Romany

Chapter 21

Love was in the air at Cullen Hall; the feeling was palpable all around, even Dr. And Mrs Cullen couldn't help but respond to the pheromones that surrounded them; in privacy, behind closed doors, of course.

Carlisle watched from their huge four poster bed as Esme prepared herself for the night, she was still an enchanting woman.

He recalled the events that brought them together.

xxxxx

Carlisle was under the tutorage of an elderly doctor and living under his roof, assisting him in his medical duties.

Dr. Gerandy had been returning home late one night, after attending a patient, when he was jumped upon by some ruffians. Robbed, badly beaten, and left to perish, the Vicar of the small parish church stumbled upon him after hearing the skirmish and his cries for help. He'd helped him to the vicarage, where his son, Carlisle, had taken great care of him, cleaning and nursing him to full health.

Carlisle's father had said, 'God must have intervened that night.'

They were very poor, the church couldn't pay much and he was a widower caring for his only child, his wife, the boy's mother, had been taken by the flu, years earlier, the boy couldn't even remember her face.

The doctor's misfortune led to the discovery of Carlisle's vocation; when he was well enough, the doctor offered to take him and train him as a doctor.

Esme and her mama had been barely scraping a living together, her father had passed a few months previous leaving them destitute and grief stricken. There were plenty of widows and young girls around to take in washing, scrub and clean for the gentry, so work and food was in short supply. Esme was on the verge of selling herself for sex when the opportunity to work for the kind old doctor, as housemaid and cook came along. He'd been an answer to prayer.

Carlisle had been in love with her from their very first meeting, as scrawny and dirty as she was, he could see the beauty beneath, and the fight and spirit in her eyes, she was determined to survive at all costs. She'd resisted his attempts at courtship and, in the end; it was her mama who agreed on her behalf, to allow him to court her, she'd been a feisty and spirited woman in her day.

She also pointed out blatantly to Esme, with his prospects as a doctor, he would be able to care and provide for her, he was a catch. Esme reluctantly agreed; to please her. The courtship wasn't prolonged and they were married within the year, by then, he had wooed her and Esme was utterly in love with Carlisle, she thought herself lucky to find a kind and gentle soul, such as Carlisle in this harsh world.

Dr. Gerandy had been a good and generous employer, with no family to speak of; when he passed ten years later, he had ensured that all his employees, who were as good as a family to him, were financially taken care of. His substantial estate was shared equally between them all; as Carlisle and Esme were already married by then, they received their double portion of the inheritance and Carlisle was earning a modest living as a qualified doctor.

Esme's mother died the following year, leaving them with another sum of money; they had enough finances between them for a very good life, and the first thing they did was to purchase their home and name it Cullen Hall, a residence, their legacy to be passed onto their children, if they should be blessed with them.

"Penny for them." Esme said softly, breaking Carlisle from his reverie, he felt the mattress move as she sat on the bed beside him.

"Just thinking of how we met."

Esme's face dropped, "Must you?"

"Esme, we have no need for shame. Your life, our lives before, should make us more compassionate as people." He put his finger under her chin and tilted her head so their eyes met.

"I don't want to remember the poverty, the fear, wondering where the next meal was coming from." She broke free of his gaze, and moved across the room.

"We have been granted many blessings my love," Carlisle rose naked from the bed to follow, "We need to express our gratitude and thanks, by giving back, not by pretending we are something we are not. I am proud of who I am now, as well as who I was then. There but for the grace of God, go I."

Esme turned to him and froze in her steps; it had been a long time since she had seen her husband's naked body and the sight pleased her greatly. She could feel the flush of heat in her cheeks, it covered her neck and breasts, the warmth began to spread and cover her entire body, suddenly the room was heated.

"You look flushed, dear," Carlisle said smirking as he approached her, "Allow me to help you cool down." With those words, he reached down to the hem of her cotton nightie and pulled it up and over her head, revealing her bare body beneath.

