Chapter 27

No Matter What…

Ariadne awoke to a familiar achy feeling in her lower abdomen. Ignoring it she curled into a ball and tried to go back to

sleep. Their week in Paris had been wonderful, full of passion, lovemaking, sightseeing, and shopping at little boutiques

and local stores. Now, she was back in Brown Manor running Arthur's household, she was finding to be quite a chore, and

Arthur was becoming busy with running his factories back in New York and keeping up with the contacts and investors he

had contacted while they were in Paris. Mornings like this resting in his arms, were moments she was starting cherish. As

she was about to drift back off the cramp came back a little more intense. Ariadne's eyes snapped opened as a thought

raced in her mind.

"No," she whispered and then disentangling herself from Arthur's arms and pulling back the bleached linen sheet and

there it was a small puddle of blood staining under her proving her fear. "No!" Ariadne cried.

"Ari," Arthur asked sleepily propping himself up reaching for her wondering what was wrong.

Shrinking from his touch, Ariadne jumped out the bed and ran to the washroom, and Arthur heard crying.

Arthur was about to go after her find out what was wrong, but then his eyes caught sight of the blood stain where her

body was beside him, and he stopped himself. Her menses, she wasn't pregnant this month. Arthur looked at their closed

bathroom door. He didn't know what he could say to comfort her, because he was just as disappointed as she was,

standing he went and dressed himself, hearing the water running for the tub he walked over to the door, and placed his

forehead to the door. "Darling," he called softly he could hear sniffling. "Ari, are you alright?"

She didn't answer him; did he really think she was alright? Her heart was broken, her hopes crushed.

"Ari, don't shut me out." Arthur called through the closed door. "Ari, Ariadne."

"Let me be Arthur please, just leave me alone please." Ariadne cried through her tear filled voice as hurt and anger was

filling her as she sat in the claw foot tub in the steamy hot water.

Sighing frustration, Arthur whispered in the door, "I love you."

Eames kissed her jaw and was making his way towards her neck, but stopped when he felt her tense.

"Darling what is it?" He asked ran his knuckle down her back watching as she arched her back.

"Stop it!" Lydia said flinching away her head was spinning and she felt fear beginning to fill her.

"Liddy?" Eames asked his eyebrows furrowed at her tone.

Sighing, Lydia turned to face him and placed her hand on his chiseled rugged jaw, his blue eyes were looking at her

confused as he took her hand and pressed a kiss inside her palm.

"Tell me, love what is it?" Eames asked wondering what was burdening her so.

"Eames, I think I might be pregnant."

Ariadne lay across the bed she shared with Arthur crying. When Elsa came to start the morning fire, Ariadne handed her

the soiled sheet, and saw Elsa's eyes widen and then filled with pity she nodded. "Maybe next month Missus," Elsa said

trying to comfort her. "I'll bring you some cramp bark tea." Elsa offered and she hurried out.

Alone in her room, Ariadne had flung herself the freshly made bed, and sobbed her mind wouldn't calm down with the

questions that whirled around. What went wrong? Arthur and I have done everything right, everything. Why am I not

pregnant? What did I do? These questions attacked her liked arrows piercing her tender flesh.

A soft knock echoed through her room, "Ariadne, darling." It was Aunt Catherine.

Sitting up, Ariadne quickly wiped her face, and tried to compose herself. "Come-come in." She said her voice was shaky

and her throat burned from crying.

The door opened, and Ariadne watched as Aunt Catherine came in holding a cup of tea looking at her with her no-

nonsense expression making her way to the bed and handed her the tea. "For your pain, dearie."

"So, does the whole house know now?" Ariadne asked shaking her head feeling perturbed was nothing private?

"Ariadne," Aunt Catherine scolded her just as if were a child, and then watched as Ariadne's clenched jaw tightened as

she tried to keep her composure, but she her façade was cracking. "Oh my dear sweet child." Aunt Catherine said and

she reached and took Ariadne in her arms and held her as she cried clinging to her.

"We did everything right. I wanted to be with child so bad." Ariadne sobbed as Aunt Catherine gently rocked her and

stroked her hair.

"I know shhhh it's alright." She whispered as Ariadne whimpered. "I know just what you're going through dearie."

Pulling back, Ariadne looked up at the elderly's woman's face puzzled. "You do?"

"Indeed, my husband, Arthur and I tried for so long to have a baby."

"Arthur?" Ariadne asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, that's who Arthur's named after my late husband, Arthur Markham, he and my brother were best friends growing

up. The two had made some sort of pack that when they would name their firstborn sons after each other, well only my

brother was able to keep up his end of that promise. We tried Ariadne, oh, how we tired, only to have month after month

to be a failure until finally after six years I finally became with child. So, I know what you're going through, and I'm here

to tell you that it's going to be alright. Now, I know that this stupid stipulation isn't helping matters, but it's going to

happen I just know it."

