Chapter Five
Jack leans out of the window on the private promenade deck. And looks up at the stars. He shivers as a blast of cold air blows past him. He walks back in just as Rose walks back out wearing another dress. She was gorgeous. The dress makes her look like a princess.
"It’s getting cold," Jack looks towards the window. "But you look nice."
Suddenly there’s a knock at the door. "Miss Rose," LoveJoy called.
Of course her mother would be looking for her and Caroline was probably looking for Jack as well. Neither of them was ready for a confrontation with Neither Caroline nor Ruth, so Rose grabs Jack’s hand and pulls him into Ruth’s room.
"My drawings!" Jack remembers that he had left his portfolio on the table. But there was no time to go back for them. Rose pulls him into another room and quickly closes the door.
"This way," Rose pulls him to another door that leads out into the hallway.
They’re halfway to the elevator when Lovejoy emerges. They would have gotten away unnoticed if they hadn’t looked behind them and back again. That was when Lovejoy knew he had who he wanted. He quickens his pace.
Knowing this, Rose grabs Jack’s hand and yells "Run!"
Both burst into laughter and runs down the hall, causing the older man to give chance.
"Wait!" Rose yells to the elevator operator
"Wait!" Jack joins her.
"Which floor," The elevator attendant asked.
"Any floor but this one!" Rose laughed.
The door closes and the elevator moves down just as Lovejoy reaches the elevator. Laughing Rose gives him the finger, causing Jack to laugh even harder.
Lovejoy’s eyes just widen in shock and surprise at the rude gesture. What would Mrs. Dewitt Bukater say? Well this wasn’t over. He was going to catch them if it was the last thing he did. Pushing a passing man out of the way, he heads for the stairs.
Jack pushes the elevator door open and both him and Rose fall out laughing hysterically. Jack runs into a steward.
"Sorry," Jack laughed as the shocked man walks away. They run through some double doors and Jack crashes into another steward carrying pots and pans. "I’m sorry!"
"My fault," The steward smiled with amusement noticing how hard the young couple was laughing. Something was awfully amusing.
Jack and Rose run through another set of double doors and collapses into uncontrollable laughter.
"Pretty tough for a valet," Jack laughed. "He’s more like a cop."
"I think he was," Rose laughed.
"Oh shit," Jack whispered as he sees Lovejoy appear in the next room
"Go!" Rose laughed following Jack around a corner where they ran into a dead end.
"No this way!" Jack spots a door. They run into the room and Jack locks the door behind them. They both laugh hysterically as Lovejoy tries to open the door but fails.
"Now what!" Rose yelled over the loud noise coming from the hatch in middle of the floor.
"What!" Jack yelled back, his laughter coming under control.
"Where to next!"
"Down there!" Jack points to a ladder leading down.
Jack’s the first to descend the later, Rose comes after. Jack stops to take in his surroundings when a rough voice speaks up from behind them.
"Hey what are you two doing down here? It can be dangerous!"
Rose grabs Jack and they again are on the run.
"Wait!" The stoker calls after them.
"Carry on! Don’t mind us! You’re doing a great job!" Jack called as they ran past the other stokers. Finally they enter into the cold Cargo hold. Jack looks behind them to make sure they weren’t being followed.
"Hey look what we have here," He spots a brand new Renault. He’s heard about the new Renault town cars and he couldn’t pass up the chance to check this one out. So still holding Rose’s hand he leads her over to the car.
He’s examining the fine bodywork when he hears someone clear their throat behind him. He turns to Rose who looks at him with expectation in her eyes. He stifles a laugh and opens the door for her and helps her climb into the back seat. He closes the door and climbs into the front seat behind the wheel. He beeps the horn.
"Where to Miss?" He asks with a false British accent as Rose pushes down the glass divider. She grabs him by the coat he had lifted earlier that day.
"To the stars," She whispers and pulls him over into the backseat with her. The sound of his breathing is all she could hear. At that moment, looking into his eyes, she knew what was coming next.
"Nervous?" He asked.
"No," Rose shakes her head. She takes his hand and kisses each one of his fingers, loving the feel of his warm flesh on her lips. She wanted more. "Put your hands on me Jack," She whispered, placing his hand on her breast. Jack, his eyes filled with desire and passion obliged. Soon his lips totally covered hers and she welcomed his weight as she slides down into the seat under him.
