Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight… obviously!
Chapter 14
Rosalie thought about eating the pizza in front of the TV and making a movie night out of it, but I convinced her otherwise. I really needed to sort things out with them if I was ever going to attend Henry's funeral.
"There's something I need to talk to you about. Something happened," I began awkwardly. There was a pregnant pause and no one made a move to say anything so I continued.
"As you're all aware, Henry died," I stated simply, swallowing hard. Hearing myself saying it out loud made it even more real, more tangible, as if there were ever anything palpable in death.
"Yes, honey. We're all sorry for your loss, we all know you grew attached to him over the last few days," Mom told me, attempting to give me a reassuring smile. I tried to smile back to thank her but it came out as more of a grimace.
"Well, I went to see Greta Masterson today, she was Henry's personal assistant. Apparently he arranged for me to attend his funeral. I'm expected to be there on the 26th. I need to know what you think of this, I mean… I know this is going to cut my vacation short…"
"Wait," Emmett interrupted me, "what do you mean he made arrangements for you to attend the funeral? The guy knew he was going to die? Why would he want a person he barely knows to go to his funeral?" He paused, confusion written all over his face. "You must have made quite an impression on the old man… Still, it's just… I don't know, creepy?"
"Look, I know you have all these questions and that this whole situation doesn't make much sense to any of you. Believe me when I tell you that this was something that caught me off guard as well. I had no idea… I mean," I paused to organize my thoughts and to think of a good way to explain my bizarre relationship with Henry More. "Henry's death did come as a shock to me. I knew he was ill, he had cancer and was aware that it had a poor prognosis. The thing is he didn't die because of the cancer, not directly at least. He had a rare complication, so to speak…" I started rambling.
Focus, Bella!
"Yes, honey," Mom said in an undoubtedly patronizing tone, "we understand, but what does that have to do with the fact that he arranged things for you to attend his funeral?"
How much could I tell them of Henry and Grandma's story? How much should I tell them?
"Well, I don't know his reasons, at least not for sure, and I believe I will never be able to tell you now. Look, all that I know is that I was asked to go to the funeral on the 26th, that his will will be disclosed on the 28th and that I should be there. Henry even hired a lawyer to represent me, which is admittedly odd... That's all I was told."
"That doesn't make sense at all!" Rosalie said, a little miffed. "What are you not telling us?"
"Does that mean he left you something in his will?" Emmett asked in an effort to rationalize.
"I think so, I can't imagine any other reason. But, before you ask, I have no idea what that'll be. Everyone speaks rather cryptically around me. He left me a letter explaining some things but I didn't have enough time to decode it."
I really didn't get to read between the lines, not that I was sure that there was something there for me to read. At least not just yet.
"What did it say?" Mom asked.
"Mom," Emmett admonished her, "it's probably personal."
I looked appreciatively at my brother, thanking him silently, but what he said next made me regret thinking I was off the hook.
"But there is a lot you're not telling us that we need to know. What's your connection with this man? Why would your name be in his will when he hardly knows you? Did you know him?"
"Look, I don't know. I met Henry More when I came to Australia, on the plane from LA to Sydney."
"Like I said, you must have made quite an impression on the man. You met him a week ago and you're already his heiress?" Emmett asked with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
"I'm not his heiress!" I said defensively.
"Are you going?" Rosalie asked, changing the subject.
Now there was a good question I thought I didn't have an answer for until that moment. Something clicked in me and I knew the only answer that wouldn't sound bad when I said it out loud. I needed to know. I didn't want to be kept in the dark and apparently the answers I didn't know until then I needed rested in a grave somewhere in England. After another awkward pause I answered my sister's question truthfully.
"Yes, that's why I'm telling you this. I know it's unexpected but I need answers. I know you need it too…" I paused again; what the hell was I supposed to tell them? Everything? I felt like it wasn't my secret to share and that Grandma probably would want to keep it that way. I decided I should just keep the story short.
"Go on," Emmett pressed.
"I think Henry came to Australia to meet me," I stopped trying to figure out the best way to explain myself. "He used to know Grandma."
Everyone was eyeing me questioningly. It made no sense to them; how could it when it still didn't make much sense to me?
"What do you mean by that?" Mom asked with a hint of disbelief in her tone, as well as something else?
I knew she wouldn't take it well knowing that Grandma had another love in her life aside from her own father. It would probably destroy all sorts of romantic ideas that miraculously she still nurtured in her heart. For me, knowing that Grandma found happiness after so much torment made her grow even more in my heart; she was definitely an amazing woman. The way she gave me her necklace showed beyond any doubt that she overcame whatever resentment she had, and that her heart mended well. Now that Cher song 'Believe' didn't seem so silly after all. She did believe in love after love.
And so did I.
For me, that realization set me free from my past fears. However, I didn't know if my mom would perceive things as I did, and because she never had before I didn't want to take any chances, and offered her the truth I knew she could bear.
"Grandma was British, Mom, she grew up in a town near Henry. He told me that he fell in love with her when they were young, before she went to the U.S. He was the one that gave her the diamond necklace."
"The one that I always wanted and she gave to you," Mom added with bitterness.
"Yes, the one she gave me for my birthday and that I wear every day," I told her, a little startled by her angry but contained tone. That was all the confirmation that I needed to know that not telling the whole story was the wisest solution.
"He used to know Grandma, so what?" Emmett asked.
"When he found out about his own illness, he decided to look for Grandma. But we all know that unfortunately he could never see her again. He told me that when he saw my picture, he was overwhelmed with the similarities and decided that he wanted to meet me."
"So it wasn't a coincidence that he came to Australia on the same flight you did, or that your tickets were changed to first class…" Rosalie added.
"No, I know it wasn't a coincidence. The same way that I believe that the fact that you were chosen to manage the 'a.m.' campaign wasn't a coincidence, either," I told her, much to her surprise. "I believe he was trying to get close to us, to help us."
"He must have really liked Grandma Marie," Rosalie said almost in disbelief. "Not that I blame him, she was one hell of a woman!"
"That she was," Emmett said, smiling softly and snuggling against his wife. He kissed her gently on the cheek. "And so are you." He whispered the last part as he placed another soft kiss on her neck, but it was loud enough for us to hear. Mom made a disgusted face but I just smiled at the chaste demonstration of love. They were truly blessed and fortunately they were both aware of it.
