Class Means Nothing to the Heart

Chapter 4

    Titanic
The next morning I was shaken awake by Celeste. "Get up now you foolish girl; you are in so much trouble. Your father is seething!" She exclaimed quietly. "What? Why?" I asked sitting up quickly. "What do you mean? You know all to well what you were doing with that officer last night. Your father has half a mind to report the bloke to the captain, he'll never work for the White Star Lines again!" I started hyperventilating as Celeste pulled me up and started getting my corset ready. "No he can't! We didn't do anything, John is my friend." I said worried for him. " It's nice to finally give the fool a name. He should know better than to fraternize with a first class girl, and you missy have disappointed and embarrassed your father greatly. Don't even get me started on what your fiancé will think" my breath caught in my throat as Celeste pulled the strings to my corset roughly. She got me ready quickly and sent me into the main room where my father sat. "Sit down." He said sternly.
 
He got up and lit his pipe standing by the furnace. "I understand you we up late last night yes?" I swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-yes." I looked at my feet at his walked towards me. "I am going to give you one chance to explain yourself before I tell you what has been seen by another guest. Tears welled up in my eyes. "Everything I tell you won't surprise you if you listened to Cal's Spy. I went out last night on a tour of the ship with an officer. He was very k-kind to me and I followed him under the deck and we wa-watched a show." I explained briefly. "Yes as I hear you put on a show as well didn't you?" I shook my head. "What are talking about?" "You are betrothed! Not just to anyone either but to a Merrick! How does It feel to know you have greatly disappointed your father by whoreing around with some low class man! An officer too as luck would have it! The help Octoviana?! The help?! How much do you resent your status that you would do something as despicable as to go around with some low class bloke!" I had had enough of this. "We didn't do anything! I've known him two days and already has he made me feel more alive than I've ever felt in my entire life!" I stood up raising my voice. "How dare you raise your voice to me you insufferable little-" I interrupted him with words that even shocked me. "I love him!" I yelled before feeling a stinging pain on my cheek. My mouth widened in shock as I raised my hand to my burning cheek. My eyes were wide in shock as I heard a knock on the door. "That'd be your fiancé to take you to breakfast if you have any sense at all you'll play nice and apologize a thousand times but even then I doubt he will forgive your acts of adultery."

  I dried my eyes as the maid let Chandler in. He wore a stone cold face that was almost a glare. His stare was ice cold as it reached my eyes. "Come now." He said holding his hand out for me. I grabbed it reluctantly before following me out. As soon as we entered the corridor he pulled me roughly to him. "How dare you embarrass me like this? I have never been so mortified in my life. Do you know how lucky you are that I am not canceling the engagement hmm?" I looked away from him. He grabbed my face roughly pulling it up to look at him. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He quietly scolded. "You will behave like a proper woman and never see that man again or so help me he will be taken off the map as easily as he could fall off the side of the boat do you hear me?!" He looked so viscous and terrifying. Even my father couldn't hold a candle to his angry face. "Yes!" I cried out before he roughly pulled me down the corridor towards his private dock. We had breakfast in silence but I could feel his awful cold stare on me. "I'm sorry what do you want from me. I have already agreed to your conditions." I said suddenly. "That still doesn't change the fact I'm betrothed to a whore!" He exclaimed throwing a plate across the room. "I am not a whore! If your so worried why do you call off this ridiculous engagement!?" "Why you little." I felt a sharp pain like earlier in my cheek but this time it was more painful it brought tears to my eyes. We had church that morning and while there I could still feel the stinging sensation on my right cheek.

   I thought of John and if he would attempt to seek me out again. Later that day while my father and "fiancé" were having some brandy with the men I was having tea with the lady's. Rose, her fiancé, and mother were on a tour of the boat today. She too has a forbidden romance with a boy of lower class. The difference however is I am involved with a man of a semi honorable profession. Although Jack is a great guy and all he draws pictures for ten cents a pop. Marisa was trying to talk to me about my wedding, but I couldn't take it any longer. I stopped a waiter and asked where the nearest restroom was. "Excuse me ladies." I said before walking off. "I better go with you." Marisa said standing up. "There's is no need I am just in a delicate state this week." I lied. She nodded and sat down thinking I was just gonna check myself. I however didn't make it to the bathroom as I was pulled into a room involuntary. "Octoviana." I heard John whisper "I have been looking for you everywhere." He said embracing me"Oh John we can't do this." I said pulling back when he tried to kiss me. "Do what? We are only acting on our feelings." I shook my head. "No my father and Chandler know, someone told them where we were last night." He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. "And why does it bother them so?" "You don't understand My father threatened your job and Chandler threatened you're life." He shook his head. "I don't care-" "I do! I'm sorry John but this is the way it has to be I rather suffer pleasantly than to suffer the cruel hands of my father and fiancé, I'm sorry john." "No don't do this you are the most interesting and wonderful woman I have ever had the fortune of meeting. Please don't go."h Essie stepping toward me "I must go john, for you. Goodbye." I said before leaving and returning to the table quickly so Marisa didn't grow suspicious and blab to my father.