Chapter 14: Turning Tables
Before Rose knew it, she is being led back to their cabin, Sybil still cradled in her arms.
Once her eyes met the bright lights of their illuminated cabin, she swallows hard again as her fiancé holds the door open for her. Cal says nothing to her either, perhaps basking in the glory of his victory and how well his plan has played out. Rose slowly goes the couch and lays Sybil down next to her. The child has settled down enough to be sleeping soundly again. She immediately goes into the mother role, tending to Sybil in any way possible. She takes another blanket from the parlour chair and wraps Sybil up again, making sure she is warm. She also takes a handkerchief and wipes the child's eyes and nose to ensure that the baby is safe and comfortable after her ordeal. Rose could feel a small comfort of putting someone's needs before her own. She feels a little at peace from watching the sleeping child.
That is until she stands up.
Cal strikes her across the face so hard she falls to the floor.
What had been slowly brewing inside of Cal through the entire ordeal comes out in this method of abuse.
"Just like a little slut isn't it" Cal hisses, Rose could hear the venom in his words.
Rose's face stung like never before, but Cal wasn't done with her. He grabs her roughly and pulls her to her feet.
"And look at me when I'm talking to you," he orders. He shakes her shoulders so hard that she falls to the floor again. The entire time, the redhead feels no desire to fight back, she lets Cal treat her like a ragdoll considering the blow to the heart she's felt and losing all that is close to her.
Rose grabs a hold of the fireplace mantle to pull herself back up to face this evil man. She shifts away, back to the couch to prevent Cal from slapping her again. She feels so weak and helpless now that she can't bear it any further. In pure and angered disdain, she snatches Sybil up and runs into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She puts a chair in front of it to prevent anyone else from entering.
The door immediately begins rattling as Cal's voice comes from behind it.
"You little whore!" She can hear Cal yelling all the obscenities he can think of. "Your mother will certainly hear of this... slutty little b-."
Rose sits against the back wall next to the bed, cradling Sybil as best she can. She places the small child on her knees and lets the tears fall freely.
She has never felt so foolish in her life and how betrayed she was by everything. She couldn't decide who to believe and she kicks herself for not speaking up when she had the chance. The chance to save Peter from a crippling wound, save Jack from arrest, and save Emma from the heartache of betrayal from her friend.
She probably hates me now, Rose thinks to herself. Emma will wish my death now and I deserve it.
It shouldn't have mattered if Cal had stabbed her, she should have said something. She had been so confident that she would get that happily ever after of getting off the ship with Jack and finally being free, that she failed to see the trap being sprung on her. She had been blinded by ignorance and the rush of passion and excitement. She realizes that love isn't the happy fairy tale that Emma and Peter had at their wedding on the bow at sunset. There were complications of her controlling mother and her viscous fiancé to think about when it came to her affair with Jack. Emma and Peter made it look so easy to follow. Love was not smooth sailing at all.
She wipes her tears on her arm and looks at Sybil sleeping against her legs, despite the racket that Cal is creating behind the door. Rose cries even harder then, staring at the face of the one who she had let down the most. An innocent child caught in the complex world and used as a catalyst to further such an evil man's plan. The redhead had now managed to get the baby's adopted father shot and her older sister separated from the only family she had left. Emma was also likely in a hateful state of mind considering Rose had not spoken up for Jack or their friends in the heat of the moment.
Sybil opens her eyes and yawns, which causes her caregiver to smile, despite the tears. The infant's bright blue eyes seem to light up the room around them, forcing away the darkness that attempted to entrap their world. A curl of blonde hair sticks out from under her bonnet as her eyes take in the mess that is Rose DeWitt Bukater. She reaches a tiny hand up from under the multiple blankets that bundle her and seems to wave at the one who is caring for her. She then smiles, gurgling for possible recognition from Rose. She waves her arm harder and begins to squeal, waiting for the redhead to respond.
Rose's green eyes meet the infant's and she takes a deep breath. Something inside her snaps and she lifts the child to her face and gives a small kiss on her forehead.
"I will make this right Sybil. I promise," she whispers, making a family vow of her own.
Suddenly there is a knock on their cabin door. Rose hears Cal go to answer it, taking a break from his tirade and allowing her to stand up with Sybil. She gets closer and listens to the voices behind the heavy oak door.
"Terribly sorry sir but I've been told to ask you to please put on your lifebelt and come up to the boat deck."
