TITANIC ROSE
Chapter Thirty

November, 1914

Life was good for the Calverts. Thomas was doing well in his new job, working both with the clients sent his way by his boss and with clients that he had found himself. He was making a good deal of money, more than he had expected, and it wouldn’t be long before they had enough money to buy a house of their own. They had been looking at houses, searching for one that had at least four bedrooms and plenty of space for their children to run and play.

There were several houses within a short distance of Thomas' work that they thought would be suitable. They were expensive by 1914 standards, costing between five and seven thousand dollars each, but between Thomas' work as a lawyer and Rose’s budding film career, they would be able to afford one. The houses they were looking at were close enough to the movie studio Rose was working for that she wouldn’t have to travel far, either.

The only dark spot in their lives was the knowledge that Ruth would soon be joining them in Los Angeles. In spite of what Jack had told her, Rose wasn’t sure that her mother had good intentions. She had seemed to want only the best for her daughter before, but then she had slowly but surely destroyed the Calverts’ standing in Cedar Rapids and tried to break up Rose and Thomas' marriage. There was no way that Rose could stop her from coming, but she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Still, maybe things had changed. Certainly there was no way that Ruth could marry her off to Cal—Rose had confirmed that he was indeed married. One of her fellow actresses had a great deal of interest in what went on in high society and had subscriptions to several eastern newspapers. Rose had picked one up one day between scenes and had read about a charity ball being held by Caledon Hockley and his lovely wife, Lorraine. If Cal was as happy as Jack had told her, no scheme of Ruth’s could get him to give up his wife in favor of Rose.

The last check that the Calverts had sent to Ruth had been returned with a note explaining that she had found a job and didn’t wish to be a burden on their financial resources any longer. Rose had been shocked. Ruth, who had had such an aversion to honest work that she had tried to marry Rose off to get the money that was so important to her, was actually working for a living. She wouldn’t have believed her, except for the fact that the money was also returned. Even if Ruth had accepted a lower standard of living, she still had to have a roof over her head and food and clothing.

It would be a long time before Rose could trust her mother again, if ever, but it seemed to her to be a good sign. Perhaps Jack was right, and Ruth truly had changed.

*****

Rose sat at the kitchen table, a letter from her mother in her hands.

My darling Rose,

I am so sorry for the way I behaved when last we met. It was uncalled for. However, you must understand that I was desperate. Everything that I owned had been sold to pay the debts that your father left behind, and the Hockleys were unwilling to provide for me with you gone. I was destitute, and didn’t know what to do. When I learned that you were in Cedar Rapids, I knew that I had to try to get you back together with Cal. I realize now that I should have left you alone, and not tried to destroy your marriage or ruined your standing in your new home, but I was so blinded by the thought of all that I had lost that I couldn’t see how much I was hurting you, my son-in-law, and my grandson.

As so often happens with schemes like mine, it turned on me. A new family purchased the house that you had lived in, and while moving in they found the journal that you had left behind, detailing everything that I had done. News travels fast in a town like this, and it wasn’t long before everyone knew what I had done. The town turned against me, just as it had turned against you when I was spreading those rumors.

Your friend Myrtle was one of the first to turn against me. Before your journal was brought to light, she had treated me with great compassion and sympathy, but once she found out what I had done, she wanted nothing to do with me, and was quick to tell everyone who would listen about what I had done and how I had lied to everyone. She conveniently forgot that she had helped me to spread rumors about you, and now considers me to be the worst sort of person. She is sorry for how she treated you and wants to make amends, but I won’t tell her where you’ve gone unless you want me to. She seems to be the sort of person who will turn on you at the least provocation, and I don’t trust her. She believed everything that she heard about me before she ever saw your journal.

Rose, I will be coming to Los Angeles soon, probably just before Thanksgiving. I should have enough money for the trip by then. I have been fortunate in that my employer cared more about my skills as a seamstress than my reputation, and didn’t fire me when all of this happened. I have been sewing fine dresses for the ladies of the town—not so fine as what I once wore, but still better than I can afford now. The woman who hired me was very impressed by my ability to do fine embroidery—a skill of the upper class that is actually useful in the working world. It was this that kept me my job and enabled me to save enough money to leave town.

I’m sure that you don’t trust me, Rose, but I will have nowhere to go when I get to Los Angeles. I am hoping that you will find it in your heart to give me a place to live until I can find a job and a place of my own. I promise you that it won’t be forever, but I need a place to stay until I can take care of myself.

I love you, Rose, and I’m sorrier than you could ever know for the way I treated you.

