I own nothing.

Thanks to my wonderful super beta, GrammarBitch.
I am completely blown away by your amazing reviews. I cannot thank you enough.

I'm not sorry for keeping you on edge for so long, though. :) But I don't think I can postpone this anymore. Enjoy!

Harmony

Isabella patted Abby on the neck, looking around for something familiar. Where were they? All she could see were trees, mountains and grass. When she left the stable, she went through the forest, thinking Edward and his soldiers would not see her, and they would not follow her.

She wanted to be alone, but she got lost. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. With a desperate sigh, she dismounted and grabbed the reins.

"What are we going to do now, Abby?" she asked, furrowing her brow. "I barely know this area. Are we still on Edward's land?"

The mare squealed, turning her head in Isabella's direction.

"If only I could understand what you are saying," Isabella said with a smile.

She looked at the sky, trying to understand what time it was. A fleeting memory passed through her head. She had told Eric that she would be home by the midday meal. It appeared it was past it. Would Eric tell Edward? And more importantly, would Edward come after her?

"I am afraid we are going to stay here for a while. I do not know where we should go, and I do not want us to wander around. Maybe Edward will come for us."

Abby remained silent.

"Maybe I should have listened to Eric. Do you think it was stupid of me to just run away?"

Much to Isabella's dismay, the mare lifted her head. She frowned and put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, really?"

A sudden noise startled her. She turned toward the trees, while a shiver of apprehension ran down her spine. It sounded like someone had stepped on dry leaves. Was there someone watching her? Her hand tightened around the reins as she looked around.

"Who is there?"

Another rumbling noise followed her words. Isabella's stopped breathing for a second. Trying to stay calm, she walked closer to the trees. She was surely imagining things. There must have been an animal, not a person. When she could not see anything unusual, she rolled her eyes at her own foolishness.

"Isabella!"

As soon as the call reached her ears, she jumped, scared. The voice seemed familiar, and she could not stop the wave of relief from engulfing her. She turned toward the voice immediately, ignoring his glare. She immediately forgot about the noise.

"Thank God," she whispered to herself. "See, Abby? Edward came, after all." A look at his face told her he was not happy. "Smiling or not," she continued quietly.

He was followed by three soldiers. She wanted to wave at them and smile a little, but Edward's reaction made her reconsider.

"Where do you think you are going?" Edward asked as soon as he got closer. He pulled the reins back, not dismounting. The relief he felt when he saw her safe and unharmed was overwhelming.

Isabella raised her eyebrows. "Nowhere. In fact, I wanted to go home, but I believe I got lost."

Edward's expression hardened. Whether she realized it or not, she had just confirmed his suspicions. She was willing to go alone home to England. His hands tightened around the reins. He would not let her go.

"I suppose Eric told you, did he not?" Isabella asked.

He refused to answer her. Instead, he leaned over, grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap. She squealed, dropping Abby's reins in the process. Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him. The soldiers were trying not to snicker at the surprised expression on her face.

"Why did you do that?" she asked. "What about Abby? I told you already. I can ride, Edward. You should stop treating me like a child," she whispered, not wanting the soldiers to hear her.

"Stefan, grab Abby's reins and return to the castle," he ordered.

The men nodded, and then all of them nudged their stallions with their heels. In a couple of seconds, they were gone. That left Isabella and Edward alone, with Edward not making a move to follow his soldiers.

"Are we not going back?" She was confused.

His green, scorching eyes focused on her face, like they were trying to read her thoughts.

"Will you say something to me? It is all right if you yell, I think. At least, you would be talking to me, instead of staring at me like I have a bug on my face."

When he still did not say anything, she crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine. Remain silent, but stop staring at me."

He took a deep, loud breath, the only sound he had made since the men left. She bit her lip, anxious for what he was about to say.

"I will not let you go," he said mildly, nudging his black stallion forward.

A frown creased her forehead. She had no idea what he was referring to.

"What are you talking about? Do I want to go somewhere I am not aware of?"

His wary eyes met her curious, puzzled ones. "Do not pretend you do not understand."

"I am not pretending anything. I do not know what you are talking about." She knew he could see the confusion on her face, for she really wanted to know what was going on in his head.

