THE HEART GOES ON
Chapter Fifteen

December, 1912
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Jack

It was drawing near to Christmastime and the season was changing to be wintry and cold. There would be ice on Lake Wissota before long. Time was just slipping away before our eyes.

The doctor came down the stairs after examining Rose and asked to see us all. She was getting near to her due date and we wanted to make sure all was well.

We faced the gray-haired local man, Dr. Forester, with quizzical looks.

"How is she, doctor?" Aunty Janette asked. William grunted behind her.

"Mrs. Morgan, Mrs. Dawson needs to take things quietly. The pregnancy is reaching its advanced stages now. The baby seems healthy, despite what you have informed me has transpired to her and her extreme youth."

The doctor seemed skeptical of the story of going down on the Titanic and Cal and the drama that had unfolded. The fact, in his eyes, was that we were a mismatched young couple. A steerage class farm boy married to an extremely young, obviously well-bred woman was odd, I supposed. It did sound like a bad novel, to quote Gerard. Sleepy Chippewa Falls did not normally have such exciting events happen here.

The doctor flashed me a condescending look. I stiffened. Aunty laid her hand on my arm.

"So, Mrs. Dawson should have a normal labor and a healthy baby," she summarized.

"I presume so, a most resilient baby. I would keep Mrs. Dawson resting until the delivery. I am afraid, however, that the baby could still present itself early, delayed shock and all that."

"Thank you, doctor." Aunty handed him some money.

The doctor tipped his hat to us as he left. "Please engage Mrs. Brown, the midwife, when contractions start. She is most capable." As he picked up his bag, he turned to me and addressed me most coldly. "Oh, Mr. Dawson, I would not advise any more children for a while. Mrs. Dawson will need time after the birth to recuperate."

I flushed and started forward. Aunty restrained me as we bid good day to the pompous man.

"Leave it, Jack. He just thinks he’s a cut above. Little does he know of our family connections." She giggled, referring to the Tremaine link.

William laughed, and it diffused the tension.

"I am so glad Rose is okay. The last few months have been very difficult," I said.

Difficult! That was an understatement. After being kidnapped at gunpoint by a furious Cal and his valet, intent on dragging Rose back to be Cal’s bride so Cal could carry out his father’s wishes, the fact that Rose was married and heavily pregnant had somewhat thwarted Cal’s plan.

We had to thank Gerard for thwarting the valet and giving me the chance to disable Cal. I must say I landed him one hell of a punch. It was very satisfying, and I was not a violent man. Once both aggressors were out cold and Gerard had them at gunpoint, he had me go for the police, and because of Gerard and his high class, the police had arrested Cal and the valet on attempted kidnapping charges and we had all stood and watched them being carted off in a police car.

Cal, once he came around, was stunned into silence. The aggression he had shown was gone. His face was bruised. He just stared at Rose with haunted black eyes, the sorrow in them clear to see. Rose stared back at him with unashamed hatred. To see Cal in handcuffs was sobering. How the rich had fallen. Images of me marched out of the plush staterooms on the Titanic in handcuffs, accused of stealing, made me wince.

We made eye contact briefly. He knew he was beaten. The arrogance was gone. Oh, if you knew what I know about our families, I thought.

I felt pity for him now, knowing about his childhood. Nathan must be a monster to have demanded so much of his son. Cal knew he had crossed the line.

Rose spat at him. "Don’t come near us again, Hockley!" she screamed. "Scum!"

Cal’s brow crinkled in agony and pain. I think he had loved Rose in his way, but they were two different spirits. Oil and water. He would have crushed her, and she would have rebelled and fought him every inch of the way.

His lips moved as he neared me, dragged by two policemen. Our eyes met in a brief, mutual understanding. He knew that he had not won. He knew Rose was lost. As he passed me, he whispered, "Sorry."

One single word. The valet heard and started shrieking that we had blackened the name of Hockley and we would pay. Cal shouted for the valet to shut up.

Gerard stood pale, watching his elder brother taken away. No word was exchanged between the brothers. A gulf as wide as the ocean that had taken the Titanic had sprung up between them.

The wagon left as we stood staring after it. Rose was sobbing hard in my arms.

"Thank you, Gerard. I can never thank you enough," I said. "I must get Rose home. Will you help me?" We picked up our stuff. I picked up the necklace and put it back in the hamper. The necklace had foiled Cal. Its opulence had dazzled him and given me a split second’s advantage. Rose was exhausted, and Gerard and I carried her between us.

"I’ll have to find out what will happen to the pair of them," he said in low voice. "I am so sorry, Jack. Cal brings nothing but chaos. I will have to speak to the police and Father."

I felt sorry for Gerard. We slowly walked to the farmhouse and tried to take in what had happened.

*****

The last two months had been quiet. Rose and I spent time talking and reflecting. Gerard had left to go home after we agreed to keep in touch. Our kinship made us fast friends.

Our baby was slowing Rose up and tiring her. She spent long days with Aunty, who was showing her how to cook and clean. We laughed at her early attempts at burnt cakes and bread.

Slowly, the color returned to her cheeks and she and Janette became closer. There was warmth between them that she and Ruth had never had.

I helped William around the farm and got used to manual work. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but I liked coming back to Rose in the evening. We all sat and ate as a family. It was nice. We joked and laughed. It was something both Rose and I had missed in our lives for a long time.

We were a family.

December, 1912
Christmastime
Crosswinds
Philadelphia
Gerard

"Now, Gerard." My father was standing in his mahogany study, smoking a cigar and looking pensive. "You know Caledon is coming home today. He has been living out with the Faulkners while on bail these last two months, and everything’s been cleared up." He cleared his throat. This business with Cal was making him uneasy--unusual for him.

