Chapter Eight

Esme

Jasper would be incensed if he discovered that I had made contact with Bella and told her what he had been doing but it was clear to me that if I had done nothing he would be on his way and she… Well, she would probably be stuck with Patrick and it was clear that he wasn't the right one for her. Now all I had to do was to keep him here a little longer and engineer a way to get them to meet. The problem was, how?

When I got back to my apartment he was lying on the couch reading a book but I could see his bag was packed. I would have to think fast.

"Hi, Esme. I've given some thought to what you said about staying on to help you out. I know it's going to sound awful after you came here to help me but I think it would be better if I left now. You've got plenty of staff and Bella's safe. I should go."

"You can't."

He frowned, "What? Why?"

I took a deep breath and crossed my fingers behind my back.

"Because I had a call from Carlisle while I was out. He said he'd been asking around and he heard there might be one friend of Victoria's still out there."

"He did? I thought he frowned on what I was doing. What changed his mind?"

"I think he was trying to get back into my good books. Anyway, you can't leave if she's still in danger."

"Well, no but… Did he say where he heard this? Or who it is?"

"No, but he's going to keep asking."

Jasper gave me a searching look, he must feel my anxiety, and I babbled on.

"I'm sorry. I'm a little overwrought. I thought it was all over and I began to relax. I'd hate to think anything happened to Bella after all you've done and I hate to leave a job half done. She was like a daughter to me."

"Sure. Well, I guess you'll have a guest for a little longer. I should probably find Bella before something happens."

"She was fine when I saw her."

"You saw her?"

"Yes, I was driving back from a client meeting and saw her at a restaurant. I think she's pretty safe during the day."

"I guess so but I don't like to take chances. Was she alone?"

"As a matter of fact, she was. Didn't we hear that her boyfriend was going to be away for a few days?"

He nodded and I was amused to see the way his nose wrinkled when I mentioned Patrick. If only he would examine his own feelings instead of other people's for a change but then men could be so blind when it came to love.

"There's no point in you trying to find her now, she would be long gone from the restaurant."

"I guess not. I'll check the gallery and if she's not there I'll wait at her apartment."

"Give me a call if you need any help."

"I will, Esme but you're busy enough as it is. I'll catch up with you later."

I heaved a sigh of relief when he left, playing matchmaker for those two wasn't easy. I just hoped they would realize what they meant to each other sooner rather than later. I wasn't sure my nerves could stand another prolonged session like this and I hated fibbing to Jasper.

I wasn't good at telling lies but luckily Carlisle wouldn't be likely to talk to Jasper so my subterfuge was unlikely to be discovered.

Bella

For some reason, I felt my mood lighten considerably as I made my way back home.

Seeing Esme again had been a shock but not as much as learning that I had a guardian angel who had been watching over me for the past few years. How ironic that it was Jasper and not Edward who had taken on my protection.

I was relieved to hear that Edward was married because it freed me from my fear that he might return one day even though I knew in my heart that was ridiculous.

I checked my phone for missed calls or messages from Patrick but there was nothing. That fact would have annoyed me a couple of hours ago but now I didn't care. Sure I was mad at him and the situation sounded very suspicious but I would worry about it when I next heard from him.

I tried not to look around when I got home but I knew Jasper wasn't far away. It occurred to me that he had always made me feel safe even when he did nothing. His was a quiet unassuming presence that had made me feel good and I smiled to myself as I rode the elevator up to my apartment. I hoped that Esme was able to get me that invitation. I was desperate to thank him in person for all he had done and I knew if he just took off that I would never be able to hunt him down on my own.

Sitting down with a mug of coffee I thought about all I had learned from Esme. I felt sorry for her, she had been devoted to her family and loved the others as if they had been her own flesh and blood. It was so sad that they had now scattered. I just hoped they would come back and that Carlisle humbled himself with a groveling apology to his wife. She certainly deserved better from him.

Sasha hmm? Edward's wife. I admit I was curious about her. I wondered where he had met her and what she looked like. I was not however envious or jealous. I'd had enough of Edward when we had been dating and I could finally admit that he was not right for me. I was a different person when he and I met and I didn't like the person I had become under his influence.

Talking of which, did I like the Bella I was becoming under Patrick's influence? He had always been kind and thoughtful but recently his attitude had changed. As long as things were going his way he was happy and charming but he didn't like it when I tried to go my own way. I was beginning to think that being married to him would entail a certain amount of compromise on my part. He was assuming I would fit in with the way things were done in the family even if they made me feel uncomfortable. The question was, did love always mean compromising? I was beginning to think maybe it did.

Renee called with the dates she and Phil were going to be in Boston and I promised to ask Patrick.

"We might even be celebrating, honey."

"Celebrating what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Romantic things happen at Christmas, Bella."

I groaned, "It'll be the New Year, mom. I'm not even sure we can make it."

"Do you and Patrick have plans? I know you're going to spend Christmas with his family in the mountains but I thought he said you'd be free for the New Year."

"You've already spoken to Patrick? When?"

"Oh, I just wanted to check if everything was OK between you two. Whenever I ask you all I get are vague mumblings. I need plenty of time to organize things if there is going to be wedding bells. It will be quite the society event."

I found it difficult to continue the conversation. I was so angry. Even my mother was going behind my back to organize me! Wait till I spoke to Patrick!

She sensed my mood and cut the call short although I knew she would forget it in minutes. Renee was a butterfly, she only thought about the things that were of immediate interest. Once she turned to Phil my mood would float free of her mind to join all the others in some kind of netherworld.

