IT HAS TO BE YOU
Chapter
Eight
April 19, 1912
Rose walked slowly
beside Cal, her arm linked with his. They were on their way out of the
Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where they had spent the night, courtesy of the White
Star Line.
Many people were
staying longer, to be present at the hearing regarding the sinking of the
Titanic, or to recoup their losses and make themselves presentable before
returning home, but Rose knew why her mother and Cal were so eager to return to
Philadelphia. They knew that Jack had survived the sinking, and feared that
Rose would try to escape and find him if they stayed in New York.
Rose suspected that
Cal had another reason for wanting to leave before the hearing. She and Jack
had not been the only witnesses to his abominable behavior the night the ship
sank, trying to shoot them and then later clubbing people with an oar when they
tried to board his lifeboat. Rose had not witnessed that, but she had heard
about it in steerage before she had been reunited with Jack. Cal had denied it
when she had confronted him, but Rose knew enough about him to believe that
what the steerage survivors had said was true.
It was unlikely
that anyone would believe the words of a steerage passenger above Cal’s word,
but it wasn’t impossible, and if someone from first class had witnessed his
behavior and reported it, or even someone from second class or an officer,
Cal’s name could be dragged into the hearing, possibly ruining his reputation
or even having legal repercussions. Cal was mean and egotistical, but he wasn’t
stupid. As a passenger, he could leave New York without attending the hearing,
and the chances that anything would happen to him—if anyone even thought about
what he did that night—were very slim if he wasn’t present.
Rose walked
stiffly, keeping her eyes straight ahead. Cal and her mother could drag her
back to Philadelphia, but she wouldn’t go easily, and she planned to leave the
first chance she got. At the moment, there was nothing she could do—they kept
too close an eye on her for her to escape—but she intended to watch and wait
for her chance. She was determined to get away, and they couldn’t watch her all
the time, especially with Cal’s loyal manservant, Spicer Lovejoy, gone.
They reached the
taxi that Cal had called before they had gathered their few belongings and
checked out of the hotel. Ruth had been put out at having to carry her own bag,
but both of the maids had gone down with the ship, and there had not yet been
time to hire new ones. There was very little to carry, anyway, so after a few
snide remarks about the lack of service, Ruth had taken her belongings and
carried them to the taxi.
The three of them
settled into the back seat, Rose in the middle to keep her from trying to jump
out. As the taxi slowly moved into the heavy traffic, she looked around, trying
to think of a way to escape before they reached the train station. Traffic was
heavy, so the taxi moved slowly and often stopped, but she was in the middle of
the seat, flanked by her mother and Cal. Any attempt to escape could be easily
stopped simply by blocking her path.
As they moved
through the city, past the towering buildings and the crowds of people, an idea
occurred to her. If she could only get them to let her sit beside the door, she
could get out when the taxi was stopped in traffic and disappear amongst the
crowds.
Clapping her hand
over her mouth, Rose made a gasping sound of distress and began breathing
heavily, as though she were about to be sick. She had eaten little that
morning, still not trusting Cal not to drug her food, so it was plausible that
she might feel ill.
"Rose, what’s
wrong with you?" Ruth demanded. "Stop that!"
"I don’t feel
so good, Mother. I think I ate something that disagreed with me."
"Well,
suppress it. We’ll be at the train station soon, if this traffic ever clears.
There’s a ladies’ room there."
"I don’t think
I can wait that long. Maybe if I sat next to the window…"
"Rose…"
Ruth looked at her warningly, suspecting that Rose might not be as sick as she
was acting. Her daughter was a talented actress, and Ruth knew that she was
looking for any opportunity to get away.
Cal, however, was
taken in by the act. Wiggling forward, he exchanged places with Rose.
"Move over,
sweetpea. I don’t want you getting sick in here. Lower the window and get
yourself some fresh air."
Rose gave him a
grateful look, moving over and letting the cool morning air blow over her. She
almost did feel sick. If this didn’t work…
The taxi came to a
stop again as a group of schoolchildren moved across the street, the driver
waiting for them to cross before moving on. It was just the opportunity Rose
had been waiting for.
Throwing open the
door, she leaped out of the taxi. Cal lunged for her, grabbing a handful of her
silk skirt, but the tattered fabric gave way, leaving him clutching only a
handful of ragged material.
She darted across
the street, dodging traffic, and onto the sidewalk, quickly blending into the
crowd and disappearing around a corner. Ruth and Cal shouted after her, but she
didn’t turn around.
Rose was free
again.