36.
~ The stylish young woman in the the gray tweed suit could be no one but Arthur's older sister. Beth was tall and lean like Arthur. She had that same careful style of dress the major possessed and she carried herself so easily that Ariadne felt frumpy and sloppy by comparison.
Ariadne tried to smooth out her hair, her wrinkled brown dress, at seeing this girl who looked like she stepped out of a magazine. Beth could have shared the screen with Ingrid Bergman and stolen the show with her grace and beauty.
"Are you Ariadne?" The stylish woman asked the senior nurse. A curious smile on her face.
Ariadne nodded and looked worriedly at the woman in her well fitted tweed suit. Her rich jewelry and even make up. Make up. In war time!
"I'm Elizabeth. But everyone calls me Beth. I'm so very pleased to meet you. We are so glad you have come home at last." The stylish woman said and Ariadne felt the tightness in her chest loosen.
Beth asked if Ariadne wanted to freshen up in the bathroom while she sent a telegram to Arthur.
"I want my brother to know you have arrived safely. He was born to worry." Beth laughed.
Ariadne realized she must look awful. Four days on that slow boat across the Atlantic hadn't made her look or smell good. Beth was no doubt being polite.
~ Beth didn't ask anything personal, to which Ariadne was grateful. She kept her questions very general.
"How was the trip? Goodness! Is this all the luggage you have? I wish I could travel so light."
The stylish woman wanted to know about Paris, but not about the occupation. She no doubt thought things had continued the same after the invasion.
"I would love to go back to Europe. After all this craziness is over of course." Beth said. "You must tell cook what kinds of food you enjoy." the stylish woman told her. "I want my new sister to feel at home."
Ariadne said very little as Beth did most of the talking.
The women were taken by a privet car out of the docks. Ariadne was surprised. She had suspected Arthur's family had money. Her Major only hinting at it. Speaking of his childhood privileges in a natural way. But she had no idea. The Rolls Royce that sat in the dirty ship yard was guarded by a privet driver and gleamed brightly with it's newness.
"Home, Drew." Beth said lazily.
Ariadne had never seen leather seating in a car before and had only ridden in a privet car half a dozen times. Including her outing with Arthur in the jeep. The Family had just gotten the big black car a year before the invasion and still they didn't use it much. Her uncle preferring to walk or bike.
"Now, when we get home, I'll show you to your room. I have no doubt you are exhausted after your long trip." Beth said taking off her dove gray gloves that matched her hat. The cabin of the car protecting them from the cold winter chill.
"Last summer, I was on a fund raising tour with some girlfriends, for the war effort you know. I was so exhausted when I got home, all I wanted to do was sleep. Well, mother has a huge welcome home party waiting for me. I swear, I had to stay awake all night talking and keeping people entertained." Beth sighed at the memory. "You would think my mother, queen of high morals and manners, would know better."
Ariadne smiled. She knew Beth meant well, but it was a little hard to feel sorry for a girl like her.
"So, was Paris pleasant when you lived there? Was London pleasant? Was the trip pleasant?" Beth asked.
Ariadne felt herself relax some as she was grateful Beth didn't bombard her with questions about the rapid courtship and marriage to Arthur.
~ Ariadne had been glued to her window during the short ride into the city. All the people were so strange and different looking in New York. She had to bite her lip to keep from asking Beth to stop the car so she could get a better look at the people she had only ever read about.
"Wait till the war is over. The city won't be so empty." Beth assured her.
She was feeling tired and ready for a hot bath and sleep as the car drove the two women out of the city.
"You don't... I thought you lived in New York." Ariadne asked as the city melted away into country side.
"We live up state, Dear." Beth said casually. Ariadne looked out at the rolling hills and watched the homes turn very elegant. Sitting on large plots of land and well tended gardens. Finally, they arrived at a stunning brick home with a long gated drive.
"You live here?" Ariadne gasped. Her Aunt's fine home looked much less impressive compared to this place.
