A/N 3/28/2020: Hey y'all. I don't have much to say. Just that I felt like writing a little bit now that the little one is down for the night and we have time to ourselves for our mutual amusement. If the writing styleis out of character, I'm sorry. I've been listening to A LOT of classics. Re read Jane Eyre. Pride and Prejudice. Mansfield Park. I like old romances. They're so... romantic! Rofl Also, I should have a bit more time to write in the future, but I won't guarantee it. Because of the decline in the economy, I still have my job, but they seriously cut my hours. I hope I won't need another job before this whole nuttiness is over. Depends on how motivated I feel. Anyway, I hope y'all are staying safe and are healthy. Enjoy!
The next day was relatively quiet from Ruth and Rose. Cal had put that down to the fact that he had called off the engagement, but he had learned long ago that a quiet Rose was much like a quiet little ankle biter of a yappy dog. She was up to something. Lovejoy had tailed her and said that she had spent the day in the company of Jack Dawson or was talking to Thomas Andrews. The first he was expecting, but he didn't know what reason she was talking to Andrews. Maybe just an idle curiosity.
Caledon himself had spent his time with Isobel either in the library or in her father's rooms, talking over plans. Charles had the papers drawn up for Jack on his promise of land. He had also filled Isobel in on the deal he had with Jack. She wasn't impressed, and was a little concerned about Rose's feelings in this matter. She may not like the girl and think her a spoiled brat, but what if Rose truly harbored feelings for Jack? Cal assured her that he would be surprised. Rose tended to follow money for love interests, and had a general disdain for those of a lower social class. The only reason she didn't like Cal and fought him was because it was thier parents that set up the match. She saw it as them taking away that free will. She railed against it, instead of talking to her mother. Though Cal had to admit that her ralationship with her mother is nothing like the one Isobel and Charles shared.
In the end, Isobel capitulated, though she still didn't like the thought, she'd admit to herself only that she was selfish enough now to go after what she wanted. She tried going about love the easy way. The good girl way. Now she was fighting with her claws out and teeth bared.
Isobel managed to gain Maggie and the Lady Duff-Gordon's help in which of the dresses she had with her would do for a wedding gown. Thankfully, she and Cal had agreed to go through with a public ceremony at a later date, but for now, this ceremony was for them. The girls had decided on a dress that had and East Indian feel. The top was patterned in colors of beige, tan and light turquoise. The skirt, which came up to one shoulder to introduce a Sari feel, was a pale pink, with white patterned flowers throughout. It wasn't the traditional white, but it was one of the lighter dresses she had that had no purple or black in it.
Maggie added in a lovely wreath necklace she had gotten in New York as something borrowed, and her father had presented her with a favored handkerchief as something blue. The traditional six-pence in her left shoe from the Lady. Her mother's bracelet, a single pearl on a thin gold chain, as something old, and she didn't have anyting new, except the dress, but Isobel was willing to let that one slide considering that tomorrow she would have a new husband. That had to count, right?
Cal, who spent the time Isobel was with the ladies with Charles, was just as nervously getting his affairs settled for the next day. He had requested another cabin, as both Ruth and Rose knew the one he was currently residing in, and he didn't want them to get thier hands on certain items. After obtaining a first class room farther aft than the one he had previously occupied, he transfered said certain items, the blue diamond necklace, several stacks of money, and legal documents. No need for that little social climber to get her hands on it.
The day was spent in relative peace for all parties. Even Ruth and Rose. The former, satisfied in the match with a Hockley heir that she had made for her daughter, and the latter simultaniously in young Jack Dawson's company and, in the deepest reaches of her mind, scheming against Cal's little side piece.
It was the next day that all parties were anticipating. Caledon and Isobel were excitedly anticipating thier marriage with thier family and friends as witnesses. Ruth, in high spirits, as it seemed her headstrong daughter had finally accepted her engagement with the younger Hockley heir, and Rose, because she had finally settled on a course of action. A course that had seemed to hit a small speed bump right in the middle of the church hours.
