Chapter Eighteen
Granddad Smith
Gerald (Edith’s Dad)’s POV
How dare that man come up to me and claim that my daughter is alive! And to rub salt into the wounds, he tells me that she is marrying a first class man! My daughter would do no such things!
“Who was that man?” Harriet asked, looking up at me, she had always looked like Edith, even though I will not ever see my daughter again, Harriet always looked like her when she was a young child, and I could not see Edith changing her appearance much before dying.
“I do not know, but he was a bad man.” I told her.
“Why was he a bad man?” Peter, Harriet’s twin brother asked. He had dropped his hands down to his sides and stopped playing hand games with his sister.
“Because he lied about something terrible.” I replied. “Now go back to playing and stop asking questions that do not concern you.” I ordered and they obeyed straight away, like they always did and I sat on the stool at the table, lost in my own thoughts about everything. How did that man know my name and get hold of that photograph?
I sighed. Alice wandered out of the room this morning when I was waking the children up and she has been gone since, I was going to look for her after we had dinner, but he had come and I was too annoyed and angry to try and find her on this huge ship.
“Two seconds.” I told the twins before wandering over to one of the staff that was supervising. “Sir, do you know if there is an Edith Smith on board?” I asked, wanting to try and stop myself from going insane. Lord Darlington and his daughter definitely told me that Edith had drowned in the river, and I do not see any reason for them to lie to me.
He shook his head. “I cannot tell you sorry.” He spoke, like he had some sort of authority over me, making me feel ridiculed.
“Look here! I do not care that I am a third class passenger! I fought in both Boer Wars and want to know if my daughter is on this ship!” I ranted. “No please could you tell me, is there an Edith Smith on board?” I asked more calmly.
His eyes were as wide as saucers as he nodded his head. “I will find out now for you sir.” He replied before disappearing. My officer status in the army, must be rubbing off on him. I smiled as I sat down at an empty table near to where he was stood.
A few moments later, he came back with a scared expression on his face. “Sir there is no Edith Smith on this ship.” He told me gravely. “Did you get the name correct?”
“Yes!” I snapped. “I know my own daughter’s name.”
“Sorry then sir.” He finished. I thanked him before wandering back over to the twins.
“Come on you two, we need to get back to our cabin.” I told them and they followed behind me slowly as I guided the way.
Once we were there, I unlocked the cabin door and sat down on one of the bottom bunks, Harriet joining me. I smiled down at her before watching Peter struggle to get onto the top bunk, making me smile even more. “Father, do you know where mother is?” Harriet asked and I shook my head.
“I do not; she went for a walk this morning.” I replied. “Now stop asking questions and go and play with your brother,” I told her and after she sat there sulking for a few moments, she got up and shuffled onto the bunk next to her brother. I got my book from under the covers and laid down, opening it up. Before I could even read one word, her laugh sounded throughout the room.
A few hours had passed when the door opened, revealing Alice. A wide grin was plastered on to her face. “Gerald, guess who I found?” She questioned as she sat by my feet.
I shrugged my shoulders, “who?”
She opened her mouth to talk, but closed it straight after. After a few moments of silence, she opened her mouth again to talk. “It’s a surprise, come on kids; we are going to visit someone.” She told them and helped Harriet get down before holding her hand and directing us towards the decks.
The night had descended upon us and the stars and moon were all that lit up our side of the boat, it was picturesque. My heavy footfalls echoed throughout the silent deck. Alice and the kids were walking ahead, with Harriet and Peter pointing out things in the sky.
As we were going down the stairs, I stopped when I heard shouting coming from behind a door. The other three had gone ahead oblivious and when I was going to follow them, as ear-wigging was not something I did; I heard a name I recognised. “…I was called up to see this woman up in first class, and all she had was a bout of sickness! I get called up over the most stupid things with those people, who think they run the world because they have money. His name was William Cunningham.” He ended.
“William Cunningham? I have heard that name before.” A second voice spoke.
“Yeah, his father runs Cunningham and Son Furnishings, back in England.” The other man replied.
William Cunningham…William Cunningham…I kept repeating the name in my head but could not think of anything. I sighed and turned away before I was caught. When I looked up the corridor, where Alice and the children walked, they were gone. I did not know where they were at all.
“Sir, are you okay?” Someone called from behind my back. I turned around and saw a man that resembled a doctor.
“Yes thank you, I am looking for William Cunningham.” I told him, hoping he could give me directions.
“Oh, are you working for him?”
I shook my head. “No, he is my daughter’s fiancé.” I informed him, even if it was lies. Although I would do anything for her to be alive, I just could not believe it, not after already silently grieving for her. It was too much.
“Fiancé?” He asked confused. I nodded my head.
“Yes, that was last I heard.”
He shook his head. “I am sorry to break this to you, but they are married. She was one of my patients this morning and on her notes, it said that she was called Edith Cunningham.”
“That has to be impossible.” I told him. “I saw William this morning and he told me that they were engaged.”
“I do not know then sir; I just know what I saw. Now, why are you looking for him?”
“I was wondering if you knew where his room was.” I replied. “I had forgotten and I need to go and see them.”
“Okay then, you go down this corridor then turn left. They are in Room Ninety-Five.” He informed me and I nodded my head in a thank you gesture before parting with him.
When I was eavesdropping on his conversation, he said something about Edith being ill or calling for the doctor after being sick…he did not sound serious when he was speaking to that other man, in fact he was the complete opposite.
I would have turned around and asked him about her, but I just wanted to see if my daughter was in fact alive and well and not dead under the river like I was led to believe.
I followed his directions and found the correct room after a few moments. I knocked on the door and Alice came to the door. “Gerald? Where have you been?” She asked as she opened the door a little more and I stood through the door.
My eyes scanned the room and they landed on her, breathing and well. I could not believe it. My daughter was alive, she was not dead. “Edith?”
“Yes father, it is me.” She spoke.
“I was told you had drowned.” I told her. “He said that you fell in the river and died…” I trailed off.
“I did fall into the river, but William saved me.” She replied. “Father, I am alive. Who told you I was dead?”
“Lord Darlington and his daughter,” I answered her.
She took a sharp intake of breath. “I knew they were cold, but I did not think they would do that.” She sneered and William looked genuinely mad.
“What happened?” I demanded, finding my loud voice again.
“Nothing, and if they did it is in the past now.” She replied, not seeming fazed by the order in my voice.
Alice came into my view immediately. “What do you mean, she was dead?” She questioned angrily.
“I did not want to hurt you anymore so after we found out about that cook and her fleeing to America, I made up a lie. I could not stand to see you hurt.”
She gasped and opened the door. “Please leave Gerald. I do not want to talk to you now.” She spoke in a harsh tone and I heard a whimper come from Harriet, but I did as she said and walked out of the room. I should never have lied, but I did not know what to do. I was hurting badly inside, and I did not want her being like that when we had two small children.
“I am sorry Alice.” I whispered before I heard the door close.
I was walking slowly down the corridor when I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I turned around to see Edith running towards me. "Father, I need to tell you something." She spoke.
"Okay darling, what?"
"I am pregnant."