PHILADELPHIA IN SPRING
Chapter Eight
Jack led Rose up the stairs. At the top, he
motioned for her to step in front of him. She looked at him in amazement as he
pushed her gently to the rail of the balcony.
She had no earthly idea what he was
doing--her heart was pounding in her chest, as it had been ever since he
whispered to her in the cafe. She looked down into the room below them. It
seemed so immense, so deep, and she guessed it had been a factory of some sort.
On the ground, her dainty hat still sat, looking painfully out of place.
Jack came up behind her, just his presence
seemed to make her heart flutter. He was only about three inches behind her,
she could feel the heat from his body. Before she knew it, his arms were
wrapped around her at her waist. She took a deep breath, wondering, but at the
same time, surprised at how comfortable it was, to be so close to him.
He wove his fingers through hers, and slowly
lifted her arms at her sides. She looked back at him, smiling curiously, and
all he did was nod his head. She turned back to face the great room. Jack held
her arms all the way up now, and his hands lay on top of hers. His feet prodded
her to step as close to the railing as she could.
Rose's heart was racing away from her, beating
a strange rhythm, over and over.
Jack leaned forward to rest his chin on her
shoulder. Rose couldn't help but smile, as did Jack, and his hands moved over
her arms, and back down to her waist. Rose left her arms up, on instinct. Jack
turned his face slightly, to whisper in her ear. The scent of her hair
comforted him, the soft lavender.
It's this easy Rose." He whispered to
her. Rose felt his warm breath tickle her face. She looked below her, blocking
out everything but her and Jack, and in some odd way, it seemed at if she was;
flying. With Jack safely behind her, holding on, the feeling was indescribable.
She felt Jack's hands move over her waist gently, soothing her.
Warmth enveloped them, as Rose smiled to the
room. Jack must have sensed her expression, because he moved lips once more to
her ear, this time whispering a familiar tune.
"Come Josephine, in my flying
machine..." he sang softly in her ear, his voice slightly off key. But it
didn't matter. To Rose, it sounded more beautiful than the opera singers she'd
heard in Europe, grander than the best orchestras of Philadelphia.
Rose turned her head a little toward his;
smiling. The heat of the warehouse had reddened her cheeks, and her eyes were
bright. Jack nestled his head closer to hers. Rose looked at him, searching his
eyes, and found herself lost in them, as she always was. His lips curved into
smile, and the sunlight coming in from the windows, caught the light in his
blue eyes, and they were gleaming, shimmering. The skylights in the old
building reflected the sunny windows, sending a shaft of light to fall on the
two, a warm glow. The shadows of the clouds outside danced on their faces,
creating an almost magical setting.
Rose brought her arms down, covering his,
still at her waist. His hands were rough, from work she guessed, but gentle.
Looking up at him, the smile on his face cast
away any doubts Rose might have had. And the look in his eyes melted the
darkness around her heart. As if suddenly, everything could be simple.
It was she that first moved her lips toward
his, cautiously at first, but then intently. Jack wrapped one of his arms more
tightly around her waist and began to move his face down to hers. Their lips
were a mere half inch apart, when Jack's eyes moved up to search hers, silently
asking a question.
He must have found his answer there, in her
eyes, because he then brushed his lips lightly against hers. A spark ran
through Rose as she tightened her grip on his hands. The warmth of his lips
touched hers once more, and this time she deepened the kiss, closing in on any
space that might have been between them. She moved one of her hands up to the
back of his head, caressing his hair.
The world receded, leaving nothing but the
two of them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ruth's weary eyes scanned the room once more,
before she filed back out the cafe door, following her sisters.
"We'll see you tomorrow, then,
Ruth?"
Ruth put a smile on her face and nodded.
"Yes, of course. Tomorrow."
Evelyn, her sister, nodded, and turned to
leave, but stopped, folding her arms across her chest.
"Ruth, where did Rose go off to? I never
got a chance to speak with her." She raised an eyebrow.
Ruth adjusted the white gloves on her hands
and looked at the floor before speaking. "Oh, Eve, she just went on one of
her walks. You know Rose. She..."
"Ruth, you can't fool me. Are you sure
you're doing the right thing here?"
Ruth looked down at her younger sister.
Evelyn's eyes were curious, and her face conveyed some sort of knowledge, that
Ruth had never seen before. Ruth's face became stern and cold. Ignoring the
obvious concern of her sister, she cleared her throat and spoke in her most
domineering voice.
"Evelyn, don't be silly. Of course this
is right- this is a good match for Rose. Caledon Hockley is..."
Evelyn put her hand up, shaking her head back
and forth. "Ruth, I know what Caledon Hockley is, believe me. And that's
why I asked. My concern is for my niece."
Ruth closed her eyes, and then opened them
again, reaching up to rub one of her temples gently.
"Of course." Then she took a deep
breath, arranging her purse and umbrella in her hands. "Well, I will see
you tomorrow, at the rehearsal. Goodbye, Evelyn." She nodded and turned.
The minute she no longer faced her sister, her smile faded, and she walked
numbly out toward her car. Cal was still looking for Rose and had instructed
Ruth to go back home, in case Rose were to return there.
The driver helped Ruth into the car, and Ruth
thanked him weakly, settling into the soft leather seat. She glanced out of the
window as the car rolled over the slightly bumpy street. The sun was shining so
brightly, after the rain from this morning.
She couldn't help but remember her sister's
words.
She'd asked if this was right for Rose. Of course
it was right? Caledon Hockley was the heir to a hefty steel fortune. His future
was clear and bright, and he seemed to care for Rose, didn't he? But -- Would
there even be a rehearsal tomorrow? What if Rose didn't return? Ruth remembered
the way she had caught Rose with that boy by the fence. Where were they?
Jack Dawson, Rose had said his name was.
Ruth sighed and moved her eyes away from the
window, staring blankly ahead.
Why was Jack Dawson trying ruin her only
chance?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cal had taken one of the other cars, ordering
the driver to go slowly, as he scanned the now crowded streets. Rose had been
gone for nearly an hour now. Cal had reentered the cafe a little while earlier,
informing the cafe owner of his employee's behavior.
Cal's eyes ran over the street corners, the
bustling windows of the shops and stores. He gazed at each head in the crowd,
searching for that hideous purple hat Rose had been wearing today.
He shaded his eyes from the glare of a large
window to his right, crouching his head back down into the car. Just before he
turned to look over the other side of the lane, he noticed the doors of a large
building opening. He sat up and squinted past the sun. His dark eyes clouded
over when he saw a young blonde man, in a waiter's uniform. And then he knew
what was coming next. The man held the door open for Rose, as she readjusted
the hat on her head.
"Stop!" Cal shouted to the driver.