2.

~ Ariadne glanced worriedly at the young, angry looking man at a little table in the back of the train station restaurant. He was young, not much older then she was. However, his face was drawn into harsh lines that made him look much older.

"Arthur this is Ariadne." Cobb said politely as Arthur stood and looked her over.

Ariadne felt herself blush and turn away. She gripped Cobb's arm tighter.

'Why couldn't it have been Cobb, and not this man?' She thought sadly as Cobb pulled out a chair for her to sit.

"Allow me to get some tea for the both of you." Cobb said once Arthur was seated by her. "I'm sure you're exhausted after your trip."

"Thank you." She said to the gentleman and watched him longingly as he left.

She was alone with Arthur.

Not totally alone now as they were still in a crowded station restaurant. But they were still at a table to themselves.
"You're Arthur." She said pleasantly to the young man at her side.
"Yes." He said. His voice deep and curt. He said nothing more.

She nodded. She disliked him already and wished Cobb would return.

"Well... I'm very pleased to meet you." She said trying to keep the conversation going. At her finishing school, she had learned how to keep a less than interesting person talking.

"Likewise." Arthur said stiffly. "Was your trip pleasant?"

"Very pleasant." Ariadne said brightly. "I greatly enjoyed my private accommodations. Thank you."

"My pleasure." Arthur said. His gaze falling to his hands.

Ariadne thought of something to say.
"There is so much construction going on in the city, I think we will scarcely recognize it in a few more years." She said trying to bait him into a conversation he might enjoy.

"Has Mr. Cobb explained to you this situation?" Arthur asked. His voice harsh and intimidating.

She blinked as if she had been struck.
"Yes." She said looking down as her gloved hands.

"He has told you that if we marry, you will be joining me on a passage to England? That we will reside in the estate house of my distant relatives? You won't see your family for a long time and you will be living with strangers?" Arthur told her.

She met his eyes for the first time. They were remarkably warm despite his angry scowl.
"Has Mr. Cobb explained to you my situation?" She asked him bravely.

The young man at her side nodded.

She shrugged.
"I have no family anymore. My mother and father want nothing to do with me. I've shamed them." She explained.

"What about the father?" Arthur asked nodding to her body.

She took a deep breath. No one had asked about Jeffery since the affair.
"We are... no longer acquainted." She whispered.

"Does he know about the baby?" Arthur asked.

"Yes."

"He's alright with you marrying another man?"

"Why shouldn't he be? He's married." Ariadne shrugged and felt herself ready to cry.

"I apologize." Arthur said. His voice anything but apologetic. "I have to get these unpleasant questions out of the way. What were are about to do is lie. Do you understand? We are about to be married by a county clerk and Mr. Cobb is going to forge the dates on or marriage licensee so it will look like we've been married for a year. This is to ensure the legitimacy of your child and my place in the entail of my late relative, Lord Bradford. I can not inherit unless I'm married and I haven't the time or ambition to do that on my own. I need to know you are committed to this arrangement and that your lover will not come back into your life demanding you come away with him. I won't have my name scandalized because of some silly school girl whim." Arthur told her. "If you are to be my wife, then you will kept yourself respectable. You will be granted a fine home and comfort for you and your child. I will not deny the baby is mine. It will look better for us if people think it is. But I will not have a wife who feels the need to... give into her... needs... outside of our marriage. If you're that kind of girl, tell me now. They're will be no hard feelings. I'll pay for trip home and a small sum for your time. You're very attractive, I'm sure you will find your way."

Arthur looked at his prospective bride like he would a business partner. Was this not a business arrangement? Didn't women seek marriage as a lasting convince? This marriage bettered her more then it would him. She would be a fool to walk away now. She would be destitute if she did.

"Excuse me." She said standing up and leaving him.

~ "What did you do?" Cobb demanded as Ariadne rushed past him.

"I explained to her as plainly as I could what she would be in for." Arthur told his friend.
"You scared her off." Cobb accused.
"Did not." Arthur bit back.

"Did so."

"Not."

