AN ADVENTURE TO REMEMBER AND A MEMORY TO FORGET
Chapter Twenty-Five
Victoria’s POV
I could tell something was
bothering Harry as we ate. He was barely into the conversation we were all
having. He picked at his food and barely ate. Jack and Rose excused themselves
to go hide out in Jack’s empty room, and that left Harry and me alone at the
table.
I took one of his hands in mine.
"What’s wrong? You barely spoke during the meal."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Just worried about what happened last night. Cal made mention that he
could have me fired for helping you, and with him having as much money and
influence as he does, I’m scared that what he said will come true."
I scooted in closer to Harry so
only he and I would be able to hear what was being said. "Don’t worry
about that pompous ass. His bark is way worse than his bite. Just leave it alone.
Once we dock later on today, our lives will be free of Caledon Hockley and the
toxic trail he leaves behind. He’ll move on to Philadelphia, like he had
planned with Rose before the accident, and we’ll never see him again."
"Something tells me we haven’t
seen the last of him. Cockroaches like him always have a way of coming back
just when you think they are gone. And that is what has me worried."
I looked at Harry again. He
looked far away and confused. "Look, I told you. Don’t worry about Cal. Do
you trust me?"
Harry gave me a weird look, but
nodded his head. "Of course I do. What are you going to do?"
I just shook my head. "All
will be revealed in due course. You just don’t worry. In a few hours, we’re
going to be in New York, and everything will be all right." I kissed him
on the cheek and I felt his arm tighten around my shoulder.
I looked up, and there stood the
King Rat himself, Cal. "What do you want, Cal?"
He just smirked.
Harry’s POV
I was doing my best to keep Cal
out of my thoughts, but just when I got him out of my mind, there he was. The
smirk on his face was so evil, it needed to be knocked off. I started to stand
up, but I felt Tory’s hand on my thigh, so I stayed where I was. Instead, I
kept my cool as I spoke.
"What do you want? Can’t you
see you’re not wanted here?"
Cal took a piece of toast off
Rose’s plate that was still on the table. He examined it, but put it back down.
"Of course I’m wanted here. I’m wanted everywhere."
He proceeded to sit down. I felt
Tory scoot her chair closer to me. I leaned back in my chair, hoping to get
away from him. "Look, just leave. Now."
Cal shook his head. "I
understand that you were questioned by another officer on board about our
altercation last night." He smirked again. "I told you that it’s just
a pity that you’re an officer on board with no power. And here I am, all the
power in the world, and am able to have you fired once we dock."
I watched as Victoria got up. I
got up with her. She looked at me, looked at Cal, and picked up Moody’s water
glass. She poured it in Cal’s lap. He leapt up, wiping the water off of his
pants.
She was the one smirking now.
"Didn’t my fiancé tell you to leave us be? And you just remember
this…" I watched as she squatted down and I heard her whisper in his ear.
"Even cockroaches can be squished." She took my hand, and together we
walked off towards the door.
"You’re going to pay for
that! Do you have any idea how much this suit cost?" I turned around to
see Cal, red with anger, still trying to dry off his pants.
Tory didn’t miss a beat.
"Not like you paid for it. Have a wonderful day." She laughed at Cal
one more time before she opened the door and we walked out into the sunshine.
"I can’t believe you did
that. He could have hurt you again. What were you thinking?" I hissed the
last part of my sentence.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"He wouldn’t hit me in front of everyone else. You know that as well as I
do. He only hits women when there are no witnesses." She touched the side
of her face. "Rose knows that, too. Cal’s all bark when he’s out in
public, and I do not wish to find myself alone with the bastard again."
"Still, I don’t want you
putting yourself in harm’s way like that. There’s no telling what he’s liable
to do. He might try to shove you overboard when no one is watching. I’m not
losing you." I tightened my grip around her middle as we walked back to
her room. "Do you hear me? Be careful around that man. At least for the
rest of the day."
Tory looked up at me. "If
you insist." She smiled at me, and then continued, "Officer
Harry."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, no.
Not you, too. One of you calling me that is enough."
"Oh, come on. You don’t
think it’s cute?" She playfully poked me in the ribs as I opened the door
for her.
