“Shhh. Please. I haven’t time to explain, but will you please reserve yourself?” Howard snapped. Surprised by his reaction, both women went silent.
In the hallway, other stewards awakened more passengers who were still in their cabins, waited for them to dress and don the life belts, and then sent them to the boat deck. A few passengers noted that they had felt a jolt a little earlier and wondered if something were wrong.
“What is this all about?” Maggie Brown demanded. “One of those boys just ran by and said they had been playing football with chunks of ice on the deck. Why would there be ice?”
“I do not know all the details, Ma’am,” the steward Edward Daniels told her. “We are to get everyone dressed and up to the top.”
“Are they playing football with ice? Hmmm? Are they?”
“It is said they were,” Daniels admitted.
John Morton, the young man who often sat by Jenny Cavendar at dinner, walked into view. He was fully dressed and wide-awake. He told them, “There is ice on the deck, and they say we’ve hit an iceberg.”
“An iceberg?” Maggie Brown looked to others’ faces.
“A jape. Oh, what a jest this is,” Stead declared, “they are playing upon my little book. An iceberg? Indeed,” he said as he laughed heartily.
“Sir, I saw the ice myself,” John protested.
Stead frowned. If this were real, then how curious he should be here; this was life imitating art.
The Prescotts protested loudly as the excitement awakened their young daughter. Caroline screamed angrily as her mother buckled the life belt around her. She did not wish to be up this late nor buckled into anything. She wanted to be in bed and cozy.
In fury, she threw her little red ball, and it plunked to the ground.
Then, it rolled quickly down the hallway, gaining speed.
“We’re listing,” John said, “did you see the ball? We are listing toward the bow and port. We must have hit the ice close to the front of the ship.” He did not know, but not only was he correct, but the lower decks and the bowels of the ship were partially flooded.
“I don’t know if that is so….” Stead said.
“But it seems so. You saw the ball and how it rolled. It stands to reason, logically, does it not?” John persisted.
Daniels looked at the carpets and refused to guess what was happening.
The Beckwiths, mother and stepfather of Helen Monypenny came out into the hallway, worried and irritated at being awakened and told to dress. “What is this about?”
Karl Behr joined them in the hallway, looking to Helen to be sure she was all right. She smiled his way.
Helen’s mother booked the European grand tour for her daughter, hoping to discourage the romance between them, but Karl Behr, unswayed, followed them and managed to book passage on the Titanic as well. Neither of the young people wanted to be swayed in their affections, and they wished to be married.
Helen reached for Karl’s hand, scared by John’s statements. Her mother glared but thought she would wait until later to chide her daughter for a public display of affection.
“Are we sinking?” Helen asked, “What does all of this mean. Mr. Morton? Are we in any danger?”
“Oh, goodness, Missy, do not even suggest such a thing,” Maggie Brown chuckled, “we are on an unsinkable ship. No doubt there is a problem; we are practicing, and the Captain is being overly cautious. Come along, and let’s join the rest.”
“I want to know what’s going on,” John said, “I saw the ice, and I know what I was told, but I also heard there is a rush to get into the lifeboats.”
“No emergency signals are going off,” Karl pointed out.
“Daniels, can you not tell us anything more?” Stead asked, “What is happening here?”
“The truth is, Sir, I have been told nothing. None of us have. The Captain has gone quiet, and it is said he is not speaking much. I suppose we did hit something, and it is said it was an iceberg we hit. I just do not know anything is the fact of the matter.”
“I would like to see and know for myself what the problem is,” said John Morton, a tall man, heavier and larger than almost every other man aboard, not fat, but large. He was also a Texan, which is why he and the Cavendars had made such an easy friendship.
“And?”
“And Mrs. Brown, I am going to the depths of this ship and find out the truth for myself. I don’t feel anyone has been honest or is about to become truthful either,” John said.
Many a time, he had refused to ask one of the ranch hands to handle a problem, but roped a difficult bull himself, broke a horse, and dug a trench. He was one to do his own work. “No one knows anything.”
“Should we know?” Mrs. Beckwith asked, “We must follow orders and go to the boats as ordered. Helen, you need to dress warmly.”
“I cannot advocate getting aboard little lifeboats in the chilled air unless there is a very good reason. We should know the facts,” John said.
“I have to agree,” Stead nodded and said.
Peter Cavendar nodded, “I shall go with you. Jenny….”
“I’m going along, too,” she said.
“I would rather have you wait for us where it is warm and safe,” Peter said, “Mr. Murdoch told us there are twelve miles of corridors. We may have a long walk.”
Jenny sighed, “I am safe when I am with you, Father.” She knew she won the argument.
Edward Daniels began wringing his hands, “My orders are for you to go to the boat decks. Please.”
“Are we sinking? What is the damage?” John asked.
Daniels shook his head, “I wasn’t told, Sir.”
“Then how can we be sure of anything?” Helen asked.
“I have my own reasons for saying that if we are safe here on the ship, then we shouldn’t dare get on those tiny boats,” Howard said. “I believe we are amid some loathsome creatures in the sea.” He held a hand up so his aunts went about their business and did not chide him again.
“Creatures?”
“Let me only say I have seen some strange things from the deck. A crewman was injured horribly and is in the infirmary right now. I saw it for myself. A second crewman fell from the deck and was… well, lost.”
“What? Who knows about this? I haven’t heard a word of this,” Daniels declared.
Howard looked the other men in the eye, one by one, “Upon my word. I saw it myself, and the crewman was to report to Mr. Lightoller when the injured fellow was safe in the infirmary and with a physician. I suspect no one is focused on that now if we have a problem with an iceberg.”
“Then we know very little, as I said. Again, I am going to find out what is happening,” John repeated.
All around, passengers were following stewards and stewardesses to the boat deck, their faces sleepy and dazed. Most declared they would go to the lounge and have a drink but no farther.
“I am going along,” Maggie Brown said, “I want to know what is going on. I have never made it my practice to follow someone like a sheep. I would rather know the facts and make my own choices.”
Jenny and Helen looked at her with renewed respect. A fine, wealthy lady like Mrs. Brown had decided to go into the depths of the ship to find out facts for herself. This was an interesting moment.
It seemed women could wear high fashion and have good manners yet could remain independent and strong. How tough Maggie Brown really was, they could not imagine.
Mr. Stead, Bernice, Howard, and seven others said they were going as well, making Daniels groan. Ignoring her mother’s protests and grasps, Helen brushed her away and said she would go with Karl Behr. Eighteen passengers gazed at Edward Daniels defiantly, and he wilted under their glares, shrugged, and said he would escort them.
Mrs. Beckwith hissed as she called Helen back and threatened her, and then begged her to remain. Helen was sure if she let her mother, once again, give her orders, she would never become a strong woman herself. Helen wanted to marry and share a relationship but not be so desperate to have a man about that she gave up her own thoughts and ideals.