Titanic - The Heart Goes On By HL Griffiths
(Sequel to The Heart Never Lies)
Chapter Nine – Family Secrets
Authors note: I thought I would try and explain a bit of Jack's family history in this chapter, big plot line.
Mid October 1912
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Jack
We woke to a bright light autumn morning. Aunty Janette called us down to a wonderful hot substantial breakfast. She was more conciliatory than the night before and was all smiles. Uncle William said hello briefly, a tall stooping six foot man with thin graying hair and mellow brown eyes and a cheery smile. He was already was off to work on the farm. He looked so older but was very friendly to us.
Rose did not say much, she still looked sleepy; she ate her food in silence. After the table was cleared Aunty sat down with us.
"I'd like to hear about what happened on Titanic if you don't mind Jacky, fair shook me up when I heard you were on it"
Rose and I exchanged looks; we had decided to hold back the information about Cal and his underhandedness. I briefly ran through a diluted version of me meeting Rose, us becoming attached and then the boat sinking and that we had got separated and that Molly had brought us together again.
Aunty looked amazed. "You were both very lucky" she said.
She looked at Rose "You are very quiet, where is your Mother these days dearest? Is she happy for you?"
Rose then spoke softly and quietly about her privileged upbringing and that her family had become penniless and that her Mothers was on the hunt for a rich husband and they had gone a European tour. She told Aunty omitting here engagement to Cal that they were traveling home on the boat.
"So where is Ruth now?" Aunty asked.
"Ruth is in our Santa Monica rented House for now" Rose replied. "She is heavily involved in charity work for unfortunate women; Molly pays her a small allowance and lets her stay in the house in return for her help. Mother had discovered a compassionate side after Titanic" Rose finished her voice wavering. Aunty patted her hand.
"I am sorry that your Mother hasn't been motherly to you Rose. We are all one big family here. Now take Jacks parents" Aunty glanced at me. I smiled at her and nodded to go on.
"Jacks parents were fantastic with Jack; they were very much devoted to him and each other. And now Jacky is the image of his Pa. The same build, blonde hair and blue eyes. But you have your Mothers quality for fitting in anywhere and her graciousness, she was a special lady"
She looked serious for a minute. Words lying unspoken in the air. The rising she brought a photo album to the table and laid it down
"Hope Dawson was very beautiful" Aunty said quietly "Fine dark blonde hair, and such expressive eyes, very slender and so caring and mild mannered. That fire was so awful at least they went together, so sad for Jacky though"
"Are you trying to explain something Janette?"I enquired. Aunty just nodded.
"Looking at you two lovebirds reminded me of your Pa and Ma after their marriage. Similar to you two in more ways than you think"
Rose and looked at each other, she took my hand. Aunty was being cryptic and confusing.
She flipped the album open.
Rose
The album open I saw pictures of James and Hope. Aunty was right; Jack was the image of James. Hope was as pretty as she said too. She had a luminous quality on her sensitive face. She did not look like a typical rough set farmer's wife. There were some photos of a baby Jack. I laughed. Jack swirmed.
"Gorgeous he was" Aunty agreed.
Then Aunty turned to the back of the album and brought out a single picture and placed it on the table.
It was of two young girls obviously sisters of about 13 and 10 sitting arms entwined, smiling at the camera. They both had the same sweet smiles, light hair in ringlets and dark eyes, Jack frowned. I looked more closely. The clothes the girls were wearing gave it away and the ornate gardens in the shot behind them.
"Aunty?" Jack echoed.
"Look at their hair and the cut of their clothes" Aunty said urgently. "These are two 1st class young ladies"
"I can see" Jack said "But this is my mother?" Confusion on his face.
Aunty turned wistful "Yes Jack that is you're Mother and her older sister. What your mother and father never told you was that Hope came from a rich prominent family and that she and James defied her family to be together and they cut her off"
Jack and I looked at each other in stunned silence.
"Well I never" I spat out.
