After their visit to the bridge, Rose parted with Thomas and Lissie before luncheon. Thomas wanted to put Lissie down for a nap so she wouldn't be so cranky later. He promised to see her at supper later, to which she genuinely smiled setting his heart aflutter.
Neither Cal nor her mother questioned her whereabouts, simply asked how the rest of the tour went. "It was very interesting, the bridge was fascinating." she continued to explain everything she saw in her detailed way even after she saw them lose interest.
They headed down to the Palm Court to find Molly already seated by Thomas and tickling Lissie, eliciting bursts of giggles from the child.
"Well hey there you three!" Molly greeted. Rose's mother and Cal all but ignored her.
"Good evening, Molly," Rose returned her smile before turning to Thomas and Lissie, "Hello Mr. Andrews, Miss Lissie."
"Hello, young Rose. How are you this evening?" Thomas asked as Rose took her seat by him. He'd have to thank the dining staff for continually seating them side-by-side.
"I'm well, and you?" she asked tickling Lissie on the cheek.
The girls face lit up and she began babbling excitedly as if she were telling Rose everything that had happened since she last saw them. Rose smiled up at Thomas briefly before returning her attention to his daughter. "Well. Lissie got a nap in and had a bath before we came. And I was able to get some work done." He explained, kissed his daughter's forehead, and smiled at her happy gurgles.
"Your wife did not join you, Andrews?" Cal asked.
"Helen is a bit under the weather. She spent some time towards the back of the ship today and got a bit sea-sick. She didn't want to risk eating." Lissie placed her chubby little hand on his cheek drawing his attention and speaking nonsense words. "Yes, dear heart, whatever you say."
Molly chuckled at the scene. "She's mighty beautiful, Tommy. Looks a lot like you!"
"That's what I told him earlier." Rose said smiling at the little girl clapping happily in her father's lap.
"Earlier?" Ruth looked slightly appalled at her statement.
"Yes, shortly after you and Cal left the tour, his wife dropped her off. I believe that was about when she began feeling ill, correct?" She turned to Thomas, hoping he'd go along. She felt slightly guilty for spending the morning with him and Lissie. They hadn't done anything but this would also help his lie about why his wife hadn't joined them again.
"Yes, that's right." he smiled lightly at Rose as the waiter came around.
Cal began to order for himself and Rose before she interrupted him. "Actually, I will have the braised pheasant tonight."
Cal sat for a moment and stared at her. "But sweet-pea, you don't eat pheasant."
"No, Cal, you don't eat pheasant and never order it for me." She turned away from him, ignoring his open mouth and her mother's astounded expression. "How many hat hooks will you be adding when Titanic returns to Belfast, Mr. Andrews?" She saw a humorous gleam in his eyes, knowing he'd remembered her earlier kidding with him.
"Oh, quite a few I do believe. She definitely needs more." he chuckled lightly. Lissie started wriggling in his lap and reached for Rose. "No, no sweetling. Sit still, love." he began to bounce her lightly.
"No, it's fine, she can sit with me." Rose reached for the child and, ignoring her mother's horrified gasp, took her into her lap. "There now miss Lissie. What's all that fussing about?" the child started babbling gleefully.
Throughout supper, Lissie sat with Rose, who fed her small bits off her plate. Everyone continued through the meal, chatting like normal but curiously glancing at Rose and Lissie. Thomas was yet again enraptured. How this sweet, wonderful young woman could have stolen his heart in such a short amount of time. He wanted her. He wanted to take her home to Belfast. To take her away from her abhorrent mother and arrogant fiance. To take her to bed… He made up his mind right then as he watched his daughter fall asleep in Rose's lap that on the return trip to Belfast, she would be by his side, Lissie on her hip, his arm around her waist.
But how to tell her? Did she even want to go with him? And if so, how would he sneak her away when they docked? Thomas was nearly certain that there would be some sort of conflict with Cal. He could feel it in his bones. He did not care, Rose was worth whatever Cal threw at him.
Thomas was shaken out of his thoughts by Ismay. "Andrews, old chap, will you be joining us?" The gentlemen were making their way out of the Palm Court for the standard "Cigars and Brandy" and he was the only man still seated at their table. He glanced at Lissie fast asleep in Rose's arms.
"No, thank you, Bruce. I believe I'll sit here a little while longer and then take Lissie to bed."
Ismay looked to where the child rested and seemed suddenly to remember her presence. "Oh, of course, you're right. A shame your wife is ill and can't take her." He turned and followed Cal out.
"Yes, a shame." Ruth spoke up.
Rose's head shot up to her mother's face. She knew exactly what the woman thought as her pinched face disdainfully looked towards the child and up to Rose. Ruth did not approve of Rose's obvious connection with Lissie. Her contemptuous scowl was short lived though as Rose gave her a withering glare. Ruth seemed to shrink in on herself.
