Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, only the plot and some charachters.

My apologies on the long delay for this chapter. Home life got a little busy there for a moment. From now on, I will try to update at least once a week. Many thanks to all of you who reviewed the first couple chapters.

Special thanks to Lizzie. Your reviews were the sweetest.

Now on with the story. Enjoy!

Three

"There, I think that you are just about perfect now." Alice secured a few of Bella's now tamed curls with a couple more pins and lead her over to the large vanity mirror. Bella's breath caught slightly as she took in her reflection, Alice smiling triumphantly behind her.

"Do you like it?" Alice asked stepping around her so that she now stood beside her in the mirror. The blue dress, although still very classy, was clinging to all the right places on Bella's body, her once messy, chocolate curls now pulled up and away from her face, some hanging loosely down her back. Blushing at her own reflection she quickly turned away, smiling secretly at her own unknown beauty.

"Alice, I can not thank you enough. You have made me-"

"Beautiful? Stunning?" Alice interupted, bouncing on the tips of her toes.

"Well I was going to say presentable." Bella smiled and blushed again, this time the color traveling down to her neck.

Alice giggled at her modesty. "Well presentable as you are, we must hurry or we shall be latefor dinner." She placed her small hand into Bella's and lead the way to the dinning hall.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Your grace, dinner is prepared. Shall I have it served immediately, or shall we continue to await Lady Alice and Miss Swan?" Chambers, the Cullen's head butler and Carlisle's most trusted employee leaned in closely, addressing only his ears.

"A few more moments," He sighed. When it came to Alice, nothing was done quickly. "Hopefully she will be finished by the turn of the century." Carlisle continued under his breath.

"Father, forgive us. Miss Swan needed a little help preparing for dinner." Alice smiled triumphantly again, another blush making a silent apperance covering Bella's cheeks once more. It was at this moment that Edward decided to look up and acknowledge their entrance.

His eyes nearly buldged out of his head as they caught sight of the new house guess. 'Surely this can not be the raggamuffin that I encountered earlier.' Edward thought to himself as he fully took in the beautiful angel.

The deep blue of the dress against her pale skin were in perfect contrast to each other. Beneath her tastefully, low cut bodice, Edward could make out her delciously full breasts, slim waist and nicely rounded hips. He was captivated by her now lucious curls and the color of her full rose red lips. 'I will have to thank Alice later' he smiled to himself.

"My my, Bella. You look stunning. It is alright if I call you Bella?" Carlisle smiled, raising from his seat to great the ladies. Edward came out of his observant stupor and followed suite, raising and pulling out a chair for Bella. It was at that moment that that their eyes caught, bright forest green and earthy brown, and both Edward and Bella felt a change in perspective. The pause between the two did not go un-noticed from the rest of the family. Alice only smiled widely at her father, who in turn gave her a curious look.

Coming out of their daze, Edward cleared his throat, a crooked smile spreading across his flawless face. Her breath instantly hitched as she took in the sight. An unfamiliar yet warm sensation began to settle deep within the pit of Bella's stomach, that unbashful blush making its way to her body once more.

"Bella, are you alright my dear? You look as though you may faint." Once again, Bella was brought out of her trance, and now realized that she had somehow been seated, the first course of the night already placed in front of her.

Looking around the table and smiling sheepishly, she nodded. "I am sorry. I must have dazed off for a moment." 'Something I pray that does not become a personal annoying habit' she continued mentally.

During the remainder of dinner, Bella mostly sat listening to the family talk about their business for the following days to come. She also noticed the quick looks she received from Edward through the corner of his eye. In a result, that betraying blush never retreated from her cheeks, but spread to her chest, shoulders and even her arms. She thought she had caught him with a smug smile once, but it could have been her imagination.

"Bella, how do you like the country so far? I know it has to be a bit of a bore compared to the cities of America! Come now, you must tell me all about the shops and markets around your old home and-" Alice began to speak so fast that her words started to run together. Bella smiled at her new found friend. She knew it may take a while for her to get used to Alice and her excitable ways, but she was already very fond of the little, pixie like woman.

"Alice, how about we wait until Bella gets fully settled in before we bombared her with a book of questions." Esme smiled, recieveing an apologetic smile from her daughter. Carlisle and Edward both shook their head slightly and chuckled.

"It is quite alright, your ladyship-" Bella started, but the duchess simply smiled and interupted.

"Please Bella, there is no need for such formalities. Please call me Esme." The duchess smiled, making Bella feel even more at home. The gesture some how reminded Bella of her own loving mother. She smiled and continued her previous statement.

"Alice, the shops and markets were all big, and full of many nice things. But truth is, I have never actually been inside. My father and I never really had the money for... such grand things." Bella's words trailed off. In fact, all of Major Swan's funds had been spent in medical bills and taxes. All in all, Isabella Swan was as common as they came. Alice's face nearly dropped at her words. Not being able to shop would be like not breathing for the young mistress. An idea instanly began to form in her pixie brain.

"Wait, stop right there," Alice began, jumping from her seat which nearly toppled over. Edward raised an eyebrow and gave his sister a warning look which she simply brushed aside. Bella stared at her, wide eyed for a moment, thinking that she had said something wrong. "Are you saying you have never been inside of a dress shop before?" Alice breathed anxiously, placing her tiny hands once more into Bella's.

"Well, no I haven't." Bella whispered almost inaudibly. "All of my dresses were either made by my mother or had once belonged to her." She continued, now looking around, feeling slightly embarrased now.