"I love you Jack," she whispered as he comes up for air.
"Are you sure about this Rose?"
"I’ve never been sure of anything else in my whole life. I want to make love to you Jack. Even if you leave with Caroline when this ship docks, I at least want this one moment with you."
"There’s no need to worry about me leaving with Caroline Rose. It’s not going to happen. I love you and only you. I can never be with anyone else," Jack lovingly gazes into her eyes. His eyes became Rose’s whole world and she remained lost in them as both her and Jack undressed each other. They begin kissing deeper and deeper and soon their hands are exploring each other. Rose gasped as they became one and she soon became so enrapt in her own passion that her hand slammed up against the fogged up window of the Renault. Coming down from the stars, Jack and Rose just lay in one another’s arms.
"You’re trembling," Rose notices.
"Don’t worry. I’ll be alright," Jack smiled and strokes her long red hair.
At that moment, Rose wanted to hide from him as he noticed her hair. Her ugly red hair that her mother had abhorred. "Stop Jack. Don’t look at my hair," Rose turns away from him. A single tear escaping her eyes.
"Why?" Jack asked concerned, noticing the tears. He pulled her closer, wanting to protect her from what ever was making her cry.
"It’s ugly that’s why. My mother abhors it. She always told me how she wished she had a blond child instead of an ugly red head with curls. And I’m sure you feel the same. You must hate my hair…mother does."
Jack’s heart goes out to her. How can that horrible woman say such a thing to Rose? Rose was the most beautiful woman he ever sat eyes on. In fact her hair was the first thing he noticed about her. "Oh Rose, that’s not true. Your hair is one of the loveliest things about you. I love your hair and it’s color. It represents your fiery spirit and that’s what I love most about you Rose. So don’t ever think that your hair is ugly. It’s not. It’s gorgeous."
Rose looks up with Jack, tears gleaming in her eyes. He was so wonderful. He made her feel beautiful and desirable for once in her life. She could die right now and she’d be happy for knowing Jack’s love and kindness.
"I love you Rose," Jack whispered in her ear, holding her tightly.
Rose smiled as he kissed her again. Then she lays his head down on her chest and holds him tight, not ever wanting to let go.
"Is there anything missing?" Lovejoy asked as the women return to their room.
Caroline looks around for any
signs for what might have been going on when she spots
Jack’s portfolio on the table. "This is
Jack’s," She picks up the leather book. "He never
goes anywhere without it."
"Let me check my jewelry box," Rose worriedly goes to
her room. She gasps loudly at what she finds. A drawing and a
note pinned down with her favorite necklace, a family heirloom.
Ruth gasps again when she notices the nude drawing of Rose
wearing the necklace. She reads the note:
Dear Ruth. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your gift. Just think of it as a little retribution at what you’ve done to me for all these years.
Rose.
"Oh dear," Ruth’s hand goes to her throat.
"I’m going to kill him," Caroline growled when she saw the drawing.
"Where’s Molly?" Ruth turned to her butler.
"Mrs. Brown had decided to take a drink in the Parisian café," the butler snorts.
"Good. I have a plan," Caroline turns to Ruth. She was going to get even with Jack and his little slut. She had tried to be nice about this with Rose, but now it’s time to play dirty. She was going to get even with them both. But it’s really Rose she wanted to suffer and she will, oh she will.
Rose and Jack run out onto the second class deck holding hands and laughing. They had just ducked the stewards who had come searching for them. Rose loved the feeling of excitement of the possibility of getting caught.
"Did you see those guys faces? Did you see…" Jack laughed until Rose brought a finger to his lips, her face now totally serious. She had something very important to tell him.
"When the ship docks, I’m getting off with you."
Jack looks at her, his blue eyes wide with amazement. "This is crazy," He smiled.
Rose laughs. "I know. It
doesn’t make any sense. That’s why I trust it."
Jack looks at her, all the love in the world shining in his eyes.
Soon they’re kissing passionately, their arms wrapped around
each other, ignoring the severe chill of the wind. Fifteen
minutes later the ground moves.
"Wow," Rose whispers. "What a kiss."
"That wasn’t the kiss Rose," Jack looks down and notices that the ship is still shuddering. What was going on? Suddenly he knows as a humoungous mountain of ice looms above them "Get back!" Jack pulls Rose backward as giant chunks of ice fall onto the deck.
"What is it Jack?" Rose asked once the ships past and follows Jack to the rail.
