2.
~ "Charles." Juniper said the next afternoon. "Why haven't you or Ariadne joined me for meals today? I'm all alone at the table with Phillipa and that Mr. Cobb."
Eames slumped in the uncomfortable new sofa his mother had place in Lady Percy's old parlor. The old dragon still in her rooms with her private nurse, and kept out of sight and thus out of mind.
"Mother, I was at the war office today and Ariadne had her own affairs to attend to, I'm sure." Eames said stiffly.
He didn't like to think about Ariadne too much. After their heated moment yesterday, he had left her room barely able to fight the fire that was burning in his blood for her.
Never before had he felt so badly used by a mere female. Never before had he so violated someone he loved. His actions were inexcusable and wrong. He had exposed his friend's body to his own beast like lust. Not just his friend, but the wife of his cousin not even dead two months. Apologies would never be enough.
"Not this again." Juniper groaned. "I thought we had this war matter settled."
"We settled nothing, mother. I told you I was going to war. You chose to believe what you would." Eames said bitterly.
"Oh Charles, you were always difficult." Juniper said sadly as she looked over fabric swatches.
"Mother." Eames said curtly. "Ariadne seems to think I'm a bit of a philanderer. That I've had a checkered past with regard to women."
"And?" Juniper said innocently. Pretending great interest in a paisley pattern.
"Did she get these notions from you?" he asked.
"What ideas you have, darling." Juniper said.
"Mother. My dearest friend in the world hates me because of you." Eames accused.
"Now Charles, you know that everything I said to her was nothing but the truth. You have a way with women that always gets them in trouble." Juniper said sadly. "I still have the letters from the head master about your behavior with that village girl when you were just sixteen. About the little inconvenience your father and I had to settle."
Eames felt his face burn.
"I suppose you loved the girl, no doubt." Juniper said bitterly.
"I did, mother. I did love Mary very much." Eames said.
"Then there was the legion of women in London who distracted you from your studies and drained your accounts. Your father and I sent money to pay for your frivolous parties and expensive gifts for those cheap women." Juniper added. "Then there was Evangeline. Let's not forget her. Your secret elopement with her for five days that ruined the poor girl."
"You refused to let me marry her." Eames growled.
"She was a ruined woman. A woman who ran off with a man and expected to be welcomed into our society. Your father and I had ever right to cut you off without a cent to your name after that disgrace." Juniper spat. Her eyes just as livid and mean as her sons. "Now, naturally, you've fallen in love again. Oh so conveniently, with the nice America girl who was already instilled in the house. I don't suppose you've told her about all your indiscretions; oh no. In her eyes, you're just as charming as always."
Juniper leaned in closer and hissed at him.
"Now you listen to me. You are my only child. I love you and care for you more than anything. But you will not sully your cousin's widow with your selfish desires. Why do you think I've been working so hard to get her married off and away from you? It's to protect her. To keep her from having her heart broken by a man with fickle taste and a roaming eye." she leaned closer to him. "You only love her, darling, because you can not have her. Forbidden fruit is the sweetest, but this is one prize I will not let you claim."
~ "Are you sure, missus?" Maura said as Ariadne stood on a chair and Maggie steadily pinned the hem of their mistresses new pants.
"I think they look lovely." Maggie said eagerly. "If you stand still, they flare out like a dress enough."
Ariadne smiled at her reflection in the large mirror. Maggie could work wonders with her sewing and fashioned the lady of the house pants that exposed her ankles.
"I think they're cute." Ariadne admitted as she felt much freer with the pants on then a long dress.
"But what will Lady Juniper say?" Maura worried.
"I do not care what anyone says, Maura." Ariadne said with a giggle as Maggie finished the hem. "These pants, are much more practical. I can run after Olivia all day in them. And it says something besides. It says..." Ariadne thought a moment. "It says I will not be bound my mid-evil culture and social roles. I am my own woman." she said proudly.
"Oh, missus." Maura said worriedly as Maggie started fitting her mistress with a second pair.
"Don't listen to her, your ladyship." Maggie said as she brushed a strand of red hair off her face. "With the war coming, I think all sorts of society will change."
"Exactly." Ariadne agreed.
"Is it true Lord Eames will be going to the front? The driver said he was at the war office this morning." Maggie said as Maura worried over the less than elegant wardrobe her mistress was having made.
"He went to the war office?" Ariadne asked.
Maggie nodded.
"Yes, him and our two footmen as well." Maggie said. "There was a line around the building of young men going. All eager to do their bit for the war."
"Surely Lord Eames won't go to to the fighting." Maura exclaimed. "He's a grand man with noble blood."
Maggie huffed.
"He's still a man through and through, goose." she said. "Strip him down, you'll see he's like any other man."
