Chapter 36: Dawn of a New Day

"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion" Wendy reads from Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice.

"That was great Wendy," Rose says, who re-adjusts the candle, which is slowly dying out.

Wendy yawns and so does Rose.

"I think we should call it a night," Rose says.

"I think so too, Miss Rose."

"What have I told you, Wendy?"

"Sorry, Rose."

"That's better," Rose smiles and then stretches out. "You have really made some great progress Wendy, in reading and writing,"

"Thank you, Rose,"

"It was my pleasure Wendy, helping you brings me a lot of joy."

"Really?"

"Yes and you are helping me be a good housewife too. You are my friend Wendy…"

The maid leans over and hugs Rose.

"Thank you Rose, and you are mine too. I've never had many friends before now, but you are the kindest and the nicest."

"Thank you, Wendy," Rose says before she begins cleaning up the papers and pencils, putting them back under her bed.

"I better get downstairs before anyone suspects anything," Wendy says.

"We have been getting away with it for weeks Wendy, I think we'll be okay," Rose smiles.

Wendy gets up to leave

"Rose?" Wendy asks.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to ask you this and whatever you may say I will believe you…Are you with child?"

The papers go falling to the floor and Rose freezes in place.

"W-Why do you ask?"

"I don't really know; it is just the little things that I've noticed. Mostly the sickness and the eating, but also I couldn't help but overhear a conversation between your mother and yourself about your wedding dress not fitting properly…most of those things usually indicate a child…"

Rose swallows and tears up.

"Y-you won't tell anyone will you?"

"So it is true?"

"Yes… it is"

Wendy tries to give a comforting smile. "I will not tell anyone, as long as you want me to… Is it okay if I ask who's it is? Is it Mr. Hockley's"

"No, not at all… You do know that we were on the Titanic?"

"Yes miss, it was such a tragedy. I cried when I heard about it…"

"Well, Mr. Hockley was not the only man I was…connected to on the ship…"

Rose spends the next hour or so telling Wendy all about her, Jack and the Titanic. She cries through some of it, the wound still very fresh in her heart and she had been trying to forget it for the sake of her child and herself. She describes her attempted suicide, Jack's dinner up in first class, the party, Emma and Peter's wedding, their night and of course…the sinking. Wendy listens with wide eyes which produce tears by the end. She cannot believe how miserable Rose was in her life. Wendy had always assumed that life in first-class was amazing, never having to worry about money, having a full education and basically having everything you ever wanted to be served to you on a silver platter. But this was not the case as poor her poor mistress wasn't allowed to do anything, but sit around and look pretty and she was being forced into a loveless marriage, one that was going to be abusive and terrified her. To Wendy, first class sounded like a prison… not like life in service was any better, but at least Wendy earned her own money and most of the time, was allowed to have her own opinions. But now her mistress lost the man she loved and is now back where she started, carrying his child and without any sort of plan.

When Rose finishes, Wendy offers a handkerchief and a consoling hug.

"I'm so sorry Rose…I had no idea…"

"I-It's alright Wendy, but I feel better now that you know the truth. I've been carrying this weight for awhile now, b-but can I trust you to keep this a secret?"

"Yes Miss, of course, I will. But… if you don't mind me asking, why are you back where all this…misery started for you?"

"I didn't have a choice, Cal found me on the rescue ship and I was too weak to fight or hide. And ever since then, I've been under constant watch."

"So what are you going to do now? You are pregnant with another man's child and about to be married. I'm sure if Mr. Hockley found out he would force you to…get rid of the child."

"That's why I ran away from the doctor's angry, he wanted to terminate the pregnancy,"

"Oh, my…Miss…if I had known…"

"You didn't know Wendy and that's okay, but now that you do, I need your help to escape,"

"How Miss?"

"You've already helped a great deal. Since I plan to run away soon that's why I've been asking you to teach me how to cook and clean, so I can learn to live on my own. You can help by accompanying me to different pawn shops so I can sell my jewelry for money. As long as I am with someone, my mother will not question it."

"Alright," Wendy says reluctantly. "Anything else?"