Thomas observed the silent exchange and did his best to hide his smirk. He noticed Molly grinning in amusement. She looked to him and winked knowingly before speaking. "Hey, Rose, honey. Since that little darlin' seems to be stuck to you, why don't you help Tommy there with her? Ruth and I can fend for ourselves."
Rose nearly laughed aloud at the horror that crossed her mother's face. Whether it was from the idea of Rose being alone with Thomas or the thought of spending the rest of the evening with Molly, she was not sure. She repositioned Lissie more securely in her arms before standing with Thomas.
"Of course, Molly, you're quite right. Good evening." Rose turned and walked gracefully from the Court. Thomas grinned bemusedly at Molly before following the young woman out. He swiftly caught up, still grinning and shaking his head. "What?" she asked him.
"I love you." he chuckled. Rose stopped in her tracks, falling behind Thomas slightly. "Rose?" he turned back to her.
"Love me?" she breathed, looking down at Lissie and avoiding his eyes.
He stepped closer to her, grateful the hall was empty so he could be so intimate. "Yes my beautiful Rose, I love you." he kissed her temple and watched her eyes flutter closed. "You've no idea what you mean to me. I'm feeling things I've never known I could." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It is all because of you." Thomas lifted her chin and brushed her lips with his.
Her breath hitched at the contact. "I-" she couldn't form the words, 'HE LOVES ME!' her mind screamed to the heavens. "God help me, Thomas, I love you." she whispered.
Thomas took her hand and led Rose the short distance to his suite. "Just in here." He let her inside and led her to the sitting area.
"What will your wife say when she returns?" Rose asked, gently rocking Lissie. She toed off her heels and nudged them under the settee.
Thomas removed his coat and bow tie with a sigh. "She has her own room, just on the other side of the nursery. I do not care either way what she will say should she grace us with her presence. I do not feel as though her opinion has any sway with me now that she has decided to abandon her family." He sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders.
"I can't say that I am sorry for her leaving." Rose said, tucking her feet beneath her and leaning into Thomas' side. "If she had not, you might feel differently towards me."
"Oh, I do not think that is at all possible, dear heart." he placed a kiss to her temple. They sat in companionable silence for a while, both processing what the other had said.
Rose shifted the dozing child in her arms. "Is there anything she needs before she goes to bed?"
"Change her into a night dress. It's in the nursery." He led her towards the small room. Rose changed the sleeping child while he turned down the covers in the crib. "She should sleep mostly through the night." he said, tucking his daughter into bed
Rose bent to kiss Lissie and smoothed her soft curls. "Precious girl." She felt Thomas slide his arm around her waist and lead her toward his suite.
"I don't want to cause trouble for you," He said, ushering her to the sitting area once more and fixing two glasses of Whiskey. "But I want to discuss something with you before you go." he sat beside her and offered her the glass.
"Honestly… I don't want to leave you." She said, sipping her drink. "But I know that propriety demands I return to my cabin."
He took a gulp from his glass. "I don't want you to go either, but I will content myself to the time I have with you now." Thomas smiled down at Rose and pulled her closer. "I in no way want to force you into anything. The last thing I want is for you to think of me the way you do Cal." Her confusion was evident but she didn't interrupt him. "I want you to come away with me. When we dock in New York don't get off. Stay with me and Lissie on Titanic and go home with us to Belfast. Become my wife, Lissie's mother. Leave the heartache and pain of your life with Cal. I want to make you happy, I want to love you. God help me I do love you, I've fallen so quickly for you and I can't help myself."
Silence briefly filled the room before Rose threaded her fingers through his hair and drew his lips down to hers. Drinks were hastily set aside as hands were otherwise occupied in more urgent matters. Her kisses were fervent against his lips, his cheeks, his neck. She drew back and looked deeply to his eyes, into his soul it felt. "Yes. Thomas, yes."
"Yes?" he breathed.
"Yes! Oh, Thomas! I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel… free. Yes free! Life with you will be blissful, happy, and exciting! I can just see it!"
He chuckled and pushed her hair from her face. "What do you see?"
"Us. You, Lissie, and myself, all together in Belfast. Me making a home for you two, or working somewhere-"
"You need not work Darling unless you wish to."
She looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged "I don't know, I'll decided one day I suppose." she blushed prettily. "I see myself in your bed, our bed, whispering in the night, waking up in your arms, your child growing inside me."
Thomas's heart melted as the image of Rose, glowing in pregnant perfection, dozing beside him in the early morning light flashed in his mind. "Nothing would make me happier, dearest one." he drew her into a fervent but gentle kiss, trying to convey every feeling he had.
