9th April 1912
It was so hard to believe that we had been in Southampton for almost a week. It didn't seem that long since we had been in Dalbeattie – and I found myself pining for that time again.
It wasn't Will's fault. He was focusing most of his time and energy on Titanic – making sure everything was ready for the maiden voyage, trying to get men to work during the Easter holiday, making sure everyone knew what they should be doing. And he was still carrying the secret about Davy around with him. I was surprised – I would have thought he would have been informed well in advance. Still, it was early morning – there was still time for his dreams to be shattered, I thought dryly.
That didn't change the fact that I wasn't spending that much time with Will. Since we had wandered around Southampton "sight-seeing" the previous Wednesday, he had spent more time working than anything else. Still, it had given me this perfect opportunity to sit on the boat deck to watch Jim Moody and Harry Lowe perform a lifeboat drill.
"No, you fool – we lower at the same time!"
"You're going too bloody slowly, that's your problem!"
"Watch it – watch it! Will you slow down?"
"Will you speed it up a bit?"
"I swear, Jim, if you break this boat it's not coming out of my wages."
"It aint coming out of mine either, Harry – you're paid more than me!"
And so it went on, until they begrudgingly lowered at the same pace – which meant no more entertainment for me. It still amused me, however, that Jim and Harry (as they had asked me to call them a few days previous) kept bickering like schoolboys while they worked together, but still remained good friends. I had teased them about this on a similar occasion. Well, it wasn't exactly similar. Harry was watching Jim make the captain a cup of tea, and they started arguing over how the captain liked it. I had come to the conclusion that they were united in their dislike of having to make tea for the senior officers. "I'm a glorified steward" Harry had muttered on that day, and Jim had nodded furiously in agreement.
"Miss Banks?"
I frowned as I recognised the voice. Bruce Junior.
"Mr Ismay."
"May I sit with you?"
I looked away from Harry and Jim to look up at him.
"I do not wish to have a repeat of our last conversation."
"Miss Banks, I do not wish to upset you. I only wish to sit and talk."
I sighed reluctantly. "Only on the condition that you will not speak of my fiancé as you did before."
"I swear." He sat down. "How do you like the ship?"
"I think Mr Andrews has done a fine job."
"Are you looking forward to setting out tomorrow?"
"To be honest, no. The idea of spending a week or more on a ship full of strangers does not appeal to me."
"Ah, but you must know the staff quite well already. The passengers will be easy to get along with."
That was when I became conscious of the fact that he was edging towards me.
"Excuse me, Mr Ismay, can you please not come too close?"
"Too close?" He edged just that bit closer. I stood up.
"Excuse me, I need to have a word with Mr Moody."
"But Miss Banks -!"
I don't know why he made me feel so uncomfortable but he did. The way he kept edging closer, the fact that I had noticed on several occasions that his eyes would lock onto me. It wouldn't take much for Will to notice – I hoped he would notice. At least Lights could back me up regarding the unwanted attention. I stopped beside the boat and turned to Jim.
"What are you doing this for?"
"Second drill to make sure the davits work." He panted, pulling a rope tightly. "And of course Harry and I are blessed with the donkey work."
"Would you like to take over my position, Ada?" Harry asked. "I mean, it's mostly tea making after all."
"Are you suggesting that only women can make tea?" I smiled. "Besides, you know you love your work. Will told me how long it took you to get this far. You wouldn't go through all that for a job you detest."
"True, true." He was stopped by a yell from the bridge. "Hold up there, Jimbo, looks like we're needed elsewhere."
"How unfortunate," Jim chimed in, his tone of voice saying the opposite.
"We'll be leaving you for a minute, Ada, if you don't mind."
Not that it would have mattered if I did mind – they would have to leave anyway. I sighed and turned to see that Bruce Junior was gone. That was a blessing. I returned to my seat, just in time to hear a frustrated yell emerge from the bridge.
