Titanic - You Are Safe In My Heart

Forbidden Love

Rose POV

I was sitting at the breakfast table with Cal as we sipped tea in silence. Eventually, he spoke. "I'd hoped you would've come to me last night," he complained. I smiled at him and avoided eye contact. He couldn't know about last night. "I was tired," I reasoned, assuming it to be a good enough excuse. He shrugged before responding with, "Your exertions below deck were no doubt exhausting."

I placed my tea down and stared at him. He knew. Somehow, he knew. The only thing that could spring to mind was him sending out his servant to look for me. "I see you had that undertaker of a manservant follow me, how typical," I commented, sick of being controlled.

"You will never behave like that again, Rose. Do you understand?" He demanded. This comment gave me the urge to stand up for myself for once. "I am not a foreman in one of your mill that you can command. I'm your fiancée," I stated, hinting he should be treating his future wife with respect. "My fiancée? MY FIANCÉE!!" He raised his voice and got close up to my face.
"YES, YOU ARE AND MY WIFE!!" He screamed, throwing the table, smashing all the cups and plates that were ontop. "My wife in practice, if not by law so you will honour me. You will honour me the way a wife is required to honour her husband. Because I will not be made a fool, Rose. Is this in any way unclear?" I frantically shaked my head no and he walked away. Trudy ran up to me the moment he left to clean up the mess. She helped calm me down and I helped her clean up the broken mess.

Mother walked into my bedroom as Trudy was adjusting my corset. She sent Trudy out to get the tea ready and started adjusting my corset herself. I figured Cal had already informed her about the events of last night.

"Your not to see that boy again. Do you understand me?" I didn't respond with anything so she proceeded to talk. "Rose... I forbid it." Getting angry about being told who and who not to talk to and generally what to do all my life, I snapped. "Oh, stop it, mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed." She grabbed my shoulders and stared at me. "This is not a game. Our situation is precarious. You know the money's gone," she complained. I glared at her. "Of course i know it's gone. You remind me everyday," i told her in a mocking tone. "Your father left us nothing but a legacy of bad debts hidden vy a good name. That name is the only card we have to play. I don't understand you. It is a fine match with Hockley, it will ensure our survival," she explaied, sighing. "How can you put this on my shoulders?" I guilted her. She raised her voice at me. "Why are you being so selfish?" She complained. I stared at her in shock of her words. "I'm being selfish?!" I blurted out. "Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want? To see our fine things sold at auction? Our memories scattered to ruins?"

She covered her hand with her mouth to prevent from crying. "It's so unfair," I sighed, desperate to just live a better life. Mother stared at me. "Of course it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy." She grabbed my face and slowly kissed my cheek. It didn't feel like she loved me. Her love felt fake. How could she act like she loved me when she was forcing me into marriage for her benefit?!