Dear Fate

Holly blushed as she made her way down to the steerage deck. It was not unlike Olivia to embarrass her like this, in fact it happened quite frequently that she should be used to it by now. But she never was.

She finally reached the lower deck and began to look for her cap. She had more, it was true, but only two more and she could not afford to lose it.

"Looking for this?" A hand appeared in front of her, holding the cap out.

Holly looked up and saw a young Irish man attached to said hand, standing in front of a young blonde man and another man who looked Italian, both of whom were watching her from the bench beside the railing.

"Yes, sir, I was. Thank you," Holly flushed a deep crimson, reaching out to grab the hat.

He pulled it just out of her reach.

"Why did your mistress throw it? That seems very impolite," he said with a smile, his eyes twinkling.

To torment me, I suppose. It's her favorite past time, embarrassing me.

Instead of saying just that, she made to grab the cap away from him but he held it just out of her reach, still smiling.

"Come on, it can't be that bad," he said, holding it above even his own head.

"Please, sir, if you'll just give me my hat, I'll be on my way," Holly practically begged.

"Oh come on, Tommy. Give the poor girl her hat," the blonde man said with an American accent, closing the leather binder in his lap and walking over to the pair.

The Italian boy wasn't far behind.

"I'm curious as to why a lady would be so cruel to her maid. It was obviously no accident as we three witnessed it," the man now named Tommy said, turning to the blonde.

"It's not your business why I do what I do, and it is certainly not your place to tease my maid. Now if you will kindly return her hat to her, we will be on our way."

The three boys looked over Holly's shoulder, while Holly herself spun around in surprise to see Olivia standing there, on the third class deck, of her own will. Holly had never witnessed anything more shocking.

The man named Tommy just smiled.

"As you wish, your highness," he mocked, bowing and holding out the cap for her.

"Are you mocking me, boy?" Olivia asked, a disgusted look coming onto her face.

"Not at all, ma'am, only trying to give your hat back," he said, the mocking grin still on his face.

"Well I don't know why you are trying to hand it to me. It's not my cap. It's hers. And I really think you should apologize for treating her in such a way," Olivia said, pointing to Holly.

"I will apologize as soon as you do, Miss, for throwing the cap down here in the first place," Tommy said, the grin suddenly vanishing.

"Excuse me? I think you've forgotten your place, sir. I am a first class lady, and you are just a steerage boy. You have no right to tell me what to do," Olivia said, clearly offended.

"I didn't tell you what to do, ma'am. Only said I wouldn't apologize until you did," Tommy replied.

"I demand you apologize to her right now!" Olivia yelled loudly.

"Fine. I'm sorry, Miss. Sorry that your mistress is so nasty tempered and you have the displeasure of working for her," he replied, more to Olivia than to Holly.

The two boys behind him didn't know whether to laugh or be fearful for his life. Olivia turned a rather unpleasant shade of red and looked as if she couldn't even speak. She opened and closed her mouth several times before ripping the cap out of his hand, thrusting it forcefully onto Holly's head, and dragging her away by her wrist. Holly doubted that Olivia had ever been spoken to like that, having been brought up like a princess her whole life.

They made their way back up to the first class deck, Olivia fuming silently and Holly trailing along behind her. In all their time together, Holly didn't think she'd ever seen Olivia this furious. Except for maybe on her twelfth birthday when she didn't get a pony. But her father got her one the next day, so all was forgiven. Holly honestly didn't know what was going to happen. She didn't want her to be angry the rest of the day, because it would be taken out on her. So she decided to do the only thing she could think to do. Grimacing, she threw herself to the floor, right in front of a passing officer, not looking up at him.

"Oh! I am so terribly sorry, sir!" she blushed, not having to fake her embarrassment.

"Are you alright, Miss? It looks like you took a nasty fall," the officer said, helping her up.

She looked up at him and realized she did not recognize him. He was older, older than both of the officers she had previously met. He had a kind enough face, with nice blue eyes and a polite smile.

Olivia had by now realized Holly was not behind her and turned around to look at the scene unfolding before her. Holly could clearly see her smirk from her position a few feet away.

"Yes, sir. I am fine. I am terribly sorry for getting in your way," Holly mumbled, trying to side step him.

"It was no trouble at all. Are you sure you are fine? Would you like me to find you an escort back to your suite?" he asked kindly.

"No that is quite alright. Thank you though," she said, passing him and walking over to Olivia.

They walked a few feet until they were sure the officer was out of ear shot.

"Do you know who that was?" Olivia asked, not bothering to hide her glee.

"An officer of some sort?" Holly asked, trying to hide her embarrassment with no success.

"Not just any officer. First Officer Murdoch! Oh my, Holly, you are such an idiot!" Olivia laughed, skipping ahead.

Holly smiled, despite the mortification she was now feeling. It was so easy to make Olivia happy. One embarrassing encounter and the steerage boy was completely forgotten.

They made their way to the suite, stopping occasionally so Olivia could make small talk with some of the more important passengers. She seemed to know them all by name, and Holly could hardly keep them straight. So she more or less tuned them out. Instead, she thought of what was to become of her when Olivia was married. Would she go on to be her personal maid even after Olivia moved in with her new husband? Would she be fired? Would she be given another position in the Hamilton household? And what of love?

Holly sighed as she thought about it. What she wouldn't give to find true love. Olivia was perfectly content to be in an arranged marriage where she would have a secure and sure future, but Holly could not see how anyone could be happy with that. She imagined meeting a man who she was so incredibly in love with, that she could spend the rest of her life with and have lots of children with, someone who would treat her right and love her just the same. She knew it was a long shot, but she had more of a chance for love than any of the first class girls did.

They finally arrived back at their cabin, where Olivia declared that she would have an afternoon nap and then bathe and prepare for tea. Holly helped her out of all of her clothes and corset before helping her into her afternoon nap outfit, not to be confused with her night clothes.

"Oh Holly. Can you believe the nerve of that steerage boy? The way he spoke to me, as if he were in the same social class? I have never been so appalled in all my life."

Oh, so we're back to that again.

"You really should stop thinking about it, Liv. You're never going to see him again, so what is the point in obsessing over it?" Holly asked as she closed the curtain.

"I just can't believe I let him have the last words. He got the best of me, I'm afraid to say," Olivia replied.

"You're going to go back down there, aren't you?" Holly asked slowly, afraid of what the answer was going to be.

"Of course, dear Holly. I cannot be bested like that and let him get away with it," Olivia said, smiling sweetly as she gracefully fell into her bed, stretching her arms up to allow Holly to cover her.

This was going to be a long night.