"I don't like this, Bella! I don't think you should go, you barely know these people!" Mom said in her authoritative voice.
I eyed her in disbelief. Never, not even in my teenage years, had she seemed so commanding. I wasn't comfortable with the emotion she was provoking in me. I wasn't particularly fond of being told what to do, especially since I was usually the only rational person among the two of us. It took me only a few moments to discover what I was feeling: resentment.
"Mom, I want to go. As a matter of fact, you can all come as well. Greta told me she could make all the necessary arrangements for you to come. I think we even might still have family there. Aren't you curious?"
"I'm not going," Mom said petulantly. "I'm not disturbing my vacation to attend a funeral on the other side of the world. I have better things to do, and so have you. You should stay with us, you've already disturbed our vacation more than you should have. You're going to the other side of the world because of someone you barely know? If he was so important to Mom why did she go to the other side of the Atlantic to get away from him?" She exhaled loudly and then added, looking at me, "You always do that!"
"Do what?" I asked her, not knowing what was going on in her mind, but soon I regretted my question. I didn't want to know.
"Always put strangers above your own family," she spat at me.
"What are you talking about?" My fury was now rising and I knew that if she provoked me I would tell her some truths she wasn't prepared to hear.
"You know that I'm still hurting and that I need help and support. All you've done since we got here is ignore me. You always do that… you could have gone to college in Florida, but you decided to go to across the country to med school, as far away from me as possible! And now that you've started to work you moved closer to your father. Do you know how that makes me feel?" She didn't give me the time to answer.
"I had to move back to Forks to get a little attention from you!" she yelled at me.
I could barely register the words. The only thing that crossed my mind at the time was, is she listening to herself?
"Mom, that's enough!" Emmett scolded her. Clearly he wasn't pleased with the turn of events. So much for a nice and quiet family dinner.
"What? Of course, you're taking her side?" she yelled at him. "It's all that you do!"
"Mom, I don't know where this came from but you need to calm down," I told her, making a tremendous effort not to scream back at her.
"I think Bella is right," Rosalie said in a soothing voice.
"If you abandon me now," she said in a lower voice, "you'll make perfectly clear what I mean to you. You'd rather go to the funeral of a guy you don't know, than be with your mother at a time when she needs you. It's not like the guy will ever know that you weren't there, Bella. He's dead!" she told me, looking at me like I was retarded for not realizing that sooner.
I knew rationally that all she said was a reflection of her insecurities and faults as a mother, but the last insult was too much for me to bear.
"I'm sorry, Mom, if I neglected you in the last few days," I said. I tried to be soothing but it ended up sounding sarcastic. "You should have told me how you felt sooner. I didn't see any signs that led me to believe that you were upset in any way. I thought you came here to reconnect with your son, and you're not doing particularly well so far. It's not my job to fix everything that concerns you. I'm a doctor, not a lawyer. I didn't come here to defend your case to Emmett, even if I found it defendable," I told her, exasperated.
"You should apologize for the mess you made with our lives, and you should be thankful that you were forgiven even when you didn't ask for forgiveness. You're too self-centered to realize that you're not the center if the universe and you're definitely not the center of any of our lives anymore. You want me to pat you on your back for the rest of your life because you got a second divorce?" I asked rhetorically.
"I supported you all this time against my better judgment. I refrained from judging you because I knew that was not what you needed. I supported you even when I didn't agree with you, because you're my mom and I love you. Is it too much to ask you for a little bit of the same? When I found out about Mike and Jessica all you did was say, 'I told you so'. Did I ever do that to you? Did I ever question your reckless behavior? For the past couple of months all I wanted to say to you, but restrained myself from doing until now, was what on earth possessed you to believe that marrying a guy in Vegas who had beer before lunch and who you barely knew was a good idea?"
"I always knew you felt that way!" She pointed her finger at me. "Maybe if you had been more supportive…" she spat but didn't finish. Instead, she rephrased. "You could have helped me, but you didn't. You got a job as far away from me as possible. I was lonely! You knew how he was and you didn't warn me. You wanted me to fail, you wanted to show me that I could never make the right choices! You wanted to punish me because I left your father and was trying to find happiness elsewhere!"
"Enough, Mom, you're being ludicrous," Emmett scolded her again, looking at her with incredulous eyes. They probably mirrored my own.
"Am I?" she asked angrily.
"What could I have done to warn you? I wasn't even invited to the wedding!" I was beyond furious at that point.
"Because I knew what you were going to say, Saint Bella always doing what's right! It's sickening!"
"Are you listening to yourself? I'm starting to question your sanity. Do you really want me to stop worrying about hurting your feelings? You want me to be honest with you, Mom, and tell you what I really think about it?" I dared her. I was livid and wanted to hurt her as much as she was hurting me. I barely remembered at that point why we had begun to argue. This was probably the worst fight we'd ever had.
"Say it!"
"You depend on the attention of others to feel good about yourself, Mom. You were never self-sufficient! You've been always over protected by Grandpa, by me and even by Dad, who always justified your actions and defended you when you deserved nothing more from him but contempt. Your own ego blinded your judgment because you were the subject of the adoration of a younger man." I paused purposefully to increase the effect the following words were going to have on her.
"He just wanted someone to support him financially, Mom. He mistreated you like the bastard he was probably because you didn't have all the money he needed. He probably thought you were better off in life than you actually are because you decided to move into Grandma's home. A house that came with a mortgage, because of Grandma's disease, that we both know that you could never afford by yourself. Are you saying that the only reason you're so mad at me is because I didn't stay close to you, or, as you put it, because I chose Emmett and Dad over you? Or is it something else altogether? Maybe you're angry at me because you were actually counting on my salary to help you pay for your expenses…"
She was crying heavily now. I was about to continue, but Rosalie interrupted me.
"Come on, Bella. Calm down, you may say things that you regret if you continue with this."
But I already had. By the time my erratic breathing stabilized and I looked over to apologize, Emmett nodded his head, stood up, and took my hand to lead me to the library.
He closed the door behind him and held me tight. My eyes were watering but I was refusing to cry.
"She doesn't deserve an apology," he told me calmly.
"I went overboard, Em."
