Chapter 7

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He rose upright in the stirrups. He scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair in the casement. His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(O, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west.

Isabella, Boston, August 1769

It had been two months since Edward and I had visited Esme and yet we remained unwed. Each time I asked him about it, all he would say was that he had preparations still to make. If I didn't know him better, I'd say he was getting cold feet, but his kiss and the love in his eyes told me otherwise.

It was only this that occupied my thoughts all through that swelteringly hot summer. The only thing that could take my mind off it was work, and Lord knew that there was enough of that. More and more Redcoats had arrived in Boston and we were law-bound to serve and quarter them, no matter how rude or unpleasant they were. I hated it, not only because of their manners, but also because it meant that Edward's appearances dwindled in frequency. Although I knew he would risk his very soul to come to me, I begged him to be cautious. I couldn't stand the thought of being the lure to his demise.

One good thing about the extra work was that it kept both Jacob and I busy in our separate areas. The change in atmosphere I started feeling around him several months ago had not gone away and it was more often than not I would catch him staring at me with that damn unreadable look in his eyes. It made me squirm, making me feel as if I were a butterfly under a magnifying glass. The only times when I truly felt at ease again with Jacob was when he would take me to go visit Bonnie, and her new owner would let me ride her for a few hours with Jacob on his own horse next to me. Those were the best times with him as we raced through the woods, wind whipping through our hair and the dappled sunlight dripping through the leaves. It made me feel as if we were children again, just "Jakey" and "Izzy" as we called each other back then. But invariably, these moments of light-heartedness would always end as on the way home, we would lapse into uncomfortable silences.

I thought about this as I sat in my room, brushing my hair in preparation for bed, absent-mindedly staring into the small mirror of my vanity as I did so. It was late enough that everyone was asleep and the whole house was quiet, leaving me free to lose myself in my guilt. I knew that it was high time to tell Jacob about Edward and I. He was my closest friend and he deserved to know. Alice and Rose already knew and it was unforgivable for them to know and not him. Yet, a small voice in my heart told me not to, and the very thought of telling him chilled me to the very core.

Tap-tap-tap. I jumped at the sudden rapping at my window, dropping my brush with a clatter on the wooden floorboards. I froze. There were Red-coats at the inn tonight and I only knew of one person who tapped like that on my window-sill. Usually, I would hear the clip-clop of his horse's hooves on the road leading up to the inn, but tonight I had been preoccupied and what's more, I was not expecting him, especially on a night like tonight that was crawling with soldiers.

I closed my eyes, whispering a silent prayer that my clumsiness had not awakened anybody in the house. After a few more moments with my ears pricked up for any breath of sound that suggested someone was up, my heart began to slow down to a more human rhythm. Opening my eyes, I had to suppress a giggle at the shock of bronze hair that sprouted up just above my window sill. I tip-toed over and opened the window panes to see Edward smiling up at me, a twinkle in his eye. Although my window was high, he could just reach it by standing up on the stirrups.

"Edward," I whispered to him, "What are you doing here? It's not safe for you tonight. We are stuffed full with the King's men. What if somebody sees you?"

He gave me a quick and tender kiss before he said, "Everyone else is asleep, Isabella. I've been watching for the last 30 minutes and there's been no sign of a stirring soul."

I couldn't deny that he was right. The unearthly silence made it seem as if Edward and I were the only two people on this earth. I kissed him again, frowning in disappointment as he pulled away. I opened my eyes to find he was smiling at me.

"What?" I pouted.

He raised an eyebrow, "Oh, have you changed your mind then?"

"Changed my mind about what?"

"Going to see Father Carlisle."

My heart seemed to be doing cartwheels behind my ribs as the biggest smile broke across my face.

"Really?" I breathed, my cheeks starting to hurt with how wide they were being stretched out by my grin.

Edward laughed low in his throat, "Put on your best dress, Isabella. Lord knows I'd marry you even if you were dressed in a potato sack, but I do believe that Esme would have some harsh words for me if I didn't give you a chance to dress for the occasion."

