A/N:

I did it! I succeeded with a regular update for you! Haha! Yay me! Lol!

And guess what? Tomorrow, I'll freaking finally get my 1st shot, and that's one step closer to NYC for me in September! Still need to get my visa at the embassy, but hopefully they'll start opening up more soon!

Title: The Duke & The Swan without Wings

Author: MarieCarro

Beta: Alice's White Rabbit

Pre-reader: Brierlynn03

Genre: Historical Fiction/Drama/Romance

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Edward Cullen, the Grand Duke and second son of the King, must find a bride. Isabella Sinclair, daughter of Countess Catherine and Duke Charles, was born out of wedlock and has neither titles nor land to her name. Could she be the bride Edward's looking for? But how is Isabella to marry a man of the royal family without a proper dowry?

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

{CHAPTER 14}

"Rose!" Edward called out as he approached her in the garden. She and Emmett were currently residing at his home as some repairs were being done to their winter residence, and their summer estate was simply too chilly for the colder months to come.

The two of them were the only ones visiting, to Edward's delight, since Alice and Jasper were still basking in their newlywed glory—Isabella had regrettably not been invited to their wedding despite Alice wanting to since it couldn't be known that she was acquainted with any member of the royal family—and Carlisle and Esme were back at the palace and the court after she gave birth to another prince: Alexander Thomas Arthur Cullen.

Edward had officially been moved down the line of succession, and he couldn't be happier about it. If there was one thing in the world Edward coveted the least, it was his father's throne.

Rosalie closed the book she had been reading and placed it to the side. "What can I do for you, brother?"

"Would you be open to helping me host a ball here in a couple weeks?"

She gave him a quizzical look. "A ball? But you despise entertaining the nobility."

"True as that may be, I need a distraction."

"A distraction from what?"

He sighed. He knew his sister would demand more information before she did him any favors, but he was wary. Despite the liking Rosalie had taken to Isabella, Edward wanted as few as possible to know they were still writing letters to each other.

"Will it be enough if I tell you it will contribute to my future happiness?" he asked hopefully, but her expression immediately told him it wasn't, even before she voiced her disagreement.

"No."

Edward finally relented. "Fine. I will tell you the truth." He spied around his lands for staff who could possibly decide they'd rather tell the King than to remain loyal to their employer. "But you will have to swear it will remain a secret."

Rosalie stood up, and as she had inherited her height from their father, she was level with him and stared intensively into his eyes. "I would never betray your trust, brother. You know that."

He handed her Isabella's last letter to read.

Edward,

I did as you asked me, and while he didn't answer me outright, he said there were documents. I believe they're hidden away somewhere safely in the duke's study, but I'm not allowed in there.

I need an opportunity to search in there, but the duke cannot be home. I would prefer if no one in my family was home, but I don't know how to succeed with such a feat without arousing suspicion.

Every day that passes, I miss you more, and I'm longing to once again be in your arms. I still dream of our kiss, making my heart flutter each time.

This could be our chance. Father Jacob gave me hope, and no matter what these documents will reveal, I believe it will change everything.

You are in my thoughts always.

I love you.

Your Isabella

Rosalie's jaw dropped, and she looked up from the letter back at Edward. She prepared herself to speak, but then she stopped herself and made an extra perusal around them for eavesdropping staff as Edward had.

"How long have you corresponded in secret?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"We never stopped," Edward admitted.

"Edward—"

He held up a hand to stop her. "Spare me the lectures of how dangerous it is. I'm well aware of it. But, Rose, I love her, and she loves me. I find it impossible to stay away from her. It's agony enough I have to settle with her words only. So ... will you help me?"

She blinked as if she just remembered the favor he'd asked of her. "The ball? But how will that—" She stopped, and her expression smoothed out as she understood what his goal was. "You're going to invite the Swan family and give Isabella the opportunity to search the study," she stated.

"Precisely."

Rosalie took a moment to think on it in silence, and then nodded. "I will help you."

{TDTS}

Isabella was, for once, feeling tranquil while embroidering despite her sisters and their sycophantic ladies surrounding her. She had successfully tuned them, and their incessant jabs at her, out as she focused on the handkerchief she was planning on giving Edward at their next meeting.

When the duke entered and interrupted the sewing circle gossip with an opened envelope in his hand, Isabella already knew what news he had. Not only because she recognized Edward's official seal stamped in the wax, but because he had given her the details of his plan in his last letter.

"My apologies for the interruption, ladies," the duke said, always perfectly polite when there were guests present. "Maria, Eleanor, we've been invited to the Grand Duke's ball at his estate in Spensley in a fortnight."

Both of her sisters squealed in excitement while Miss Lockhart and Miss Spencer fawned over them with clear jealousy in their eyes. Their families weren't nobility, so the chances that they, too, had been invited were slim.

"I knew he was watching me when we were at the palace," Maria cheered. "Didn't I say he was watching me?"

Eleanor nodded to confirm it to the other ladies. "Yes, you did, and he was. I saw it myself. Couldn't keep his eyes off you." She made a poor attempt at replicating the look Edward had apparently given Maria. "He was all serious and intense. I'm certain he's hosting this ball just to have the chance to speak with you. Maybe even ask you to dance!"

