A/N: So, I forgot two very important things. First, thank you to the lovely Owlsarebirdstoo for flawlessly executing beta duties on this puppy (just like every chapter before and every one to come). You're awesome.
Second, I forgot the disclaimer!
Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 3
Bella let out a small squeak of surprise and grabbed for Edward's free hand while he reflexively tightened his hold around her shoulder. Maggie was also startled, jumping slightly in her seat, but Peter seemed barely effected. He calmly stood up and walked toward the piano.
"Well, what do you know," he said. "I'd say our ghost wants to make her presence known. Can't say I've observed her get quite this feisty before."
By now the others had recovered from their momentary start and joined him by the piano.
"She doesn't mean any harm," he explained.
"Have you had experiences before where you believe you've interacted with this ghost?" Edward asked Peter with interest.
"I believe so. Nothing as concrete as this," he replied. "But, seeing things out of the corner of my eye, little things being moved from where I left them, that sort of thing, yes. And whenever it happens I experience a sense of playfulness, like someone's teasing me or perhaps laughing at me good-naturedly. Whoever our ghost is, she absolutely does not have bad intentions."
"Maggie, do you believe in ghosts?" Bella asked.
"Well, I'm not sure. I do believe that all of our souls go somewhere after we die. I don't think we die and go poof into nothingness. While it's not for me to say where souls do go, I certainly don't think they hang about with nothing better to do than to bother those of us still here! Peter has a firm belief that some souls do stay about for one reason or another. He keeps busy studying about spirits and such, which makes him happy. We don't argue the point."
"You seem pretty certain that the ghost is a female," Edward said to Peter. "Do you think she is the young lady that died here?"
"Well, I'm sure it's a woman. That's just a feeling I get that I'm positive about. It's the sort of energy I feel when I have an encounter. Whether or not it is that poor young lady, I can surmise but I don't know for sure. But I'm sure our ghost is a woman."
His final remark was followed by the ringing of the bell that hung by the door, just like in Bella and Edward's suite.
"That's odd, no one should be in the bell closet," Maggie said, referring to the area where all the bell pulls were located.
"No one is in there," Peter replied. "I locked it after I rang the rooms for tea. That's proof enough for me that the ghost is a woman. She's listening in on our conversation and providing confirmation!"
"Right, well, enough of that," Maggie continued. "There's just a bit left in the story of how the Mansion came to be what it is today. Naturally, Leah felt terrible about the young woman dying in her home. As I started to say, the death was apparently due to some altercation with another traveler who was staying here. Consequently, she stopped hosting travelers. From what we can tell, she lived here quite happily with Emily and Sam. Since Emily and Sam had no children, the property eventually went to my great-great-great-grandfather, Jared, who was Seth's son.
"For several generations, folks just lived in the house and did their best to maintain it, doing upgrades as innovations came along such as electricity and plumbing. While they all had their own livelihoods, much of the property maintenance costs were covered by the inheritance Jacob left, which Emily and Sam managed very conservatively. My mother and father moved in here in 1951 and this is where I grew up. When Peter and I married, we decided to try to make a go of it as a B&B. We spent most of what was left of the family money to standardize the infrastructure, make upgrades to the house and invest in some much needed improvements such as a new roof. We also renovated the carriage house, which is where we now live," she finished with a smile.
"Wow, you have an incredibly rich history to go with your beautiful home," Bella said.
"Yes, thank you for taking the time to share it with us," Edward added.
"It's our pleasure. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask," Maggie said.
"And come find me if you want to kick around ghost theories," Peter said with a wink.
"We'll do that. Right now I think we'll head to town to explore a bit before having some dinner. We'll be making an early night of it since we were on the road for quite a while today," Edward replied.
"See you later," Bella said with a small wave as they left the room.
Good to their word, Edward and Bella did go walking through the local village, which was lovely and quaint. They window-shopped and enjoyed dinner at a quiet little restaurant. They made it back to the Mansion before the house was locked for the night and went to bed early.
