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Chapter 28

Bella looked so young and carefree as I brought Alice up to her top speed. The trees along the lane seemed to whiz by. I regretted having to slow down as we neared the cross street. It was a thrilling few minutes.

In order to keep some conversation flowing, I introduced Bella to Alice. She snorted a quick laugh at the fact I named my car but agreed with my reasoning.

"I wish I had a friend like your Alice. She sounds marvellous." Bella looked so wistful and sounded a bit forlorn I wondered if she had any friends of her own. I hadn't seen or heard anyone in the last few days.

"Do you have anyone like that in your life?"

"I have two friends I can rely on but Father hates them. We've rigged a way to communicate that works for us." I wanted more, but as always she was sparing with her information.

"If they are nice girls and good friends, I don't really see why your father would find fault in them." I tried to sound hopeful.

"You might disapprove, but they are men. Emmett, his family farms nearby so he is the one who provides us with fresh vegetables and supplies. He leaves everything in the shed at the gate. Father has forbidden him to come any closer to the house. I leave him a note with money and he brings me staples and whatever else I need for cooking. His wife helps out with clothing and linens and any other such needs."

"And the other?" I could handle her having male friends, especially one who is married.

"Jasper. He used to work for Father as groundskeeper. I fell in love with him as a child; at times he was a better parent than either of my own. Father blamed him, in part, for the break in although he had nothing to do with it and couldn't have stopped them; he wasn't even there that weekend."

I did not like the sound of this Jasper fellow, not one bit.

"Was he your beau? Is that why you were so angry in regards to your father's plans for me?"

Her laughter filled the car.

"Jasper is ancient; he's even older than Father. I've never had a beau, never will." Bella's laughter tapered off, but she didn't sound sad, just resigned.

"Would you tell me more of your story later, perhaps after lunch? I mean, as much as you feel comfortable telling me, of course." I kept my expression from being too eager. If I had my way she'd tell me everything right now. However, I didn't want to interrogate her.

"To be honest, Edward, what happened was much more traumatic for Father than it was for me. He and his wife were unable to come to terms with it and it destroyed them. I just don't want you to lose respect for Father if I were to tell you what happened. Will you keep an open mind?"

I nodded and wanted to say more, but Aunt Esme opened the front door in wait for us to exit the car. I hadn't even noticed the rest of the drive or when we had arrived back home. I wondered how long we had been sitting there talking. The passage of time seemed to warp around Bella.

Esme greeted Bella and walked away with her arm-in-arm. I don't know if she realised she hadn't even looked at me, her own nephew. Uncle Carlisle laughed at the befuddled look on my face and asked me to speak with him in his study until lunch was called. I would have preferred not to but I couldn't go against him; I just wasn't raised that way.

I was shocked when he poured me a glass of whisky from his secret supply. Other than some homemade fruit wine, and only on very rare occasions, I hadn't know my uncle to drink. As a man of the law, I'd have thought he would follow prohibition and would have purged his house of hard spirits.

He charged his glass and made a toast.

"To your lovely bride, Isabella." I could do nothing but raise my glass and toast her myself.

"I'm so glad you married her, my boy, you have no idea. Rumours around town and society are she would never had married otherwise. There is something particularly sad about a girl from a good family being turned into a spinster over some gossip, founded or not."

I was scandalized by my uncle and his talk.

"What gossip? Who has been spreading rumours?" I shot at him.

"Calm yourself, there is always gossip. I had a feeling when he asked you to clerk for him that Charles Swan had earmarked you for his daughter. I'm just a bit shocked at the speed he worked. Mind you, she is comely enough on her own to catch a man, if she were to put her mind to it, but she'd have to leave the house to do just that." He seemed lost in thought but speaking them as they entered his head.

"I don't suppose we'll ever know what really happened, will we? I've heard bits and pieces at the barber or in the courthouse halls. But nevertheless, it doesn't matter now, does it? She is your bride and falls under your protection. So, tell me, when will we see you out of your clerkship and at the bar? Soon?"

I didn't know how to answer him or if I even wanted to. I was struggling to remember why I respected my uncle in the first place and if I ever could again.

Luckily, Aunt Esme called us in for lunch just then.

AN: Now we'll all be craving whisky instead of crepes. Cheers dears.

Beachcomberlc edited and corrected this for me, sober and everything. Lunabev, JulieToo and IpsitaC77 keep me giddy enough not to need a drink.

Thank you for reading.