"You want to go back to England," he said matter-of-factly.

His confession surprised her. "Aye, I do, but I know that is not quite possible right now. Why would you say that? Only because I did not come back when I said I would?"

He refused to look at her. She turned to him, but she could only see his chin. "Edward?"

"You are not going anywhere," he hissed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against his chest.

Realizing what he said and surprised by his protective gesture, a smile threatened to curl her lips. She wanted to see his expression, to read in his eyes what he was not telling her. Her hands grabbed his arm and squeezed it.

"You were worried about me," she marveled. "Edward, you care about me." She tried once again to look up at him. Their eyes met, and Isabella realized he was frowning. She ignored his scowl and raised her eyebrows.

"Of course not."

Her curious stare turned suspicious. "You thought I had gone off to England, without telling you, and that is why you were so angry when you saw me. That is why you said you would never let me go. Because you care, Edward. You care, but you are too stubborn to acknowledge it."

He raised one of his eyebrows at her.

"You care," she repeated. A sigh escaped her lips. "I do not want us to be fighting anymore."

That confused Edward a little. "You were the one who said you wanted some time alone," he pointed out.

"I have changed my mind." His arm tightened around her waist for a second. "I ... I do not know why you had that reaction when you found out about ... the story, but I am willing to give you time. I want you to trust me, and I think I need time to trust you." She took a deep breath. "It would be better if we decide to learn together, don't you think?"

She waited for him to tell her something, her heart thundering in anticipation. Edward looked down at her, seeing only the top of her head as she avoided his gaze.

His lips were suddenly at her ear. She shivered from his proximity, realizing how close their mouths were. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek.

"If it is not pity you feel, Isabella, I may say yes."

"Of course it is not pity." Her cheeks flushed in something between frustration and embarrassment. "I really want us to start over."

She did not understand why he had yelled at her. She realized he must have a reason for avoiding the subject, other than the pain of remembering the death of his parents. She was curious to know his side of the story.

His gaze met hers, searching for something. She thought he was searching for honesty. Isabella entwined her fingers with his, silently telling him that she was serious about her decision. She might have swallowed her pride when she decided to do this, but she knew someone had to. She was not stupid enough to think Edward would make the first step.

She was not prepared for his answer, though. His hand cupped her cheek as he leaned down and kissed her hard on the mouth. She took a sharp breath through her nose, surprised.

She turned slightly toward him, giving him better access to her lips. Her arms encircled his neck, bringing his face closer to her. His tongue parted her lips, meeting her own eager one. He swallowed her sigh of pleasure, enjoying the softness of her lips, her willingness. Edward liked the way she gave herself completely to him, kissing him as passionately as he was kissing her. She clung to him, like the touch of their fervent lips would seal their future forever.

He groaned quietly when Isabella's hand slid to his abdomen. She could feel his muscles contract under her touch, and she moaned in protest when he pulled away from her.

"Is that a yes?" She gasped for air, trying to slow down her racing heart.

"I say it is," he mumbled. He was not smiling at her, but she could see his eyes soften considerably.

Isabella nodded, pursing her swollen lips. "Thank you."

He brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a light kiss to the back of it. Then, he winked. "I knew you were anxious to bed me," he suddenly said.

Her mouth popped open, while she stared at him in shock. "What?"

He tried not to smile. She surely must have not expected him to say that.

She dropped her gaze, blushing furiously. "I ... I do not ..."

He studied her face for a second, before he whispered, "I want you, Isabella."

Her heart stammered, while the color in her cheeks intensified. He smiled at her innocence, fighting against the urge to brush his hand across her flushed skin.

"That is not what you said the other day," she whispered.

Edward's smile faltered, and he sighed. "You know what I mean. Those words have nothing to do with my wanting you."

"They do, to me. Everything you said matters to me, Edward. You hurt me."

Isabella furrowed her brow, dropping his hand. Refusing to let her go, Edward entwined his fingers with hers and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I know," he whispered as he gently kissed the top of her head.

Without looking at him, she nodded, accepting his silent apology. A small smile curled her lips, thinking this was not so bad, after all. He had already given her a couple of signs to make her think he cared about her, at least a little. He came after her, worried that she had run to England.