"Maybe a little," he chuckled, "but she deserved it. When she told you the things that she did I felt like grabbing her and shaking her. I only restrained myself because you stood up for yourself for a change. She deserved every word you said to her, and maybe this was a good thing. She needed to hear these things from you. I felt like I wanted to choke her when she mentioned college. Why wouldn't you go to the same college I was at? We're siblings, we wanted to live together because we didn't get the chance before. Besides, you had a full scholarship. She can be really clueless when it's convenient for her…"
"I shouldn't have implied that she needed my money to help her keep the house. I know she was emotionally attached to it. I understand why she might have felt stabbed in the back… she felt like I was choosing you and consequently Dad over her. That must have really hurt her feelings..."
"If she was a decent person, she would never make you feel like you had to choose," Em said, using his thumb to brush away a rebellious tear that was leaking from my left eye without permission.
"Anyway," he said with a lighter voice, "you chose well on both fronts. We had fun together and there was no way in hell she could keep that place. It's not your place to solve her problems and pay for it for her. You should be saving for your own home…" He gave me a wink before continuing. "I'm not very comfortable with your trip to England, either, but only because I fear for your safety. When are you going and when are you coming back? Are these people reliable? That's all I need to know."
I told him about my arrangements with Greta.
"Don't you want to come?" I asked him at last, hopeful.
"After tonight's events I don't think that's wise. But I know there's more to this story than you let Mom know. Can you tell me?"
I told him the whole story; I felt like not telling him was a lie. I only left out a few details that seemed too personal to be shared, like the way Henry ignored Grandma's pregnancy at first, the real reason the baby died, his disturbed relationship with Edward and his family and the contents of his last letter. Emmett listened to me in silence. Even though his eyes widened at some parts, he never interrupted. I knew that death didn't beatify anyone, but I was conscious that I was omitting important facts to preserve Henry's image. Emmett would never get to know him or form an opinion of him. Henry couldn't defend his honor anymore, so taint it after his death didn't feel right.
"That's a lot to process," Emmett said at last. "We could have had an aunt?"
I nodded.
"Can you understand why I need to go there? I want to go to the funeral and pay homage to a man that could never find happiness and was never able to make amends. I want to see her grave and I want to know if we still have family there. Maybe find some old pictures of Grandma Marie…" I added with a smile.
"And last but not least, find out why the hell you have to go to the reading of the will. That really is something to consider. Have you told Dad about this?" Emmett asked.
"No, I haven't. I know that I should but I really don't know what to tell him."
"Tell him what you told me," Emmett said, punching me playfully on my left arm.
"Ouch!"
"That's for not telling me sooner."
"Oh, and Emmett?"
"What?"
"Apparently I'm going to have a few shadows for the following days."
"Who?"
"Henry's security team…" I said in a rush and my brother looked at me incredulously. "Look, all that I was told was that they were going to stay around until I travel to England."
"Hmmm," was his only answer.
"Oh, Em…"
"What?"
"Do you think we can invite them for Christmas? I mean, I feel kind of bad because they're missing Christmas with their own families because of me…"
"Oh Bella," he chuckled, "what am I going to do with you?"
"I don't know what to do with myself… I have to face Mom…"I exhaled loudly.
Why was my life so complicated? Usually I have good control of my temper, but it seemed that I was always on edge these days.
A couple of hours later, after replying to all my emails, including those from Greta, I went to my room. To my utter relief, Mom was already asleep. I didn't think my heart was ready for another fight and she spared me that. Rosalie must have been successful calming her down. I had heard some harsh words she directed towards my brother after he left the small library, but he had the serenity I didn't have that night and ignored her.
Being married was good for him.
That Christmas was the weirdest ever, and believe me when I say there was strong competition from some previous years. I made several attempts to talk to Mom, but she always avoided the subject every time I tried make peace between us. She stated that I made my feelings towards her perfectly clear. Had I really?
I loved her dearly, but she always smothered me. When I got a better paid internship offer closer to Dad, I had accepted it not really thinking twice about it. I knew Mom wouldn't be thrilled about it, but I still accepted it, thankful for a permanent change, away from Mom and her drama and away from an ex that never should have existed in the first place. When Mom got married I saw it as a sign that it was time to graciously step aside from her life and from making decisions for her.
Maybe I was a little selfish.
Ok, yes, I was a little selfish.
Rosalie dragged me off to do some last minute shopping. I had been avoiding leaving the house because I knew I would always have someone following me. It all seemed so over the top, and I tried to convince Mathew that their services weren't really needed. That only earned me a call from Greta Masterson stating that my safety came first and that His Grace was assertive when he left instructions concerning my safety. I was entitled to refuse, but I was also reminded that until the reading of the will there could be speculation about why and how my name got in there.
Rosalie was the one who invited all the security staff to spend the holiday with us. As I suspected, Emmett told her everything over a nice pillow talk. The security guys were all shocked by our invitation, but after the right amount of insistence they accepted it.
As soon as John stepped inside the house Mom's eyes nearly popped out. The moody woman was gone and the smiley, confident middle aged one I was used to was back. It would have been funny if she hadn't been testing my patience for the last couple of days. As I stared disbelievingly at her, I could see the question in her eyes – What?
She managed to sit next to him and asked several personal questions that left him uncomfortable. From her questions I learned that he was the only American on the team, he was a single, 42 years old, ex-marine. After that I almost drowned in Mom's drool over him. She always had a soft spot for a man in a uniform, Dad included, but from John's face I could tell he wasn't particularly happy with the extra attention.
After dinner we all exchanged gifts. Mom gave me perfume, Rosalie an e-book reader and Emmett a Playstation Portable®, which earned him a disapproving look from Mom.
"What?" he asked cheekily, "I know she'll love it! It came with Grand Theft Auto. You'll have lots of time to practice on your way to London tomorrow."
When he said that the mood in the room shifted. Mom was staring daggers at me.
Fortunately, before anything else could be said, Mathew came in my rescue and handed me a box, smiling.
"This is from all of us. Thank you for inviting us tonight."
"You shouldn't have… I didn't get you guys anything," I told them in an apologetic voice.
"You invited us and offered us a home cooked meal. Do you know how often we don't get that?" Sean asked.
"Thank you, really."
"Go ahead, open it!" Mathew said enthusiastically.
As I was untying the small bow I noticed that the box was a little heavier than I had expected. I stared in disbelief when I looked at its contents.
"So, do you like it?" Mathew asked. "John picked it up for you."
"Thank you. It's the most… surprising gift I've ever received… are you sure it's legal? I mean…"
"Let's not dwell on that. A woman should be able to protect herself," John said, cutting me off.
