CAL'S CHRISTMAS VISITOR
Chapter Three

"Time to go, Cal." Jack stood beside the door, arms folded, forehead crinkled in thought.

Cal looked up from behind the young Cal who was studying the book. "Where now, Dawson?" he demanded.

"Another Christmas, another time," replied Jack quietly. He knew what he was about to face was a test for himself as well as Cal. He only hoped he could see it through.

Cal walked over. "Very well, let us get it over with."

Jack stood and put his hands on his hips. He stood squarely before Cal. "You still don't get this, do you, Hockley?" he questioned hotly.

"How dare you talk to me like that, Dawson. You are nothing--correction--were nothing!"

"What I was and what I was not, is not for you to judge. Remember, your time still goes on." He looked at Cal with annoyance. Cal looked at him slightly bemused. Jack felt frustration rise along with a feeling of dread. "Dammit, Cal, I am here to help you! So listen and learn OK? Then we can both to go back to where we came from."

"And where do you come from, Jack? Who sent you?"

Jack smiled for the first time. "Now that is for you to decide, Cal. Now, lets go."

They stepped through the door, through the light to the other side. Cal was getting more used to this now and had already shielded his eyes. As he removed his hands and opened his eyes, he was dazzled by the light. His eyes adjusted and he was aware that he was again back in the house, in the hallway. The house was illuminated brightly, music wafted through the air. The house was decked with greenery, candles and flowers. People stood, dressed in such finery, clutching glasses of champagne. It was a scene of such wealth and indulgence, Jack seemed taken aback by it all. Cal's eyes widened.

"Yes, this was the last Christmas gala we had….." his excited voice trailed away when the other meaning to this sank in. "This was my last Christmas with Rose." He hung his head sorrowfully.

Jack noticed this and it made him hold his head higher. Maybe this would finally touch Cal.

Cal lifted his head and surveyed the scene. He turned to Jack. "If this our last Christmas, then Rose is here, somewhere?"

Jack nodded.

"Then where is she? I must find her, I must!" He glared at Jack.

Jack took a deep breath. How could he tell Cal the object of both their affections was in the next room? It was almost too much for him to bear.

"But then, I must be here too. If I talk to myself, change the plans for Europe, then you two will never meet!" A cold smile crossed over Cal's face. His mind was working overtime.

"You can't do that, Cal," Jack replied concerned.

"And why not?" Cal was jubilant. He had Dawson now.

"Because all this has already happened. You cannot change anything. Nor can I." The statement tore at Jack as he said it. The thought too had crossed his mind, that he could save Rose before April 1912, that they need never set foot on Titanic. But he too had been told that this was not possible. What had been, had been. Nothing could change the past. Only the future lay ahead. And he was not part of it. His time had passed. He ran his hand through his hair. He was nervous of seeing Rose as she had been before. He didn't know why. Only that his heart felt as though it would break again into a thousand pieces as he saw the woman he loved, who did not know him and carried no love for him at this point in time.

"I'll see about that," snarled Cal and strode away towards the door.

"This is it, Jack," Jack muttered to himself and set after Cal.

Cal strode purposely forward into the next room. He stood and looked around, trying to find either himself or Rose. A small orchestra was playing in the corner. The air buzzed slightly with conversation. Smartly dressed servants carrying drinks and canapés mingled with the crowd of society elite. Cal stood in middle of them searching. Jack came behind him. He knew Rose was standing near the library door, but he dare not look in her direction. Taking a deep breath, he turned his head. She stood alone, dressed in a beautiful red beaded gown with a train. Diamonds flashed from her hair, ears and neck. Her hair was pinned up, as it was the night of the steerage party. She held an untouched glass of champagne and looked as though she was about to burst into tears. Jack stood mesmerized by the vision, his heart both leaping and tearing at the same time. He was overjoyed to see her again, but the look of pain and suffering on her face bought back their time on Titanic with such unpleasantness.

Cal was aware that Jack had stopped behind him. He turned to look at him and followed his gaze to the corner of the room. There was Rose. Cal looked back at Jack's expression.

"Take your eyes off my fiancée, you filth!" he snapped.

"She isn't your fiancée," began Jack. Both of them were silenced by a dark figure that swept pass them very closely. It was Cal.

Cal set off behind him.

"Cal, Cal, wait a minute," he called after himself as if it were a normal occurrence. But the other Cal paid no heed and he walked towards Rose.

"Cal, I need to speak to you," he called.

"I told you," Jack called after Cal. "He can't hear you. You cannot alter the past."

Cal turned round. "Dammit, Dawson, you keep out of this!" Cal followed himself over to the library.

Rose stood visibly nervous as Cal approached.

"I thought I had better find you, darling," Cal sneered.

"Well, I am here," Rose replied nervously.

"So I see," said Cal. He stood and looked at her for a moment, before taking her arm firmly and half pushed, half pulled her into the library. He looked around to make sure no one had noticed them. Cal and Jack followed them into the library, just before Cal closed the door. Feeling the release on her arm, Rose pulled it away and rubbed it. Beneath her gloves she was sure there were bruises. Jack looked on in horror.

"I told you to mingle with the guests, not sulk in the corner like some schoolgirl."

"I am sorry, Cal."

