Winter, 1914
Rose
Rocking James in my arms as I waited for Jack to leave, I was going over the thoughts in my head. After dinner with Torie and her family, we had decided to oust Cal for lying about having a daughter when he didn't have one. Torie's father hired Jason to head to Philadelphia to do some reconnaissance for us before we came up. Right before we got ready to head to Philadelphia to meet with Jason, Jack and Harry got a last minute telegram asking them to take over sailing on a White Star Line ship that was short a few crew members due to an outbreak of influenza. Jack had planned on going with me to Philadelphia to confront Cal, but with the last minute job coming open with the promise of a bonus for the short notice, I told Jack to take it. We had agreed to put the bonus money into our paltry savings account for the arrival of baby number two.
I had had a doctor's appointment not too long after our dinner and was told I was definitely pregnant, probably about three months at that time. It was now almost two months after our dinner, so I was nearly five months pregnant by this time and was feeling every minute of it. Shortly after I found out I was pregnant, Torie told me she was also pregnant with baby number two and we were due within a few months of each other yet again. Torie's doctor said she would deliver sometime in early summer and that I was due in the spring and for me to start taking it easy. With Mrs. Miller splitting her time between my house and Torie's, I was grateful for the help and took it upon myself to take a nap in the afternoon almost every day. Jack joked with me that he could set his watch by me as I was always asleep by no later than two o'clock and was up by no later than three o'clock.
Jason had reported back that he wanted Torie and me to meet him and Torie's father in Philadelphia, so as soon as Torie and I dropped our husbands off at the dock, we were getting on the first train out of town and were headed to Philadelphia. I told Jack I'd send him a wire to let him know how long we were going to be in Philadelphia, and if we were going to be in Philadelphia longer than their trip, they'd take a train to see us when they got back.
"I still like the name Christopher." Jack was coming down the steps with his travel bag in his hand. He was determined to have a name settled on for our new arrival before he left. We had spent many hours debating names, but so far, we hadn't come up with anything that we both liked.
"Jack, that name is a mouthful for a small child to spell and to say. I'm still partial to the names Edwin or Samuel. Samuel Edwin Dawson."
Jack started to shake his head. "Edwin?"
"Yes, Edwin. I like the name."
"Fine. Fine." Jack leaned in to kiss me. "What about a girl's name?"
"Eva. Eva Lillian Dawson."
"Eva." As Jack started towards the side door of our home to meet Torie and Harry, I could tell he was going over the name in his head. "I actually like the name Eva. Not so sure on the Lillian part. I met a few society women named Lillian and they always struck me as snobbish and unfriendly." James started laughing at something as he reached out towards Jack. After shifting his bag to his left shoulder, Jack held the door open for me. Stepping out into the sunlight, I handed James to him as I passed him by.
Our son was growing like a weed since his birthday. The first year of his life flashed by. It seemed like just last week I was still pregnant and about to give birth and now, our son was almost a year and a half old. His first birthday had come and gone, and every day, Jack and I were amazed at the progress James was making. He was walking on his own and was talking to anyone and anything that would stand still long enough to hear his innocent, childish babble. He communicated really well, even when his words didn't come out quite right. He waved good-bye or good night. He gave kisses and cuddles to Jack and me, plus his Aunt Torie and Uncle Harry. If he cried and wanted something, Jack or I would ask him what he wanted and he'd point to what he wanted. Jack had noticed that James even had specific noises for hunger, thirst, and boredom. When asked to do something, he usually understood and did it. He had Jack's eyes, but my hair. When the sunlight hit the top of his head, his hair was the same color as mine.
"Ready?"
"Eady!" James grinned as he looked at me. "Mama!"
Hearing James making his words clearer and clearer every day was heartwarming to me, to say the least. "Ready, James. Ready." James said nothing in return, but instead laughed and threw his head back as he looked up at the sky, blinking into the blinding sun.
Torie heard us coming up the wooden stairs on the side of their house and held the door open for us. "Hey, Rose, Jack." She clapped her hands together when James started laughing again at her. "There's my favorite nephew. James!" James' response was the same as earlier. He laughed at Torie and clapped his hands. When Anna heard James' exclamations, I could hear her calling out from her crib upstairs. Torie told us that Harry was on his way down and excused herself to go pick up Anna, telling us that she'd be down, probably before her husband would be.
"Eva?" Jack looked at me. "I think I like that name."
"Praise God. We have one name down. Now we just need a boy's name."
"We have one." I smiled at James, who was waving his arms at Torie, who was coming down the stairs with Anna. "It's Samuel. If I have to carry this baby for almost a year, then I am the lord and empress when it comes to naming it."
"The name argument again?"
I looked up at Torie as she stepped down the last step of the staircase. "Yes. We finally have a girl's name picked out, but we're still in limbo on a boy's name."
"You're about as far along as Harry and I are. I told him if this one is a boy, it'll be Harry, Jr., but if this one is a girl—wow." She put Anna down on the floor to play with James. "We may need litigators. I don't remember it being this hard when I was pregnant with Anna."