The next morning, Bella woke early and curled up in a chair by the bay window to enjoy the view. She was still sitting there when Edward awoke awhile later.
"Hey, baby, what are you doing?" he asked sleepily.
"Just enjoying the view and thinking about the history of this place. It's really fantastic that they know so much about it."
"It is. I suppose that's because it's always been in the family." He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then lazily stretched his arms over his head.
"Do you think there's really a ghost here?"
"Well, I believe in ghosts in general, and we're here to have an encounter. I don't see any reason not to have an open mind about it. Say, we better get moving if we're going to be ready when the breakfast bell rings," he wiggled his eyebrows comically.
"Okay, Colonel Brandon. I call dibs on the shower first. I'll be out in ten."
"If you're not I may have to join you," he said, reaching to slap her backside as she walked by the bed.
"Who says you have to wait?" she replied, laughing as she dropped her robe and darted into the bathroom. In his haste to get out of bed, Edward's legs got tangled in the sheets and he fell with a graceless thud onto the rug.
"You're an evil temptress, Mrs. Cullen," he called out.
Shower shenanigans aside, they managed to be dressed and, relatively, presentable when the breakfast bell rang, not quite an hour later.
They made their way downstairs, meeting Harry and Sue Clearwater at the bottom of the stairs.
"Good morning Bella, Edward. How was your first night at the Erie Mansion?" Sue asked.
"Wonderful," Bella replied.
"Did you go in to town yesterday?" Harry asked Edward.
"We did, just to walk around and have some dinner." He replied.
"Excellent. Do you have plans for today? I ask because the weather is supposed to be quite fine, and Sue and I have a favorite hiking trail along the east edge of the property. I highly recommend it if you're looking for an outdoor activity today," Harry explained.
"Thank you for the suggestion, Harry. We haven't decided what we're doing today but I think that may go straight to the top of our list," Edward replied as they entered the dining room.
They greeted Maggie and Peter, who were busy putting out a lavish array of breakfast foods, and sat down to enjoy their meal. The Crowleys came down presently and they were able to learn about their daughter, Lauren, who was studying interior design and had just started her senior year at college. They were a pleasant couple who shared lots of amusing stories about their many travels. Just as Bella and Edward were finishing breakfast, Tanya, Kate and Irina entered the dining room.
Kate and Irina politely greeted everyone and took two of the three available seats at the far end of the table, beside the Crowleys. Tanya, whose eyes lit up when she saw Edward at the table, made a beeline for the single empty chair that was situated at the head of the table between Edward and Sue. While bending to sit down, she made sure to lean far forward in order to show off her cleavage.
"Well, I have to say that you look luscious in the morning, handsome," she purred to Edward.
"For heaven's sake, Tanya, give it a break," Kate snapped at her. "You are just making a fool of yourself and embarrassing us. Act your age!"
Tanya looked quite taken aback by Kate's outburst, and sat staring daggers at her friend.
"We are actually just on our way out," Edward said as he stood and moved to help Bella out of her seat. "I hope that everyone enjoys this beautiful day," he said as he ushered Bella out of the room. They made it to the staircase before Bella burst out laughing.
"Did you see…her… her… her expression?" she asked through her laughter. "Oh, I thought Tanya was going to burst a blood vessel!"
"Her face was red enough, maybe she did," Edward replied with a laugh of his own.
When they got to their room, they discussed their options for the day and freshened up a bit.
"Let's go downstairs to decide. I'm sure Maggie and Peter can point us in a good direction." Bella suggested.
Just then, Edward's phone chimed with an incoming text message. His employees were good about not bothering him needlessly while he was on vacation, but they would be in touch if there was anything urgent.
"Mike's got one question on the job that can't wait," he said, glancing up from his phone. "Let me call him and get it over with. I'll meet you downstairs."