"Oh, man, that's so awesome! Way better than that can of pepper spray Dad insisted on giving you when you went to college," Emmett said, grabbing the taser out of my hands. "Can we try it?"
The following day, Mom went back to moody mode and frowned at me every time I dared even looking her way as I was packing. I asked myself how the hell I had gotten myself into this. I usually mediated the conflicts; generating them was something new for me, and the guilt was reaching new peaks as the clock ticked.
As I was leaving for the airport on the 25th of December, I received another bouquet of exquisite flowers and a golden wrapped gift that looked expensive. The card said:
I am truly sorry.
Merry Christmas.
Yours,
E.C.
I felt like screaming. Instead, I ignored the package and made a mental note to return it unopened when I got back home.
I was almost drowning in self pity as I looked out the window of the private jet. Mr. Green and the boys, also known as the security team, made small talk with me and kept me distracted, making the trip tolerable. I even tried playing with my new PSP, courtesy of Emmett, and found that Grand Theft Auto was paradoxically soothing for my mood. We made a couple of stops and 22 hours after I left Sydney, I finally landed in London.
It was six a.m. on the 26th of December, and the scene was a white Christmas. There had been some snow storms in the north of Europe for the past few days, and some international airports even closed. Fortunately, Heathrow was functioning perfectly and we landed safely.
"I hope you had a nice trip," Greta said, smiling at me when I finally reached her. She was patiently waiting for us.
"Yes, I was positively pampered, if that's what you're asking. Merry Christmas, Greta," I told her, hugging her awkwardly.
"Merry Christmas, Bella." She smiled back, not in the least taken aback. "I'm sorry you're visiting London for the first time because of such unfortunate events. I never got to really thank you for helping me in Sydney."
I nodded in her direction and tried to give her a smile.
"I don't think I was much of a help. Anyway, you don't need to mention it."
"This way, please," she said, leading us to the parking lot, "I'm sure you'd like to have a shower and change before the funeral. It'll be in the More private chapel at His Grace's estate. The service will be at 10 a.m." she informed us. Of course I already knew this from her e-mails.
After leaving London, we had a nearly two hour drive to the More Estate. These people had a thing for black Mercedes. We finally made a left turn onto a secondary road, and three miles later I saw a huge green gate attached to even taller stone walls. The gates opened for us, and through the mist I could see the shape of an imposing stone building and a natural lake at the front. As we approached the main house, I could see every detail of it and couldn't help but be amazed at the grandness of it. It was the kind of place that you only see in the movies, that houses earls, dukes and princes. I don't know why I expected any less, Henry was a duke, after all. A very rich one that owned private jets and gave ten thousand dollar gifts without much of a thought.
Indeed, the house was perfect. It was surrounded by beautifully arranged gardens and fountains as far as I could see. The main entrance of the house was connected to the lake by a pavestone road with benches on the sides that ended in a couple of stairs connecting to the lake. I could almost imagine Henry walking down the ridge on rare sunny mornings.
"Welcome to More Park. It's really a sight to behold, isn't it?" Greta said, smiling kindly in my direction as we went up the front stairs.
"Definitely. Who will be staying here?" I couldn't help but notice that Mr. Green hadn't come with us. She stopped to answer me.
"It's just going to be you and the staff. Don't worry, they were informed in advance of your arrival and they will attend to your every need, all you have to do is ask. Also, you should know that I told them to address you as Dr. Swan. I have to ask you not to correct them, at least for now. Like I told you before, after the funeral there will be a reception held in the house, as protocol demands. Lady Alice was the one who supervised all the arrangements and will be the host, but even so you should expect that everyone's attention will be directed at you. You're new here and there are already rumors surrounding your arrival. Come along, you must be exhausted. The service will start at ten so we don't have much time left."
The front door opened for us. Although the house was richly furnished, what was struck me the most was the fact that sixteen people dressed in dark uniforms were lined in the atrium waiting for us.
"Welcome to More Park, Dr. Swan. I'm John Evans at your service," a man said, bowing slightly in my direction before continuing, "I'm the head of staff of the house. Allow me to introduce you to the rest…"
He proceeded to introduce me to everyone, from the chef to the lady responsible for my bedchambers. I nearly laughed out loud at the formality, but refrained from it. I was escorted to my bedroom, where I was told I could freshen up and dress appropriately for the funeral. I wanted to ask them what was wrong with my clothes and why four people were leading me to my room…were they afraid I'd take something as a souvenir?
Greta must have sensed my discomfort, because when we reached the room and they stood expectantly at the door, she said, "I'll take it from here," effectively dismissing them. I heard the door closing behind me and went to the window. The room was bigger than my apartment and was connected to the bathroom by two heavy doors. Everything was decorated in blue and gold from the oversized bed to the drapes on the walls. The ceiling was painted with frescos that surrounded the massive chandelier in the middle of it.
"This house is magnificent," I told Greta as I looked out the window. I had a perfect view over the front of the house and the lake.
"The window faces west. It has the most spectacular view in the summer."
"From the lack of sun I'd never have guessed that this faced west," I chuckled, and then continued. "So I'm not properly dressed for the funeral?" I teased Greta to lighten my own tension.
She laughed in response.
"Probably not according to these people's standards. But you look fine for someone who spent nearly a day travelling to get here. Everything you need for your shower is over here. I also took the liberty of buying you some new clothes for the next few days," she said, opening a couple doors to reveal a full closet.
"I can't accept all of that!" I told her honestly.
"You don't have to accept from me what's already yours. His Grace's instructions were perfectly clear. Here you have your private volt," she said, opening it for me. "There are some items of jewelry that were also bought for you."
She held a jewelry box in her hand and opened it for me. There were earrings, two necklaces, three watches and several bracelets.
"You should wear some of it today. Like I told you before, everyone's eyes will be on you. People are already wondering why you're here. I've received several calls from people asking who the person is that's staying in the house. Several of His Grace's relatives are growing suspicious. They only know that there is a woman staying. The kinder minds are thinking that you might be his unknown child but the vast majority will be questioning whether you're his young mistress. None of this should matter to you. You're entitled to be here. Unfortunately, His Grace died before he could introduce you to society properly, so your acceptance will be harder. I'm telling you this because I need you to understand why your looks are so important for the next few days. I don't want to make you nervous, but people will be watching you."