"It's been too long, my love," he said looking lovingly over her soft, womanly curves, her body bore the signs and sacrifices of carrying his children, and to him she could have not been more lovely.

If Esme had been a younger woman, she may have swooned when he lifted her like a new bride into his arms, before taking over to their marital bed.

They took their time reacquainting themselves tenderly with each other, exploring hidden places of desire, remembering the kisses and touches to make each other groan and quiver in pleasure, adding a few new discoveries, after all, they both liked to read, there was a lot to learn from books.

When she arose the next morning completely fulfilled, if a little tired and sore in the aftermath of many hours of vigorous lovemaking. Esme looked at her sleeping husband and recalled his insatiability with a huge smile and she felt light of heart; as though she was a changed woman.

Wherever you looked in the Cullen residence, there were courting couples, Alice and Jasper sat in the library discussing their honeymoon arrangements, in between stolen kisses and touches. They were to spend their time in London; Jasper had chosen the city to please his future wife. She had too long been denied the bright lights, and hustle and bustle of city life. As a surprise, he had booked a box at a West End theatre to see, 'The Magic Deer.' She was desperate to peruse the market place, shopping there was reputed to be the best in England. Alice dreamed of all the new fabrics that came from Italy and France, which she could use to make new dresses.

When they returned, married life would start at Cullen Hall. Mrs Cullen longed to have her daughter stay; the prospect of having future grandchildren close was thrilling. The architects were due in and there was talk of extending the west side of the house to accommodate the new Mr and Mrs Hale upon their return.

Rosalie was in the stables working alongside her fiancé, she was not one to sit by and watch; she adored her horses nearly as much as she loved Emmett. News of their engagement was greeted with an unladylike whoop of joy from Mrs Hale.

"Thank the Lord, Emmett; I thought you'd wait until I was dead."

Rosalie visibly winced at her mother's words, "Please, mother, you'll outlive us all."

"If only that were true child," she replied, stroking her daughters face, "But you have given me reason to stay a while longer, my darling husband will understand if I don't go, just yet."

Rosalie understood her mother completely, they truly had been cut from the same cloth, neither woman put on airs and graces, and it would have been understandable, as they came from a family of unimaginable wealth and both were unimpressed by the fact. Caius had been a great man of business, with the help of his beloved Dora, great investments had been made all over the world, mainly in the mining of diamonds in South Africa and North America.

Rosalie and Jasper were unaware of just how much money they had coming to them on their mother's death. Dora had a team of trusted accountants and they were sworn, and paid to secrecy, the children would not be informed until after she was gone. It's not that she didn't trust them, but she wanted them to find true love, before they inherited their fortune.

She looked at Rosalie and Emmett; she was confident the money would do little to change the two of them. Jasper and Alice, well, she certainly did like to spend, but Dora knew Alice would do great things with the money she would share with Jasper, and many people would benefit. Alice was a kind and generous creature; no one would suffer with her around.

Bella and Edward had kept their news to be married quiet for the moment, the timing was not right for them and it seemed like everyone in the Cullen household was to be wed.

"I'd like a Christmas wedding," Bella suddenly announced when they were alone together.

Edward kissed the back of her hand and promised her anything she wanted.

"I think I can wait that long," he teased, raising an eyebrow.

Bella giggled, his playful words and manner were doing naughty things to her body, they'd decided to refrain from being intimate again until after they were wed. It was a promise both had made hastily; as being physically joined to one another, was all either one could think of.

Bella had taken to helping Edward study medicine-in between stolen kisses and caresses- he found she had a quick and eager mind, it had occurred to him she would make an excellent nurse, and promised himself to approach the idea with her one day.

Edward had taken on a lot of changes as of late, he wasn't sure he wanted a wife that worked just yet; but he couldn't envisage her staying home to raise children either.

Seth had a whistle and a smile these days, too, and those who looked hard enough noticed he wasn't spending his spare time in Emmett's company like he usually did, but in the village at the blacksmiths' shop, with his new friend, Jacob.

