5.
~ July 29th, 1914 ~
~ Blue Rivers ~
~ "Maybe I should go back to America." Ariadne said that morning as she and Eames hid from the rest of the world in their conservatory.
Her friend was scowling over the large print banner headline of the morning paper. A deep crease setting over his brow at the recent news.
WAR DECLARED IN EUROPE
Eames looked up at her. The past few days had been too busy for him to shave properly and he looked ruggedly unkempt.
"What, and leave me?" he asked is disbelief.
She hung her head as her friend stared at her.
'I wish Arthur was here. He would know just what to do. He always knew what to do.' she thought and then felt guilty.
"What would you do in America? Where would you go?" he asked as he handed her the paper that proclaimed the news of war.
"I... I was thinking of writing mother. Maybe, now that I'm a widow, and with the war, she would take Olivia and myself in." Ariadne said.
She failed to hide the loathing in her voice at the idea.
"Ariadne." Eames said with a deep sigh. "The same woman who called you a whore, left you destitute and forced you to marry a total stranger? That's who you want to reconcile and go live with again?"
"Eames, this country is at war." Ariadne said as she scanned over the politics she admittedly didn't understand.
"This country has been at war before." he told her.
"Not like this." she argued.
"So, you would leave me? Take Olivia and leave me alone with mother, Phillipa and Aunt Percy? Just have me be on my own?" he accused.
"Eames, it wouldn't be like that." she told him.
"I intend to join up." he announced suddenly. "As an officer; I intend to go to war."
She looked at him as if she didn't understand right away.
"I thought you just wanted to photograph the war if it comes. Report on it for the magazines." she said in shock.
Eames shook his head and glared at her.
"My country is at war. I have the chance to prove to you-" he cut himself off and looked at his hands. "To prove to everyone I'm not just some spoiled playboy who no serious woman would want."
"No one thinks that." Ariadne said.
He gave her a humorless smile.
"I've never given anyone reason to take me seriously. I'm not Arthur. I've never built anything or done anything heroic in my life." he told her sadly.
"So the solution is to run off to war and get killed?" she asked
"I'll be an officer." he promised. "They tend to live."
"Eames, you don't have to do this. You're the only son of a respectable family. You can find war work here at Blue Rivers." Ariadne said.
Eames shook his head.
"My place is on the battle field." he told her.
"Arthur wouldn't have joined up." Ariadne said suddenly. "If that's what your thinking."
Eames looked at her coldly.
"He had no plans to involve us in any war. He wanted to protect his family by keeping us safe. Now, you want to leave us?" she accused.
He gave a little shrug.
"You wanted to leave me first, darling." he said waspishly.
~ "The war changes little, Charles." Juniper said as the two footmen finally got around to removing Lady Percy's large portrait from over the mantle in her former parlor.
"You really taking that down?" Eames asked at the portrait uncovered a large clean spot in the wallpaper.
Lady Juniper sighed.
"I'll have to re-paper everything." she said hatefully.
"Mother." Eames said.
She turned to her son.
"Charles, the war doesn't excuse the fact you need to find a wife, and soon. You are middle aged already and even with your heritage and advantages, it will be difficult finding you a suitable partner. She will need to be young enough to provide the family with an heir and mature enough to become lady of this house." Juniper explained as Mal brought out wall paper samples.
"Mother, I've already explained to you I don't want to marry one of those silly society girls." Eames said darkly as they seemed to be having this conversation with the servants around.
"This one." Juniper said pointing to a brightly colored print of yellow and pink roses.
She turned on her son like a wild animal.
"Charles, you will listen to me. I do not care what you want. You will attend the summer party at the Gardeners and you will meet the seasons debutants. Many of whom have made the trip from Town especially to meet you. You will get married before the year is out and as for this talk of going to war, that will not happen. You are hardly the man your father was. You were always a troublesome, ill behaved boy who's reputation with women serves us a great hindrance. Money and position have mended those handicaps and you will take advantage."
She stood up stiffly as her son looked away from her.
"Charles, I'm not a fool. I know you have feelings for Ariadne." she said more gently.
He looked at his mother in mild surprise.
Juniper shrugged.
"Darling boy, you are not the man for her and she is not the woman for you. You need a strong wife. A woman who can run this house, keep everything above scandal and make you and this family respectable again. Ariadne is not that girl." his mother said softly "You have told me how head strong she can be. That is not who we need in this house."
"What happened to you, mother?" he asked. "You used to be just like Ariadne. You gave up you inheritance to marry a poor newspaper man because you were in love."
Juniper rolled her eyes.
"Yes, and we lived for years in poverty before you born. I lost two children because of how we lived and when the family took us back it was a relief." she snapped. "I loved your father. But a marriage based on loved alone is not enough. Ariadne is still a foolish girl. You need someone sensible, darling." she cooed.