"We must go shopping then. Father has a very important occasion within the fortnight and this would be a perfect reason." Alice went on, now eyeing her mother and father hopefully. "Please may I take her father?"

"I would like it if you left some funds in the account." Carlisle answered jokingly. The Duke of Forkshire was in fact a very rich, and powerful man. He, as well as his family, were known throughout the lands for their nearly unlimited finacial status and their equally unlimited generosity.

Alice nearly squealed at her father's unspoken consent. Once again, she lived for the moment. Dinner came to a close soon after, everyone wishing Bella and each other a good night. Edward rose from his chair at almost the exact time as Bella did, in doing so, the skin on her arm gently brushed against his hand. The sparks that coursed through to her soul caused that growingly familiar ache to retun in her stomach.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After dinner, Bella headed to her newly aquired room. Or, at least, she thought she was headed in the right direction. The family seemed to go their seperate ways after the table was cleared, and Bella turned down Carlisle's requests to show her, once again, where her room was located. Edward on the other hand, darted from the dining room and headed straight outside once more.

Like it or not, Bella was lost in the halways of the incredibly large manor. The wooden floors began to all run together, and the doors were all locked. As she walked, Bella took in her surroundings for future reference. She passed a room with the door slightly ajar. Peering inside, she noticed a large wall full of books, a beautiful, large oak desk standing guard at the base of the shelf.

"This has to be a study of some sort." Bella mumbled to herself, making a mental note. Books were her passion, and though she owned none, she had read many. Closing the door quietly, she continued to walk along the unfamiliar corridoor. Suddenly a soft sound echoing off of the walls made her stop and listen closely.

The sound was soft at first, something like a gentle melody, but soon became faster, and a little complicated. Bella found that her feet unconsiously began to travel towards the foreign melodic lines. Something was drawing Bella to it, and she walked in an almost hypnotic state until she found the source.

There, sitting at a shiny black, beautiful grand piano was Edward, his hands moving expertly over the keys. It appeared as though his long, slender fingers were caressing the instrument, more coaxing the music from a beloved friend than simply playing it. The room was dimly lit with candles, making him appear even more pale than he naturally was. That warm but tightening feeling began to build deep inside the pit of her stomach once more as she briefly wondered what it would be like to be held by those same strong hands. Bella sighed heavily at the the thought just as the composition came to an end. Realizing she may have just given away her intruding, she quickly turned to flee, but his voice stopped her cold.

"Miss Swan?" the familiar voice asked through the darkness.

"Please, just Bella." Her whispered reply was nearly inaudible, but he heard it as though she had screamed.

Edward smiled, 'her voice is enough to rival that of a choir of angels'. "Well, just Bella. What, pray tell, are you doing wondering the halls at this hour?"

For once, as she slowly approached him, Bella was glad that it was still slightly dark making it hard for Edward to see her clearly, or most importantly, her easily triggered blush.

"I was simply..." She trailed, unable to find a decent excuse, then sighing knowing she was never a good liar. "I got lost looking for my room." Bella looked to the floor, preparing herself for the thunderous laughter that was sure to come. Instead, a slight chuckle, the sound of the wind blowing gently through a child's wooden wind chime, came in it's place. When she looked up at him again, a crooked smile was spread across his face, causing her breath to hitch immediately.

"Don't worry. I still get lost in the large piece of rock sometimes and I have lived here my whole life." He chuckled again, this time turning away from the ivory keys. A lightheaded feeling began to creep up on Bella when she realized that she was not breathing. Exhaling slowly, and as quietly as she could, she tried to focus her eyes on the spot where he was now standing, his feet slowly making their way towards her.

"Are you alright? You seem... a bit pale." Edward asked a little slowly, preparing to catch her if she fainted when he came to a stop about a foot and a half away. Bella wanted nothing more than to close the distance between the two of them but instead she simply nooded and focused on her breathing. He studied her carefully, noticing the way her breasts rose and fell with each breath she took, the way her sweet smell seemed to caress his every sense. Freesia and strawberries perhaps?

"Well Miss Swan, or just Bella," he said slightly sarcastically, then smiled as he continued. "The hour is late, and I would hate for a beautiful lady like yourself to miss out on any precious sleep. Besides, if you are to have a shopping day with my sister, you will need all the energy you can muster." Edward smiled that crooked smile once more and held out his elbow for her to take. She nooded once more, and smiled as best, and as politely as she could, though inside she was screaming with delight.

As they walked, mainly in silence except for the echo of their twin footsteps, Bella found herself in a daze, not paying attention at all to her surroundings. Instead, she focused on the sweet smell of the beautiful man beside her, the muscles hidden beneath his linen shirt, and she did not miss the way his hypnotizing green eyes, once more this evening, looked back down at her quite a few times. When they arrived at her room, the door still wide open from earlier, he stopped, pulling Bella out of her stupor.

"If you ever find yourself lost again, I would be happy to show you once more." Edward whispered, releasing her arm from his elbow and kissing her wrist. "Goodnight Bella." he added with a slight bow and a smile.

"Goodnight Edward" Bella breathed as she watched his retreating form disappear around a corner. Sighing, she turned and entered her room, closing the door and leaning against it for support. Could she really be falling for this inhumanly beautiful nobleman? And most importantly, were his feelings even slightly the same for her?

How about that? As always your reviews are appreciated. They are the fuel that keeps me going.