FINDING LOVE ON THE TITANIC
Chapter Six
It was 7:30 PM. The clear tones
of a fanfare trumpet sliced through the conversations, signaling that dinner
was served. In the reception room, as music flowed from Wallace Hartley’s
string band, ladies took their gentlemen’s arms and began filing into the grand
dining saloon. The Jacobean-styled room was painted a soft peanut white with
beautiful molding on the ceiling. Beautifully crafted lead glass windows
sparkled on the far wall. Green Jacobean chairs surrounded tables covered with
snowy white tablecloths. Silver and crystal sparkled. Butter plates held
pale-yellow butter stars, the symbol of the White Star Line.
Rachel made her entrance down the
Grand Staircase. Her presence was very noticeable. Her clear, silky skin
complemented the flowing black lace evening gown. A single strand of soft
pearls encircled her neck. Her hair was softly pulled back with curls falling
around her neck. A black feather boa had been placed in her drop of curls. Ross
watched proudly as she descended the stairway. With each step, her natural
beauty captured his imagination. When she at last reached him, he proudly
offered his arm as they joined the line of other couples filing into the grand
dining saloon.
Two immaculately white-jacketed
servers escorted Ross and Rachel to their table in the enclave. They filled
their glasses with amber-gold sherry and then returned, bearing silver bowls of
soup.
After their four-course dinner,
which included hor d’oeuvres, cream of barley soup, poached salmon, filet
mignon, and Waldorf pudding, they decided to walk through the reception room to
listen to the music provided by the string band.
"Would you like to take a
walk out on the deck?" Ross inquired.
"I would love to,"
Rachel replied as she slipped her arm through his.
The light from the moon reflected
off the rippling waves, while a soft breeze softened the air on deck. Sparkling
stars lit up the sky.
"This is so romantic. The
stars appear so much brighter," Rachel said. Up until the present, her
main focus had been business. She had not taken the time to enjoy nature.
Ross’ past engagement was
beginning to weigh heavily on his conscience. He knew now was the time to
reveal his past engagement. "There is something I would like you to
know," Ross replied, looking somewhat seriously at Rachel. "I was
engaged to a woman named Carol. Two months ago, without any explanation, she
decided to call it off."
"Are you still in love with
her?" Rachel softly inquired. Even though her heart was racing, she needed
to know.
"I don’t think I am,"
Ross replied, feeling slightly nervous. He had so wanted to tell her to clear
the air, but now that it was out and on the surface, it felt different. He
reasoned that it took awhile to get over a failed relationship.
"When you look at a person
as being the one you believe you are going to spend your life with, it takes
awhile to fully get over it," Rachel replied, trying to think positively
that it was over with. She put her arm through his. Ross politely escorted
Rachel back to her stateroom. Ross' new revelation had made them both
uncomfortable.
Ross opened the door to his
stateroom. His room steward had placed a note on the bed. He picked up the note
and quickly noticed it was a cablegram. It read:
Ross,
Please forgive me. Can we give
it another chance?
Carol
April 12, 1912
The knifelike bow sliced through
the ocean waves, displacing a path of white foam. The sun slowly arose out of
the ocean, slowly producing light rays on the wood of the deserted boat deck.
Deck stewards began appearing on deck, supporting trays of fresh coffee and
biscuits.
Ross sat on a deck chair,
pondering his future. Why had Carol suddenly changed her mind? Why did she
really call the engagement off? Ross began to focus back to his own thoughts
and feelings. If he was to resolve this dilemma, he needed to focus on what he
wanted. He knew he loved Carol, but he also knew that at the time he was more
in love with getting married. Marriage provided security for the future. Those
feelings had reversed when he first saw Rachel. Even though he had just met
her, he knew he loved her in a way he had never felt before, and that was
scary. It was like the ship making its voyage. You were not sure what you were
going to encounter on the way.
Carol must have realized his
feelings on marriage, and that was why she had chosen to call it off. She
needed to be number one. Being separated could bring out one’s true feelings.
He felt as though she was testing him out, however. He did not like her game.
Ross went back to his stateroom
in search of his room steward. He soon located him in the corridor. "I
would like for you to deliver this note to the Marconi room," Ross ordered
as he passed the note to his steward. It read:
Carol,
I believe it is too late for
both of us to give it another try. Your happiness will need to be with someone
else.
Ross
Ross, feeling relieved by his
decision, ran up the two decks. He was going to continue the voyage with the
woman he knew he loved.