An Unsinkable Love

chapter 7


Worried something had happened between Malcolm and Eldon, Bree raced to the door and frantically undid the lock.

The steward stood outside the door, perfectly groomed, as usual. His voice, however, was pitched higher than normal and his words even more clipped. "Please, miss, get the madam dressed in warm clothes. And get your life jackets."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Bree knew it would take something very serious indeed to cause him to expect an injured passenger to get out of bed.

He motioned her into the cabin and closed the door. He glanced toward the bedroom door and leaned in close to Bree's ear. "We've hit an iceberg, miss."

Bree protested, "Surely that's not a catastrophe. The Titanic is unsinkable."

"Not unsinkable, miss. No ship is unsinkable. I spoke with Mr. Ismay himself. He and Mr. Andrews have been speaking with the engineers, and the ship is sure to go down. Please, miss. Hurry. They'll be loading the lifeboats very soon. I'll be back in a few moments to help you with the madam."

He turned and slipped out the door. Bree stood in the middle of the room and tried to decide whether she'd imagined the whole conversation. She became aware of loud voices in the corridor. She opened the door a few inches and was shocked to see passengers streaming into the hallway, some fully dressed and others in their nightclothes. Most carried life vests.

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An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

A stately older man held both his wife's hands in his, his other arm pulling her close as he spoke soothing words to her. A nearly hysterical woman carried a baby, a sleepy toddler stumbling along behind, calling out frantically, "Mrs.

Forth, Mrs. Forth, I have the children!" Uniformed stewards moved through the crowd, urging them to put on their vests and proceed calmly.

Bree slammed the door and leaned back against it.

Sinking! She shook her head and tried to pull herself together. She rushed to Elizabeth's bedroom and called her name loudly. The woman moaned and rolled her head from side to side. Bree picked up her hand and lightly slapped the back of it, repeatedly commanding Mrs. DuMont wake.

Eyelids flickering, Elizabeth frowned sleepily and mumbled,

"What is it, dear? Please don't shout."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. DuMont, but it's an emergency." The blonde head twisted toward the door. Bree reassured her,

"It's not Eldon. The ship has struck an iceberg and it may sink. We don't have much time. We need to get you into some warm clothes and get your life vest."

"But, Bree, dear, the ship can't sink. It was in all the papers." Elizabeth blinked and tried to push herself upright.

Bree slipped an arm behind her and eased her to a seated position.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. DuMont, but Mr. Cave assured me it's true. We don't have much time. Sit here for a moment and I'll gather up some clothing and a coat." She rushed to the armoire and found a heavy wool traveling suit then grabbed the thickest fur coat she found. Not bothering with the 80

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

hatboxes, she rummaged through the lingerie cabinet and found a feather-soft wool scarf and fur-lined gloves.

It seemed to take an hour to dress Elizabeth. Tears ran down the elder woman's face, but she didn't complain. At last, all that remained was to slip on the heavy fur, wrap the scarf around her head and pull on the gloves.

"Bree, dear, what about you?"

Bree looked down and realized her thin wool dress would provide minimal protection from the frigid air. "I'll run down and get my coat." But even as she spoke she heard more people moving down the corridor. She would have to fight her way through the crowd to the stairs, then get down four decks and back up again. She bit her lip as she debated what to do.

"Don't be silly, child. Take some of my clothing. I have more coats and gloves than I need, anyway. Why, we should see if anyone else needs anything."

Bree smiled at Elizabeth's kind suggestion. "What a wonderful idea." She ran to the armoire and pulled all the heavy fur and wool coats out then did the same with the scarves and gloves. She quickly selected items for herself then opened the door. The crowd had thinned considerably, and most of the people hurrying by appeared to be from second class or steerage. An older woman, who wore nothing but a cotton nightgown and a pair of men's boots, shuffled by. Bree ran out and threw a mink coat over her. The woman gaped at her, then pulled it close and scurried down the corridor, darting glances back. Bree quickly handed the 81

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

remaining articles of clothing to those who looked most in need and turned to Elizabeth.

"Mr. Cave said he'd come back for us, but it's been quite a long time. Perhaps we should go on ahead?" Before Elizabeth responded, a quick knock sounded at the door. It opened to reveal the dapper steward, a white life vest strapped on over his uniform.

"You must put on your life jackets, ladies." He went into Eldon's bedroom and retrieved two bulky white jackets from the bottom of the armoire, staggering a bit.

Bree felt a slight tilt to the floor and realized the ship was actually beginning to list. Mr. Cave helped Elizabeth into her vest, while Bree, following his movements, put on her own.

"Quickly, now. The boat deck is already very crowded."

He led them through corridors and up a flight of stairs.

Bree's ears were assailed as they stepped out into the night—

sobbing women and children, the cries of crewmen trying to make sense of the chaos and shouts and curses from angry and frightened passengers. Hundreds of people pushed and shoved to get closer to the boats. The steward and Bree did their best to protect Elizabeth from the elbows and shoulders threatening to knock them all to the ground.

In a commanding voice, Mr. Cave jockeyed them to the front lines. "Here, now, out of the way. Women and children first. You fellows, help make way for the ladies." Other women crowded in behind them as a narrow pathway opened.

Bree felt the tilt of the ship, and saw the lifeboats were beginning to swing away from the railing. Crewmen with ropes pulled the heavy wooden boats close as women and 82

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

children climbed in. Four boats away several male passengers tried to climb into a boat and were driven back by the officers in a frightful melee, but not before one climbed the rail and jumped into the boat. Bree was shocked at the man's shameful behavior.

The steward managed to get them places in the nearest boat. Elizabeth, mouth clamped tight, bore her pain in silence as she was manhandled into the arms of two uniformed men who waited in the boat.

Elizabeth balked. "Malcolm! What about Malcolm? Can you see him?" she cried.

"To the front, ladies," the older man in dress whites commanded, not giving the older woman a chance to turn back.

"I'm sure he's in one of the other boats, ma'am. We'll find him soon, I'm sure," Bree said as she guided Elizabeth to a narrow slat seat at the bow and sat beside her. A chorus of screams rang out as, with a sudden jolt, the boat started a jerky trip down to the dead calm water below. She peered up through the fog of her breath and saw a sea of faces staring down as she scanned the side of the ship. Only a few boats still hung in their davits. They'd never get them all in. She searched the railing for Malcolm's tall figure. He was in another boat. He had to be, for Elizabeth's sake. And her own.

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83

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson