Chapter 26: A Bear Valley Thanksgiving 1899
A Bear Valley Thanksgiving
Bear Valley Depot 1899
Edward shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and stifled a laugh. He shot a quick look out of the corner of his eye at the love of his life. He knew she was thrumming with excitement as they stood on the Bear Valley Station platform awaiting the Denver train. She was pacing and wringing her hands and stopping every three seconds to peer down the rails with a happy light in her eyes. He'd never tell her but he thought her antics were incredibly endearing.
"Oh, Edward, I wonder if he's changed very much. What if I can't tell who he is?" she fretted as she stood on the rough boards of the station platform.
"I am sure you'll still be able to recognize him."
"But the last time I saw him was years ago!"
He pulled her arm through the crook of his elbow and smiled down at her. "Grown folk don't change much in ten years, Bella. And besides, if you can't recognize him, he's bound to recognize you. You are still the same beautiful woman you were when I first saw you."
"Oh, do you truly think so?"
"Indeed I do, my beauty." His fingers lovingly traced the curve of her brow, the turn of her cheek, and the sweet bow of her lip.
"You've not changed a bit," he said. This time his humor was directed at himself. His body still responded to her as it did those first days of their life together. He discretely adjusted the fit of his trousers.
"Oh, go on with you, Edward!" She smiled at him in good humor, grateful for his reassuring words. He still had the knack of banishing her self-doubts.
Suddenly, they heard a shrill whistle approaching from down the tracks.
"Oh they're here!" Bella exclaimed and stared intently in the direction the train was coming from. A few minutes later the noisy steam engine pulled into the station and the scurry of porters and railroad personnel turned the quiet depot into well orchestrated chaos.
Bella clung to Edward's arm as she stood on her tiptoes, leaning left and right, trying to spot the arriving passengers as they clambered off the train.
A familiar shock of blonde hair caught her eye, and her breath checked in delight.
She clutched her husband's arm as she whispered, "There he is, Edward, my brother Michael is finally here."
Jessie was irritated. She never would know why in the world she agreed to stop off in the back of nowhere to visit her husband's sister. She supposed she could have eventually talked the man out of it but, no, Michael jumped the gun and bought the train tickets as soon as the bill of sale on their Virginia farm had been signed.
It had taken her the better part of ten years to convince Michael to sell up and move to California. It was always her dream to live there. As a girl, she was charmed by the tales of an uncle who went there in search of gold back in '49. He didn't find much treasure but he did find quite a bit of adventure and he used to be the luminary of family gatherings, regaling all with amazing stories of golden, sunny, blissful Cali-forn-i-a. She had always been determined to live there herself one day and what Jessie wanted, Jessie got.
But for some reason, Michael had been reluctant to dispose of their farm, saying that there had been a Swan in Prince William County Virginia as long as there had been a county. She tried everything to get him to shift on his opinion to no avail.
Eventually, though, she mentioned in passing that it would be easy for them to visit his sister while on their way to California and for the first time Michael seriously considered the move. Jess knew he had a soft spot for his sister, Isabella. They corresponded several times a year and he always sent her a couple of hams at Christmas time. She had hoped that once Bella left Occoquan and got married, their connection would dwindle but to her regret, it never had.
Jess never saw the appeal of Isabella Swan but Michael seemed to adore her. As far as Jess was concerned, Bella was a dull little thing, always reading and much too brainy for a woman. She was secretly amused when her sister-in-law found herself a husband through an advertisement in a newspaper. What an oaf he must be! She imagined a dirty, backwards cowboy who would sooner sleep in a barn than a bed. Jess was dreading being holed up with a bunch of hillbillies in such an unrefined place as Bear Valley. She shuddered to think of it but had resigned to it because it would lead her to her coveted destination.
Michael had his own reasons for leaving Virginia. In the beginning of his marriage to Jess, he had hoped that they would have children to leave the farm to but after eleven years of marriage and still no bundle of joy to lighten their lives, he had given up on that dream. So, what was the point of holding on to something that would be dissolved after his death any way? He doubted his sister would want to return to the family farm. She seemed to be doing well enough in Colorado and she was the only one he would wish to leave it to.
To tell the truth, he was very excited to see Bella. After the glow of his marriage had worn off, he realized that Jess wasn't the best life's companion that he could have chosen. During their courtship she was sweet and soft and kindly. He was dazzled by her beauty and the fact she came from the first family in town, the Stanleys, put a shine on her attractiveness to him. In fact, they had very little in common but he couldn't complain. She did her duty as his wife and they rubbed along well enough, as long as she got her way in most things. He was missing the softness and kindness he expected every woman to be endowed. He learned differently in the years since his marriage.
He yearned for something, though. He remembered his youth spent in the bosom of his family and warmth spread through his heart. There were happiness and laughter in the old farm house and when he came home after a long day's work, he felt it clear down to his toes. He hadn't felt as though he had a true home in quite a while. The only thought that put a smile on his face in years was the idea he was soon to see that little sister again. Each mile the train ticked down the tracks stirred the excitement in his heart and he found it hard to sit still.
Jess primped a bit as the train pulled into the Bear Valley depot. She looked out of the window surprised to see how neat and well laid out the town was. She had expected dusty streets with rough, drunken men shooting it up and wild Indians caterwauling as they galloped their ponies down the street, but Bear Valley seemed very similar to any small Virginia town. How astonishing!
The train halted and Michael rose to escort Jess out to the platform. She let him go ahead, reluctant to be the first to set foot on this alien land. She picked up the hat that in his excitement he left on his seat and carried it as she disembarked.
"Michael! Michael!" a familiar voice cried.
Jessie descended in time to see Bella rush into Michael's arms. Their embrace was very unseemly but she wasn't surprised. The Swans were a very demonstrative family. From the beginning of their marriage, it didn't take her long to train Michael to keep his hands to himself. She would be sure to lecture Michael on more appropriate comportment when they were alone.
She stepped aside to watch the reunion and noticed a strange man doing the same. Jessie gasped and blinked. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Who in the world could he be? And why was he looking so pleased to be watching Isabella and Michael's reunion?
"Hello, Jessie," Bella smiled as she took a few steps towards her sister-in-law. "It is so good to see you again."
As Bella walked she put her hand out to the gorgeous gentleman motioning for him to join her, then turned back to her brother and sister-in-law and said, "I am so pleased to finally introduce you both to my husband, Edward Cullen."
Jessie could hardly breathe. This was the backwoods cowboy that Bella met through the newspaper? Little, dull as ditch water, Bella got this breath-taking man for a husband? It hardly seemed possible.
Her mouth was gaping from shock when Edward turned to her and tipped his hat and said, "Nice to meet you, ma'am." He followed the greeting with his typical smile. He didn't know how devastating it was to the fairer sex, especially as he still had all his teeth.
Jessie's mantel of superiority slipped and she squawked, "You're the man Bella met through an advertisement?"
Edward chuckled in surprise but shrugged as he admitted, "Yes, I suppose you could say that was how we became acquainted but it seems that Providence played a huge role. I couldn't have dreamed a more perfect bride than the one that advertisement brought me." He once again drew Bella's arm through his and smiled lovingly down at her as he spoke.
Bella knew Jessie from long ago. Michael's wife was used to always being the belle of the ball. She was born a Stanley and the Stanleys had always been at the top of the social ladder in her home town. They owned the mills and had the biggest, grandest house in the neighborhood. Jessie had been her schoolmate and since the school's funds were supplemented by contributions from the Stanleys, Jessie always had pride of place. Bella was used to standing aside when in Jess' presence. But that was long in the past and they weren't in the small village of Occoquan any longer.
Her sister-in-law's gauche behavior did not surprise her a bit. She was saddened to see Jessie's self-satisfied attitude hadn't changed and she knew that her sister-in-law's dismissive opinion of her hadn't improved over time, either. This was going to be an interesting visit. Her lips curled in a small knowing smile. Jessie was not going to like what she would find at Bear Valley Ranch.