"Get Out!" the steel tycoon orders. "Can't you see we're busy."
"So sorry to bother you, sir, I'm sorry about the inconvenience, Mr. Hockley, but it's Captain's orders. Please dress warmly, it's quite cold tonight." the voice says.
Rose cautiously removes the chair and peers out to see Cal talking to a ship's steward.
"Why? Why would such procedures be ordered?" Cal snorts
"Everything will be all right sir, but the ship is in a state of emergency. We suggest that you follow suit for the safety of your wife and child..."
Cal turns to see Rose standing there with Sybil, clearly waiting for the means to escape, to set things right. Her heart is pounding in her chest as she makes her way to the door.
The steward grins at the two of them and says calmly, "Not to worry miss, I'm sure it's just a precaution." He then hands a lifebelt to the redhead.
"This is ridiculous," Cal snorts, mostly to himself, but Rose ignores his comment.
"Which way officer?" she asks.
...
"What's doing, sonny? You've got us all trussed up and now we're cooling our heels," Molly Brown says to a young steward whom she caught as he walks by.
"Sorry, mum. Let me go and find out," he says before moving on.
Ruth Bukater is wringing her hands out in a worrisome fashion. She stands among other high-class ladies and gentlemen in either night clothes or formal attire, all in the Grand Staircase area. There is lively ragtime music playing by the ship's band, the passengers unaware of the reason behind the upbeat tunes is to allay panic. She pulls her gloves on tightly and goes to their maid, Trudy, to distract herself.
"Trudy please make sure that the heater is on for when we return, I'd hate to come back to a chilled cabin when we get back."
"Yes Ma'me" Trudy nods and leaves the ballroom.
Ruth wrings her gloves in her hands now until she sees her daughter Rose coming with her fiancé Caledon, the answer to their financial prayers.
"It's just the God damned English doing everything by the book," Cal mutters angrily.
"There's no need for language, Mr. Hockley... Oh, Rose darling!" Ruth says, changing her focus and pulling her daughter into an embrace, squashing Sybil between them. She pulls from the hug and removes grime from her daughter's cheek. "I'm so glad you are okay. I heard everything, I'm so glad you are all right. Look at this bruise, that boy must have hit you so hard in that robbery. Where did that child come from? Why must you insist on getting yourself into these situations? You were lucky Cal was there..."
"Mother I..."
Suddenly, Mr. Andrews, the ship's designer comes into the room, very upset and heartbroken at the fact that no one seems to be evacuating and knew the seriousness of the whole situation. Only a young redhead notices his panic.
Ruth turns from Rose to Molly, completely ignoring Sybil in Rose's arms.
Molly Brown moved away from Ruth and over to Rose, sensing her distress. She puts her arm around Rose and touches Sybil's blankets
Rose feels sick to her stomach then, she turns away from her mother and goes to Mr. Andrews, Cal following behind her.
"Mr. Andrews please..." she says softly. "I saw the iceberg and I see it in your eyes. Please tell me the truth."
Mr. Andrews gives her a grim expression and swallows hard. He leans in carefully.
"The ship will sink."
Rose covers her mouth with her free hand and Molly's eyes became wide. Cal also looks especially thunderstruck by this news.
"Are you certain?" the redhead asks.
"Yes, in an hour or so... everything...all this... will be at the bottom of the Atlantic."
"My god!" Molly gasped and sucked in a sharp breath. Cal who resides behind them puts his hand over his mouth.
"Please only tell who you must. I don't want to be responsible for a panic. Get yourselves and the child to a lifeboat. Don't wait. You do remember what I told you about the lifeboats?"
Rose nods slowly. "Yes, I understand. Thank you."
"The only thing you can do now is to get yourself to safety," he says.
Rose looks distant and swallows hard. She knew she had to do more than that. Mr. Andrews leaves their side and walks slowly away.
...
Meanwhile, Jack is standing in the corner, hearing the gurgling of water approaching them ever so slowly. He knew the seriousness of the situation; yet he is trapped, caught in Cal's web of lies and now he's afraid he might pay for it with his life. His heart is pounding, and he swallows hard with his anxiety levels increasing. He had been handcuffed to a pipe by Lovejoy and the Master at Arms.
A crewman suddenly enters and runs to the Master of Arms.
"Sir, you're wanted by the purser. Urgently!" he practically shouts.