"I don't really care what people say. I came here to pay one last homage to Henry and to find more about my grandmother's birth place. Can't I just stay in the back and try to be invisible?" I plead with her.
"You could try, but you'd certainly be noticed. This is for the best, please trust me. The only compromise I can make is letting you choose from the selected outfits," she said kindly.
I knew it was the best offer I could get so I agreed to it.
"Greta, I have no intention of going to the reception afterwards. To me, that sort of tradition never made much sense. The family should be left alone to mourn their loss in the privacy of their home. I'd rather go back to London after that. I don't like the attention, and I certainly didn't do anything to deserve it."
She didn't answer right away so I knew she was probably pondering her options. I knew for sure she was going to try to convince me otherwise, so, before she had the chance, I turned away and headed to the shower. When I got back, three dark outfits were laid over the bed. All of them seemed like something an old matron would wear. I decided on the simple, below the knee black dress with a pencil skirt. It was draped, with a V neck line and had ¾ sleeves that suited the horrid weather outside. I missed the warmth of Sydney.
After I was dressed, I put on my grandma's necklace and the little diamond earrings that Greta forced me to wear. She failed miserably at hiding the smug look on her face. That lady could be annoying when her mind was set on it.
"If I may say so Bella, you look lovely. Here, put your coat on, we have to go. We're lucky that the chapel is on the property, otherwise we'd be running late. When we get there you should take a seat on the forth bench to your right. As I told you before in my e-mails, this is a private mass. The main funeral ceremony took place in London when the body arrived in England, on the 24th of December. It was attended by the entire aristocracy including the Queen. After that, the body was transferred here. This mass will be attended exclusively by his family and friends, so you don't need to be worried. His Grace wanted to keep you away from the press. Also, if you're ok with it, at the mass you'll be reading some verses from the Bible that Henry chose."
That shocked me, but I still followed her to the car. It was raining heavily now and the air was terribly cold so I welcomed the warmth of the car.
"Henry chose the verses from the Bible that should be read at his funeral?" I asked her finally.
"Yes. He gave his lawyer and me all the instructions as to how to proceed after his death when he was diagnosed with cancer, nearly three months ago. It's very common that men in his position do so. Before you take your seat in the chapel, I'd like to introduce you to the priest, Father Thomas. He's actually your grandmother's little brother," she said nonchalantly.
"What?" I asked her in disbelief.
"That's what I was going to tell you before you went into the shower, but you didn't give me the chance. He knows who you are and he's waiting for you. He became a close friend of the Duke's over the past few years. His Grace was actually his benefactor for quite a long time, that's why he's the one performing the service today." She smiled gently. She genuinely cared for Henry; it was endearing the way she regarded him.
I had an uncle! The thought of having an extended family gave me ambiguous feelings. Although I understood her reasons, it was clear to see that Grandma chose to hide a lot from us. She successfully erased a great part of her past and I was unsure if I should unveil everything.
"People will look but keep your head up high. The service will take an hour and then the body will be moved to the family's private sepulcher in the back of the chapel."
As soon as she finished giving me the instructions the car stopped in front of an old but well preserved chapel. I could tell that people were whispering around us, but managed to push forward without looking around. Inside the chapel I was directed through a side door that led to the sacristy. A sixty year old man with gray hair was looking expectantly in my direction and gave me a bright smile as soon as he saw me.
"Peter," my uncle said to the fourteen year old boy that stood next to him, "could you ensure that everything is ready for the service? I'd like to have a word in private with Miss Masterson."
"Of course, Father," the boy said, looking at me quizzically before leaving and closing the door behind him.
"I'm sorry to meet you because of such a sad event, but I couldn't wait any longer to introduce myself properly. You look just like her! It's like looking at my sister after all these years. I could see why Henry was so astounded when he found you. Dear Lord, I've never seen anything like it. You could have been twins!"
I looked at him, unable to move or form words.
"Can I hug you, Isabella?" he said with emotion. His eyes were glistening with moisture.
"Of course, Father Thomas."
He hugged me tightly for a long time while saying, "Please, call me Uncle Thomas. This isn't the time or the place but you have to promise me that you'll tell me everything about your mother and brother. I only know what Henry told me," he said, finally putting some space between us.
"Of course, I'd love to." As I was searching for similarities between him and my grandma there was a light knock on the door.
"May I come in, Father?"
"Yes, of course."
A petite brunette entered the room followed by none other than Edward Cullen and a middle aged couple that I assumed were his parents.
"Father Thomas, good morning. Thank you so much for doing this for His Grace," the brunette said in a warm voice. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. How are you, Miss Masterson?"
I almost forgot that Greta was in the same room. I could feel Edward's eyes on me, but I avoided looking directly at him. He moved closer to me and all of a sudden the small sacristy felt crowded. I wasn't ready to be so close to him, especially after avoiding any sort of contact with him for the past few days. I was ready to deal with his indifference; I had ignored his calls and refused his gifts and he was the new Duke of Vidal now that Henry was dead. He had every reason to ignore me, but once more he surprised me. He took my hand and kissed it softly as he looked me in the eye. I was surprised by how cold his hands were.
"I'm sorry I don't have warmer hands to offer you. It's a surprise to see you, Bella."
"I can't say the same, Your Grace," I said the last two words like they were dirty.
"You know each other?" his mother and sister asked simultaneously, looking puzzled.
"We do," I said, letting go of his hand.
"I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce you properly," Greta interrupted, "Dr. Isabella Swan, this is Lady Alice More, Lady Esme More Cullen, and Lord Carlisle Cullen, the Earl of Avon."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Alice. I'm sorry to make your acquaintance in these circumstances," the brunette said, forcing a smile. On a closer look, I noticed that her eyes were a little swollen. Although she made a good effort to cover it with make-up, I could tell that she had been crying.
"You too. I'm very sorry for your loss," I told them honestly.
"I believe we should start the mass. Isabella…" my uncle started, "we'll talk after the ceremony."
"Of course, Uncle Thomas," I said, savoring the words. I had never called anyone uncle before.
"I was unaware that you had a living niece, Father Thomas," Alice said, surprised. I couldn't help but notice the underlying meaning of 'living.'
"Neither did I," Edward said after his sister.
"Well, I do. Isabella is my grandniece. She's the granddaughter of my sister Marie," he clarified.
They all stared at me, making me extremely uncomfortable. Apparently everyone knew the story of Henry and Marie.
