Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Hush Money
"Ruth, what are you doing here?!" A weathered female voice called out from not far away. Soon, Monet saw an old woman walking briskly towards Ruth. Clearly, this was Ruth's mother, Mrs. Beckett.
"Mom, why did you come?" Ruth was visibly surprised by her mother's arrival. According to her original plan, she intended to change her name and leave the suffocating household, so she didn't want to seek out her mother and Carl. However, her mother managed to find her.
"Of course I had to come. Hurry, come back with me!" Mrs. Beckett's tone was resolute.
"No, I won't go back. I've already broken up with Carl. I don't want to return to that suffocating place!" Ruth's response was fervent.
Seeing Ruth's strong stance, Mrs. Beckett had to change her approach. With a sorrowful expression, she said, "Ruth, I'm not forcing you. You know our family's situation. If you don't marry Carl, how are we going to live in the future?"
Before her mother could finish speaking, Ruth interrupted, "I'll earn money to support you. I refuse to believe that without Carl, we won't survive!"
"How do you plan to earn money? What kind of work can you do? Do you know how much money we need to maintain our current lifestyle?" Mrs. Beckett questioned.
Her mother's probing questions caught Ruth off guard. She had never considered these things before, which wasn't entirely her fault. A noble young lady like her wouldn't have contemplated such matters. Moreover, she truly didn't know what kind of work she could do.
Nonetheless, even in the face of this, Ruth persisted with determination, "Even though I don't know what I can do right now, I believe that as long as I search, try, and put in effort, I can find a suitable job for myself. Maybe the income from that job won't sustain our current lifestyle, but I'll be happier than I am now!"
In response to Ruth's answer, Monet silently applauded her in his mind. Her words were indeed quite eloquent. Unfortunately, it seemed that, at least for now, she might not have the opportunity to execute this plan. As expected, Mrs. Beckett snorted coldly, "To be honest, Ruth, I almost wish you could experience some hardships in the real world. Then you would realize how naive your current thoughts are. But it's a shame. Even if I were willing to give you this chance, Carl wouldn't. Do you know where the Capacia is headed? Let me tell you—it's New York. And Carl happens to be an American, a wealthy one at that. His influence there is beyond your imagination. So, as his wife, you won't have such an opportunity. And if you don't believe me, see if you can disembark from this ship!" With that, Mrs. Beckett turned and left.
After Mrs. Beckett departed, Ruth slumped into a chair. She knew that her mother hadn't lied. Someone as wealthy as Carl, not to mention in the underdeveloped America (or, as viewed by European nobles at the time, the United States in such a state), held privileges unimaginable even in a legally sound country like England. What was she going to do in the future? Did she really have to live in that suffocating environment for the rest of her life? But then, what meaning did Jack's sacrifice for her opportunities hold?
As Ruth's mind was consumed by scattered thoughts, Monet leaned in and whispered, "Miss Beckett, you don't have to be so pessimistic. While Mr. Carl does possess significant power, it's not to the extent of controlling everything. So, for now, it might be best to feign compliance. Once you reach New York, you can seize an opportunity to escape. Remember, we're still on the ship. As long as Mr. Carl has someone guarding the gangway, you won't have a chance to escape. But in New York, with him being spread thin, you'll have more freedom."
Listening to Monet's words, a glimmer returned to Ruth's eyes. Yes, currently she might not have a chance, but once in New York, she would surely have an opportunity. Then, she could figure out how to obtain a ticket back to London. She thought, "I refuse to believe that even in London, I won't have any options left!"
"Thank you, Mr. Monet. I know what I should do now!" Ruth expressed her gratitude.
In just a few minutes, two capable-looking young men and women approached. They addressed Ruth, "Miss Beckett, greetings. Mr. Carl has sent us to take care of you. Please come with us to the second-class cabin for lunch."
Initially, the two were prepared for Ruth's refusal and had even planned how to elegantly escort her back forcibly. To their surprise, Ruth stood up, adjusted her hair slightly, and with a dignified air, said, "Lead the way."
This caught the pair off guard. Why had she suddenly become so cooperative? While they were still taken aback, Ruth chided them slightly annoyed, "What are you staring at?"
It was only then that the two realized their behavior, and they gestured with a bow, "Uh, of course, please follow us!"
Before leaving, Ruth nodded slightly in acknowledgment to Monet. Then, she followed the two and departed.
"In any case, Miss Beckett still has her mother and fiancé. She can choose to return and endure a wealthy but suffocating life, or to live in freedom but in poverty. Meanwhile, we have nothing, and we don't even have a choice!" Watching Ruth's retreating figure, Wendy sighed softly.
"Just a moment ago, Miss Beckett said something really insightful. If one is willing to search, try, and put in effort, they'll surely find a job suitable for them and their happiness," Monet advised. After a brief hesitation, he continued, "And if my guess is correct, there might soon be a sum of money coming our way—sort of an insurance or, bluntly put, hush money that will allow us to temporarily establish ourselves in New York!"
"Hush money? What does that mean?" Wendy asked, puzzled.
"Howard Miss, you might not usually pay much attention to current affairs. A disaster as significant as the Titanic's sinking, causing such a loss of life, will undoubtedly attract massive public attention. And they won't be able to conceal the truth. So, the White Star Line, which the Titanic belongs to, along with the backing of the Morgan Group, will likely try to manage public opinion. Their first step would be to bribe us survivors. And the most direct means of bribery would be to give us money!" Monet explained.
Actually, Monet's words weren't baseless. In reality, the White Star Line did something similar at the time. The actual situation wasn't as orderly and gentlemanly as portrayed in the movies.
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