Juniper ran a hand over her sons collar and straitened his tie.
"I promised you, I will find a good match for her. Someone who will keep her in check and provide for her. If you two matched up, you would both be running around in your own fantasy worlds. You know that." Juniper said gently.
Eames found himself nodding. His mother's voice almost seductive as he couldn't deny what she said.
"Mother, I'll meet some silly girls if you want. If Ariadne wishes to re-marry, I won't stand in her way. But I'll marry whom I choose, when I choose, ifI choose, and I'm going to war." he said and pulled away from his mother's claw like hands.
He was about to leave the parlor, before turning around.
"I am lord of this house, am I not?" he asked her.
~ "Where's Olivia?" Ariadne said with a laugh as she pretended to search for the baby hiding behind a large potted plant.
It was a cheerful summer day, despite news of war, the weather was too perfect not to enjoy it. The grounds keepers had thrown open the large doors to the conservatory and were replanting some of the late summer flowers.
The conservatory was suddenly filled with fresh air and the rotation of new plants as Olivia decided to play hide and seek.
"Olivia?" Ariadne called as her daughter hid her face behind a large green leaf. Innocently thinking this hid all of her.
"Where's my Olivia?" Ariadne called and pretended not to see her.
The baby let out a giggle as she threw the plant leaf aside and her mother gasped at the sudden appearance.
"There she is!" Ariadne called and the baby laughed harder and hid behind the plant leaf again.
"Oh no! Where did Olivia go?" Ariadne asked loudly. "I don't see her anywhere!"
The baby was giggling uncontrollably when they were interrupted by Juniper.
"They are so much fun when they are that age." she said and Ariadne felt her heart jump.
Once more, she wasn't used to the invasion of an outsider into her world. The conservatory was sacred for her and Eames alone. Sometimes Phillipa and Olivia would come, but only if they were invited. No one ever intruded into their haven without permission.
"Juniper." Ariadne said as Olivia was still wanting to play hide a seek with a partner no longer interested.
"I just wanted to see how you're getting on, dear." Juniper said. "I'm sure all this talk of war must be stressful right after your loss."
"Oh." Ariadne said pulling herself off the floor of the conservatory and dusting her dress off. How silly she must look just now. Sitting on the brick floor of the conservatory playing with her baby.
"I'm fine." Ariadne said smoothing out her hair. "I suppose Eames has told you about his plans."
"Charles will change his mind, darling. He gets excited about one idea and then abandons them when something else catches his eye. He's really just a boy pretending to be a man. That's what I came to talk to you about." Juniper explained as they sat on the lounge.
Ariadne felt that same uneasy feeling she had when Mrs. Abbot or Lady Percy was about to do something awful.
"Charles isn't like your late husband, darling." Juniper started to say. "He's not practical or particularly hard working. He does what he wants and has never cared about the consequences."
Ariadne said nothing as Olivia tried to catch her interest with the leaf.
"Now up until now, his previous behavior and indiscretions, have not been a problem. He wasn't in line for the title, and he was single. But all of that changed with Arthur's passing. Now, he must behave like a man." Juniper went on. "I know part of it is my fault, all the trouble he got in with women over the years."
"Trouble?" Ariadne asked taking the bait so readily.
"Oh yes." Juniper gave an exhausted sigh. "I used to receive letters and telegrams from his school, not to mention the parents of the girls he had deflowered. I know young men like to sow their wild oats so to speak, but our family has had to pay off quite a few of Charles little love affairs that ended with a girl in trouble."
Ariadne sat up.
"Eames got a girl in trouble. She had his baby?" Ariadne asked.
Juniper gave an indifferent shrug.
"More than one, if truth be known. Monstrous I know, but that needs to be in his past. No matter how many children he may have fathered with maids and school girls, he needs a proper wife. One who will control him and give him a legitimate heir." Juniper said.
She looked at Ariadne adoringly.
"Now, you are a lovely girl. The two of you are very good friends. But as a couple, you can see how it won't work, darling. You need another husband like your dear Arthur. A man who is steady, who will take you by the hand and keep you from straying off the path of being a good wife and mother. Arthur was an excellent match for you. I will try and find another man like him to fill that void. You're so very lovely and you have a beautiful little girl. I can find you a husband who will suit." Juniper said imploringly.
Ariadne pulled away as Juniper looked humble and oh so helpful.
"Your match is not my son, Ariadne. You can do much better. He is a lustful man who will satisfy you in bed surely, but who will run around with the maid the next day and one of your friends the day after that. Men like him are not loyal. You know that." Juniper added as Ariadne hid her tears.