Serenity

On Becoming A Gentleman

"Just where does that daughter of yours get to?" The Countess of Rothes sipped tea delicately, aiming the question at Ruth DeWitt Bukater over a cream scone and tea in the Palm Court Cafe. "I fail to see her for much more than mere moments at dinner."

"Oh, she prefers to take the air on the boat deck and becomes entirely wrapped up in her reading; she studied Latin, so prefers to keep up with that." Ruth smiled politely.

"What a good idea, to take the air on the boat deck. I do feel the need to catch up on my gossip. Will you join me, ladies?"

Molly Brown piped in, in her broad and booming way. She had caught them at tea and no amount of excuses had sent her away, and so the chatter had grown to be rather rude and boisterous for Ruth's taste; she did not wish to be seen at the same table as such a woman. Rumour had it that she and her husband had separated and had no time for a woman like her to be in association with her or Rose.

"Of course." The Countess agreed, knowing that it was rude to turn down an invitation, no matter how much she wished not to attend, and so off they went.

***

"So..." Jack started, as hesitance emerged. It was obvious that he wished for the conversation to continue, perhaps in a way that he did not know how it could. He paused to try to take stock and understand his emotions. After a few seconds, a pause long enough to be noticed, but not so long it was uncomfortable, he succeeded. "So, Rose, you've heard about my travels and childhood. What's your story?"

Rose smiled, but it faded as she shook her head. "It's a long one."

Jack grinned that lopsided grin of his. "You got somewhere to go?"

Rose chuckled at that. "No, I am afraid that I don't."

Heeding his motion to continue, Rose began to tell her story.

"Cal, Mother, and I are returning from a shopping trip in France, well an engagement celebration, really. Mother insisted that Cal take us here so I could get the latest fashions to wear while on his arm at the upcoming events," Rose's voice had taken on a nasal tone that Jack could only assume was a none-too-flattering imitation of her mother's. "Before that was Rome and Vienna. It was in Paris that he proposed the marriage. I suppose it was scandalous for us to travel together before that but it was truly inevitable that we should wind up engaged to be married."

She paused for a breath. In the space that followed, Jack asked another question. "How did you meet Cal?"

She grimaced slightly, her nose wrinkling.

"Well, while I was at finishing school learning how to walk, talk, eat, dress, and everything else, Mother arranged for Cal's father, Mr. Nathan Hockley to learn of my unwed, unpromised state at the grand age of sixteen. They contrived a dinner meeting so that the four of us could 'meet'. I felt like I was just on display like some new artefact in a museum. I didn't care about Cal or Mr. Hockley. That was just after my cotillion, which was attended by just about every member of the Philadelphia Society. Mother only thought of the family name becoming associated with 'Hockley Steel.' I begged her to not make me do it. I wanted to go to a university and learn more about...well, about everything. About life, and the world. But she wouldn't hear anything of it. We had quite a row, let me tell you. Ever since my father died..."

They continued walking, as Rose paused awkwardly, a little embarrassed by how much she had said, fiddling at her purse straps unconsciously. Jack had been watching her with amusement. He was getting quite the tale. She had alternated between talking intently to him and seeming to be off in her own, secluded world. The other thing that struck him was the way she never used her mother's name, instead opting to use the term "mother" almost as a swear word occasionally.