Chapter 9: Comeupance

Edward was up before the dawn, leaving his sleeping wife tucked sweetly in their bed. He stood looking down at her as she slumbered, caught by her beauty. He could hardly understand the overwhelming feeling he had as he studied her, one of complete protectiveness. He would make sure her life was easier from now on.

He took his clothes out to the main room and got dressed by the dim light of the lamp that he'd brought with him. He wanted to get a couple solid hours work on that fence line out by the front of the house before they'd go into town. There was a lot to do on this farm in order to make it what he envisioned, but he wasn't afraid of work. Actually, there wasn't much of which he was afraid in this life.

He left by the back door and made his way to the barn where he'd left his tools the day before. He looked around as he walked, checking to see that the horse was still hobbled in the nearby field. He spotted her standing under a tree, motionless. He smiled. It appeared that the women on the farm were slug-a-beds this morning.

He went to the pump and dashed some water on his face, and then cupped his hands for a drink. Spitting out a mouthful, he stood and took in a deep breath, smelling the rich fragrance of earth, wood, and sky. This was good land. On the day he returned he could tell, underneath the neglect, this was prime. He turned in a slow circle and by the pale light of the setting moon he could envision a pasture over there, a stable yonder, with a paddock nearby. He could almost hear the whinny of the horses that they would breed here.

His step had a spring in it that had been missing for far too long.

He picked up the post-hole digger, his new weapon at arms, slung it on his shoulder, and took off for the fence line along the road. He reckoned he could get that section finished this morning. He had borrowed some downed rails and posts from other parts of the old fence to fix the gaps along the front but there would be a need for more wood to fix the rest. He would order new posts and rails when he got into town today.

Back home, they'd just cut the lumber from the woods, let it cure, then make fences that way. That cost no money, but it took time-time he didn't have. He hoped Jasper would jump in the parade the minute he got his letter and have those horses up here before two months had passed. He had much to do before then, if that was the case. He only hoped his money would stretch.

He stopped when he got to the road and looked towards the east as the sun was just beginning to peep over the horizon. It turned the puffy clouds a deep rose that lightened the higher it got in the sky and illuminated the rolling fields that stretched out in every direction. It was a dazzling sight, indeed.

Yes. To have all this and his lovely bride? He was a lucky man.

Taking a deep breath, he got to work.

He'd worked solid for about an hour, when he heard his name. Looking up, he saw Bella walking toward him carrying a coffee cup. Smiling at her unexpected appearance, he set the digger to the side as she approached and wiped his hands on his pants.

She held the cup out to him and said, "I'm right ashamed I didn't get up with you."

"I was awake too early for my own use. I thought I'd try to get this stretch done before going into town."

As he drank his coffee, Bella looked down the fence line, impressed with the amount he had accomplished. "Lordy, look at all you've done! What fine work!"

He smiled and set the coffee cup on top of a nearby post and grabbed her hand. "Just shows you what a motivated man can do." He drew her close and kissed her forehead.

"When will you be in for breakfast?"

He squinted at the pile of rails he had yet to thread into their places. "I've finished setting all the posts for this lot. Now it's just a matter of placing the rails. I'd say about an hour?"

"I'll have food for you then." She squeezed his hand and made to return to the house, but he pulled her back.

He took her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly.

Half-dazed she said, when he pulled away, "I thought this was for the nights."

He shook his head. "The loving is for the nights but this, my dear, is a simple husbandly courtesy."

"They have strange manners in the south."

"Well, I can't credit the south for that particular custom."

"No? Then where did it come from?"

"I do believe it came from my own heart, Mrs. Cullen." He smiled as he turned away and lifted a rail. "I'd better get this done, or I'll ruin your cooking."

At his words, Bella's own heart felt it had flown up to the region of the tree tops. His heart? Could it be he felt the same as she did? Or was beginning to? She had told him she knew he cared for her but she realized that what brought him back was the responsibility he felt for her. She hoped he had stayed because he cared for her—that perhaps he loved her, too.

She hadn't been courageous enough to ask.

While Edward was working on the fence, Bella busied herself around the house. She got the first batch of vegetables on the boil in their jars and she tidied their home. After the dew dried, she took the clothes off the line she had hung out the night before, warmed up her irons and then pressed the creases out of Edward's shirt so that it looked as good as new. She then got out her clothes brush and brushed his good trousers, waistcoat, and coat until the nap was soft and tidy. Pleased with her industry, she knew Edward would look a fine figure of a man going into town. She made sure her own clothes were in order, as well. She needed to be a fitting partner to such a man.

