The Request

I would like to dedicate this story to AngeloftheMorning1978, and Lazarus76: Thanks for inspiring me to write about my two favorite characters!

Summary: Arthur saved her life in such a way she could never repay him, but is Arthur's request too a high a cost for Ariadne to repay? A&A, AU

Chapter 1
Waiting For A Train…

The rain seemed to beat harder as Lord Arthur Wesley looked down the tracks seeing in the distance the train that was arriving. With umbrella in hand, he took out his antique silver pocket watch and checked the time. "Four o-clock, right on time." He commented to his friend, and lawyer, Dominic Cobb, who decided to accompany him to the train station. His Aunt, Lady Catherine, and newly widowed sister, Lydia Fischer, were to arrive on the four o-clock train and he was going to be there waiting for when they got off.

"It'll be good for her to have family around; Lord knows that's how I made it through when Mallory died. How long has it been since her husband was killed?" Cobb asked as Arthur gazed at the oncoming train.

"Two months." Arthur replied. A month prior, Arthur received a letter that his brother-in-law, Robert Fischer, drowned when his automobile went off the side of bridge and plunged into the river. The Fischer family had acted caring and friendly, but after the funeral and Robert had been in the ground for three whole days, the true colors had come out. They said that Robert had made a terrible choice in picking her for a wife, especially one who couldn't conceive an heir especially within their first couple of months in their marriage. She was worthless, spoiled, and they were not going to support such a girl. So with no rights to protect her, Lydia was cast out. Outraged, Arthur sent for his dear sister to come back to Brown Manor, and he also invited their Aunt Catherine to help Lydia adjust.

"Married and widowed in the same year and at fifteen too the poor girl." Cobb commented then turning to see Arthur's clean-shaven jaw was clinched tight, knowing that Arthur wasn't too thrilled when his late father gave his permission for Lydia to marry Fischer; he decided to change the subject. "How does being lord of Brown Manor suit you?"

"Very well," Arthur replied. When his father died last month, Arthur had inherited his father's estate. "But I must confess, I wasn't too thrilled about leaving my business in America, but because of this situation with Lydia it's best that I'd be atBrown Manor, instead in New York."

Cobb nodded knowing his friend was right, and then stood in silence as the black shiny train pulled into the station.

~Ariadne Monroe sat twisting her gloves in her hand as she sat in coach among the many poorer class people. How did she get here? Last month she hadn't a care in world; she lived with her father, had plenty of money, and was even an aspiring apprentice to the finest most respected mid-wife in the county. But now here she sat on a train, fatherless, homeless, and penniless on her way to talk to her father's lawyer, a Dominic Cobb.

Beside her, a young woman no older than herself was trying to nurse a baby with no luck. Ariadne noticed every time the young mother held her baby close the baby wouldn't latch on properly and then scream demanding food."I'm sorry Miss; I just don't know what's wrong with him." She said in her thick Irish accent, her voice sounded just as pitiful as the infant's cry.

Smiling sympathetically, Ariadne looked at the bawling infant and then back at the girl's pale tired face. "He's not latching on properly. May I?" Ariadne offered and the girl nodded her eyes widening. Remembering her training, Ariadne expertly tickled the baby's lips and watched as he opened his mouth wider, making it possible for him latch on to his mother.

"There we go."

"Oh, thank ya Miss. Thank ya so much." The girl said happy that the infant's scream were quieted as he suckled.

Ariadne smiled sadly taking notice of the girl's thin frail frame. She needed better nutrition, more milk and cheeses in her diet if she was going to continue to nurse the child, but seeing her condition Ariadne knew that was not going to happen.

Turning back to the window, Ariadne saw that they had pulled into the station. She would have to wait until the first class passengers got off and then herself.

Taking a sharp breath, Ariadne tried to hold back tears as her thoughts began to race. Why did this have to happen to her? Ariadne smirked at that question, it was simple. She was a woman that's why. If she were a man, she would've owned her father's house, now her childhood home was owned by the bank, and if her brother had been worth his grain of salt he wouldn't have drunk himself to death, leaving behind his sister to destitution and to pay off his debt.

What was she going to do now? True, she had studied to be a mid-wife, and was a fine good one too, but she didn't know the first thing about establishing a practice nor did she have any money to hire someone to help her. Maybe there was something that the lawyers in America had missed? Maybe Mr. Cobb could help her?

~"Artie!"

Arthur smiled brightly at his sister's voice, as she stood on the top step of the train waving to him. Holding out his umbrella, Arthur took his sister's gloved hand and smiled down at her, as he helped down.

"Lydia, look at you! You're so pale." Arthur said looking into his sister's heart-shaped face and brown almond-shaped eyes that mirrored his.

"Oh, Artie you worry too much." Lydia said rolling her eyes as she smirked at her brother.

"Indeed he does." Arthur turned at lifted the umbrella to cover the next passenger that was exiting.

"Aunt Catherine, you are looking well." Arthur greeted taking his aunt's wrinkled hand as both he and the conductor helped her down.

"I can't say the same for you my dear boy that's for sure." Aunt Catherine said taking in Arthur's thin frame shaking her head disapprovingly.

