~1915 ~

Edward Cullen was always terrifying when he was in a temper.

Standing there, green eyes gleaming dangerously, long fingers curled up into fists, the tips of his knuckles going white, and his mouth forming a petulant line. Mary stared up at the young man, in complete terror.

Edward Mason was the son of the wealthy oil merchant, Edward Sr, and wife, Elizabeth. Grown to the age of seventeen, he had the fortune to be born into wealth, a silver spoon in his mouth you might say. He was due to inherit about thirty thousend annually when his father finally died. He was a very goodlooking young man, a slender face, skin unusually pale, and his bronze hair would be the topic of many a gossip between the young girls of the nearby villages, who had fastened their hearts to him, long ago.

Not that he took the blindest bit of notice. If there was one thing, and this was by far his biggest fault, that was wrong with Edward Cullen, was that for his age, he was the most bad-tempered young man that one has ever met with. For all his good looks, and he really was remarkable in this, his black temper almost overshadowed it.

In public, he was the most charming of men, always retaining a polite but icy demeanor, always cold to those he did not know well, and even to those, who he did know well, he was rarely affectionate with them.

He had one sister , Alice, who was the belle of the county. Little and petite was she, with hair, that although short, had been tamed into a fashionable aray of short soft spikes. Even though it was hard not to be fond of Alice , in public, Edward maintained that she was a annoying little pixie, although, in fact, he did quite like her.

Edward stared down at the unfortunate maid who lay trembling on the floor.

"Look at me " his velvet voice , on this occasion, was laced with pure disgust.

Mary slowly raised her eyes to his emerald ones. Shamefully. Edward did not miss this. "Now" He had got her attention. " Explain, please."

Slowly, the wretched girl, recounted how she had fallen in love with a footman, she fifteen, and the footman, twenty-two. They had met in secret, at first as simple friends until one evening, the footman,John Chambers, had finally told her of his feelings for her. Luckily , Mary had felt the same, and before she knew it, John was asking to love her, and suddenly, she was letting him love her, love her like no one else had ever done.

After that, John had lost interest.

He left her in the gardens one night, curled up and crying. She called for him, but he did not answer. She cried, but he never came back. He was gone. she had finally mustered up the energy to get up from where she lay, and slowly crawled back into the house, and onwards up into the servent's parlour.

A few weeks later, her monthlies had been late, and she grew frightened. Frightened that that night, so long ago with John had cost her more then her virginity. And it was fright that had kept the secret fear locked up inside of her, fright that had told her to keep her mouth closed, maybe it would go away on it's own...

But it hadn't.

And now, she feared that she was-

"With .Child." Edward snarled. He was furious. Looking down at the poor girl, he failed to see her predicament, all he saw before him was a hopeless whore, who's easy ways had got her into trouble. He was having none of it.

" Get up"

Mary panicked. " Sir, Sir-" she begged, on her knees.

"I said, get up." A dangerous note had come into Edward's voice, and it warned Mary that he had no pity for her. Now, due to her not thinking, she was about to face the consequences.

Mary slowly began to pick herself up from the floor, but this was not fast enough for Edward. He reached forward and grasped her by the arm. Mary cried out in pain, as she felt his long fingers clench into her skin.

"Whe-where are we-" She gasped.

"We're going to my father" that was all Edward said, as he dragged her roughly through the different rooms, and along the long hallways, as he searched out his father.

They were in the library when a pixie looked up from the book she was rereading. " Oh, Edward!" She exclaimed. " What are you doing, to Mary?" her eyes flickered quickly from Edward, to Mary, and from there, to his hand with his fingers now digging into her arm.

" She has..." Edward was unsure how to explain it to his sister, for against all his wishes, he was unwilling to involve her with this. " It's...better you don't know." he finished off.

Alice planted herself firmly in his path. " Tell me , Edward. " she growled.

Edward sighed. " I have good reason to believe that Mary, that's right, our Mary here, is with child, courtesy of a Mister John Chambers."

Understanding, followed by a swift burst of recognition, mixed with horror, was exposed on Alice's face. Now, she viewed Mary with a different eye. Pity welled up in her eye, as she looked the younger girl over. " What are you going to do with her, Edward?"

"I'm bringing her to father, Alice." he growled, hauling Mary off.

Alice turned to watch, helpless.

Review?

I really would appreciate it!

~Dawn Run~