"Just be supportive," Rose says quietly. She hugs Wendy again. "This is scary for me, but I have to do this for my child and for Jack."

Wendy nods and looks out the slightly ajar drapes. The sun is beginning to rise, casting a light violet and pink glow against the black starlit sky. The beauty is breathtaking, Wendy had seen many sunrises before, growing up on a farm, but this one seemed different. Maybe a bit more special, sharing it with her friend and seeing the rising sun spread its light across Philadelphia, illuminating the buildings. And yet, there was more to it. Wendy couldn't quite find the words to describe it, perhaps it meant something more, like a dawn of new day or the discovery of something new and fantastic. Wendy certainly had discovered a lot in the past few hours and the sunrise gave hope, endless possibilities, like what Miss Rose wanted to do in her life. Her mind is so full of deep and meaningful thoughts that only the sound of Rose snuffing out the candle brings her back to reality. The fantasy was over and she had to go back to work.

"I'd better go before someone suspects anything," Wendy says.

"I'm sorry I kept you all night Wendy,"

"It's quite alright Rose, I was happy to be here for you and you won't have to worry, your secrets are safe with me."

"Thank you, Wendy, I can't tell you how much that means to me."

The maid gives her mistress another hopeful smile before quietly opening the door. She suddenly remembers something.

"I'm sorry you lost the man you loved…"

Rose looks at Wendy with eyes filled with tears and this time she knew it wasn't from the hormones. No one had ever offered her condolences for the loss of Jack, someone she cared about someone she loved, even after only three days. The hole in her heart was quite big, but the maid giving her comfort and sympathy helped her heal a little bit more. She felt happy...

As Wendy walks down the empty, still quite a dark hallway, the stanzas of a poem begin to form in her mind.

…

The trips to the pawn shops were successful. Rose claimed more than thousand dollars and a little extra. Wendy stood by her the entire time never saying a word. Rose did use some of Cal's money to buy some practical, maternity dresses for herself, knowing that she would need them soon and also make her mother believe that she was simply shopping. Rose stored all her money in a leather purse and kept the purse under her bed along with her paintings and other supplies for her escape. Wendy kept herself busy, writing some poems in her free time. She did have a concern at one point that if she knew that her mistress was going to run away, she might lose her job. However, when she began writing her poetry, Wendy wondered if she could start publishing some of her poems for money.

Rose was expecting Molly to call her back about the paintings, but as the dinner drew near, she became concerned. Rose tried calling Molly at her home, but the maid told her that there was a family emergency, one of Molly's cousins had a heart attack and passed away so she would be out of town until just before the dinner. Rose was referred to the fundraising council and it was organized that Rose should come to New York to deliver the paintings and stay for the dinner.

Rose most certainly wanted to attend, but she was afraid her mother would not let her and what if Cal came along, she'd be trapped for good and would certainly not have a good time. Regardless, the paintings had to get there somehow and she would do it. Rose found where her mother had hidden her paintings, down in the cellar, under a sheet of the tarp as if covering them would make them disappear. She brings them upstairs and begins packing for the trip.

Ruth knocks on the door.

"Rose?"

"Come in Mother," Rose says as she looks through her closet for a suitable dress for the dinner.

"What is going on here?"

"I'm packing for New York."

"NEW YORK!" Ruth practically yells.

"Yes, I'm going to attend Molly's dinner and put the paintings in the auction."

"Rose you are not going! And that is final"

"Please Mother, I'm not asking for your permission. I'm also not asking you to come along, the paintings need to get there somehow and they cannot be shipped in the mail. They are too delicate"

"Rose, a young, engaged woman cannot simply go gallivanting to New York for something as silly as a dinner."

"Mother it is a church dinner, nothing bad is going to happen. Plus, I am also going to New York to keep Molly company, she just lost one of her cousins. She needs support right now to get through her grieving."

Ruth chews her tongue hard. Rose's behaviour was so much better now that a dinner like this could ruin it and yet… Ruth knew that once Rose made up her mind, it would never change.

"Rose please, the wedding is just a month away and you expect…"

"It is only for three days' mother and I need a break from all the planning anyways. I also haven't been away from the house for awhile" Rose adds, she looks a dark blue dress with sparkles all over it and a silver collar.