"Okay. Don't make me come back up to get you," Bella threatened.
"Thirty minutes tops, I promise." Edward gave her a quick kiss and Bella headed downstairs, leaving him to make his call.
Not quite half-an-hour later, just as Edward completed his call, the bell in the suite rang two times.
"Hmmm, two rings is for a message," Edward mused. "I wonder what that's about." Grabbing his wallet and keys, he exited their suite, locking the door behind him and going downstairs. He found Maggie just inside the parlor.
"Hello, Maggie. The bell in our room just rang for a message?" he asked.
"Ah, yes," she said, sending him a coy smile. "Right over here." She went to the registration desk and found the mail slot for the Rose Room, pulling out an ivory envelope and handing it to him. "There you go."
Edward smiled at here as he took the envelope. "Thanks, Maggie. I appreciate it."
"Oh, no bother at all. Enjoy your day," she said, throwing him a wink before turning around and exiting the parlor.
Edward chuckled at her antics as he examined the envelope. Nothing was written on the outside, so he opened it and pulled out the card. He recognized Bella's handwriting immediately and read:
"My Dearest Colonel Brandon," it began, but that was crossed out and she had started again on the next line.
"My Handsome Mr. Darcy" was also crossed out and another line was written beneath it.
"My Sexy Scottsman Jamie" was crossed out as well with another line following it.
"My Forever Love Edward,
"You outstrip all the men of literature, be they ruffians or heroes, and I can't believe you are mine. You are Colonel Brandon, Mr. Darcy, Jamie Fraser and Batman (said in the deep raspy voice) all rolled into one.
"You are my biggest supporter and encourager. You've always got my back. You hold my heart with respect and tenderness. You're not afraid of my tears or my temper. You fight fairly. You love fiercely. And you are always, always kind.
"I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you.
"I love you so much and wanted to do something special for you. So, I planned our day for us (Surprise!). Meet me on the porch …
"Love, Bella"
After reading the note, Edward took a deep breath to rein in his emotions and walked to the front door. Opening it, he found Bella standing at the railing facing him. When she saw him, a wide smile spread across her face. He was next to her in three long strides, wrapping her in a tight hug.
"Baby, you're the most amazing person in the world. I love you so much," he said.
He lifted his head and looked into her in the eyes. "Your note was beautiful. I may have gotten a little verklempt," he confessed.
"Oh good. I was definitely going for verklempt," she teased back.
He gave her a slow, deep kiss before pulling away and resting his forehead against hers. "So, what are our plans for the day, Madame Tour Guide?"
She smiled a giddy smile. "At breakfast, Sue was telling me about this great hiking trail that she and Harry love, so I thought we could go exploring. I asked Maggie to pack us a picnic lunch," she said, pointing to the picnic basket near one of the chairs.
Edward laughed lightly. "Well, that must be an awesome trail because Harry was telling me about it this morning. Thank you for arranging the picnic, baby. Lead the way," he grabbed the picnic basket and they walked down the porch steps.
"The trail starts in the woods behind the carriage house," Bella explained as they walked hand-in-hand. "Maggie said it's open to the public so we may see others hiking, especially as we get beyond the first hill, since that is close to a trail that comes up from town."
"Okay. Well, I am ready to commune with nature."
Bella snorted. "Sure you are, Mowgli."
"Mowgli? What happened to Darcy or Brandon?"
Bella just laughed and tugged him forward.
"Come on, I want to be Batman" he pleaded, saying the name in his raspy voice.
Bella dropped his hand and kept walking without giving him a reply.
"How about Jamie?" he said in a very poor Scottish accent. "I'll call you Sassenach," he called out as she walked ahead.
He jogged a few steps to catch up with her and they talked and teased one another as they hiked. They stopped several times to admire the view of the countryside and the beautiful autumn colors, seeing a couple of groups of hikers on their way.