The call put me in a bad mood for the evening so I had a long soak in the tub and then took a book and a hot chocolate to bed and lost myself in the story. By the time I put it down I was relaxed again and ready for sleep.

As I turned the light out I wondered where Jasper was and what he was doing. It was better than wondering if Patrick was shacked up on some yacht with the delectable Victoria!

Sunday was the one day of the week that I usually relaxed, staying in bed a little longer and the phone woke me up. This was becoming a bad habit! I'd had a really bad night tossing and turning and I was tired and cranky.

"Bella? Sorry, I didn't realize the time. Did I wake you? Are you missing me?"

"Patrick? At last. I thought you'd fallen off the edge of the world."

"Sorry, Bella. I know you must be mad at me, it's been a tough few days. But guess what. I got the account and another one too. Your boy is a genius."

"Good for you."

"Ouch, you are grumpy this morning. I thought you'd be pleased for me. We have something to celebrate when I get back. I know, we'll go to the Capital Grille.."

"And when is that likely to be? Can you tell me or will you have to get Victoria to call me again?"

There was a discernible chill in his voice when he replied.

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you pissed because I asked my secretary to call you? I think that's a little petty. You know sometimes I get tied up and I can't keep checking in with you."

"Well, I didn't enjoy discovering that you took Victoria with you on your little business trip."

"What? Victoria? Who told you that?"

"Marty, when he answered your cell phone. The one that she told me you'd lost."

"Oh, right. Well, I did misplace it and I've been too busy to shop for a new one. Anyhow, I did not take Victoria with me. She left, her dad was rushed into the E.R."

"So who was it who called me?"

He hesitated, "That would be Chelsea. I was stuck and she happened to call in at the office. She offered to help me out of a tight spot. Besides, we both know how you hate that kind of thing. It's something you are going to need to work on."

"I'm so glad you found someone to step in for me. I'm sure she enjoyed it."

"As a matter of fact, she did. You could get a few pointers from her."

"Really? Do you think so? Well, just call me the next time you have a few minutes spare. Enjoy the rest of your day."

I cut the connection and then felt a little foolish. Patrick had called me full of good news and I had almost snapped his head off. I made myself appear a jealous teenager instead of a mature woman. I toyed with the idea of calling him back with an apology and then realized that I couldn't. I still didn't have a contact number for him.

Chelsea? What was she doing at the office in the first place? Gone to make cow eyes at Patrick? If he thought I would take pointers from that child he was even more stupid than I thought. I bet she had spent the last few days hanging off his arm. I felt sorry for her boyfriend. What had he thought of his girlfriend going away with her ex for a few days?

Groaning in frustration I pulled the covers back over my head and sulked for the next half hour.

If I kept this up Patrick would have ruined my day off and I was determined he wasn't going to do that so I got up, showered, and went out for a late breakfast.

After that, I decided it would be a good idea to do some Christmas shopping. If I was going to see Renee and Phil I'd better have something for them, other than the grandchild that Renee was so anxious to get her hands on.

I had no idea what to buy Patrick and I wasn't in the mood to shop for him anyhow so that would have to wait.

I toyed with the idea of buying something for Esme and Jasper. I did owe them my life after all but try as I did I couldn't see anything that struck me as suitable. Until that is, I happened by an antique shop that had just opened and decided to browse. I loved immersing myself in the belongings of past generations. Patrick called it expensive junk. He preferred the new and shiny, like the rest of the family but these things had a past. They had been bought and cherished by someone, they had character.

I was one of only three customers and wandered around picking up things and examining them as the minutes ticked by. Then I saw it, a pretty carved jewelry box. It called to me and when I opened it I was enchanted to discover it was musical. A pretty ballerina spun on a mirrored surface to a soft tune. I was sure Esme would love it and the ballerina would be a reminder of why she was here guarding me with Jasper. I hadn't thought about the horror in the ballet studio for a very long time except for that single glimpse in my nightmare. It no longer terrified me, it was in the past and James was dead.

As I turned with the box in my hand I happened to glance at the opposite wall. Half hidden in the semi-darkness of a corner was a framed painting of a man on horseback. As I moved closer I made out his uniform. It was a Confederate officer sitting proudly upon his steed. His face was in profile, shaded by the brim of his hat but he reminded me of Jasper. It was something in his bearing. Edward had told me that Jasper had been a Confederate officer before becoming a vampire. It would be fanciful to imagine the painter had ever seen Jasper. He probably hadn't even painted this from life but I fell in love with it. I lifted it down to look more closely. It would have been great in the gallery but I decided to buy it for myself. It would look good on my wall.

Pleased with myself I held my purchases tightly as I made my way slowly back to my apartment grabbing a coffee to go as I did so.

After half an hour of careful cleaning, the painting was ready to hang. I just needed to choose a spot for it. After trying out a few places I eventually decided to hang it on the wall at the foot of my bed. Once finished I lay back on my bed and stared at it wondering what the soldier was thinking. Had he been in battle? Or was he headed towards it? Did he survive or was he wounded or even killed? So many possibilities whirled around in my head and I closed my eyes, the soldier morphing into Jasper in my dreams.

Next thing I knew I was jerked awake by the sound of a dog barking from next door. It was dark, I had fallen asleep dreaming of riding off into the sunset with my mystery soldier. Hell, who was I kidding, it had been Jasper in the saddle of that horse.