"Go on, I'll watch him," Lovejoy says, pulling out his master's pistol and holding it up in front of Jack.
"Aye Right." The two men leave in a hurry, after tossing the keys to Lovejoy. The butler makes himself comfortable in a nearby chair watching Jack with almost hungry eyes.
"Don't even think of trying anything funny," he threatens, putting his foot on the deck. He then flips the key to the handcuffs into the air and catches them to taunt the prisoner.
Jack tries to avoid the butler's eyes, becoming more anxious by the minute.
...
"Ladies, please step into the boat," Officer Lightoller directs.
"You watch," one of the women says. "They'll put us off in these silly little boats to freeze, and we'll all be back on board by breakfast."
Rose's group come out the doors where the band has now assembled again, playing lively music. They are being escorted out onto the boat deck with their lifebelts in hand.
"Women and children first please, orderly fashion please," An officer calls ordering them along.
"My brooch!" Ruth suddenly cries out. "I left my brooch. I must have it!"
However, Cal stops the woman before she can go back inside. He holds her firmly in his grasp, causing Ruth some serious discomfort and pain.
"Stay here, Ruth," he warns in a dark tone.
For the first time, Rose's mother can see the truth behind the man she is forcing her daughter to marry. She can feel the aggression and frustration and knows fear for the first time.
After he releases her, Ruth, Molly, Rose, Cal, and Sybil all move towards the lifeboats near the edge of the ship. To distract herself from the horrible feelings she has just felt, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater turns to her daughter and begins chatting away again.
"Rose darling come this way, please. Get rid of that infant. They all say that it is a precaution, they'll make themselves look like heroes."
Molly climbs into a boat without hesitation and tries to coax another reluctant woman to safety. "Come on sister, you're next."
"Will the lifeboats be seated according to class? I hope they're not too crowded," Ruth asks.
Rose snaps then and there, having had enough of her mother and her entitlement for a life of privilege.
"Just shut up Mother!" She pulls her mother close to her, so they were eye to eye. "Don't you understand? The water is freezing and there aren't enough boats. Not even for half. Half the people on this ship are going to die."
"Not the better half," Cal says grimly. "Too bad I didn't save that drawing of you. It'll be worth a lot more by morning."
Realization hits Rose like a lightning bolt as a white distress rocket is fired upwards around them. The surge of power and confidence that she needs courses through her as she stares at Cal.
"You unimaginable bastard." she hisses.
"Come on Ruth get in the boat," Molly calls. "These are the first-class seats right up here. That's it."
Rose watches as her mother steps into the boat with the assistance of Officer Lightoller and Molly looks around for other people who might need a push to get in.
"Come on Rose, you're next darlin', give the baby to me," Molly says, holding her arms out to receive the infant who is still cradled in the redhead's arms.
Rose stops and looks down at Sybil, sleeping in her arms.
"Rose!" Ruth crows. "Rose get into the boat!"
Rose swallows and takes a step back, remembering her promise to Sybil.
"Rose?!" Ruth says. "Rose now!"
"Goodbye mother," Rose says, feeling the spark that Jack had talked about empowering her. She had to fix things because it may be the last chance she'll ever have to do so.
Clinging to Sybil tightly she begins to run back into the ship, that is until Cal grabs her free arm roughly, almost causing her to drop the baby in her care.
"Where are you going?" he gasps. "What to him? To be a whore to a gutter rat?"
Rose glares at him. "I'd rather be his whore than your wife."
Cal continues to clutch Rose in his grip. Rose chucks up and spits in Cal's face, just as Jack had taught her to. She manages to slip away into the crowd, with Ruth calling out her daughter's name as the lifeboat is lowered.
"Stuff a sock in it, would ya, Ruth. She'll be along," Molly says with confidence, not knowing if there is any truth to her words.
Rose glances behind her and sees a furious Cal still chasing after them. Her eyes catch two proper-looking men and she calls out to them. "That man tried to take advantage of me in the crowd while I was holding my child!"
The two men become furious and as the fiery redhead makes her escape through the first-class entrance, they restrain the angry steel tycoon. However, the abusive man breaks free and runs after her. He reaches the entrance but is stopped by a knot of people exiting to make it to the lifeboats, he pushes his way through them.
It isn't long before Rose emerges from another door, knowing she's lost Cal in the chaos.
"Don't worry Sybil," she says to the baby. "We'll find your sister...I hope..."