Just before noon, they found a lovely clearing surrounded by trees, shielding them from the light wind that had kicked up. The sun was shining brightly, offering them plenty of warmth. They sat on the blanket Maggie had packed in the basket and enjoyed a delicious lunch with some cold cider. Afterward, they lay back on the blanket and spotted shapes in the clouds passing by.
"I guess we should start back," Edward said eventually.
"Mmmm," Bella hummed in agreement. "I suppose so. It's so beautiful here though, it's hard to leave."
"Come on, Marianne. If we don't get moving, you'll miss hearing our bell ring for tea," Edward teased as he started packing up the remnants of their picnic. "Besides, I was hoping to find Peter this afternoon and ask him about some of his ghost research."
"Oh, that's a great idea. What are you waiting for, Lazy Boy?" Bella said, jumping up and heading out of the clearing.
"Wait! We're not packed up yet," Edward hollered after her.
She stopped short and turned around smiling. "Gotcha! Of course I'm not leaving without you. Tanya probably tailed us and is waiting for her chance to get you alone," she said with wide eyes.
"Ew!" Edward said, accompanied by a full-body shiver. "I think someone could catch something from her just by standing too close. You'll protect me from her, right baby?"
"Damn straight, Edward. You're my hottie!" She laughed and helped him fold the blanket before they headed back toward the trail hand-in-hand.
When they were about halfway back to the Mansion, Edward suddenly stopped.
"Hold on a sec, baby," he said as he set down the picnic basket and darted toward a nearby tree. He jumped up, grabbing the nearest branch, and proceeded to pull himself up onto the limb.
"What on earth are you doing?" Bella laughed.
"This is a perfect climbing tree. I haven't climbed in years, but look at these branches. They're perfectly placed," he explained as he found footholds and quickly, lithely climbed up three more branches.
"You realize you're not actually Batman, right?" she called up to him. "If you slip you don't have fancy- schmancy gadgets to get you down safely. You'll go splat. After going thump on each branch you hit as you fall."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said as he continued to climb higher.
Just then, Bella heard voices of other hikers coming up the trail. "Come on, Edward, come down before the other hikers see you. You're far too high," she called with concern. Edward merely laughed and glanced down the trail toward the hikers. Then he looked at Bella with a mischievous smile.
"What ARE you doing?" she asked.
Before he could reply, a couple came around the bend in the trail and slowed when they saw Bella.
"Hello," the woman said warmly.
"Hi," Bella replied, still looking up at Edward. The two hikers turned their gazes up the tree to see what she was so intently studying. Just as they spotted Edward in the tree, he raised his arm, holding out a bright red leaf.
"Is this the leaf you wanted, Bella?" he called down.
The hikers looked rather taken aback when they turned to face Bella.
"What? Why would you? I didn't…" she sputtered. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the hikers. "I did NOT ask him to climb that tree in order to PICK ME A PARTICULAR LEAF!" she said, yelling the last words up toward Edward.
His laughter rang out through the branches as he started climbing down the tree.
"I'm sorry. He just thinks he's funny," she said to the couple.
"Actually," the man said, "That was pretty funny."
"Very funny," the woman agreed, fighting back a giggle. "He's a keeper I'd say. You folks enjoy your day," she said as they continued down the trail.
"You too," Edward called after them as he lowered himself down from the lowest branch.
Bella stood staring at him, slowly shaking her head from side to side.
"For my forever love," Edward said softly, holding the leaf out to her.
A slow smile spread across her face as Bella reached out and took the leaf.
"So much better than Batman," she said, pulling him in for a kiss.
A/N: Verklempt is a Yiddish word that means "overcome with emotion." If you want a good laugh (and if you want to know why it fits so well in Edward's comment in this chapter), go to Youtube and look up Mike Myer's "Coffee Talk" skits from SNL. Then "talk amongst yourselves..."
Kind of a filler chapter, but the next one will be up soon. Let me know what you're thinking.