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Authors: Danielle Steel
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startled, as she looked at her mother, shocked at the prospect of leaving the rest of her family on the ship, and taking only George and the two youngest with her.
“I’ll come in the next one with Alexis,” Kate said calmly. “I’m sure she’s hiding right here, she’s just frightened to come forward because she doesn’t want to get in the lifeboat.” Kate felt slightly less confident thanthat, but she didn’t want to communicate her panic to her eldest daughter. She wanted her to get in the lifeboat with the little ones. And it was no help that Oona had deserted them. Kate wondered how she was faring in steerage with her cousin. “George can help you until Papa and I come.” But George groaned at the prospect, he wanted to stay till the end with the men, but Kate was firm as she led them all back to Bert, and Charles and Phillip followed, “Have you found her yet?” Kate asked her husband, referring to Alexis while nervously glancing everywhere, but there was no sign of her anywhere. And Kate was anxious now for the others to get in the lifeboat so she could help Bert in his search for Alexis. But he was thinking of the others now. Lightoller was about to lower lifeboat number eight, the other women that were going were already in, although there were still a number of empty places. There would also have been enough room for the men, but no one would have dared challenge the intense little second officer’s commands. There was talk of drawing guns if any of the men tried to board the lifeboat, and no one was anxious to challenge him to do that.
“Four more!” Bert called out to him as Edwina looked frantically at her parents, and beyond them at Charles, watching her in silent anguish.
“But …” She didn’t even have time to speak as her father pushed her toward number eight with Fannie and George and baby Teddy in her arms.
“Mama … can’t I wait for you?…” Tears sprang into her eyes, and for an instant she looked as she had as a child, as her mother put her arms around her and looked into her eyes. Teddy started to cry then, and reached his chubby little arms out to his mother again.
“No, baby, go with Edwina … Mama loves you …” Kate crooned and she touched his face with her own, then kissed his cheek and his little hands, andthen, with both hands she touched Edwina’s face, looking tenderly at her oldest daughter. There were tears in her eyes, and this time they were not tears of fear, but of sorrow. “I’ll be with you every minute. I love you, sweet girl, with all my heart. Whatever happens, take good care of them.” And then she whispered, “Be safe, and I’ll see you in a little while.” But for an instant, Edwina wondered if her mother really believed that, and suddenly she knew she didn’t want to go without her.
“Oh, Mama … no …” Edwina clutched at her, with little Teddy in her arms, and suddenly they were both crying for their mother, as the men’s powerful arms grabbed her and George and Fannie, and Edwina’s eyes flew wildly between her mother, her father, and Charles. She hadn’t even had a chance to say good-bye to him, and she called out, “I love you,” as he blew her a kiss and waved and suddenly his gloves came hurtling toward her. She caught them just as she sat down, never taking her eyes from his. He was staring at her strangely, as though he didn’t want to let go of her with his eyes. “Be brave, dear girl. We’ll be with you in a minute,” he called out, and at the same instant, the lifeboat was lowered, and Edwina could barely see them. She glanced from her mother to her father to Charles, tears streaming from her eyes, until she couldn’t see them anymore. Kate could still hear little Teddy crying as she gave a last wave, fighting back her own tears, as she stood on deck, holding tightly to her husband’s hand. Lightoller had balked when they’d put George in the lifeboat, but Bert had been quick to say he was not yet twelve.
“I’ll come in the next one with Alexis,” Kate said calmly. “I’m sure she’s hiding right here, she’s just frightened to come forward because she doesn’t want to get in the lifeboat.” Kate felt slightly less confident thanthat, but she didn’t want to communicate her panic to her eldest daughter. She wanted her to get in the lifeboat with the little ones. And it was no help that Oona had deserted them. Kate wondered how she was faring in steerage with her cousin. “George can help you until Papa and I come.” But George groaned at the prospect, he wanted to stay till the end with the men, but Kate was firm as she led them all back to Bert, and Charles and Phillip followed, “Have you found her yet?” Kate asked her husband, referring to Alexis while nervously glancing everywhere, but there was no sign of her anywhere. And Kate was anxious now for the others to get in the lifeboat so she could help Bert in his search for Alexis. But he was thinking of the others now. Lightoller was about to lower lifeboat number eight, the other women that were going were already in, although there were still a number of empty places. There would also have been enough room for the men, but no one would have dared challenge the intense little second officer’s commands. There was talk of drawing guns if any of the men tried to board the lifeboat, and no one was anxious to challenge him to do that.
“Four more!” Bert called out to him as Edwina looked frantically at her parents, and beyond them at Charles, watching her in silent anguish.
“But …” She didn’t even have time to speak as her father pushed her toward number eight with Fannie and George and baby Teddy in her arms.
“Mama … can’t I wait for you?…” Tears sprang into her eyes, and for an instant she looked as she had as a child, as her mother put her arms around her and looked into her eyes. Teddy started to cry then, and reached his chubby little arms out to his mother again.
“No, baby, go with Edwina … Mama loves you …” Kate crooned and she touched his face with her own, then kissed his cheek and his little hands, andthen, with both hands she touched Edwina’s face, looking tenderly at her oldest daughter. There were tears in her eyes, and this time they were not tears of fear, but of sorrow. “I’ll be with you every minute. I love you, sweet girl, with all my heart. Whatever happens, take good care of them.” And then she whispered, “Be safe, and I’ll see you in a little while.” But for an instant, Edwina wondered if her mother really believed that, and suddenly she knew she didn’t want to go without her.
“Oh, Mama … no …” Edwina clutched at her, with little Teddy in her arms, and suddenly they were both crying for their mother, as the men’s powerful arms grabbed her and George and Fannie, and Edwina’s eyes flew wildly between her mother, her father, and Charles. She hadn’t even had a chance to say good-bye to him, and she called out, “I love you,” as he blew her a kiss and waved and suddenly his gloves came hurtling toward her. She caught them just as she sat down, never taking her eyes from his. He was staring at her strangely, as though he didn’t want to let go of her with his eyes. “Be brave, dear girl. We’ll be with you in a minute,” he called out, and at the same instant, the lifeboat was lowered, and Edwina could barely see them. She glanced from her mother to her father to Charles, tears streaming from her eyes, until she couldn’t see them anymore. Kate could still hear little Teddy crying as she gave a last wave, fighting back her own tears, as she stood on deck, holding tightly to her husband’s hand. Lightoller had balked when they’d put George in the lifeboat, but Bert had been quick to say he was not yet twelve.
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