Chapter 10. "Is she alright?"

(EPOV)

I woke up this morning with a smile on my face. Everything seemed right with the world. I had a rewarding job, a loving family, a beautiful, amazing woman who loved me the way I am. All seemed just right with the world.

After a quick breakfast and a kiss good-bye for my mother, I headed strait to the de Swan estate to begin my duties. This morning I was going to see Bella. She wanted to go for a ride today. So I decided to take care of that first.

After I put my personal things away I went about to collect Lila from her stall. Lila was a good mare. Gentle, sweet and kind. Just like Bella.

"Hey, Lila. How are you doing today, girl? Ready to go for a ride today?"

I was just brushing her down when Gregory, the stable master walked in.

"Good morning, Edward."

"Good morning, sir. Beautiful day isn't it?" I continued brushing Lila.

"That it is, boy. If you're getting that mare ready for Miss de Swan's ride it won't be necessary anymore. She's in disposed."

I stopped what I was doing to pay better attention to Gregory. "What do you mean, sir? Is she alright?"

He just shrugged like it was nothing. "All I know is that she's not herself today." He handed me a small envelope. "I was requested to give you this. And to pretend it never happened. Whatever that means. Well, continue your work, son. I'm going to go back to my rounds."

"Thank you, sir."

I was just overwhelmed with worry for Bella. I could only assume that this letter was from her. I quickly opened it and read what it said:

My dearest Edward,

I'm so sorry I won't be seeing you this morning. But first let me assure you that I am not in any way ill. I am in perfect health. However, I've had an ordeal yesterday that has confined me to my bedchambers for an undetermined amount of time. So I can't go riding today.

But please meet me at 9 tonight. I still want to see you. I promise I'll try to explain what happened yesterday. But for now, try not to worry about me and focus on your work. I promise I'm alright.

All my love,

Bella

I read and reread the not several times. Memorizing her handwriting. Adoring how delicate and precise it was. But it didn't mask my inevitable worrying for her. What on earth happened to her? Was she hurt? It was one of the many downsides of being the help. No one tells you anything. I finished brushing Lila then put her back in her stall.

I tried with all my might to focus on my work, but I was just too overwhelmed with worry for my beloved Bella. I knew I was going to insist on an explanation when I see her tonight.

It was 5 past 9 and I was completely on edge. Where was she? Did something else happen to her? Then just when I was about to risk my job and go look for her around the house, I heard her coming into the stables and closing the door.

I just couldn't help myself. Just as she was lowering he hood, I took her into my arms and kissed me with all I had and she kissed me back. Eventually the need for air took over, so we pulled back, but I refused to let her go. I just held onto her.

"I was so worried about you. No one tells you anything around here."

She whispered back, "I'm alright. I promise."

I held back a little to look her in the eye. "Then what happened? The only thing Gregory told me was that you weren't yourself."

She looked away from me. What happened to her that she felt too ashamed to look me in the eye when she told me?

"Sir Michael came to see me yesterday."

I could feel the heat boiling inside me. "What did he want?"

She still refused to look at me. "He…he asked me to… marry him."

My heart sank at that news. What this why she wouldn't look at me? Did she say yes to please her parents? "What did you tell him?"

She finally looked at me. "I told him no." My heart leapt in the air. "But…" She looked away again. But I wasn't having it. I gently placed my fingers under her chin to make her look at me.

"But?"

She just stared at me, with a broken expression, her eyes getting all shiny and teary. She didn't have to explain any further. I knew then and there what happened to her. All I could feel was rage. All I could see was red.

I just let go of her and went to go get Justice. I was going to make that pompous son of a bitch sorry he ever laid a hand on my Bella. Only when I was half way across the stables, Bella grabbed hold of my arm.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make sure he can't ever get married, because he won't be able to make children!"

I started off again only to be stopped once again by Bella. "NO! It won't solve anything! It'll only make things worse! Besides, father already took care of him. He won't be coming within miles of here anymore!"

I calmed myself some, turned back to her and held her close to me. "Bella, he hurt you. He hurt my sweet Bella. I can't just sit here and let this go unanswered."

"And you don't think people won't wonder why a stable boy would be beating up a man of nobility to defend a lady of leisure? Rich people may be air headed, but any common idiot can connect a few dots."

I knew she was right, but I just couldn't let this go. "So then what should I do about this? Just take it? Accept that I allowed a horrible man to lay a hand on the woman I love?"

She looked up at me and laid a gentle hand on my cheek. "You didn't allow anything. You didn't know what was going to happen. You didn't even know he when he was planning to propose to me. This isn't your fault. And I'm alright. I really, truly am."

Her eyes were pleading and solemn. She was silently begging me not go run off and give that bastard exactly what was coming to him. As much as I wanted to do just that, how could I possibly refuse her? All rage was gone from my body. I just wrapped my arms around her and held her close and she held me in turn.

"I should still always be there for you. I should always be there to protect you. Which I would be able to do if I were a rich man. Then I could take care of you."

She shook her head on my shoulder. "We've been through this. I don't care about riches, I care about you."

I stepped back to look at her. "Even so, if I were even a little rich, we wouldn't have to hide like this. I could take you riding in the country side. I could have dinner with you and your family, and you with mine. I could show the world how much I love you. I could give you the kind of life you deserve."

She took my face into her hands, leaned up and kissed me softly. We just stood there kissing each other passionately. Then she pulled back and looked at me for the first time tonight with a smile. She said to me in a soft, gently whisper, "I don't need riches as long as I have you."

I was just overwhelmed with love for her at that moment. I just picked her up bridal style, walked over and laid her down on a large, soft pile of hay. I laid down as well with my upper half on top of her. She pulled me down to her to kiss me again. And boy did we kiss. Going deeper every second. I placed my knee between her legs and she began to place her hands under my shirt, rubbing my back.

Her hair was completely down tonight so I was free to run my fingers through it. So long and silky. Soft and shiny like gossamer. I just loved the feeling of her skin on mine. Although I knew I couldn't go further than where we were now, I every touch, every caress, every sound we made together to memory.

I wished to God I could be closer to her, but I would never compromise her like this. So, I pulled back, stared into her eyes, both of us breathless.

"We…should…probably stop now."

She actually smiled at me in a seductive way as she replied, "We don't have to." She tried to pull me down to kiss me again. But I wouldn't budge.

"Yes we do. If we don't stop now then I won't be able to later."

She smiled again at me, this time in a disappointed but understanding way. I rolled to lay off of her on my side and brought her with me and just held her close to me.

"Doesn't mean we can't do this for a while longer."

After a few minutes of silent bliss, she whispered to me, "When you're ready to go to Europe, I want to go with you."

I wasn't expecting that.