Now for breakfast. Earlier, she'd drained the beans she had put on to soak the night before. She had chopped up an onion and sliced a piece of bacon off the slab she had hanging from the kitchen rafter and fried them up a bit. Then, she added them to the beans with a bit of water and salt and set them on the stove to simmer. With some fresh coffee, the beans and biscuits would serve as their morning meal. She regretted she had no eggs nor milk but with no livestock, these were only available when she bought some or had been given them in trade.

She doubled the batch of biscuits in order to bring the leftovers into town for their midday meal. She would make a paste out of the cooled beans, add a little more spice and, spread it on the biscuits with some fresh cut tomatoes. She twisted her lips ruefully at her limited pantry. She sure hoped Edward liked beans.

By the time Edward got back to the house, all was ready. They sat down together at the kitchen table. Edward reached across its plain planks and took her hand.

"Let us give thanks," he said as he met her eyes.

Bella nodded. Wondering if he would let her hands go to ask the blessing, she was surprised when he simply bowed his head and said, "Dear Father, humble our hearts and thank thee for thy many blessings. We thank thee for this sustenance which we are about to partake, and we ask that you bless the hands that prepared it. Amen."

"Amen." She blushed at being singled out in the prayer but was honored that Edward thought of it.

As she ladled the beans over the biscuits on Edward's plate, she asked, "Is this how you pray, Edward?"

He took his plate, and answered, "What do you mean?"

"You held my hand while we said grace."

"In my family, it is the custom at meals to hold hands when we ask the blessing."

"It's a nice custom."

"It seems I'm teaching you several new ones these days."

"It seems I have much to learn."

"As I do. 'Tis all new ground we traverse. As long as we do it together and with open hearts, I doubt we'll run afoul."

"Speaking of that, do you think will have trouble today?"

"Nothing I can't handle. We'll visit the Crowley's first. I think your neighbor helped himself to an empty field. He probably believed you wouldn't have ever known about it."

"Why do you think that?"

"Tell me, did you ask him to look out for that field or did he volunteer to do it?"

Bella thought back and said, "As I recall, in the spring Tyler Crowley apologized for not being able to rent my fields and he said he'd do anything to help me as he felt partially responsible for my predicament. I was resigned to the trouble, but then he offered to look out for the fields close to his land and that I should not worry about them. It was "the least he could do," he said." Bella's lips curled in derision. She shouldn't have trusted him without periodically checking on things herself, but there was always so much to do. It had been easy to forget about the fallow land.

"I noticed he planted right up to the line of sight from the road so that in order to see the corn, you actually had to walk to the field. That was a planned campaign right there."

Bella sighed. "It's hard to think that people you've known all your life would take advantage like that."

"It's regretful that's true but, unfortunately, it is also human nature. I'm sure we'll come to some sort of terms with the man today.

"I don't know what to say to him, Edward."

"Just introduce us, sweet Bella, and I shall do the rest. He'll hardly know he's been caught red-handed." He smiled and tipped his coffee cup to her before he drank what was left in it.

Breakfast was soon over and it didn't take long for them to be ready. Bella packed a basket with their dinner and Edward carried it out to the buggy where he tied it onto the rack in the back. He helped her into the seat and then climbed in next to her.

"Now, it begins," Edward said, a martial gleam in his eye. He clucked to the mare and they were off.

As they pulled up the lane that led to the Crowley farm house, Edward suddenly pulled the mare to a stop.

"Well, I'll be…" he said as he stared into the pasture that ran alongside the lane. Bella eyes went wide when he put his fingers to his lips and emitted a shrill whistle. Suddenly, a horse who had been grazing with a few others on the far side of the pasture jerked up its head and looked to where Edward and Bella were sitting in the buggy.

Edward looped the reins of the carriage around the dash rail, jumped out, and ran to the fence that bordered the pasture, staring intently at the horse. He whistled again and suddenly, the horse started to gallop towards him with a long, graceful gait. It skidded to a stop when it got to the fence and then, with almost too much force, butted its head against Edward's as he reached out to fondle her ears.

"Tanya, girl, you got through it…you got through..." He put his head against the horse's cheek and wrapped his arm about her neck.

Bella soon followed Edward over to the railing and watched as the horse snorted and stamped her feet and pushed against her husband who was holding on to the animal for dear life.

"This is my horse, Bella. I raised her from her foaling. I cannot count the times I cursed myself for bringing her to war with me. I always had believed she'd been killed the day I was shot. I never dreamed of seeing her again."

