Titanic

Chapter Four

Loud knocking on the door startled Elizabeth from her sleep. She thought at first it was Thomas returning until he too sat up in bed next to her.

"Stay here, I'll go see who it is," Thomas said getting out of bed and collecting his robe on the way to the door.

Elizabeth stayed sitting wondering who it could be. The clock indicated it was nearly two in the morning. She could hear muffled voices next door before the bedroom door swung open once again.

"It's Rose. She's in the living room and wants to speak with you," Thomas said, peeking his head back into the room.

Elizabeth nodded moving from bed, pulling her robe on her as she went. She stopped next to her husband peeking in at Rose.

"I'll walk her back when we're through. Go back to sleep," she said, kissing his cheek before she closed the door behind her.

The minute the red head looked at her friend she began to cry. Elizabeth was quick to rush to her side and sit with her.

Rose relaid the story of what had happened. From the moment she left the dining room with Cal. It was all downhill. Cal had come to find her and had torn her apart verbally and physically where it couldn't be seen.

Elizabeth felt sick at the revelation she can't believe her friend felt so trapped. Even more that she wanted to end it all.

"Rose... what on Earth? Why would you bend to that? You're stronger than that and I know all of this," Elizabeth whispered, her hand rubbing her hand up and down Rose's arm.

Rose shook her head. She didn't know what she was thinking. She just needed out. She didn't know what she was going to do but she needed a way out.

"It's my mother. Harping on and on about money that we don't have. And how Cal is the reason we'll be able to keep our heads above water. But I can't. I can't do this," Rose cried as she leaned into her friend who was trying to soothe her as much as she could.

"Come now. There's a way out of this. There has to be Rose. You can't stay like this forever," Elizabeth spoke breaking Rose from her thoughts.

The girl nodded. Her words dying on her lips. She wasn't sure how to respond. She did know, however, that Elizabeth was always right. Rose knew she would help if it was needed.

"Let's get you to bed. Okay?" Elizabeth asked slowly standing with her friend. She had her arms wrapped around Rose before they moved from the living room and out the door.

The walk down the corridor to Rose's room was quiet. Nobody else in sight as they made their way back.

Rose opened the door allowing Elizabeth in. The older woman moved to pull back the sheets on the bed. Watching Rose lie down before she pulled them back over her.

"It will be okay. And I'm always here if you need an escape. Thomas and I would be more than happy to have you with us," Elizabeth promised. She leaned in and kissed Rose on the cheek before slowly moving to leave the room.

Closing the door behind her, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder why it was Hockley who had been chosen. It was no secret he wasn't gentle or loving in anyway.

Moving back to her own room, Elizabeth shivered at the thought of it being her who was forced into a marriage like that. She came from money, her parents were respected people in society but they were far from typical first class.

Quietly closing and locking her cabin door, Elizabeth moved back to the bedroom. Thomas had gone right back to sleep and she was glad for that.

Climbing back into bed, she moved closer to her husband, wrapping her arm around him as she rested her head on his chest. She was so relieved this was the life she had been handed. She couldn't imagine being married to anybody else.