Edward explained as he led them to where the covered landau was waiting, "Tyler Crowley has the buckboard here and he will get your belongings loaded and haul them up to the ranch. Bella and I brought the landau so that your ride will be a touch more comfortable."
"If there's a case you'll be needing right away once we get home, we can take it with us," Bella added.
Michael looked at his wife and was surprised to see she was not taking charge of everything –and everyone- as she was wont to do. In fact, she looked like she was incapable of speech at the moment.
"Mrs. Swan, are you feeling well?" he asked.
She looked at him with round eyes and nodded.
"Sister has asked if there is a special case that you will need immediately once you get to the ranch; perhaps that small portmanteau?"
Jessie simply nodded again and Michael gave directions for the correct case to be fetched to the carriage, then he turned and helped her climb into the spacious coach. Bella slipped in beside her and soon the two couples were being driven down the main street of Bear Valley on their way to the ranch.
"I must say, Sister, Bear Valley is a lot bigger than I expected," Michael commented.
"It has grown quite a bit since they put the spur line in. When Edward first brought me here, there was only the main street and a few stores. It was much smaller."
Jessie gasped. "You called your husband by his given name, Sister. For shame!"
In the old days, Bella's confidence would have been dimmed by Jessie's remark but not now. Bella chuckled as she said, "Oh, Sister, we aren't so formal here. Besides, at the ranch there are two more Mrs. Cullens visiting so it's bound to be confusing if we all went by our last names and if you count all the boys, there are seven Mr. Cullens. First names aren't importuning, they are a necessity." The men joined Bella's laughter.
"Seven Mr. Cullens? Sister, how many children do you have?" Jessie sneered.
"As I am sure you remember from the letters I have sent over the years, Edward and I have been blessed with four children so far: Joy Elizabeth, our first born who turned nine this past summer, Charles Edward, who is seven, Grace Margaret, who is four, and the baby, John Henry, who is not quite a year old," Bella smiled fondly.
Edward added, "Besides our two boys, my brother, Jasper, and his wife have two sons as well as a daughter. So, we have my father Carlisle, myself, my brother Jasper, my two sons, and my two nephews and that all totals to be seven Mr. Cullens. My family always comes to the ranch to celebrate Thanksgiving."
"Oh dear, will there be room for everyone in your cabin?" There was no possibility that Jessie would be willing to share a room with any strangers. She hoped she and Michael will at least have some privacy.
Bella decided that humor was going to be the only way to handle such ignorant behavior and reached over to pat Jessie on the hand and said, "Don't worry, Sister, we put the men in the barn. The horses and cattle keep them warm and we women share a big feather ticking on the floor in front of the hearth. It's not too bad, if you don't mind the odd flea or two. The children bundle up in the loft. It's all very cozy."
Jessie's expression was priceless. Edward believed he had caught a fish that had a similar expression once.
"Sister, you are still a tease." Michael laughed then he turned towards his wife, "Mrs. Swan don't you remember Bella's letters? The ranch house was expanded quite a bit over the past few years. My sister and her family live very well in their home. It has all the modern conveniences."
Edward leaned forward and smiled at Jessie reassuringly. "You and Mr. Swan will be very comfortable, I believe. Bella is a superlative homemaker and has become renowned for her hospitality."
Jessie still wasn't sure what to believe so she was quiet as the talk turned to the climate and the view. Soon, they had made the turn up the long hill to the ranch. Their prospect gave them a beautiful view over the valley. Cattle were grazing as far as the eye could see.
"Such fine herds of cattle," Michael commented. "How many ranches are around these parts?"
"In this general area?" Edward asked, "Well, we've been on Bear Valley Ranch property for the past few miles or so. That's just one herd of cattle you are seeing - Bear Valley Ranch's. Once we get around this rise, we'll see the ranch house."
A few minutes later, Jessie's eyes practically bugged out of her head. The newly remodeled ranch house was twice the size it was before. It sat on the shoulder of the hill as a jewel would sit upon a velvet carpet. It looked very different from what Jessie had expected. Why, it was every bit as grand as her girlhood home, Rockledge.
She looked accusingly at her sister-in-law. How dare she attempt to rise above her station? In Jess' opinion, such grandeur was meant for someone like herself who had been raised to high expectations and used to the comforts such a life brought. There was something very wrong in the way things had come about, Jess was thinking. It was up to her to right them again.
Michael could read the signs on his wife's face and he knew they were all in for a hard time. For the first time in many years, a spark of rebellion lit his soul and he was determined that Jessica Stanley Swan would not cast a pall over Bella's good fortune. He would do all in his power to rein in the headstrong, selfish, spoiled woman – else, maybe she'd be the one sleeping in the barn with the cattle.
He'd best start now. "Did you know, Sister, that Rockledge was sold?"
Bella gasped in surprise as Jess grimaced in vexation. "Why would your family sell the mansion, Jess?"
"Er… my brother had his reason, I am sure," Jessie said loftily.
Michael laughed. "His reason being he couldn't afford to keep it."
Jess shot a venomous glare at her husband but didn't offer anything further.
They were pulling up to the main house now and saw the entire Cullen clan waiting for them on the porch. Carlisle and Esmé greeted them with smiles as the children hopped about in their excitement. Jasper and Alice were trying to corral the more active ones so they wouldn't startle the horses. It was a chaotic but happy scene.
Edward grinned, then turned to his guests and said, "Welcome, friends, to Bear Valley Ranch."
Tyler was scratching his head looking at the contraption that, in addition to typical cases and trunks, he was supposed to carry back to the ranch in the buckboard.
"That's a mighty strange looking article," the unhelpful and indolent Festus ventured. He'd come hanging around with his hands in his pockets to poke his nose into Cullen business when their guests arrived at the depot. Tyler knew he wouldn't offer to help load the buckboard.
Tyler grunted in response and then decided to tie the article in question to the bench next to him as he journeyed back to the ranch.
"What do you think it's for?" Festus continued.
"There ain't no telling," Tyler shrugged. "They's from the east."
"Oh, then that explains it," Festus concluded. Chalk another mystery up to the impracticalities of eastern folk.
Tyler climbed into the driver's seat and grabbed the reins. "Walk on!" he said and the two sturdy horses started the trek back to the ranch.
What a sight they looked driving through town, the stoic man with and the extremely gaudy wire cage standing upright next to him. Some of the fellows hanging out on the saloon porch recognized the thing and started making birdie calls and laughing as Tyler drove by.
"Hmmph," Tyler snorted in disgust. The things easterners thought they needed. He imagined that after putting up with the Missus for ten years or so, he'd have been used to it by now but, no. He'd be glad to get back to the ranch and get shed of this particular responsibility.
The only reason he volunteered to go to town today was that Lauren loved a specific kind of candy that Mrs. Cope made and sold at her store. Mr. Cope had passed on a few years back, not that too many people minded, and Mrs. Tate took over the management. She was doing quite well, especially since now she didn't have the time to make everyone else's lives a misery with her interfering ways. And she made really tasty peppermint candy. Tyler was hoping to surprise his wife with it.
They climbed the rise into the ranch's stable yard and a cadre of men started to haul the boxes and trunks off the buck board. The Missus was standing there with a yellow-haired woman who was pointing and talking at the men. Seems like some of these trunks weren't needed at the moment. Wished he'd have known that from the start. He'd have loaded the wagon differently.
Soon, they got it sorted and Tyler drove the unneeded luggage down to the barn. They were going to store it there until the visitors left and took it with them. He wasn't surprised the gilded monstrosity was one of the unneeded items.
"Useless fiddle-faddle," he muttered.
He got the rest of the wagon unloaded and then pushed the buckboard back into its storage place until it was needed again. He unharnessed the team and led them to the corral, then stowed their gear. He was beginning to care for the horses when Abraham, his oldest son, came around the corner of the barn.
"Pa, you need some help?" the gangly fifteen year-old asked.
