's comment. It was at that time that the first course of caviar was being brought around. I lifted my napkin to show Jack this was what he supposed to do as well. The conversation turned to the Titanic as we prepared to dine.

"She might belong to me on paper, but in the eyes of God, she belongs to Thomas Andrews," Mr. Ismay boasted. "He knows every rivet in her… don't you, Thomas?"

I turned to Mr. Andrews and smiled at him. I had always found him to be a very nice man, quiet and so unassuming. "You're ship is a wonder, Mr. Andrews… truly."

"Thank you, Rose," he smiled kindly at me.

The waiter came around to Jack at that time. "How do you take your caviar, sir?"

"No caviar for me thanks. Never did care for it much," Jack told him. I smiled, again taken aback at his ability to be so genuine. It was so refreshing compared to what I was used to.

"And, where exactly to you live Mr. Dawson?" Mother asked him. I tensed for a moment, well aware of how my mother could turn any situation around. Her earlier attempts to embarrass Jack were on my mind as he answered her.

"Well, right now my address is the RMS Titanic. After that, I'm on God's good humor."

"And how is it you have means to travel?" she asked, feigning her interest, I was sure.

"I work my way from place to place, you know, tramp steamers and such. But, I won my ticket on Titanic here at a lucky hand at poker. A very lucky hand." Jack finished by looking over at me with a smile.

"All life is a game of luck," Colonel Gracie declared. But Cal had other ideas about that. As usual, he spoke up giving his opinion.

"Hmm, a real man makes his own luck, Archie. Right, Dawson," Cal glanced over at him.

"Hmm," was Jack's only response. It was then that my mother made her move and went in for the kill. "And you find that kind of rootless existence appealing, do you?" she drawled coolly on the acerbic words.

Jack looked at her momentarily before answering her. The words he used bore into my soul and summed up everything that was Jack and brought into perspective what the others around this table had long forgotten. "Well, yes ma'am I do. I mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got the air in my lungs and a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning and not knowing what's going to happen… or who I'm gonna meet… or where I'm gonna wind up," he said as he looked over at me once again. I was caught up in what he was saying, seeing clearly what he was expressing.

He lifted his glass and took a sip as he talked. "Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people," he finished and turned to the waiter. "I'll have some more of that," he held his glass toward him. "I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You never know what kind of hand you're gonna get dealt. You learn to take life as it comes at ya."

Jack then did something that I'm sure Cal thought of as uncouth and ill-mannered. He threw a pack of matches toward him when he saw Cal searching for his own unsuccessfully. "To make each day count," Jack continued, ignoring Cal's dark eyes boring into him with reproach.

"Well said, Jack," Mrs. Brown said next to him.

"Here, here," Colonel Gracie once again declared loudly.

I wanted to show Jack how much his being here this evening meant to me and so I lifted my own glass in a toast as well. "To making it count," I said toward him and smiled warmly. To my surprise and to Jack's as well, the entire table, with the exception of Mother and Cal, lifted their glass and toasted along with me.

"To making it count," they said at once. Jack nodded graciously at them and lifted his glass to join the toast. I could hardly contain my excitement at this, for I knew that Jack had passed the test. Why this was important I wasn't sure, but I was proud of him nonetheless.

The rest of the evening passed smoothly. Jack made the evening special and in spite of the same group of people and the same mindless chatter, it was bearable somehow with him there close to me. He and I couldn't keep our eyes off of each other and somehow we were able to connect on a level that Cal and I never had. As the dinner came to an end, I felt my disappointment rising. I didn't want it to be over, I didn't want Jack to leave. But, it was inevitable and just as I predicted, Colonel Gracie rose from his seat.

"Well, join me for a brandy, gentlemen?" he asked around the table. Why he asked this was beyond me, for it was this way every night. The men always went to the smoking room for brandy and cigars while the women retired to their suites to ready for the night. It had been like this for as long as I could remember.

I smiled sardonically over to Jack and whispered. "Now they'll retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate each other on being masters of the universe."

Jack grinned at my comment as Mr. Ismay stood and addressed us. "Ladies, thank you for the pleasure of your company."

Cal came up behind me at that time and bent over my shoulder and asked if he could escort me back to our cabin. I declined and told him I would stay in the dining room. I hoped he wouldn't make a scene and didn't suspect the real reason I wanted to stay behind.

Jack stood at that time and Colonel Gracie came up to him as he did. "Joining us, Dawson? You don't want to stay out here with the women do you?"

"No thanks, I've got to be heading back," he answered.

Cal left my side then and walked over to Jack, stopping only for a moment as he did. "It's probably best, it'll be all business and politics and that sort of thing," he told him as if Jack couldn't possibly comprehend what it was all about. "I'm sure it wouldn't interest you," he dismissed him and continued walking. Then, in an unexpected move, Cal turned back to him and called his name, tossing the matches back at him. "Good of you to come," he nodded and then he turned back and continued along with the other men.

Jack turned to me and then came over to where I still sat. I looked up at him, not sure how to express what I was feeling. I could only manage to ask him if he really had to go. I didn't want him to leave yet, but I knew he had to.

"It's time for me to go row with the other slaves," he quipped and offered his hand to me. "Goodnight, Rose."

I placed my hand in his and immediately I felt something foreign there. He kissed it gently and then stepped back. As he did, I saw what appeared to be a slip of paper. I looked up at him and he smiled at me, but kept walking. Glancing around to see if anyone saw the exchange I lowered it into my lap and opened it, reading the words Jack had wrote.

Make it count. Meet me at the clock!

I was shocked and yet I was thrilled that Jack hadn't wanted our night to end either. He wanted me to meet him, but could I? I was torn in my decision, but in the end, I knew that I would. I was drawn to Jack Dawson as surely as the moth is drawn to the flame. It may be wrong, but I didn't care. I stood and told Mother that I was retiring to my room and made my way across the dining room. It was risky I knew, but for once I was following my heart and tonight it was clear in it's purpose and it was leading me straight to Jack.