"That's because I let you pick out her name, love." Harry finally appeared, coming down the stairs with his bag in his hand. It struck me that just a few moments ago, the same scene was unfolding in front of me at my house.
After catching up on the day's happenings, the four of us, plus both babies, headed towards the docks in the car that the White Star Line sent over to pick up officers. As I watched the barren trees go by as we drove towards the docks, I thought to myself that this was a trip we had taken many times in the time Jack and I had been together. I had a pretty good insight into Torie's mind and, by the look on her face, her thoughts were once again mirroring mine.
The driver pulled into a parking spot close to the dock and helped us out of the car. After saying good-bye, Jack reluctantly left me and started walking with Harry towards the ship. Once again, James let out an ear-piercing wail as he watched his father walk away. Once Jack got to the boarding line for the officers, he turned around and waved, blowing a kiss at both me and James, but it did little to settle James, who was still crying and reaching out into the empty air for his father.
Harry and Torie had much the same good-bye. Anna was sleepy and laid her head down on Torie's shoulder as Harry followed the same path Jack had just taken. Anna picked her head back up and started to cry as Harry left Torie and Anna behind. We started back towards the car. Harry had convinced the driver by giving him a tip to take Torie and me to the train station rather than us having to hail a cab at the docks. "I hate this. Anna hates this."
I knew exactly how she felt. James had all but stopped crying. His little face was red from crying after Jack left, but he was still sniffling and still sobbing, though not as badly as he had been. I consoled him as we walked. "I know. I keep telling James that Daddy will be back, but I know he's too young to understand that concept."
The driver got to the train station and helped us board, carrying our bags. Torie found an empty seat next to a window towards the front of the car, and as I sat James down next to me, I slid down the leather seat until I finally felt relief from my aching back.
James and Anna both fell asleep quickly. I watched the scenery go by, and before I knew it, Torie was gently shaking me, letting me know we were in Philadelphia. As the porter passed, I asked what time it was. He pulled out his pocket watch and told me it was shortly after three o'clock. I smiled when I thought of Jack's comment earlier about being able to set a watch by my nap schedule.
Torie's father sent a car to meet us at the train station and the driver drove us to the hotel and helped us inside. Just like after the Titanic sank, Torie's father had gotten us adjoining rooms. When I opened my door, my breath caught at the luxurious suites that we were staying in. There was a wooden crib in the corner of the room with a light blue fleece blanket draped over the side of it. James had woken up right when we got to the station and stayed awake until we got to the hotel. I gently laid him down in the crib and covered him with the blanket.
"Rose?"
I turned to face Torie. "Where's Anna?"
"She's asleep, too. My father sent word up that he'll be here after a while to take us to dinner. Did you check your closet? There was a dinner gown in mine, and he said you had one also and he hoped it'd fit."
I left James asleep in his crib and went to the closet. Sure enough, a pale blue gown with matching gloves was hanging on the hook just inside the door. "It's beautiful." I felt the baby move inside me and my hand went to my stomach. "I just hope it fits."
"It should." Torie eyed the gown as she ran her hands over the fabric. "Mine is a beige color. Father said that he had them make it a size or two larger than we'd normally need. He's so excited about the prospect of more grandchildren." She stopped, smiling and turning the light out. "Shannon is already pestering me, wanting to help us name this one. She keeps suggesting Shannon as a name."
"Jack and I may settle on a boy's name by the time our newest one starts primary school. We've sort of settled on Eva for a girl's name, but the boy's name…" I trailed off as I shut the door, "Well, like you and Harry, Jack and I may need litigators."
An hour or so later, an attendant appeared at my door telling me that she was hired by Mr. Metcalfe to help me get ready for dinner and would be staying with my son while I was downstairs. I let her run a bath and help me into my new gown, which did fit perfectly. Since I was pregnant, I went without a corset, which felt good. After she helped me pin my hair back and helped me into my boots, I thanked her and went to find Torie. I stood in the doorway that connected our rooms and watched as the attendant working with her finished. She looked stunning in her new gown, as well, and like me, with her being pregnant, she was without a corset. After calling out a few more instructions to the attendant on care for her daughter, Torie took my hand and we left our room and headed towards the elevator.
Torie's father had asked us to meet him downstairs in the dining hall. As we entered, he was waiting by the large stone fireplace with Jason standing right beside him. "My girls. There they are."
Torie and I made our way to where they were. They met us in the middle of the room. She reached out to hug her father. "Father. Thank you once again for the wonderful accommodations." She turned to face Jason and shook his hand. "Nice to see you again as well, sir."
He eyed both of us. "Congratulations to both of you. I hear that there are more bundles of joy on the way. Your father here hasn't stopped talking about you both." He held his arm out towards me and I took it, while James escorted Torie to our table.
The wait staff was prompt with their attendance to us. James told the staff to keep the traffic in the area to a minimum and ordered a whiskey sour. Jason had the same, while Torie and I both stuck to iced tea. I watched as the waiter left the room, closing the double wooden doors behind him.