Nodding, Tyler tossed him the currying comb and pointed his chin at the other horse standing there. Abraham went to work, used to his father's nonverbal conversations.
After toiling companionably for several minutes, Tyler asked, "Where's yer Ma?"
"She's up at the cookhouse helping Senora with dinner."
Tyler grunted again. He couldn't wait to see the look of surprise on his wife's face when he gave her the candy. He stroked the horse he was tending on its neck, thanking it for its service that day and left the remaining tasks to Abraham to complete. Patting his vest pocket for the tell-tale bulge of paper wrapped candy, Tyler loped up to the cookhouse intent on finding his wife. When he walked into the busy kitchen, he saw she wasn't there but Ana Maria was.
"Where's my missus, Senora?"
"She's out in the garden looking for something else to have with dinner," Ana Maria answered. Her daughter, Madalena, was busy rolling out dough for biscuits and he sniffed appreciatively at the toothsome smells that permeated the room.
It was a far cry from the rustic kitchen that Cookie used back in the day. When the Boss tore up the old farm house, he tore up the old kitchen, too, and put the most modern of "ranges" and running water and ovens and all sorts of, well, there was no other word for it – fiddle-faddle- in it. Tyler wasn't a big fan of the new fangled changes but Lauren liked the new gizmos. She said it made their work easier and if life was made easier for his wife, then he'd allow they were good things as long as he didn't have to use them.
He passed through the kitchen door and rounded the corner to head for the garden. It was a nice late autumn day and, though chilly, the sun made it pleasant as long as it was out but when it disappeared behind the mountains, it was evident that winter was close at hand.
He saw Lauren stooping over some plants in the garden, picking the last of the winter squash and plunking them into her gathered apron. She rose to her feet when she saw her husband approaching and a smile lit her face. They didn't say a word in greeting, didn't have to. Their eyes said it all.
She walked to the end of the row and let the corner of her apron go so that the squash gently rolled into a basket she had there. When Tyler got close to her he grinned, "I've sumthin for you."
"You do?" she was surprised. She couldn't imagine what it could be. "What?"
He smirked, "Guess."
"Tyler, I ain't good at guessing."
"It's something you always have a hankering for," he hinted.
Lauren blinked and concentrated, "Uhm, a hankering? Lessee... a glass of buttermilk?"
Tyler snorted, "Naw, girl. Don't you think you'd see me coming with that? It's smaller. It's in my vest pocket."
Lauren reached for the bulge she could see there but Tyler put his hand over it first. "Guess."
"It's something I hanker for and it can fit in your vest pocket..." She stared hard at the pocket in question. "I know. A pig trotter."
Tyler was tickled. "Now, why would I put a pig's foot in my pocket? The grease and the smell would linger."
"I was hankering for a trotter this morning."
"How would I know that? I ain't seen you since before breakfast."
"Well, that's what I was hankering for."
"This is something I got in town."
"Whiskey?" she guessed.
Tyler said in an amazed voice, "You hanker for whiskey?" He doubted Lauren had ever tasted a drop, even though she used to work in the saloon.
"Naw, but you cain get that in town and you cain't get it here."
She paused and looked sheepishly at him. "I told you I weren't good at guessing."
Tyler took his hand off his pocket. "Go look and see."
Lauren took a step closer to her man and reached for the surprise, but then another thought crossed her mind. She liked being this close to Tyler. She stepped closer still so they were almost hip to hip and put her free hand on his arm. She lifted her eyes to Tyler's as their color deepened and her heart beat quickened. She reached into his pocket and felt the crinkly paper. "You got me candy," she whispered.
She pulled out the small package, held it to her nose and gasped. "Peppermints!"
Tyler smiled and put an arm around her waist. "I knewd you'd want some."
Lauren hurriedly opened the packet and broke off a piece of the peppermint. After she put it into her mouth, she groaned in ecstasy. Impulsively, she reached up and kissed Tyler on his lips in thanks, just a quick, minty peck that along with her nearness caused him to think of other things - things he had a hankering for. He slid his other arm around her waist. "Where's Lee?"
"He's in the schoolhouse learning his lessons."
"Why isn't Abraham there, too?"
"School marm said he was done early today. Sent him up to the ranch to read."
Abraham had turned out to have a remarkable mind. In fact, the teacher had him do more and more reading in the Cullen's extensive library. She taught him to keep a journal of his thoughts and reactions to what he read. Sometimes, Edward would discuss the finer points of philosophy with the young man, when he had the chance. It was plain to see that Abraham would be a good candidate for an institution of higher learning. Edward and Bella had discussed sending him back east to complete his education but were trying to find a way to approach his parents about it. Bella was sure Lauren and Tyler would have a difficult time understanding the need for such an expense or the separation even if Bella and Edward were willing to bear it, so that discussion hadn't happened yet.
"Why was Abraham out at the barn, then?" Tyler asked.
"Prolly seen you come back. Did he help you with the horses?"
"Yep. He must be back in the big house by now."
Lauren nodded and popped another piece of the peppermint into her mouth and sighed.
"Good?" Tyler asked.
She nodded again.
"Cain I have some?"
She was surprised he'd ask a question with such an obvious answer. He could have anything of hers he wanted. He never had to ask. She lifted up the small packet. He looked around quickly and saw there was no one within sight, then he looked back at her offering and shook his head.
Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her on the lips and got his share of the peppermint that way. After a minute, he pulled back and said in a husky voice, "Let's go visit that there bear skin rug."
Giggling, Lauren picked up the basket of squash and set it on the kitchen's back porch for Ana Maria to find. She knocked on the door to make sure Senora would find it readily. Then, she and Tyler ran hand-in-hand down to their cottage where Lauren's grizzly bear rug lay in state in front of the fire place.
No one saw either one of them for a while but Bella noticed at dinner that Lauren's color was high and the normally frowning Tyler was smiling for a change. The soft look in his eyes as they followed his wife when she moved about the dining room told a sweet story in itself. Bella would never begrudge the love a man had for his woman nor a woman for her man. After all, she understood the feeling very well.
And it did explain the diatribe she had been treated to a few hours previously.
"SISTER! SISTER!" Jessie rushed up to Bella as she was feeding baby John in her private sitting room.
"Oh, lawsy me, what are you doing?" Jess slid to a full stop as she eyed Bella's uncovered bosom and the nursing baby. It was a day of shocking incidences for Jessie.
"I am feeding my baby. He eats pabulum and strained vegetables now, too, but mother's milk is still best for him." She smiled down at her son, whose brown eyes were shut tightly as he concentrated on his dinner.
Jessie gasped and fanned herself. "Refined ladies don't do such things."
Bella looked up and replied, "Refined mothers do, though."
Snubbed, Jessie sniffed. "This is wild country and the people are just as wild as the land!"
Bella imagined that Jessie hadn't seen anything wild just yet but she had to ask, "What makes you say so?"
Jessie huffed and sank down onto a slipper chair that was angled such a way she didn't have to look directly at Bella as she spoke to her. She had no wish to witness Bella's disgusting lack of breeding.
She whispered as though saying it too loud might contaminate her, "As I was organizing sundries in my room, I looked out of the window and I saw two people embracing."
Bella blinked. "Two Bear Valley folk were hugging outside in the garden?"
"No, Sister, it was worse than that! They were behaving intimately." She gave Bella a knowing, scandalized look.
"Worse?" Bella couldn't imagine any of the ranch couples choosing to cuddle and coo in the middle of the day out in the open. Folks here were private and respectful about that sort of thing.
"The man was holding the woman closely in his arms as he kissed her lips. Right out there in front of God and Moses, too."
"What color hair did the lady have?"
"White."
Bella blinked. "White? There's no one on the ranch who has wh… oh, you must mean Mrs. Crowley. She has the fairest blonde hair I've ever seen. It's quite lovely."