A White Star Line steward had come up to Caledon, and whispered in his ear. Her fiancé nodded, but made no move to get up, so that was something. But then the steward made his way to the father of the woman she hated most, and whispered into his ear. He did get up, along with his daughter, and exited through a side door. She was sure that since the steward had spoken to Cal, that he would up and leave sometime during the service, but he didn't. Eventually, she was assured that Caledon wouldn't follow the girl and her father, and put her focus back onto the hymn in front of her. She was focusing so hard on her percieved target, Caledon, that she never noticed the others slip out of the congregation.
o0o o0o o0o
Cal and Charles had come up with a plan of attack, so to speak, the previous evening, and had subsequently sent Lovejoy off to find young Dawson after Rose had left him, to fill him in on his part of the plan. He was to come to the church service, and ask the stewards at the door to please pull aside Charles and his daughter for a bit of business. In the mean time, he would also drop a word into Caledon's ear, that the provisions he had asked Jack and Lovejoy to procure from his rooms, were in the Captain's quarters, ready for his coming nuptials. Caledon would not follow the two, sure that Rose wasn't bright enough to make any connections, and to set her at her ease about any plans they may or may not have thought of. That was a change from the original plan, but Caledon had put forward that he didn't trust Rose not to sneak off after them just to see what they were up to, and then the plan will have been given away.
That part worked without a hitch. Charles had met Jack in the hall, away from sight of the doors, with a beaming smile, a handshake, and his beautiful daughter Isobel. Even he had to admit she was gorgeous, though he knew her affections to be completely claimed by the man he was assisting in gaining her hand.
"Well, young Jack? What say you to getting some papers signed, and a wedding for after?" the man asked amiably.
Jack smiled. "Sounds like a solid plan to me, sir."
"Sir! Don't you dare, you and I are going into business together afterall. Call me Charles."
Jack gave the man a single nod of his head in acknowledgment, and followed him to his room. There, they were met by Maggie, JJ Astor, and others. Charles walked immediately to the table in the middle of the room that heald the contract for land for services rendered, after a 5 year period of work that is.
"I've had the papers drawn up, and the people you wished most to have here. John," here he motioned to the tall man Jack had conversed with two nights previously, "has rather extensive knowledge in real estate and maintaining land. I believe he would be an invaluable asset, should you wish to get to know him."
Jack stepped farther into the room, and shook the man's hand. Astor gave Jack the same searching look now as he did then.
"I am sure I know your face, Jack," the man said, dropping his hand. Jack gave a small chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness.
"Suppose you would. I am a part of the Boston Dawsons, on my mother's side. I took her name when I left home after she and Pa died. My real name is Whitlock. Peter Whitlock Jr."
"Ah! I knew it. Young Elisa must be your mother then?" he ejaculated.
Jack nodded. "She was. I knew that carring her name would be risky. Anyone in high society would know the name. But I wasn't planning on moving in high society circles. I jumped at the chance Charles offered me, because my brother, Jasper, currently has the family holdings in Texas. It would be nice to be within visiting distance once this voyage is over. With holdings of my own that I may not have gotten honorably, but I did get them on my own. That was my goal. To earn what I had."
"That is honorable on it's own merit. Don't worry about how it's gotten, so long as you understand the consequences. No one in society will hear about this from those of us in the room. I promise you that. But only you can tell if you can live with doing this to a young girl. Toying with her emotions and taking advantage of that," Charles said. Jack nodded.
He took the pen Charles offered without hesitation, and signed the contract that had been prepared, all three copies. One was to stay with him, one was to stay with Charles, and one would go to Charle's solicitor, sent off the moment they touched American soil. He then watched as Charles signed it, and everyone that were called on to witness it. Maggie, Colonel Gracie, and JJ Astor as a last minute addition.
Once the signing was done, and the mutual parties had thier copies, everyone shook Jack's hand or, in Maggie and Isobel's cases, kissed his cheek in congratulation.
"Thank you, Jack. You have no idea what this means to Caledon and I," she tells him softly with a smile that matched her father's exactly.
"That, and Cal's assurance that Rose's feelings are more mercenary than originally thought, is why I can live doing this. My own observations own that she is much more concerned with how she thinks others see her, and how she sees herself, than the feelings of those she steps on to reach the goal she wants."
