Breakfast was over. Jack and Rose found themselves just wandering the grounds, hand in hand while Lily went to the nursery to play with the myriad of available toys. They both were tempted to have her with them, but they also craved some time alone. Time alone won. After all, most of their time was spent surrounded by Jack's family, so moments like this were to be grabbed and treasured.
Rose sighed as she rested her head against Jack's shoulder and smiled with pleasure as his hand left hers to wrap around her waist and pull her closer to his side.
"So, what are your impressions of the Boston Dawsons now that we've dined with them in the light of day? Your aunt is still the only horrid one in my eyes," Rose stated, just enjoying being so close to Jack. He made her feel so safe and secure, even when their lives were in danger on Titanic. There was just something about Jack that made her feel that no matter what, as long as he was near, she was safe.
"I like them. But they're hiding something about Pa. Why did he leave the way he did? Why aren't they saying? I mean...how awful was it? What made him feel that he had to leave his family and never come back? Never even mention them to me and Ma?" Jack frowned, feeling troubled. He wasn't sure that he wanted to know this family anymore, to be honest. If they couldn't tell him the truth about his father's flight from the family, well then he couldn't bother trying to become a part of the family. At least that was how he felt. "Why the big secret?"
"I don't know," Rose sighed, feeling sad for her husband. He had been so excited about coming here and meeting the family members that he had just discovered, just to find out that there were secrets that he may have been better off not knowing. "Do you regret coming here?"
"No. Not really. I mean, I like them. They're a lot nicer than Enid and I like how they stood up for you and wouldn't let her ice you out like she tried to do. I appreciate that a lot. I just wish that they were more open where my father's concerned. What happened and what did Enid have to do with it?"
Rose understood Jack's concerns. Growing up in this world, scandals were an everyday thing, but almost always they were quickly swept under the rug and always kept there. They were never spoken of amongst polite company, at least not seriously. They could remain a subject of mere gossip for a week or two, a month at the longest, but always they disappeared into the vault of secrets that all high society families contained. She didn't see why the Boston Dawsons would be any different, despite their progressive attitudes.
"The servants," Rose lifted her head off of Jack's shoulder and stopped walking.
"Huh?"
Rose smiled and took both of Jack's hands in hers as she faced him. "We should ask the servants. They'd know. Especially the older ones."
"What makes you think the servants would know?"
"Because they always do. They know all the secrets of their employers and for a time even gossip about them amongst themselves. They'd know."
"And why would they even tell us? I mean...every servant I know keeps their employer's secret close to the vest, Rose. They're not going to tell a new family member and risk getting fired."
Jack was probably right about that. It was a good idea, but an impossible one…
"Steve darling! There you are!" Charlotte called out as she went to greet her chauffeur fiancee.
Jack's smile was bright as he looked at Rose. "Unless that servant is about to become a part of the family!"
"You think that he may know?"
Jack nodded. "Or maybe his father, that is if the job was passed down to him. It wouldn't hurt to ask, right?"
Rose giggled and kissed his cheek. "Lead on, my Jack. I shall follow."
Feeling hopeful, Jack and Rose approached his cousin and her fiancee, who were still busy greeting each other.
"Hey, Charlotte and Steve, right?" Jack greeted happily, putting on a friendly smile.
"Jack, how interesting to see you two out of the mansion!" Charlotte smiled, turning to greet her new cousin and his wife.
"We decided to do a little more exploring. It's not every day I get a chance to really explore a big estate like this," Jack chuckled. "Not even in my days on the road."
"Jack still has to share some of his stories with me. Especially about Paris," Rose rolled her eyes.
Charlotte stared in disbelief. "You were in Paris?"
"I know, I know. I got around for a poor guy. My dear Rose has already informed me of that," Jack gave a good-natured laugh.
"Jack, really," Rose frowned, a bit shocked that he even remembered that. "I was kind of being a brat when I said that."
"You were, but you were my brat," Jack lovingly smiled at his wife, leaning in to give her a short kiss.
"I'd love to hear your stories sometime," Charlotte smiled, linking her hand with Steve's. "I heard the Moulin Rouge is a sight.
"Oh, it is...but the girls there are pretty wild. Of course, I got in for free because I was always drawing them…"
Rose pursed her lips, having heard enough. She did not want to hear about Jack's French models. "So Charlotte, Jack, and I were talking about this morning's breakfast conversation. You know about what could have sent his father running away for less affluent pastures for good and what Enid may have to do with it."
Charlotte gasped with wide eyes, nodding her agreement. "I was wondering that as well. I was hoping that maybe Steve here had heard some rumblings about it. You know the servants must talk…"
"Not around me anymore. Not since I got engaged to you," Steve sighed, leaning against the car. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Too bad my dad died. He would have known all about what had happened. The only thing I know of is that the middle Dawson son fell for a girl he shouldn't have and his sister wasn't having it."
"Why am I not surprised," Rose snorted. "See, Jack."
"Hmm...do you know where we could find some of the old servants? Someone that doesn't work for us anymore but may know all about what happened?" Charlotte questioned, wanting to help get to the bottom of what was now a family mystery.
Steve paused to think, then his eyes lit up. "Well, now that I think of it...my mother's neighbor...her name is Daisy. Daisy Westbrook. She was a housemaid back in the day. She's retired now, but she's single and people say that she's still nursing a broken heart from years ago. No one knows what happened to her, but they knew it was bad and it had left her swearing never to love again. It may be a long shot...but maybe she knows something…it wouldn't hurt to ask, I don't think."
"What makes you think that she knows something, though?" Charlotte was confused. It's just this lady seemed random.
"When she heard the last name of my fiancee, she looked...well...disturbed and quickly excused herself," Steve shrugged. "I didn't get it really. It was so strange."
"That definitely sounds like she knows something," Rose nodded her agreement. "I think we should go talk to this Daisy, Jack."
"Now?" Jack asked, not at all sure if he wanted to know what happened after all.
"There's no better time. Steve has nothing to do at the moment and neither do I," Charlotte giggled, already making her way into the passenger seat of the car.
"Ok...what do we have to lose?" Jack shrugged, taking Rose's hand and helping her into the backseat of the Dawson family vehicle.
