Jack looked out of the window, bored to death as the train slowly proceeded on. Ella had convinced her aunt to let him sit with them in their cabin. Jack would've preferred to be alone now, but he understood what a privilege his was in fact getting. The governess wasn't sitting with them; she had immediately retired to another waggon.
Obviously that was how it was done in that society.
Jack shook his head. Travelling together for him surely meant something different.
Ella kept staring at him. She must've been really curious about him. Of course she hardly ever saw poor people.
And she's surely been taught that all poor ones are hopeless dirty scoundrels only looking for the next opportunity to rob people like her.
He wasn't the least bit interested in this girl, but he couldn't help to listen as she kept talking on and one about her life.
"I'm so excited; I'm going to be married soon," she exclaimed.
Jack immediately remembered Rose.
Had her reaction been the same before actually getting to know her fiancé? She was brought up like this, wasn't she? Most likely she was just as much looking forward to her wedding at first as this girl here was.
Lettice was sitting aside trying to read and constantly reminded her niece of all kind of things.
"A lady doesn't speak with her mouth full."
"A lady doesn't speak unless being asked a question."
And so forth…
Ruth Dewitt Bukater came to his mind again. He could very much picture Rose being lectured the whole day from her mother.
The criticizing didn't help much. Ella wasn't listening.
"Sorry, auntie, I'm just so happy."
At the mentioning of the word Auntie she received a harsh look from Lettice.
"Really, Ella, you're soon to be a married woman, try to act like it and not like a little girl. What should your husband think?"
Ella mumbled another sorry and started looking out of the window.
The ride seemed to take on forever. Also the view was very disappointing – trees, bushes, stones...trees, bushes, stones – always the same.
Not very interesting to paint – Jack thought.
What was he thinking? His portfolio was lost during the sinking and he didn't even have money to buy food. Not exactly the best time to think about drawing again.
There was something else he was wondering about.
That Ella was travelling with her aunt rather than her parents hadn't escaped his attention and he asked himself what had happened. But of course he would keep his mouth shut. In this society people never spoke about their real problems. At least this he had learned from Rose.
They only made up new ones.
"You haven't told me your name, Sir," he heard Ella's voice.
Jack was startled for a moment, realizing shortly that she was right. Normally he had always been the one introducing him.
"Excuse me, Miss, I must've forgotten," Jack stated his expression unreadable. "I didn't want to be impolite."
Lettice eyed her niece suspiciously.
Surely she's thinking what Ruth Dewitt Bukater did. She's afraid that I might interrupt her plans.
With her long blond hair, her lovely light blue dress…yes she was beautiful, but…
Probably in another time and age…
After Rose's death he couldn't imagine being with any other woman again, least of all someone from the same class with the same background and future as her.
"My name is Jack Dawson," he finished returning to looking out of the window again.
Hopefully the talking would be over for now.
Lettice had a least thanked him for running after the thief, unlike Ruth.
I shouldn't judge her so harsh. It's not their fault what happened.
Ella instead gave him a smile, for which she immediately earned a shove from her aunt.
"Is this really necessary?" she silently hissed at her.
Ella shrunk back retreating to the window.
Jack didn't believe that the last word was spoken in this. It soon turned out that he was right.
"May I speak alone with my niece, Mr. Dawson?"
Jack understood that her question was in fact an order and he quickly rose up from his seat, bowing his head to her.
"Of course, Madam," he told her knowing once more why he never had any intention of becoming someone's butler.
What a waste of time that would've been.
Ella must've known what she was about to hear, because she shot Jack a desperate look. Jack pretended not to notice. These people were offering him a great chance, he wasn't about to destroy that by angering his newest employer.
Lettice waited until Jack had closed the cabin door behind him, before starting to speak with her niece.
Jack wasn't angry.
At last he had time again to think about Fabrizio. Lettice had given him some money for helping them before and he decided to finally get himself something to eat.
He returned after what seemed to be an hour having eaten something and seen the whole stupid train.
I shouldn't have taken in their offer.
But what other chance did he have?
Jack was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't even think of knocking before entering the cabin again.
Lettice and Ella didn't seem to mind they were too engaged in their talk. Jack noticed a newspaper lying on Lettice's lap and her having her eyes on an article. Ella looked quite disturbed and Jack felt a little bit sorry for her.
He could very much imagine what she had been hearing.
You're going to be married soon.
You need to start behaving like a married woman.
What should your husband think.
Quietly Jack let himself sink down again besides Ella. He slightly wondered, if he should leave once more, but decided against it, though Lettice glared at him.
"Really, my dear, you don't want to end up like Mrs. Dewitt Bukater's daughter."
Jack attention was immediately aroused. He wouldn't let anyone talk badly about his Rose.
"She was engaged to Mr. Hockley, one of most agilable bachelors in America, as you might've heard already. But instead of being glad and happy she chose to run away with some...," she stopped clearing her throat "...poor guy...," she finished. "However fate is always correcting things..."
How did they even know about us? Had Hockley said something?
Ella looked at her questioningly.
"Both of them died in the sinking. I feel sorry for her mother and Mr. Hockley, but it shows that rich and poor shouldn't mix together..."
Jack noted Lettice's eyes on him again.
Isn't this right, Mr. Dawson? - she seemed to say - daring him to give the false answer.
Jack forced a smile, hoping that they would change the topic. Now not only his friend was in danger, his love was being used as bad example to a young girl...
His smiled grew and he nodded towards Lettice in appreciation while clenching his fists behind his back.