"We had better get back before we are noticed missing," JJ said. "We can make our way into the crowd as the church service lets out."
A last round of congratulations and goodbyes to Jack, and everyone filed out, making thier way back to the service. Jack, who figured a scene wouldn't go amiss in gaining Rose's attention. It was, afterall, his mission and goal to bed her. He followed the others back, and was relieved to see that the service was still in full swing. It seemed the others had made it safely back into the room, save Charles and Isobel, who had made their way to the Captain's quarters to ready the bride for her bridegroom. He had a quiet word with the steward at the door, asking him to play along with him trying to gain entrance to see Rose, and the man to turn him away. The steward agreed. Lovejoy eventually came out, puzzled, but he too played his part once all was explained. Jack was then lead away, and hopefully, gained some sort of esteem in Rose's eyes.
o0o o0o o0o
The church service was followed by a tour of the ship. Cal was obliged to follow, leading Ruth as this wasn't an engagement he could just skip out on. It would look bad on himself, as he is the one who asked for the tour once they had boarded the ship, and he was going to the Captain's rooms after anyway, may as well discreetly follow him once the tour was over.
"And why do you have two steering wheels?" Ruth asked. They were on the bridge; the captain showing the signals and men off.
"We really only use this near shore," Thomas Andrews explains in his soft Irish lilt, gesturing to the second helm.
A telegraph operator walked up to the captain and handed him a slip of paper. "Excuse me, sir. Another ice warning. This one's from the Noordam." The captain read the message, then looked up to see concern on Ruth and Rose's faces. l
"Oh, not to worry," he said cheerfully. "quite normal for this time of year. In fact, we're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit."
They walked the decks for a bit and Cal caught a remarkably astute question from Rose, and had to admit curiosity himself on the subject. She was walking and talking with Thomas Andrews, and subtly flirting, learning all she could of the ship. He didn't expect the reason behind that could be good, but he would leave it alone for now.
"Mr. Andrews... forgive me. I did the sum in my head... and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned... forgive me, but it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard," she said demurely.
"About half, actually," Andrews said, stopping and turning to look at her. While he was devotedly married these many years, he was charmed at Rose's attentions. "Rose, you miss nothing, do you?"
Rose gave a small smile, but continued to listen. "In fact, I put in these new type davits... which can take an extra row of boats inside this one. But it was thought, by some that the deck would look too cluttered. So, I was overruled."
Cal lead Ruth around and knocked on of the boats with his cane. "It's a waste of deck space as it is on an unsinkable ship," he said to the ship builder hautily.
"Sleep soundly, young Rose. I have built you a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboat you need," Andrews said confidently as he followed the others. "Just keep heading aft. The next stop will be the engine room."
Cal noticed Rose's absence almost immediately. And at the first optimal moment, when Ruth had let go of his arm to decend the staircase to the lower decks, he made his escape, with nary a glance back. It was time.
o0o o0o o0o
Jack was in a bind. He had thought that he had Rose's attention for sure after his display at the church service. But the little brat was bound and determined either to lead him on, which Jack had to admit, was most uncomfortable and idiotic in the most dramatic way, or her focus was elsewhere. Which wouldn't do, as her focus was supposed to be on him. If it wasn't, he wasn't doing his job properly. She went on and on about how she couldn't be seen with him any longer. How she loved Cal, and was going to marry him. Jack gave a mental snort at that one. The girl was delusional.
She had left him high and dry in the gymnasium, wondering how the hell he was going to get things back on track.
o0o o0o o0o
The sun was setting and Cal had met Isobel and her father in the captain's quarters as planned. And a more beautiful vision he had never beheld. And was subsequently struck with the almost overpowering urge to kneel at this angel's feet, and make her his idol. For nothing on earth could be so lovely, and must surely be of celestial origin.
Everything was ready. Isobel even had a small cluster of flowers begged from a lady's maid for the occasion. He walked to her, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes and savoring the contact.
"Shall we begin," the Captain said softly, breaking their moment to remind them of why they were there. There would be time for tender touches and carresses later in the evening. The both looked to the man, and he smiled.
"Who gives this woman in marriage?" he asked. Charles stepped forward.
