Jack was coughing again as the door slowly opened.

"Rose?" he looked up in hope to see her and wasn't only slightly disappointed, when he spotted Ruth standing before him instead.

"I apologize; I didn't want to wake you…"

Jack smiled at hearing her perfect manners; she never used the word sorry for instance. She was already half way out the door again, when Jack called her back.

"No, in fact I…I could need some distraction."

It was minor true. More than this he wanted to know about Rose's whereabouts. Something was very wrong here; he just couldn't tell what it was.

Maybe Ruth did?

"Where's Rose?" he spurted forgetting for a moment who he was speaking to.

Indeed Ruth Dewitt was still something like an alien to him. He had never even dreamt of having a civilized relationship with him.

Ruth bit her lip not knowing what to say. Not long ago she would've happily told him how her daughter was betraying him with someone else – a rich gentleman – she's coming back to her senses, she would've said – but alas times had changed. Believe it or not, but even Ruth preferred Jack to the strange Mr Lindsay.

Should she tell this Jack? After all the doctor had said that he needed rest for a full recovery. Surely mentioning Mr Lindsay and his…yes what was it in fact?…Association to her daughter wouldn't help him in any way.

"I don't know," she stated deciding for the easiest way out by merely lying to him.

She had seen Rose leaving today again alone, but something told her that Mr Lindsay was behind this. Somehow her daughter and he were sharing a secret. Still Rose and she didn't have the kind of relationship that would make it possible to just ask her.

Even if I did Rose would most likely be disavowing having any trouble nonetheless.

Ruth knew her daughter and remembered how stubborn she could be.

"Oh…sure…," he got out clearly saddened by her answer.

"Rose and I…you must know Mr Dawson that we're not…"

She didn't finish the sentence, but Jack still understood what she had wanted to tell him. Rose had mentioned her disastrous relationship with her mother more than once.

However does this mean that Ruth wasn't concerned about her as well?

"I'm just worried," he stated bluntly as if not caring at all, when in reality he was more than alerted.

It wasn't like Rose to just leave and not say a word.

At least she would've told me.

Or not…?

Ruth took a deep breath still not sitting down. She dreaded having to really talk with him. Mr Dawson somehow was different than Mr Hockley and Mr Lindsay and in a way she felt that it was incorrect having lied to him in the first place.

"I'm certain that everything is alright. Rose is sometimes a little complicated," yet she stuck to the original chosen method.

This was true on her part, but even Ruth had to admit that this didn't count for Jack. Rose had never seemed to have any kind of crises with him, much less withholding something important from him.

Before Jack could come up with another request, Ruth had walked up to the window shutting the curtains in an attempt to get him back to sleep.

Mind, it really was a lame effort and Jack noticed so immediately.

"You don't want to talk about Rose," he choked out sitting up in bed. "Look, I know that you don't like me very much, but I think that I still deserve an accurate answer."

Ruth knew he was right, but decided to play along with his instant assumption, putting up the lady again.

"I really have no idea, why I did come here in the first place. You and Rose shouldn't be together at all," she snapped at him in a tone of voice that really left no room for interpretation.

Hopefully he would now stop asking questions now.

He did.

"I understand. Apparently we two have nothing more to say to each other," his voice was just as demanding as hers and for a moment Ruth wanted to take back her words.

But if I do, he'll insist on me helping him or even worse I'd have to tell of Rose and Mr Lindsay…I don't think that I can do this with good conscience.

So Ruth was hurting him by the simply by the fact that she didn't want to upset him. Jack however, didn't seem to suspect anyone. He had obviously awaited nothing else from her.

She hates you, Dawson. It's as simple as that.

Jack chuckled with his shoulders.

Who said that your mother-in-law needs to like you anyway?

"At least this is something we agree on, Mr Dawson," she spat at him before strolling out the room again.

It would be a while, when they would saw each other again and then under severe totally changed conditions. Especially Ruth would wish by then she hadn't said the things she did.

…

Rose got up from bed, seeing Lord Davenport lying beside her.

'Where are you going? To him? To be a whore to a gutter rat?'

Cal had been so right.

I'm really am nothing more, but a whore now.

A silent tear rolled down her cheek as she got up to put on her clothes again, tired and feeling abused as indeed she was. The man beside her happily grunted, for once satisfied.