"Arthur must be so disappointed in me." Ariadne said knowing that Arthur was so excited to think that she could've been

pregnant in Paris, to only discover she wasn't.

Gently, Aunt Catherine cupped Ariadne's face and wiped away her tears. "He's disappointed, but not in you dearie, in

himself. I overheard him talking with Miles this morning; he thinks that the fault lies with him."

"No, he did, I mean he-"Ariadne couldn't finish, she wasn't going to discuss Arthur's performance with his aunt.

"He doesn't think that dearie."

Sighing, Ariadne looked up meet the woman's eyes, her own brown one's were full hurt. "I love him so much." She

whispered she was afraid to speak it out loud as her love for him began to hurt as it did often.

"I know you do dearie, and idiot can see you do. Arthur knows you do, and he loves you too just give him some time and

he'll tell you I'm sure of it." Aunt Catherine assured and kissed her forehead. "Mark my words, we will have a new Wesley

in this house next winter I can feel it."

"Pregnant! How?"

Lydia shot Eames a look that she couldn't believe he just said that. "Oh, I don't know Eames let's go over the past month

shall we?"

"That's not what I meant, what I mean is haven't you been?"

"Been what Eames?" Lydia asked anger building up her.

"I don't know." Eames said defeated.

From her crib, Olivia awoke crying, and Lydia angrily pushed back the covers and went to feed her.

"Are you sure?" Eames asked as Lydia put the child to her breast and noises of her suckling began to fill the room.

Sighing, Lydia looked at him as she calmly told him. "Not completely, but I'm late."

"How late?" Eames asked his mind panicking.

"A week."

Sighing, Eames rubbed his palms over his face. This is what he didn't want, he wanted to be with her, marry her, and be

a father to Olivia, not knock her up. "You could be just late?" Eames suggested.

Lydia nodded, "I could very well be. I just wanted to tell you what was going on."

Eames nodded, "Liddy don't think that if you're pregnant that I won't do right by you. I love you princess, both of you."

He said as he made his way towards her and gently cupped Olivia's head tenderly as she nursed.

"It's not that, I know you will darling, it's I worry about Arthur and Ariadne. If I am pregnant, I don't want it flaunted in

her face."

"You too?" Eames asked. Sighing he kissed Liddy's lips and then Olivia's curly head. "I'm going to get dressed and head

out love, before anyone knows that I was here."

"Are you going to avoid her all week?" Aunt Catherine asked sternly as came into Arthur's study finding him buried in his

work.

"You know, Aunt Catherine I really don't want to discuss this with you right now." Arthur said frustrated as he continued

writing out a request for all the winter sales.

"I know you don't, but you're going to hear it." Aunt Catherine said sitting firmly in the leather chair that was in front of

his desk.

Sighing, Arthur threw his pen across the table and glared at his aunt. "What! Tell me what! That Ariadne's heartbroken

because after one month in my bed she's not pregnant, that I'm failing as a man, a husband. Well, you know Aunt

Catherine you don't have to I already know this. Don't you think that I want Ariadne to be happy? I do, I promised her

that I would when I offered her this proposal, and I'm failing miserably Aunt Catherine. My wife is upstairs crying because

I couldn't give her a baby, and I can't even console her." He told her standing, putting one hand in his pocket, the other

on his forehead where a headache was forming. His eyes were dark with pain.

"Why should she let you?" Aunt Catherine asked and watched as Arthur's eyebrows furrowed angrily.

"What?"

"I said why should she let you. How can you comfort the girl if you don't love her?"

"I DO LOVE HER!" His voice was rough with emotion. "My god I love her so much it hurts!"

"When are you going to tell her?" Aunt Catherine asked simply.

"She knows." Arthur replied dully.

"How? Tell me Arthur, how does the girl know that you love her if you haven't told her?"

"I asked her to be my wife to carry my son. Why would I ask her if I didn't love her?"

"You think that is a sign that you love her? How dense can you be Arthur? In her mind, you choose her because she was

convenient to spare you embarrassment of sharing your bed with a complete stranger, and why do you think the girl

accepted? She's in love with you."

"That's a nice dream Aunt Catherine, but Ariadne-"

"Ariadne is in love with you. She told me so just a few moments ago, when I left her weeping. Arthur, Ariadne is

heartbroken because she thinks she has failed you, she wants to have your child because it's yours, I don't think a

woman who didn't love you would be this upset over not being with child after just one month with her husband."

Arthur looked at his aunt? Everything she said was true, but did he dare believe it?