"Myself." He approached them and took Isobel's hand, kissing her forehead in fatherly affection before giving her hand to Cal, who rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. Charles stepped back and proceeded to watch the intimate ceremony.
"And is there any among you who would object or declare an impediment for such a union?" Captain Smith asked. He gave a moment, but there was no answer.
"I'm not one for standing on ceremony in less formal occasions, and this, I believe we can all agree, is most definitely the case, so Caledon, do you take Isobel for your wife?" he asked.
"I do," Caledon said firmly, warmly, and with completely confidence.
Smith nodded. "Isobel, will you accept Caledon as your husband?"
"Yes, I do," she affirmed with a glassy eyed illuminating smile.
"Then you are man and wife. You may kiss your bride, young Hockley," Smith tells him, and Caledon didn't need a second chance. He gently placed one hand to the base of Isobel's skull at the back of her neck and led her forward as she met his kiss, throwing her arms about his neck in jubilation.
The kiss was short, but passionate. And once they parted, they recieved all congratulations due to them from the assembled handful of friends with them.
April 14, 1912
She is mine at last. Smith married us barely an hour ago, and I can not wipe the smile from my face. Isobel returned to her room to collect her things, and spend a few more last moments with her father. I do no begrudge her this. They are very close, and I will do everything in my power to see that nothing would come between such a close relationship. Charles even told me to view him as my father, should I wish. Oh, how I most certainly wish. The man has shown me more care and attention than my own when he called me his. I accepted his offer.
Once we dock in New York, I will disembark with my family, and from there, we will make our way home. By home, I mean of course, Charle's and Isobel's home in Washington. Since Hockley Steel is out of my reach, Charles has offered me a chance to learn his lumber business, to run with Isobel should anything befall the great man.
I must go now, however. I have but a few more moments to myself before I refuse to let my bride out of my site for the foreseeable future, and I wish to spend what time remaines to me to make sure my current dwelling is to her satisfaction. We have everything she could possibly want for the last days of this journey, without having to leave these rooms. And I intend on making the most of it.
o0o o0o o0o
Young Hockley looked up from the Journal he was reading from to look at the faces of the expiditionary crew in front of him. There were a mixture of expressions from disbelief to amazement, to soft smiles of those who had married thier one true loves.
"The night of the sinking. This is where things will get a bit dramatic. Grandfather doesn't have time to write in here again until after the sinking, but when I was older, about 14 or so, and they were nearing the end of thier lives, I asked for the unabridged version that wasn't so sugar coated. And your precious Rose was a very naughty girl in her younger days," he tells them.
"Well to be honest, I don't hold much opinion of Jack at the moment, if your story is genuine," Lewis said.
"You want proof?" Hockley said, pulling out photos. "They do after all say, a picture is worth a thousand words."
He handed over the photos. "The top one are my grandparents, Caledon and Isobel when they did the whole ceremony thing a couple years after the sinking." Therein stood a striking man in a modest suit trying to pull off the serious pose of the time in all wedding photos. He was failing. He may have been looking at the photographer, but his eyes held all the beaming pride of a new bridegroom, though they had at that point, been married a good two years beforehand. The woman, Isobel, was in a wedding dress so unlike the time. I had sleeves and lace, sure, but no poofy balloons at her shoulders or exhuberant head dresses. Her hair was curled and pulled back in a stylish bun and a slight volumous pompedour in the front. A very classical beauty without the rediculousness of the time.
The second photo was of two men. "Jasper and Peter Whitlock. Peter the one on the horse, is Jack. I asked my grandparents where the name Jack came from. They said Peter told them it was the name of his horse when he was younger. Black Jack. He liked the name, so took it as part of his alias."
The final picture was part of a newspaper article. It was the same as the first photo, but the story contained in the article was what they paid attention to. Brock looked up from reading it, questions in his eyes. Hockley smiled and nodded.
"I'll get to that in due time. But that's the end of the story. And if you think about it, and you won't have to do that too hard, quite a funny and fitting end." The audience nodded and turned thier attention back to the young man.
"So my grandparents had thier honeymoon on the very ship they were married. And though they got their happy ending, they really should have paid more attention to Grandfather's ex."