Jess sniffed again. Her own blonde locks were her pride and joy even though they had darkened considerably as she aged. But Jessie still remembered her glory days when her tow-headed childhood progressed into a golden-haired girlhood. She refused to admit her tresses weren't quite as golden as they once were and she automatically refused to admit that perhaps Lauren's locks were more blonde than hers.
"Sister, probably what you witnessed was a reunion. Tyler Crowley went into town this morning for the express purpose of hauling your belongings up here." Bella tilted her head and looked across the room where her sister-in-law was rocking and added, "The Crowleys are a very devoted couple. I am sure they didn't realize they were being spied upon."
Jess shot up out of her chair. "Spied upon! I just happened to look out of my window!"
Bella shrugged. "Just know, Sister, had they known you were watching, they'd have behaved differently. They are a fairly circumspect couple."
Jessie huffed and stalked out of the room, unhappy that Bella took her report so lightly.
Bella looked down at her baby boy who was quizzically gazing back at her. "Well, John Henry, it seems as if your aunt is a little out of sorts. She's in for a lot of surprises, I am thinking."
John Henry smiled back at his mother as though he was looking forward to the entertainment.
After the farm hands were fed their dinner in the cookhouse dining hall, the Cullens were finally able to sit down in the lovely ranch house dining room that had been newly furnished in the past year. Bella arranged the seating according to custom. Edward sat at the head of the table, she at its foot with Carlisle on Edward's right and Esmé on his left. On Bella's right was Jasper and on her left was Alice. They added a leaf to the table and sat Jessie in between Jasper and Esmé and Michael between Alice and Carlisle. The children had eaten earlier in their annex with the nanny presiding. When the numbers of children started to outnumber the adults at the dinner table, the Cullen tribe decided to do things a little differently to facilitate more relaxing meals.
"I hope you are settling in well, Mrs. Swan," Edward said as they were passing around the food.
Jessie simpered and batted her eyes at the handsome man and said, "I do declare, Mr. Cullen, your plantation is very luxurious."
Edward snorted at first then disguised it as a cough, "It's more of a ranch, Mrs. Swan, and I am happy you find it comfortable. If you have a need of anything, please don't be afraid to ask."
"Edward," Carlisle asked, "When are we going hunting for turkeys? I bought a new bird gun and can't wait to try it out."
"We can start tomorrow. I've seen some good sized toms as I've ridden around the ranch. I am hopeful we can bag enough to make quite a feast for Thanksgiving. How many do you think we'll need to feed the entire ranch, Bella?"
"It will depend upon whether your definition of a good sized tom and mine are similar. I am thinking perhaps eight to ten good sized birds."
"Eight to ten turkeys!" Jessie was shocked. "Surely, you don't need that much."
Alice chuckled and said, "Surely, you haven't seen how much cowboys can eat."
"We have a real feast for Thanksgiving here, Sister," Bella responded. "Besides we expect a contingent of our Ute friends to join us. They always bring food but we share it all among us."
"Ute friends? Is that a religious sect?" Jessie asked.
Everyone laughed at that, leaving Jessie looking a little left out.
"No, Mrs. Swan," Carlisle explained. "The Utes are Native Americans. They are good friends of the Cullens. In fact, I've been representing them in Washington, D.C. for the past several years to insure the laws treat them fairly."
"Native… you mean Indians?" Again with the screeching. Jessie was probably going to die of heart palpitations before this visit was over.
"Why certainly. They were at the first Thanksgiving after all," Esmé softly interjected.
Michael spoke up, "You remember the letters Sister wrote explaining how the Utes became a part of Bear Valley Ranch, Mrs. Swan. They saved Mr. Carlisle Cullen's life a while back and have been fast friends ever since."
In all seriousness, Jessie was never interested enough to read the letters that Bella sent Michael although he invited her to do so whenever one would arrive. It wasn't at all surprising that Jessie knew nothing about the ranch or its inhabitants. Even when Michael would speak of Bella, Jess would change the subject to something that interested her more. Jessie realized she was looking pretty foolish so she decided to stop talking.
Jasper asked, "Mr. Swan, did you find it difficult to sell the family farm?"
Michael put his fork down before he spoke. "In some ways it was and in others, it wasn't. Jess and I decided to start afresh in California so we sold the farm furnished. The only things we brought with us were things we couldn't bear to leave behind."
Bella was quietly listening to Michael. She had hoped one day to return to Virginia for a visit. She imagined showing Edward around her home place – the tree she would climb up to read in, the lending library where she found Edward's advertisement for a bride in the The Matrimonial News. She had wanted to show him the familiar old farm house and her snug little room with the narrow brass bed. It would have been delicious to see his tall frame in her small, girlish room. She could imagine pushing him back onto the pillow and loving him right there.
She sighed quite audibly and looked up to see Edward watching her with concern. He knew it had been hard for Bella to let the idea of her girlhood home go. Bella softly smiled back at her husband, trying to reassure him that she was fine.
Jessie's eyes were focused on her meal but her ears were listening to every word Michael was saying to Jasper Cullen. Michael had packed a box to give to his sister? She never saw it. What did he have in it? Could Renee Swan's blue silk shawl be one of the things inside? She had torn the farm house apart looking for that treasure soon after they were married but couldn't find it anywhere. She well remembered Renee wearing it to church of a Sunday and she knew that Bella didn't bring it to Colorado because Jess secretly went through Bella's trunk the night before she left home. She knew that Bella had Renee's black lace shawl but Jess wasn't interested in that. The blue shawl would have complemented her own features so well. She was going to confront Michael after dinner.
But after dinner, Michael couldn't be found. Jess searched high and low ending up in the cook house where the washing up was going on. Ana Maria, seeing a pair of idle hands, quickly had Jess in an apron and had her scrubbing pots before the woman even knew what was happening. She had no choice but to go along with the frightening Mexican woman.
She'd catch up to Michael later and then she'd take care of him. How dare he sneak things behind her back? She would remind him of where his loyalty should lay. Oh, yes she would.
After dinner, Michael quickly slipped down to the barn to find the box he had saved for his sister. Looking back over the years, he realized he hadn't treated Bella well. He was so head over heels in love with Jess when they married that he really didn't pay much attention to what happened to Bella.
He was a little concerned when his sister started to correspond with the Coloradoan, but Jess quickly reassured him that it was a fine thing for Bella to develop broader interests and corresponding was a good way to do it. Bella dutifully allowed Michael to read all the letters that Edward sent her during the months leading up to his proposal and, frankly, Michael learned to admire the erudite rancher. On paper, he seemed to be a good sort of man, with a decent future so when Bella left, he only missed her for his own sake, not so much for hers.
But when the fervor of newly wedded bliss was over, he realized that perhaps he shouldn't have been so swayed by his bride. He should have dealt fairer with his sister, perhaps even escorted her to Colorado to make sure she was well settled there. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he wasn't the man he should have been and he let Bella down, but more importantly, he let down himself. He wasn't the kind of responsible, reliable and protective man that he was raised to be. His parents would be ashamed of him.
With a firm resolve, he shifted some of the boxes around until he found the one he was looking for. Lifting it, he went back to the big house to find his sister, hoping that perhaps in some small way its contents would help repair some of the damage he had done. He found Bella in the dining room setting things to right from their meal.
"Bella, here are a few mementoes of our home in Virginia. I want you to have them."
"I can't tell you how much this means to me, Brother. I've often wished I had something of the old place to remember."
"I think you'll find them in here. Where do you want me to put it?"
"Can you take it into my sitting room? It won't be in the way there and I can go through it at my leisure." She led him over to her little oasis of calm and peace that was a new addition to the ranch house. Though its main entrance was off the main room, it was also connected to her and Edward's bedroom by French doors. Michael sat the box down on a table that stood in the middle of the room.
Bella smiled in gratitude, "Thank you so much for thinking of me. I have a wonderful life here but I still think fondly of our childhood home and I never want to forget it."
"I am sorry you didn't get your share earlier."
"Don't fret about that. I am happy, Brother. I got more than my fair share. I got the best mother, father and brother any one could ever have." She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "You are so dear to me."
