8.

~ Ariadne sulked as Rosalyn Chase held and clumsily coddled Charlie. The baby was at the enjoyable age now where he could smile and respond to his world. He was trying to stand on Rosalyn's lap and didn't like it when anyone but his mother or nanny held him.

"Oh, he's lovely." Rosalyn decided smiling sweetly at Charlie.

Ariadne managed a weak smile. She wasn't sure what to do with herself after the unpleasantness of last night. Her bottom still hurting from Arthur's whipping. Her pride more than anything, sorely abused.

"I wish my boys were this age again. I loved those moments when nanny brought them to me. All clean and rested. Then we would have company and I would show them off. If they grew bothersome, I just handed them back to nanny!" Rosalyn laughed. "Motherhood is so taxing."

Ariadne couldn't see this woman having four boys and a girl. The boys were all at boarding school now. Had been shipped away at the age of five or six. An age when, according to polite society, the male child mustn't be coddled too much by women, but made ready for the world.

"Was it hard sending the boys away? Seeing them only for Christmas and summer holidays?" Ariadne asked. She couldn't imagine not seeing Charlie, funny ears and all, everyday.

"Not at all." Rosalyn laughed. "I had enough to deal with. What with running the home, attending to ladies meetings. I was relived to send them off. You will be to, when the time comes."

"I don't think Arthur and I will send Charlie off." Ariadne said and reached for her baby.

Rosalyn Chase wasn't a friend of her own choosing. Their husbands worked together and Arthur approved of her spending time with a woman like Rosalyn. A woman who had children, who ran a very fine home. Who made her husband look good, and bore him four rowdy boys who would one day run the world.

In short, Rosalyn was meant to be Ariadne's role model.

Ariadne looked at the middle aged woman, as she handed Charlie back. She wasn't terrible nurturing, and hadn't seen her children in months. Yet, she was always going Ariadne advice about Charlie to the point where the young mother was fit to scream.

"I think Arthur will have Charlie to go to his former school. It's where he and Reggie first met. Where my own boys are now." Rosalyn informed her as she smoothed down her skirts. Careful that the baby, clean or not, hadn't messed anything up.

"I don't think-" Ariadne started to argue.

"And where was it you said you went to finishing school, dear?" Rosalyn asked lightly. A knowing tone of mockery in her eyes.

Ariadne knew exactly what she was driving at. Rosalyn had attended a very refined girls finishing school that put her in the path of eligible bachelors with means. She was accomplished at needle work, water colors, piano, the harp, singing, dancing, most modern languages and romantic literature. Ariadne had, reluctantly, attended a less cultured school in the city. She was taught the civil arts of being female, but couldn't claim the same education as her new peer group.

"See, it is important we get our children off on the right foot." Rosalyn said. "What, with the world changing as it is. Immigrants with their filthy ways and all. Taking over the public schools that we pay for. Creating a gutter class that is living so close to our own. It's disgusting to think my own son's might bring home some Irish girl or worse." she shook her head in worry. "That's why we have to educate them now. Send them to the right schools, to the right universities, set them to meet the right kind of girl, the right connections. You don't want Charlie here to slave away in some book keeping office supporting a loud mouth Irish whore with a litter of crying brats at home do you?"

Ariadne shifted uncomfortably. She didn't like it when Rosalyn spoke like this. The woman was so devoutly opposed to immigration and suffrage, that Ariadne always felt out numbered somehow.

"So, you must listen to Arthur when he talks about schooling for your own little prince. He must be sent to a proper school. One where he will be around his own class. Where the teachers and head masters will keep him disciplined. You and I, all mothers in fact, are too soft hearted with our children. That's why it's best to have them raised by professionals. Make them ready to lead the world." The older woman added with a smile of affection.

"What about Julia?" Ariadne asked weakly. She clutched Charlie tighter. "Your daughter?"

"Well, she's to be taught at home till she's ready to go to finishing school." Rosalyn laughed. "Girls are different. They need to be coddled and protected at home. Kept away from the influence of others until they are older."

