AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Mr. Hockley, have you seen any sign of
her yet?" Ruth DeWitt Bukater asked the next day. They were having lunch
at one of New York’s finest restaurants.
"No, Ruth. There has been no sign of her
yet, but not to worry, we will find her," he assured Rose’s mother.
Ruth looked pale and weak; she missed her
daughter greatly. Why didn’t you get into the boat, Rose? she asked
herself for the hundredth time since Titanic had sunk beneath the icy North
Atlantic. But in her heart, she knew the reason. She went after that Dawson
boy, she thought in disgust. Why her daughter would want to run off with
such filth was beyond her understanding. "We must find her. The wedding is
only a month away," Ruth said. I’ll be damned if that boy ruins our
lives, she thought determinedly. She knew that Jack had lived. Cal had
informed her of finding his name on the survivor’s list.
"Ruth, there really is no need for you
to stay in town. You should go back to Philadelphia and get some rest. You’ve
been through a terrible ordeal. I assure you that you will know the moment I
find her," Cal encouraged. He wanted to get Ruth out of the picture for
the time being. He would inform her of Rose’s whereabouts when he got Rose
under control.
"Perhaps you are right. It won’t do me
much good to stay here." Cal smiled to himself. "But you will inform
me if you find out anything, won’t you?" Ruth asked.
Cal nodded. "Of course I will, Ruth. You
can count on me."
A while later, they left the restaurant. Cal
dropped Ruth off at the hotel where she was staying before continuing back to
the mansion. The minute he got back, he went straight up to the room where Rose
was being kept. He opened the door to find a mess. The room looked as if a
tornado had swept through it.
"Oh my, Rose, look what you have
done," he lightly scolded her. She had thrown clothes and shoes all over
the room, and the bed and curtains were lying on the floor in a huge pile. She
had taken her anger out on the room. "Not to worry, though. I will send up
a maid to clean. She will also assist you in getting dressed," he said,
noting that she had thrown on the simplest dress that she could find. Her
appearance wouldn’t do. She definitely needs a maid, he decided.
"I don’t need a maid, Cal. I do know how
to dress myself. And I can also clean up this mess myself. I don’t want or need
anything from you," she said angrily.
He was shocked at how only a week had changed
her way of living. She can clean up the room herself? Get dressed on her
own? What is going on? "Nonsense, Rose. I will send a maid up at once.
She’ll also bring you your lunch." He left the room before she could
protest.
"Ah!" she cried out in frustration.
"I have to get out of here, and soon," she said to herself, as she
paced around the room. What am I going to do? I have to get away before Cal
can have his way with me again, she thought desperately. She wanted to run
and throw herself in the shower again at just the thought of what he had done
to her the night before. She had to fight back tears. It was my fault. I
shouldn’t have angered him so. What would Jack think of me? I really am a slut
now. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening once again. A maid
came in, carrying a tray. Cal was standing behind her, blocking the exit so
Rose wouldn’t escape.
"Here is your lunch, Miss," the
maid said softly. The maid avoided her pleading eyes.
"You can’t keep me locked up like an
animal, Cal," Rose said as she accepted the tray from the maid.
Cal laughed. "Do animals get maid
service?" Rose ignored him as she set the tray of food down on a table
nearby. "Carol, kindly assist my fiancée in dressing properly after she
has finished her lunch. I will send someone to let you out in an hour,"
Cal instructed the maid, before leaving. He once again locked the door behind
him.
"You are not my fiancé!" Rose
screamed after him.
Carol looked at her uncomfortably.
"Please, Miss. Calm down. You should eat your lunch. You don’t want to get
sick now, do you?" Carol asked kindly.
Rose stared at her. "Why are you doing
this? You can help me. I know you can. Why do you listen to him?" Rose
asked pleadingly. Carol avoided her eyes once again as she started to clean up
the messy room. "Answer me, dammit! Why do you follow his orders?"
Carol looked at Rose, shocked by her
outburst. "Miss, I’m sorry, but this is my job. I’m a widow and I have two
children to take care of. You should know, of all people, that the Hockleys are
not people to mess with. If I could help you, I would."
Rose sat down on the bed in defeat. She
didn’t blame the maid. She did know what the Hockleys were capable of. She
couldn’t be mad at the woman for wanting to protect her family. Rose started to
cry. "He’s going to keep me locked up in here for the rest of my
life!" Rose cried hysterically.
Carol felt sorry for the girl. She didn’t
agree with what Cal was doing one bit. Carol sighed before turning to face
Rose. "I can’t promise you anything, but I’ll see what I can do."
Rose looked up at the older woman gratefully.
"Oh, thank you. Please, be careful, though. I wouldn’t want your family to
get hurt because of me."
Carol continued to clean the room while Rose
ate her lunch. After Rose had finished eating, Carol started to pull an
elaborate dress out of the wardrobe. "Mr. Hockley has instructed me to
assist you into this dress."
Rose looked at the dress in disdain. "I
won’t be told what to wear. I am perfectly capable of dressing myself,"
Rose said angrily.
Carol sighed. "Miss, perhaps you should
cooperate with him…for your sake."
Rose could see the maid’s point. Look where
her stubbornness and anger had gotten her the night before. "Okay, I will
wear the dress, but I don’t need your assistance. I can manage on my own,"
Rose said as she took the dress from Carol.
They spent the rest of the hour in silence. A
servant finally came upstairs to let Carol out of the room.
"Carol…thanks for everything."
Carol paused. She took a good look at the
young woman standing in front of her, looking helpless. For the first time
since she had first met her, Carol noticed the bruise on Rose’s left cheek.
Right at that moment, she knew that she had to help her. She couldn’t live with
herself if she ignored the situation. She smiled at Rose. "You’re welcome,
Miss," she said formally.
But Rose could see something behind her
smile. She knew that she had help now…and a friend.