Isabella strained herself to keep from laughing at her sisters and their fatuousness. The look they claimed had been the start of Edward's interest in Maria, she recognized as the expression he got when he tried to conceal his contempt. He'd had the exact same look when he spoke of Father Jacob and his part in the family scandal.

The duke cleared his throat pointedly before saying her name. "Miss Sinclair."

She looked up from her embroidery in confusion. "Yes, Your Grace?"

"You're awfully quiet," he stated.

Her confusion deepened, and she wondered if she had missed something. "I'm sorry, did you ask something? I'm afraid I got lost in my head."

He huffed as if he were unimpressed. "I did not, but I have to say I'm baffled by your indifference. The last time we were invited to a ball hosted by the royal family, you were devastated you couldn't join us, and yet, you couldn't appear less interested now."

Isabella really wanted to sigh out loud. Any little thing she did was cause for suspicion in the duke's book nowadays, and it was fast growing tedious. The only comfort she took in it was that the obvious suspicion he held for her confirmed he was the one hiding something. If he had been innocent, he'd have nothing to worry about.

However, instead of displaying her annoyance, she met his stare steadily. "I guess I learned, Your Grace, that hoping for something in this house is futile, so why bother?"

He did not like that answer, and he started to sputter as he searched for words, and his face slowly turned a deep red. Before he could utter one word in response to her newfound cheekiness, though, the dowager duchess entered the room, clearly having heard the conversation.

"Isabella should come to the ball as well," she said in such a certain tone it sounded as if the decision had already been made.

"I should?" she asked, genuinely surprised but not in a good way. That wasn't the plan. She wasn't supposed to go to the ball. She had to stay at Swanselm and search for the documents. It was the only reason Edward was even hosting a ball.

"Definitely," the dowager duchess said, leaving no room for argument.

"But why?" Eleanor whined in discontent. "She's not family. Why should she have the chance to dance with noble men?"

The dowager duchess shook her head and grimaced. "Whining does not become a daughter of a duke, Eleanor. How many times should I have to remind you to behave as a lady of your stature?"

"And I don't have a dress fit for a ball hosted by royalty," Isabella protested quietly. Her thoughts were running wild because she hadn't expected this, and she had no idea how to get out of the sudden predicament she found herself in. Before Edward, she would have been ecstatic for the chance to go to a proper ball, but now it could ruin everything.

"I'm certain we have a dress we can alter for you," the dowager duchess said and locked her intense eyes with Isabella. It was as if she were either trying to say something to her without words, or trying to gauge Isabella's true reaction. Either one, it terrified Isabella.

"Mother, you can't be serious," the duke protested, but the dowager duchess simply left the room and forced him to follow her.

All of the ladies in the room exchanged looks before they moved to follow so they could hear the continued discussion.

"I most certainly am serious, Charles. Isabella is coming to the ball, and that's the last I want to hear of it."

"We can't prance her around and expect people won't have questions," he insisted. "Are you so eager to air out our secrets and ruin the family name?"

Lady Mariella let out a humorless laugh. "You've ruined the family name very well by yourself over the years. Allowing the poor girl one evening of fun won't make it worse."

"Mother!" the duke exclaimed so loud it caused all the girls to jump. "I know you, so don't attempt to fool me you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart. Not once have you shown that girl any affection. Why start now? What are you really planning?"

"Oh, Charles," she said. "Do not for a second believe I have to answer to you. Isabella's going. And that's that."

Her footsteps slowly faded away until they had disappeared completely, and four sets of eyes turned to glare at Isabella with pure disdain, as if she had anything to do with this.

"Well, at least you'll be the one who gets to dance with the prince," Eleanor encouragingly said to Maria while looking Isabella up and down and curling her upper lip in disgust.

"That's true," Maria agreed, reassured. "The only one who might want to dance with Miss Sinclair are the servants."

The four ladies cackled at their own terrible joke as they turned around and left while Isabella remained in her spot. As soon as they couldn't see her anymore, the corners of her lips stretched into a smile.

Maria might be the one who would snatch a dance or two with Edward for appearance's sake—if he could stomach it, that is—but Isabella was the one he loved and would try to sneak kisses from if they got away from everyone's prying eyes.

She wanted to warn Edward that she would attend the ball with her family so he wouldn't be taken by surprise when he saw her there, but the courier wouldn't be back for another week or so. She couldn't guarantee the letter would reach him in time.

Deep in thought, she climbed the stairs and headed to her room, and when she was safe behind the locked door, a new feeling emerged. Despite the delay this unexpected turn of events caused for her search, she was starting to feel excited.

She would go to a ball at Edward's estate without all the secrecy. He would be himself when he welcomed her family there, and even though the duke wouldn't want to introduce her, the dowager duchess most likely would. Their meeting would be official in the eyes of the nobility, and no matter the story the dowager duchess would tell the other guests about her, no one could say that Miss Isabella Sinclair had never met His Royal Highness, Prince Edward Cullen III, the Grand Duke of Spensley.

A/N:

That certainly threw a wrench in the works, didn't it? But on the other hand, Isabella will get to go to a ball with Edward there :) Could this be her Cinderella moment?

Let me know your thoughts, and as always,

until next time,

Stay Awesome!