2.

~ Ariadne fully expected Eames to chase her down and pull her kicking and screaming back to Blue Rivers. But she and Maura managed their escape to London before anyone noticed they were even gone.

They arrived at a second class hotel before nightfall and, in the morning, and were boarded on the war relief vessel that was allowed to transfer passengers, but mainly was used for war work.
"Big ship!" Harold exclaimed as they walked the deck with the crowds of other passengers.

"Missus, are you sure you want to leave without notice?" Maura asked as the children were delighted with the change of scenery. "Mr. Eames will be very upset."

"I hope he is, Maura." Ariadne scolded. "Eames left us all the time and no one said a word. Why can't I?"

~ It wasn't an easy voyage. It lasted several days and wasn't as luxurious as the Mauritania had been. The four of them were regulated to second class rooms and spartan eating halls. The other passengers were rough people and Ariadne wasn't used to the vulgarity or their common ways. She enjoyed defending the poor, the sick and the destitute, but to be in their company made her realize just how sheltered she had always been.

Arthur had always kept her in an overly indulged lifestyle. It was easy to talk about the suffering of others when she didn't have to see it or smell it in the close quarters and shared bathrooms.

Olivia and Harold became sea sick and Maura and Ariadne had the job of caring for two angry young children who didn't enjoy the big ship as much anymore. They couldn't play outside and there were no other children to be found. The sudden and traumatic parting from the only home they knew was exciting at first, but when they realized they were not going back to Blue Rivers, they soon became restless and irritable.

'I'll make it up to them.' Ariadne promised herself as she tucked her little girl in. 'I'll give them both a real home and all of us will be happy.'

Her plans for America were simple: she would buy a house and raise these children on her own. She had money from Fredrick's estate, as well as the generous monthly allowance from Arthur's estate. She could more then afford to buy a modest home and keep Maura on as a housekeeper. Marriage had been profitable to her and she didn't need a husband now. She didn't need to marry someone to save herself.

She would no longer be a convenient wife.

"Good night, Olivia." Ariadne said and kissed her daughter.

"Daddy!" Olivia shirked and held out her arms. She scowled at her mother as if she had committed a great sin.

"Olivia..." Ariadne let out a sigh.

"Daddy." Olivia cried again as if asking for a favorite toy.

Ariadne rolled her eyes and riffled through her traveling trunk.

Arthur's handsome picture was carefully protected in the wrap that he had given Ariadne their first night on Mauritania.

She looked as his handsome face, his well tailored suit she had laid out for him that day. She had always laid out his clothes for him, and missed the job more then anything else.

She had taken this photograph herself. Of her Convenient husband in his library at Blue Rivers. He was sitting at his desk. His chin in his hand and smirking at her as she insisted on taking the picture.

~ "You're not better than Mr. Eames, Madam." he said as she clicked the shutter and captured his image. "With all your picture taking."

"I want to remember you while you're still young and handsome." she teased as the new baby, Olivia, slept peacefully in the bassinet.

"I'll be young and handsome a bit longer." he said and tried to go back to his work.

"I doubt it, dear." she told him, and lazily sat in his lap. Interrupting his writing the way a pretentious house cat would. "Not with the way you stress over things."

"It won't age me overnight, madam." he said darkly.

But a faint hint of a smile flashing on his face.
"I wouldn't say that." she said looking over his head as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're starting to get a few gray hairs already."

"I am not!" Arthur laughed.
"Starting to go a little bald to." she added thoughtfully.

"No it's not." he said sternly as his hand wandered up to his scalp and gently smoothed out his slicked back hair.

Ariadne tried not to giggle as she cuddled into his chest.

"So, Lord Bradford, do you have plans tonight?" she whispered.

Her face flushed red at the implication.

Arthur pretended to look over his schedule as he kept her slight body balanced on his lap.

"Let's see, madam. I'm to meet with my mistress later this week, looks like I'm booked full." he perpetrated deep concentration and she fought the urge to kiss him.

"I suppose I could stop by your rooms briefly tonight. I can't promise to stay long." he told her as she stopped resisting and kissed his lips passionately.
"Arthur, I love you." she whispered as he was kissing her back so perfectly, their lips barely separated for breath.

"I love you to." he whispered. "Don't worry, darling, we'll have our baby. I promise." he said.

~ Ariadne blinked and the memory faded away. It came into her mind like smoke and enveloped her. Then it was gone like someone had doused her with cold water.

"Mommy, you're crying." Olivia said sadly.

"It's nothing, dearest." Ariadne sighed. "Here, give daddy a kiss goodnight."

The little girl, Arthur's daughter since the day she was born, smiled and kissed his framed picture.
"I love you, Daddy." Olivia said and pointed to the little shelf in beside her bed.

"Put Daddy there!" she ordered and Ariadne place Arthur's large picture beside his daughter's bed so he could watch her sleeping.

"Good night, Olivia." Ariadne whispered and kissed her precious child once more.

~ "Maura, will you look at this!" Ariadne exclaimed one morning a day before they would arrive in New York. She was reading over the newspapers from America and couldn't believe it. News of rioting and worker abuse in Arthur's factories.

"What does it mean, Missus?" Maura asked.
"It means, whom ever is running my late husbands factories, is doing a poor job." Ariadne fumed as Maura brought her tea. "I'll have to speak with Mr. Cobb as soon as we land in New York. Arthur would never have allowed this to happen to his empire."

~ New York ~

~ Cobb was waiting for the trans Atlantic steamer to come into port. He couldn't wait to see Ariadne again. Arthur had no idea his wife would be coming home and Cobb was looking forward to have them 'accidentally' meet at his house for dinner.

He watched as two women left the passenger hold with two children. Ariadne was still dressed in slacks, her ladies maid, Maura, in the sensible black dress of service.

"Cobb." Ariadne sighed as she gave her old friend a hug. "It's so good to be back home." she whispered.

"Glad to see you to." Cobb said back as he tried to hold Olivia and the toddler cried and pulled hard on her mother's hand.

"Olivia and Harold had a rough voyage." Ariadne explained. "I was hoping to put them both down for a nap soon."

"Of course." Cobb said and took them to his car.

~ "I see you've bought one of Mr. Ford's cars as well." Ariadne said as he drove them past the docks and towards his home upstate.

Cobb bit his lip to keep from talking. Arthur had given him and Mal this car after they had taken him in for several months to recover after it was found out he was still alive.
"Arthur would have loved this car." Ariadne observed as she ran a hand over the well trimmed seats.

"Yes." Cobb said noncommittally. "How is Eames? You mentioned he had joined the Army when last we spoke."

"He's back home at Blue Rivers." Ariadne sighed. "He was injured and discharged, but he'll be alright."

"Well, that's very good to hear." Cobb said brightly.
"I suppose." Ariadne sighed. "I'd rather not talk about Mr. Eames just now."

"Alright." Cobb said. "I'm having a guest come over for dinner I want you to meet."

"Cobb, I really don't want to meet anyone just now." Ariadne sighed. "It's been a long few days, the children were sea sick and I've been read distressing things about Arthur's factories. Who's running them now?"

"I understand. I'm not... well I explain about the factories over dinner with our guest. It's no one important." Cobb insisted. "Just an old friend of mine."

"Cobb, my husband just died. I'm a widow twice over with two young children. I'm not interested in meeting any of your friends or have you play match maker." Ariadne told him.
"It's not like that." Cobb told her. "It's just an old friend who I want you to meet. Besides," he added "last time I played match maker, I did a good job."

Ariadne gave him a tired smile.
"No one is disputing that, sir." she said with a faint hint of happiness.