"You can't just go alone!" Ruth protests.

"I'm not going alone, Wendy's coming with me," Rose says to reassure her mother. Rose is praying that she has been behaving like a proper lady that her mother will finally give her the freedom she needs. Her plans to escape were not too far away, but her mother and Cal still had a tight grip on her.

Ruth groans and taps her foot. She sighs, "Alright, you can go, but I expect you to bring the money home and you won't stay too late. Only one glass of wine and if there is any dancing, I want you to stay out of it."

Rose felt great relief. She and Wendy would go to the dinner. Ruth's excuse was to be able to immediately collect the money from the paintings she was donating, but Rose simply wanted to be a part of the world again, be with free thinking people who supported the rights of all women. After all, she would be leaving soon and would need a job to support herself.

"I promise mother, no shenanigans," Rose says in an amused tone. She goes behind her screen and changes into the blue dress. It is a bit tight around the waist as expected. Rose knew should couldn't do it up herself.

"Mother, can you zip up the back?" Rose asks.

Ruth does so. "Really Rose, you should be watching what you eat, first your wedding dress now this… You're going to turn into a blimp if you don't watch yourself." Rose rolls her eyes as her mother continues. "This is yet another reason on why I do not think this dinner is a good idea. I think you should get a tighter corset…"

"No!" Rose says quickly. "I mean, I'll be very careful from now on, at the dinner, I'll only eat salad. I promise" This, of course, would be a lie; Rose couldn't help that she was eating for two now. Ever since Wendy found out the pregnancy, the maid has slipped Rose some extra food during their reading sessions to make sure the pregnant woman was satisfied.

Ruth bit her lip and then chews her tongue again. Rose stands in front of the mirror, turning herself left and right. At a certain angle and in certain lighting, she didn't look pregnant, it was just like she had a big lunch, but there would soon be a bump, something she knew she could not hide for very much longer. Rose knew the alterations on her wedding dress would not help as Jack's child grew inside her.

"How do I look mother?" Rose asks.

Ruth tilts her head, also noticing her daughter's larger curves, but she shook herself back to reality.

"Like a real lady," Ruth says with a small smile.

Rose was hoping for something a little more flattering from her mother, but that would be the best she would probably get. Rose fishes out the diamond necklace that Cal recently gave her and adds it as well as the diamond heirloom barrette, one of the few things she didn't sell since it belonged to her great grandmother. She examines herself in the vanity mirror. She looks like a doll, dressed in shiny things and again she felt out of place, but it was all for the sake of her child. She begins fiddling with her hair.

"I think you should put your hair up," Ruth says, coming over and basically takes over the styling of her daughter's hair.

Rose wants to roll her eyes but restrains herself. She lets her mother do what she wants and tolerate it, just like she had been doing all her life.

When Ruth finishes, she steps back to examine her beautiful daughter. She looked so perfect and elegant, Ruth knew that her daughter inherited her fair looks, including the rare, flowing red locks, everything except for the eyes which were her husband's. If only her daughter had inherited her mother's mannerisms earlier, then they could've saved themselves many an argument. Her behaviour had improved, but not enough. She still insisted on being friends with the maid and was interested in housekeeping. This made Ruth wary and slightly nervous. She began to wonder what Rose did behind closed doors.

Ruth swallows hard and smiles.

"Excuse me, darling," she says and she leaves her daughter in peace.

Rose removes her dress and puts the accessories away. She packs the dress in a small bag as well as the money and other necessities for the trip. She felt some excitement and anticipation of being free of her mother's influence, even if it was only for a few nights. She pulls on her nightgown and undoes her hair. She gives a more genuine smile and she feels a warmth inside her, it wasn't anger, but happiness, being herself.

Ruth makes her way down the stairs, passing Wendy, who has arms full of clean laundry. Ruth eyes the maid but continues on her way. Why Rose insisted on being friends with the maid is beyond her, but at least her daughter was under supervision? Ruth continues on her journey, picks up the phone in the back hall and turns the dial.

"Hello?" a voice on the other end answers.

"Mr. Hockley? I need you to take your business to New York next week…"