No Greater Love (2 page)

“It would have been far, far worse in London. There were seven hundred two years ago when my sister got married. Thank God, I was still in Delhi.” He had been traveling for the past four years. After two years in India with the military, he had then ventured to Kenya where he had spent a year, traveling and visiting friends, and Edwina loved hearing about all of his adventures. She had begged to go to Africa on their honeymoon, but he thought something a little tamer might be in order. They were planning to spend the autumn in Italy and France, and they wanted to be back in London by Christmas. Edwina secretly hoped that she’d be pregnant by then. She was madly in love with Charles, and she wanted a large family like her own, and a relationship like the happy one she’d always seen between her parents. It wasn’t that they didn’t fight from time to time, they did, and it almost shook the chandeliers in their San Francisco house when their mother really lost her temper, but along with the anger, there was always love. There was always tenderness and forgiveness and compassion, and you always knew, no matter what, how much Kate and Bertram loved each other, and that was exactly what Edwina wanted when she married Charles. She didn’t want anything more or less than that, she didn’t need an important man, or a title, or a fancy manor house. She wanted none of the things that had once foolishly drawn her Aunt Liz to Uncle Rupert. She
wanted goodness, and a sense of humor, and a fine mind, someone she could laugh with, and talk to, and work hard with. It was true that theirs would be an easy life, and Charles enjoyed sports and going out with friends, and had never been burdened with having to earn a living, but he had the right values and she respected him, and one day he would have his father’s seat in the House of Lords.

And just as Edwina did, Charles wanted at least half a dozen children. Her parents had had seven, although one had died at birth, a baby boy who had been between her and Phillip, which had made Phillip feel even more responsible about everything. It was as though he were taking someone else’s place by being the eldest son now, and everything he did, or that touched him, seemed to put more responsibility on Phillip’s shoulders. All of which made life very simple for George who, at twelve, felt his only mission in life was to amuse everyone, and responsibility was the furthest thing from his mind at any moment. He tortured Alexis and the little ones whenever he could, and felt that it fell to him to lighten his older brother’s more austere behavior, and he did that by short-sheeting his bed, or putting harmless snakes in his shoes, a well-placed mouse was useful here and there, and pepper in his morning coffee, just to start his day off right. Phillip clearly felt that George had been visited on him to ruin his existence, and during his rare and extremely cautious pursuits of the opposite sex, George always seemed to appear, ready to lend his expert assistance. George was in no way shy around girls, or around anyone for that matter. On the ship coming over, it seemed as though everywhere Kate and Bertram went, they were greeted by enchanted acquaintances of their second son … “Oh,
you’re
George’s parents!…” as Kate inwardly cringed, wondering what he had done now, and Bertram laughed, amused by the
boy’s harmless pranks and high spirits. The shyest one was their next born, little Alexis with her halo of white-blond curls and huge blue eyes. The others all had dark hair and blue eyes, like Kate and Bert, except Alexis, who was so fair her hair looked almost white in the sunlight. It was as though the angels had given George all their mischief and courage, and they had given Alexis something very delicate and rare. And everywhere she went, people looked at her and stared and talked about how pretty she was. And within minutes, she would disappear into thin air, only to reappear again, quietly, as though on silent wings, hours later. She was Kate’s “baby girl,” and her father’s “special baby,” and it was rare that she ever spoke to anyone else. She lived happily within the confines of her family, and was protected by all. She was always there, silent, seeing, yet saying very little. And she would spend hours in the garden sometimes, making garlands for her mother’s hair. Her parents meant everything to her, although she also loved Edwina. But Edwina was actually closer to their next born, four-year-old Frances. Fannie, as she was called by everyone; Fannie of the sweet round cheeks, and chubby hands and sturdy little legs. She had a smile that melted everyone’s heart, especially her daddy’s, and like Edwina, she had blue eyes and shining black hair. She looked exactly like their father, and she had his good nature. She was always happy, and smiling, and content wherever she was, not unlike baby Teddy. He was two, and the apple of his mother’s eye. He was talking now, and discovering everything around him, with a headful of curls and a cheerful belly laugh. He loved to run away and make Oona chase him. She was a very sweet Irish girl who had fled Ireland at fourteen, and Kate had been grateful to find her in San Francisco. She was eighteen years old, and a great help to Kate with all of them. Oona would tell Kate reproachfully
that she spoiled little Teddy. And she laughingly admitted that she did. She indulged all of them at times because she loved them so dearly.