Michael started to choke up and was surprised to discover tears in his eyes. This wouldn't do. "Well, … you are dear to me, Sister. Always have been."
He cleared his throat. "Now, I'd best be seeing where Jess is. I am sure she wants to talk to me." And so, he left the room by its main entrance, quietly leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.
Bella turned to the box, relieved to find that she could easily lift the lid. She gasped when she looked inside. Reaching in, she gingerly pulled out a packet of letters tied in a grey ribbon. They were in her father's handwriting and addressed to her mother. She gently untied the bow and opened the top letter.
Richmond, July 21st, 1862
My Dear Wife,
It seems as though we have done nothing but fight throughout the summer. We are currently in Richmond, having pulled back after the victories of the Peninsula Battles. I faired safely, thanks to God's goodness, but many of my compatriots did not.
The new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia is Robt E. Lee, of Arlington. You'll remember the Lees. My father used to trade with them several years ago. General Lee, who went to the US Military academy, is quite a sage and canny soldier and he understands how to win a battle and lead men. I feel hopeful with him at our head.
I pray you and our little boy are doing well. I think of you often, especially now that you are in a delicate condition. I hope the hired man does his work well for you and you are able to rest and have no worries. It does not seem right that I should be away from you at this time.
May God make it easy for you and that you will soon be safely delivered.
Your loving husband,
Charles Swan
Bella realized that she was the baby that her mother was expecting and it gave her a warm feeling to read her father's words. She was born shortly after the second battle of Manassas later that summer which was not too far from where they lived. Her father had been shot in the arm during the battle. He refused to have it amputated which was the standard procedure for mini-ball wounds. He requested permission to go to his family to be cared for. Since the Confederate Army had very few resources available for medical care, they allowed him to go. Eventually, he recovered from his wound but he carried that mini-ball in his arm until the day he died. After many months, he was able to use his arm in a limited fashion, but he never returned to the war again.
Deciding to save the remainder of the letters for later, Bella reached back into the box and pulled out a large picture folder. When she opened it, tears welled in her eyes. It was an old daguerreotype of her parents shortly after they were married. They looked so young. A warm feeling enveloped her as she once again looked into their features. She stared at the picture for a long while and she ached for missing them. Sighing, she set the picture down and picked up what felt to be a picture frame wrapped in a soft cloth.
She pulled the cloth away and gasped to find a water color picture of the old farm house as she remembered it. She had never seen the painting before but she noticed in the corner the initials M.S. and a date five years previously. Did Michael paint this? It was very good. She had no idea he had such a talent.
She sighed when she recognized the small box that she pulled out next. It was filled with her mother's old recipes. She looked high and low for it before she left Occoquan but couldn't find it. When she asked Jess where it could be, Jess nonchalantly told her that she threw it out. After all, everyone knew that Renee Swan had difficulty successfully boiling water. It was true, her mother wasn't the best cook but looking at her crabbed writing brought her back almost as if she was here in the room with her. Bella could feel her tears trembling on her eyelashes and she dashed the back of her hand against her eyes to prevent their falling. She shouldn't be crying over this. She should be happy.
The last item in the box appeared to be something soft that was wrapped in heavy brown paper and tied with a string. When she opened it, she smiled and no matter what she thought, the tears that had been threatening now streamed from her eyes. The package contained her mother's blue silk shawl. She remembered her mother wearing it for special occasions and the feel of the silk between her fingers and the swish of the fringe that edged it brought her mother's memory starkly back.
She unfolded the silken cloth, held it up to her face and inhaled. There was a faint fragrance of verbena – her mother's personal sachet. She wrapped the shawl around her shoulders and walked through the open French doors into her bedroom to gaze at her reflection in the pier glass Edward gave her their first Christmas together. She imagined her mother's arms around her once more. She remembered how comforted she would feel in her mother's embrace and how tenderly her mother would murmur words of love and encouragement.
"Oh, Mother," Bella sobbed quietly. She was sad to remember but was soothed at the same time with those memories.
After dinner, Edward went out to the paddock to find his manager, Eric Yorkie, working with a young colt, trying to get him used to the bit.
"He's going to be a fine mount one day," Edward said admiring the restive yearling.
"That he will, if he has the disposition of his dam and the looks of his sire. I don't know why you keep that white stallion around."
"Kate throws good foals no matter who the sire is but Mrs. Cullen is partial to the white horse."
"It is true, she's the only one he'll behave for, the devil."
Edward smiled and nodded then gave Eric some instructions for the remainder of the day. He turned back to see Michael and Jessie having what looked like a heated discussion on the kitchen porch. That reminded him of what Michael told Bella at dinner; that he had brought a box of memorabilia from their old home. He remembered the look on Bella's face as Michael was speaking of it and decided that he'd best be getting back to the house in case Bella needed him.
She wasn't in the main room, or the dining room. He was just about to head over into the addition they built for the children when he heard a sob coming from their bedroom. Quickly, he entered their room, shutting the door behind him.
He went to her and wrapped her in his arms. "Sweetheart, why are you crying?"
"Michael brought me some of our parent's belongings and they bring their memories back so vividly."
She held up a corner of the shawl. "This was my mother's favorite. I believe my father gave it to her as a wedding gift. She used to only wear it on special occasions."
Holding the shawl to her nose, she inhaled. "Edward, I can smell her perfume. I miss her so much." Tears were streaking down Bella's face.
Edward wiped them from under her eyes and kissed her gently.
"Oh, I wish they could have known you," she said. "They would be so happy that you are my husband and would have enjoyed our children so much."
He kissed her again and said, "I wished I had known them, too. From the stories you have shared, I know I would have a lot in common with them. For instance, I love their daughter very much."
He held her head in his cupped hands and kissed her once more. Sparks flew. He got that familiar dryness in his mouth as he deepened their kiss. His body was reacting to her nearness and their embrace. For some reason, her tear streaked lips made her seem softer but then, she was always soft. She said the shawl carried her mother's perfume but all he could smell was the wonderful lavender fragrance of his sweet wife. It made her irresistible to him.
"Bella, Bella, Bella…" Edward chanted as her hand grasped his shirt to pull him closer. Her kisses were becoming every bit as fervent as his. She touched the tip of her tongue to his bottom lip and he felt the gooseflesh rise on his arms as he responded.
They were in an awkward position, so Edward scooped her up and laid her upon their bed. Soon clothes were unwanted, hair pins were pulled out, and lips, arms, legs and hands were touching and caressing and thrilling each other in mutual pleasure. The afternoon sunlight shone through their window as they lay upon their bed, their bodies entwined.
Bella sighed as her hand drifted down Edward's side as he lay atop her. She loved feeling his muscles tense and release as he loved. Wrapping her legs tightly around his waist and hips, she gave herself up to pleasure.
"Oh, Bella you feel so good to me. I get lost in you." He pressed into her once more and groaned in delight.
"I love this. I love you," Bella responded as she arched her back and pressed against him.
They moved together tenderly and passionately, quickening as they approached the zenith. Bella relaxed her legs so that she could clutch Edward's hips and pull him tightly against her. The effervescence of repletion engulfed them both. Bella gasped in utter delight as Edward groaned in bliss.
After catching his breath, Edward settled down beside her, nuzzling her neck. "You are everything to me, Bella, everything."
She smiled and sighed. She was so lucky, so very lucky to have this man as hers and to know that he wanted her, needed her as much as she did him. They rarely had the time for this during the day and sometimes their long days interfered with their loving expressions at night. So, loving him now, during the afternoon was a stolen Eden and something to savor.
It was chilly in the cool room, so Edward pulled the quilt up over them and continued to gaze lovingly into his wife's eyes. "You are so beautiful, my beloved," he whispered.
She traced the angles of his cheek, the hard line of his jaw, the softness of his lips and said, "You make me feel so."
He sighed with happiness. There was no limit to his love for her. And he knew there was no limit to her love for him.
