Chapter XX: Unexpected Intentions
A/N: Finally it is Titanic Month, one of my favorite months of the year! And I have a chapter to post during it! Thanks go out to the CowgirlBookworm for her neverending help! I do not know what I would do without her! This story probably would have puttered out. Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD
May 12th
There were not enough words to describe how much Roland hated New York City. Every time he or one of his family members was there, something bad happened.
The bad thing this trip was that the remaining Titanic crew (bar Lieutenant Murdoch and Chief Petty Officer Turner) were returning to England for the inquiry there in the morning. Which included Harry. That meant Cecily would be upset. Very upset.
His sister and her sailor would be heading out soon. Roland had not been told what they would be doing tonight, but knew that they would be wearing plain attire so as to not attract attention.
Anyway, he was on his way to Harry's room for a specific chat. His aunt was having a version of the discussion with Cecily at his request.
Knocking on the door to his friend's room, "Harry can we talk?"
"Fine come in. Please make it quick. I'm heading off to see Cecily," he called out.
Roland entered the room and saw what Harry was wearing: A nondescript button-up white shirt, blue trousers, his black oxfords, and a hat that could cover his face if need arose.
All in all, nothing about his clothes attracted attention.
"What is it you need, Roland," he could tell Harry wanted to get going.
"I'll make this as fast as I can. Just some things for tonight. Mine and Cecily's father has some rules tonight that need to be followed: Be back to the hotel by 11. Malcolm knows the city well and will keep you both in the good parts. You will not overstep any bounds a suitor would. Kisses are fine," he winced, "But if I find out anything beyond that has occurred, I'll gladly use my service pistol on you." Sighing, he begged, "This part is from me. Please don't hurt her, she's been through enough hell with men. Don't do anything stupid and put yourself in harm's way. I don't want Cecily to wear black for the rest of her life."
"I promise I won't do anything stupid and I won't put myself at risk," Harry promised.
"You better not, because I'm more than ready to drag you from Heaven or Hell as the case may be," he warned.
Harry rolled his eyes at that and was almost out the door when Roland thought of one more thing…
"It's not that we're not still friends," he began looking just past Harry's head, "But you best remember she's my sister. And you damn well better keep your trousers buttoned!"
Harry turned such a bright red it was a wonder he had blood anywhere else. "I'll remember that." Then he was gone.
"I think you should tell your sister that. She's been looking at him like she wants to eat him alive." It was Lightoller.
Turning around to face the grinning Englishman he replied, "I handled that. Our aunt had a conversation with her to speak on those matters."
"I pity your sister. I doubt there were as many threats, but some things were probably put too plainly," that was Lieutenant Murdoch.
Cecily was trying to enjoy her last night with Harry. They'd been out for a couple of hours already, and yet she still had not yet calmed down from her aunt's rather humiliating discussion.
If I find out Roland had something to do with that…
"Cecily, your mind's wandering again. What's wrong? You've been distracted all night," Harry brought her mind back to the present.
She felt her ears pinking. Telling him what she was thinking about… It wasn't suited for public consumption.
"If you're still thinking about what your aunt said, I don't think you have anything to worry about," Malcolm called out to her.
"What did your aunt say," Harry asked as he pulled her into his side to cuddle.
"That if I was going to do anything with you not um… uh…" she was blushing now and not in a good way.
"Not to get pregnant because Roland would shoot you," Malcolm added helpfully.
Harry was stunned into silence. Cecily could not bring herself to look at him at all.
"I think your aunt and brother talked to each other before talking to us," he managed to bite out.
"They did. It was Roland's idea," Malcolm was being incredibly helpful tonight!
She'd deal with her blasted brother when she got back.
"That's why you've been so nervous all night, isn't it," he asked.
"Well, I wanted to do something with you but not all the way. Then I thought that you might not want to do more than what have been doing already and that perhaps I had done something wrong or there was something wrong with me that you weren't interested," she babbled.
Harry put his finger to her lips to shush her, "Of course I want you, but we don't need to move so fast. It should come naturally, not because we're desperate for each other. I don't want you to think I'm using you, only to leave you."
Fingering the chain in her pocket, Cecily felt that she'd chosen wisely in a man.
Clearing her throat, she said, "I have something for you."
"A kiss," he grinned cheekily.
"Well, yes, but that's not all," Cecily nervously took the pendant out of her dress pocket and handed it to him.
"So this is what you did with the coin your father gave me, had it put on a chain," he asked.
"I thought you could wear it, use it for a good luck charm. We've all used up quite a bit of our luck. It's a large enough chain that you can just slip it over your head," she replied.
"Thank you," he began examining the pendant.
Upon closer examination Harry stated, "This is backed with gold."
"That would be correct," Cecily replied, confused by his tone.
"I'm not worth gold," he seemed to be blushing.
Moving closer to him, putting her hand on his face she whispered, "You are to me."
