A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Twenty-One
Jack sat in the bar, a cold welcome beer
before him. He played with the cold glass with his hands. His head was bent
down, hair falling in his eyes, lost in thought. He hadn't seen Rose for nearly
a week. He was concerned for her safety, especially after seeing the marks Cal
had left. She was never far from his thoughts. He wondered if she was OK or if
Cal had done something crazy, like lock her up. But he knew previously that a
few days had lapsed before her visits. After all, her social calendar must be
bursting. Why would she cancel swell parties to come and see him? It was her
world, where she belonged.
As the days previous had come and gone, a negative feeling began to grow and
gnaw inside of him. The confidence he had had in his actions began to wane. She
had had her chance. Short of kidnapping her, he couldn't make her leave
Hockley. He had given her a chance to get away from Cal and she had said no.
This hurt him slightly. For one brief moment he thought he had the answer. He
said it all in a rush believing it to be the right thing to say. Now, on
reflection, he was wondering if there ever was a good time to say to a
millionaire's wife, hey lady, leave all your comforts and come away with this
poor guy. I can't offer you nothin' except no beatings. You'll probably die
from cold/hunger or lack of servants, but you won't get slapped no more. Yes
Jack, he berated himself. It was a stupid and untimely thing to say. Rose
wanted discretion, perhaps a little sympathy, not being badgered into leaving
her husband. Good God what where you thinking of. You don't go asking other
peoples wives to go to New York with you! You never even told her your true
feelings for her, nor asked her what hers where. Maybe that was for the best.
Maybe, she came to her senses and doesn't want to see you no more.
He shook his head. It was all his own fault, for getting too involved again. He
couldn't save his parents from the fire. So why did he feel compelled to try
and save anyone else he met from their own fires? Rose lived a world far from
his own. Maybe gentleman beat their wives and they accepted it. No, Rose didn't
deserve that. But she didn't deserve to die from cold or hunger either. What on
earth was he going to do with her if she had said yes? Could he support the two
of them? Just, maybe. But what about her fine clothes and lifestyle? She had
always had a maid to take care of her. She'd never take to living in a squalid
apartment. Then there was her husband. A rich husband. You were crazy Jack, he
reminded himself. Just as well she said no.
The debt of the drawings was still to be repaid. Jack took a swallow of his
beer. He could do the drawings and drop them off as before. If he didn't hear
from Rose again, then he would have to walk away. It was her choice. He could
start one tonight and get them done double quick. Anyway, he had a trip to New
York to plan, a wedding present to organize. He might even have to buy a new
shirt. But Rose managed to creep into those thoughts. How he'd surprise Fabri,
turning up with Rose. Jack laughed to himself. He was sure she would have
enjoyed it, the dancing, and the food. She had told him how she wanted to see
and taste the real Italy, not view it from a carriage as Cal had made her do.
An Italian wedding in New York might have gone a little way towards that. What
was it she said? I wanted to eat an ice cream in the streets of Italy. Well,
Maria's mother certainly knew her desserts. Jack could testify to that.
Come on Jack, he tried to reason with the voice in his head. You agreed to
leave it. You're thinking of Fabri's wedding and you let Rose creep in. You
gotta stop it!
"Hey Jack, do you want in?" a stocky man, in his forties shouted
across from another table where a small group where just setting up a card
game.
"Yeah, why not Frank?" Jack sauntered over.
"You feeling lucky tonight?" smiled Susie wiping the table down.
"No particularly" grinned Jack. "We will just have to see."