"Mr. Swan, what was in that box you packed for Sister?"
"Just a few old things that belonged to her parents. Nothing that should interest you."
"You can't decide that for me! What exactly was in that box?" Jessie demanded.
Michael frowned at his wife but still said, "Some old letters, that painting of the farm I did a few years ago, a picture of our folks, things of that sort."
"Hmmmmph. I swahn, you'd best not have given away anything that I would treasure."
Michael looked at his wife sternly and said, "It truly doesn't matter whether you would treasure them or not. Sister was my parent's daughter and she is due these items, not you. I hope you have that clear. I will tolerate your interference in this."
In all their years together, he had never spoken to her in such a manner and she was left goggling. "Mmmm… bbbb… Mr. Swan! How can you speak to me so unkindly?"
"It isn't unkindness, Mrs. Swan. It's fact. You aren't Queen Bee in these parts and you have no one who would take your side in this matter. You should be rethinking your opinion as to your importance to these people. The Stanley name means nothing here but the Swan name does. If I were you, I wouldn't be making a stir, lest it blow back in my face."
And with that, he turned and left her gaping on the kitchen porch. He didn't show her but he was shaking with nerves. He decided watching the wranglers work with the horses down at the barn would settle him some and keep him from having to speak to his wife at the moment. He knew he had opened a can of worms and he hoped he had the internal fortitude to deal with it.
Jessie was in shock. Michael had always been amenable to any of her plans for the most part. It seemed that this western climate was softening his brain. Well, she knew that he must have given Bella the box because he spoke of it in the past tense. She'd just see if that blue shawl was one of the items Michael had so carelessly given away. Jess wheeled towards the main house determined to have what she convinced herself was rightfully hers.
The main part of the house was empty. Jess looked in the dining room, then in the study where she disturbed some hayseed boy reading Edward's books of all things. She shrugged as she left. These people were the strangest she'd ever met.
She remembered Mrs. Carlisle Cullen and Mrs. Jasper Cullen said they were going to see to things in the nursery after dinner so she supposed that was where they were. Perhaps that was where Bella was as well. Or, maybe…maybe Bella put the box in her sitting room. Jessie looked speculatively at the sitting room door and noticed it was ajar.
On tiptoes, Jessie approached the sitting room and carefully peered into the room. She smiled when she saw an open packing box sitting on the center table with a packet of letters and a picture frame next to it. That must be the box!
Gently pushing the door open, she trod softely into the private sitting room to see whatever else Michael had put in there. So help him, if that blue shawl was one of the items he gave his sister, she'd have his hide. Perhaps she could simply take it if it was there. Surely Bella wouldn't care. Jessie'd explain that, as the only living Mrs. Swan, it was her right to it. Bella most certainly would agree. Besides, Bella had fine things aplenty married to the fine-looking Edward.
Just as she reached the table, she heard a noise coming through the open doors leading to the adjoining room. She looked up, her eyes widened to saucer-like shapes and she practically stopped breathing in shock.
Edward and Bella were lying abed, naked as savages, in the middle of the day! Who had ever, in all gentility, heard of such a crass, vulgar thing? Their covering quilt left little to the imagination and Jessie could see the tantalizing shape of Mr. Edward Cullen's muscled chest and strong arms as he embraced his wife. She could see their legs shifting together under the cover and could hear their kisses and soft murmurs.
She gasped.
Edward heard her and looked up.
"What in hell is that woman doing in Bella's sitting room?" he thought.
But he said, "Are you looking for something, ma'am?"
It was Bella's turn to gasp as she sat up then, pulling the quilt to her chin. "Jessie, what are you doing in there?"
"I … uh…" Jessie's eyes were still glued to Edward's chest. She seemed incapable of speech. "Uh… I… oh, not a thing." And she turned and rushed out of there like she was lit afire.
Bella turned to Edward, a twinkle in her eye, "I think we've shocked my sister-in-law."
"Serves her right for barging into our rooms."
"She mayn't have known that these rooms are by invitation only."
"We'd best tell her then. If she came in just a few minutes earlier, we may have given her apoplexy."
Bella giggled. "She'll run off and blab to Michael about what she saw, you wait."
"Oh, I think he's up for the commotion. He'll probably be jealous of our stolen delight."
"Well, Edward, I shan't apologize. I shall just pretend she didn't see a thing and not mention it."
"There's nothing for us to apologize for."
"At least not by us but I've a feeling it will be a cold day in you-know-where before we'd hear an apology from Jessie."
Unfortunately, Jess' interruption meant the end of their rendezvous, so Edward rolled out of bed went to the French doors to shut them just in case someone else decided to pry while they were in there. Bella watched his splendid naked form as he did so. "My, Edward, you are sure a fine sight for womanly eyes. I noticed that Jess couldn't take hers off you."
He chuckled and picked up her bloomers and tossed them to her. "Well, I am glad you think so, my darling. Your opinion is the only one I care about." They got dressed together, exchanging easy banter and "helping" the other as they saw fit.
Edward especially enjoyed buttoning Bella's blouse tightly across her bosom. "I can't wait until John Henry is done with these."
Bella smiled and shook her head. "He's not quite as enamored of them as you are, I have to say. He's wanting a cup like the other children have now."
Edward waggled his eye brows and watched as Bella pinned up her hair. When she was done, he extended his hand for hers and shook his head. "Back to work for us."
"Yes. I am sure the children are wondering where I am." And so, after they tidied their bed and put away their newly acquired Swan belongings, they went their separate ways. Bella made sure to put the shawl in a safe place. For some reason, she had a feeling that Jessie's greedy eyes would covet it.
Meanwhile, Jessie was sitting quietly in her room; her eyes still round as goose eggs and her mind finding it difficult to move on from the glorious vision of Edward Cullen's naked chest. Her heart was fluttering like a humming bird and she felt curiously anxious in a place deep inside. Hmmmm.
She wondered what the rest of him looked like.
A few days later.
Little Grace peered out of the nursery window looking for the return of her older siblings from school. Baby John was sitting in the corner with his old blocks and Molly, the nanny, was reading to the Brandon cousins from a picture book. But Grace was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Charles and Joy, specifically because Joy said she would let Grace help her with her chores in the kitchen that day. Grace loved the kitchen. She loved the smells, the busy-ness, the purposeful work and, especially the results.
Because the kitchen was so busy and served so many, it wasn't often she could help and the rule was someone had to work with her while she was there. Mama and Aunt Alice were whirlwinds trying to get everything settled for the great Thanksgiving feast they were having in the next few days, so they didn't have the time, Ana Maria didn't have the patience, Grandmama didn't know, and Aunt Jessie didn't want the bother.
Gracie got the feeling that Aunt Jessie didn't bother about many things because it seemed to her that she was always frowning and sad. Gracie tried to cheer her up one day shortly after she and Uncle Michael arrived but, while Uncle Michael enjoyed her prattle and dandled her upon his knee, Aunt Jess said she gave her the headache, so Mama took her back to the nursery.
Mama made it better though. She kissed Grace on each of her cheeks and hugged her tightly as she sang "Hush, Little Baby" and then told her that Aunt Jess wasn't used to children, so she had to be quieter around her. Gracie nodded with wide hazel eyes, her blonde curls a riot around her face.
Soon, Gracie caught sight of her older siblings and started to wave and call to them through the window, "Charlie! Joy! You're here! YAY!"
She jumped and clapped her hands as Molly cautioned, "You'd best settle down, milady. If you're too rambunctious, Miss Joy may go back on her promise."
"Oh. She wouldn't do that, would she?" Grace looked fearfully at her nanny.
"Well, I'd hate to find out, wouldn't you?" Grace nodded and sat on a stool next to the stove's fender, folding her hands in her little lap. Only the tip-tapping of her small shoes on the floor denoted her excitement.