"Be it ever so humble." Beth sighed. "Father had this built for Mother, as a wedding present. They like to live simple and managed without too many servants. We didn't want to be one of those families who always had to worry about staff under foot. That means there is only a cook, a driver and two maids. All of them leave after 8'clock."
Beth's casual attitude stunned Ariadne. It was as if Beth thought of herself as lower class because the staff didn't live in the house.
~ Ariadne had to use her cane to get out of the car.
"I'm sorry, I keep forgetting your leg is broken. Arthur telegraphed me about it. Those bombs sound horrible! Mother and I used to listen to the BBC and whenever I did my fund raising, I like to tell people that while they are safe at home with the lights on, there are decent people in London without power or water. All because they are brave enough to stand up to Hitler." Beth said in an obviously well practiced speech.
Ariadne tried to smile but failed. Compared to this place, London and Paris were worlds away. The lights shown brightly here in new York. The lifts and plumbing all worked. There were cars and food everywhere. It was as if Manhattan existed in some beautiful future.
"I hope you think of this place as your home." Beth said once they were inside the grand home.
Ariadne looking at all the art work and cherry wood paneling. Her sprites feeling sadder and sadder at the thought she might not be good enough for Arthur in these people's eyes.
Her father-in-law had bought this house as a simple wedding present. All Arthur could give her was a bar of chocolate instead of an engagement ring.
"Mother will take some getting used to, but she grows on you." The stylish woman looked annoyed suddenly. "Like a fungus." She added sarcastically.
"What about your dad?" Ariadne asked brightly. Arthur always talked about his dad fondly. Always said Adam had been his favorite parent.
Beth took in a deep breath and Ariadne felt she had touched something she shouldn't have.
"Dad, passed away. It happened in August." The pretty socialite said.
"Oh." Ariadne gasped in horror. "Arthur didn't tell me."
"It's because he doesn't know." Beth said sharply. "It's the one thing mother and I do agree on. Arthur can't know until he's home. We think it would upset him too much. He has a job to do over there and that's what he needs to stay focused on." Beth said.
A stubborn bravery coming out in the well dressed young woman that Ariadne had seen in Arthur many times.
"I understand." Ariadne whispered. "How did it happen?"
Beth shrugged sadly.
"After Jacob, he was so depressed. He wouldn't eat. Wouldn't talk to anyone. He sat in front room looking at their pictures." Beth said nodding to a room to her right.
Ariadne had never seen a room so nicely decorated. It was dazzlingly beautiful. It's walls were lined with rich, tasteful wall paper. The furniture was nicer then even her Aunts had been.
"That's David and Jacob." Beth said nodding to the large marble fireplace. On the oak mantel were four large photographs. Each in their own silver frame.
Ariadne walked with her cane to inspect them and felt her lips bloom into a smile. They were obviously photographs of the four grown children of the house. The two oldest boys in uniform, Beth looking glamorously casual and finally, Arthur.
Arthur looked so much younger in this picture. He had just finished officer's candidate school and he looked so wide eyed and innocent. Not at all the warrior she had come to know.
The other two young men were obviously his brothers. They could be no one else. The family resemblance so strong that Ariadne had to look closely to make sure that the carefree the Naval officer wasn't really her husband. That the handsome pilot wasn't really her handsome Major. The older bother's had a black ribbon tied to their frames. A sign that they had passed away and the family was holding onto grief.
"Arthur looks like his brothers." Ariadne told Beth as she looked at the young men. Dead and gone from this world
"Really?" Beth laughed.
Ariadne could see why Beth didn't believe her. Arthur looked so youthful and almost childlike in his picture. A boy only playing soldier.
"I guess the war changed him." Beth shrugged.
Ariadne looked at her new sister-in-law. Beth seemed to very open and honest. She wasn't the type to hide behind a wall of self imposed strength like Arthur, or be cold to her like the Aunt was. Beth promised to always be honest and direct. Even if it was to a fault.
"When Arthur was a baby, my friends and I used to dress him up like a girl." Beth said casually. As though Arthur could never be anything more then her baby brother.
Ariadne laughed at the precious memories this broken family still had. Still held onto despite a war that had hurt them so badly.