Bella was surprised to see tears in Edward's eyes. "It must be a miracle!" she said in breathless wonder.

"It certainly is. Do you know her story at all?"

"I'm not sure, exactly. It seems I do remember Tyler finding a horse out behind his henhouse after the fighting. There was so much confusion during those times. We had lost so much, so anything found was considered a blessing. Maybe he found Tanya?"

"That he most certainly did."

He continued to scratch Tanya behind her ears. "It makes sense that Crowley would have found her. After all, I was wounded near enough to his place. It isn't surprising that she would turn up here."

Giving the horse one last pat, Edward turned to Bella and said, "I do believe we have something with which to barter."

Tanya followed them down the fence line, then whinnied piteously when she could go no further. It seemed the horse had missed the man as much as the man had missed the horse.

"Well, Isabella Swan, what a surprise!"

"Good morning, Millie. Please forgive our intrusion so early. I hope we're not a bother."

"Oh, never a bother! It's a pleasure when you visit." Millie looked inquiringly at Edward.

"Much has changed for me last we talked, Mille. Let me introduce you to my husband, Edward Cullen."

Millie's eyes went wide and she put her hand to her heart as Edward sketched an elegant bow. "Husband! Husband? My, my, my. I do indeed say much has happened. Well, my dears, don't stand there on the threshold. Please, come in, come in and sit a spell."

The welcoming woman ushered her guests inside to the front parlor. This room was outfitted with the finest furniture and ornaments they owned. It was only used for company and no one in the family ventured in unless they were in their Sunday best and entertaining guests. Bella guessed Edward's presence had spurred Millie to trot out her finest. When Bella had visited in the past, she and Millie simply chattered away in the kitchen with a cup of tea at their elbows but today, nothing but the best would do, she guessed.

Before they sat down, Millie turned to the group of children who stood in the doorway, not daring to come in. "Janey, take your little sister and go put the tea pot on. Use the blue china, mind. Cut some of that cake, too. Hiram, you and Daniel go out to the barn and tell your Pa we've got company. Tell him we's in the parlor." She said that last part archly, as though it would communicate something of high importance to her husband.

After the children had been sent off in their various directions, Millie turned to Bella and Edward and said, "I must say this is quite the surprise."

"I can imagine it is, ma'am, but I'm sure you can also understand how love makes a man impetuous." Edward smiled his most charming and Bella could see Millie melt right in front of her eyes.

"Oh, sir. But how? I never even knew that Isabella had a beau."

"Well, I suppose I didn't choose to tell you, Millie. I wasn't sure Mr. Cullen returned my feelings for him, and so I kept it secret to myself."

"So, how did it happen?"

Edward smiled and leaned forward as though imparting a huge secret. "Bella wrote me a letter that told me more than she realized. When I finally understood the state of her heart, I left my home in such a hurry, I didn't even take the time to respond to her by mail. I surprised Bella at her home, not two days ago, and asked her to marry me. Not wanting to waste a day of our future together, we left right then for York, got married, and returned here yesterday afternoon as man and wife."

"My, that was fast." Millie looked like a breeze had blown what sense she had clear out of her brains.

"I couldn't be happier, Millie, and that's the truth." Bella smiled at her husband who returned her look with a fond one of his own.

"So, you'll be staying in Gettysburg, then?"

Edward answered, "Yes. We plan to restore the Swan Farm. As a matter of fact, I've started in on it all ready."

They heard a door slam and footsteps come down the hall. Edward rose from his seat, figuring the man of the house was about to make his appearance and he wanted to be on his feet when they met.

Sure enough, a small, wiry man, several years older than the jolly Millie, peered through the doorway. He'd made an attempt to clean up, but was still wearing his overalls and boots. His hair was slicked back and his hands and face looked as though they had recently been scrubbed clean. He had huge mustachios that were so long, they met up with his extremely bushy sideburns. In Bella's opinion, he looked rather comical, like a startled ground hog popping up out of his burrow. She was glad Edward preferred to be clean-shaven, which was not quite the style, but she cared not. She wouldn't like to have anything obscuring his handsome face.

"Tyler, you'll never guess what our Bella's been about!" Millie exclaimed. "She's gone and gotten married! This here is Mr. Edward Cullen and they were wed the day before yesterday."

Tyler's ruddy face blanched a bit, and he swallowed. "Con-con-congratulations, Mr. Cullen, Bella." He shook Edward's hand and gave Bella a nod.

