Evening, all!

I've just been watching a brilliant programme about the castles of Henry VIII. Just a small extension to Hampton Court Palace was the equivalent in today's money of 18 million pounds! Jeez!

Isabella Cullen

"Isabella, if you are not careful you will wear a hole in the tiled floor, and then pass out with exhaustion. They will be here when they will be here, and no amount of pacing will speed them up," Edward's chuckling voice broke through my thoughts as I stopped by the large potted palm by the front door.

"Your mother expressly said in her letter that they would be here for tea, and it has gone past that already. By the time they get here they'll be good to no one and will have to go straight to bed," I huffed, and then fought back a tear.

It felt as though it had been months since I had seen my children and Charles, and I knew that I was acting irrationally given that they were safe with Esme and Carlisle, but it did not stop my fears of them having an accident on the highway.

Although most of the roads between home and here were smooth and safe, others were certainly not, and it would not take much to topple over the carriage if the driver was going at speed.

"Isabella, come and sit here with me, calm your nerves and think of the fun that we will all have once they have rested well," Edward said gently, holding his hand out to me from where he sat at the small couch by the stairs.

I let out a deep sigh before walking over to him and taking his hand in mine before sitting down, but as soon as I did, I stood straight back up again having heard the hooves of the horses and wheels of the carriage.

"See, they came to no harm and are only twenty minutes later than planned." He chuckled, but all I could do was roll my eyes at him before smiling and leading him to the front door of the palace.

The children came bouncing out of the carriage as soon as it had stopped, and I was fiercely hugging them all before Esme and Carlisle started to talk about a patch of bad weather that had slowed them down.

"Mamma, Master Emmett said that I could have a puppy if I was a good girl because his neighbor's dog has just had a litter and they are so sweet," Charlotte said as soon as I let her body go, and with a look toward Edward, I knew that we would be talking later about it.

"Bells, I helped Carlisle with his books this week; he said that it was a man's job to tally money after the women spend it," Charles said, and I laughed as a drowsy Henry stumbled toward Edward.

"I think a quick supper is in order, and then bedtime for these little ones," Esme said as I stood up from the ground and hugged her before doing the same with Carlisle.

The children ate a hearty beef stew while they filled us in on what we had missed back home, but from what they had said, it was not much, but to them, it was everything, which meant that it was everything to me.

Charlotte had been into the village to buy some colors and paper for them all and had even been allowed to have money in her small dress purse, something that she was very proud of.

The boys had been with Carlisle most days in his study or with Master Emmett and Rosalie at the farm, which I was very happy about.

I had been so worried that Charles would feel lost without the farm in his life, but from what Esme had said, he would be growing up with a very sensible head on his shoulders with regards to the land.

"And now I think it is time for you to see the nursery," Edward exclaimed as he rose from the long oak table and smiled at the children.

Although I knew that they were used to this level of opulence, nothing would have prepared them for sleeping in a palace. The nursery here was at least three times the size of the one at home, and where our children would normally play and sleep in the same space, the palace came with two nurseries, one for day and one for night, with a governess's room situated in between the two.

We had agreed that for the first night or two, Edward and I would stay in the governess's room so that the children could settle and know where we were, and then we would move back into the room where we had been staying previously.

The children were settled quickly into bed once they were washed, and then we joined Carlisle and Esme back in the kitchen where we ate and spoke of all things concerning home.

We would only be in Brighton for another week before returning to the country house, and then it would be very busy while Esme and I planned meals and entertainment for the ladies who would be joining the hunting party.

Carlisle had filled me in on what had happened at the farm now that Master Emmett and Rosalie had settled in. I was pleased to hear about the first fruit trees that had been planted and protected against the frost. It would be another year or so before they would bear fruit, but it was a start.

"Isabella, have you drifted off into dreamland already?" Esme's voice cut through my thinking, and I apologized for ignoring everyone.

"I seem to be in my own little world these days." I grinned as I looked at Edward, who smiled back at me.

…

"Charles, hold on to Henry's hand if you go any closer," Carlisle called out to my brother as the two boys walked along the stony beach close to where the waves were crashing onto the shore.

It was certainly cold for this time of year, and I was thankful that the snow had not settled on the ground here because then we would not have been able to take this walk as a family.

The children had been with us for five days so far and we had loved every minute of it, including being woken up at a ridiculous hour on their first morning here.

I had dismissed the kitchen staff, which was bold of me, but I was desperate to cook my children their breakfast as I had done for Charles so many times in the past.

The first four days we were at the Palace, we were forced to be inside because of the weather, but when I woke this morning to sunshine and a little frost, I was quick to get them to the beach.

The largest amount of water Charles had ever seen was the lake at our new home, so I was thrilled when his eyes warped in size when he saw the sea and the large waves battering the cobbled shoreline.

"How about we walk them over to the fishermen's huts before we head back for lunch? The temperature is dropping, and I'm sure you do not want to keep them out for too long," Edward whispered in my ear, and I shivered, but not because I was cold.

I was desperate to take up his hand, to hold him close to me, but I knew that I could not until tomorrow – at least in public.

Tomorrow was Candlemas, the time of which I would have been coming out of mourning and moving on with my life, but how different it all was now.

I was a married woman, with two children and a young brother, and also a set of new parents.

Yes, my life was vastly different, but I would not have wished it to be anything other than what it had become.

"Yes, let us take the children to see the fish, and then we can head back." I grinned.

…

"I do not like it, Mamma, it is slippery and cold," Charlotte moaned into Edward's neck as he held her in his arms.

The boys, of course, were enjoying themselves immensely as they looked at all of the fish, shellfish, and eels that were in large wicker crates in the small huts, but Charlotte did not like it, not one bit.

I think it was hard for her to imagine how fish looked before it is cooked, but the boys did not care. They were more excited about seeing the eyes and gills of the fish and the claws of the crabs than thinking about what went on their plates at mealtimes.

After Esme purchased some smoked mackerel, we made a slow walk back toward the palace. Charlotte cheered up while we talked about her leaving the nursery for her to have her own bedroom once we got home.

It was a step that I knew Edward was apprehensive about, but she was growing up, and sharing a room with the boys was not ideal now. While I was happy that they were all so close and accepting of Charles, she did need her own space.

Although she would not be the future Lady of the house because Henry would be Lord, she would still be expected to achieve much and excel in all things, and she needed a space for her to do that. I knew that it was many years off, but we needed to help her now to become the best, but at the same time not push her.

I had made my feelings clear on the matter with Edward when we had first talked of the children after we were married, and he was in agreement with me. He had explained how much he was pushed and what was expected of him from such an early age, while Jasper had it easier, and I did not want any resentment between the children on how they were raised.

Once we were back at the palace, Esme and I settled the children in the large nursery to play and warm-up, left the men to talk in the study, and then we left to go to the kitchen.

Esme laughed a little when the kitchen staff saw me, curtsied and then left the room, leaving me to explain how I had been cooking for Edward and I while we had been here.

"It is not that I do not welcome a good, cooked meal that has been made for me, but I have been used to doing things for myself and Charles for most of my childhood, and I find it very hard to sit idle and have people do things for me." I huffed when Esme rolled her eyes.

"I was the same, and it took a long time to realize that it was not a bad thing for others to help, but you must not exert yourself, Isabella," she replied.

There was a look in her eye that I did not understand. How could I exert myself by cooking a hearty meal?

Does Esme know something that Isabella doesn't? **wink wink**