Sink or Swim

2

Thank you for all the feedback on the first chapter! I'm glad to know people are liking this book. :)

Jane is played by Lily Collins. 

Jane's POV

April 10, 1912 - 11:54am

"Jane, do hurry up," mother called as she made her way towards the gangplank. She held her parasol above her head to block out the sun and I nodded stiffly as I followed behind her, clutching my dress to keep myself from falling over. I looked up from under the hat I wore and gasped as I took in the magnificent ship in front of me. It loomed over all of us at the docks, beautiful and magnificent. 

"Isn't it wonderful, my dear?" mother asked, extending her silk gloved hand out towards me as I caught up to her. I nodded my head and smiled.

"It's beautiful, mother," I beamed. We began to walk towards the gangplank when suddenly, I was bumped into and pushed over. I gasped and fell into my mother who stabilized me immediately and by the time I stood up to face whoever it was, they had already disappeared into the third class entrance of the ship, bumping shoulders with another man who stood next to him with blonde hair. I managed to get a brief glimpse of him though.

He was tall. He stood about five feet and eleven inches, which would tower over my five foot three inches. He had brown curly hair and a broad back, and wore brown trousers with a cream colored shirt and suspenders. I never got a look at his face though. Nevertheless, I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"I swear," I mumbled, "these low class people will be the death of me."

My mother chuckled and shook her head before she turned and led us into the ship. I followed, stealing glances at the way the mystery man had disappeared. 

What a crude man. He hadn't even apologized.

~

I sat in the stateroom on my bed. It was grand and magnificent. The walls were wooden with beautiful decorative panels stuck in them. The bed was tucked into the corner but was all the more elegant and beautiful, covered with white linen sheets, covered by a silk cover. The candles brought a warm glow to the room as I looked around, getting up and walking past the bed. There was a table further into the room, with a tea pot set in the middle. A small parlor chair sat off in the corner opposite the bed. I smiled at the sight.

Perfect for reading.

I sighed and looked around again. Suddenly, mother entered the room and smiled at me, looking around my quarters satisfied.

"I trust you've adjusted?" she asked. I nodded and smiled at her.

"It's wonderful, mother," I replied, clasping my hands together. I smiled and fiddled with my silk gloves as she nodded and looked around. She was a small woman for her age of forty three. She stood only an inch or two shorter than I. She had brown hair and kind brown eyes and a beautiful smile. She wore a wonderful black silky dress with her black parasol and her silk gloves. 

"Get settled," she said, "we are going to explore the upper decks and the rest of the ship."

I nodded my head and sighed to myself when she left. 

We were on this ship because we were moving back to America...for my marriage. My mother had my wedding arranged to a certain Mark Johnson that lived in Alabama. He was a banker, which meant he had money. So naturally, my mother wanted me to marry into it. According to her, it was the way things went for people of our stature. I didn't know the man, but apparently he was quite the celebrity in his town. He had girls milling about his house. If I married him, my mother said I'd be quite the lucky gal. It was better than marrying a third class man anyway.