Certainly not for long – Rose thought bitterly knowing my now a lot of man like him…Cal surely would've been the same.

The only one different you're betraying now, Rose.

"Ah, why are you sad?" she heard a voice beside her looking at Lord Davenport.

Luckily the bed sheets were covering his naked body. Rose hated this whole business and especially this part. She couldn't look at him without feeling nausea coming up.

"I'm sorry, Sir…"

"Oh, no, don't be, my dear," he told her sitting up in bed putting a hand around her in an attempt to comfort her, but he was only making her more edgy.

Without wanting it Rose was starting to cry even harder.

No, you're so stupid, Rose. You need to be strong.

It was to no avail.

Lord Davenport watched her concernedly.

"What's wrong with you, my dear?"

She detested anyone calling her this – save for Jack of course – and she wanted to scream to at this man.

What you do think it is? I'm being blackmailed; used and abused…I'm cheating willingly on the man, who's ever really cared for me…

'Are we suddenly a little slut?'

She could feel Cal's blow on her cheek again as if it had just hit her right this very minute.

"You're so young, it's probably not easy for you," he stated realizing that it wouldn't get an answer from her. "I do know however that it'll get better with time. In fact my wife now enjoys it almost as much as I do."

Though he couldn't know it, but his last statement was making her feel a little better. Rose wouldn't tell him, but hearing that she wasn't the only swindler here made her slightly more relaxed.

Her mouth formed into a small smile, which Lord Davenport thought to be a good sign.

"Now, come on dry those tears…," he began wiping them off with his handkerchief and Rose started wondering, if under different conditions they could've become friends.

Lord Davenport wasn't the type of man to willingly hurt anyone.

He just thinks that I'm a normal whore and he's treating him like one.

And frankly she couldn't blame him for doing so.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Rose spoke up having found her voice again.

"There's no need to apologize. It's always hard, especially for someone as young as you. Indeed you can't be much older than twenty."

Rose looked up at him. In a strange way he reminded her of Mr Andrews from the Titanic. He was kind of like fatherly caring for her now.

"I think we should get dressed again, Sir," she cut him short standing up.

"You're right, my dear. Please give me my shirt."

….

Mrs Pearson was already waiting for them, counting the money she was about to get in her head.

"There you are," she stated in the friendliest way looking at Lord Davenport, who tightened up his jacket. "Did you have fun with her, Sir?"

Lord Davenport quickly nodded, while Rose tugged her head down in shame.

This didn't go unnoticed to both, though they took quite different activities.

"Well then, I do believe it's time that you fulfil your part of the business."

Without saying a word Lord Davenport practically tossed her the money into her hands and she had trouble to collect them. He didn't like the tone in her voice.

What was wrong now?

Had she said something erroneous?

No, surely Lygia…this stupid little girl, had done something to anger him. She had thought that my now she had learnt her place.

"This is for you, my dearest Lygia," Rose looked up unexpectedly seeing Lord Davenport counting some pennies into her hands. "Buy yourself something nice."

Mrs Pearson couldn't believe it.

"Thank you, Sir," Rose told him also knowing how furious Mrs Pearson would be.

"There's no need for gratitude. In fact I should be the one thanking you. I really enjoyed the evening with you and I certainly hope to see you soon again."

And I'll do anything to prevent it!

Mrs Pearson balled her fists.

As soon as Lord Davenport had left, she snatched the coins out of her hand.

"I do believe that these are mine."

"But…," Rose open her mouth in protest. "I received them," she jumped up as Mrs Pearson first held them high up in the hair and then behind her back.

"Since when does a whore get paid herself? The money's always going to her masters and I'm yours. Now put on the rest of your clothes. Mr Lindsay will be here soon to pick you up."

Lord Davenport had surely seen the last of her.

Mrs Pearson locked Rose up the room, while writing another note to Ella to add to her jealousy and waited for Roger Lindsay to show up.

Mrs Lindsay

I've seen your husband today again with Mrs Dawson. They looked quite happy together. You really need to be more careful as not to be left out. In fact I've proof that they'll be meeting tomorrow at two o clock pm at the Baker Street outside the big florist store.

I'm sure that you've heard of it.

A friend.

If this didn't make her burst out in hatred then nothing would.

Now, all I've to do is to get them to this place at the right time. This shouldn't be too difficult.

Life couldn't be more perfect – she thought happily as she was finishing her message.