"Alright then, Edward. Give me a few moments." I turned away from my window and half flew to my wardrobe, throwing open its doors. Luckily, I didn't have many options to choose from so it didn't take me very long to decide. I reached for the sleeve of my best Sunday dress before I hesitated, suddenly remembering the wrapped parcel that lay hidden away amongst winter coats. I knelt down to dig it out, biting my lip in nervousness before untying the twine and laying aside the paper. I had not touched its contents since the day I'd received it. I unfolded the dress and held it up against myself in the moonlight. It certainly seemed like it would fit, and it was far finer than anything I could ever have imagined myself wearing, but there was only one way to find out and the occasion was dear enough to me to warrant it. I shimmied out of my nightgown and dressed myself quickly and quietly, checking to see that there were no defects or moth-holes in the gown as I put it on. Luckily, it was perfect as if new and my breath caught in my throat as I looked at myself in the mirror. My only memories of my mother were from a painting my father kept in his office, but as I looked at my reflection, I felt as if she were staring right back at me. The dress would have been considered plain in high society, but I was not high society, and this particular dress made my heart ache. The fabric was cheap, but it was dyed a deep midnight blue, and patterned with the most exquisite embroidery. It was my mother's hand that had done it and it whispered of home and springtime, when wildflowers bloomed in the forest meadows. Unbidden tears sprang to my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. I had never felt comfortable before even touching this dress, but now that I had it on, and considering the circumstances, it felt more than right. I grabbed the ribbon off my nightstand, quickly plaiting it loosely into my hair, before I headed back over to the window. Hearing my light footfalls, Edward looked up at me. I was surprised to see a light flush rise in his cheeks.

"Isabella," his voice came out dark and deep, giving me goosebumps that had nothing to do with the chilly night air, "do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

I smiled, ducking my head as his sweet words called up a blush of my own.

"It was my mother's dress," I explained, "She wore it when she got married to my father. He gave it to me a few years ago, when I came of age. I haven't touched it since, but it felt right to wear it now."

He gave me a kiss in the moonlight, one that made my head spin. I lost myself in it, half forgetting what we were about until he pulled away with a "Shall we?"

"Yes," I agreed dreamily, still dazed from the embrace. I was just starting to push myself away from the window ledge, before I came to my senses. I stopped and looked behind me to my closed bedroom door.

"But how am I to get out of the house? I don't know if I can sneak out without someone hearing and with the way I am dressed, it would be difficult to explain away."

"Through the window," he replied, as if it were as natural as walking through the front door. I looked at his stallion doubtfully and Edward laughed when he caught my glance.

"What, don't you trust me?" he asked, kissing my cheek.

"Of course I trust you," I retorted, "it's the horse that's making me nervous. What if he gets jittery?"

"You don't have to worry about Steadfast here," he reassured me, patting the horse's neck, "we've been friends for so long, we're practically extensions of each other now. Besides, there's very little that startles him." The horse gave a soft snort as if in agreement.

I wasn't entirely convinced but the warmth that shined through his green eyes steadied my nerves as I grabbed my cloak and prepared to make my escape. Edward, standing in the stirrups, reached up and gripped my waist as I clambered through the open window, shutting it gently behind me as he lowered me down to the saddle behind him.

And then, we were off, soaring through the night-drenched woods as I laughed at the exhilarating feeling of being on an adventure with my love, his warm back heating my cheek, warding off the cool night air. Eventually, we reached the sleepy little town, Steadfast slowing to a walk as he hit the cobblestoned streets. His hoof beats seemed to echo through all the alleyways, but there was no sign of stirring, as if the town had been deserted, so fast were they asleep. Although I knew these streets like the back of my hand, it seemed completely foreign and almost ghostly without the hustle and bustle of the daytime crowds. A chill ran down my spine and I shuddered, squeezing my eyes shut to block out the sight. Feeling my tremors, Edward squeezed my hand in reassurance and I was brought back to reality. Opening my eyes, the world didn't look half as terrible as it did before, with Edward's hand in mine.

We made our way through the empty lanes until we reached the small church, where one window flickered with life. Edward slid off the horse before reaching up to help me dismount. When my boots hit the dust, he took my hand, leading me through the door. The familiar pews were empty of their usual occupants, in their place mismatched bibles pointing towards the central pulpit. But this was not where we were going as Edward gently tugged my hand to the side of the chapel, towards a door under which light flooded through the cracks.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the unfamiliar brightness, I could see that we were in a small office, lit up with candles that covered every available surface. Every other surface was full of books. The shelves were crammed full to bursting with tomes of every shape and size, and there were stacks of them on the floor and the desk, some of them bound by covers while others were kept together only with twine. In the middle of it all was Father Carlisle, who was smiling at us both, his eyes shining with benevolence. Next to him was Esme, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Isabella, Edward," Esme greeted us, her smile lighting up the room as much as the candles were, coming forward to embrace us both, "I'm so happy to see you both here."

