BETWEEN TWO HEARTS
Chapter Six
April 14, 1912
8 AM
Siobhan got back to her stateroom
just as the morning sun was setting its sights on the Titanic. Her head was
still spinning from the amount of dancing that she had done that night as well
as the time she had spent with her two childhood friends. It took her no time
to change into her nightdress, and before she knew it, she was in bed and
drawing her covers up, fully intending to sleep until the late afternoon.
However, she forgot one important detail concerning the day.
She had just closed her eyes when
she heard a knock on the door.
"Miss Siobhan! It’s time to
get ready for the services! They’re in an hour!"
She groaned as she pulled the
covers over her head. She had not slept since the day before…when was she ever
going to get some rest?
"Miss Siobhan!"
She forced herself to get up out
of the unusually comfortable bed. She sighed as she pulled her robe on and
opened the door. The maid came in and shut the door behind her. She turned
around, intending to help her charge dress, but stopped in her tracks.
"Oh, dear…" she said,
with a sort of whisper in her voice. "You don’t look too good. Is
everything all right? Did you sleep at all last night?"
Siobhan remembered her ploy to
get out of dinner. "Um…I actually was not feeling well last night, and
consequentially, I hardly slept."
"Are you sure you want to go
to the services?"
"I need to. My uncle is
stopping by to escort me to the dining room, anyway. I will attempt to pray for
a recovery."
"Well, heaven knows you need
it, child. I will try and get you fixed up to look halfway decent for that
gentleman of yours. I would recommend that you come back up here right
afterwards and try to get some rest."
"I’ll…try…" She trailed
off as her maid got started and seemed to be not listening to her anymore.
*****
It was only a matter of time
before her uncle came to her room. "Siobhan! Are you feeling better? You
look worse than you did last night."
"I didn’t sleep too well,
uncle. I’m fine, though. Really…I’m doing better."
"Are you sure that you want
to come?"
"Of course. I’ve been raised
never to neglect the services on Sundays."
"I know you have. Come
on…they’re starting soon." With that, he held out his arm and she took it.
The two walked back to the Grand Staircase and down to the dining hall, where
there was an area set up for the service.
They sat towards the back of the
area and quietly watched many of the passengers file in after them. They didn’t
choose to sit up in the front because of the fact that the elder could be
called away at a moment’s notice. He wouldn’t want to disturb any of the
passengers at their service.
Siobhan saw all of the officers
filing in together--all except for Moody and Murdoch, who were the watch
officers at that time. She caught Lowe’s eye, and he flashed her a smile. He
motioned that he had to sit with the others, but he’d meet her afterwards and
they could get some breakfast before he had to go on his watch.
As the last people sat down,
Captain Smith stood up and announced the first song. The passengers, in turn,
picked up their hymnals and turned to the page as they heard the first notes of
the song on the piano.
*****
The service lasted about an hour,
and afterwards, the first class passengers began to mingle with each other. Mr.
Andrews gave his niece a kiss on the cheek as he said, "Pardon my sudden
departure, but I need to take a look at something in the gymnasium and after
that I need to give a tour of the ship to some of the first class passengers.
I’ll meet up with you after I’m done and we’ll go to dinner or something. I’m
sorry I’m neglecting you for most of this voyage."
"Uncle Thomas, don’t worry
about it. I’m meeting Harold for breakfast, anyway. Good luck with the
tour--I’ll see you tonight." With that said, he headed off to the boat
deck.
"Ahem…Miss Andrews, Lowe had
to run to the washroom. He’ll be back in a few minutes. How is your voyage
going so far?"
She turned around and saw Third
Officer Pitman next to her. "Oh, hello…" she said with a smile.
"My voyage has been quite enjoyable, Mr. Pitman. Thank you for
asking."
The two continued to talk for a
little while, until she heard a third voice join the conversation. It was none
other than Ismay, the man who had left a sour first impression on the first
night out.
"Mr. Pitman," he said
to the officer. "Do you mind if I talk to Miss Andrews for a few
minutes?"
The officer shook his head and
motioned to go ahead. He moved off to the side, leaving the two passengers to
their conversation.
Mr. Ismay did not hesitate when
he had his privacy. "What do you think you are doing to your uncle?"
"What are you talking
about?"
"You know exactly what
you’re doing. Associating yourself with third class people? Getting involved
romantically with a ship’s officer? People are talking about this, Miss
Andrews. And it isn’t good."
She looked at him with narrowed
eyes. "Since when are you so concerned with my status in society?"
"Since your uncle became the
master shipbuilder." His eyes looked over her slowly, examining every
aspect of her. She felt like she was a cow on the auction block.
"Friendship and love
associate themselves with no class, Mr. Ismay…I’m sure you would be able to
find some suitable friends in the Second and Third Classes if you tried."
"Oh, Miss Siobhan…you silly,
silly girl. You are quite beautiful. You can use that beauty to get any man you
want. Why don’t you go for one with money and power and leave behind that piece
of sea trash?"
That comment struck a nerve in
her. She officially grew tired of the classism that was running rampant
throughout the majority of First Class. No one criticized anyone that she cared
about. No one.
Suddenly, while surprising
everyone except her, she took her right arm and quickly slapped Ismay across
the face. It was apparent that she was not going to take any more verbal
battering from anyone about her life--it was her life and she could live it the
way she wanted.
The next thing she knew, she felt
strong arms grip her shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lowe
standing right behind her. "What is going on here?" he asked with a
raised voice, as if he knew that he had done something to provoke her.
She didn’t say anything, but just
looked over at Mr. Ismay. "I think it’s time for you to leave," she said
quietly while directing the statement to the overbearing ship owner.
Ismay looked enraged at this--was
he actually going to let this woman win over him? He looked over to the
officers, and both of them gave him looks that said they were going to side with
her. "I won’t let this be over here," he said. "There will be
repercussions," he said as he left quickly.
Siobhan scowled after him as she
felt his arms draw her closer. "I personally think that there won’t."
She looked up to her companion. "Are you ready for breakfast?"
"Whenever you are," he
said in reply. At that, they bid the other officer good morning and went to the
a la carte restaurant.
*****
Harold dropped her off at her
stateroom before he went up to take his place on duty at the bridge. She smiled
as she thought this would be the chance for her to catch up on her sleep.
However, that didn’t happen.
She opened the door after she
heard some knocking. There she saw her uncle, and he didn’t look too happy with
her. "You slapped Mr. Ismay."
"Uncle Thomas, I can explain
everything."
She turned on her heel and went
back into her room. He followed her while saying, "There’s nothing to
explain."
Glancing back to him, she saw him
shut the door. He turned back to her quickly and said, in an extremely quiet
voice, "What did it feel like?"
She couldn’t believe her ears.
"What?"
"Siobhan, my dear, you have
done what many of us have wanted to do for a long time. Ismay, if he wants
something, will not think of others’ feelings when he goes for it. I am not mad
at you--in fact, I found it rather funny when he came ranting to me about your
behavior. I had to hold laughter in, of course, but I’m not mad at you. He
probably deserved it for provoking you."
"Yeah…" She chuckled
slightly.
"Anyway," her uncle
continued, "I’m going down to survey the Second Class area. Do you want to
come?"
She shrugged. "Sure,"
she said. "How late will we be out?"
"Just until about nine or
so. We can always get the rest of the areas tomorrow that we don’t get to
today." She nodded and grabbed her overcoat and, a few minutes later, the
two were underway.