He nudged his stallion faster, and the horse broke into a full gallop. Isabella could feel the cold wind brush against her face, and she snuggled closer to his chest.

As soon as she saw the castle, Isabella blinked at the crowd waiting for them. It was a small crowd, not like the one that had awaited them when she first came here. When she was close enough to see their faces, she realized they had been worried about her. Her heart swelled with happiness, as well as a touch of guilt for making everyone anxious. A wide smile lit up her features as she waved at them enthusiastically. The entire crowd sighed with relief.

She noticed a man that was not smiling at her, but he was not glaring, either. He stood behind the others, staring at her and Edward. The man was wearing a black robe, long to his ankles. A priest. Isabella had never seen him before.

Edward dismounted, taking Isabella down with him. He nodded at the crowd, silently telling them to disperse, and then he turned to the priest, acknowledging him with a nod. "Father Varner."

The man walked closer, this time smiling at Isabella, but giving Edward a stern look. She smiled back at him.

"I am so glad to meet you, Isabella," he said gently. "I am not so happy to see you, Edward," he continued in the same tone of voice.

Isabella thought it was amusing. "I am glad, too. What brings you here, Father?" she asked, hoping the priest would not take offense in her innocent question. She also wondered how he knew her name. Isabella assumed a member of their clan must have told him.

"You, my dear." His smile faltered when his gaze slid to Edward. "I must say I am disappointed that I had to find out from someone else that you got married, Edward."

Edward sighed, lifting his shoulders. "I knew you would find out one way or another."

Isabella threw her husband a dirty look. "That is no way to speak in front of a man of God, Edward. You should be ashamed." Edward glared at her.

Father Varner beamed at Isabella, rubbing his hands together in enthusiasm. "I like you already."

She grabbed Father Varner's arm, and they both walked toward the castle. "Would you like something to drink, Father? I am sure you must be thirsty, after such a long and weary journey."

The man patted her hand. "No, no. I am fine. I am anxious to know more about you, though."

"We shall talk about everything you want," she said, much to Edward's despair.

Her husband followed them inside with a grimace on his face. After their conversation, he wanted to be alone with her, but it obviously was not possible at the moment. The priest was known as a very chatty person. He suppressed another sigh and watched as Isabella took a seat at the table, right next to the priest.

"I was surprised when I found out about Edward's marriage." The man's deep voice brought Edward out of his reverie. He noticed the priest's glare directed at him. "I thought it was a jest, at first. I never thought I would see the day that Edward committed to sharing his life. Although, I wished someone would have told me."

Isabella grinned at Edward, amused by the priest's obvious frustration. "He never told me about you, Father."

Edward raised his eyebrows at her, finally understanding her plan. She was trying to add more fuel to the fire. He stared into her eyes, showing her his irritation.

"Humph. I am not surprised," the Father mumbled. "Did he even tell you there is a chapel down the hill?" When he saw Isabella's bewildered expression, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course not." He turned to Edward and furrowed his thick brow.

Edward wanted to roll his eyes. "I forgot to tell her, Father. Sooner or later, she would have found out. Now, she knows."

"I would have liked to know about it sooner, Edward," Isabella scolded him, her eyes gleaming with laughter. She was totally enjoying this. Edward narrowed his eyes at her. The priest seemed oblivious to their meaningful stares.

"I would like to go there some time, Father. I need to be alone with God for a couple of moments," she continued. Father Varner nodded quickly.

"To be alone with God," Edward mouthed at her, making sure the priest would not see him. Isabella pursed her lips, holding back a grin.

She quickly said, "I do not think he believes in God, Father." She shook her head in disbelief. "From where I come, everyone believes in Him."

Edward silently growled, glaring at his devious wife. When the priest turned to throw him a grimace, Isabella snickered at Edward.

"I know, lass. It does not surprise me."

"I thought you came here to talk about my wife, Father," Edward grumbled. "You said gossip is a sin."

"We are not gossiping," Isabella jumped in.

"Then remember I am in the same chamber with you." Her husband crossed his arms across his chest, challenging her.

