CHAPTER THREE

Master Cullen watched as his servant walked down the paved road toward town without a possession on her. As soon as Isabella disappeared from Master Cullen's sight, he made his way back toward his study. It was apparent that he rang the local sheriff at once. For a moment, he thought about letting her walk the ten miles or so to town hoping that it would help cool off her heated temper but the more he thought about it, he would not want her getting hurt. There were wild animals in that area as well as the temperature being too low for someone to walk in when they hadn't even thought to bring a heavy coat.

Master Cullen sighed impatiently at the ringing from the phone as he waited. In Haven, it was very unlikely that the local sheriff's attention be on anything important as their crime rate was practically non-existent, so Master Cullen assumed that once again the sheriff was playing poker with the rest of the staff near the jail cells.

"Haven Sheriff's Department." A person answered.

"I need to speak to Sheriff Black. Please inform him that Edward Cullen requests his attention."

"Oh….uh…right away, sir." The bumbling receptionist replied.

It took nearly a minute for Sheriff Black to come to the phone.

"Mr. Cullen, how may I help you?"

"My apologies for breaking up the game but I am need of your assistance so it would be prudent of you to pay close attention."

"Absolutely, Mr. Cullen. Whatever you need." The Sheriff replied feeling thoroughly reprimanded. Sheriff Black was not a fan of Master Cullen but he practically owned the town so the residents of Haven knew to do as he requested.

"My new governess has gone missing. She…became upset earlier this evening with me and thought to leave abruptly. She left here without any form of identification or proper dress and I want to see that she is found and taken care of properly."

Sheriff Black scrunched up his face as he heard Master Cullen's request.

"It is imperative that she be found and…taken care of."

"Oh, well of course sir but…if I find her and she pushes to leave town…"

"You cannot allow that to happen. She is now the property of my estate and you will see to it that my property is returned. If you need more incentive than what I have already issued, then know that she is a Swan!"

"A Swan?" Sheriff Black nearly lost his breath.

"I don't care for whatever folklore you may prescribe to but it is highly important to me that she remain within Haven's borders for now. Do you what you must. Arrest her if needs be but find her now!" Master Cullen ordered.

"Absolutely! Right away, sir. I will figure something out."

Master Cullen slammed the phone down and hoped that in this one instance Sheriff Black was intelligent enough to see through his request.

Isabella kept on down the path, rubbing her arms up and down as she went. It was probably not the wisest decision to leave the house without even a jacket but she couldn't imagine how cold she would have been if she had dressed out to her former employer's request and ended up in a dress. At first, she felt liberated from the strict rules of that house but as she happened upon a graveyard on her left, she wondered if it was some kind of omen.

Isabella swallowed harshly taking in the sights of the many gravestones. Her eyes caught a few names as she passed; Black, Newton and Cullen seemed to hold a dominant amount of spaces inside. Just as she approached the last row of gravestones, she heard a siren go off right behind her and she nearly jumped three feet in the air.

Isabella stopped on the side of the road waiting for the car to pass but instead the police car stopped directly behind her with its lights still flashing.

"Good Evening, ma'am." Sheriff Black stepped out of his vehicle and readjusted his belt proudly.

"Hello." Isabella replied softly.

"May I see some form of identification?"

Isabella looked back behind her toward the house that she had fled. She could not see it anymore but she couldn't help but wonder if this was all Master Cullen's doing.

"I don't…have any." She replied.

"Can you please stand up against the car." Sheriff Black instructed.

"I haven't done anything to warrant this. I know my rights. My father was a sheriff and you have no probable cause." Isabella folded her arms over her chest and for the first time since she left the estate, she felt warm. Her anger was getting the better of her but she would not stand for shotty police work especially when it would dishonor her father's memory.

"Do as I say or I will add resisting arrest onto your charges." The sheriff threatened.

"Charges? What charges. Walking down a road while being a woman? What exactly do you think I am guilty of?"

Sheriff Black reached out and grabbed a hold of Isabella's arm and pinned her forcefully up against the car as he began reading her Miranda rights while he cuffed her hands together. Isabella felt pain in her arm from where he grabbed her and she cried out.

"This is illegal! I have done nothing wrong." She pleaded.

Sheriff Black threw her into the back of his car and would not listen to a word she said as he drove her toward the town jail. He did not book her as normal procedure would call for; instead he marched her straight toward the open cell and practically tossed her inside.

"I get a phone call. It's my right!" Isabella demanded.

"Such a shame that our phone for prisoners is out of order. Why don't you get some rest, sweetheart. I'm sure by morning; you will have slept off your intoxication to stand before a judge."

Isabella had no idea what was happening. It was like she entered the Twilight Zone and everyone in the town was as loony as the home she had just fled from.

"Did Mister Cullen put you up to this?" She yelled. "You know he abuses his kids, right? You should arrest him!"

Sheriff Black beat the bars with his stick and shouted at her to be quiet.

"When I get out of here I will report you for abuse of power. Are you even a real Sheriff? I doubt it! You bring dishonor to the name of law enforcement." Isabella spit.

"I said be quiet!" Sheriff Black hissed softly. "Or I will open this cell and stick something into that pretty little mouth of yours to shut you up!"

He pulled on his belt suggestively and Isabella backed down immediately in fear. She slowly backed up to the small metal bench and slid down to sit. She could feel her breathing quicken and tears form in her eyes. What had she done to end up in a place like this? Was she ever going to be able to flee from it?

Isabella could not stop the frightful pictures from flashing through her imagination. The clearest of them all was a headstone in that cemetery that she had passed with her name etched upon it. This was turning into being like a horror movie that she once watched with Angela back in college. Was it just a matter of time before the bad guy found her and cut her up? Oddly enough Isabella was not sure who was worse at the moment; Sheriff Black or Master Cullen.