Your mother,

Ruth DeWitt Bukater

Rose stared at the letter, re-reading it, as she thought about what to do. Her mother was coming to Los Angeles, and soon. There was nothing she could do to stop her, but she didn’t want to have to live with her. No matter what Jack said, she didn’t trust Ruth, and while she would allow her to be a part of her life so long as she didn’t turn on her again, there was no way that she could allow her to live under the same roof as her family.

Biting her lip, Rose at last took up a pen and a clean sheet of paper, and began writing back.

Dear Mother,

You’re right that I don’t trust you, but I will allow you to be a part of my life once you come here, so long as you never try such a horrendous scheme again. I’m sure you know by now that Cal is married, so it would be pointless for you to try to break up my marriage again.

Mother, I’ve thought about it, but I simply cannot allow you to live under the same roof as me. We can try to make amends, but it will be a long time before I can fully trust you again, if ever. No, you cannot live with us, but we will help you to find a place of your own, and pay for a hotel room for you until such a place is found. We have enough money that it won’t be a burden, but if you wish to pay us back later we can work something out.

In the meantime, please don’t tell Myrtle where I am—if I should ever contact her again, it will be my choice. I think you’re right not to trust her, and I don’t fully trust her either, after what you told me. I suspected that she was helping to spread those rumors, but I wasn’t sure until you confirmed it.

I hope that you have a safe, pleasant trip, and you are welcome to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. Let me know when you will arrive, and we will meet you at the train station.

Your daughter,

Rose Calvert

Rose looked the letter over, making sure that it was right, and then put it in an envelope and addressed it to her mother’s hotel in Cedar Rapids.

*****

Rose looked at the clock on the wall as she hurried to remove her makeup and change back into her street clothes. Her film, Save The Last Dance, was going very well, and the director was impressed enough by her work that he was trying to get her a contract with the studio so that she could do more moving pictures for them. If she worked hard enough, she might even find herself with some starring roles.

She loved being a moving picture actress, even if scenes often did need to be repeated again and again. A two-minute scene might take five hours to film if the director was not completely satisfied or if someone made an error. Thus far, she was doing very well, making only the occasional error, and she at last had a use for the dance training she had received in finishing school. She had often thought it boring and pointless then, but now she was glad that she had learned it. Her knowledge of ballet had come in handy, too, allowing her to be in more scenes than she had expected.

Glancing once more at the clock, Rose grabbed her purse and hurried out. She and Thomas were meeting her mother at the train station in half an hour.

On the ride to the train station, Rose stared out the window at the pouring rain, lost in thought. She hadn’t seen her mother in months, not since she, Thomas, and Andrew had left Cedar Rapids for California. Was Jack right? Had Ruth truly changed? Or was it all an act by her mother, designed to ruin Rose’s life?

She had felt assured that at least her mother couldn’t try to break up her marriage in order to marry her off to Cal, until she had mentioned Cal’s new marriage to Lora. Lora had read in the newspaper before she came to California that Cal had married a woman named Anne Dumas, but now Cal had married Lorraine Dawson. If he had ended one marriage so easily, how could she be sure that he wouldn’t end his new marriage if she was once again available? He had often been angry with her, but Cal was nothing if not stubborn, and if he thought that he could get her back in some way…

But Jack had assured her that Cal was happy and that her mother had changed. He had never lied to her before, so why would he start now? And he had always been right about what was happening, too.

Sighing inwardly, Rose leaned back against the seat. She would just have to trust him, and hope that everything would turn out all right.

*****

The train was right on time. Rose and Thomas stood inside the station, waiting as the passengers got off the train and swarmed through the waiting area, some greeted by friends or relatives and others going off on their own.

Ruth was one of the last ones to leave the train. She didn’t have much with her, just two suitcases, but she still walked slowly, unaccustomed to carrying her own luggage. When she caught sight of Rose, she started to hurry toward her, then hesitated, unsure how Rose felt about seeing her again.

Slowly, Rose approached her mother, head held high. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but whatever it was, she wouldn’t let Ruth see how nervous she was.

"Rose…" Ruth set her bags down, holding her arms out tentatively toward her daughter. Rose came toward her, unsure of what to do.

Finally, Rose let Ruth embrace her. She stood stiffly for a moment, then relaxed, hugging her mother back. In spite of her uncertainty and her distrust, Ruth was still her mother, and a part of Rose had always wanted to be closer to her.

Ruth stepped back, holding Rose at arm’s length and looking at her. "You’re looking well," she told her, taking in her daughter’s simple but clean appearance. Then, looking closer, she pointed to her chin, indicating that Rose had something on hers.

Embarrassed, Rose swiped a hand over her chin, wiping away the lipstick smear. The heavy makeup that she wore for the camera didn’t always come off easily. Deciding to ignore her embarrassment, Rose spoke to her mother.