But what Kate marveled at each year was how different they all were, what totally unique and individual people they were, and how varied their needs. Everything about them was different, their attitudes, their aspirations, their reactions to her, and life, and each other … from Alexis’s timidity and many fears, to Phillip’s staunch sense of responsibility, to George’s complete lack of it, to Edwina’s strong, quiet self-assurance. She had always been so thoughtful and so kind, thinking of everyone before herself, that it was a relief to Kate to see her now, head over heels in love with Charles, and enjoying it so much. She deserved it. For years, she had been her mother’s right hand, and it seemed time to Kate now for Edwina to have her own life.

She only wished that she weren’t moving to England. This was the second time in her life that she had lost someone she loved to foreign shores. And she could only hope that her daughter would be happier than her sister Liz had been there, but fortunately Charles was entirely different from Rupert. Charles was charming and intelligent and attractive and kind, and Kate thought he would make a wonderful husband.

They were meeting Charles that morning at the White Star dock in Southampton. He had agreed to go back to the States with them, in part because he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Edwina for the next four months, and also because Bert had insisted that he sail with them as an engagement present. They were sailing on a brand-new ship, on her maiden voyage. And all of them were enormously excited.

They were still sitting in the dining room at Havermoor Manor, and Alexis was starting to laugh out loud, as George said something outrageous in an undertone
and then made more vapor with his breath in the frigid air. Bertram was starting to chuckle at his children, when Rupert stood up at last, and they were free to go. Bert came around the table to say good-bye to him, and shook his brother-in-law’s hand. And for once, Rupert was actually sorry to see him go. He liked Bert, he had even come to like Kate over the years, although he was still rather tentative about their children.

“It’s been wonderful staying with you here, Rupert. Come back to see us in San Francisco,” Bertram said, and almost meant it.

“I’m afraid I’m a bit beyond it.” They had already agreed that Liz would travel to San Francisco for the wedding with Charles’s parents. She was just relieved that Rupert would let her go at all, and she could hardly wait. She had already picked her dress in London with Kate and Edwina.

“If you feel up to it, come.” The two men shook hands again. Rupert was glad they had come, and now glad again that they were going.

“Do write and tell us about the ship. She must be quite something.” He looked envious, but only for a moment. And this time Liz was not envious at all. Just thinking about boats of any kind made her desperately seasick. She was already dreading the crossing in July. “Will you write about it for the paper, Bert?”

Bert smiled. He seldom, if ever, wrote anything for his own paper, except for an occasional editorial, when he couldn’t restrain himself. But this time, he had to admit, he had thought about it more than once. “I might. If I do, I’ll send you a copy when we run it.”

Rupert put an arm around Bert’s shoulders, and walked him to the door, as Edwina and Kate rounded up the younger children with Oona, the Irish girl, and saw to it that everyone went to the bathroom before they left for Southampton.

It was still shockingly early, the sun was just coming up, and they had a three-hour drive ahead of them to Southampton. Rupert had delegated his chauffeur and two of the stableboys to take them to Southampton in three cars with what little luggage they still had. Most of the trunks had gone down the day before, and would be waiting for them in their staterooms.

And within a few moments, the children had piled into all three cars, Edwina and Phillip with some of the luggage, and George, who insisted on sitting with the stableboy who was at the wheel, Oona with Fannie and little Teddy and the rest of their bags in another car, and Kate and Bertram were going to ride in Rupert’s own Silver Ghost with Alexis. Liz had volunteered to come with them, but Kate had insisted that it was too long a journey. They would see each other in four months anyway, and it would be too lonely for her coming back alone in the empty convoy, instead the two women embraced, and for a long moment, Liz held her fast, not knowing why she felt so emotional this morning.

