Harold Lowe has managed to claw his way up the career ladder of the British merchant marines, rising from a ship's boy to a master mariner with one of the world's elite passenger lines. Along the way, he's learned to master not only his craft, but...
This is a totally sappy, romantic (and very long) bonus that has lots of callbacks to #harrine's early days. Enjoy ;)
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November 1, 1912 - night
The wedding had been a simple affair.
That was more out of necessity than by choice, because they'd had a hell of a time finding someone to officiate. Corrine's condition by now was very obvious, and St. David's and St. John's balked at hosting the wedding, despite the family's long association with both. It was improper to marry a couple in a house of God if they had already enjoyed premarital relations, it was argued piously; their poor example might encourage loose morals. With an effort, Harold restrained himself from informing the church leaders that their flocks were most assuredly indulging in that and far worse activities every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Finally Reverend Davies agreed to perform the ceremony, on the condition that it be held outside of the church so as not to offend the congregation. That suited Harold just fine. He wasn't at all concerned about what the people in Barmouth thought about his life anyway; he was going to live it on his own terms as always. Let the town gossip. He refused to be shamed for the choices they had made, for loving Corrine as he did. As for the woman in question, she didn't mind at all; she was thrilled to be getting married in his family's 'wee castle', as she jokingly called Penrallt.
As soon as Harold had found out Corrine was expecting their child, he put in a request for two months of shore leave. He had never asked for it before, and given the circumstances of the past spring, he thought it more than justified. Apparently White Star did as well, and the company granted his request without a murmur of protest. So for the foreseeable future the only responsibilities he had were doting on his fiancee and helping her plan the wedding. In a final ironic twist, Harold used the money that the obnoxious American swell had stuffed into his pocket the night of the sinking to finance the proceedings, and to pay for passage for their guests to travel to Barmouth. The bills had gone back and forth between him and Corrine so many times already that it had become a bit of a shared joke, and while neither wanted anything to do with the money, Harold did want to see that it was put to good use.
Although it was a small wedding, the preparations leading up to it took up nearly every moment of Harold and Corrine's day. Chief on the list was sending out invitations to their loved ones. They both preferred to keep the ceremony itself small, witnessed by only their close family and a few dear friends. Harold invited his sister Ada and her husband, his brother Arthur, and his other sister Annie; his brother Edgar, on a ship somewhere near New Zealand, couldn't make it. Corrine's father and uncle were at the top of her list, of course, as were her childhood friends. Although her friend Kate desperately wanted to attend, she couldn't make the trip back over the pond in time, despite the passage money that Corrine dangled in front of her and Daniel. Katie, however, had planned a visit to Paris with her fiance which fortuitously coincided with the wedding date, so she was able to wire an enthusiastic acceptance. To Harold's disgust, Corrine had even invited that tosser Lightoller and his wife, but fortunately he was at sea again. Harold's feelings toward him may have thawed a bit, but he still harbored some resentment at his earlier treatment... and he wasn't entirely sure of Lightoller's feelings toward Corrine, either; he didn't like the way he looked at her during their time in America when he thought Harold wasn't watching. It could have been admiration, or even a sort of paternalistic concern... but Harold didn't quite trust him. Altogether, he preferred to keep the man at a safe distance.