When I arrived home on the back of the telegraph informing him that Cal was in a lot of trouble, he was actually initially speechless to hear that his son and the valet were under arrest.

We had our first argument as he defended Cal to the hilt. He was shocked to hear that I had been there and started questioning why. I told him I had heard him instruct Cal to retrieve Rose at any cost. He shouted back that he meant bribes and a bit of persuasion, not murder! What sort of man did I think he was? I said nothing and let my eyes talk for me.

I had learnt a lot about my family. My father’s influence was everywhere, and not a benign one, either. I was even short with my mother. The news was that my father had pulled many strings and knew people meant that he got Cal off and the charges dropped. I threatened to testify against Cal.

My father raged at me, and I saw the true man and did not like what I saw. He said I was a Hockley and should behave as one. I shouted back that he had made Cal jump through hoops all his life like a performing dog, and I would not. I would marry whom I chose and live my life being fair and decent. He blanched and stared at me. No more words were needed. The gulf between me and my father and brother had grown, which was to last a lifetime. The only measure of happiness was me looking forward to seeing Emily, but she was not answering my letters, and when I called around, her staff said she was not able to be contacted presently.

Therefore, my mood was tense and short.

The smoke from the cigar rose in the air. My father coughed.

"I know you are not happy with the turn of events." The words fell heavily in the air.

"Oh, you can be sure I am not, Father," I retorted bitterly.

"I am not too happy myself. What can I say? Caledon has overstretched himself," he muttered.

"No excuse, Father," I said to him boldly. All my life I had kept out of his way and been subservient to him. No more! He just could not believe my truculence towards him, and he did not verbally tongue-lash me as he would Cal. "Overstretched himself," I mocked. "You were not there. Caledon had taken leave of his senses. Pulling out guns, acting like a gangster. That bloody valet had the young lad down on his knees with a gun at the back of his head. Rose was heavily pregnant and Cal pointed a gun at the woman he was supposed to adore!"

My father blinked. "It’s so inconvenient. Everything was fine until the Titanic," he said, his dark eyes unashamed. The man had no idea of what Caledon had done, and to my kin, and would not see things any different.

"Bah! The Titanic!" I said heatedly. "From all accounts, the girl was coerced into an engagement with Caledon beforehand under duress from her mother and you! I also hear in certain circles that your son behaved less than gentlemanly on the ship."

"What are you implying?" my father countered, eyes starting to flash and the quick Hockley temper on the rise.

I was not afraid of him. I would not be ruled. Even if he cut me off, I did not care anymore. My mother would always support me. This made me more headstrong and willful. I could not give a toss for the name Hockley anymore after seeing the close family bonds of the Dawsons. My own family was cold and distant.

I thought of them speaking of Demelza Hockley, my father’s first wife, treated badly from all accounts, married off to my father at sixteen, a gentle creature, no match for my father’s ways and iron will.

The dislike wrote itself on my face. Father’s eyes narrowed even more. "I will not have you speak to me like this, Gerard!" he barked.

"I will say what I wish to you!" I shouted back. His face reddened. He stubbed the cigar out roughly. "You will have to tell Caledon that Rose DeWitt Bukater is off limits now. You will have to stress that she is married and with child. You will have to restore his money to him, Father. That’s was all he was looking for."

Father was silent. He coughed again.

"Come on, Father. You have sorted out all the trouble he was in!" I yelled. "Now, let him sort himself out. Give him what he wants and let him leave Rose and her family alone. You were the instrument that brought about all this! You’ve made Caledon the man he is..." My voice rose. Father stood up and tried to interrupt. "No! You will listen for once. You rule us all. Caledon acted like a bastard and you excused him. You are a control freak. You…you..." The words stuck in my throat, loathing making me shake.

"Gerard," a soft female voice beside me said. My mother touched my arm. It diffused the argument.

The words faded away. Father and I faced each other, staring angrily.

"Did you hear how Gerard spoke to me?" Father asked.

She looked at him steadily. She was a strong woman. Even my father could not rule her. That was why he respected her.

"Nathan, Gerard is right to a point," she said in a smooth voice. My father started to bluster, but she silenced him.

"We have all done things that we are not proud of," she said pointedly to him, and the two exchanged a look. "You have pushed and pushed Caledon. I know he is not easy, but now you must restore his portion to him and make it clear that his ex-fiancée is off limits. This will help things."

My father blew out heavily, as if hearing the facts for the first time.

"Oh," he said. "I weary of all this conflict. I just wish Gerard to marry as soon as possible and make his own way. He can run the Virginia side. Caledon will have his portion restored, but he must marry to achieve this."

"Nathan," Mother said. Father held up a hand and stopped her.

"We will find a new bride for him, one more suitable," he said cuttingly. "He can receive his dues when he marries, minus the cost of that necklace, and he can stop chasing the Bukater girl, as you say. Now, be quiet!"

Father shot us both a look and walked, stony-faced, out of the study.

Mother and I looked at each other. Her warm brown eyes fixed on me, and she stroked my head as she had when I was a child.

"You are brave to speak to your father like that, but you must rein in your woes with him now, Gerard. He has stated what must be done. Do not push him anymore. We will deal with Caledon."

"Mother," I simply said, and hugged her.

"Gerard, you have become a very wonderful gentleman. I am so proud off you," she whispered as she held me. "Emily is a lucky girl."

"Mama, you are wonderful, too," I replied.

At least Father had agreed to be sensible. I was dreading seeing Caledon again. I must let Jack and Rose know what had transpired. At least Cal would stay away from them now, I hoped, and they were forever out of his reach!

Chapter Sixteen
Stories