2.

~ Ariadne stepped back.
"Stop it!" she hissed as Arthur's large hands threatened to lace his fingers with hers.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently as he moved closer to her and she moved back again.
"You know what. I'm not forgiving you, Arthur." she told him as she wished she didn't feel so weak just now. She wished she had the courage to hate him. Had the fortitude to resist him.

He had put her through hell and could not be forgiven.

"I'm not asking you to, madam. You have every right to be cross with me." he whispered as he looked ready to kiss her.

Stop it!" she snarled him. "And don't call me madam anymore."

"I've always called you madam, madam." he told her in his most business like voice.

"I know, and now I want you to stop."

"So, you want us to find new endearments for one another?" he asked with a mocking smile.
"I don't want anything from you." she snapped. "I'm not your wife anymore, remember?"

Arthur stepped back as if he had been struck.
"That would be easily rectified." he assured her, his voice hard.

She gave him a bitter laugh.
"Don't flatter yourself, sir. I married you to save myself. I'm not stupid enough to make that mistake again." she snarled and instantly regretted it. She didn't want to hurt him. Even after all this, she didn't want to hurt him.
Arthur looked hurt.
"Our marriage wasn't a mistake. It was many things... but it was never a mistake." he said calmly.
"Arthur, you still don't understand what you've done. For almost two years now, I thought my husband was dead. Don't think we're going to be together now." she said and tried not to cry.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of tears.
"Did you really make my Olivia kiss my picture every night?" he asked hopefully.

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes. She keeps your picture by her bed so her 'Daddy' can watch over her. It's apart of our nightly ritual." she sighed. Wishing she had never taught her daughter to love a photograph.
"She can say daddy now?" Arthur asked sadly.
"She's almost three." Ariadne told him harshly.

He nodded.
"I keep thinking she's still a little baby. She can walk and talk now." Arthur said shaking his head. "I've missed all of it."

"She talks all the time. She's a good girl. Plays quietly by herself and never lets her brother play with her." Ariadne told him.
"Her brother?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, Harold. He came over with us from Blue Rivers." Ariadne explained.
"You had a baby?" Arthur asked; his brow pulling down into a scowl.

Ariadne opened her mouth to explain as her convenient husband looked thunderstruck.
"You and Mr. Hays had a child?" he asked. Trying to sound interested and happy for her. But only sounding hurt.
"Harold was Fredrick's son from his first wife. She died in child birth." Ariadne explained.

She wanted to tell Arthur that Fredrick hadn't really loved her. That she was a convenient wife for him as well. But she bit her lip. She wouldn't confide in Arthur again. The hurt was still too raw.
"Oh." Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, I didn't have another baby." she assured him.

She almost laughed at the idea of another child. How dreadful having a baby would be just now.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hays passed away." he said sincerely. "I'm sure he was a good man."

"He was." she told him numbly. "Eames bride jilted him just a week before his wedding." and let lose a laugh that made her feel suddenly good again.
"I saw he was going to get married. She left him?" Arthur laughed. A real smile coming to his face and dimples appeared as he looked much younger all of the sudden.
"Oh yes. When she found out there would be no money, she left him that day." Ariadne said as they both had a laugh at Eames' expense.
"I was still alive and was able to revert all my capital and holdings. Give you and Olivia a living allowance. I didn't want you at the mercy of Eames." he explained as they both stopped grinning stupidly.
"Why didn't you just come back to me? Sick or not, I would have had you." she whispered.
"Ariadne, I was in very bad shape." he tried to explain. "I saw your wedding announcement, and I thought I was doing the right thing. Thought I was letting you be free to marry a man you really loved. I thought you would be happy. Let's face it, I was a lousy husband at times."

She didn't say anything as she wished she didn't love him still.

"You were a good husband, Arthur." she said and didn't look at him.

Arthur let out a long sigh.
"So, Mr. Hays is gone now. You and my daughter are here in America all alone. I'm still single..." he said as an after thought.

"No, Arthur." she told him sharply.
"You don't know what I was about to say." he said in mock innocence.
"Nice try. But I have no intention of ever remarrying. I'm tired of feeling used." she said angrily.

"Used? When did I ever make you feel used?" he asked.

She gave him an ugly look.
"I know when we were first married, things were hard for us. But... we worked past it. We loved each other then. I think we still do." he whispered and tried to touch her hair.

"Stop." she warned him.

"Or you'll slap me again, madam?" he teased with the impish smile of his.
"Arthur." she warned.

"Did Mr. Hays make you feel used? He married you, then went off to war. Leaving you to care for his son?" Arthur asked.

Her jaw dropped. How did he guess?
"Who told you that?" she whispered.
He gave her a shrug.
"It's the sensible thing to do. If I had lost you, I would protect Olivia with any resource I could think of." he said.
"But you didn't protect her. You made her think her father was dead." Ariadne accused.
"We can get it back, darling." he whispered as his large hands were suddenly in her hair and were pulling her close to him.

She wished she looked better. Wished she had dressed better and didn't have on her modern slacks.

"We can't. It's broken, Arthur." she whispered as he started to kiss her.
"We can fix it." he insisted as he was moving her to the bed. Her little hands pulling off his jacket and undoing his tie.
"I've missed you. I mourned for you." she cried as he was kissing her so heatedly, she forgot to think.
"I've missed you to. I've mourned for you to. We can go back." he insisted as he helped her strip herself. Her sensible blouse and slacks falling off her and puddling on the floor.

"No." she insisted as he was nuzzling her ear.

Arthur knew exactly how to comfort her. His touch making her feel safe and loved. He had none of Eames' lust crazed excitement or forcefulness. Arthur was comfortable and easy. His movements reassuringly predictable.

She wilted slightly as he kissed her and lowed her onto the bed.

Don't worry, there will be A&A lovin' just have to tease you. Besides, they can't work it ALL out in just one chapter!

Happy Valentine's Day! My sweet hubby gave me roses and a copy of "Only Mr. Darcy will do". Great book, I've read it before when it was still called: "Something Like Regret".