Titanic - The Heart Goes On By HL Griffiths

(Sequel to The Heart Never Lies)

Chapter Seventeen–"Wedding Belles?"

Early January 1913

"Crosswinds, Hockley Family Home, Philadelphia

Caledon

I walked into our library and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs I was feeling so depressed I had spent a miserable tense Christmas with my strained family and then spent the rest of the time blind drunk or gambling at the club. Anything but remember.

I was dying to have a cigarette but my Father would be along anytime soon in preparation for the arranged meeting with George Harrington-Smyth and Emily but I prepared myself a quick brandy. I needed it.

I could not believe it was 1913 and 9 months since Titanic. Nine months since everything I had once held dear was lost to me..

My future with Rose. Rose now Jack Dawson's wife and Mother of his child obviously conceived on Titanic as the girl had refused to be intimate with me other than a few stolen kisses.

It pained me still and made my head swim to think of her. The gutter rat had gone one better than me. She had screamed at me that the one thing he had to offer her that I could not was love.

However, I had loved her, but not in the way, she needed. I would always love her.

She had broken my heart!

I still dreamed of her and was feeling raw from the last encounter when I tried in vain to win her back and Jack and my own brother had outfoxed me and My Father had to bail me out.

Living again with my Fathers ill-concealed irritation with me was hard. I kept busy working at the Pittsburg mill and tried to be dutiful even agreeing to him sourcing a new bride for me. Anything to reclaim my money.

I was deeply in Fathers debt and I hated it.

The only bright spot was that Gerard was at odds with him too over his siding with The Dawson's etc. I supposed I should be grateful to Gerard for stopping me acting rashly but I could have cheerfully have put a bullet in the gutter swine. Even Bonner had been sent packing for his part in the plot and now I had a new subservient manservant called Jenkins who was in all my fathers' man.

Gerard walked in the library door, saw me and nearly turned on his heel but reluctantly came in. He had been avoiding me and shot me distasteful looks when we met.

"Caledon" he said bored. I nodded to him holding my brandy glass. I studied him wondering not for the first time what his relationship with Jack and Rose was; he seemed to have befriended them in an easy manner. Not that I could go near them. Father had forbid me ever to mention them again.

My sweet Rose, I would have given her the stars if she'd asked. I had wanted and desired her since I first saw her, now she spent her nights in someone else's arms, would bear someone else's children and was no longer mine!

"What's all this about?" I asked Gerard

"Not a clue. George requested we all be here" Gerard replied.

If on cue my father came in with Sylvie resplendent on his arm, followed by the white bearded erect figure of George Harrington-Smyth and Emily both looking wary.

Gerard

Emily sat down on the settee next to her Father. I could not take my eyes off her; it had been well before Christmas that I had spent anytime with her. She was always resting or unavailable when I called and never answered letters. Something was not right I just knew. Our wedding was supposed to be in March.

Didn't she care for me anymore? I had not enjoyed Christmas, just spent my time worrying about her. I moping about just like Cal seemed to be too. He had been unusually quiet since the Chippewa Falls episode.

She was wearing a yellow dress and her hair was in a elaborate French braid. She looked delicate and her skin so pale. She kept her eyes downcast and would not look at me.

I wanted to rush to her and make her talk to me but my Father had starting talking

"George" he was saying "Can I get you anything?" George did not smile. Mother was looking puzzled at the hostility of George and gave me a sideways glance. Things did not bode well.

Emily said nothing and turned her fingers over nervously in her hands. Her whole posture one of defeat, she was going to call the engagement off. She wasn't wearing her ring My heart pounded loudly. I felt sick.

"No" George barked.

Mother took the initiative "Pray what can we do for you George, Emily?" She said expansively being gracious. Father was frowning. Cal looked puzzled sitting to one side in a winged chair.

George stood up abruptly. "I won't mince my words," he said coldly, his eyes swiveling to me. Emily looked crushed.

"You, You Boy" he rasped at me "Gerard Hockley, you have ruined my daughter" he went beet red with embarrassment. Emily's shoulders started to shake.

"What?" I gasped. What was he saying? Mother came to my side and took my arm supportively. My father rose as well and shouted "What are you insinuating about my son?"

George matched hiss tone and glared at me "Do I have to spell it out. Your young son here had his wicked way with my daughter before marriage" he was puce with rage now. Emily was crying softly but was ignored in the mêlée.

"No" I cried, my Mother holding me roughly by the arm pulling me back. Cals expression was one of confusion.

"NO" my voice shook with emotion "I swear I have been nothing but respectful with Emily, I have not disgraced her, tell them Emily"

Emily was silent, just crying hard into her hands.

Caledon

While Gerard was frantically, protesting his innocence and George was yelling accusations at him and Father was trying to counter him my mind was working overtime.

Was I hearing right? Emily Ruined. What did he mean? I thought back to Gerard's party in early October 1912.

The memory shot in to my head I had totally forgotten about it. I had made love to Emily in the summerhouse. A tryst, a conquest, inconquential to me. She could not have been with anyone else. She was not that sort of girl to quote her.