Harry Clearwater was relieved he'd taken a chance and vouched for the young man, William Black- Billy to his friends- was a widower and his only daughter had married a lazy good for nothing who refused to work in the shop. Jacob and Billy got along just fine, and he'd taken very well to working in the foundry with the hot metal, and in a relatively short time, was beginning to ease the burden on his employer.

"He's a natural," Billy said, beaming and heartily clapping Jacob on the back, when Harry paid them a visit.

As one problem in the Clearwater household found a sort of discreet resolution, another presented itself.

"Your daughter has declared her feelings to me, and I'm afraid she is unable to deal with my love for Bella."

Edward decided when he saw Leah's pathetic little face, red and puffy from hours of crying, he could not put her to shame in front of her parents by sharing all the details, and a plan came to him, he would give her a way out, it would be up to Leah to take it.

Leah was so grateful to Edward, she'd imagined he would disclose the whole messy chapter, of her advances, her inappropriate behaviour, and the way she was with Bella, she still disliked her intensely, but she knew now; Edward would never be hers.

Leah loved her parents very much and the thought that they would be ashamed of her was mortifying. She just sobbed and nodded in agreement with him.

"It doesn't rain, it pours," Mrs Clearwater exclaimed, rubbing her ruddy face in her hands.

Her mother had suspected Leah's attachment to Edward, he was a handsome, kind man and she'd spent most of her life following him around, so, to find out she was in love with him wasn't a great surprise.

"Oh my girl, what are we to do with you?" Mrs Clearwater said, trying to think of a resolution. The family they had were far away, she wasn't happy at the thought of sending her off to them; they were strangers to her now.

"May I make a suggestion?" Edward asked, he'd already run the idea by his father, who'd agreed.

Mr Clearwater grunted, he wasn't totally convinced, Edward hadn't led his sweet and innocent daughter on in some way; and he wasn't feeling too hospitable towards him at the moment.

"My father's friends, Peter and Charlotte, they have a grand house in London. I'm sure they could make room for Leah, she is an excellent worker."

Leah perked up, the idea of going to London appealed greatly, and she'd spent all her life in the country, cooped up in this little village.

Mr and Mrs Clearwater looked at each other.

"Please, Father, I want to go, it's for the best," Leah turned and mouthed her thanks to Edward.

"London isn't too far away dear." Mrs Clearwater rubbed his knee.

"Nnnrggh." He grunted, which his wife and daughter took as an agreement.

XXXXXXX

"Edward, we've barely spent any time together recently," Alice rushed across and looped arms with her big brother.

"Well, you do insist on spending all your time with Jasper," he snorted jokingly. She was right though, he hadn't thought about it until she'd said it. They barely had time for one another these days; his time was filled with Bella or his studies.

"Let's take a walk, no one will miss us for an hour and the fresh air will do me the world of good." It might have sounded like a request, but Alice was already off walking, with Edward in tow.

The walk was brisk, Alice seemed to be on some sort of mission to get them far from the house; Edward didn't question her until they were out of earshot.

"What's on your mind, little sister?"

She turned on him, he could always tell when she had something on her mind, which she needed to share with him; it was the only time she could walk as fast as him.

"We have had all the RSVP's back from the wedding." Alice began, it was a rhetorical question.

"Yes." Edward agreed.

"Most of the family and our friends will be able to attend."

He could tell she was trying to lead him somewhere, but he was getting exasperated with her game, "Alice..."

"Including the Denali's," her words stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh… OH!"

Alice nodded at Edward's wide eyed realisation.

"Have you told Bella about Tanya?" She asked, knowing he probably hadn't, but, then again, neither had she.

He just shook his head and looked back towards the house, he had confessed an awful lot to her just recently; the thought he had to tell her of Tanya, too, made his blood run cold in his veins.

A/N

NO! Not Tanya...awww come on she's a great villan... ;)

Thanks to princess07890 & js18- great beta's- sounds like some kinky bondage thing!

**Have a great weekend**