by K. T. Tomb
All my love,
Darya
Franco looked at the date of the letter.
“She wrote this aboard the Titanic.”
“Yes, she did,” Nick said.
He still had a wide-eyed look about him, though he had calmed considerably since that afternoon.
“And check this out,” Nick turned a few pages. “Read this one.”
April 12, 1912
Dearest Masha,
We have been sailing for two days aboard the Titanic. While Stephan and I are blissfully happy, I cannot help but feel a sense of growing unease that I cannot place. This afternoon we met a man named Vlad Afanasy. He is also Russian and claims to feel a kinship with us. As a result, he has invited us to dinner this evening. I do not trust him and I fear that Igor may have hired him to follow us. It was foolish of me to think that once we boarded the Titanic, we would be safe from Igor’s reach. I am frightened of him, but I do not wish to worry you with tales of my distress. At best, he is a spy sent by our parents to watch me. If he tries to bring me back, it shall be under great duress.
I am excited to reach America. Stephan and I will wed as soon as we are able. I am saddened that you will not be there, but I am overjoyed at the thought of presenting my dowry diamonds to Stephan on our wedding day. This is part of how I know that he truly loves me. He has no idea about the diamonds! He believes us to be penniless wanderers and yet, he chooses to be by my side. For now, I have them hidden in my sleeping quarters, in a place that he cannot find them. I will send you a detailed description of his reaction when I present them to him.
I hope you are well and that Mother and Father are not too distraught at my absence. Please give Burkut a pat on the head and a tickle on the tummy from me.
All my best,
Darya
“The diamonds are in the room,” Franco said.
“At least they were at the time this was written,” Nick said.
“We have to do another dive,” Franco said, taking another sip of his coffee.
“I’m not going down there again.” Nick shook his head vehemently. “I’m not doing it.”
“I’ll go.”
Harper stood at the door of the mess hall.
“How long have you been standing there?” Franco said.
“Long enough to know the diamonds are on the ship,” Harper replied. “We have to get them. If Nick can’t go, I’ll go.”
“We’ll discuss this in the morning,” Franco said with finality, draining his coffee and standing to leave.
Chapter Five
April 12, 1912
The RMS Titanic, First Class Deck
The stars twinkled above them like a canopy of jewels. Darya walked with Vlad along the deck of the Titanic. Several steps behind her, to Darya’s dismay, Stephan walked escorting Vlad’s sister, Katinka.
“My sister is ill, you see,” Vlad said to a disinterested Darya.
She struggled to keep a polite smile upon her face. Vlad continued.
“She suffers from spells when her mind is sometimes out of sorts. On occasion, she feels faint and weak. I often travel with her to ensure her safety.”
“And what is it that you travel for?” Darya asked. “Is it business related?”
“On the contrary,” Vlad said. “My sister will be seeing a doctor once we reach America; an expert who specializes in her condition.”
“That must be difficult. I’m sorry,” Darya said, pausing and looking out over the rail at the black expanse of night sea.
She wished to bring the conversation back to something more casual.
“Look at the stars. It’s breathtaking how bright they are tonight.”
“May I ask you a question?” Vlad said suddenly, not taking his eyes off of Darya.
“I suppose,” she said, turning to look at him.
“You are a beautiful woman,” he began. “An aristocrat. Well-traveled and born to riches. What is it about that poor farm boy that has caught your fancy?”
Darya turned away for a moment and then simply said, “He has my heart. I cannot explain any more than that.”
Upon meeting him, Darya had felt a bit of conflict about Vlad. He was a young man, just about the same age as Darya. As much as she wanted to remain distant, Vlad had a very likeable quality that made Darya want to relax around him. Her senses picked up on this effect he had and she therefore trusted him less.
Stephan and Katinka had almost made it to them, when Katinka suddenly swooned. Vlad tried to move forward to catch her, but the distance was still too great and she landed in the arms of Stephan. He lowered her onto a bench nearby steadying her. Vlad rushed forward to attend to his sister. After only a moment, she spoke in a whispery voice.
“I should go and lie down,” she said.
“Let me take you,” Vlad began.
“No darling,” Katinka said, waving a hand. “It would be a shame for you to also miss this beautiful evening. You stay. You are always watching out for me. This time, let someone else help.”
Katinka looked up at Stephan with wide, blue eyes and a trembling hand, reaching for him to support her. Stephan glanced at Darya, who stood like a statue, unable to move. Stephan finally took her hand and allowed her to lean into him as they headed back the other way, toward the hall to the first class quarters.
After they had disappeared into the night shadows of the ship, Darya turned and said, “I must retire as well, I fear.”
“Nonsense!” Vlad exclaimed, with a tone of genuine regret. “The night is young. Please indulge me. It has been some time since I have been in such captivating company. Let us walk for a little while.”
Darya glanced in the direction that Stephan and Katinka had gone, but then she turned back to Vlad. She decided she might take advantage of the opportunity to figure out if he had been hired by Igor or her parents. She believed him to be a spy. Perhaps he would let something slip.
“Alright,” she said. “That would be lovely.”
