Read Online Titanic: April 1912 by Kathleen Duey - Free Book Online

officer was saying. “It won’t be much longer before help arrives.”
    â€œThen why risk getting into the lifeboats at all?” one man asked.
    The officer smiled. “It’s just a precaution, sir.”
    â€œI don’t like the idea of my wife being swung out over the Atlantic Ocean by a couple of flimsy pulleys.” The man shook his head. “Hell, sir. It’s sixty feet or more down to the water.”
    â€œYou have nothing to worry about, sir,” the officer said. He was talking loudly, as though he wanted everyone around them to be able to hear. “The Harland and Wolff boys were telling us last night about the Welin davit. It’s a new design, made to handle the weight of a full lifeboat. I would trust my wife and family—”
    â€œKarolina Truman!”
    Aunt Rose’s angry voice startled Karolina, and she turned.
    â€œWhat in the world . . . ?” Aunt Rose paused to drag in two or three laborious breaths.
    Karolina rushed to her side. “Are you all right? You shouldn’t have come up the stairs so fast, Aunt Rose. I’m sorry. I just wanted to ask someone if ­anything—”
    â€œNo.” Aunt Rose shook her head, still breathing too hard to speak easily. “I can hear the band playing, Karolina,” she finished.
    â€œAunt Rose, I’m not the only one who is worried. Look.” Karolina pointed upward at the crowds on the boat deck. Aunt Rose had been about to speak. She hesitated, then closed her mouth.
    The sound of a woman crying made them both look upward. The officer was gone. His place by the rail had been taken by a couple. The man was holding his wife close, murmuring a stream of soothing words. Something was odd about their clothing. Their coats seemed awkward, lumpy. Karolina stared, understanding why. She looked at two women standing just behind the couple, then at several men who stood with their back to the rail.
    â€œLook, Aunt Rose. They are all wearing life belts. Come up on the boat deck with me,” Karolina pleaded. “I just want to ask someone.”
    â€œThat seems prudent enough to me,” Aunt Rose said, giving in. She started forward, and Karolina took her arm. Together they climbed the stairs. Karolina stopped twice to let Aunt Rose catch her breath.
    As they stepped onto B-deck, the second-class entry door swung open. Four beautifully dressed women came out, their fur coats buttoned up to their chins. One of them carried a small dog. Its ears were pricked forward, and it squirmed in her arms. They walked in silence, opening a door that Karolina had never noticed. She got a glimpse of heavy oak furniture. Then the women were gone.
    â€œI’m freezing,” Aunt Rose said quietly. “Wish I had a fox coat tonight.”
    Karolina shivered, then nodded without answering. She led the way again, stepping around a portly couple. “Do you know if we are in danger?” Aunt Rose asked them as they went past.
    Karolina turned to hear as the man answered. “I have heard that the ship is going to sink,” he said without emotion in his voice.
    Karolina saw Aunt Rose go pale. “Oh, my God.”
    The man smiled confidently. “Don’t worry too much. There will be help soon enough. This is a busy shipping lane, and the steward assured us that the distress signals will be honored by any boat that hears them.”
    â€œShould we stay up here?” Karolina asked.
    The man nodded. “We’re going to. Our steward told us it would be wise.”
    â€œHe also said we should stay near the lifeboats,” the man’s wife added. “So that we’ll be among the first to be ferried to the rescue ship.” The man nodded politely and guided his wife on toward the door that led to the stairway.
    â€œThat seems sensible,” Aunt Rose agreed. “We can just go down and get our things and come right back up, then.”
    Karolina hesitated. Aunt