"We should have refreshments in celebration," Millie said. "I asked Janey to bring us the fixings for it. Now that you're here, Tyler, I'll go back and help her along." Millie rose as she was talking and quickly left the room.

There was an awkward pause after she left.

"S-s-so, do you plan to stay in Gettysburg?" Tyler asked, unwittingly parroting his wife.

"Of course we do," Edward responded. "As a matter of fact, just yesterday Mrs. Cullen was showing me around the property and I was taken with its quality. It's the best farm land I've seen short of the Shenandoah Valley."

"Oh, you've been to the Shenandoah?"

"Indeed I have. I've seen it at its best and at its worst, but even in those days, you couldn't hide the farming paradise it is."

"I suppose you saw it during the hostilities?"

"I did."

"You were in the war?"

"I was. Were you?"

"I had a release due to family matters, but that didn't stop the war from coming to me."

Edward nodded his head. "The battle here was gruesome. Fifty thousand dead or wounded. It's hard to fathom such a loss."

"Yes, that's true. I, uhm, can't place your manner of speaking. Ye ain't from around here are you?"

Edward was still standing and purposely didn't relieve the man's curiosity about his origins. His eyes took on a peculiar glint as he changed the subject. "I wanted to thank you, sir, for planting out that field that's hidden from the road for Mrs. Cullen. She was explaining to me the bind you both were in concerning the leasing of our fields. Yesterday, she was astonished to see corn at least two months from seed standing there. It was an agreeable surprise."

"Sur-Sur-Surprise? Oh…well, yes." Tyler paused a moment as if in thought. "I suppose she was surprised about it. I-I-I was going to present her with a cash bonus after the harvest. Now it is ruined." He tried to look sad.

"Well, since the cat's out of the bag, I have another proposition for you, one that would suit us better, as well as Mrs. Cullen's Uncle William."

Tyler looked worried at the mention of the man. "What's that?"

"Don't bother about a cash bonus. We'll take half the corn when it's harvested, and I find I have a need for a horse. I saw you had several in the pasture out yonder, certainly more than a farm of this size calls for, and probably eating their heads off being more burden than benefit. I would take one of those."

Edward's steely gaze told Tyler all that he needed to know. Edward was demanding, not asking.

"Half the harvest and a horse? That's rather a lot."

Edward shrugged. "I think it only fair, considering…"

Tyler had the grace to look sheepish. "Considering…"

Edward didn't respond, just lifted his brows.

"I'll choose the horse." Tyler completely capitulated.

Edward shook his head. "No. We'll let the horse choose."

"The horse?"

"Aye. I've found horses to have minds of their own. I'd rather it pick me than the other way around."

"It's a bit strange to be picking cattle like that, but I suppose you can try it and see what happens. What if they ignore you?"

"Then I'll go without."

Just then, Millie arrived with a tray. "Here we are. How do you take your tea, Mr. Cullen?"

Their conversation shifted to general topics and soon, the visit was over. Leading them out front to say their goodbyes, Tyler was shocked when that the strange mare he'd found those years ago was waiting at the pasture gate. She grew agitated when she saw Edward. It was evident to everyone that the horse had picked her man. Baffled, Tyler agreed to keep her until Edward got his fences in good repair. He had a feeling that things were about to change around these parts.

Not long afterwards, Edward and Bella found themselves tooling back down the Crowley farm lane at last headed towards town.

"That was a good morning's work," Edward said.

"I was truly amazed at how Tyler agreed to your proposals."

"I'd backed him into a corner and gave him only one honorable way out without losing face. Most men would have taken it."

"I'm so glad you were there. I'd doubt I could have made him do a thing without bringing the law into it."

Edward turned to her and said with as much gravity as he had said his vows, "My aim, Mrs. Cullen, is to pave your way so that your life is easier, so that all you shall have to concern yourself with is what vittles you shall prepare for our dinner or what our young'uns are up to in the barn. I should have been here long ago making it so for you, but I promise, from now on you shall always have me to champion you.

"Now, on to Gettysburg. I believe we have some letters to mail."

AN:

Dry Cleaners in the 1800's? What's that? To clean fine clothes, such as woolen suits, a damp cloth could be used to get dirt out but to really prepare a garment to be worn again, a clothes brush was used. Actually, if you have a good wool article of clothing, it would be wise to brush it with a clothes brush periodically. You'd be surprised how nice it makes the fabric look.

Parlors. Did you have a room that was too good to use when you were growing up?

Sorry this is late. I went out of town this past week end and it put my writing behind.

Thanks to VeCha and KatMom for their help.