AN ADVENTURE TO REMEMBER AND A MEMORY TO FORGET
Chapter Five
After leaving my state room, I
stopped by the library. I needed something to pass the time until dinner. I had
heard great things about Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poems, so I found a book by him
and took it up to the sun deck. It wasn’t that crowded yet and I settled in to
read. I got about ten pages into the book when I heard a familiar voice.
"So we meet again."
I looked up from my book and
smiled. The sun was just over his left shoulder and it illuminated his already
bright smile.
"Harold. So nice to see you
again. Are things moving smoothly on Titanic’s first voyage?"
"So far, so good. No
problems yet. But the voyage is still young. But Captain Smith is in charge,
and that is a good thing. I trust him far better than any captain for White
Star Line."
"Good. My sister is a bit
nervous about sailing. Hearing that from you will make her feel better." I
put my book on the end of the chair and stood up to meet him.
"I’m on duty and am supposed
to be walking the ship to note any problems. Care for an officer’s tour?"
He held out his arm and without any problems, I took it.
"Thank you. I’d be
delighted. My first time aboard and I bet you can give special tours?"
"You have no idea."
I blushed at that statement, not
really knowing what he meant.
As we started off, he headed off
in the direction of the back of the ship. I just walked along listening to him
talk.
"I’ve been sailing most of
my life since I left home at 14 after refusing to go into an apprenticeship
which was what my father wanted. It pained me greatly to leave home, yet in the
same aspect I didn’t want to be thrust into a job and a world that I didn’t
care to be in." Harold had a serious look on his face as he spoke as if he
was remembering a painful memory.
"I know all too well what
you mean." I was surprised by what I said.
"Somehow I doubt that,"
was his reply.
I smiled and started in on
Harold. "Harold, if you only knew." I stopped to watch his
expression. He softened his face and I went on. "We as women are supposed
to finish finishing school, learn to cook, marry for money, not love and be
subservient to our husbands. I don’t want that." I stopped at the deck
rail to look out at the ocean. I went on, "I want to marry someone I love.
My father thinks it’s best to marry someone for money, just like he did, and
graduate it into love. I don’t want that. I want a normal marriage with a
husband I love with kids and everything down the road. I want a different life,
but as my father keeps reminding me ‘Tory, you are born to privilege. And with
that, comes specific obligations.’ I just want to gag myself whenever I’m
reminded."
Harold looked at me, seriousness
in his face. "Whether you believe it or not, you have the power to control
your life. No one else can make you do anything you want. Sure, it’s expected
of you to get married, have children and be subservient, but you know what? It
was expected of me to work with my father and start an apprenticeship when I
was fourteen. I made my own bed and left home. Yes, it’s been hard and knowing
my father is disappointed in me sometimes hurts, but I made my own decisions
because it was right for me. Don’t ever let anyone tell you what you have to
do. You are your own person, a very beautiful person at that, and can make your
own choices."
"I’m beautiful?" I
asked.
"Yes. You are the most
beautiful woman I’ve ever met." Harold’s eyes locked with mine. I couldn’t
help but blush and start to look away when he gently touched my cheek with his
hand and brought my face back to look in his deep eyes. "And I mean that.
Don’t you ever let anyone tell you other wise. You are very beautiful."
He leaned in and kissed me ever
so gently on my lips. I was surprised when I felt myself reciprocate the kiss.
I think Harold was just as every bit surprised as I was.
"Now see, that wasn’t so
hard was it?" He asked, smiling the whole time.
I didn’t know what quite to say
so I said the first thing I thought of. "Very liberating and powerful. But
I enjoyed it."
Harold smiled. "See, Tory,
you just did something you wanted to do instead of something you were expected
to do. See how genuine that was?"
"Tory? Did I say you could
call me that?" I laughed as I was talking.
"No, but…"
I cut him off. "You can call
me Tory if I can call you Harry."
"Fine. Harry it is." He
smiled and extended his arm again. "I must continue on my walk around the
ship before one of the other officers finds me lazing around. Still care to
join me?"
"I’d love to." I took
his arm and together, we walked towards the back of the ship.
While walking, we passed my
father and Shannon.
"Tory! There you are. We’ve
been looking everywhere for you." Shannon had a habit of not using her
indoor voice.
"Father, Shannon, I’d like
to introduce you formally to Fifth Officer Lowe. He’s been kind enough to show
me the ship. We’ve just completed a tour of the wheel room and were on our way
to the back of the ship. Officer Lowe has been given the job of post-launch
inspection."
"Yes. You were the kind
officer who showed my daughters to their room on the first day. Officer Murdoch
and Captain Smith said they’d send an officer down but we were never properly
introduced. All I got was ‘Office Lowe will meet you.’ So glad to meet you."
Father held out his hand and Harry expertly shook it.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you
sir. You have wonderful daughters. I was showing Victoria around the ship as I
was doing my inspections."
Father looked at us and said,
"Carry on then. Victoria, I will see you at dinner. Officer Lowe, take
care of my daughter."
"It is my utmost pleasure to
keep your daughter safe from harm, sir. She is in good company with me."
Father smiled and he and Shannon
went on about their business.
"Utmost pleasure?" I
smiled as I looked at him.
"You have no idea. Trust
me."
I decided to take him at his
words and we continued on towards the front of the ship. I stopped at the
railings and watched out for a moment while Harry talked with Captain Smith and
one of the other officers. I happened to glance down and see that blonde guy
and his friend.
They were standing on the edge of
the ship. I could faintly make out what was being said, but it sounded like the
blonde guy was yelling out "I’m the King of the World!" I laughed to
myself.
"What’s so funny?"
Harry had finished up and had walked to me.
"Just watching those two
down there. I saw them when the ship was getting ready to set sail. They were
so excited to be on board. If only I could possess such happiness."
Harry stopped what he was doing
and looked at me. "It’s in you. It’s in all of us. You just have to know
how to get it out. Those two evidently know what it means to be alive. You have
to find out what it means to be alive too. Whether it’s yelling from the front
of the ship like those two or just kissing some strange officer, there is a way
for you to find it. It’s there. You just don’t know it."
We were interrupted by the sounds
of the dinner call being blown out.
"Gag me." I wasn’t
looking forward to eating with Father’s friends.
"Excuse me?" Harry
didn’t understand.
"Dinner beckons. I’m just
not looking forward to it is all."
"I can’t help you with that,
but I can help you with after dinner. I get off at eight. If you want to meet
me here, we could work on helping you find that fire inside of you."
"Deal. I’ll meet you here at
eight. I must go before I’m late. Father will kill me if I’m late."
Harry smiled and walked me to the
entrance of the hall where my state room was.
"Don’t be late." He
kissed me again.
"With an invitation like
that, how can I?"
With a quick flirty smile, he
opened the door and shut it after I entered.
I now was actually looking
forward to dinner.