"Bleedin' hell, you're joking me!" A pause. "Sorry, sir, but -"
Oh God – Davy had just been told. Suddenly the officers were all coming back in my direction, Davy at their head, ranting about the news.
"I do all that bloody work, just to be told to clear out my cabin because some old sod is joining us! I wouldn't stand for it if I was you, lads! Clear out my cabin, the hell!"
Lights was walking close behind him, complaining just as loudly.
"It's that fool Wilde again – always gets my back up!"
Will and the other officers followed at a distance, gradually wandering back to their original duties as though nothing had happened. Will walked over to me.
"He was told, I take it?"
Will smiled slightly. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
Another man walked up behind Will, with an awkward expression on his face. He looked quite a bit older, although on reflection I decided that could just as easily be experience as age.
"Will?"
Will's expression froze before slowly turning to an expression of contempt. He turned.
"Mr Wilde."
"Please, Will, I didn't ask to be posted onto this ship. I don't want to be stepping on your toes – can't we make this voyage as painless as possible?"
"I'm sorry, but Davy -"
"Please, Will. It's hard enough having Charles at my throat like a blimmin' fox terrier again, without you turning on me as well."
Will's face softened slightly. "Very well, Henry."
A wave of relief crossed Wilde's face as I saw him visibly relax. His eyes shifted to meet mine.
"I'm sorry, I have awful manners." He looked at Will in expectation.
"Ada, this is our new chief officer, Henry Wilde. Henry, this is my fiancée, Miss Ada Banks."
"Fiancée?" He looked surprised. "Ah, is this the woman you met on that Australia jaunt recently?" Will nodded and Wilde smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. Heard all about you on Olympic -"
"Just go back to Olympic, why don't you?"
We turned to see Lights standing there. It was an oddly comical sight – he had the contents of his cabin in a box, with a scowl on his face. Wilde looked mortally wounded.
"I can't apologise enough, Charles. Please -"
"Can't be hearing it, sir!"
Lights pushed right past him. God – I had been on this ship for all this time and I'd never seen this side of Lights. I would never have imagined him to react in this way! Will had apparently expected this, and simply rolled his eyes.
"Lights – Lights!"
The younger officer reluctantly turned to look at Will.
"Lights, remember what Davy did last week?"
Lights grunted something in response.
"Well, for the sake of a pleasant voyage, I let it pass my by, didn't I?"
"You made him pay for your room!"
"I most certainly did not! Either way, I have no intention of bringing it up again. I wanted this trip to go nice and smoothly. There will be enough problems with a new ship without the officers at eachother's throats."
"Good grief, Will – you singing from Andrews' hymn sheet now?"
"Lights. You know I'm right."
He did, but he didn't want to admit it. Instead, he shrugged and glared at Wilde.
"I'll put up with him. That's all."
He turned and stormed off with his box in the direction of his new cabin. Will sighed and looked at Wilde.
"What's this with Davy?"
"Oh nothing. Just had a bit of a disagreement in a hotel last week."
Wilde looked like he wanted to persist, but seemed to think better of it. He looked at me again.
"Well, it is a real pleasure to meet you at last, Miss Banks."
"Please, call me Ada. All the other officers do."
"Ada." He smiled. "I hope Will is treating you well. He'd better not be paying you less attention than the ship!"
We all laughed, but the truth was that Will was paying the ship more attention. Far more attention. It was one of my biggest regrets about this voyage and it didn't look like it would improve. I was scared of meeting the first class passengers I would be spending the rest of the voyage with from tomorrow, and I pathetically wanted Will to hold my hand through every meal and every wander around the deck. I wanted Will by my side all the time, I wanted this more than anything.
"Sorry, lovvie, I need to have a word with Bartlett."
He and Wilde walked off towards the bridge, leaving me along again. I contemplated leaving there and then, but changed my mind on the grounds that Mr Andrews had been so kind in letting me stay in that suite. Besides, at least being on the ship meant that I would disembark with Will when we reached New York.