He extended his arm for her to take again and guided her in the opposite direction.
“Tell me, Vlad,” Darya said, as they continued along the deck. “Having to take care of Katinka must be exhausting for you. How do you find time for yourself?”
“It is difficult, I must confess,” he said. “She can be quite a handful, it’s true. Forgive me, she is my sister. I should not say a word against her.”
Darya decided to play the part a little bit. She smiled and leaned in to him ever so slightly.
“I must ask you a similar question as you did I, Vlad. You are a handsome, well-traveled man of means. Surely I am not the only lady who has noticed this. Do you ever have an opportunity to pursue any of these possibilities?”
Vlad chuckled lightly.
“You do not mince words, do you?”
“I’ve often been chided for my frankness. It does not go over well in aristocratic circles for a lady such as myself to speak her mind.”
Vlad’s face grew serious.
“Perhaps,” he said in a grave voice, locking eyes with Darya. “Perhaps in a different time and place... if we had met I think you and I, Darya, would have been very well-matched.”
Darya was taken aback by his words. The sudden declaration caught her off guard. For a very short moment, she pictured herself on the arm of the handsome stranger who stood before her. He seemed amicable and she would have remained with her family. Her loneliness for her sister briefly consumed her, washing over her like a large ocean wave. Before she realized what was happening, Vlad reached forward and slowly brushed aside a small tendril of hair, caressing her cheek as he did so. He never took his eyes off of her. Unconsciously, Darya leaned into the contact of his fingers on her cheek.
The moment passed and Darya spoke suddenly.
“Now I must insist that I retire for the evening. The hour is late, and you must see about your sister.”
“Yes,” Vlad replied. “You are correct. Forgive my forwardness...”
“
Let us not speak of it again,” Darya said sharply.
Vlad extended his arm and they walked back to the first class quarters. Darya remembered that she had left her parasol behind when they had gone out as the sun had already begun to set. They walked in silence down the hallway toward Vlad and Katinka’s quarters to collect it before retiring to her own cabin. When they reached the door to room 114, Vlad opened the door to allow her entry. Darya walked into the room, not knowing that the next moments of her life would forever alter the course of her days and change everything about her life in a moment.
Katinka lay on the settee, her dress torn and disheveled, with her arms wrapped comfortably around Stephan. His clothes also looked akimbo, his collar twisted. He turned and saw Darya. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know. Of course she had noticed his wandering eye, but he was a farm boy and had not been raised with the training of an upper-class gentleman. At least that is what she had told herself. Surely, he would never have acted on any of it. Clearly she had been wrong.
“Darya, wait!” Stephan said, attempting to untangle himself from Katinka’s insistent grasp. Even in her anger, Darya sensed a hint of urgency in Stephan’s voice.
“I never want to see you again!” Darya screamed at Stephan.
She turned away to escape down the hall to her cabin. Tears of anger and humiliation had already begun to stream down her face. Once back to her quarters, she slammed the door to the hallway, locking it behind her. Stephan’s betrayal overwhelmed her. She collapsed against the inside of the door, sliding to the floor in tears.
***
June 18, 2014
Latitude 41° 43’ 57” North, longitude 49° 56’ 49” West
Franco had been swimming downward with Harper next to him. They had descended for about an hour and had just received the halfway confirmation from Lisa, who sat as Harper’s replacement aboard the support vessel, staying in contact with them on the comm link and watching their vitals on the monitor. Aside from that, they swam in silence. When they had left the ship, Nick had set up in the ship’s galley again, working on translating more of the diary. Franco had last seen him surrounded by notebooks and the journal, parked at the table with a large thermos of coffee next to him.
“You know,” Harper said, breaking the silence. “Matvei himself said this expedition would be a long shot.”
“What are you getting at, Harper?” Franco said.
He was not thrilled about having Harper as his dive partner. They had not worked together before and Franco had difficulty trusting him. In the end, Nick had convinced him.
“I’m just saying,” he continued, “if we find the diamonds, they would be worth much more on the black market than the payout we’d be receiving from Matvei.”
“Are you suggesting that we lie to our client?” Franco said.
“’Lie’ is such a sleazy word. I’d prefer to say that we simply omit certain information. Such as telling him when we find the diamonds.”
“If we find the diamonds, you mean,” Franco said, keeping his vision forward in the dark depths. “Listen. I might be sleazy, but I’m not that sleazy. I might be a criminal, like you, but I’m not a fugitive and I make it my business to stay a man of my word.”
“Alright, alright,” Harper said. “I hear you. No need to get your panties in a twist.”
Franco ignored the comment and they continued to swim, both kicking downward toward the bottom of the ocean. After a moment, Lisa’s voice spoke again over the comm link.
“Base to divers, Nick is coming in on the other comm link.” she said, barely getting the words out before Nick interjected.
“Guys,” he said. “I’ve found something in the journal that you need to hear!”
“What is it?” Franco said.
“Does it tell us where the diamonds are?” Harper asked.
“Let me read it to you,” Nick said.
He began.