Father Varner looked back and forth between Isabella and Edward, a smile curving his mouth. "I do think I am going to enjoy this marriage."

Edward's head snapped toward him. "I thought you were supposed to stay with the Tanners."

The priest clasped his hands together, grinning. "Not anymore. I was needed for a funeral, but it seems the person has recovered from his illness. I do not have anywhere else to go, thus I shall stay here for a while. I also heard Esme just gave birth. The baby must be baptized."

Edward tried to keep his expression void of any emotions. He did not dislike the man, but he did not like him, either, for he tended to be exasperating sometimes. He was a good man, though, and Edward could easily admit it.

"Who told you about the marriage, Father?" Isabella asked, changing the subject.

"Who did not? All of the clans in the Highlands and a part of the Lowlands know about the Cullens' new mistress. But the Clearwaters told me first."

"The Clearwaters? You were there?"

"Aye. I stayed there for a month, before I decided to come here. Seth told me, actually. Now that I think of it, he really enjoyed my reaction." He frowned in bewilderment. "And then, one day, I was talking to Emily, and she told me about your short visit. She seems to like you."

Isabella's cheeks flushed. "She is a very nice woman."

"She told me you are English, of course. I was surprised, but she was so impressed by you that I knew you could not be an ordinary woman. And I was right." He patted her hand, and her cheeks grew redder. "Edward could not wish for a better wife. Believe me!"

Edward's eyes softened as he watched her hide her face behind a brown mass of silky hair. Father Varner was right – she was no ordinary woman.

"You cannot know that, Father," she whispered, becoming extremely aware of Edward's presence. "You have just met me."

"I am a man of God, Isabella. I know a good person when I see one."

His words humbled her, and they made her feel self-conscious. She looked up and found Edward staring at her with an intensity that left her breathless.

"What about continuing this conversation tomorrow?" Edward suggested, walking closer to his wife. He held his hand out for her.

Not realizing it was meant for Isabella, Father Varner grabbed his hand and slowly stood up. Isabella giggled, following suit.

"I will see you tomorrow, then," the old man mumbled as he stepped outside.

"What a nice, gentle man. Do you think we should walk him home?" Isabella raised her eyebrows in wonder.

"He knows the way." He grabbed her arm, pulling her up the stairs. Lifting her shoulders, she walked beside him.

When he did not let her go on the second floor, she realized Edward wanted her to sleep in his bedchamber again. With a sigh, she did not say anything about it. He opened the door for her and let her walk inside.

As soon as he closed the door, she turned to him. She suddenly felt nervous.

"Do you think I should tell Irina about ..." She trailed off when he crossed the chamber in less than two seconds and captured her lips in a deep kiss. Her heart jolted in her chest as her hands slid from his waist to encircle his neck. He let out a groan when her nails scraped at the sensitive skin at his nape. A tremor shuddered through her body.

Edward's breath was labored when he deepened the kiss, his arms locking around her tiny waist and pulling her off the floor. She moaned softly at the feel of his arousal pressed against her belly. He wanted her so badly. He had never wanted a woman this much before, although he had had a fair share of them. It had never felt this consuming, this passionate.

He put her back on the ground, loosening his grip on her. Isabella's lips never left his mouth.

Her hands tightened around his neck when he hesitated. "I really want this," she whispered against his lips.

"You might regret it in the morning."

She grinned, pulling away. "When did you start worrying about my feelings?"

When he thought he had lost her, he thought, finally admitting the truth to himself.

Her eyes softened, like she was able to read his mind. "You do care."

He looked at her for a couple of seconds more, before he lowered his mouth to hers. She slowly took his shirt off, her hands caressing his muscular chest, slowly dropping them to his stomach. He groaned inside her mouth, sending a shiver of pleasure through her body.

She did not say a word as Edward undressed her. She liked the touch of his fingers on her oversensitive skin as much as she loved to touch him. A moan escaped her lips when he found her begging nipples. His wet, warm mouth wrapped around one of them, suckling, nibbling, and then he turned his attention to the other one.

