Titanic: April 1912 Read Free Page A

frantic. “Stop him! Stop him, please?”
    It took Karolina a moment to separate the woman’s words from the sounds of the water and the wind. Once she understood, she sprinted toward the boy. He saw her coming and veered, running faster and giggling. He dodged around the steel supports of one of the cargo hoists.
    â€œCome back here,” Karolina called. “Your mother is worried about you.”
    The little boy squealed and ducked away, circling a piece of machinery. She lunged at him and stepped on the hem of her own skirt. She managed to recover her balance, but not before he had gotten past her.
    â€œDavey Austin, you stand still!” his mother shouted.
    Davey didn’t even slow down. While Karolina was fighting her wind-billowed skirt, he clambered onto the steep stairs that led to the deck above. Still giggling, he made his way upward so fast that by the time Karolina caught up with him, he was almost at the top. She scooped him up, hooking her arm around his belly. He shrieked in delight, wriggling to get away.
    â€œDavid Joseph Austin! You come down here now!”
    â€œBe careful, Karolina, watch your step,” Aunt Rose called.
    Karolina managed to keep Davey under her arm as she carefully descended the steps. At the bottom, Davey squirmed away, sliding out of her grasp. She nearly cried out, but he ran straight for his mother. Holding two fistfuls of her skirt, he tried to hide from Karolina. His chin jutted forward in serious concentration, and Aunt Rose laughed. Karolina shook her head.
    â€œThank you, dear,” Davey’s mother said. “I can barely keep track of him today. He is so cooped up down below.”
    Karolina made a face at Davey when he peeked at her. He ducked back behind his mother. “I feel that way, too.”
    â€œWe all do, dear,” the mother said, shifting her infant from one arm to the other. “My name is Emily Austin.”
    â€œRose Greene,” Aunt Rose said, dropping a mock curtsy. “And this is my niece, Karolina Truman.” She bent forward, holding on to her hat with one hand. “And how do you do, Master Davey?” Karolina smiled as Davey hid again at the sound of his own name.
    Emily tugged her skirt straight and kissed her baby’s cheek. “My husband is in Chicago. Davey, Rebecca, and I will be taking the train west from New York. And you two?”
    Karolina glanced at Aunt Rose, then answered. “We’re going to New York City. My aunt Iris lives there, and we are going to stay with her until we can get on our feet.”
    At Emily’s puzzled look, Rose smoothed her skirt, then cleared her throat. “My niece’s parents were both killed in England, so I went over to bring her home.”
    Karolina looked aside. She hated it when Aunt Rose told people about the accident. Now, after nearly two months, she sometimes stopped thinking about her parents. Why did Aunt Rose have to bring it up with strangers?
    â€œ. . . and I cannot seem to get used to the idea that they are gone,” Aunt Rose was saying. “I miss Violet so much.”
    â€œViolet?”
    Karolina stared at the deck above them, knowing what her aunt was about to say.
    â€œMother named us all for flowers that she loved—Rose, Violet, and Iris.”
    The constant vibration of the huge engines increased a little. Then, from somewhere above them, Karolina could hear shouted orders. She turned to look. Up on the poop deck, there were several men in dark uniforms. Two of them carried binoculars. They stood up from the bench they had been sitting upon and walked to the railing. Karolina listened to the engines throbbing belowdecks.
    Merry laughter made Karolina turn and look at the highest deck. Women dressed in billowing silk, and men in well-cut suits lined the railings. One woman held a dog with silken white fur and black button eyes.
    â€œLook at them,” Emily said softly. “There’s more