“Take good care … I’ll miss you so….” It seemed so painful seeing her go this time, as though she just couldn’t bear too many more partings. Liz hugged her again, and Kate laughed, straightening the very stylish hat that Bertram had bought her in London.

“It’ll be August before you know it, Liz,” Kate whispered gently in her sister’s ear, “and you’ll be home again.” She kissed her cheek, and then pulled away to look at her, wishing that Liz didn’t look so worn and so dejected. It made her think again of Edwina’s moving to England when she married Charles, and Kate could only pray that her daughter’s life would turn out to be happier than her sister’s. She hated the thought of her being so far away, just as she hated the thought of leaving Liz here now, as Rupert harrumphed, and instructed
their drivers, and urged them to leave so they wouldn’t miss the ship. She was sailing in just under five hours.

“She’s sailing at noon, isn’t she?” He pulled out his pocket watch and consulted Bert, as Kate gave Liz a last hug and then climbed into the car, pulling Alexis in beside her.

“Yes, she is. We’ll be there in plenty of time.” It was seven-thirty in the morning on the tenth of April.

“Have a marvelous trip! She’s a great ship! Good sailing!” He waved as the first car drove away, and Liz stood close to him as the second car followed, and then the last, as Kate waved from the window with a broad smile, with Alexis on her lap, and Bertram sitting next to her with an arm around her shoulders.

“I love you!…” Liz called out as they sped away in the roar of the engines. “I love you …” The words faded away as she wiped a tear from her eye, not sure why she felt so worried. It was silly really, she’d be seeing them all again in August. She smiled to herself then as she followed Rupert inside. He locked himself in his library as he frequently did in the morning, and Liz walked back into the dining room to stare at their empty seats, and watch their empty plates being cleared away, and a terrible feeling of loneliness overwhelmed her. Where they had been only moments before, the room that had been so full of life and the people that she loved, was all so empty now, and she was alone again, as the others sped toward Southampton.

AS THEY APPROACHED THE DOCK AT SOUTHAMPTON, THE CAR
that Kate and Bertram were in led the convoy of Lord Hickham’s automobiles to the place where first-class passengers were embarking. In the second car, George was jumping up and down on his seat, and Edwina finally had to insist that he sit down before he drove her and Phillip utterly crazy.

“Look, look at her, Edwina!” He was pointing to the ship’s four impressive smokestacks, as Phillip urged him to calm down. Unlike his more exuberant younger brother, Phillip had done considerable reading about the ship as soon as he knew that they would be sailing on her maiden voyage. She had a nearly identical sister ship, the
Olympic
, which had been in operation since the year before, but this was literally the largest ship in existence. The R.M.S.
Titanic
was marginally bigger than her sister ship, but she was half again as large as any other liner afloat, anywhere in the world, and George
was in awe of her when he saw her. His father’s newspaper had called her “The Wonder Ship” when they’d written about her, and on Wall Street she’d been called “The Millionaires’ Special.” It was an extraordinary privilege to be sailing on her maiden voyage. Bert Winfield had reserved five of the twenty-eight special staterooms on B Deck, which were among the many features that set her apart from any other ship in operation. These staterooms had windows instead of portholes and were beautifully decorated with French, Dutch, and British antiques. The White Star Line had outdone themselves in every way. And the five staterooms of the Winfield party were interconnecting so as to make them seem like one very large suite, rather than several adjoining rooms.

George was going to be rooming with Phillip, Edwina with Alexis, Oona with the two little ones, Fannie and Teddy, and Bertram and Kate were in the largest of the staterooms, in a room just next to the one occupied by their future son-in-law, Charles Fitzgerald. It promised to be a festive crossing, and George could hardly wait to get on the ship, as he dashed out of the car a moment later and headed for the gangplank. But his brother was too quick for him and he grabbed his arm and hauled him back to where Edwina was helping her mother with the others.

“Just where do you think you’re going, young man?” Phillip intoned, sounding more like his father than himself as George gave him a look of intense irritation.