TITANIC: A STORY TOLD
Chapter Twenty-Two
A few minutes later, Jack was being detained
by the burly Master at Arms, the closest thing to a cop on board. He was
handcuffing Jack. Cal was right in front of Jack, and furious. He had obviously
just rushed out there with Lovejoy and another man, and none of them had coats
over their black tie evening dress. The other man was Colonel Archibald Gracie,
a mustachioed blowhard who still had his brandy snifter. He offered it to Rose,
who was hunched over crying on a bench nearby, but she waved it away. Cal was
more concerned with Jack. He grabbed him by the lapels.
"What made you think you could put your
hands on my fiancée?! Look at me, you filth! What did you think you were
doing?!"
Rose intervened. "Cal, stop! It was an
accident."
"An accident?!"
"It was...stupid really. I was leaning
over and I slipped."
Rose looked at Jack, getting eye contact.
"I was leaning way over, to see
the...ah...propellers. And I slipped and I would have gone overboard...and Mr.
Dawson here saved me and he almost went over himself."
"You wanted to see the propellers?"
Gracie shook his head. "Women and
machinery do not mix."
The Master at Arms spoke to Jack. "Was
that the way of it?"
Rose was begging him with her eyes not to say
what really happened.
"Uh huh. That was pretty much it."
He looked at Rose a moment longer. Now they
had a secret together.
"Well! The boy’s a hero then. Good for
you son, well done!" He turned to Cal. "So it’s all’s well and back
to our brandy, eh?"
Jack was uncuffed. Cal got Rose to her feet
and moving.
Cal rubbed her arms. "Let’s get you in.
You’re freezing."
Cal was leaving without a second thought for
Jack.
Gracie spoke to him in a low voice.
"Ah...perhaps a little something for the boy?"
"Oh, right. Mr. Lovejoy. A twenty should
do it."
Rose was shocked. "Is that the going
rate for saving the woman you love?"
"Rose is displeased. Mmm...what to do?"
Cal turned back to Jack. He appraised him
condescendingly...a steerage ruffian, unwashed and ill mannered.
"I know." He spoke to Jack.
"Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow, to regale our group with
your heroic tale?"
Jack looked straight at Rose. "Sure.
Count me in."
"Good. Settled then."
Cal turned to go, putting a protective arm
around Rose. He leaned close to Gracie as they walked away.
"This should be amusing."
Jack spoke to Lovejoy as he passed him.
"Can I bum a cigarette?"
Lovejoy smoothly drew a silver cigarette case
from his jacket and snapped it open. Jack took a cigarette, then another,
popping it behind his ear for later. Lovejoy lit Jack’s cigarette.
"You’ll want to tie those." Jack
looked at his shoes. "Interesting that the young lady slipped so mighty
all of a sudden and you still had time to take off your jacket and shoes.
Mmm?"
Lovejoy’s expression was bland, but the eyes
were cold. He turned away to join his group.