George suddenly spelled out and confirmed what we needed to hear

"My daughter is with child, the doctor has confirmed it," he roared. The room fell quiet apart from the sound of Emily's weeping

"Emily" My stepmother demanded of Emily "Did Gerard really touch you" She walked over to Emily, sat down next to her on the sette, and touched her hand.

We all watched with an awkward tense silence

"Emily my dearest" Sylvie said gently "We need to know, did Gerard and you have intimacy, if you have please don't worry we'll bring the wedding forward, these things happen"

She shot a filthy look at my Father who was looking much put out. "We can sort this out Emily"

Gerard was staring at Emily with wide confused eyes.

"Tell them Emily" he said walking towards her slowly his voice shook but was low.

"Tell them Emily," he repeated louder, his eyes beginning to flash. He looked pressured, fighting an invisible demon inside.

Emily raised a tear stained face, her lips quivered.

"Emily?" Her father demanded, "We are waiting"

"Please Emily" Gerard pleaded and knelt down in front of her and took her hands tenderly, fresh tears fell from her eyes

"Tell them the truth; tell them we have not been intimate" Gerard whimpered frantically "I don't understand Emily?"

Emily suddenly ripped her hand from Gerard's and he stood up and backed off. His eyes wounded and hurt.

Her voice came and it was raw and bitter.

"Alright" she said, "Alright, Gerard is an gentleman, we have not been intimate at any stage of our relationship"

Sylvie burst out "But whom?" She looked at Emily in shock

"But we all thought you loved Gerard?" she said her voice puzzled.

Emily father sank into a nearby chair speechless.

My Father snorted with anger and yelled, "What the blazes is going on, explain yourself gal"

Emily turned her head towards me and I saw the intense hatred burning there. It just confirmed it.

I was as stunned as the rest. I was going to be a father.

It was clear what I needed to do. Roses memory had to laid to rest. It was the future that counted!

Gerard

I could not breathe; I was stunned as if someone had punched me hard in the chest.

The girl I loved, my bride to be had just admitted out loud she was pregnant and that it could not be mine as we had never been intimate as I had always respected her.

Tears stung my eyes. Mother came back to my side in shock herself. "Calm yourself Gerard" she murmured to me. I could feel myself shaking.

Emily angrily wiped tears from her eyes and screamed, "You all think I am a piece of trash but it was not like that I..."

"Emily" Cal stood forward, took Emily by the shoulders, and stared her down and shook her gently, what was he playing at?

His darks eyes burning with the same intensity as the day he tried to drag Rose away.

"We must tell them," he was saying."Shouldn't we Emily"

He released Emily's shoulders and she sank back into the seat, her face like a death mask.

"It's my entire fault really," he said smoothly a smile on his lips

"Emily has always been secretly in love with myself and we um I am afraid gave into our mutual passions."

"Caledon?" My father said incredulously. Sylvie gasped. The blood drained from my head.

"Caledon is this true?" Father echoed

Cal went over to Emily and stood with a hand on her shoulder. He looked at me mockingly.

"Yes Father. Emily and I had a secret affaire in October and now we are expecting our child"

"EMILY? NO IT CANT BE TRUE" I shouted at her. Her eyes flickered over to me and I saw the hopelessness there, the shame. Cals expression was triumphant.

She had been with my brother... She was my fiancée, how could he, I loved her, loved her...

I saw red.

I ran forward towards Cal. My Father and Emily's father restraining me.

"Gerard" I saw Emily's lips say silently

"I will kill you bastard," I yelled. Cals smile did not waver.

"I am sorry Gerard" he taunted, "She preferred me over you."

"I hate you Cal, I'll get you for this. Emily I loved you, I LOVED you how could you? How could you with him?. Emily, Emily..."

"Gerard" my mother shouted, tears in her eyes, "Please don't do this"

I bit my lip, tears in my own eyes.

"Behave" my father barked at me still restraining me. George let go and surveyed us all with dislike.

"What a disgusting turn of events" he scoffed "What will you do to make amends?"

Emily had tears still falling down her face.

Caledon answered him and made my blood freeze

"Well I am prepared to do the honorable thing now I am released from my previous betrothal. Emily and I will marry soonest"

Emily gasped and tried to wrench herself from Cals hard grip on her.

"No!" She cried, "Father I"

Her father cut across her tirade, and said in a cold harsh tone, wagging a finger at her.

"This is for the best Daughter; you will marry Caledon here in a quiet ceremony. It will still be a good match. You carry his bastard child, the future heir it will be fitting and prudent"

"No" I shouted. Trying to go forwards, "No Emily No" Tears fell from my eyes. This was agonizing. My Mother was sobbing near me.

"YES" My father interjected. "It will be so, it's for the best, Emily understands that don't you?"

She nodded, she looked wretched.

"Brilliant" Cal was saying, "This is such a happy occasion"

Father said to me and mother "What's done is done son, go and pack and leave for Virginia right away, we'll talk at a later time, Sylvie escort your son"

He steered me around and pushed me out the room. Mother with me; I followed broken. My last sight was of Emily's haunted sad eyes. It would stay with me forever.

"To us. Mr and Mrs Hockley" I heard Cals happy cries in my ears.

My world as I knew it had ended. I had to leave Crosswinds. Not now Cal had stolen the only woman I would ever love.