She nipped his lip, pushing the kiss to a more heated plane. Thomas moaned and leaned into her, gently pushing her back into the plush cushion of the settee. Rose's slender fingers unbuttoned and removed his waistcoat and began to work at the small buttons of his shirt while Thomas gently pulled the pins from her hair and threaded his fingers into the fiery tresses.
Rose popped the middle button loose and continued on her mission when a hand trailing up her smooth leg under her evening gown made her gasp in surprised pleasure. "Thomas!" She giggled and swore she could feel his impish grin against her neck. She closed her eyes and allowed him to continue his ministrations uninterrupted. The task of shirt removal became too much for her to concentrate on when her mind was otherwise engaged.
Thomas had found her garter and was about to release the stocking of the long silky leg when a cry echoed through the cabin.
Rose's eyes shot open and up to his face. "Lissie." She said as they sat up from the settee.
"I'll get her, give me one moment." Thomas said leaving for the nursery.
Rose took a moment to compose herself. 'That man, oh! I'll have him before we leave this ship at least once! And then everyday for the rest of my life.' she smiled to herself as Thomas returned with a still crying Lissie in his arms.
"I'm not sure what's wrong with her, she's not hungry and doesn't need changing." he said.
"Mumma! Mumumumma!" She wailed, breaking both Thomas and Rose's heart.
"Maybe I should try and find Helen." Thomas turned towards Helen's rooms when Lissie began reaching for Rose.
"Mumma, mumma!" She cried, little chubby arms reaching over her father's shoulder to Rose.
Rose herself immediately jumped from the settee and took the baby into her arms. "Shhhh Lissie girl, I'm here. I'm here, I won't let go, I promise." she bounced the child until she was calm enough to tuck into her side in the settee. "Here little darling, why don't you just cozy up with me a while, hmm?" she looked to Thomas in amazement.
Thomas himself could only grin in shocked amazement at what had just taken place. Truly, Rose was a natural made mother for his Lissie and obviously his daughter found in Young Rose what she had craved but never received in Helen. "Perfection."
"I know I'm not her mother, but… I could not ignore the tug of my heart, Thomas. I'm sorry if I overstepped." She cast her gaze down to the sniffling babe in her arms. "I couldn't just sit still when she needed me…"
Thomas was knelt at her side a heartbeat later. "You need not worry, sweetling. My heart spills over with love and happiness when I see you and Lissie together. She chose you, she wanted you, and what's more, you did not push her away! Helen for all the things she is, she was not made to be a mother. She may have given birth to Lissie but she is not her mum."
Rose lifted her glistening eyes to his soft ones. With a smile she said "In this moment I am the happiest I have ever been."
Thomas kissed her, chastely but with fervor before reclaiming his seat on the settee. He watched as Rose slowly rocked Lissie into a peaceful slumber while humming sweetly the tune of some lullaby. Without realizing, he had taken out his notebook and turning to blank pages he began to sketch what he saw before him.
Rose eventually dozed off with Lissie still held protectively in her arms. When Thomas found he'd filled nearly a dozen pages with his two ladies, checked his pocket watch. 'Nearly Eleven! Oh, I do hope Rose will not be chastised for my folly!' he moved to wake her but paused when he thought of something. Quietly, he made his way across the room to the safe and upon opening it reached right in for a small box.
"Rose? Dearest, wake up." Thomas placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Rose opened her eyes and saw dark wispy curls. Looking down she found Lissie still tucked into her side and smiled before looking to Thomas. "It's late isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so, I am sorry if this causes trouble for you." his eyes were sad at the thought.
Rose waved it off. "Oh I'm not worried. I already do not care what Mother or Cal thinks, I'm sure Cal doesn't even suspect anything."
Thomas nodded. "Before you go, I'd like for you to have something." He pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal a ring. "It's certainly not as grand as the jewellery you have or that Cal can give you, but it was my mother's and I want you to have it." He took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. "I shall get you a real engagement ring once we dock in Belfast but this is more of a promise of love than marriage."
Rose brought her hand closer to her face to inspect the ring. The band was of soft gold shaped onto vines and leaves that wrapped around her finger with an emerald set in the middle, little leaves nestled around it. She smiled broadly and looked up to Thomas, happy tears glistening in her eyes. "I'll treasure it more than anything in my jewelry box."
He helped her to stand and placed a kiss on her forehead, then the two walked to the nursery to lay Lissie down once more. Rose bent again to kiss the little one good night before Thomas walked her to the door.
"I wish you could stay."
She hugged him close. "So do I." She said into his chest. "I love you, Thomas."
"And I you, my darling." he placed a kiss to her hair before pulling away and opening the door, checking that no one was in the hallway and sending her on her way.
Back in her cabin Rose changed into her night dress and slipped into bed, thoughts of life with Thomas and Lissie in Belfast melting into her dreams.