April 13, 1912
Dearest Masha,
My heart is broken. Something terrible has happened. After a night with our new comrades, I found Stephan in the arms of another woman. I had always wondered if our union would remain intact because of the difference in our upbringing, but I always had faith in our love for each other. When I discovered Stephan’s unfaithful nature, I locked myself in my room for a time while I wept. After some time I came back to myself. I wanted to speak to Stephan, so I cleaned myself up a bit, washing my face and brushing my hair. I returned to the room where I had seen him last.
Vlad answered the door and I asked to speak with Stephan. He told me that Stephan had left the room several hours prior, just after I had found him with Katinka. Vlad seemed so concerned for me. He invited me in, informing me that his sister had retired to her chambers and was sleeping. We sat on the settee for a long while and simply talked. I must admit to you, Masha, that I may have done a terrible thing myself. The height of my emotional state was so great, and Vlad’s understanding and listening felt like a balm to my soul after the pain I had felt. When he leaned in to kiss me, I let him. I kissed him back. I fear that I even let him do more than that.
You see, my anger was so great and my pain so deep. In the instant that Vlad kissed me, that pain went away if even for just a moment. I wanted to hold on to that feeling and make it last, for I knew that once it ended all the pain of betrayal would return. I allowed him to seduce me. It would not be inaccurate to say that I seduced him a little bit as well. I cannot continue my life with Stephan. Not only have I been unable to find him today after last night’s events, but it is clear to me that he has made his decision as well. I cannot return to him after his betrayal, and I have no desire to continue any relationship with Vlad either. I do not know what is to become of me, or, more importantly, what I have become.
All my love,
Darya
Nick finished reading and silence hung around them for a moment as they swam forward. Harper glanced over to Franco.
“Well, that’s a twist and I did not see it coming.”
Nick spoke again over the comm link.
“There’s one more entry. I’m working on it next. It looks pretty long also.”
Franco felt uneasy, but remained curious.
He told Nick, “Contact us as soon as you have it translated. There might be a clue to find the diamonds.”
“Affirmative,” Nick responded.
Just then, the Titanic emerged from the darkness. As per protocol, both divers targeted their headlamps on the ship to focus their movements to the deck of the ship. A cold chill ran down Franco’s spine as they neared. A vision of the nightmare from the night before had entered his mind, and he could not help but wonder at what awaited them below. Franco nodded for Harper to follow him and they headed toward the first class quarters.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Harper said, as they entered the hallway toward room 108.
Franco did not reply. He did not want to give Harper any clue as to the trepidation that he had felt once they had the Titanic in view. The shadows around them seemed to have taken on an eerie luster as they walked down the hallway in the painstakingly slow motion that the water pressure forced upon them. Strange noises permeated the ship. Sounds of shrieking and scraping seemed to fill the surrounding roaring silence around them. Sometimes the sounds echoed like voices calling wordlessly out to each other, sending chills down Franco’s spine.
“What is that?” Harper asked with a sharpness to his voice.
The panic he felt manifested as anger. He did not feel comfortable. Not even a little, but he wanted the diamonds. He tried to hide his discomfort from Franco. They found the room number 108. The door stood ajar as they approached. Franco reached out to push the door open and they entered the room.
Franco could not believe what he was seeing before him. The room looked immaculate. Not just well preserved for being underwater for a century, but truly transported in time. Both men seemed to be in the first class quarters, dry and o
pulent. The settee gleamed with new embroidery, against the background of the rich, red oriental rug. The writing table shone in the electric lights of the room. What truly took their breath away, however, was the spectre standing before them. In full solid view, Darya Nikita stood in the middle of the room, wrapped in her white dressing gown. Black hair hung down her back. Her eyes stared ahead as if seeing them, but still looking right through them. She stood like a statue glaring straight at the two men. Her skin looked porcelain white, lips red and defiant. She raised her right arm and pointed at Harper in silence. Both men jumped when the door slammed shut with a speed and finality, impossible in the deep ocean.
“Do you see...” Harper began.
“Yes,” Franco answered. “Yes, I see it.”
Then to Nick on the comm link, he said, “Nick, I think we’ve made contact.”
“With what?” Nick said over the link.
“With Darya. Let’s just say, I believe you now.”
Darya lifted her hand and placed her finger lightly on her lips, making the motion for silence. The ghost moved forward without moving her feet. She seemed to float along the ground, a much more quiet and less malevolent entity than the one from Franco’s nightmare. She drifted past them and touched the door. It opened and the hallway on the other side resembled the room. It too looked new and dry. As the men went into the hallway they too were transformed and found themselves walking; moving through the space as if the ship were dry and still afloat on the sea.
A strange music seemed to greet them from somewhere deeper in the ship. A slow, haunting song Franco could not quite pinpoint. The spectre of Darya continued down the hall, turning back toward the men beckoning them to follow her. She disappeared down another hall. Even in the illusion of walking through a clear hallway, both men still moved at the slow motion forced upon them by the ocean pressure. They followed as quickly as they could, but every movement was a struggle. The music grew louder the more hallways that they passed through. Each time they came to a turn, they could see Darya waiting at the next corner, then disappearing down the next hall.