"That isn't good enough, Rose. I told you to smile. This is our party. These are our guests. This party is very important to me. I want it to be the Christmas gala of the season, the perfect prelude to our wedding year. You seem determined to spoil it. I will not have it, Rose."

"Cal, I am sorry."

Jack turned to Cal.

"You bastard, Cal. How could treat her like that?"

Cal looked at Jack in silence and then back at the scene being played before them.

"I always did like the cut of that suit," he remarked nonchalantly, admiring himself.

The other Cal towered over Rose.

"You will get out there, smile and personally go to everyone of our guests to see they are enjoying themselves and have enough to drink. You will show everyone the diamonds I bought you. I want no one to be doubt as to how well Hockley steel is doing." He leaned towards her menacingly. "Is this in any way unclear? I will not be made a fool of Rose."

Jack rounded on Cal.

"You arrogant, bastard!" He raised his hand to punch Cal who screwed his face up in anticipation of the hit. After a few seconds, when it didn't connect, he opened his eyes to see why. Jack still stood with his fist balled, but fighting some inner conflict. He bit his lip and lowered his fist.

"If I hit you, that makes me just as bad. Besides, I already knew how badly you treated Rose. This shouldn't have been a surprise."

"I don't know where you get the idea from that I treated her badly, Dawson. She was my fiancée and my hostess. There are certain rules, but as you are not a gentleman. I couldn't possibly expect you to understand. She needed bringing into line." Cal and Jack glowered at each other, oblivious to the fact that Cal had left the room. Rose rubbed her arm, wiped her eyes and straightened her dress. With a deep breath and a pat to her hair, she swept out of the room. But a tear still glinted in her eye, as obvious as a diamond to Jack.

"No, Cal, I wasn't the only one who thought you treated her badly though, was I?" demanded Jack, his temper still a little better of him.

"What do you mean?" Cal enquired.

Jack jerked his head to the far corner of the library. Phillip was emerging from behind a chair. "Phillip stood up to you, he tried to defend Rose."

"What on earth was he doing hiding behind a chair? Spying?" Cal snapped.

"No, he was looking for some of your Grandmother's books. She had promised them to Phillip, but they weren't in her will, so your father took them. He wanted to look at them again; he misses your grandmother a lot. When he heard you come in, he ducked behind the chair."

"The little…….." began Cal as they watched Phillip walk out of the room. "I'll sort him out."

"You did though, didn't you, Cal?" replied Jack, arms folded. "Come on, let us see." He followed Phillip out of the room, Cal behind.

Phillip walked straight up to Cal who was in conversation.

"Caledon, I need to speak to you now," he began.

"Not now, Phillip."

"Sorry, Caledon, but this cannot wait." Cal looked very annoyed and made humble apologies to the guest he was speaking to.

Turning to Phillip he demanded, "What is so important that your manners went out of the window?"

"I want to speak to you in private, now."

"My study," hissed Cal. Jack and Cal followed to Cal's study.

Cal closed the door. "Well?"

"It's Rose, Cal. You treat her so mean. You talk to her like a dog. You never leave her alone. She is a human being, for God's sake!"

"Ah," smiled Cal. "You think you know what I should do with my own fiancée? Well, I tell you this, dear cousin, you know nothing, and I suggest you keep you nose out of my business."

"You can't talk to people like that Cal."

"I can talk to who I want--how I want. And do you know why? Because I am Caledon Hockley. Because I have the money. And money is power, dear cousin. What do you have--hmmm? Nothing except a failing business. Why? Your father was a failure. You are not hard enough. You didn't have the right education. You don't have the right contacts. That is why you will never have a lady like Rose at your side. Not that you could handle one. You are too soft. Stay with Emily, Phillip. She is much more your sort."

Phillip was left slightly reeling from the vicious outburst from Cal.

"You really are something, Caledon," he muttered shaking his head. "Grandmama tried, I tried. Jesus, Cal, we all tried to make you human despite the circumstances. We failed."

Cal looked him straight in the eye without flinching.

"Get out of here, Phillip. And take that girl with you. Or I will tell her I caught you making a pass at my fiancée. That should be enough to end the engagement and send the girl packing. Mind you, I will have done you a favor. Marrying beneath you, cousin, is not a good business move. I could introduce you to some of my old girlfriends. They can't marry me, so marrying my cousin would be second best. What do you say Phillip?"

Phillip turned red with anger and unable to utter a word, he stormed out of Cal's office, his laughter ringing in his ears.

Jack watched Phillip walk away. He walked straight past Rose without so much of a glance, afraid that Cal would carry out his threat and ruin his happiness. Cal could so easily have been like Phillip, honorable, kind, understanding. But it was not meant to be. He turned back to Cal.

"Was all that necessary, Cal? Did you have to say all those dreadful things to Phillip? He tried to help you on so many occasions, yet you threw it all back in his face!"

Cal looked a little shocked. He remembered the encounter with Phillip, but he had long forgotten what was said. Now on seeing it replayed before him, it did seen very harsh and mean. Cal shook his head and told himself to get a grip, not to get soft. But he couldn't help it. He felt saddened by what he had seen for some unexplainable reason.

"Well, Cal, we are done in the past now. All this has been and gone. It cannot be undone, only put right. I hope you understand that if nothing else."

Cal nodded and with a quick backward glance, the two of them passed through the door and into the light.

Chapter Four
Stories