Read Titanic: The Long Night for Free Online

still standing in the middle of the cabin, smiled warily at her. “I dare say I’m right? Or are we about to get lucky and simply talk about this great ship and what a pleasant day at sea it’s been?” He took a seat on the green velvet banquette against the wall opposite Elizabeth’s chair. “That would be so refreshing.”
    “I’m not going to marry Alan Reed,” Elizabeth said quickly. “And I’m not making my debut, either. I want to go to college. To Vassar. You have to let me.”
    Her father’s eyebrows arched. “ Have to?”
    Her mother, one hand to her forehead, said, “Oh, Elizabeth, how many times have we had this pointless discussion? We’ve had such a lovely day. Must you ruin it?”
    Elizabeth kept talking. “I don’t want to get married, not now. And if I did, it wouldn’t be to anyone as boring as Alan.”
    “Alan is a sweet man. Your father and I have met few gentlemen we’ve liked as well.”
    “Then perhaps you could adopt him.” Elizabeth’s voice was cold. “And let me go to Vassar.”
    “Mind your tongue,” her father warned, his smile completely gone now. “We’re only trying to see that you’re well taken care of, Elizabeth. However…”
    Elizabeth’s heart leaped with hope.
    “Perhaps, since you’re already spoken for,” her father continued, “we could cancel your formal debut. If you really hate the idea so intensely.”
    Nola Farr shot upright on the chaise lounge. “Martin, you can’t be serious! Plans have been made, gowns and shoes ordered. I’ve already accepted invitations in Elizabeth’s name! What would people think?”
    Elizabeth stood up. “They would think, Mother, that you were letting me decide which parties I wanted to attend.”
    “You would have declined every invitation.”
    “Yes, I would have. Because I don’t want to be put on display like an exhibit at a World’s Fair. And Father is right. The whole point of debuting into society, whether anyone admits it or not, is to find a husband. Since you’ve already picked one out for me and made all the arrangements, why do I have to go through a debut?”
    Her mother looked confused for a moment. Then her brow cleared, and she answered almost triumphantly, “Because this is how we do things.”
    Elizabeth knew what “we” meant. The privileged of society. Wasn’t that why they were on this most impressive of all ocean liners in the first place, traveling in such luxury? And they weren’t the only ones. They were in the company of John Jacob Astor, one of the richest men in the United States, and his young wife, along with Mr. Isadore Strauss, owner of Macy’s department store, and his wife, and Benjamin Guggenheim. There was at least one countess on board. And they all did things a certain way. Her mother’s way.
    Elizabeth thought, But I want to make my own way. Within reason, of course. She would admit she needed their support. Luxurious living was something she had learned to take for granted. She knew, just as her parents seemed to, that she would not be good at being poor. But right at the moment, the price she had to pay for privilege seemed much too high. Marriage to a man she didn’t love? Didn’t even especially like?
    “I won’t marry him,” she repeated. “I’d rather jump overboard.”
    “I hear,” her father said easily, lighting his pipe, “that the waters of the Atlantic are especially cold this time of year.”
    “And you’d ruin your dress, dear,” Elizabeth’s mother said, sending a conspiratorial smile her husband’s way.
    “Don’t do that!” Elizabeth said. “Don’t treat me like a two-year-old!”
    “If you dislike it so much,” her father said, “you’d be well-advised to hold onto your temper, unlike most two-year-olds.”
    “Oh!” Elizabeth cried in frustration. Fighting angry tears, she ran back to her own cabin.
    She didn’t stay there long. In the adjoining cabin, she could hear her father chuckling and knew her parents were not taking