"Arthur, she's a lovely girl. She knows full well what she is doing. She is agreeing to give up everything she knows, to marry some stranger." Cobb insisted.
"To save herself." Arthur remained him.
"Don't ruin this." Cobb growled. "Your grandfather was crowded out of the family. He and your grandmother were treated like poor relations all their lives. They came to America with your father to make a better life. Now, think how proud they would be of you now. Taking over Blue Rivers, a beautiful lady on your arm and more money then those snobs had ever dreamed of."

Cobb set back and allowed the image to settle over Arthur's mind.
"You don't have to love her. But you need her." Cobb said at last.

~ Ariadne washed her face in the neat little washroom. She carefully unpinned her large hat and looked over her reflection in the mirror. A worn, sad little face with eyes that were too big stared back at her.

'Who are you?' She thought looking at that reflection.

Just three months ago, she had been a happy girl at her first teaching post. She was earning her own money and felt a raw, rush of independence at the idea she could do anything now.

Her mother and father had been so proud. She had done so well at finishing school and now she was a teacher to the daughters of the richest families in Philadelphia. They felt sure she would met a suitable and rich man by merely teaching his kid sister.

However, it was her dashing fellow teacher, Jeffery, who swept her off her feet and who she gave into so easily. The heat of the moment told her what to do, and she delighted in the forbidden love they shared. They continued their affair for several weeks before she found out she was in a family way.

Her world began crumbling down around her. She hoped Jeffery would be happy about it. He seemed to love her; seemed to care for her. But the instant she told him about the baby, he wanted nothing to do with her. She never knew he was even married until she told him about the child to be.

How stupid she had been. Falling in love? What was that? She had dreamed of marriage to Jeffery. A family and home of their own. Had she loved him? Surely it wouldn't hurt so much if she hadn't loved him.

"Ariadne?" Came a knock on the ladies wash room door. It was Mr. Cobb.

"Ariadne? Are you in there?" He asked.

"A moment please, Mr. Cobb." She called out.

She didn't bother repining the stupid hat. That hat was her mother's idea. The woman had been vain to the last.

She emerged meekly from the washroom to find Mr. Cobb waiting for her. She wished for the hundredth time it was Cobb she was supposed to marry and not Arthur.

"I'm sorry if Arthur upset you." Cobb said offering her his handkerchief.

She took it gratefully.

"He just wants you to know what you're getting into. Once this is done, it can't be undone." he said.

She nodded and sniffed.

"I can tell you Arthur is good man. He never drinks and doesn't go for lose women. He's very steady. You would have a boring... but stable life with him. All you have to do is play a part. That's all. Just smile and meet his friends. Do all the things you ladies do best." Cobb said with a charming grin.

"Like?" She asked worriedly. He thought going to what Arthur might expect from her as a husband. Especially when the lights were out.

"Why, you ladies make us look good. You keep us from making a fool of ourselves." Cobb smiled. "We men, we're lost with out the fairer sex. You know that."

Ariadne had to smile at that.
"I can promise you he would never hurt you. If that's what you're worried about. He just isn't the type. If you find you truly can't stand him, you only have to see him at social engagements. You won't have to share his bed if you don't want to. You'll be in England. No one will think anything of it over there."

She sighed and nodded.

"Alright." She croaked at last.

~ The county clerk was an old man, and Ariadne suspected he might be somewhat senile. She suspected this was intentional as Cobb was quick to fill in the marriage license himself. The clerk not even looking it over as he scrawled his name. Not noticing the marriage date now said:

September 1911.

Just like that, in her dove gray traveling suit, her ridiculous hat her mother bought for her, she was a married woman.

Arthur had been gallantly holding her hand the whole of the ceremony. The 'I Dos' were terse and emotionless. Her new husband dropped her hand as soon as they were pronounced man and wife and he kissed her chastely on the cheek.

She steeled her spine and stood a little straighter. It was alright, she didn't believe in love anymore. This was a business arrangement. Arthur certainly seemed the type to honor his word. He would provided for her; for her child. That was all that she cared about.