Well, here's another one of my one-shots. I felt like a challenge and writing a 16th century story felt like the one. Please review

Chapter One: Return (EPOV)

The hearse bumped along the road as I traveled toward my home in Sheffield, England. I could think of nothing but my family. I missed them terribly and could not delay any longer laying my eyes upon them. My parents, Carlisle and Esme, had written letters to me every day that I was in Portugal. Each letter told of the day's happenings. I also missed my brothers, Emmett and Jasper. Since I'd been away, they both had found wives they adored; Mrs. Rosalie Hale and Mrs. Alice Brandon, now both Mrs. Cullen.

I am envious of my brothers. They have sought out and found the women they love. And I have not. For the woman I love may not love me. She is engaged to be married to Sir Isac Newton's nephew, Lord Michael Newton. Though I know, and several other people must expect, that she is only marrying Lord Newton because she will do a far better job managing Sheffield than he ever has. Though they are the same age, he a bit older, she has always helped him out of the unwise decisions and into the right ones. Now, out of request of many, not including me, she will marry Lord Newton so she will be able to stop the stupid man before he does any more harm to Sheffield's economy.

The carriage came to a stop in front of my parent's home. The house was quaint, as it had always been. I stepped out, gathered my steamer trunk, waved the driver off, and proceeded in the front gate.

"Oh, Edward!" I heard my mother shout as she came running out of the house, waving handkerchief in hand. I put down my bag and wrapped her in an embrace. "Oh, tis my little boy. He's home at last!" She kissed both my cheeks before standing back to look at me. She tugged on my jacket. "Oh, my dear son, you must eat something straight away. You're nothing but bone!" I picked up my bag and allowed her to drag me inside.

"Edward, my boy." My father said, standing up from his desk. "Glad to see you home. How was Portugal. Did that blasted King Henry take you in like he promised?" said he with a stern look. I opened my mouth to tell him about my travels, but Mother intervened.

"Now I don't want to hear of any King Henry talk until my Edward has had a bite to eat." She stuck her nose in the air and drug me, once again, to the kitchen. I sat down at the small table that was reserved for afternoon tea. "Edward, would you like for some tea and cakes? Or maybe a scone? I have some left from this morning." She started for the cupboard. I placed my hand on her arm.

"Mother, I am fine. I would much like to speak with Father. He is itching to hear of Portugal." Said I. She smiled and nodded toward the study where my father was. I sat down in the chair opposite his desk. He put the bookmark in his book.

"How did that awful king of Portugal's treat you? He is a mean mouth git and everyone should know it." My father would have never talked this way in front of a lady. No, sir. He was a right gentleman. The truth of the matter was, Father detested King Henry of Portugal. They had, had an unpleasant encounter when my father was young, before Henry was king. And still to this day, they hate one another.

"The king kept his word. I stayed in the guest house when I was not serving for the court." Said I.

"Excellent. Just because he is a king, does not mean he has the right to diminish my son. Especially when my son is assisting him in the royal court!" He leaned across the table. "You're mother has been a mess since you left. A year is too long, boy."

I let my head hang in shame. "I know, Father. I did not plan to be gone so long. What delayed me was the fact that King Henry would do occasional reports over the royal court. That would delay our work by a week at least. His excuse was that he wanted to make sure his government was being properly attended to." I rolled my eyes at this and so did Father.

"Oh, yes, of course. Now, after ten years of downfall, he starts doing reports over his government. That was the entire reason you went over there, my boy, because no one was paying attention to their financial situation." Said Father. He shook his head and laughed. "Well, tis a good thing you're back now. You're brothers are coming for dinner with their new wives. I'll have to say, that Rosalie girl is upper-class. She was Mr. Hale's daughter." He raised his eye brows.

"Really? The old brute let his only daughter get married to someone such as Emmett. I'm shocked. And the Alice Brandon girl? How is she?" I had to ask about my other sister.

"Oh, she is such better company than Rosalie. She can carry on a conversation about anything with anyone. She really is the life of the party." I could tell he really liked her and though Jasper had chosen well. "Have you heard the latest scandal with Lord Newton and Lady Isabella?"

My heart skipped a beat and my face probably shown crimson. I really hope this latest scandal was false. "No, no I haven't."

"Well, apparently, Lady Isabella's father, Sir Charles, died. So, as expected, Lady Isabella went to the burying. From what I've heard, Lord Newton said Oh, poor man couldn't do anything with his life. He was just a lonely blacksmith. Couldn't even keep a wife."

My jaw fell open. A sudden and rather surprising shock of anger rushed through me. How dare he say something like that about Lady Isabella's father! "Are they still engaged?" Surely they couldn't be.

"Oh, yes they are. She didn't hear him say it, but if she had, I can gather that she would have annulled that engagement on the spot."

"That swine of a person, Lord Newton is not fit to run such a place as Sheffield. He has no more brains than a scarecrow." I shook my head and stood up. I needed some rest after my long journey. "Excuse me, Father, but I must rest my eyes. I shall speak with you later."

"Of course, son. But I must tell you of the ball that Lord Newton is throwing. He has invited all of Sheffield to his home on the hill. I know you must think it stupid to go to an imbecile's ball, but I would much like for you to attend. Who knows, maybe you'll run into a dame you fancy." He winked at me as I left the room.

Please review! I can take constructive criticism.

~Kelli(jellyjo2014)