I own nothing.

I am stunned at the level of animosity, anger, hatred, and disgust you all have for Esme! I couldn't keep up with all the reviews and you guys are all riled up!

Sunflower Fran got this one back to me so fast! She must be just as anxious as I am for you to hear from Edward! Whatever the reason, you can thank her for cleaning up the messes all over this one. You're the best, Fran! I hope you're having a great birthday week!

So, as promised, here's Edward ...

Bella hadn't told me everything.

I wasn't foolish enough to think that there was nothing else that my mother had said to her.

Or done to her.

I could barely contain my anger when she revealed to me that my mother had belittled her. Did she honestly think that I wouldn't know that my wife was upset? Bella had been on edge and nervous long before my parents' arrival, but she had become comfortable, playful even, with Pops. They got along like she was his own daughter. Lord knows he had come to love her as though she were his.

But not Mother.

Apparently, she had been treating my Bella with contempt at every turn. She had been careful to cover it, though. So much so that I had come to hope they were building a relationship. I had every confidence in Bella being able to win her over. I had yet to meet anyone that didn't adore my sweet wife within minutes of their meeting.

Until my mother.

It always came back to her. I knew my mother well; she loved fiercely, but she could be heartless in her pursuit of social status, especially where her children were concerned. What I'd told Bella about my sister was all true. Rose had married Emmett out of love; however, his choice of profession had riled my mother to a breaking point causing an enormous rift between the two of them. Finally, Rose had given her an ultimatum: accept Emmett unconditionally or lose any hope of a relationship with them and any children they might have in the future.

Mother had finally relented, and now it appeared she would be faced with the same choice where Bella and I were concerned.

I confronted her immediately when they returned from town. She had denied it at first, but then her self-centered, haughty attitude reared its ugly head.

"I spoke the truth, Edward! That girl is unworthy of you."

"That's not your judgment to make, Mother. You had no right to come into our home, Bella's home, and make her feel inadequate."

She stood and gestured to the room around her. "She's an orphan, son. You provide security, shelter, food, a life that she would never have. Her father was a lawman, and deceased at that. What would you expect her to do? If it hadn't been you, it would have been some other unsuspecting man in town. You just happened to be the one gullible enough to fall for her pretty face."

I stared at her in stunned silence. It took several minutes for me to find words that were not filled with rage. As it was, I had to measure my breathing to keep from shouting and waking my wife who was sleeping directly above where we stood.

Shaking my head, I turned to stare out the window, unable to look at my mother as I delivered my own ultimatum. "I don't know what I find more offensive, Mother; that you believe me to be a gullible fool, or that you believe my wife could only love me for my money. Either way, this is her home, and if you want to continue to stay here, you'll have to abide by my demands."

"Demands? What are you going on about, Edward?"

"First, you'll apologize to my wife. I realize that there will be no sincerity shown in you when you do it, but she will know that I have demanded it of you and will not tolerate any further abuse. If you speak another foul word to her, you will no longer be welcome in our home."

She stared at me as if I had grown a second head. I waited for my words to sink in before continuing. "You'll make an effort to get to know Bella. She is kind and generous, and perhaps the most selfless person I've ever known. You would benefit greatly from her friendship."

"Edward, I don't – "

"It's not negotiable, Mother. Bella is my wife. She is the woman I love and if forced, I will choose her."

I held her gaze, unwavering as I waited for her response. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched and then released with a resigned huff.

"Fine. I'll apologize in the morning. Will that satisfy you?"

"It's a start."

She made good on her end of our agreement, apologizing first thing this morning. It was insincere and hollow, but I had shown Bella that I would defend her to the end, and my mother now knew where the battle lines were drawn.

It always amazed me to watch the influence of upbringing. I had been raised in a home with loving parents who gave me every opportunity to succeed. As I grew older, they encouraged me to try new things and find my own way. I wondered if my mother would have been as supportive if I had chosen a less desirable profession.

Her upbringing had been one of pretentious rules and strict social graces. I suppose she would have chosen a wife for me that had the same views and would raise our children the same way. She was a loving woman, but just too set in her ways to be kind to those she deemed to be of lower class. She had been more compassionate to the servants in my childhood home than she had been to my wife – all because she was an orphan with no dowry.

Bella, on the other hand, had been raised by her father, whose only sense of social status was ruled by innocence and guilt. If you were a law abiding citizen, you were good as far as he was concerned. If you were an outlaw, God help you if you tried to get close to his only child.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Victoria stood in the hallway, waiting for me to acknowledge her presence.

"Good morning, Victoria."

"Good morning. How is Bella feeling?"

"She's much better, thank you."

A look of relief filled her eyes, and for the first time, I considered what a good friend Victoria might be to my Bella.

"I'm glad to hear it. I've been so worried about her."

"She'll be down to join us soon. Thank you for your kindness to her, Victoria."

She smiled widely, her head tilting slightly to the side. "I like her, Edward, she's a good person, and she's so right for you. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy."

I slid my hands in my pockets, my unconscious habit of rolling my watch in my fingers suddenly thwarted by a small glass bottle. My mind began to race as I smiled back at Victoria. "I've never been so happy. She completes my life, and I have all that I could ever want."

My father's voice interrupted our conversation, calling for Victoria to discuss some aspect of her move to the Whitlock's home. She smiled and excused herself and I was quick to shut the door behind her.

Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out the bottle of ginger root and turned the bottle over in my hand. It was one of several powders and decoctions that I kept in both my satchel and my study; it guaranteed quick access should an urgent need arise. The bottles in my bag saw a great deal of use and I found that I needed to replace them frequently. However, the bottles that I kept in my study were unused, with their wax seals still intact. They were there simply as a precaution.

Perhaps it was the recent conversation with my mother or it might have been my need as a physician to have a resolution for every illness. Whatever the cause, I found that my hand shook as I stretched it toward the drawer that held those small, medicinal bottles.

Could I actually be considering this? Would my mother truly resort to such vile actions?

I slid the drawer open and stared blankly at the cork stoppers facing me in the shallow bin. There was nothing sinister about them as they sat in neat rows, waiting to be needed. And yet, I couldn't help but feel as though I might uncover some great evil if I touched them.

I shook my head at the absurd notion and shut the drawer, striding purposefully away from my desk. My feet faltered on the fourth step, and I had to know, if only for my own sanity. Turning back to the desk, I pulled the drawer a little too hard, rattling its contents. Reaching in, I sifted through the bottles, all sealed and unused.

All but one.

A seemingly innocent, cream colored powder in a clear bottle.

I held the half empty bottle of Lobelia in my hand, and for the first time, I realized just how deeply my mother hated my wife.

Lobelia was commonly known to cause vomiting, and was used routinely by most in the medical profession when they suspected a patient had ingested something harmful. My mother even had friends in her circle who would seek out doctors to provide it after childbirth in hopes of regaining their figures. It was a ridiculous notion, but widespread nonetheless.

The thought of confronting my mother with the open bottle was enough to make my own stomach turn.

Worse, the thought that Bella had kept this from me was alarming.

She had to have known. It would have left an intensely bitter taste in her mouth, and it would have been difficult to consume much of it without gagging. The fact that my mother had prepared the meal and Bella had become ill so soon after supper led me to believe that Mother had, in fact, done it intentionally.

My head was spinning as I thought about confronting both women. One, regarding an attempt to poison my wife, and the other regarding her attempt to keep it from me.

"Edward?"

I turned to find Bella standing in the doorway, her face pale, but peaceful. I crossed the room, taking her hand in my own. "How are you, Sweetheart?"

"Better, thank you. Pops said that Jasper and Alice will be here shortly and asked that we join them for tea. Victoria has prepared everything, although I think she is a little nervous."

"I'm sure she must be. Come, let's join them."

I led her from the study, my mind forming a simple plan as we walked.

As we entered the sitting room, Victoria was placing the tea tray on the table and arranging a small platter of cakes. We were seated on the sofa across from Mother and Victoria while Pops poured tea for the both of them and I chose a small cake for Bella.

I grinned as she took the plate from me, pinching a little piece from the side and quickly tossing it in my mouth. At her look of surprise, I kissed her nose and whispered, "It looked too good to not try a bit."

Bella giggled softly at my antics. "And was it to your liking?"

"Hmmm… yes, but I believe I'd rather have the one with blackberry jam." I plucked another cake from the tray and settled back into the cushion under Bella's amused gaze. I tried my best to keep my eyes on my own refreshment and not watch which cakes were chosen by which women and whether any other condiments were used.

It was unnerving, to say the least.

Interestingly enough, it was my mother who brought up a subject of discussion that couldn't have provided a more perfect opportunity to bring up the Lobelia without raising questions.

"Isabella, Edward tells me you're planning a flower garden in the front of the house. Have you considered what you might choose?"

Bella's expression was one of surprise as she swallowed her tea and glanced at me before her attention turned back to my mother. "I've always loved roses and daisies, so I'm certain to use those. I'd like to plant some bulbs for daffodils, tulips and crocus in the spring. What would you suggest?"

"Perhaps some petunias and some hydrangea in the shaded areas near the porch. Have you considered sunflowers?"

Bella smiled, clearly comfortable with the conversation. "There are sunflowers growing wild in the field behind the barn. Have you had a chance to see them yet?"

I took that opportunity to insert myself into the discussion. "There are violets and lobelia growing wild as well. I thought they might be a lovely addition to the garden. What do you think, Mother?"

Esme Cullen's face might have been made of stone. She stared at me, wordless for what felt like an eternity as I waited for some crack, some indication that she felt guilt. After a moment, her head tilted, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't believe I would know Lobelia by sight. Is it a flowering plant?"

"It is. Delicate white flowers with dark leaves." I kept my gaze steady, never faltering as I continued. "Lobelia is a lovely plant, but can be used medicinally as well."

"Yes, I believe I've heard that before." She lifted her cup, sipping her tea while her eyes stayed locked with mine.

I could feel Bella's eyes on me as she shifted, her attention then moving slowly to my mother. She knew the medical properties of Lobelia, and she knew how it was used. She had even dosed a patient with it once while under my direction.

I felt my wife take in a deep breath beside me, letting it out slowly as her hand trembled slightly while lifting her cup to her mouth.

She knew.

Though neither of us had any proof, we both knew that my mother had intentionally tried to harm her.

My mother now knew that I was aware of what she had done.

And to her dismay, my wife now knew that I was aware she had withheld the entire truth from me.