"I trust you had a good trip, Mother?"

"Yes. Very pleasant. Third class isn’t as bad as I’d expected—even if it was noisy and had more children than I’d ever seen." She smiled, trying to reassure her suspicious daughter. "The children made me think of your family, of course. Where is my grandson?"

"He’s at home with his aunt. He’s getting teeth and is fussy, so we didn’t want to bring him along."

"Ah…yes. You were the same way as a baby, Rose. Of course, you had a nanny to take care of you, but I could still hear you cry."

"Did you ever try to comfort me?"

Ruth looked embarrassed. "Well…it just wasn’t done, you understand. That was your nanny’s job…but you were my baby, and you fussed less if I held you…so I did. But don’t ever let anyone know about that. It wasn’t something that people of our class were supposed to do. Children were supposed to be left in the nanny’s care, and only brought out when they were the most ornamental."

Rose looked at her mother in surprise. She had never guessed that Ruth had cuddled her and comforted her as a baby. No wonder she had known how to take care of Andrew!

Ruth nodded politely as Thomas picked up her bags, walking beside her daughter as they made their way to the car. Rose and Thomas had already rented a hotel room for Ruth, so they planned to drop her bags off there before taking her to the house for dinner and to see her grandson.

As they reached the car, Ruth looked at Rose again, her eyes narrowing as she took in her daughter’s slightly swollen middle, which she hadn’t noticed in the crowded station.

"Rose?" she asked, looking more closely at her. "Have you put on weight, or are you…"

"I’m in the family way, Mother," Rose replied flatly, looking at her as though daring her to make some unkind remark. If Ruth condemned her now, she would never forgive her.

"But, Rose…Andrew is only one and a half years old. Don’t you think you should have waited longer before having another?"

"Mother…" Rose’s expression turned cold. "There’s nothing wrong with my having another baby, or babies, as the case is this time." At her mother’s stunned expression, she elaborated, "I saw the nurse-midwife yesterday, and although she didn’t believe it at first, she confirmed what I told her and what the doctor had already thought—I’m having twins."

"Rose, your son is still so young…what about your health?"

"What about it? I’m perfectly healthy." She slipped into the front seat of the car, refusing to look at Ruth. Jack, you were wrong. She hasn’t changed at all. "Don’t interfere with my life, Mother. You won’t get away with it this time."

"Rose…I’m not trying to interfere in your life. Really I’m not." Ruth settled into the back seat, then leaned forward to talk to her daughter. "I’m concerned about you, is all. Don’t you remember that maid that we had when you were a girl, the one who was so sickly and had so many children? She might have been healthier if she hadn’t had so many children so close together. She died young, you know. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you."

Rose turned to look at her. "Mother, I appreciate your concern, but…"

"I’m your mother, Rose. It’s natural that I worry about you. If you need help—any help at all—just tell me. I’ll do whatever I can." She paused. "Rose, I know that I hurt you very badly, and I’m sorry. I promise you now that I will never do such things to you again."

"Mother, I will try to give you a chance…but I can’t make any promises. You’re right. You did hurt me badly, and I don’t know that I can forgive that. You drove us from our home and tried to break up our marriage."

"I’m sorry, Rose, and I thank you for even being willing to give me a chance. You’re a better person than I ever was, and I promise that I won’t let you down."

Rose nodded, hope flaring inside her. It would be a long time before she could be sure, but maybe she could trust her mother again.

*****

Ruth settled into life in Los Angeles faster than anyone had thought possible. Within a couple of weeks of arriving, she found a one-room studio apartment that suited her well and moved in. Much to her daughter’s surprise, she took a job at the same movie studio that Rose had gotten a contract with, designing costumes. "After all," she had remarked, "who knows costumes and clothing better than a former member of the upper class?"

Rose was still cautious and not quite trusting of her mother, but she visited her at least once a week, usually bringing Andrew with her. The baby adored his grandmother, something that disturbed Rose, for she wasn’t sure that Ruth wouldn’t turn her son against her or walk away and break the boy’s trust, but she seemed to love her grandson, and even looked forward to Rose’s expected babies.

It was on one of these visits that Rose asked a question that had been bothering her since shortly before her mother had arrived in Los Angeles.

"Mother, there’s something that I’ve been wondering about since before you arrived, and I thought that perhaps you could give me an answer."

"What is it?"

Rose picked Andrew up and set him in her lap. "I read in one of the society columns that Cal had married a woman named Lorraine Dawson, and seemed to be very happy with her. But earlier, it was reported that he had married Anne Dumas—surely you remember her. She debuted at about the same time as I did."