"Esme," Edward smiled back at her, "I hope we haven't been keeping you waiting long." He kissed her on the cheek in greeting, giving her shoulders a squeeze as she laughed.

Esme waved him off, "Not at all, my dear boy. I wouldn't have missed this for the world. Besides, the Father and I are old friends. It was nice getting a chance to catch up with him outside of the Sunday service. Isabella, you look positively radiant." She held me at arm's length to look at me and I hoped the candlelight hid the deep flush that I felt sure was creeping up to my cheeks.

"Thank you so much for being here, Esme," I said, "I had no idea that this would finally be happening tonight."

"I know," Esme replied, "Which is why I took the liberty of finding these two." She moved aside to reveal the beaming faces of Alice and Rose, who launched forward to envelop me in a mess of curls and laughter and kisses.

"Alice! Rosalie," I exclaimed in surprise, happy tears sliding down my cheeks, "I can't believe you both are here!"

"How could we not be? Our own Maid Marian is being wed to her Robin Hood," Alice teased, using her handkerchief to wipe away my tears as Rose smoothed down my dress, exclaiming over the lovely flowers stitched in. I felt a twinge of guilt as I noted the absence of a certain stable-boy, but the sound of a clearing throat brought me back into the present.

"Shall we get started?" Father Carlisle gently prompted us. Edward took my hand again as we stood before him, Alice and Rosalie falling into line beside me and Esme placing herself beside Edward. Now that we were all here and in our places, a sudden shyness overcame me, so that I blushed, ducking my head to avoid Carlisle's gaze. But I felt another set of eyes upon me as well, and I looked up to see Edward looking at me with steady warm eyes, confidence and assurance emanating from every pore of his being and permeating my own, so that all my shyness melted like winter snow under the spring sun.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony," Carlisle began, trying to look stern but failing as his eyes looked tenderly upon Edward and I as if we were his own children.

"Isabella Marie Swan," he continued, "Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, serve him, love, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as you both shall live?"

My eyes did not leave Edward's as I softly said, "I do." His smile in response lit up the room as much as the candles did as he brought up the hand he still held to place a soft kiss across the knuckles.

Father Carlisle repeated the vows that I barely heard, so lost was I in the promise that shone from Edward's eyes, the promise of a love that I knew would sustain me for as long as I lived and longer, no matter if everything else were gone.

"I do," Edward answered, "With these vows, I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow, today, tomorrow, and forevermore."

"Then," Carlisle concluded, "I now pronounce you man and wife. May your souls always find each other, no matter how dark the road."

My heart was full to bursting as Edward kissed me amidst the cheers and congratulations of Alice, Rose, and Esme. When our lips parted, we were immediately embraced by the three. After much celebration all around, our little group made its way back into the courtyard as we prepared to say farewell to each other for the night. Alice, Rose, and Esme all gave me a kiss on the cheek as I heartily thanked them all for coming, wishing them a safe walk home. Before I knew it, Edward and I were back on Steadfast and the town was fading behind us.

I wasn't sure where we were going, but I hardly cared as I was quite content with my arms wrapped around Edward's waist. The last hour replayed over and over again in my mind's eye and I still didn't quite believe it. I was married! To Edward! It felt almost sinful to be as happy as I was.

Lost in my haze of bridal bliss, I didn't recognize the way we were taking. We seemed to be heading towards a part of the woods I had never set foot in. Eventually, I saw a light glimmering up ahead and soon enough, we reached a little log cabin. It was small and humble, but the light coming through the windows and the smoke winding out from the chimney was welcoming. Edward dismounted before helping me down.

"Edward," I asked, my curiosity now peaked, "what is this place?"

"It's what I've been working on the past couple of months," he answered, "I didn't want to marry you with nothing to offer. No household, no title, no legacy or name. Current affairs don't allow me to buy property. The Redcoats would be swarming around any place with my name on the deed. My mother's name, however…"

"This is your mother's place?" I turned to him in awe, "Where you lived with her as a child?"

Edward looked pained as he gently squeezed my hand in his, "Yes, more or less. As you know, this place doesn't have a happy history, which is why I took the liberty of tearing it down and rebuilding it. Hopefully, its new form lends to a new future, brighter than the past. It's still not much, but it may be a place we can call our own, a place you could run to if you ever find yourself in trouble. No one else knows of this other than you, me, and Esme, and it's well hidden. I've hid out here in perilous times for years and it's never betrayed me."