"And what if some finishing school makes Julia join the suffrage movement?" Ariadne challenged. "Like you said; the world is changing. What if one of your sons marries and Irish woman who believes in suffrage? What if your new daughters in law are actually educated in the world?"

Ariadne tried not to shiver as Rosalyn cast her an icy glare.

"What will you talk about then?" she asked as Charlie squirmed happily. The baby unaware of the cold change of subject.

~ Arthur came home right on time as always. He shook off his coat, put his hat on the entry hall mantle, and looked over the mail there. He was pleased to see no new letters for Ariadne. Perhaps she had gone through the post before he got home. He would have to speak to Mrs. Marsh.

For now, he was more troubled about what Reggie Chase had said at the club that afternoon. Apparently, Rosalyn had come to the office and expressed how she didn't want Ariadne to come to her home anymore. Reggie, good man that he was, laughed it off.

"Women. Never sensible. You'll see, they'll work it out and be plotting against us in a few days. Just like there're are supposed to. I suppose they had some silly disagreement over… over… baby things and such. You know, the kind of thing women are always talking about. I'm rather glad my Rosalyn has me sleeping in the other rooms these days. No more children and no more headaches. Except for my little Julia, of course. I think I'll keep her at home forever. Never let her get married. She's only eight of course, but already planning her wedding. She told me just the other day she wanted violets in her veil. I can't tell you how pleased I was. My little angel with a pillow slip on her head, instructing me how I'm to give her away."

Reggie smiled sadly.

"Will break my heart when the day finally comes. My Julia going away with some scoundrel. Come now, let's have a drink, play a hand before we have to go home to the women."

Arthur liked Reggie. He was a simple man who wasn't ready to judge like the other men at the club.

"Reggie, if you'll be discreet about the disagreement my wife had with yours." Arthur said quietly as he spied the older men at another table. Rumors about Ariadne, he arrest last year, her radical views, were things that were still whispered about.

"Of course, sir." Reggie laughed. "If you'll keep quite about the cow my wife can be. I can't tell you how ready I am to be dead and shut of her completely."

Now at home, he heard Charlie in the sitting room. The baby noises, the sounds of toys being knocked around. His wife's voice, happy as she played with her son.

"Charlie, knocking over all your blocks!" she teased the boy as he sat in front of her. The wooden blocks scattered around him. His arms pumping happily as though he had done something remarkable.

He watched them for several seconds. Ariadne, unaware that she was being observed. Or so he thought.

"How was your day?" she asked, her back to him. No doubt she had heard him come in.

"It was very nice. Till Mrs. Chase visited." Arthur said.
"Oh? That didn't take long." Ariadne said ideally.

"Yes, something abut her sons marrying whores and becoming a member of the petticoat party. Being whipped by women in some obscene gender reversal." Arthur sighed as he sat in his chair and watched Charlie try to chew one of his wooden blocks.
"I said no such thing. That vial woman blew it out of proportion." Ariadne said.

"Well, Reggie laughed it off. Only because he agrees she's vial." Arthur told her.

Ariadne was quite.

Arthur was quite.

Charlie gave out a cry that insisted his parents pay attention to him.

"Rosalyn says you'll send Charlie to boarding school." Ariadne said at last.

"I think right now he's a little young." Arthur told her. "Not even talking yet."

"Arthur, don't tease." Ariadne snapped.

She turned and looked at her husband. Her eyes, so large and bright with intelligence and feeling, he felt calmer.

"Is it true you plan to ship him off to some course school where he'll be whipped by brutal teachers? Made to learn latin and bullied by rich sons of privilege till he's no better than those horrible men in congress?" she asked.

"For your information, my dear." Arthur sighed. "I really haven't given much thought to his education."

She turned away from him.
"But yes, I would like him to go to my old school. It's a top rate institution-"

"Institution." Ariadne huffed. "That's it precisely."

Arthur looked at his hands.

"I don't want to talk about something that is years away." he said at last.

She took Charlie's block away from him and said nothing.

"I want to talk about last night." he said at last.