"I know Jason has some information about the Hockley situation." James took a drink from his glass and set it back down. "I'm just sorry that it has come to this. I would have thought that since Cal is married now…"
"Married?" I didn't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help myself. "When?"
"About three months ago, I believe. It was right after our last dinner. He married a young girl. She's of the Reynolds family, from Boston."
Jason took a drink from his glass and winced. "That's good."
I rolled my eyes. "Poor girl. So, what about the little girl? Did you find out anything about her?"
"Indeed." He reached down to his briefcase and pulled out a folder. After checking the vacant room, he slid the folder across the table to me. Torie scooted her chair closer so she could see. "This little girl is Cal's alleged daughter. I found out through the boarding school that she goes to right outside of Philadelphia that she's five years old. Cal claimed that she is his brother's daughter and that his brother died in a train wreck in St. Louis and the little girl was sent to live with Cal and his new bride right before they sailed on the Titanic."
"Absurd." Torie shook her head, "I'd remember if Cal had that little girl on board."
Jason shook his head. "I know that, but think about it. The only people on board with Cal were Rose and Ruth. Cal probably paid Ruth a large sum of money to keep her quiet about the little girl's parentage. With Rose considered dead by society, she'd be the only one who could spoil Cal's fun. Ruth won't say anything as long as Cal keeps paying her off. The little girl's name is Sarah Claire Hockley. Problem is, I can't find any information about Cal even having a brother."
"That's because he doesn't." I had met Cal's family on many occasions and I knew that not only did he not have a brother, there couldn't be a daughter. "Cal has two older sisters and one younger sister. He's the only one who can carry on the Hockley name. Nathan, Cal's father, wanted more children, but Cal's mother didn't. That led to a huge family squabble that still goes on to this day."
"Well, as far as I could tell, Cal's new wife goes along with the farce that the little girl is his biological niece. I did manage to stay out of sight for a few days and snapped several photographs of the little girl at school."
I flipped through the folder and stopped at the photos Jason had mentioned. Torie took one of the photos from me and studied it. "I know this little girl from somewhere. I think I've seen her before."
I took the photo from Torie. "Where on God's earth from?"
She shook her head, "I don't know. Her face just looks so familiar. Her face and those dark curls. It's like…oh, wait…" Torie stopped and took the photo back from me. She pointed to the little girl's image. "Imagine her in a red and brown striped knit hat, black corduroy skirt overalls, and black shoes. Remember her now?"
"No." I continued to study the picture. "Clue us in here."
"Victoria?" James motioned for her to hand him the picture. "Let me see that." Torie handed the photograph to her father. "She's cute. She could pass for a Hockley, but where do you know this little girl from?"
"On the Carpathia. It was after the sinking. I was out walking one night and couldn't sleep. There was an attendant on deck with her, or at least I think it may be her. She was frantically searching for her mother and father and the attendant kept telling her that her father was in their stateroom. I shrugged it off as shock from the sinking, but later on, I saw that same attendant helping Ruth with something." Torie looked up at me. "Do you think Cal is that dirty enough to kidnap someone from the Titanic sinking?"
"And why on God's earth would he take in a child he doesn't know?" Jason took the photo back from James and stuck it back underneath the pile in front of me. "I don't know Cal Hockley like you do, but it seems to me that he isn't one for goodwill gestures. Why would he want to kidnap a child?"
"Because men weren't being allowed on the lifeboats." Torie looked at me. "Remember what they told you and Jack?"
I thought back to the night of the sinking. "Jack was trying to get me to board that boat with you and we jumped off. Jack knew he'd never get on. They were only allowing men on board if they were the sole caretakers of children."
"Jason, did you find any evidence of this little girl's parents nearby?"
He shook his head at James' question. "No. The school registrar's office window was unlocked one night and I sneaked in and took a look at her file. Cal registered her with the school using the name Sarah Hockley and listed her as his niece and that he had custody of her after her parents, Jim and Theresa Hockley, passed away in a train wreck on their way back to St. Louis. I couldn't find any information about a train wreck in St. Louis or anywhere nearby. That has to be a lie."
"Obviously. The more I know about this man, the less I like him and his family. Rose, I'm so happy you got away from him when you did."
"I am, too." I felt my baby kick again and smiled. "So, now what? We what? Confront Cal?"
Jason nodded. "Yes. We will, but not yet. I need to do some more investigating. I need to check the Titanic casualty list and see if I can find anyone named Jim and Theresa with the same last name. Perhaps those are the girl's parents? Do you think Cal is smart enough to change her real parents' names?"
"No."
I started laughing when Torie and I answered Jason's question in unison. "He's not. He probably kept her parents' names the same so when anyone asked her what happened to them, he wouldn't have to cover at least that part of her story."
The wait staff brought our meal out to us. Before we started eating, James wanted to make a toast. "To finding out the truth."
Torie and I held out our tea glasses while Jason held up his whiskey glass and together, we repeated James' toast. "To finding out the truth."