"Only when you say it, it
is. Now, get inside before I have to carry you inside." Being defiant in a
joking manner, Tory stood still in the middle of the doorway. I gave her a
playful shove inside. "Don’t make me carry you."
She laughed and walked slowly to
her door. I poked her again in the back, and she sped up slightly. She turned
around to walk backwards and barely missed another passenger, who was busy
talking with someone. She apologized and laughed as we got to her room. Rose
was in there with Jack, Shannon, and Tory’s father.
"Have a nice
breakfast?" Mr. Metcalfe asked as he stood up to shake my hand.
Tory leaned in to kiss her
father. "Yes, sir, we did. Though it appears I have a stalker on my
hands."
Mr. Metcalfe didn’t hesitate in
his answer. "Mr. Hockley, I presume?" Tory nodded, and her father
nodded his head. "I figured it would come to this. Has he done anything to
you to warrant my concern?"
Tory shook her head. "No,
sir. It just seems wherever we go, there he is. He barely missed seeing Rose
earlier, but we’re doing our best to keep her hidden. He does know Jack is
alive, though."
Mr. Metcalfe was silent for a
moment. "When did he find that out?"
I spoke up. "He told us he
knew about Jack being alive the night Victoria fell up on deck. He asked if we
knew that Rose was dead, and we said we did. He said he saw Jack walking back
below deck, bringing someone dinner. He said that Jack had probably already
romanced a wealthy woman on board and was going to take her for
everything."
Jack’s face began to turn a shade
of crimson. "That man. He’s…he’s…oh, he’s…" He looked down at
Shannon, and didn’t finish his sentence.
"Jack, don’t worry. In a few
hours, we’re going to be off this ship, in New York, and Cal will be the
farthest thing from our minds." Rose tried to reassure Jack, but we could
all see the doubt in his eyes.
"All four of you need to
stay as hidden as possible until the ship docks. No telling what Cal has up his
sleeve. Just stay hidden, please? I don’t need anyone getting hurt, especially
not my daughters."
I looked at Tory. "Listen to
your father, please."
She sighed and nodded, saying
she’d stay hidden as much as possible.
Tory was about to say something,
but we were interrupted by a knock on the door. Shannon went to answer it, and
a steward handed her an envelope. She read the name on it and handed it to me.
"Officer Lowe, I believe this is yours."
I shrugged, wondering who would
know I was there. I read it.
Lowe, meeting upstairs,
officers’ quarters, ASAP.
Lightoller
I looked at Tory and sighed. I
waved the note around. "Duty calls. I’ll be back to see you before we
dock." I gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and turned to exit the
door to see what Lightoller wanted.
Victoria’s POV
I watched as Harry headed out.
Rose and Jack got to talking and Father excused himself to go take a short nap
before we docked. Shannon asked to be excused to play with her friend in the
next suite and Father said she could go, but she had to stay in the suite. She
happily agreed and away she went.
"I’m going to run to the
library to get a book so I can read for a little bit." I picked up my
shawl and headed out the door. The library on the Carpathia was a little
smaller than on board the Titanic, but it was still an impressive collection. I
selected a book off the shelf and sat down to read a few pages to see if I’d
like it or not.
Before I knew it, I was a few
chapters into the book. I checked the clock on the mantle and stood up in a
hurry, realizing I was gone a lot longer than I intended on.
I picked up the book and placed
it back on the shelf. I started to turn to exit the library and before I could
get to the door, I heard a faint click as the exit was closed. I gasped as I
saw Cal standing in front of the door, blocking my only exit. I got another
thicker book off the shelf and stood backed up into a corner. I was prepared to
hit him if need be.
"I guess by your little show
downstairs in the dining salon, I am supposed to be afraid of you?" He
started to walk to me. I quickly surveyed the room, trying to find an escape
route, but chairs and tables blocked my exit. I started to move away from the
corner of the bookcase, but Cal stopped me. "Rose was feisty, just like
you. I was in the process of taming her when she was killed. That might be all
you need. Someone to tame you. Do you think you can be tamed?" Cal lunged
forward and grabbed me by the throat. I was choking, trying to breathe.
