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| Titanic 1912 |
Anna sat in the sitting room and wondered if she had done the right thing. She decided to confide in Colin.
She went to her desk to write Colin an invitation to dinner. Chase was gone and now she could entertain any company she wished without anyone speaking ill of her. Most of their mutual acquaintances knew what transpired and did not fault Anna completely. She was still accepted in the society she always dreamed of being a part of. All was well. Her life became what she knew it would be.
There was a knock at the front door and Anna listened to see if it might be Colin. He knew Chase and Lydia sailed today. She listened to the muffled voices in the entry and waited. There was a man's voice but it was not Colin’s. Curious. The door closed followed by a tap at the sitting room door.
"Come."
"Miss Anna." Mrs. Weathers entered with a package in her hand. She held it out as she crossed the room. She retreated, and closed the door behind her as Anna turned the package over to look at the writing.
It was from Colin. Anna pulled the contents from the package to discover a letter with a framed photograph of Colin. She set the image on the desk, and took the time to admire it. He looked most handsome, his dark eyes smiling, a lock of dark hair fallen across his forehead.
In an instant, she returned to the years of their youth and realized Colin was the perfect man she always wanted. She wished she had seen it so many years ago and they could have avoided so much pain and disappointment. But now they had the future. Anna couldn't wait to begin her future with him.
She unfolded the letter.
My dearest Miss Anna,
Well, you have finally realized your dreams. You have everything you have ever wanted. You have money, a home, loyal servants, and proper society, all you knew you would have. You have earned every bit of what you have now. I commend you for how you have handled your life. You were always the proper wife; well, most of the time. I feel you are justified in all you have done. I can’t fault you for what happened with Justin Waring. Chase was partially responsible. He is out of your life now. Both of them are.
You are a wonderful woman and I must now confess you are the woman I have always wanted. I told you on the day you met Chase. Do you remember? You thought I was making a joke but I was never more serious. I wanted you then and I want you now. When I saw you standing on a public street with another man kneeling before you, holding your hand, I was crushed. The pain of the sight haunted me for months.
Years later, I realized I was running from the only woman I would ever love and I had ruined any chance of winning your love when I married Elaine. I was relieved when she left me. It was worth everything she took to be free of her. It was then I found out you were to be married. I came to the garden on your wedding day to persuade you to run away with me. How childish, don't you think?
I spend a considerable amount of time making friends with Chase so if I could not convince you to come away with me, I could be legitimately close to you. When I saw how happy you were, I could not ask you to leave. Besides, what did I have to offer but myself? And myself alone was not enough.
My moral conscience made me suffer in telling you to stay with Chase, even when he was gone so often with Lydia. I knew where he was. I could not bring myself to tell you as it would have brought you pain. I ask you to forgive me for it.
Once I realized what Chase was doing, I knew your marriage would not last and I had only to wait. You would be free of him eventually and I would be there to pick up the pieces. And so, I waited.
By the time you receive this letter, Chase will have sailed. There is nothing to stand between us now and I pray you will give consent to be my wife.
Why would he send a letter to ask her to marry him? Shouldn't he come in person with such an important question? Anna was a little confused by this method of proposal, but thrilled it had come. Of course she would marry him. It was what she should have done so many years ago. She read on.
I will give you ample time to think on this and must now ask for you to wait for me. I will be away for a short time, approximately two months. I have the opportunity to make my dream of travel a reality. It is second class, not exactly what I wanted, but to spend five or six days aboard ship and to see New York for some four weeks before my return voyage will be enough to satisfy...
No, he could not have gone.
Anna was frantic as she rushed to the door.
"Colin!”
Her heart climbed painfully into her throat, and choked her scream. He couldn't have sailed today. Not to America. There was only one ship going there today.
* * * *
Colin couldn't sleep. He walked the deck in the early morning, and took the time to watch the pale green line on the horizon as he leaned on the rail. The air felt cold on his face as the ship moved through the water at a good clip. His hair fell across his forehead and he brushed it away. Just like she continually did.
Anna. He couldn't get her out of his thoughts. He wondered if he had done the right thing. If he took this once in a lifetime, never to be repeated opportunity, did he run the risk of losing her again? What if some dandy came along and stole her heart before he returned? Two months was a long time. He felt the shift in the engines as they neared the Emerald Isle. Too large to dock, a launch would be sent to this port, their last stop before they headed out across the Atlantic. This was his last chance.
Colin shook his head and laughed out loud. So close but one dream was more important than the other. This dream could be better realized with Anna at his side as his wife. It wouldn't be the historical maiden voyage but there would be other new and better means of travel they could experience during their lifetime together. This could wait.
He briskly retraced his steps to his cabin, and packed his things as quickly as he could. He headed to the launch to be dropped off with the other passengers who disembarked at Queenstown. As they neared the shore, he could see the immigrants that waited to head out for a new and better life. He compared his feelings of excitement to theirs. As he stepped onto the dock, he turned back to wonder at the size of the mammoth vessel that awaited them. Like them, he was sure he was about to embark on a new and better life as well.
THE END?
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© 2008 Jena Galifany/Marge Conrad
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