5.

~ "A Mr. Fredrick Hays, Madam." Miles said an hour or so after Cobb left. Eames had taken Phillipa on a long walk outside to play with the camera. The sun had come out and the it chased the coldness away for a little while.
"Fredrick!" Ariadne said with a smile as she tried to behave normally. She wasn't used to having visitors and Fredrick Hays made her feel more nervous than Cobb or Juniper when he came to call.

Her new acquaintance followed Miles into the conservatory; holding onto his hand was a small boy with his father's blue eyes.
"So nice to see you again, Ariadne." Fredrick said and she gasped at his new appearance.
"You shaved your mustache off!" she cried in shock.
Fredrick laughed and ran his hand over his shaved lip.
"I did." he admitted. "I got it into my head that it was time for a change. What do you think?"

"It looks very becoming." Ariadne said truthfully.

Fredrick no longer looked like just another face in the crowd at a ball. A place where every man had some well groomed facial hair. He now looked very dashing with his cleanly shaven face, sharp blue eyes and smoothed back hair.

"You're not just saying that?" he asked.
"Not at all, sir." she said and knelt down to see the boy. "You must be Harold."

The child ducked away from her and hid behind his father.
"You'll have to forgive him, Ariadne." Fredrick said sadly. "He's not at all accustomed to being around pretty ladies."

"Well, in that case, he's forgiven." Ariadne said with a laugh as Harold peeked out at her. "Maura is bringing Olivia in from her nap and I'll ring for some tea."

"That sounds lovely." Fredrick said.

~ "So, when my uncle offered to pay for my schooling and position with his firm, who was I to object?" Fredrick explained as Olivia watched Harold play with wooden blocks on the floor of the conservatory.

The little girl was fascinated by a child so close to her own age and observed him as if he were a very interesting species she didn't want to disturb.

"I would think it would be very boring, nothing but paper work all day." Ariadne asked as they watched the two children from the lounge area.
"It can be. But it's good to feel useful to my clients. It's always good to have a lawyer. I understand your late husband had factories in America. I bet that was more exciting." Fredrick said.

"I knew very little of his work. It was something he kept to himself. He was very good at what he did, very smart about his investments." Ariadne said sadly as she watched Olivia take one of the blocks. The little boy gently taking it from her and putting it at the top of the tower he made.

"I heard about the phone hub. You must have been very proud of him." Fredrick said as they watched their children play.
"I am very proud of him." she said absentmindedly.

She turned to her new friend and caught her breath. He was always looking at her right in the eye again. It was maddening how intimate it was. As though they were making love instead of just talking.
"Fredrick, I need to be honest with you." she said softly.
"I encourage in." he said and set his tea cup down.
"My late husband's estate... you see it's apart of an entail. Arthur's money, factories, the phone hub, everything... was entailed away from Olivia and I when he died. It was all grouped together as apart of Blue River's estate and now my husband's distant cousin, Mr. Eames is the heir. Olivia and I have nothing, not even life insurance. We're living here under the good graces of Eames. He may turn us out when he please, although I don't believe he ever would." she said and avoided Fredrick's eyes.
"Ariadne." he said softly.

"So, if your purpose in coming here is to court me with intentions towards some kind of marriage to a woman with a lot of money, I'm sorry to disappoint you." she said sadly.
"Ariadne."

"I know I'm most likely jumping to conclusions, but I want to be honest and tell you the truth from the start. So as not to lead you on." she finished.

"Ariadne?" he asked and she was forced to look him in the eyes again.
Fredrick gave her a little smile.
"Everyone in the county knows of your situation. No one believes Mr. Eames would cast you or the child out. He's not the sort. I didn't come her to court you with the hopes of marrying into a gold mine. I did, however come here with designs to court you with the purpose of matrimony." he said.
"Oh." she breathed feeling stupid.

"I realize your husband has just recently passed away. But with the war coming on us, I see no reason to wait. I'm lonely for a wife, I make a modest living, I have my own home in Town with a private cook, housekeeper and driver. I haven't the need for more. It's not as grand as Blue Rivers. But it does need a mistress." he said and loosened his collar.
"I hate to sound like this is a business arrangement, but I have excellent prospects as a partner for you. I feel I have a good humor, I can provide well for our family. Nothing as lavish as what you're used to, but you will have your own home with no worries of some silly entail leaving you or Olivia homeless." he said and Ariadne felt her face go hot.

Fredrick cleared his throat.
"I'm not ready to extend you an offer just yet, more time is needed for that. There is also the matter of your late husband so recently passed. All these things take time in our society." he said at last.

Ariadne was breathing hard and watching her daughter play with the quite little boy. She hardly knew Fredrick, but she liked him. She had never been properly courted by a man before. Jeffery had insisted on secrecy, and Arthur hadn't courted her at all before they were wed. She liked the idea of a man coming to romance her. Exactly the way she always hoped.

"Mr. Hays, I... I would very much like to see you exclusively. I don't see any reason why we have to wait any longer than necessary. My husband is gone and he would have wanted me to find happiness. I don't wear mourning dresses anymore, and I am a free agent who can speak for herself." she told him.
"Yes, I forgot to mention that I really like the pants." Fredrick said as he looked down at her modern wardrobe.

"I have to chase after that little girl of mine, I can't be tied down!" Ariadne said and smoothed out the fabric as if it was a skirt.

"You're a modern woman then?" he asked with an amused smile.
"Very." she told him. "When women get the vote, I'll be the first in line."

"My Aunt lives in Ireland. She talks just like that sometimes. She's a very modern woman herself." Fredrick said.
"I would like to meet her." Ariadne said happily.
"Perhaps during the holidays, you and Olivia can come and stay with us in Town." Fredrick offered.

"I would like that." Ariadne said and the turned their attention back to the children.

Harold was giving Olivia a block and, full of childhood innocence, the little boy leaned over and kissed the girl on the cheek. Olivia scowled at him and swatted him away.
Ariadne gasped and tried not to laugh.
"I have no idea where he learned that." Fredrick said and pretended great interest in his cup of tea as Ariadne fought a wave of giggles.

All this writing about Mr. Eames doing some sexy things, it has me craving some Tom Hardy. So, I bought the movie "Lawless" and got my fix.