"I was right! You and my daughter are about the same size." Brittany stands in Holly's room, smoothing down her hair.
"Pretty close" She says, admiring the dress.
"You look beautiful." Brittany blushes at this, running her hands across the dress shyly.
"Good evening, Madam." A young porter opens the door for Brittany, and she walks through, nodding slightly at him. She's nervous, although she doesn't understand why. Walking through first class is like she's walked into another world, she walks down the stairs slowly, taking in the intricate wood work. She stands at the bottom of the stairs, where Holly told her to wait, and feels a bit lost. She suddenly finds herself wondering why she even agreed to this. She watches a few women stand around, and walk, and tries to stand as they stand.
When I spot Brittany, she's stood at the bottom of the staircase hands clasped in front of her nervously, but when she spots me, she looks up and beams, and I could swear I've never seen anything so beautiful.
"She must have been nervous, but she never faltered. They assumed she was one of them. Wife to a railroad tycoon, perhaps, new money, obviously, but a member of the club none the less. Mother, of course, could always be counted on."
"Tell us of the accommodation in Steerage, Miss Pierce, I hear they're quite good on this ship."
"The best I've seen, ma'am, hardly any rats." She says it as though she's disappointed by that development, and I can't help but laugh.
Finn feels the need to explain. "Miss Pierce is joining us from the third class, she was of some assistance to my fiancée last night."
I feel the need to interject here. "It turns out that Miss Pierce is quite the artist! She was kind enough to show me some of her work today." I smile softly over the table to her.
"Rose and I differ somewhat on our definition of fine art." Finn shoots in, and I feel like popping out one of his eyes with the caviar spoon he's holding. "Not to make your work sound bad."
"What are all these forks for?" Brittany whispers to Holly, looking alarmed.
"Just work from the outside in." Holly whispers back, and Britt nods. I can't stop staring at her when I think she's not looking, she looks perfect.
"How would you like your caviar, ma'am?" A waitress asks Britt, leaning over slightly.
"Baby fish? No thank you." I chuckle slightly at that, she even makes fish eggs sound adorable.
"And where exactly do you live, Miss Pierce?" That's my mother again, from across the table.
"Right now, my address is the RMS Titanic, and after that, I just go where the wind takes me." She speaks, not faltering once.
"And how is it you have means to travel?" I want to gag her with her napkin, trying to make Brittany look stupid in front of all these people.
"I work my way from place to place, tramp steamers and stuff. But I won my ticket on Titanic here at a lucky hand at poker! It was very lucky, I didn't even know we were playing poker until I'd gotten on the ship!" She laughs, and the table laughs with her.
"All life is a game of luck." Someone says from across the table.
"And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?" Still trying to tear her down, my mother continues, but Brittany, to her credit, makes being homeless sound like a vacation.
"Yes, ma'am, I do" Holly must've been teaching her how to speak. "I've got everything I need right here, I've got the air in my lungs, a few sheets of paper, and my best friend. I love waking up in the morning and not knowing what's going to happen. A few nights ago, I slept under a bridge, and now I'm here, eating fish eggs with you nice people." She smiles when a few people chuckle. "Life's a gift, and I don't intend on wasting it."
My mother's nose is definitely out of joint, and the rest of dinner passes in a flurry of champagne and laughter. Brittany charms almost everyone at the table.
When the men start to rise, I whisper across to Brittany. "Now they retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate each other on being masters of the universe."
Brittany stands, quickly passing something back to Holly before she rounds the table. "Time for me to go and row with the other slaves." She takes my hand, pressing a piece of paper softly into my hand before she leaves.
Meet me at the clock!