Frozen

''It's the Goddamn English doing everything by the book.'' Cal was almost barged into by a steward passing. His anger was building up by the moment.

''There's no need to language, Mr. Hockley.'' Ruth was chirpy despite the news the ship had hit an iceberg not so long before. And of course the fact her daughter, Rose had been caught to have been floundering around with that boy. In fact, she was in fairly good spirits.

She turned to her daughter's maid, Trudy and her own maid, Minnie. She was handed a pair of leather gloves. ''Now, go turn the heaters on in our rooms, I would also like a cup of tea when I return. I do hope we won't be kept out too long.''

Trudy curtseyed, as did Minnie. ''Yes ma'am.'' They chorused as they pushed back through the passengers who were casually strolling around, most in their nightwear and oblivious to what had happened.

Trudy led the way back to the cabin. They walked in silence and tried to divert their eyes from what was happening around them. Some notable faces wore their evening wear, cigars in mouths and brandy in their hand. Others carried their suitcases.

''I do hope this isn't to go on all night long.'' Minnie commented to Trudy as they reached the stateroom. Trudy opened the door and proceeded to the sitting room.

''I should think not.''

She glanced at the clock above the mantelpiece. It read 12:40am. She was tired.

''Perhaps you should retire for just one hour.'' Trudy told Minnie. ''Then hope this is over with.''

''Yes, thank you.''

Trudy went to the heater and switched it onto full power. She wanted to feel the warmth herself. The ships interiors felt chilly this evening especially for an April night. She shuddered as she found herself going to the private promenade deck. She still wore her outer coat but still felt the ice in the air. The water was still and glass like. She could hear some commotion outside and she assumed it was up on the decks. She felt nothing but peace when she glanced out at the ocean. The stars this evening were so lovely and it was rare for her to have the opportunity to stop and appreciate such small things.

As she sighed, she could see her own breath. She thought of her life back home. She would get to see her Mother again very soon. This trip to Europe had been one which her Mother didn't wish for her to go on. Trudy Bolt was an only child and an only daughter and with an absent father, she meant everything to her Mother but the truth was she had decided to go for her herself. The offer had been a surprise. As one of eight maids to the Hockley and Dewitt Bukater household, the fact that she and Minnie had been selected to travel had been exciting. Not that she had shown much enthusiasm within the employers household.

Even though it was only a job, she found she cared of her own name. It carried amongst her Mother's friends, the fact she worked for such a prominent family. The families were snobbish, stubborn and the Mother was particularly the one who made rude comments or outrageous requests but Trudy knew with the amount of money they had, they could do what they liked.

Caledon was the master, if you will. He was engaged to Ruth's young daughter, Rose. Caledon was a handsome and a rather fair man. Trudy didn't have much to say around him, nor did he interact much with her unless it was regarding a dress for Rose but this evening, she knew something had happened amongst the family and she had a good idea what that could have been.

Rose was the one who Trudy had struck a cord with. There was around five years difference in age but when she dressed Rose, titbits had been revealed of her life. Rose was deeply unhappy and had been for a long while. Perhaps even before this trip, but after what she had witnessed at breakfast that morning she knew just what Rose had been doing and overhearing a conversation between Ruth, Cal and the Master at Arms, she had pieced together just what had happened. Rose had run away with that boy!

Or so she had thought! The boy had been arrested and now Rose was with her family taking part in the lifeboat drill. Trudy placed her hands over her face. There really never was a dull moment with the family but as long as her job was safe all she could do was keep her head down and get on with what she was asked to.

She took one last look outside. The ship seemed to be underwater very slightly. She blinked before realising just how late it was and how tired she must be! She hoped they would return very soon so that she and Minnie could sleep. Breakfast would be served at 8 a.m and that left very little time or sleep for her. She sighed. Removing her outer coat, she rubbed her hands together as she clasped them over the lit fire in the sitting room. It was lovely and she welcomed the warmth.

The sitting room was silent. She could hear very little in the hallway. She started for the door which led out into the corridor. People fled about with their coats on, suitcases in hand but there wasn't a sense of anything other than annoyance. Trudy could no longer feel the gentle buzz of the engines below her feet. She turned to go back into the room to check the heating. It wasn't on. There was no warmth except the fire.

Her stomach sank.

''Minnie!'' She called out as she headed to the quarters where she and her friend slept. She found her sound asleep. ''Minnie?''

There was no response. She quietly closed the door.

There was nothing for her to do but sit and wait.

The opening of the door which led into the sitting room startled Trudy. She sat upright as proper as she could after remembering she had fallen asleep on the couch. She blushed for she had never done such an improper thing in her career.

''Oh sir, madam I-'' She paused to see that the person before her wasn't Caledon, Ruth or Rose- but the boy. The one who had been arrested. ''Oh.'' She didn't quite know what to say.

He was wet, shivering and on his wrists were two broken handcuffs. ''Would you like a towel?'' She offered. ''But you must go, they will return very soon.''

His mouth fell open slightly, his eyes narrowed. ''What?''

''Sir, Mr. Hockley and Mrs-'' She watched as he came closer to her. She scurried off to find a towel from the cupboard not wanting him to leave puddle marks all over the interior.

