INTO THE SUNRISE
Chapter Six
Jack sat in the empty room in
stunned silence. Rose leaving him like this was the last thing he had expected
to happen. He should go after her, but what could he say to change her mind? He
had begged and begged her not to leave already, and she left anyway. He didn't
want to lose Rose. He loved her too much. But there was nothing he could say to
convince her that she belonged with him. He wanted to show her, but she
wouldn't allow it. She had bolted before he had a chance. Getting off the
couch, he was headed for the kitchen when the doorbell chimed, disturbing his
troubled thoughts.
Sighing irritably, Jack opened
the door to Mabel Forrester. "Mrs. Forrester…hi." Jack forced a
smile. "What can I do for you?"
"I was looking for your
young wife." The woman nervously wrung her hands. She had come to
apologize to the young woman. She had seen Rose leave the store and assumed
that Rose had overheard the conversation Mabel and a few of the other women
were holding. Nothing but gossip. Mabel had felt horrible and had come to right
her wrong.
"Oh." Jack sighed, not
bothering to correct Mabel's assumption that he and Rose were married. It was
easier for people to think that. It was still 1912 and people seriously looked
down on a man and woman living together out of the confines of marriage.
"Well…you're too late. She left."
"Oh…when will she be
back?"
Jack shook his head, unable to
accept that Rose had left for good, but also unable to deny the truth. "She's
not coming back. She left me for good." His voice cracked from his
devastation. "She said that I deserved someone better. Someone who knew
how to be a proper wife. Have you ever heard anything so preposterous? If
anyone was deserving of something better, it was her."
Mabel gasped, her guilt caving in
on her. The boy was heartbroken over his love's departure, and it was all her
fault. Why had they chosen today, of all days, and the Dawsons' return to town
to gossip about? Why couldn't they have talked about someone else, like the
suspected affair of Edna Rice and Richard Lemming? Why did they talk about
anyone at all? Mabel would do anything to take the conversation back. She and
the ladies had no right to do this to sweet Jack.
"I just don't know where she
got that idea from. I mean, she was so happy and optimistic this morning. What
happened to change that?"
Mabel bowed her head in shame.
"Jack…the blame for Rose's departure lies with myself and a few other
ladies at the grocer's today."
Jack frowned, not liking the
sound of this. What was Mrs. Forrester talking about?
"You see…well, you know how
we women like to gossip when we're together, never paying attention to who
we're talking about and how it might affect them. Well…Rose was the subject of
today's gossip session at the grocer's, and she must have overheard us. I came
over to apologize to her. But it looks like I need to apologize to you, as
well. I am so sorry, Jack. We had no right to say the things we said. I wish
that we could take them back."
Anger took the place of
devastation. Anger at the woman before him, anger at the people of this town,
who sought pleasure in talking about things they knew nothing about, and anger
at himself for bringing Rose here in the first place. He should have known that
something like this would happen. He had witnessed the gossip first hand when
he was a kid going to town with his mother. He knew the damage that they could
do. He should have had the sense to warn Rose. But he hadn't, and now she was
gone.
He wanted to tell the elderly
woman off and throw her out of his house, but his mother's upbringing prevented
him from doing such a thing. All he could do was glare at Mabel, keeping his
anger at bay. "Please leave. I don't think you're welcome here anymore."
Mabel could only nod, knowing
that she deserved Jack's anger and so much more. She wished that she could
reverse the damage she'd caused, but knew that it was impossible. "I
understand, Jack. I hope that you get the young lady back and that you can
forgive the lot of us for what we've done."
Jack didn't say anything. He
couldn't. If Jack couldn't get Rose back…forgiveness was definitely out of the
question.
"Good-bye, Jack." Mabel
turned away from the glowering young man, feeling even more ashamed of herself
than she had before.
Jack closed the door, closing his
eyes against the red haze of anger enveloping him. He needed to calm down
before heading out to find Rose. If he remained angry like this…he didn't know
what he was capable of doing to anyone who said the wrong thing. He needed to
hit something. He need to scream and yell.