"Now, I've said what I've said and that is it. So, what are you going to do about it?"

Arthur hadn't seen Ariadne all day and was worried when she declined dinner that evening.

"She can't go on this way. Miles, tell Mr. Palmer that I want him to make Cossack Chicken, its Ariadne favorite, with some

strawberries and Devonshire cream for dessert enough for both her and me. And make a tray, tonight; we are spending

the night alone." Arthur ordered and Miles went happily to fulfill Master Arthur's request.

Tonight was going to be the start of Arthur's plan.

Ariadne was fading in and out sleep which is what she been doing all day when the door to their room opened and Arthur

came in.

"Ari, you haven't eaten all day." Arthur said as he looked at his wife lying across their bed.

Looking up at him, Ariadne watched as Arthur's stern expression turned to shock. "Ari, you're so pale." He pointed.

"It happens." Ariadne said embarrassed to look at him.

Taking off his shoes and his suit jacket, he loosened his tie as he eased onto their bed and reached down to brush the

hair from her eyes. "I'm sorry you've had a hard day." He said as he gently kissed her lips, felt her response, and then

heard her slightly wince. "Are you in any pain?" He asked his expression was so tender as his large hand gently began to

massage her stomach.

"A little." Ariadne replied biting her lip, she knew whatever pale her cheeks were, were replaced by bright red.

Arthur noticed, but he didn't care, he was going to break these barriers, and start showing her that he loved her. "I'm

sorry baby." He said and planted another soft kiss against her lips.

"Arthur,"

"What?" He asked his hand still rubbing her stomach.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't've shut you out this morning. I was just so heartbroken, I wanted to be pregnant so bad with your

son."

"Our son," Arthur gently reprimanding her, reminding her of the comment that she made in their taxi ride in Paris. "I

know you did Ari, I wanted you to be too, but it was just our first month together everything's going to be fine. We're

going to try again when your body's ready for me alright." Arthur assured her.

Ariadne nodded and sighed as Arthur kissed her again.

A knock on the door interrupted the kiss, and Arthur sighed against her neck, and Ariadne smiled. "Come in." Arthur

called and Miles came in with Elsa carrying trays.

"Right there, thank you Miles." Arthur gestured towards the sitting table, and Ariadne noticed he didn't even budge from

their intimate embrace.

"I had Mr. Palmer make your favorite dish." Arthur told her his fingers started again gently massaging her.

"Cossack Chicken?" Ariadne asked hopefully, and Arthur smiled down warmly into her face.

"Mmmhmm, and strawberries with Devonshire cream, I thought we could have that in bed." Arthur said smiling at the

memory and Ariadne returned his smile. "Come darling, let's eat!"

Arthur sat up in his bed, waiting for his wife to come out of the bathroom. The evening had been wonderful. They ate,

talked, laughed, and even discussed names nothing finale of course, but just possibilities.

Arthur's attention snapped to the bathroom, and Ariadne stepped out in a beautiful nightgown looking shyly down as she

placed her hair behind her ear.

Smiling, Arthur pulled back the covers, "Come here." Any other time, he would've said it suggestively, but tonight he said

it just to have her beside him.

Tucking the covers around her, Arthur kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, moving down to her nose, and then finally

to her lips. "How are you feeling?" He asked and Ariadne smiled as his hand went back to her stomach gently massaging

it.

"Better, after my bath. Thank you for drawing it for me." Ariadne said smiling and Arthur kissed her again.

"Your pleasure is all that matters. I have a surprise for you."

"You do?" Ariadne asked wondering what was up his sleeve.

"I bought it when we were in Paris; the salesman said it just came out last year, and that it's very popular among the

boys." Arthur said and he pulled out a thick book and handed it to Ariadne.

"Peter Pan and Wendy Arthur," Ariadne said still a little sad that Arthur bought it when they thought that she could be

pregnant that he could read to the baby.

"Please Ari; I'm not very good at telling bedtime stories, I need the practice." Arthur said and Arthur watched her smile

tenderly at him as she cupped his cheek, and pulled him down into a sweet kiss.

"Alright," She whispered agreeing and snuggled down into his chest, while Arthur opened to the first page.

"All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this."

After finishing the first chapter, Arthur looked down at his wife, and found her sleeping soundly.

Smiling, he closed the book, turned off the light, and then gently kissed her nose. Settling down, Arthur wrapped her in

his arms and whispered to her. "No matter what happens Ariadne, baby or not, I will always love and I just think I'm

ready to tell you."

What did you guys think? Was it fluffy at all? Thank you guys for reading, it really encourages me to write and get things updated quicker. Things are about to get stormy involving Olivia, Arthur and our Ariadne so, please keep reading and reviewing! Love you guys! :o) hitReview!