Isabella rolled her head back, gripping his shoulders as her legs trembled and threatened to turn to liquid. After kissing her breasts and trailing his fervent lips up to her neck, he pulled away to strip off the rest of his clothes. Then, Isabella wrapped her arms around his torso and crushed her lips against his, pulling him toward the bed. She fell down on the mattress with him on top of her.

His tongue caressed and mated with hers as she ran her hands up and down his back, feeling the muscles ripple under her touch. He cupped her breast in his warm palm, squeezing it gently.

"Touch me," he whispered against her lips. He grabbed one of her hands and wrapped her fingers around his arousal. He hissed under his breath, burying his face in the hollow of her neck.

Her movements were awkward and shy, at first. She could feel his body tremble with pleasure, and her strokes became more confident. He kissed the side of her neck as he groaned softly against her skin. She liked the way her touch affected him, and a shaky smile appeared on her face.

Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was tousled, and her lips were swollen and rosy, slightly parted. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

When he was close to losing his control, he pried her fingers away from his erection. She squirmed under him, pulling his body closer. She was soon lost in the sensation of his lips on her body, kissing her collarbone, her breasts, her abdomen. He looked up at her, to see her reaction as he kissed her intimately. She moaned loudly, and her back arched off the bed, her hands gripping the sheets.

"Edward ..." she gasped.

His tongue fondled and caressed her, driving her to the brink of madness. He grabbed her hips as she climaxed, screaming his name. When she was still in the throes of passion, he slowly eased himself inside her. Breathing unevenly, she grabbed his shoulders and kissed him.

"Wrap your legs around me." He moaned when the movement brought him deeper into her.

"It did not hurt this time, Edward," she breathed, her voice trembling.

He pressed his lips to her forehead, before he started moving. Isabella arched her back and tightened her hold on his hips. She met his gaze, and his eyes bore into hers. She ran her shaky fingers through his messy hair, and her heart increased its beat again. His head suddenly dropped to her shoulder as his thrusts grew more intense. Her nails dug into his back.

She moved her hips together with his, enjoying the growing pressure in the pit of her stomach. His lips found hers, swallowing each other's moans as he pushed into her again and again. Isabella gasped his name as she neared her second climax.

"Oh God ..." Edward whispered hoarsely.

After two more powerful thrusts, they climaxed at the same time. Edward's body collapsed on top of hers, breathing heavily against her shoulder. He had never felt more satisfied or content to be in a woman's embrace.

Isabella kept him close to her, trying to regain her breath. Then, he rolled off her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her tight against his chest.

"I never thought this would happen when I woke up this morning," she mumbled, chuckling breathlessly.

"You could not resist me," he jested.

She playfully slapped his shoulder. "You said you did not have a sense of humor."

He lifted his shoulders as he kissed her temple.

A couple of moments later, she looked up at him, placing her hand under her chin. "Make love to me again."

He raised one of his eyebrows. She smiled, running her hand across his chest. Without questioning her, he grabbed her waist and pulled her on top of him. A low giggle escaped her lips when his hands cupped her bottom.

"And this is not me begging you, Edward. Just so you know."

He chuckled as he kissed her on the mouth.

Several days passed in much the same way. She woke in the morning, and then she had breakfast with Edward and his soldiers. Then, she would go to Esme's cottage, talk to Father Varner or go for a ride. She never went alone, so that she would not get lost again. Edward would send Laurent, James or Carlisle with her.

She was not so happy about the arrangements, for her rides would have been a chance for her to be completely alone with her thoughts. Realizing she would not win this argument, she gave in.

Her relationship with Edward had changed a little over the couple of days. He never kissed or touched her in public, but he was all over her during the night. She really enjoyed their newfound passion, and she delved into it.

She was not so close to his servants, though. Although she had tried to be nice to them in the first two days, she realized she was wasting her breath. They seemed too scared of her to properly talk to her. The knowledge was irritating, but Isabella hoped they would understand that she was not a barbarian, waiting to pounce on them.

One day, a sudden commotion outside woke her. She sleepily sat up in the bed and looked around. She knew better than to expect Edward next to her. He usually woke before her and left the room as soon as he got dressed.

Isabella got out of bed and walked toward the window. Her eyes widened in surprise, and a smile stretched across her face.

Emmett, Jasper and Alice were back.