"Talk about history repeating itself" Jack quipped.
"Yes she was a Tremaine of Boston. That photo is of Hope and her older sister Demelza. Hope adored her they were inseparable, until the Tremaines married Demelza off young to a rich but horrible Monster"
"Poor Demelza" I said "I can feel sorry for her, what happened to her?" I looked at the radiant Demelza, sold like I nearly had been to the richest highest bidder.
"After her marriage, her husband cut off the contact with the Tremaines. Hope only heard that she died young and unhappy, she had one son but the Hocklys closed rank and we never saw him" Aunty filled in.
"What" Jack and I shouted in unison "Did you say Hockley?" I whispered, ice flowing through me.
I felt as cold as I had in the icy Atlantic.
Aunty was puzzled. "Yes Rose, Demelza Tremaine was married off to a Mr Nathan Hockley of Philadelphia" she said.
Jack
Rose turned pale and her eyes glazed.
"Rose!!" Aunty said and caught her as she swooned; Rose managed to pull herself together and sat back upright. Eyes wide in shock.
"What is the matter Rose, you are as pale as a ghost?"
"Aunty you better sit down" I said.
Aunty sat down on the kitchen chair.
"What is it Jack?" she asked, "Why is Rose so upset?" Aunty was getting upset herself.
"Rose, I am going to have to tell her" Rose nodded and tears welled in her eyes I went round to her and put my arms around her shoulders.
"The Hockley's are well acquainted with Rose, Aunty, and with me. To cut it short, Demelza's son and I are cousins."
"I don't understand" Aunty replied.
"Demelza Tremaine Hockley's lost son is called Caledon Hockley and is a right arrogant son of a gun. I and he are cousins as Demelza and my mother were sisters. And well Caledon Hockley was once engaged to Rose, it's very complicated"
"You better tell me" Aunty said confused too, "This all sounds strange" Rose nodded her confirmation.
"Too right its strange" I said "It's strange to me too, but I'll start from when I first saw Rose"
I slowly told Aunty everything, about Cal and his obsession for Rose and his capturing her off the Carpathia and all the details upto date. Tears fell down Roses cheeks as I recounted the story
Aunty hissed "I can't believe it. A son of sweet Demelza ending up to be like that"
Rose suddenly laughed through her tears "Jack," she said "You do realizes you cant possibly be a gutter rat any more, maybe a half gutter rat, you have upper class blood; you and Cal are related!!"
"Yep funny old world isn't it, I am sure he'd be stoked to know I was his cousin Jack descended from the mighty Tremaines of Boston" I mocked.
Rose dried her eyes and we laughed hard. Aunty went out and came back with a paper.
"I just remembered, look at this" and placed the paper open next to the photo.
Our laughter died as we read the headlines from the Eau Claire Gazette
"HOCKLEY BRIDE STILL MISSING" the headline read
"A devastated Caledon Hockley II was intensifying his efforts to find his missing 17 year old Fiancée Rose Dewitt Bukater. He has engaged private detectives to seek her out. "She went down on the Titanic and is in deep shock" Mr Hockley told reporters "My father and I went her back so we can help her and be married as planned". "I will offer a reward to anyone with information"
Rose burst into tears. "On No" she sobbed. I hugged her.
Aunty read the article too.
"You had lucky escape from what you told me" Aunty said carefully
"This Caledon doesn't want to let you go, he sounds dangerous"
"Oh he is" Jack snapped "Even the fact of our legal marriage wouldn't stop him. Rose is just a prize for him"
"Demelza would have been heartbroken. Hope loved her so much and spoke so highly of her" Aunty mused sadly.
"I'll keep Rose safe" I stated.
"Yes we all will, Rose my dear, you are a Dawson and family and that's were you belong" Aunty told her.
"I'll make us some more tea to get over this shock" Aunty soothed and went to make some.
"He'll never get you back" I whispered to Rose "I'll never let you go; you are mine for ever and our child too"