Molly chuckled at the sweet little girl. She loved her duties as the Cullen nanny. She was the third of Lauren's sisters to travel west from Pennsylvania to work for the Cullens for that purpose. When it seemed that the population explosion at Bear Valley Ranch necessitated additional hands to help, Lauren provided an opportunity for her sisters to come west and leave the overcrowded farm that her family hailed from.
But it seemed the minute a Mallory girl came from the east, she was immediately deluged by lonesome cowboys who appreciated the beauty that seemed to be inherent in their family. Susan wasn't here a year before Eric Yorkie, the ranch manager, won her hand, and then Carrie took her place, only to be paired up and married off to Seamus Flannigan within two years of her arrival. The only reason it took so long for Carrie's marriage was because she had to go through the process of converting to Seamus' religion beforehand. Now that there was a Catholic Church in Bear Valley, it was easier for that sort of thing.
Molly, however, had not yet been swept off her feet by any of the local swains. She liked her independence and enjoyed the children, so though she had plenty of offers, no one had won her heart and it was now her fifth year in the Cullen's employ. She wouldn't be unhappy to stay that way. She had her own little room in the children's wing of the Cullen's ranch house and though her hours were long, Mrs. Cullen was very much involved in her children's daily lives and she spent as much time in the nursery as Molly did, it seemed. Sometimes, Molly watched her nephew, Lee, and the Hernandez' younger children as well. Molly was of the opinion the more, the merrier, and as she came from a large family, she had no difficulty managing the larger numbers; even Carrie and Susan's offspring were welcome, though it was not a regular thing for them to join the Cullen nursery. This Thanksgiving was sure to have them all present, though. Molly was looking forward to it.
Joy and Charlie burst into the nursery and the little ones clamored for their attention. Grace still sat quietly on the stool, hoping that Joy would soon come take her to the kitchen.
Joy had grown into a sweet young girl. At nine it was apparent that she was going to be a beauty. She had her father's coloring but her mother's disposition. She looked over to her little fairy-like sister and asked, "Are you ready to go to work, Gracie-girl?"
Grace shot out of the stool and raced to Joy's side, hugging her around her waist. "Yes, please!"
The two sisters headed for the kitchen. Bella was there, hands white with flour, making pie crusts. She grinned in delight to see her girls and stopped what she was doing to give them both a handless hug and a kiss. "Hello, my darlings. Have you come to cook?"
"Yes, Mama," they chorused.
"Well, then, why don't you two help Madalena with tonight's biscuits?" Bella nodded towards the teenager who was busy scooping levels of flour into a large bowl. She had been put in charge of the daily biscuit making, the staple of their table. The hands could go through dozens at one meal. In a few minutes, Joy and Grace were swathed in aprons and up to their elbows in dough. Joy could make biscuits almost as well as Madalena, so she was in charge of helping Grace with hers.
"I want to make a special one for Papa," Grace declared.
"What would make it special, Gracie?"
"I want to make a big one!"
Joy smiled. "We would have to use something bigger than the biscuit cutter to cut it. Let me see what there is." Joy went to look for something they could use that would work. She came back with a wide mouthed jar. It would make a biscuit twice the size of a normal one. The girls carefully cut out a biscuit using the jar and then placed it on a baking sheet, painted it with buttermilk and then put it in the oven to bake. Everyone in the kitchen was excited about the biscuit for Papa and when it came out of the oven, all gathered around to see it. It was a thing of beauty and little Grace's grin practically split her face in two to see it.
"Papa will love my biscuit," she insisted.
"Yes, indeed he will," Bella agreed as she put her hand on the little one's shoulder. "But do you know why? Because you made it with a secret ingredient."
"A secret 'gredient?"
"Of course, and because it is a secret, I shall have to whisper it to you." She bent down to her daughter's ear so that no one else could hear. Then, she helped Grace put the biscuit on one of the best china plates and covered it with a cloth to keep it warm.
Grace took her place at the dining hall window eager for her father to arrive. She didn't have to wait long for he came around the corner of the barn and started to walk up to the kitchen. It was strange, she thought, when Aunt Jessie waltzed out to meet her father as he was walking. Why would Aunt Jessie be dancing in the yard? Oh, oh. Aunt Jessie tripped and Papa caught her before she fell. That's Papa. He was always so good at helping. Poor Aunt Jessie, she must have hurt herself because she couldn't seem to walk. Papa had to hold her up. Aunt Jessie must really be hurt because she put her arms around Papa's neck. Oh. Papa got red in the face. Maybe Papa needed help.
"Mama! Mama!" Grace turned to her busy mother and pointed out the window, "Papa needs help."
Bella looked up quizzically at her daughter, then walked over to the window and looked out.
"Well, that fulsome Jezebel!" Bella muttered. Turning to the little one she said, "I'll give your father the help he needs, Gracie. Thank you."
Bella wiped her hands on her apron and walked out of the door into the yard. She thought she just may kill her sister-in-law. She could see the expression on Edward's face. He was mortified by the situation.
As a gentleman, Edward understood he couldn't be ungracious to the lady but the only thing he knew to do was either lay her in the dirt or pick her up and carry her into the house. He'd no wish to do either. Jessie's cloying perfume was overpowering him and she was clucking and cooing and batting her eyes like a crazed hen. He was so thankful when he saw Bella storming over. On second thought, his dear wife looked angry. He hoped she wasn't angry at him. He looked pleadingly at her.
"Oh, my ankle, Mr. Cullen! I've sprained it, I know it for sure. I think I may faint." Jessie leaned heavily against him, pressing her body hard against his.
Edward was beginning to panic. "Oh, no. Don't faint, Mrs. Swan. Please! My wife is here to help you."
"Now, Jessie what happened?" Bella asked as though she was concerned. Edward knew she truly wasn't, at least about her sister-in-law's health.
"Oh, I tripped, Sister, and I think I have damaged my leg. Perhaps Mr. Cullen can feel it to see if it is broke?"
Bella's voice even became more sincere sounding, "Oh, la, Jessie. Edward's no doctor but here, lean on me and we will get you to a bed and Edward will send for the doctor to come see to you." Bella pried one of Jessie's arms off of Edward's neck and looped it around her own as she started walking towards the main house. Edward happily let Jessie go and hurriedly went to the cook house to escape.
"Oh, sister, I don't think I can stand on it! Mr. Cullen shall have to carry me."
"Nonsense, Jessie. You surely wouldn't want a man not your husband to hold you in such an intimate manner. I know you'd simply die from embarrassment and I wouldn't allow that. Here, you're doing well." They had reached the side door to the main house and Bella was relieved to see her brother coming to see what the commotion was about.
"Michael, Jessie tripped and fears she injured her leg. Could you help me get her upstairs to your room? I think she must go to bed and rest for several days if she has sprained her ankle. Edward is sending for the doctor and I will make up a mustard plaster to put on the damaged limb. We must treat this forcefully; else she may be crippled for life." Michael grimly nodded and picked up his wife and carried her up stairs to their room as Bella followed.
Bella was blowing this completely out of proportion and she knew it, but Jessie had spent the last three days casting lures at Edward and she had had enough. She was going to politely put Jessie out of commission and out of Edward's hair. She got Jessie undressed by providing a constant stream of commiseration and concern and not letting Jessie get a word in edgewise. She tucked her up in bed and left Michael in charge and then went down to the kitchen to make the hottest mustard plaster she could concoct.
She had no fears that Edward was at all tempted by that baggage, Jess, it was just that she was so obvious about her wiles. Edward was supremely embarrassed by her antics, Bella was extremely disgusted and Michael was incredibly incensed. This was the last straw as far as he was concerned.
When Bella brought the steaming hot plaster up to drape over Jessie's ankle, Michael just stood there with his arms crossed daring his wife to reject the medicine. Mustard plasters were not so hot temperature-wise but the mustard itself was an irritant to the skin and was thought to draw pain and swelling out of the afflicted bodily part it was applied to.
