The Ship of Dreams

Part 1. A life of opportunities

James Harrison was a young, ambitious engineer who held few assets of his own. At twenty-three, he was tired of living in his father's shadow. There was nothing he wanted more than to get away from the fading family business and start a life of his own. He dreamed of one day being an acclaimed civil engineer in the United States of America.
James was a handsome young man, he carried a nonchalant disposition and his confidence was radiating. He had a strong physique with broad shoulders and a chiselled jaw. His nose was slightly displaced as a result of many blows. Caramel waves of shaggy hair dominated his head, enhancing the glow of his sun-tanned skin.
One Sunday mid-afternoon, James was flicking through that mornings paper when he spotted an advertisement originating in San Francisco, stating that a new construction company was looking for workers. With a spontaneous rush of excitement, James wrote and mailed an application letter within an hour of seeing the life-changing advertisement.
After four excruciating weeks, James received a letter of reply from the company, offering him the position of managing engineer.
James was searching for a means of transportation to get himself from Queenstown to San Francisco with the little money he had when he came across another advertisement
"One-way engineering officer wanted." It read, "to steam-power the mighty RMS Titanic from Southampton to New York on a four day voyage."
This was perfect. It seemed meant to be, as the information virtually lolled itself over his lap.

Lucille Martin was a pretty girl, though slightly anaemic. She was a shy girl, petite and well mannered. She had hollowed cheeks and heavy blue eyes which seemed to contain the world.
Her champagne coloured hair, which she often wore in intricate braids seemed to capture every ray of sunshine. Lucille's smile was her most prominent feature. An unforgettable one at that. They say people wear a smile. She was her smile.
Despite her seclusive nature, she carried a sense of compassion which could be seen through her in all her entirety, ever-present and ingrained wherever she found herself.
At a mere nineteen years, Lucille knew what she was after and she knew how to achieve it. Something rare for a girl of her time. She was off to the United States of America to start a life for herself, book-keeping in the state of New York.
One Friday evening while listening to the radio, Lucille heard of a new office in New York City that was looking to recruit a number of book-keepers in the following months. After hearing the news, Lucille decided to buy a one-way ticket on the RMS Titanic's maiden voyage to the United States of America.
After a hasty march down to the Southampton White Star Line office, Lucille bought her second-class ticket for twelve pounds.