My vision blurred with tears as I gazed upon the wooden edifice, a physical monument of Edward's love for me. I could barely wrap my mind around the fact that this man had built a house for me. As I looked upon it, images of an imagined future came to mind. Edward coming home to greet me with a kiss as I waited for him by the door, children playing on the lawn, Edward and I growing old, bouncing grandchildren in our laps as we sat amongst the trees. While these were dreams I had only pictured to myself before, they seemed much more tangible now that there was a place to hold them.

I didn't realize that my tears were being misinterpreted until Edward wiped them away saying, "You do not have to live here if it upsets you, Isabella. I could always find some other place for us."

Some other place?! Blast the thought! I quickly brushed the rest of my tears away myself before reassuring him, "No, Edward. These are tears of happiness. I love it so much, it already feels like I'm coming home. I can't imagine being anywhere else. Please, take me inside."

I yelped in surprise as he unexpectedly swept me up into his arms before placing a kiss on my nose.

"You're an incredible woman, Isabella Swan."

"Isabella Cullen," I reminded him, liking the feel of the new name on my tongue. He smiled wide at the change, making my soul thrill by repeating it (it sounded even better through his lips), before he carried me into the house, setting me down just beyond the threshold and closing the door behind him. As I looked around my new home, he took my cloak and hung it on a hook by the door. The room was simple – there was only one – but it was cozy. There was a fire crackling merrily in the fireplace. In the corner opposite, not far from the fire, was a bed just big enough for two covered with a bright quilt sporting a lovely pattern. A little table with two chairs occupied the far corner, a vase in the middle of it with wildflowers that must have been just picked, so fresh they were. Everything was lovely in its simplicity and I couldn't have asked for more.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed, unable to express in words my overflowing emotions at seeing what he had built for me.

"Esme made the quilt," Edward said, "The rest of the furniture was me. It's a little rough but – "

"It's perfect," I interrupted him, bringing my lips to his for a kiss. His mouth was soft and warm on mine as my hands travelled up to his cheek to hold his face against mine. My lips parted to let out a little gasp as I felt the heat of his hands on my waist. He gently probed the border of my lower lip, requesting entrance that I gladly granted. As we explored each other, I felt heated, not by the fire, but by the strength of my desire. It was enough to make my knees week, and as Edward's kisses trailed down my neck, it consumed me. I would have crumpled to the floor had Edward not had a strong grip on me.

His eyes were dark and his voice low as he whispered, "I want you, Isabella."

"You have me," I replied, as I retreated a few steps back and reached behind me to undo the fastenings of my beautiful dress. His eyes got darker still as I let the gown fall to the floor and stepped out of it, dressed only in my shift and petticoats. No sooner had I done so, he crossed the remaining space between us in less than a stride, taking me into his arms again with a passionate kiss that stoked the fires of my longing to new heights. Although he only had one hand in my hair and the other at my waist, I could feel his touch everywhere, to my very core. Trembling, I hardly noticed that we were moving until I felt the edge of the bed behind my knees and we tumbled onto the soft mattress.

He trailed light, airy kisses down my neck, so gently that I barely knew if he was kissing me or merely the air above my skin. He stopped when he reached the boundary of my shift and I looked down to meet his questioning eyes. I took a deep breath, resolving to leave my maiden days behind me forever and nodded slightly. His gaze never left mine as he began to unbutton my shift. When he reached the last button, he slowly spread the shift aside, bit by bit until he finally removed the entire piece from my body. Pretty soon, the petticoat was gone, too, and I lay before him, naked as the day I was born. The only sound in the room was the snapping of the fire as he looked at me with those indecipherable eyes of his and my face began to burn with shame of my nakedness. Just as my eyes started to sting as I began to think that maybe Edward was regretting all this, he broke the silence.

"Isabella, you are beautiful beyond belief." And he smiled at me, a smile that banished any bit of tears that were threatening to overspill onto my cheeks. I made a sound halfway between a laugh and a cry. The sound caught in my throat as I watched him remove his own clothing, tossing it aside. My God, he was magnificent, and I couldn't help but reach out and place my hand against his chest, feeling the reassuring beat of his heart against my palm.