"Cal, let me go!" I
tried to yell, but it was barely audible. He released his grip on me and I put
my arm in front of my throat, trying to stop any advances. "Let me out.
Now."
He laughed to himself, as if he
had a secret only he knew. "In time, Miss Metcalfe. In time. Right now,
you and I need to have a chat." Cal sat down in a chair right in front of
the exit. He leaned forward and propped his arms on his legs. "Your
attitude leaves something to be desired. Here I was to think that since you
attended the finest finishing schools in England and in America, you’d be a proper
and refined young lady. But you have the spirit of an unbroken horse." He
looked me up and down. "My. It seems that fiancé of yours hurt you pretty
badly. Too bad your father doesn’t know the truth about our good officer."
I was seeing red. I couldn’t
believe what was going on. "My father does know the truth. He knows what
you did to me. He knows Harold could never lay a hand on me. I heard about what
you are capable of." I lunged for the door, but Cal caught me easily.
"Not so fast, young lady.
I’m not done with you." He leaned in, trying to kiss me, but I managed to
slap him hard across the face. He stood still, stunned a moment, before he
looked at me again. "Damn you. What makes you think you can get away with
that?" Cal raised his hand again, as if he was going to hit me, when the
door flew open.
"Sir, please put your hand
down and back away from the lady, or I’ll alert the Master-at-Arms!"
I spun around and saw Officer
Lightoller and Officer Moody standing in the doorway. I dropped the book I was
holding, ran, and stood behind them.
"Miss, are you all
right?" Lightoller looked at me as I came to him, not recognizing me with
my arm injury and my black eye.
"Yes, sir, I am."
Officer Lightoller recognized me
when I spoke. "Good gracious. Did he hurt you? Are you all right?"
I touched my neck, still sore
from his grip. "No, he did not hurt me. He was just talking to me. When I
tried to leave, he wouldn’t let me."
Lightoller and Moody told Cal
that if he or any of the other officers saw him within ten feet of me, he’d be
arrested on the spot and detained until we docked.
"Moody, escort Mr. Hockley
back to his room and see that he stays there."
Moody said that he would, and he
escorted Cal out of the room.
"Are you sure you’re all
right?" Lightoller bent over to get a better look at my eye.
"Yes, I’m fine. May I ask
you a favor, please, sir?"
Lightoller nodded. "Sure.
Anything." He held out his arm, and together we walked out of the room as
I began to speak to him.
"Please don’t tell Harold
about this. He’ll only become even more enraged than he already is. He’s
already upset about last night."
"Sure thing. What did happen
last night, if you don’t mind me asking? I got a report of Lowe striking you
after you two had an argument. Is that true?"
I stopped walking. "Good
gracious, no." I took Lightoller’s arm again. "Oh, no, sir. Nothing
like that. On the contrary, it was Harold who saved me. Cal was the one who
blackened my eye and injured my arm. Harold was the one who stopped him. I
injured my shoulder when I fell when Cal shoved me to get to Harold."
Lightoller nodded. "I just
wanted to hear it from you. I know Lowe has quite a temper, but I’ve known him
for some time now, and I’ve never known him to get angry with a lady,
especially not one as good-looking as you are. I won’t tell Lowe about this. I
give you my word."
I sighed and thanked Lightoller
as he walked me to my door. "You know Harry speaks highly of you. He looks
up to you."
"He’d better. I do outrank
him. If he looks down on me, you know that’s grounds for dismissal."
Lightoller started to smile, but continued, "I know he does. We’ve been
sailing together before, and I enjoy it with him. He keeps it exciting for
me."
"Has he ever done anything
with another female passenger on board? Am I the first one, or what?"
Lightoller looked at me.
"No. Lowe’s a gentleman when he’s on board. Never tried to make a move on
another lady or anything. I don’t know what it is about you that made him do
what he did, but it’s done. But no, he’s not known for doing this sort of
thing."
I sighed in relief, now knowing
that I wasn’t just a passing phase. Lightoller escorted me to my room and said
that Harry was still speaking with Moody and another officer after the meeting,
but would find me later.
I let myself into my room, happy
to be in a safe place. I walked to the bed and went to lie down, hoping to
sleep off the events that had just happened.