"Yes, I remember her, and yes, Cal married both of them—but not at the same time, of course."

"What happened? I know that Anne detested Cal—as I recall, she refused to invite him to any of her debut functions, and was furious when her parents insisted that she do so."

"Well, Rose, it was much like your situation. Her family had fallen on hard times, and was looking for a wealthy husband for their daughter, to bring the Dumas’ fortunes back. The Hockleys, of course, are among the wealthiest families in Pennsylvania, and with Cal still unmarried after your unfortunate ‘death’ in the Titanic sinking, Anne’s parents managed to convince him that he and Anne would be a perfect match. Anne disagreed, although no one knew about it until after the wedding. You see, Cal had a new manservant—Lovejoy died in the sinking, in case you didn’t know—and he was quite a handsome young man. All the maids chased after him, and he wasn’t at all averse to taking advantage of their interest. Anne found him handsome, too—although that wasn’t why she got involved with him. He had accompanied them on their honeymoon, along with Anne’s maid, and she was desperate for a way out of the marriage. Two weeks after Anne and Cal were married, she invited the young manservant to her bed at a time when she knew that Cal would be likely to catch them. He did, of course, and immediately fired the manservant and filed for divorce from Anne. She went home to her family, apparently not at all contrite for causing such a scandal."

Rose’s eyes were wide as she stared at her mother. "I wouldn’t have thought that anyone would have the courage to do that to Cal!"

"You’re a fine one to talk, Rose. You faked your own death to get away from him, and lest we forget, took up with another man."

Rose set her jaw stubbornly. "I loved Jack."

Ruth sighed. "I know you did, Rose."

Rose looked at her, startled. It was the first time that Ruth had really acknowledged how much Jack had meant to her daughter.

Ruth went on with her story. "At any rate, I think that Cal was more upset over being at the center of such a scandal than over the fact that a wife that he didn’t love had made a fool of him. He had to divorce her, of course—he couldn’t take the risk of having an heir that wasn’t his."

"I actually feel a little sorry for Cal," Rose remarked. "Everyone wants his money, but no one wants him."

"It was at that time that I came up with the idea of getting you back together with Cal. Rose, when I first came to you in Cedar Rapids, I really did want to start anew. But I was still bitter about losing my place in the world, and when the news of the scandal broke, it seemed to me to be a perfect chance to get back all that I had lost. I tried to separate you and Thomas, and did succeed in ruining your reputation. I thought that I might bring you back to Philadelphia to marry Cal, and if I took care of Andrew myself, and didn’t let you get attached to him, then you might not be sorry to leave him behind with Thomas. You could have married Cal and started a whole new life."

"But instead I stayed with the man I love and left you behind in Cedar Rapids, to face the consequences of your own actions."

"You were wiser than me, Rose. You’ve got a good husband, a beautiful little boy, twins on the way, and a life that only a member of the upper class would turn their noses up at. I had a lot of time to think after you left, and I realized that I had been wrong, but I had too much pride to admit it until the gossip turned on me.

"My efforts would have been in vain, anyway, Rose, even if I hadn’t learned my lesson. Cal had finally learned his lesson, too—too many parents who try to push their daughters on a wealthy man are looking at his money, not at him. He met Lorraine Dawson at a charity function in Boston, and married her a few months later. I doubt she was after his money—the Boston Dawsons have far more money than the Philadelphia Hockleys—and Cal had no need of her fortune, either."

Rose patted Andrew on the back, leaning the drowsy infant against her shoulder. "I didn’t like Cal much, but I’m glad that he found happiness. Everyone deserves that much."

They looked up as a knock sounded on the door. Ruth looked at the watch pinned to her blouse.

"Goodness! I didn’t realize it was so late." She hurried to open the door. "Come in, Harry."

Rose’s eyes widened again as she got another surprise—one of her fellow actors, Harry Phoenix, walked in the door and kissed Ruth’s hand. He nodded to Rose.

"Good to see you. Mrs. Calvert."

"Yes. What brings you here?"

"Your lovely mother, of course."

"Mother?"

"Harry and I have a date tonight, Rose. We’re going to dinner and to see the moving picture that you and he appeared in." Her eyes glowed with happiness.

"Mother, I never would have thought…the next thing you know, you’ll be working as an actress."

Ruth giggled girlishly. "Maybe I will, Rose. Maybe I will."

Getting to her feet, Rose threw her head back and laughed with delight. Her mother really had changed for the better. And as she held Andrew close and bid her mother good-bye, she could have sworn that she heard Jack laughing in delight with her.

Chapter Thirty-One
Stories