"We should take our seats. It's time," Greta said, ushering me outside the room.
I mouthed a silent thank you and followed her to my seat.
"I have to make sure everything is alright so I'll be sitting in the back, I'm sorry."
Traitor!
I sat as graciously as possible, making a conscious effort to ignore the parade of black feathered hats surrounding me. That's when my eyes fell on Henry's casket.
Dear Lord, with everything that was going on around me, I had strayed from the main reason that took me there - the funeral.
Henry was dead. I sensed my eyes prickling with tears and blinked a couple of times to regain control of my emotions.
"May I sit next to you?" the too-familiar male voice asked me.
I wanted to say no, but all eyes were on me.
"Of course, Your Grace."
"You don't have to call me that. Nothing has changed except for the fact that I'm free," he whispered in my ear, giving me an enigmatic smile.
"Shouldn't you be sitting next to your fiancée?" I asked him, a little irked.
"Look around, you'll find that the person that you're referring to isn't here. And we were never engaged. I would have told you that if you'd only given me a chance to explain," he told me.
"I don't think that this is the time or the place to discuss that. We're here to pay homage to a man that is no longer among us. You should be more respectful of his memory, Your Grace."
"Stop calling me that!" he whispered loudly, agitated.
"You're making a scene at the funeral of your predecessor."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," he answered sarcastically.
As Father Thomas came into view, we all rose from our seats and all conversations hushed.
My uncle was eloquent in his words, and I could tell he was a good priest.
"His Grace chose the words that should be listened to at the end of this service. Let's hear them."
I knew that was my line, so I stood up and thanked him when he passed me the book that contained Henry's last words on earth.
"1 A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.
7 For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
13 Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?
14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.
15 I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.
16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?
17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.
19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
21 Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.
22 For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
24 What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?
25 I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.
26 And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.
27 "Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation,
28 which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.
29 "Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."
If I could have cried, I would have. I swallowed hard after reading the words and looked around me. Everyone was looking at me, mystified. When my uncle touched my arm and thanked me, the spell I was under was broken and I returned to my place, next to a very stunned Edward.
Did they know what he meant? It seemed so personal…
My eyes watered for the rest of the service. I followed in silence as four men carried Henry to his last residence. I walked between Alice and Edward. They were protecting me from the curious looks. I felt like I was in the zoo. Although his prior conduct left much to be desired, Edward was pretty decent with me at that point and if I hadn't been furious at him for everything that he'd done, I would have thanked him.
The casket was placed in the sepulcher next to a small one that said Marie More. It was adorned with angels that were looking above. My level of anguish escalated, and as the tomb was sealed, a poorly opened wound opened and I nearly started to hyperventilate. All of a sudden I wanted Dad next to me. I needed someone to lean on for support and there was no one. I felt devastated as I remembered my last talk with Mom and the fact that my real mother figure died with Grandma Marie.
A couple of sobs that didn't come from me reminded me that Alice was still standing next to me as everyone else was leaving. Edward never took his eyes off me; he was evaluating me, assessing me.
My uncle came to me and asked me kindly, "Would you like to accompany your uncle to lunch? We have so much to talk about. It stopped raining. Would you like to walk to the main house?"
"Of course, Uncle Thomas. I could use a little fresh air."
"Nonsense," Edward said, approaching me. "It's too cold to walk and the road is wet and muddy. I'll drive you there."
"It's very kind of you to offer, Your Grace, but I'd rather walk with my uncle. I'm sure that the fresh air will be most beneficial for us," I said, smiling at my uncle.
"Give me a couple of minutes, I'll just go change into something more appropriate," he chuckled, and walked away through the chapel.
I took the opportunity to step out of the spotlight, so to speak. When I felt like I was at a safe distance from everyone, my tears finally fell freely. I grabbed my phone from my purse and on instinct I dialed my Dad's number. As expected, it went straight to voicemail.
"Hi Dad, it's Bella. I'm sorry to call you in the middle of the night there. It's actually the middle of the morning here. The trip to England went well. I suppose I didn't tell you before I came here," I stuttered. "Anyway, Mom stayed in Sydney with Emmett. I'm ok, but can you give me a call later so we can talk? I love you, Dad, and I miss you a lot."
"Calling your father?" Edward asked me, making me jump half out of my skin. I hadn't noticed that he had followed me.
"God, Edward, you scared me."
"I'm Edward now…" he smirked.
"Stop stalking me. I mean it, Your Grace," I said, emphasizing the last two words.
"Bella, I know that I'm not your favorite person in the world right now, but there are some things that I need to explain."
His green eyes were looking at me expectantly, almost daring me to say no. The fact that I wasn't indifferent to his charms was disturbing to me. He was without a doubt the most attractive man I had ever laid eyes on, at least in person, and that was scary. I wasn't happy about the involuntary body response he evoked in me.
Rationalize, Bella. This is not the time or the place. That became my mantra for the day.
"You could, but you won't. It's really none of my business. I don't have much time left here and I would like to use it wisely."
"Doing what? I can take you sightseeing, show you around… Take you to places of interest…"
"I really should spend some time with my uncle, we just met."
"I could tell. Is that why you're here? To meet your uncle?"
"In part, yes," I answered evasively.
"Care to expand?"
I was cut off by the impeccable timing of my uncle calling me. He was standing next to Greta and they were both eyeing me curiously.
"I'll see you later."
I brushed past him, but he grabbed my hand, not as forcefully as he had done on the balcony just a few nights before, but softly, his voice a plea. "I will see you later."
He kissed my hand before letting it go and walked towards Alice, who was also looking in our direction, waiting for her brother. I ogled him as he walked away. His dark, heavy coat made his shoulders look broader. I flushed a little when I realized that Alice was now directing her attention only at me. She gave me a little wink and got into the passenger seat of Edward's car.
It started raining so we had to accept Greta's lift back to the house. As I entered, I was nearly hunted down for my coat. My uncle and Greta laughed quietly at my discomfort with the attention.
"I'm glad that I amuse you," I told them sarcastically, but I had to admit that I was a little amused myself.
I followed the noise, although that didn't prepare me for the sight before me; I was perplexed by the number of people that crowded the big Victorian living room. As I stepped inside, all eyes were on me again. I wanted to ask if I had something in my teeth. I chuckled softly at my own silly joke, so, with a nervous smile plastered on my face, I walked towards Greta. She was a few steps ahead of me, talking with Alice.