"Now, Jessie, you just keep this on your ankle and the pain will ease, I am sure." Bella gave her a narrow look. "I am needed downstairs, Sister, and will send the doctor up when he arrives." Jessie was biting her lip, trying not to cry out in pain from the plaster but the most painful part of her day was yet to come.
Bella left the couple alone in their room and Michael turned to his wife, "Just what do you think you are accomplishing, Jessie?"
"Accomplishing? I twisted my ankle."
"There is nothing wrong with your ankle but there is definitely something wrong with your brain. I was watching you, Jessie. I saw you lay in wait for Edward and watched as you skipped over and threw yourself at him. You, much to my regret, are a married woman, and should be above such behavior. He is a happily married man and, Jess, as a man I can tell you – he has absolutely no interest in you. You are embarrassing my sister, her husband and yourself. You are a fool if you think your machinations will garner you anything more than disgust."
Jessie laid there with wide eyes, her mouth agape, hardly able to comprehend what her husband – her once compliant and meek husband- was telling her. "I…I…I don't know what you're going on about."
"Here, I will show you," he ripped the bedding off of her and tore off the plaster, then grasped her ankle and gripped it hard. His movements were so sudden that Jessie didn't react as she would had her limb had been truly damaged.
"You're a fraud." He threw the covers back down and started pacing the room.
"I am finished, Jessie. I married you in good faith. In fact, I thought I was in love with you all those years ago. I learned too late that you didn't see marriage as a partnership between a man and a woman. You saw it only as a means for you to get what you wanted, whether it was a secure place in married life when your own family was headed for destitution, or to drive your husband's dearest relative out of the only home she had ever known. Bella's guardian angel must have been looking out for her to pair her up with such a good and loving man as Edward. I thank God for that. And you still used our marriage to cajole me in to selling the Swan homestead and move to a land I never wished to go without any consideration for me. And woe to me, I let you. After eleven years of marriage to you, Jessie, I had given up on my life. Since arriving here, I see what Edward and Bella have and I realize how much I've missed. I am going to start living my life now with or without you.
"You have a choice to make, Mrs. Swan. You can stay here with me and change your ways and become the wife you promised to be to me all those years ago, or you can go to California by yourself."
With that, Michael stormed out of their room, slamming the door behind him leaving Jessie in an astonished stupor behind him.
Bella took several deep breaths before she reentered the dining hall, trying to calm her ire. It was too cold standing out there on the kitchen porch, so she finally gave up and went in to see probably the only scene that could reduce her to pure happiness at this time.
Gracie and Edward were sitting together at a small table having tea. The little girl was earnestly acting the lady, shakily pouring her Papa's tea into his cup with his help and prattling away. Edward had a bemused look on his face as he listened to her and took another bite out of his outsized biscuit.
"Papa, we had to use a jar to cut your big biscuit. Joy helped me. But Mama told me about the secret 'gredient."
"A secret ingredient?" Edward asked, "Can you share it with me?"
Grace looked from side to side to make sure no one could overhear what she was about to tell her father and saw Bella standing quietly listening to them. "Oh, Mama!" Grace called happily and held out her arms.
Bella walked over to them and said, "Gracie, do you mind if I join you?"
"No, Mama. Please, sit with me." Grace moved over so that Bella could share her seat.
"Mama, can I tell Papa about the secret 'gredient in the biscuit?"
Bella smiled and winked at Edward as she said, "Papa is the best at keeping secrets, Grace. You can tell him."
Grace leaned over the table and whispered solemnly to her father, "The secret 'gredient is love, Papa. I put plenty of love into the biscuit. That makes it the bestest biscuit ever."
Edward's eyes twinkled at his daughter. "It is truly the most delicious biscuit I have ever eaten, Gracie. I thank you for putting so much love into it. I can taste it with every bite."
A serene peace settled on Edward's heart. All of his children compounded the happiness in his life that Bella brought to him when she agreed to marry him. His blessings indeed were pressed down, shaken together and running over, as the Bible promised. He looked at his lovely bride and saw that she had tears in her eyes.
"Bella, are you happy?" he asked, thinking he knew the source of her tears.
"Oh, Edward, I am completely and thoroughly blissful. You have given me such a good life."
He reached across the table and placed his hand on hers and said, "I was just thinking the same about you, my love."
Grace looked from one parent to the other and said, "Mama and Papa, you need to save the love for the biscuits!"
Thanksgiving Day had finally arrived at Bear Valley Ranch. Tables had been set up in the dining hall so that all diners could sit in the same room and enjoy their blessings and each other together. The McCartys brought extra chairs along with their brood of five children. The Crowleys were there and Lauren's sisters attended with their families. The Hernandezes and their children were in the dining hall instead of the kitchen today, this special day of rejoicing for blessings and thanks. The ranch hands had cleaned up, put on their finest duds and were there looking forward to the feast to come. Of course, all of the Cullens were present as well as a dozen members of the Ute tribe. All told, there were more than sixty people at Bear Valley Ranch to celebrate Thanksgiving together.
The tables were resplendent with a dozen roasted turkeys, four baked hams courtesy of Michael, all sorts of roasted vegetables, venison, piles of potatoes, plates of love biscuits, as Gracie called them, pies of all sorts, gravy and stuffing and sweet potatoes, and every good thing.
Despite Juan Carlos' grumbling about it being his kitchen, the ladies did the majority of the cooking. They sat in splendor, dressed for the occasion, and Bella specifically wore her mother's blue fringed shawl. The children fetched decorations in the form of pine boughs, gourds and colorful leaves. It looked quite festive in the hall and all were anticipating a fine repast.
Michael and Bella sat next to each other enjoying their togetherness. Life would be different in coming days for Michael for Jess decided to try her fortune in California alone. She left the day before on a train destined for San Francisco, toting her gilded bird cage with her. Michael had given her a considerable nest egg until she could find her feet there. Surprisingly, he felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He wished her well but he wished her gone.
Jess was embarrassed to realize that all Michael had said to her was true. She was too ashamed to speak again to Edward and even with Bella she was reticent. All she knew was that she had to get off the ranch, out of Bear Valley and Colorado as soon as she could.
She hadn't told Michael but the first thing she would do in California would be to seek a divorce. Marrying him had been the biggest mistake of her life, in her opinion. As self-centered as she was, she could never see that the reverse was actually the truth, Michael should have never married her.
Bella and Edward were pleased to offer Michael a home with them but though he would stay nearby, he wanted a new life for himself as well. A while ago, he had discovered he had a knack for drawing and had made enough money off the sale of his property in Virginia that he thought he could set up a shop in town and develop his talent. His possibilities were endless. He had hope and anticipation for his future for the first time in many years.
Edward looked contentedly around the table at his family, watching his parents conversing, his sister-in-law, Alice, wiping the mouth of her youngest who was being held by Jasper. He smiled as his daughter, Joy, shared a giggle with her brother, Charlie. Though their older son was named for Bella's father, he was the spitting image of Carlisle. Little Gracie was playing peek-a-boo with her baby brother as he sat on his mother's lap.
And then there was his Bella. His heart leapt as he gazed lovingly at her. She was the source of all his happiness, the font of his contentment, the only alleviation to his desire; his forever love.
As if she felt his eyes on her, Bella looked up and met his gaze. The noise of the crowded room fell away from her, from them. The only thing that they knew in that moment was that the love they shared filled their souls. It was the most defining entity in their lives and they were grateful and thankful for all the many blessings that came from it.
Clearing her throat, Alice leaned over and said to Edward, "It's time."
He broke off his gaze with Bella, nodded at Alice and arose from his seat.
Raising his voice so that all could hear he asked, "Let us bow our heads for grace."
Everyone quieted and bowed their heads as Edward began to pray.
"Dear Father in Heaven,
"We thank you for the many blessings you have given us in the form of health, prosperity, good friends, and dear families. We thank you for the food that graces this table, and the loving hands that prepared it.
"We pray that you will always bless us; we who are your humble servants, the family and friends of Bear Valley Ranch."
Amen