Keeping his eyes shut, Jack
counted to ten, feeling a bit of the anger leaving him, but not by much.
Knowing that he should wait, but not wanting to waste anymore time, Jack
stormed out of the door, determined to find Rose and bring her home.
*****
The station was loud and crowded,
but Jack kept his attention on the signs stating the destination of each train.
Rose had to be there somewhere. He had checked at the desk, and the train Rose
was to catch hadn't left yet. He had ten minutes to find her and convince her
that her place was at his side, nowhere else.
"Philadelphia…" Jack's
eyes roamed the station, hoping to quickly find his target. Relief swept
through him when he caught sight of not only the train, but of her as well. She
was at the edge of the baggage compartment, and by the look of things, she was
talking to someone standing out of Jack's line of vision. Running a hand
through his hair, Jack approached her, hoping not to startle her. His heart
stopped when he saw who it was she was talking to. Caledon Hockley. The bastard
was standing there, leering down at Rose, looking rather smug and victorious.
No way! She couldn't be going back to him! Jack wouldn't let her!
"Rose." Jack stepped up
behind her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Rose turned and looked at Jack in
surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to come after her. She hadn't even
expected to see him again, really. Rather, she had hoped she wouldn't. But that
was how it had been all day. Jack's unexpected early return to the house, Cal's
unexpected arrival at the train station just as she bought her ticket, and now
Jack's unexpected arrival at the train station, finding her ready to leave with
Cal.
"Why, look who it is." Cal
crossed his arms, an arrogant smile twisting his lips. "The street rat who
thought that he could steal my fiancée."
"Cal, please." Rose
held up a hand to silence him. She turned to Jack, hoping that she'd have the
strength to leave. It was so much harder with him standing there, his eyes full
of pleas for a second chance. A plea for Rose to reconsider. "Jack…what
are you doing here? We've talked already. My decision's been made. I'm
leaving."
"Rose, I know the reason you
feel like you have to leave. The real reason. Mrs. Forrester stopped by and
told me about the gossip at the store earlier today. She wanted to apologize.
Rose, please…don't leave with Hockley. Stay with me. I love you, Rose, whether
you can cook and clean or not. Those type of things mean nothing to me."
Rose looked into his blue eyes,
wanting to say yes. Wanting to run into his arms and bury herself there,
forgetting about the town gossips. But she couldn't. That wouldn't be the best
thing to do for Jack. She would ruin any chances he had at finding a more
suitable bride. She couldn't do that to him. But he wasn't going to let her go.
Not without a fight, anyway. Not unless she made him hate her. She had to lie
for that, but could she do that? She closed her eyes and opened them, trying to
make them appear as cold as she could. "You're giving me no choice, Jack.
I was trying to be nice. I was trying not to hurt you too much, because you
have been rather good to me. But you refused to accept my explanation, so I'll
tell you the truth. You're beneath me. You mean absolutely nothing to me, Jack.
You were only a bad case of pre-wedding jitters. You see, I was using you,
Jack. I was using you in an attempt to get out of my duties. But I'm tired of
playing house now. It's time for me to return to my real life…to the man I
love. Cal." She looked at the smirking Cal and was taken by surprise when
his lips descended on hers. She hid the surprise and wrapped her arms around
his neck, trying to forget the fact that she was ripping the heart out of the only
man she had ever truly loved.
To all bystanders, Cal and Rose
looked like two lovers who had been separated for far too long.
"Come, Sweetpea. It's time
we were on our way." Cal ushered Rose to the boarding entrance of the train.
Rose took one more look at Jack, who looked as if his heart had been ripped in
two. She quickly looked away, not able to bear it any longer. She was leaving
Jack in shambles and she hated herself for it, but he had given her no other
choice. She had to get him to let go some how.
"You've made a wise decision
to return to us, Sweetpea." Cal's arms tightened around her. "You've
saved what's left of your family name."
"I didn't do it for
you." Rose glared at her newly reinstated fiancé. "I did it for Jack.
Only for Jack."