"Maggie." Ariadne said. A hot blush coming to her face at the thought of Mr. Eames 'stripped down'.
"Sorry your ladyship." Maggie said awkwardly.
The women were interrupted by a knock on the door. Juniper Eames let herself in with barely a whisper.
"My, my." Juniper said looking over Ariadne's new navy colored ladies slacks. "Aren't we a vision of suffragette empowerment."
"Thank you, Lady Juniper." Ariadne said and turned back to her reflection.
"I suppose we have you to thank, Maggie." Juniper said to the lovely red haired maid. "For making them."
"You do, your ladyship." Maggie said nervously.
"Maggie, I must regret to tell you that you are being dismissed." Lady Juniper said curtly.
"What?" Ariadne barked.
"There is not to be a another word about it. It's little to do with your performance and everything to do with your personal character." Juniper said as Maggie looked shocked and heart broken.
"Juniper!" Ariadne shouted and stepped down off the chair. "You will not fire any maids my husband has personally hired!"
"Child, your husband, God rest his soul, is not the lord of this house." Juniper said stoically.
"Neither are you!" Ariadne shouted and purposely bumped up against her as she raced out of the room.
She discovered a footman in the hall.
"Andrew! Where is Eames?" she shouted.
"The conservatory, madam." the footman said as the house was not used to seeing it's lady in such a rage.
"Good." Ariadne said and raced down the servants stairs to the conservatory.
She winced in pain as a lose pin poked her and she knew she must look a fright to the servants as she stormed through the kitchens; the quickest route to the conservatory.
Lady Juniper was older, but she might just try to beat Ariadne to Eames.
~ Eames was trying to type. The words failed him at every turn. He had been throwing out page after page of black type. The words just not coming. He wanted to write about a certain subject matter, but once it was on paper, the subject suddenly bored him to tears.
'Maybe mother was right.' he thought bitterly. 'I am to fickle.'
"Eames!" came a harassed cry from the entrance to the conservatory. He could sense right away that it was Ariadne. Her voice distressed beyond any he had ever heard.
"Eames!" she cried out as he stood and spotted her locking the stained glass doors to the conservatory so no one else could get in.
"So we're speaking to each other again?" he asked as she rushed to their writing table.
He was slightly distracted by her outfit. He had only ever seen pants on a woman in other countries.
"What are you wearing?" he asked as she caught her breath.
"Maggie made them." she panted.
"Well, they're adorable. Do you have a moment so I can get my camera?" he asked playfully.
"Eames, your mother wants to fire Maggie. You have to stop her. Arthur hired that poor girl himself. She has James to care for and you know the connection James has to your uncle." Ariadne panted. "Arthur wouldn't want Maggie to be fired. Please, Eames."
He looked at her for a moment.
"You think Maggie could make me a pair of pants like that? We could go out in the village and say we're twins." he said.
"Eames!" Ariadne shouted.
The stained glass doors to the conservatory jarred as someone tried to open them.
"Charles! Open this door!" Juniper shouted.
"Eames, do not let Maggie be dismissed!" Ariadne ordered at the doors held against invasion.
"Charles?" Juniper shouted through the doors.
"Eames!" Ariadne insisted.
"You ignore me all day, then only come find me over something you want." Eames snarled at her. "Why should I do anything for you?"
Ariadne's face fell.
"If Maggie is dismissed, I'll take Olivia and go back to America." Ariadne threatened.
"I'll be in his majesty's army." Eames snorted. "What do I care what you do?" he asked as Juniper tried to force open the door.
"Charles! You open this door!" she shouted.
"Eames if you were ever my friend, if I was ever more to you then an attempted conquest, you'll defend me." Ariadne said.
The two friends exchanged looks. For an irrational second, he wanted to walk away from Ariadne, this house, his mother and the entire race of female creatures.
"Damn it all to hell. Too many women in this house!" he cursed. "Never thought I would miss Arthur this much!"
His voice had taken on a low growl as he stormed to the conservatory doors and unlocked them.
"Charles!" Juniper cried as she looked wind blown.
"Mother." Eames said curtly. "You will not hire or fire any of the staff members. Is that understood? Ariadne has total say in how this house is run. You have taken over Aunt Percy's parlor, and that is where you will run you schemes from now on. Go to any party, ball or fair you like outside of this house, but do not upset the running of Blue Rivers. This is Ariadne's home now."
Juniper looked shocked.
"Charles!" she gasped.
"No more dictating how this house will be run, mother. I was very happy with the arrangements Ariadne and her late husband provided. I will grant you house room, but no extra privileges." he said.
He was about to turn back to Ariadne, back to their haven of the conservatory, when he thought of something else to say.
"Also, in the future, you will not intrude into this conservatory. The servants stay out, and so will you. I know you want to run this house again. Forbid fruit is always to sweetest." he growled.