Chapter 5: A Heart of Ice as Cold as the Ocean

Disclaimer: cqofegypt does not own Titanic

Rose's Stateroom

Rose Margaret DeWitter sat in her stateroom in front of the mirror. She was brushing out her hair, for dinner later this evening.

Being that it was only four o'clock, she didn't have to get dressed until a wee bit later. One of the ship's maids, Trudy, had been caring for her, and would help her prepare later on. (How ironic...a scullery maid helping a cabin girl ^_^)

Rose was still in her corset and petticoat, silently brushing her hair, and letting her mind dawdle on Mr. Andrews' kindness.

Flashback

They had been standing in his office this morning, when he had spoken gently to her about the previous evening, wondering why she had gone so much as to put herself in danger.

Rose had explained that she hadn't meant to, she thought she would be helping the ship-hands.

Andrews' mouth had turned upwards, and he'd shook his head. He'd said that Rose wouldn't have helped anyone if she had actually fallen overboard.

'I just don't want anything to happen to you... You are your mother's pride and joy, and I would feel terrible myself if...'

Andrews hadn't finished his statement, since Fifth Officer Harry Lowe, had come to let him know that the Captain would like to speak to him.

'We'll continue this conversation later, Rose...and meanwhile, consider being a little kinder to Jack...he's a friend of mine too, you know' he'd winked, smiled and left the room.

End of Flashback

Rose smiled to herself, making a mental note to apologize to Jack the next time she saw him.

Suddenly the door creaked open. Rose shrieked. There was a man at her door!

Who was he? What did he want? Why did he not knock?

"Wh-who are you?" the girl croaked.

The man smiled wickedly. Coming into the light she noticed he was tall, sort of handsome, with a snobbish air about him.

He had fair skin with jet black hair, and menacing green eyes. Rose's alarm bells in her head went off immediately.

Who was this man? What did he want with her? Though these questions were raving around in her head, Rose said nothing, only stared at him.

The man came closer to her, a sordid smirk on his face, as if he'd found what he was looking for...in fact, in his mind, he had.

"You're Rose DeWitter, are you not?" he asked, in a strangely sweet tone.

Rose's blue eyes narrowed at him. "Who wants to know?" she asked.

Caledon Hockley smiled to himself. Hmm, she was feistier than he'd expected.

"My name is Caledon Hockley...I am a friend of your mother's" he said smoothly.

"My mother knows nothing of you...if she did, she would have told me" Rose shot back.

Cal's green eyes gleamed. She was trying to outwit him...he looked down...and grinned evilly.

Rose glared at him, folding her arms across her chest. She'd like nothing more than to smack the daylights out of this monster.

Mr. Hockley's tone became strangely tender. "It has come to my attention that you have been uncharacteristically melancholy. I don't pretend to know why, but I presume it has something to do with your father."

Rose shot up out of the chair. "You know NOTHING about me or my family! Leave me alone!"

Cal ignored her outburst and continued to pursue her. "I can make all of your troubles disappear..." he said softly.

"All you have to do is be my wife." Rose's arm was an arrow's length away from punching him. If he didn't back up...

Cal took a black velvet box from behind his back, and handed it to her with a smirk. Rose took the box without a word.

Opening it, she noticed a big black rock, with what looked like diamonds surrounding it.

"I intended to give this to you after I gave you a ring, but unfortunately, I don't have one with me" he sneered.

Rose paid no attention to the monster before her...men like this could only want one thing... and he wasn't getting anything.

Lifting the stone carefully, Rose realized it was blue, not black. It looked like a sapphire, but...

"My goodness Mr. Hockley... is this what I think it is?"

Cal noticed she'd taken interest in the bait. "A diamond? Yes... fifty-six carats to be exact"

Taking the box from her, he lifted the necklace gently from the case and put it around her slender neck...

Rose sat down at the mirror again. Cal turned her shoulders to the mirror to see the necklace up close.

"This diamond is a shard of that which was worn by Louis the Sixteenth. It's called La Cour De La Mer-"

"The Heart of the Ocean" Rose answered. Her father had taught her about the history of lots of places, including France. Her favorite story had been the one about this diamond, and now she was wearing a piece of it.

If only Dat could see me now! Rose thought, grinning to herself. Unfortunately for her though, this jewel came with a price... a very high price.

"This jewel is for royalty...and we are royalty, Rose" Cal said, purring in her ear.

He relished the feeling that he had done it. He'd seen how the past day or so this girl and that moronic shipbuilder had gazed at each other, and blushed like school-children. It was pathetic!

Cal's finger's caressed Rose's neck and throat. As he looked at the young woman in the mirror, he was caught off guard by her elegance and beauty.

Rose noticed this gesture of physical contact and gulped. She felt her skin crawl. No man but her husband was to touch her in that intimate way.

Seeing the glint in Mr. Hockley's eyes only furthured Rose's urgency to escape as far as she could from him.

Rose stood up to leave. She needed to call Trudy in to help her get ready.

As if sensing her thoughts, Cal placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her to sit back down.

She stood up again. "Sit down, Rose" he said quietly. She remained standing as Cal paced about the room trying to contain his emotions, and plotting his next move.

"Blast it, I said sit down!" he roared.

Rose jumped and sat down quickly, looking down at the floor.

Cal knelt next to the chair, stroking her hand softly. Rose wanted nothing better than to raise that hand and smack him... but no, such a daring gesture would not please Mr. Andrews, or Mum for that matter.

Cal looked into her eyes. "There's nothing I couldn't give you. There's nothing that I would deny you if you would deny me. Open your heart to me Rose"

Giving her a mock look of sympathy, Cal kissed her hand and left the room. Motioning for his valet, Mr. Lovejoy, he said in a low voice. "She is not to come out of this room, and no one is to go in... is that clear?"

Spicer Lovejoy nodded his head, making a mental note to contact a certain friend. "I will keep watch over her," Lovejoy replied with a wry smile. Cal walked away in a huff.

Opening the door a crack, Lovejoy noticed the young woman will herself not to burst into tears. So far, she was doing brilliantly. Lovejoy admired her strength. The strength of her father. Lovejoy thought to himself.

Looking down the hall, he noticed the maid, Trudy coming toward the door. Lovejoy smiled at her and let her pass. Hockley had said nothing about the maid not entering.

Lovejoy continued down the hall to a certain office. He wondered if the man he was searching for was preoccupied...