AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
Chapter Forty-Three
"Just leave me alone! Get out!"
Rose yelled at Joan. The maid hurried out of the room, a fearful expression on
her face. Rose sat down heavily on the bed. She was seething with anger. She
hated Cal for forcing her into something she didn't want, but she was terrified
for Jack. She knew what Cal was capable of. He wouldn't think twice before
hurting Jack.
She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her
racing heartbeat. She had tried hard to hide her fear from Cal. And she knew
that she had succeeded. She had actually stood up to him; she had not backed
down. Jack would have been proud. Maybe she should become an actress, because
that had been the performance of her life.
Rose looked around the luxurious room. Her
eyelids felt heavy. She realized that she was exhausted. She lay down on the
bed reluctantly. She thought about Jack, and what their life would have been
like. Rose set her hand on her growing stomach. What would become of her child?
Would Cal ruin her baby's life? She would try as hard as she could to make sure
that her child was raised right. She wanted her child to have a happy life, one
that was filled with laughter and joy. She wanted her child to make each day
count.
Rose finally fell into a deep, troubled
sleep; the last thought in her mind was of the wedding that would never happen.
*****
Ruth walked up to the front desk of the hotel
that she had checked into earlier that morning. "Can I help you, Mrs.
DeWitt Bukater?" the man at the counter asked kindly.
"Yes. I believe that a friend of mine
has checked into this hotel. Could you be so kind as to tell him that I would
like a word with him?"
The man nodded. "Yes, and what is your
friend's name, ma'am?"
"Mr. Caledon Hockley. I believed that he
arrived a few days ago."
The man recognized the name immediately.
"I will let him know that you are here to see him. You might find it to be
very comfortable in the lounge while you wait, ma'am." Ruth nodded her
thanks before moving over to one of the couches in the lounge.
Ruth took out the note that Jack had given
her. She was both confused and angry with that boy. The look in his eyes as he
had talked about Rose unnerved her. It was the look of a man in love. She had
seen that look in a man's eyes only once before. It had been Rose's father. She
had never seen Cal look at Rose with that same look in his eyes. Ruth was still
lost in her thoughts when Cal arrived. His voice brought her back to the
present situation.
"Ruth, how good of you to come! I have
good news. I have found Rose," he said as he took a seat next to her on
the couch.
Ruth looked him in the eyes. "I know,
Mr. Hockley. Jack has informed me of what you have done. I'm not sure what is
going on here, but I do know that I want to see my daughter."
Cal raised his eyebrows. "What I have
done?" he asked, feigning confusion.
Ruth looked at him closely. "Mr.
Hockley, did you not kidnap my daughter?" she asked, waiting to see what
his reaction would be.
He looked at her incredulously. "Is that
what Dawson said? That I kidnapped Rose? How can you believe anything he
says?"
Ruth ignored Cal's questions; she handed him
the note in silence. "You'd better read this, Mr. Hockley." Cal
opened the note. He could barely contain his anger at reading the words…
Hockley,
Bring Rose to the bridge by Chippewa Creek
in two hours. If you don't show up, or you show up without Rose, I will throw
the Heart of the Ocean into the creek. Don't be late.
Cal couldn't believe that this was happening.
Was Jack bluffing? Did he really have the diamond? He looked at Ruth, his eyes
practically spitting fire. "Is this a joke, Ruth? Does he really have the
diamond?"
Ruth nodded. "Yes, Mr. Hockley, I saw it
with my own eyes. Now, I want to see my daughter. I won't wait any
longer."
Cal stuffed the note into his pocket angrily.
He had no choice. He knew that he had to take Rose to Jack. He'd just have to
find a way to get the necklace back and get away with Rose. "Come, Ruth. I
will take you to Rose." They walked to the lift in silence.
Ruth glanced at Cal once they had boarded the
lift. She could see the barely contained anger in his eyes. Jack must have
really hit a nerve with him, she thought. A moment later, they had reached
the floor that Cal was staying on. Stepping out of the lift they headed toward
his suite, and Rose.