DAWSON EVERLASTING
Chapter Three
The next day, Rose sat at the
table for lunch. Both of her parents looked at her as if they knew something
she didn’t know. Finally having enough, she put her fork down and glared at
them both.
"Yes? What is it?"
Ruth and Barron Bukater looked at
each other and then back at Rose before answering. "Your father has just
received a phone call from Caledon Hockley." Ruth was bursting with
excitement. "He’s coming to see you."
Rose frowned. She didn’t like the
sound of this so far. "Daddy? What is she talking about? Why would Caledon
Hockley come see me?"
"Rose, dear, you remember
what Rachel said about Mr. Hockley’s search for a bride, don’t you? Well,
darling, you’ve been chosen. Out of all the eligible young women in Treegap, he
chose you!" Ruth laughed with glee.
"Me? Why me?"
"Because, my dear daughter,
you are the best," her mother replied. "Which means the Bukaters are
the best."
"But, Mother! I don’t want
to see him! I don’t even want to be married!"
"Oh, pish-posh, Rose. All
girls want to meet him, and they all want to get married, as well. You’re just
being difficult, like always. It’s time you began acting like a lady instead of
a child."
"Daddy?" Rose turned to
her father, her green eyes begging for interference. The kind of interference
he usually provided when her mother tried to mold her into something she
wasn’t. She frowned, thinking of how that fatherly intervention was happening
less and less over the last year. But hopefully he would come through for her
this one last time. He didn’t.
"Your mother is right, Rose.
It’s time that you grow up and become the well-bred lady that society expects
you to be. Caledon Hockley is also a fine business associate. A union between
our family and the Hockleys will ensure our survival."
"B-but, Daddy…I’m not ready
for marriage. I want to go to college…become an actress…"
Ruth gasped in horror at the
revelation of Rose’s lifelong dream. She couldn’t believe that her well-bred
daughter wanted to be something as vulgar as an actress. Thank providence for
Caledon Hockley! He would make sure that such a dream would never become a
reality. "Rose, you will be seeing Mr. Hockley. You will conduct yourself
properly and you will make him a decent, well brought up wife. Do you
understand me? You will forget about this vulgar ambition of yours and do
what’s best for this family. Do you understand me, Rose?"
Hot tears of outrage filled
Rose’s eyes. They didn’t even care that she didn’t want this. That life with
Caledon Hockley would be a life of despair for her. All they cared about was
the precious family name. Trembling with emotion, Rose got to her feet. "I
will not marry him! I won’t even meet him!" Rose glared at both her
parents, her blood boiling with rebellion and betrayal, especially when she
looked at her father. He was supposed to defend her against her mother’s unreasonable
plan, but instead, he had sided with Ruth. Putting riches and prestige ahead of
their own daughter’s happiness.
"Rose, sit down this
instant! You will meet with Mr. Hockley and stop this childish tantrum,"
Ruth hissed.
"Leave me alone!" Rose
ran. She ran from the room, out of the house, and into the woods that had been
forbidden to her since she learned to walk, ignoring the startled calls of her
parents.
*****
Jack knelt at the stream that was
the cause of his family’s secret, the very reason he was out in the woods
today. He was ordered by his father to guard the spring from strangers. Take
care of any stranger that might enter their domain and stumble upon the spring.
How his father meant that, Jack didn’t know. But he would do his best to follow
orders. As long as those orders meant not hurting anyone.
Dipping his hand into the cool
water, he took a long, thirsty drink. It was a hot day, and standing guard was
hot, thirsty work.
*****
After what seemed like hours,
Rose stopped running. Out of breath, she looked at her surroundings, and
instantly knew she was lost. She didn’t even know the way back to her house,
which was just fine with her. She intended never to return to the Bukater
mansion. This was her last chance at freedom, and she wasn’t going to waste it.
Thirsty, she followed the sound of running water, just to come upon a boy with
the blondest hair she’d ever seen in her life. He was knelt at a spring,
drinking as if water was going out of style.
She just stood there and stared
at him. If a man could be beautiful, that would be how she’d describe him. She
couldn’t help but soundlessly stare, wondering who he was.
At last, he rose to his full
height, feeling someone’s eyes on him. He turned to see a lovely red-headed
girl staring at him, her green eyes were wide with curiosity. He was struck
speechless by her beauty.
"Uh…hello." He decided
to break the silence.
"Hello," was all Rose
could get out, noticing just how blue Jack’s eyes were. Blue and bright with
energy she couldn’t describe.
"What are you doing
here?" Jack asked.
"I’m lost."
"Well…what’s your name?
Maybe I can help you find your way back."
"It’s Rose DeWitt Bukater,
and I’m not going back."
"Oh, a DeWitt Bukater, huh?
My name’s Jack. Jack Dawson. So, Rose…tell me, why aren’t you going back?"
Avoiding the question, Rose
looked at the spring Jack had drunk from, suddenly feeling dehydrated.
"I’m thirsty." She lifted her head in a dignified manner, a gesture
she’d seen her mother do a number of times. "I’ll take a drink from that spring,
and then I will answer your rather rude question." She headed for the
spring, just to find her way blocked by Jack.
"No! You can’t drink from
that!" Jack stood in the pathway, not letting her pass.
"And pray tell, why
not?" Rose was indignant. Her family owned these woods, and here was this
strange boy telling her that she couldn’t drink from a spring that by all
rights belonged to her anyway.
"It’s poison," Jack
quickly replied. "See, I’m feeling sick already."
"Well, you look fine to
me." Rose looked at him skeptically. "I don’t believe you." Rose
walked past Jack and to the spring anyway.
"No! Wait! You can’t drink
from that!" Jack grabbed Rose, a bit more roughly than he intended to.
Angry, Rose jerked out of his
grasp. "How dare you grab me like that? My father owns these woods, and
he’ll have you thrown in jail for treating me in such a manner!" Rose ran
away from Jack, and right into the arms of another man, who was two years older
than Jack, but had the same piercing blue eyes.
"You’re not going
anywhere." The man held her tightly.
"Miles, no! Let her
go!" Jack glared at his brother.
"You know what Angus said
about strangers, Jack!"
"B-but she’s a DeWitt
Bukater."
"No exceptions! That was the
rule."
"Let me go!" Rose
yelled. "This is kidnapping! I’ll have you arrested for this!"
"You still want to let her
go?" Miles stared at Jack after hearing Rose’s threat.
Realizing that threats did more
harm than good in her situation, Rose backtracked. They would kill her if she
didn’t think of something, and fast. They’d kill her and leave her body for her
parents to find, rotten and decaying, all signs of life gone. "Listen, I’m
sorry. I won’t tell. I promise. No one will even know you’re here. Just let me
go home. Please."
"You hear? She’s not going
to tell anyone about us. She promised. You can let her go."
"Jack, stop being so naive!
She’s lying! If we let her go, she’ll run home to her mommy and daddy and tell
them about the bad men in the woods. Since she’s a DeWitt Bukater, they’ll be
out here and will be relentless in their search for us!"
"Well…let’s take her back to
the cabin, then. Let Angus and Mae decide what to do!"
"Okay. Fine." Miles
nodded. "Get the rope out of my sack there and tie her hands. I’ll blindfold
her," Miles directed.
Quickly, Rose was tied and
blindfolded. With a warning to behave, Rose was led deeper into the woods, with
no idea of what awaited her.