Harry took her into his arms so Cecily took that as an invite to pull his shoulders to hold him in place as they began to kiss.
She quickly forgot that they were in a semi public place and that Malcolm was but a few steps away. Dimly, Cecily heard him groan and turn around.
She just loved molding herself to Harry and he loved helping her do so.
Cecily was sucking on his bottom lip when she noticed something rather large prodding her stomach.
Harry jumped away suddenly. She tried to follow but he held her upper arms to keep her away from him, breathing heavily.
"Uffern waedlyd, mae'n ddrwg gen i am hyn," he waved to his hips, "Dim ond eich bod chi mor hyfryd, rwyf am barhau i'ch cusanu. Collais reolaeth arnaf fy hun yno."
"Mae'n iawn. Rwy'n gwenieithus," she replied as she removed his hands from her arms, though to give him some peace of mind she moved to his side.
He groaned, "Dduw da, paid â gwneud pethau'n waeth!"
"I hate to throw a bucket of water on you both, but you're pushing your luck. You both don't want to get arrested for indecency," Malcolm was facing them again.
"On our way back, we can plan on how to best deal with Roland," Cecily suggested.
"That would be fun, what do you suggest," Harry asked.
Will had just handed Charles his novel length letter to Ada when he heard a shout of "PENDEJO!"
Cecily and Harold were back from their outing and she was stalking towards her brother. Harold was smirking.
When Charles and the others looked to him for a translation he said, "That word requires no translation. The other obscenities however I'll be more than happy to translate!"
"She's actually hoping you'd do that for her sir," Harold sat down with a large bag of popcorn.
"So she's showboating the conversation. What exactly is she yelling at her brother for, Will," Charles asked taking some offered popcorn.
"Apparently she found out about him being the one behind the chat her aunt had with her about what she should and shouldn't do when she went out with Harold here tonight.
"And what did she tell Cecily not to do with you tonight Mr. Lowe," Charles smirked.
"I'm quite certain you have a good idea sir. Let's keep on listening," Harold replied in a neat dodge.
"What's her brother saying," James asked.
"He's trying to explain himself. And is doing it badly. Miss Lethbridge just called him an arse and said that if it was their father doing this she wouldn't be as angry. And that he's not likely one to talk. He's probably gotten up to plenty with his girl," Will continued.
Pausing to take a drink of whiskey, he choked when Cecily said something he never expected her to know about!
"Jesus suffering fuck, where did she get that from," Will had to write it down.
All of the officers around him leaned over to see what he was writing down. Lowe just grinned at everyone's reaction. She must have told him ahead of time.
"I'm not that limber," Herbert shook his head.
"It's not possible," James tilted his head trying to imagine it.
Antin had come into the room unnoticed and leaned over to read what he'd written.
"Well, it's possible. You just need two things," the Yank was grinning and was likely about to mess with James a bit.
"What are those two things," James seemed to have the idea from the man's tone.
"You need to be limber and you need to have a crazy Australian wife," Antin choked on his laughter, "My wife's from Darwin."
Will tried. He really did. But he still gave Charles a side eye glance. And he wasn't the only one.
Charles then had the absolute gall to act affronted!
"Well, I can assure you that Sylvie has never done anything like *that*," he declared.
"Lights," Will began.
"To insinuate that such behavior is the standard for all Australian women-" Will interrupted him.
"Lights shut up. You told me you did this on your wedding night. I'm surprised anyone on the Suevic got any sleep at all!"
"I certainly didn't," Michael grumbled, "I remember an outdoor incident I interrupted on my rounds!"
"Well you've got an Australian wife of your own, anything you'd like to share with the rest of the class William," Charles drawled.
"You know bloody well Ada is from New Zealand," Will answered.
"Close enough. What's a couple hundred miles of ocean? I'm sure there are some similarities," Antin smirked.
"So Lieutenant Murdoch, have ye done that as well? Limber enough," that was Malcolm. This time he was letting his burr in on purpose.
Will decided to reply with, "Nach bu mhath leat fios a bhith agad, a MhicLaomainn?"
Again the younger Scotsman ignored the Gaelic with a "Bless you."
May 13th, Morning
It was almost time to leave. They were at the docks and the Majestic was waiting for them to board.
Harry couldn't help but keep looking at Cecily, running his eyes over every inch of her. Taking in every detail of her, since God alone knew when they'd see each other again.
Lights had chaffed him immediately upon seeing his new lucky charm and learning the story behind it. Will told him not to worry about it, and that if Sylvia had given Charles such a gift the man would not let it out of his sight.
"Well, it's almost time. Are you going to send her off with a kiss or let her look miserable when you leave," that was Lights again.
"Yes, could you two just kiss, say goodbye and get it over with? Ghislaine is back in Washington, I'd like to see her," Roland groused.