"Iceberg." Was Jack’s simple answer. As he hears the sound of the alarms. "Come on. Let’s go to the bridge and see if we can get any idea of what’s going on."
Ten minutes later, Captain Smith, Thomas Andrews and a couple of other officers rush past Jack and Rose as they give up and head back to first class, thinking that maybe everything’s okay after all.
"Can you shore up?" Captain Smith asked.
"Not unless the pumps get ahead," one of the officers answered.
"This is bad," Jack whispered to Rose.
"We have to tell Aunt Molly," Rose leans into Jack and holds tightly to his hand. She was so scared, but she’s determined to remain brave. She didn’t want Jack to think she was a baby. "Come with me Jack…just in case mother’s there. I jump you jump…right?"
"Right," Jack nods. Both go through the door into the ship.
Lovejoy is waiting for them as they enter the hall that leads to Rose’s room.
"We’ve been looking for you Miss," Lovejoy nods. Neither notices him move up closer behind Jack and slips something into his pocket.
Jack and Rose enter the room to find Molly, Caroline, Ruth and the Masters of Arms and two stewards waiting for them.
"Something serious has happened," Rose announced, gripping tightly to Jack’s hand as she spots Caroline glaring at her.
"Yes it has. I come back to the room and find two things dear to me have disappeared," Ruth glares at her daughter. "Now that one is back, I think I have a pretty good idea where the other is. Search him," Ruth nods towards Jack.
"Is this it?" One of the officers holds up Ruth’s necklace, the one that Jack had drawn Rose wearing.
"Wait a minute…how did that get in there!" Jack stares at the necklace, shock in his blue eyes.
"That’s it," Ruth snatches the necklace away from the officer.
"Ok then. It’s obvious what we have to do," the master of arms handcuffs Jack.
"Don’t you believe it Rose don’t, I didn’t do this," Jack turns to Rose, desperate for her to believe him.
"But he couldn’t have," Rose’s voice betrays her uncertainty. Jack couldn’t have done this. He wouldn’t have. He loved her too much…God he was the only one besides her aunt molly who loved her. He would never do anything like this…it’d hurt her too much.
"Of course he could,"
Caroline glares at her. "Easy enough for a
professional." She turns her glare on Jack. "Really
Rose, don’t feel foolish. I was a fool too. Just think, he
promised his days of crime were over. That he loved me too much
to do that anymore. But I guess that was one of his many
lies."
"That’s a lie Rose!" Jack denied Caroline’s
claim. "I never stole anything in my life."
"I was with him the whole time," Rose goes to her aunt Molly. She’d believe her.
"Of course you were darlin," Molly nods.
"Maybe he did while you were putting your clothes back on dear," Ruth glared at her daughter and takes a glance at Caroline and immediately goes to her. "You poor dear. To find out your fiancée is a criminal."
Jack looks at the way the two women looked at each other and suddenly knew what was up. "Real slick Rose, they put it in my pocket."
"Shut up!" Caroline snapped.
"It’s not even your pocket is it son?" Lovejoy holds up the coat the masters of arms had taken from Jack. He reads, "Property of A.L. Ryerson."
"That was reported stolen today," The master of arms reads the label.
"I just borrowed it," Jack turns back to Rose. "I was going to return it."
Rose feels totally betrayed, hurt and confused. She turns to her aunt who places a comforting arm around her.
"Rose, don’t listen to them…I didn’t do this! You know I didn’t! You know it!" Jack calls to her as they take him away. She doesn’t turn around. She just clings to her aunt and cries.
"There, there Rosie…There there," Molly pats Roses back and looks at both Ruth and Caroline and sees the self-satisfactory grins. Something was up with them two. She knew it. She suddenly knew that young Jack didn’t take that necklace and she was going to have a long talk with Rose in order to prove it.
"Molly, will you please take poor Caroline back down to her cabin. She’s having a rough night. Plus, I’d like to speak to my daughter alone," Ruth turns to Molly.
"But Ruth I really think…" Molly begins.
"I didn’t ask you to think Molly. I just asked you to make sure this poor child gets back to her cabin ok," Ruth snaps.
"Ok Ruth. Come along Caroline," Molly growled between clinched teeth. She didn't see whatever Jack had seen in this girl. She was a mean and vindictive, just like Ruth. Well, it looked like that talk with Rose was going to have to wait.