ROSE DEWITT BUKATER BEFORE TITANIC
Chapter One
"Rose! Get
down here!" Ruth called.
"I'm coming, Mother!"
Rose called back. She finally came downstairs.
"Oh, Rose, you
look wonderful," Ruth told her. "Now...tonight you will meet Caledon
Hockley. You have already met his father, Nathan. Tonight needs to go well so
you can marry young Caledon. We need the money. Do you understand?"
Rose just nodded
her head. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, though she was still nervous.
She had just turned
seventeen.
*****
They finally
reached the Hockleys’ house. It was very large and beautiful.
"Come on in.
The Hockleys are expecting you. Right in there," the maid said as she
pointed toward the parlor.
"Ah...Mrs.
DeWitt Bukater. Welcome. And this beautiful young lady is Rose," Nathan
said as he welcomed them in. "Rose...I'd like you to meet my son,
Caledon."
Rose shook Cal's
hand. She thought he looked very handsome. Maybe he was going to be the man of
her dreams.
"Pleased to meet
you, Miss DeWitt Bukater," Cal said as he shook Rose's hand.
Rose just smiled,
and said, "It’s a pleasure."
*****
They sat down in
the dining room and waited for dinner. As dinner was being served, Cal asked
Rose, "How do you like Philadelphia so far, Rose? May I call you
Rose?"
"Yes. You may.
It's beautiful here. You have such a lovely home," Rose replied.
She hoped all went
well the rest of the night.