Flabbergasted, Arthur had forgotten how outspoken his aunt could be and was beginning to regret his decision in asking her to come stay with them. He shot his sister a face behind his aunt's back, as Lydia gently touched her pink lips with her lace gloved hand trying to stifle a giggle.

"Hello Lady Catherine, do you remember me?" Cobb asked taking her hand gently bowing.

"Of course I remember you; you're the idiot who got drunk off my currant wine at my Christmas party, and threw up in my urn." Aunt Catherine said recalling the first time Cobb had come to visit Arthur for Christmas ten years ago.

"Aunt Catherine that was ten years ago!" Lydia exclaimed clearly embarrassed by her aunt's behavior.

"I know it was ten years ago! Just because I'm old doesn't mean I've gone senile! Do you know the stench that filled my house? Why it took, two weeks to find out where that filthy smell was coming from." Aunt Catherine declared clearly she hadn't forgotten or forgiven Cobb for that incident.

"It's always a pleasure to see you as well Lydia. I'm very sorry to hear about your husband's passing my condolences." Cobb said turning his attention to Lydia, gently taking her hand.

"Mr. Cobb, always the charmer. It's good to see you as well, tell me, did you come with my brother just to meet us?"

"I'm afraid not, I'm here to meet with a client of mine who should be getting off very shortly." Cobb said glancing at the first class car wondering what was taking so long.

~Ariadne exited the train; even though it was raining and cold she was thankful for the fresh air as it hit her lungs. As she stepped onto the wet iron step, Ariadne slipped and clumsily fell into a pile of mud. The hem of her dress was covered at least six inches deep in muck, and she banged her knee as she came crashing down.

"Oh my, are you alright Miss?" The Lad Porter asked helping Ariadne onto the platform.

"I am, thank you sir." Ariadne said nodding assuredly more to herself then to the young teenage boy.

Having no luggage, Ariadne smoothed out her plain brown dress, and decided to go inside the train station's restaurant hoping Mr. Cobb would be inside.

Passing by a small group of people, Ariadne felt a pang of jealousy. They all seemed happy to see one another, a joyful reunion, she wouldn't have stared but she stopped abruptly when she heard the young raven-haired girl say "Mr. Cobb."

Turning, Ariadne looked at the two gentlemen who stood near her. One was a tall man nearly six-foot, his blue eyes reminded her of the Nantucket sky on a summer's day clear and pleasant. His blonde hair was smoothed back, and his smile was warm and kind. The other gentleman was tall, but not as tall as his companion. He wore a very expensive suite that he wore very well, and Ariadne guessed that it had to have been custom made for she had never in her life seen someone who was so long and lean. His hair was slicked back and its black raven color matched the young lady's that stood protectively beside him. He was handsome, and Ariadne blinked in surprise discovering that something inside her responded to him.

Breaking her stare, Ariadne mustered all the courage she could and asked "Mr. Cobb?" Her voice was small and Ariadne felt heat rush to her cheeks as both gentlemen turned and looked at her.

"Yes, I'm Mr. Cobb. Are you Miss. Monroe?" The blonde haired gentleman asked surprised taking in her dress.

"Ariadne." Ariadne replied looking down embarrassed everyone was staring at her now, and Ariadne knew why. Mr. Cobb was expecting a woman who descended gracefully from the first-class cart dressed in a colorful elegant dress and hat who smelled of rose-water and lily of the valley, instead of the woman before him who had plopped out from coach and was dressed in a plain brown work dress that was covered in mud no less, and smelled of pigs and no doubt body odor from the passengers she sat by.

"Well, Miss. Monroe, why don't we see to your luggage and then step inside for some lunch?" Mr. Cobb suggested gesturing to the luggage porter.

"I don't have any luggage." Ariadne informed him seeing the surprise in his eyes, and the others looking on her pathetically.

"Oh, well, you must be tired please go inside I'll be there shortly." Mr. Cobb said opening the door to the station's restaurant for her, gently ushering her inside.

"I think we better be on our way. Let Cobb see to his business." Arthur told his sister and was going to get his new Ford car that he was quite proud of when suddenly Lydia gasped and then ran to the end of the train's platform and began to retch.

Sighing, Aunt Catherine shook her head clearly agitated. "She's been like that ever since we boarded the ship. I swear she's too thin, and no doubt the way that girl smelled I must say I almost was ready to join her."

"Should she see a doctor?" Arthur asked seeing Lydia's body shaking violently.

"No need, we saw the ship's doctor who told us she was just upset over Robert's passing. Now, are we going home or are we going to stand out in the rain all day?" Aunt Catherine asked banging her cane on the platform.

"Right away Aunt Catherine. Cobb," Arthur said turning to his friend and the two exchanged handshakes. "Good luck with that poor woman."

Sighing, Cobb shook his head. "I'm afraid this isn't going to go well. I hope Lydia understands how lucky she is."

Nodding, Arthur and his friend parted, and Cobb took a deep breath and opened the door to the restaurant. Searching the room, he found his client. She was sitting alone at a table, with grace and dignity, her sweet smile was gentle, and her brown doe eyes spotted him and they lightened with false hope. Cobb smiled sadly this was the hard part of his job.

So, what do you think? Now the fun part. Please review!