"Dr. Swan, there you are. I hope you're enjoying your stay here."
"Please, call me Bella," I corrected Alice.
Although people didn't stare, they were still glancing frequently in my direction.
"Bella, I like it. So… Marie Thomas's granddaughter. Quite shocking. Walk with me?"
"You mean Marie Higginbotham," I corrected her, but followed nevertheless.
"Of course she didn't go by her maiden name anymore," Alice said apologetically. "I hope you had a nice trip," she added, changing the subject. "I was surprised to hear that we had a guest coming to the house, but now it makes sense."
I just nodded slightly. Trying to force me to speak, she continued.
"If there's anything you need, please let me know. Greta told me that you'll be staying at least until Monday. To get to know your uncle, I suppose?"
I wasn't being easy on her. A part of me grew suspicious and being in that environment was beginning to affect my tired nerves. After five minutes of walking next to her through the huge corridors, we arrived at the orangery. I took my time appreciating it; I'd never been in one before. It was beautiful and well cared for.
"We have a lot to catch up on," Alice said, looking at me kindly. She sat in a chair and pointed to another one for me to sit.
"That we do, but I'm afraid we can't be long," I said as I sat.
"Can I ask you something?" Alice said, finally breaking an awkward silence. I sighed… I was grateful she took me away from all the staring, but even so I was still contemplating the best way to run away from her and this house.
"You're the one who accompanied Lord Henry to the party, I've seen the pictures. Edward sent a link with the news a couple of days ago. You made quite an impression." She stated it as a matter of fact while I was still preparing myself for her question.
"I asked Edward who you were when I saw the pictures. That dress is one of my proudest designs and you looked positively stunning in it. It was the perfect combination of provocative and innocent. A very sinful angel, I have to admit… no man could be indifferent to you. But I'm rambling… Edward said that you weren't looking for a job as a model, that you just escorted Henry to the party at your sister-in-law's request. That really bummed me… I was determined to make you reconsider. And now that I've met you in person I'm still inclined to ask you to try a different career, although I highly doubt you'd choose modeling over being a doctor. Anyway, I understand that you went there not as a publicity stunt but because you were actually acquainted with him."
"Modeling would probably seriously damage my credibility as a doctor, and I'm sure I'm not tall enough for that sort of thing. Anyway, what did you want to ask me?"
Her eyes grew wide at my directness.
"Hmm. I'm sorry, I guess I was just looking for some confirmation for my ramblings, and I probably have more than one question to ask." She paused for a few seconds to gather her thoughts. "I have to tell you that I knew he was looking for your grandmother. He was devastated when he found out that she died, but he never told me he found you. I'm glad he did… when he did…"
The sincerity of her words took me by surprise and my early indifference towards Alice softened. I remembered Henry's letter and looked at her, searching for any signs of a tortured soul. I found only a hint of sadness in her eyes that could easily be justified by the death of a friend, of a godfather.
"I'm glad he did, too. There were so many things I didn't know before..."
"Can I ask you something?"
"I'm still waiting for that question."
"Are you sure you're not his granddaughter?" Alice asked.
"Henry's?"
She nodded in response.
"No. I'm sure I'm not. He never saw Grandma again after she left. She remarried in the U.S., and she had Mom after that. I'm not biologically related to Henry in any way. I didn't even know who he was until a couple of weeks ago. When he approached me I was so surprised…" and scared, I added mentally.
"I'm still dealing with the repercussions of Henry's unexpected entrance in my life. I'm glad I met him, though. He was a good man, whose life was crushed by society's prejudices and his own. I don't know if he took comfort knowing that my grandmother was happy after she left. I know she loved Grandpa, not in the tempestuous way Henry loved her, but in a natural way. I believe Henry was her deep and dark sea, but Grandpa was her safe harbor. He built a home with her."
"Henry was consumed with his guilt, and never abandoned it. When Greta told me that someone was staying in the house for his funeral, I began to speculate who it might be. I'm positively surprised that it was you. You're a good person, the sort of kindness you have in your heart draws people to you… Take Edward, for instance…" she chuckled.
"Alice, what about Edward?" I interrupted her.
"I thought you and Edward were dating… He asked me for help to buy you a Christmas gift. He doesn't usually call to ask me to help him find the perfect heart-shaped diamond earrings that go perfectly with a certain necklace that a certain person wears daily. When I saw the way he looked at you and the necklace you're wearing today… I just thought that…"
"Heart-shaped what?" Then I remembered the unopened gift I left in Sydney. "What is it with you people and jewelry?" I sighed. "I'm returning that."
And I was fuming… he was clearly trying to buy my attention. At that point, the only attention I wanted was my uncle's.
"Oops, apparently I said too much. Can you just… not tell him that I told you?" she was visibly starting to sweat.
"Sure. We should go back now."
"Of course. One last thing, how long are you staying in England?"
"Until Monday, I think."
"Ok…Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure, Alice. I was thinking about maybe going back to London tonight."
"You're not staying? I'll show you around, I'm the best guide being local and all, you'll love it. And why go to London when you'll be perfectly comfortable here? You'll get to know the surroundings, meet some family that might still live in the neighborhood. Besides, I was told that you're staying in the house, at Henry's request."
"How do you know that?"
"Well, it gets around…"
I looked at her in disbelief.
"Fine. There's been quite a stir because of Henry's last will. His lawyers, through Greta, are complying with all of his last wishes. He left very specific orders when it came to you. Obviously, that didn't go unnoticed... Hence, the curiosity. Most of them consider themselves Henry's rightful heirs, so they can't believe that they can't just get in here and do what they want with this place. If you were actually the lost granddaughter of Henry More, like they're fearing you are, you'd inherit everything. A new person being here, because she's entitled to be, is killing most of them."
"Including Edward?"
"I think he was mostly surprised. He's been my rock. You may not see it now, he makes it hard sometimes… with that 'I'm the future Duke attitude', I'm the first one to admit it. Other than that, he's actually a great person underneath it all. I'm not saying that he's not annoying as hell and frequently a creep, but he's my only brother – I love him dearly."
"He's your only brother? I thought you had an older brother," I blurted.
"You mean Jasper… He's not… I mean…"
"You're not biological siblings, I know that."
I'm beginning to learn a lot about you, Alice More.
"Well, no. We should get going. Can I persuade you to have lunch tomorrow?"
"Ok, let me talk with my uncle first and I'll give you a call tomorrow morning."