''Don't you know?''

''Know what, sir?''

''Ma'am, the ship is sinking. Below decks is all flooded.'' Trudy dropped the towel right on her feet. She hadn't even noticed. She glanced up and down at his soaked clothes, his dripping hair and the fact he was shaking. Now, it made sense.

''No?''

''Yes. You have to leave right away!''

Trudy felt as though someone had shaken her awake in the middle of a terrible nightmare. Her feet were rooted to the spot. She couldn't move. No one had yet returned, they had probably boarded a boat...

''Sir, why are you here?''

''I was looking for Rose.''

Trudy noted the sadness in his eyes, the panic in his face and it resonated with her deeply. ''She left; with the family. They went out for the lifeboat drill.''

He ran his fingers through his hair. ''Miss, it isn't a drill. It is very real. Come, quickly. We must get you aboard a lifeboat.''

She heard his words and yet they didn't quite sink in. She kept her eyes on his drenched clothes.

''Miss?''

She shook her head. ''Yes.''

Trudy rushed to the bedroom where Minnie had been sound asleep just a little while before. ''Minnie, we have to-'' she paused as she reached the room. The bed was now empty. ''She's gone.'' She whispered in the empty room.

It was then Trudy realised just how real this was. The engines had stopped for a reason. She grabbed her warmest coat, her gloves and a handful of the money which she had saved in her small case. She knew in that moment that she wouldn't be returning here. As she passed Cal's bedroom, she spied a coat neatly hung over the couch. She picked it up quickly before returning to the sitting room.

''Please, sir. Take this. It may keep out the chill.''

He took it from her. ''I very much doubt it but thank you.'' He slung it over his shoulders. ''I'm Jack.''

''Trudy.'' She smiled as they left the stateroom and entered the circus. It was a very different scene from what she had witnessed earlier.

''Oh my-'' She followed him down the corridor. It was completely empty until they reached the Grand Staircase. Notable faces dashed about, steerage passengers travelled with their entire families. Panic written across their face. ''What happened?''

''You don't know?''

''No.''

''We hit an iceberg.''

Trudy stopped in her tracks. ''An iceberg? But I felt the jolt. Mrs Dewitt Bukater said we had thrown a propeller blade.''

Jack grasped onto her elbow. ''And you were left in the room to possibly drown.''

She felt a tear come to her eye. She hadn't thought of it that way. ''Yes.''

Jack bit his lip. He hadn't meant to be so brutally honest but he hadn't expected to see anyone in the stateroom when he had gone there. ''Come, lets get you to safety.''

She ignored the tears which now lined her eyes and allowed Jack to lead her out onto the deck into the freezing cold night. Every single passenger from the ship seemed to be there. She couldn't move. The noise was so loud she couldn't even see straight. She watched the faces as they passed her. Panic. Fear. Loss. Her heart pounded in her ears. Just what had happened to Rose? Had she boarded the lifeboat? Jack still clutched onto her arm and almost dragged her through the throngs of people but in that moment she was grateful to him for being there. For saving her.

It was as though everything had gone into slow motion as officers rallied around separated families to board them onto lifeboats. Men saying goodbye to their wife, to their children or their mother. A single tear ran down her cheek as they stopped in a crowd in front of a loaded lifeboat.

''Now, stay here, get on this boat. All right?''

She turned and grasped his arm. She felt just how cold he was. His pale blue eyes were turning red, strained and tired. He met her gaze. ''Wait!''

''You'll be all right.'' He told her.

''Its not me.'' She sobbed. ''Its Rose.''

His gaze softened.

''I don't know where she is. She boarded the lifeboat as far as I know with her mother.''

Jack shook his head. He tried to block out the screaming people around him, the odd groan of the ship. ''No. Cal's manservant came to me when I was locked up downstairs. He told me she had ran away before she had boarded the lifeboat. Cal is looking for her.''

Trudy raised her hand to her mouth. She was pushed further into the crowd but she fought against the shove. ''She's on the ship?''

''Yes.''

Trudy looked about. She could be anywhere.

''Go, get on the boat.'' Jack urged her. ''I have to find her.''

She watched his eyes. Trudy then knew that his feelings went beyond this. He was in love with her. A massive groan of the ship ripped Trudy's attention from him. It seemed to tilt. People screamed as a massive gush of water could be heard and Trudy closed her eyes for just a second to block it all out and when she opened them. He was gone.

Her mouth opened and she felt the cold hit her teeth. She pressed her lips together as she stood on her tiptoes to try to see him but it was no use. The crowd was closing in around her and soon she was stood alone in a mass of crying people. Suddenly a hand grasped her shoulder, it was harsh but soon she realised it was an officer.

''Step aboard, Miss.'' He held onto her as she stepped across a large gap with the ocean below her. She felt sick. The women aboard the boat were crying, clinging to children or screaming to their loved ones left on board the ship but she had no one. She craned her neck to still see where he had gone but he had vanished from sight before she had even opened her eyes up on the deck.

She sat down in the boat. Her fingers were numb through her gloves. Her face hurt and her teeth chattered. She couldn't block out any of it. Not the screams, the cries or her own thoughts. Tears began to fall and they didn't stop for the rest of the night.