His lips met my burning skin as he kissed me on the cheek, working his way down my body. My need flared higher and higher each time his skin touched mine and when his mouth latched onto my breast, it burst into a veritable inferno, eliciting a strange strangled sort of cry from my lips.

"Edward!" I gasped, and his hand grasped mine, reassurance passing like a stream from him to me. I felt a heat between my legs as his lips trailed down to my stomach. I nearly lost my mind when I felt his tongue trace a circle around the indentation there and my back arched automatically, as if my skin were magically drawn to his.

When I felt his warm breath between my legs and his strong fingers on my thighs, I froze, unsure of what would happen from here and curious as to what would come next. What he did shocked me- and my senses -beyond measure.

He kissed me at that hidden place where my legs met and my nerves went into overload. I bucked against him, moaning, as he held me steady, driving me crazy with the long strokes of his tongue against my folds.

"Edward," I breathed, "please." I begged without any idea what I was begging for. I was disappointed when he stopped what he had been doing, but that disappointment quickly faded when he came back up to kiss my lips. My fingertips grazed his shoulder and I felt him shudder as he sat up. It was only then that I noticed he had managed to remove his breeches while I was otherwise… preoccupied. My eyes were drawn towards that part of him I had never seen and although I knew Edward would never hurt me, the sight of it filled me with a certain amount of apprehension.

Perhaps Edward caught that little flicker of doubt because he bent down to kiss me again before saying, "You're in control here, Isabella. I won't make you do anything you don't want to. You're my wife and I daresay you may have more power over me than I do over you."

I recaptured his lips with mine before reassuring him, "I want to do this Edward. More than anything." He lingered in the kiss before sitting back up again, his hand forging a trail of fire as it traveled back down my body to rub against my center. I bet my lip at the pleasure that shot through me, surprised to find how wet I was down there.

He looked at me as he positioned himself and I watched, unable to tear my eyes away, still a bit fearful, but quite a bit more fascinated at what might happen. He caught my eye and I looked at him, his eyes dark in the firelight as he started to push his way into me. My eyelids fluttered as the new sensations overwhelmed me, my mouth gaping open in a silent sigh.

Suddenly, I felt him hit a barrier within me and my eyes popped open. He was only an inch or two into me and I wondered at the shallowness. Somehow, it didn't feel quite right.

"Edward?" I asked him. His shoulders were tense as he seemed to hesitate.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked me, "I can promise you that this is going to hurt."

I looked at him firmly, "Yes, Edward. I'm sure." He placed a slow, lingering kiss as he pushed further into me. I felt something stretching, stretching, stretching until suddenly, it gave way. I cried out, whimpering against his lips as the pain shot through me like an arrow, and I clutched Edward's shoulders, trying to catch my breath as I waited for the hurt to subside.

"I'm sorry," Edward said as he kissed the tears that overflowed from my eyes, "I'm sorry." He repeated it over and over, like a mantra. Then, I felt him starting to retreat and in a panic, I gripped him with my legs and held him there. He froze.

"Don't leave," I begged, "please. Continue." I could see him hesitate as his eyes searched my face, but I was resolute. Slowly, slowly, he pushed into me again and I arched, the pain now transformed into a slow burning fire that spread through me and exited as a cry of pleasure from my throat. Edward continued his slow steady movement, creating such sensations within me that I thought I might go crazy.

"Please," I said hoarsely, "More." And he did so. The pleasure mounted, growing stronger and stronger.

"Isabella, I can't hold on much longer," Edward panted in my ear.

"Then don't," I gasped. His mouth covered mine and our tongues danced with each other until finally, I broke away, gasping for breath as I felt the pleasure break and wash over me. I cried out, feeling the muscles within me, muscles I didn't even know I had, clenching around him as I felt his back tense and shudder, his voice carrying my name, mingling with my own breathing as we both lay there, overcome by the intensity of our union.

We were still connected when Edward pressed his lips to my temple. My eyes were closed as I breathed in the scent of him and we stayed like that for a while. A light rain had begun to fall outside, pitter-pattering against the window, but we were warmed not just by the merry fire but by the blissful heat of our own bodies.

We spent the night enjoying the more carnal pleasures of being man and wife a few more times. It never hurt again like that very first time, although Edward always approached me as if it were, always so gentle and careful. Eventually, we fell asleep, curled up against each other, snug as two squirrels in their drey, happy in our own little humble slice of heaven.