What Cecily did next, Harry did not entirely expect. Whilst the kiss itself was expected, the level of involvement given that they were in plain view of God and man was not. She was probably still rightfully annoyed with Roland's actions from the night before.
Cecily yanked him down by his tie, sticking her tongue in his mouth and stroking it over his. He promptly joined in, pulling her close.
Harry truly wanted to grip at her hair. Cecily had abandoned his tie in favor of moving her clever little hands to his arse. Mindful of being in public, he went for her hair with both hands deepening the kiss, making Cecily moan. Harry ignored the cacophony of hoots and wolf whistles that had likely been started by Lightoller.
"Knock it off before people start looking, you've made your point," Roland griped.
They slowly toned down the kiss; but stayed in each other's arms.
"That was quite the kiss," she whispered, smoothing his tie.
"We got to annoy your brother," he answered, curling a lock of hair over her ear.
"That's always fun," Cecily giggled.
"Come along lovebirds. Harold, you have a ship to catch. Miss Lethbridge, you have a brother to shout at," Charles cackled.
Harry's last view of Cecily was of her cursing a blue streak at Roland. He'd expected tears and begging him to stay. Instead he'd gotten that kiss and her reaming out Roland.
His last sight of her was beautiful.
There were less guests in the house now. It was only Lieutenant Murdoch, Chief Turner, and Mr. Ferretti who would soon be leaving for basic training in the Marine Corps.
Two days after the bulk of their guest's departure, her charge's brother soon to be fiancée came for a visit. Miss Cecily received her well, but was on edge.
Olive herself had seen her from a window. Ghislaine had sandy blonde hair and had overheard mention of her having grey eyes.
Olive was on her way around the house when Malcolm caught up with her. "Olive, I forgot about this. I just remembered it now. It's a letter to you, from that Moody fellow. Read it when you can."
When he handed it over, Olive put it in her dress pocket, "Thank you Malcolm."
"Don't mention it. Have a nice rest of your day," he inclined his head with a smile then left.
She had a small amount of free time available before Cecily needed her next so Olive decided to read it. He had excellent penmanship.
Olive,
I cannot thank you enough for your help while I was staying with the Lethbridges. You probably don't realize how needed you were. I will admit that I enjoyed your company quite a bit and I was hoping that I might come see you in Washington. I find myself confessing that I find you quite beautiful and I hope you say yes.
I hope I am not to forward to ask for a photograph of you. That is if you return my feelings. I feel like a fool for asking this.
I have no idea how long this inquiry will last. I hope to have a letter of yours to look forward to.
James Moody.
This was not what Olive thought would happen when she opened the letter. She hadn't encouraged the man in the slightest, she had just been nice.
Deciding that asking Rafaela's advice would be the best course of action, she hurried to the kitchen.
Rafaela was planning the evening meal when Olive rushed into the kitchen. She handed the older woman the letter saying, "I didn't do anything to encourage him!"
"That's actually a good thing my child. He likes you as you are," Rafaela explained, returning the letter to her.
"What do I do next," Olive pled.
"Well if you are interested, write him back and send him a picture," the older woman replied.
"I don't have anything nice enough to wear," she spluttered.
"Come with me. I know people who can help with that," Olive followed her upstairs.
She soon recognized where they were.
"Why are we here?"
"Mina and Cecily will be able to help you. I promise you will not get into trouble for this," the cook reassured her.
Olive entered the room to her charge and her and talking in Welsh.
"I apologize for bothering you both, but Olive needs advice from you both," Rafaela poked her forward.
Olive handed her letter to Cecily, feeling more comfortable handing it to her.
Upon reading it, she grinned, then handed it to her aunt, who smiled as well.
"I truly did nothing to encourage him," she reiterated.
"I understand that, but do you welcome attentions from him," Cecily's aunt asked.
Olive thought about what little time she'd managed to spend with James. All of it she'd found to be enjoyable.
"I would welcome more attention from him yes," she answered carefully, "But I don't have anything for a picture."
"I can help with that. Harry doesn't have a picture of me yet either, so I was planning on going shopping as well. The clothes will be comfortable for you," Cecily assured her.
"Is this appropriate for you to do for me," Olive asked.
"Within boundaries yes," Cecily replied.
A/N 2: Had a ton of fun with this, glad I was able to update during Titanic month, looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD
Translations:
"Uffern waedlyd, mae'n ddrwg gen i am hyn,": Bloody hell I'm sorry for this
"Dim ond eich bod chi mor hyfryd, rwyf am barhau i'ch cusanu. Collais reolaeth arnaf fy hun yno."- It's just that you're so lovely, I want to keep holding and kissing you. I lost control of myself.
"Mae'n iawn. Rwy'n gwenieithus,"- It's okay, I'm flattered.
"Dduw da, paid â gwneud pethau'n waeth!"- Good God, don't make it worse!
"Nach bu mhath leat fios a bhith agad, a MhicLaomainn?"- Wouldn't you like to know, Lamont?