Unsinkable (15 page)

He patted his coat pocket, “Right here.”

“Don’t lose it. I want to keep it forever.”

He reached in his pocket and handed it and the pen to her. “You keep it for me. And keep it safe. I’ll want to return it to my own coat pocket when we find each other.”

She held it for a moment as tears sprang to her eyes. “Promise me you’ll join me.”

“I will.” She tucked the book deep in her coat pocket and put her arms around him.

He pulled her closer and kissed her passionately, not caring who was watching.

“Carrington!” her mother’s shrill voice called out in disapproval.

“Be quiet, Rose,” Wilson said so that Carrington wouldn’t hear. “They may never see each other again.”

Rose looked at her husband and knew that what he said was true. “And you?”

“I’ll try my best.”

Molly put an encouraging arm around Rose. “Now Rose, we need to get ourselves on a boat and let these men find one too. Come on Alice, you too. We’ll have something to talk about over tea for years to come.”

“Carrington,” her mother called.

Wilsons gently pushed his wife toward the lifeboat. “Give her another moment. I’ll make sure she’s on the boat.”

“That’s right, Rose,” Molly said. “We’ll save her a seat.”

As they gingerly began boarding the lifeboat, Beckett continued to kiss Carrington. When he pulled away from her, there were tears in her eyes.

“Don’t cry,” he said gently. “Everything will be all right.”

“I love you so much. How can I leave you?”

“I have to know you’re safe. I can take care of myself.
”

“Promise me. Promise me.”

He held her face in his hands. “I promise.”

He took her arm and led her to the boats. “One more,” he said to the officer who was about to lower the boat.

“Climb in, miss,” the officer said. Beckett couldn’t help but notice that the boat wasn’t full and wondered why they weren’t filling them to capacity.

He gave her one more kiss and she reluctantly stepped into the boat, taking the seat between her mother and Molly.

“Beckett!”

He moved to the rail.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The boat began its decent to the cold dark ocean.
Titanic
continued to fill with water as Beckett watched her boat be lowered and start to row away.

Carrington burst into tears as they moved further away from
Titanic.
Molly put an arm around her.

“He’ll be along soon enough.” She slipped another small ushabti into Carrington’s hand. “I brought a couple of these for luck,” she said.

Carrington folded it in her hands and continued to sob, watching the ship to see what was happening.

                               ******

Warren and Beckett on the deck. Beckett could still just see the lifeboat he had put Carrington into.

“So do you think we’ll actually get on a boat?”

Beckett said, “Mr. Andrews told me there’s only enough boats for half the passengers, Warren. I don’t see how we’ll all get off.”

“How many do you think are in second class or steerage?”

“More than there are in first class. I assume some of the people getting in the boats are from down there.”

Warren said, “Look at these people. Walking around in their tuxedos and fur coats as if nothing had happened.”

“They spend most of their lives that way, Warren.”

They fell silent and more lights on the great ship went out.

“So listen Beck,” Warren began.

“Don’t think like that Warren. Don’t assume we aren’t going to make it.”

“If we don’t…”

Beckett turned to his best friend and embraced him. “You’ve always been a good friend, Warren. The best.”

“You too. If it happens this way, then I’m glad we were together.”

Behind them the musicians, who had moved out on deck, began to play. Beckett broke the embrace and said, “The music is about to get to me.”

“Surreal, isn’t it? We’re sinking and they’re playing Mozart.”

“I’m not sure it’s Mozart,” Beckett said.

“It’s all Mozart to me,” Warren said. “Let’s go inside and warm up for a few minutes.”

Beckett cast one more glance at the dot in the ocean that was Carrington’s lifeboat and followed him inside.

                                   *******

Jack Phillips sent one more message.

We are sinking fast…cannot last much longer.

If only he had heeded the warning from the
Californian
. Why had he thought the messages from wealthy passengers were more important?  Had he played a part in the sinking of the
Titanic
?

The stern of the great ship was beginning to rise noticeably. It was suddenly apparent to anyone who had been in denial that the ship was indeed going down. The power in the radio room sputtered and failed.

Jack Phillips left the radio room.

                                   ******

The lifeboat was half- full. No men had been allowed in the boats.

Bruce Ismay, still dressed in his robe and slippers surveyed the scene as the lifeboats were haphazardly being filled and lowered.

He had no intention of going down with this ship. And he was the head of The White Star Line.

He looked around. There was plenty of room in the boat the crew was currently filling. He stepped into the boat and took a seat.

                                     *******

Inside the dining room, Beckett noticed that a number of people were still acting as if it was still just after dinner. There were many women who were still waiting to get on boats. He saw his father standing by the staircase again and went to him.

“Dad? Do you think we should try to get on a boat?”

“I’m not sure what we should do, Beckett. Mr. Guggenheim and some of the others seem resigned to going down with the ship, like gentlemen, they said.”

“Does that make us gentlemen? To be too stupid to try and live?”

His father looked at him for a moment and then smiled. “I always tried to repress that stubbornness in you, Beckett. Now I am glad you possess it. You try to survive this at all cost. I’m expecting you to find a way.”

“What about you, Dad? You’ve never been a quitter.”

“I’m afraid I’m not that great a swimmer, Beckett. Nor terribly brave. Try not to remember that about your old man. I think I’d rather be remembered a bit as the man who used to terrify you.”

Beckett said, “You never terrified me.”

“It felt that way sometimes. I didn’t know what to do with a son who possessed so much intelligence and independence. A son who thought far more creatively than I ever did.”

“Don’t give up, Dad. We’ll do whatever it takes together.”

“You’ll have to do this on your own, Beckett. Don’t tell your mother I gave up. And…tell her I’m sorry. She’ll understand.”

“Dad, please…” The ship listed noticeably and made a groaning noise.

“Go try to get on a boat Beckett.”

“Dad.”

“Please, son.”

With tears in his eyes, Beckett strode across the dining room and made his way back on deck. He found Warren holding on to the railing as the stern felt as if it was rising into the air.

“Do we jump? What do we do?” Warren asked.