After we settled some details, we returned to the living room. As the reception went on, I noticed that I enjoyed her company immensely. The glances in my direction didn't stop, but I felt like Alice and my uncle were shielding them. I couldn't help but notice that there wasn't a single hint of sadness. All I could see in these people's eyes was greed.
Because Edward was the new Duke, I barely spoke to him, since everyone had decided to suck up to him. I could smell the hypocrisy in the room and it was nauseating. Edward was loving it, though. Every single moment of the extra attention.
A huge amount of compassion washed over me. It was because of these people's opinions that he had made the life choices he did. Good God.
At some point, after meeting the majority of the so-called family that approached Alice and Greta for a 'proper introduction', I decided to retire. I was exhausted from the trip and still had to call my dad. I made plans to have breakfast with my uncle in the following day. He obviously had more questions than I could respond to at the time.
I went back to my room and called my dad, who was fuming because I had kept him in the dark for so long. I sent a text to Emmett and then I must have fallen asleep.
I woke up confused, thinking that it should be morning already, and stared for a couple of minutes at the clock showing that it was midnight before I came back to reality. As I stretched my stiff muscles, I realized that I was still dressed.
I changed to some comfortable jeans and a t-shirt, and decided it was time to find the kitchen. I walked barefoot downstairs. As I headed down the stairs, my heart stopped when I heard someone whispering behind me.
"Sneaking out?"
I turned to the voice, still trembling from the scare.
"Where did you come from? You scared me."
"Sorry," he said, smiling, "I was waiting for you to wake up. I was beginning to think that you might make me wait for you all night."
"I was really tired. I must have zoned out."
"Where are you going?"
"To the kitchen, to get something to eat."
"I dismissed the chef and most of the staff. They've been really busy because of the funeral today. I thought they deserved the rest of the day off."
"I'm sure I can make a sandwich for myself." I huffed, turning around to proceed with my search for the kitchen. After trying a few wrong doors, he was still following behind me and chuckling.
"Do you know where the kitchen is, Edward?"
"I do, but I don't think you'll find that information useful."
"Why not?"
"This kitchen is the chef's domain. If you want to keep your hands you should probably stay away from it. Besides, I highly doubt you'll find peanut butter there. If you're lucky maybe you'll find some shrimp vol-au-vent."
"Why do you presume I like peanut butter?"
"You're American. If you were to write a new national hymn I suspect it would include some reference to peanut butter. I was told it saves lives overseas."
He was teasing me, the nerve!
"Actually, I dare to disagree, I'm not particularly fond of peanut butter. I won't be disappointed not to find it there. I'm not too picky."
"But you wouldn't know where to find things and you'd make a mess. The smart alternative, I dare say, is to go out to have dinner."
"I highly doubt there's some place to go at this time of the night."
"I know just the place, it's just a little drive away."
"Look, Edward, thank you for the invitation but I really don't want to do this."
"Do what?" he asked in a deep voice, stepping closer to me.
"This."
"What's this? It's just two people that haven't had dinner going out to eat. I just… want to get to know you. Is that a crime? I know we have something, I know you feel it, too. It's like we gravitate around each other and it has to mean something." He swallowed hard and traced my cheek with his thumb. "Bella, I know I owe you an apology, and if you'd just give me a minute to explain what you saw."
"Edward, I think the meaning of a woman on her knees with a penis in her mouth is pretty much universal. You made me the kind of woman that goes out with an engaged man, and you made me feel cheap! I'd never cheat on anyone… You accused me of having some twisted relationship with Henry; just because you're accustomed to women going down on you for some sort of compensation doesn't mean that we're all the same. And the God damned earrings? You think you can buy my attention with gifts and flowers? I'm not for sale and you insult me even going down that road."
I walked away towards my room, but he stopped me, grabbing my arm.
"I'm sorry I accused you, but how exactly was I supposed to know that you're Father Thomas's niece? I'm really sorry that you saw that… I was never really engaged to Tanya. I didn't cheat on her, she always knew that I had other women. She pulled a stunt with the press and I couldn't afford a public scandal at the time. We had a deal that we both profited from. His Grace was a hypocrite and I had much to lose going against him.
"And then, when I saw your picture for the first time, I was enthralled by it. Your image was burnt in my retinas. It was familiar somehow. When you got here today and I realized that you were Marie's granddaughter I saw the resemblance. It's astonishing. Have you ever seen a picture of your grandmother when she was younger? Henry has one, in his office in this house. You think he looked at you like a granddaughter? You're so innocent it hurts - he looked at you like a man. An old, frustrated man that found this amazing, intelligent woman in the body of the woman he used to admire. It's like the woman he loved never grew old."
"Are you listening to yourself? First of all, in the only image that I have of you burnt in my retinas, you're not starring alone. Second, Henry is not among us to defend himself from your accusations. I highly doubt that you used to be so opinionated in his presence."
"You're doubting me? He even tried to forbid me to get near you. I had to go behind his back… you think I didn't see you? You think I didn't want to go after you when I saw you leaving the party? Do you know how much I had to lose if I had?"
"He was sick, he had six months to live, at most. He was protective of me. He was trying to make amends, he was trying to make things right. He just never had the chance."
He was holding me forcefully, and looking down at me with a predatory expression.
"You're infuriating! Why do I have to explain every single thing to you? Technically I didn't do anything wrong to begin with!" He exhaled loudly and rubbed my arms where he had held them too tightly before.
"So what? Are you trying to get away with your actions because of a technicality?" I asked him in disbelief. I knew for sure that no one listens to themselves speaking anymore.
"Let me make things right with you. I won't buy you expensive gifts anymore, I'll even take you to McDonald's if that's what makes you happy. And it's not a date, I'm hungry and I really want to eat," he finally managed to get out. That was not what I was expecting him to say.
"Have you ever even been to a McDonald's?" I asked him sarcastically. "I'm not hungry anymore."
I just really wanted to go back to sleep.
AN:
Before you ask: Edward knows that Bella was the one who saw him with Tanya at the party (he realized as much because he saw her leaving hurriedly from the party and because she almost said as much in the balcony conversation).
Also, sorry it took some time to update. Life's tough, sometimes.
To my wonderful beta, thank you for your help.
This chapter was not pre read because I decided not to delay the update any longer.
Next chapter: the testament.
As always let me know what's on your mind.
Nofrure.