A few hours passed and Isabella did everything she could to fight off sleep. With Sheriff Black just outside her cell, leering at her, she was not about to leave herself open to him. Her stomach rumbled from the light dinner that had not managed to fill it and for a moment, she was happy she had finished the broccoli.

It was around two in the morning when Isabella felt her exhaustion pressing down on her to fall asleep. She nearly did if Master Cullen had not arrived. Isabella's eyes widen for a few seconds as she watched him walk in carrying a black coat on his arm.

"Mr. Cullen." Sheriff Black noted. "One governess as you requested. She is a fighting one."

"Leave us." Master Cullen ordered never taking his eyes off of Isabella. He waited until he heard the door close behind him signaling Sheriff Blacks departure and then proceeded to pull a chair out from behind a desk to place it directly in front of Isabella's cell.

Isabella was already shaking her head while she gathered up the proper words to threaten and reprimand Master Cullen with.

"If it takes my life to do so, I will see to your ruin." Isabella began.

Master Cullen actually smirked at her and that drove her even deeper into hatred.

"I don't believe you are in a position to threaten. Now are you going to be civil and come with me back to my estate or would you rather waste your time in here?"

"What does it matter? Trade one monster in for another. The last thing I will do is come with you. I would rather take my chances with Sheriff Black and pray that he will leave my dignity in tact but I guess at this point what I really am saying is that being raped by that man out there is preferable to going with you."

Master Cullen felt his thoughts and heart falter.

"Rape?" He could not help but ask.

Isabella rolled her eyes and for the first time, Master Cullen was able to appraise Isabella's body and see some bruises upon her arms. Sure, he had wanted Sheriff Black to find and pick her up but he never wanted to see her perfection marred in any way.

Master Cullen sighed knowing that he would need to find some way for Isabella to want to come with him. If she did not want to go, than there was no way to ensure that if he did take her home she would not try to run.

"Miss Swan, my apologies. I believe we may have gotten off to a rough start. It is not my intention to see you miserable. I will share my honest thoughts with you because I want you to understand my hopes for you. My children are in need of guidance and education and I do believe that you are the proper person to help them with both. You may not approve of how I run my house but I am within my right as a parent to do as I please with my daughters."

"To abuse them." Isabella stated with disgust.

"To correct their behavior. I highly doubt you were free from corporal punishment when you were a child." He raised a challenging eyebrow.

"That's different. My father may have smacked my bottom but he never smacked me with a ruler especially for receiving a "B". In addition, he never required my nanny to be called a servant or be dismissed like a child or forced them to eat all their food. You treated me like I was a child…"

"Because you were acting like a child!" Master Cullen barked.

"Well than if my abhorrent behavior does not meet your impossible standards why would you hire me? Why not fire me? What are your reasons for keeping me if I go against everything you stand for?" Isabella snapped back.

Master Cullen did not respond to that before taking a moment to cool off. He knew the answers to her questions but was not about to divulge that information.

"Can I ask you something?" Master Cullen inquired.

Isabella sighed and rolled her eyes once more, "It's not like I'm going anywhere."

Ignoring her sarcasm Master Cullen continued on. "What do you think your father would want you to do?"

Isabella furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"If he were to have the opportunity to speak to you from the grave, seeing you in your situation…penniless and without a home or place to go to other than a homeless shelter perhaps, do you think he would want you to stay and educate my daughters knowing how much adversity you would have to overcome but knowing you would be safe or would he rather you be on the streets?"

"Don't think you can talk you way out of your actions. What do you care if I end up homeless? What's it to you?"

"I happen to think you father would want you to stay." He replied.

"You don't even know my father." Isabella fought.

"Of course I did!" Master Cullen spit before he knew what he was saying. He quickly recovered though seeing Isabella's face. She did not need to know about that yet.

"I am a father and recently I lost my father and I know that if my father spoke to me from beyond he would tell me to do whatever was in my power to see that a person in your position was taken care of. You may not like me and you can hate me all you want but you can't lie to me and tell me your father would not want to see a roof over your head or food in your stomach. So once more I implore you use your common sense and return to my estate and fulfill the duties of your position."

Isabella thought about Master Cullen's proposition. Everything in her common sense said to tell him to go to hell.

"Or you can stay in here and live out the remainder of your days. You have already seen how fair the justice system is in this town, do you really believe they will ever let you go free?"

A chill ran up Isabella's spine as she wagered his words. Stuck in this cell for the rest of her life? Surly an injustice like that would not occur in this country but reason won out and she knew that Master Cullen's words rang true.

"I will go with you but I have a few conditions." She began.

Master Cullen sighed and rolled his eyes, "Let's hear it then."

Thinking of how she wanted to word her requests, Isabella took a minute before beginning.

"First of all…I don't wish to be referred to as a servant. I may be a servant but I find that term demeaning. I am your employee, not your slave and seeing how the thirteenth amendment abolished slavery, it would be fallacious for you to refer to me as such."

Isabella stood up and began to stretch the tension out of her limbs as she walked forward to deliver her next requirement.

"Second, I would like to go over your guidelines and clarify a few points and I want you to be amenable to some tweaks."

"Tweaks?" Master Cullen's mouth found the word foreign.

"Yes…tweaks." She replied. "I also am allowed to eat what I want and will not be under any sort of dismissal system from the table as if I were a five year old."

"If I feel that you are being properly nourished than I will approve of your request however if I should find you to be neglecting your personal health than I will step in and say something…"

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't." She replied.

"…and I will agree to your terms if you will agree to treat me with the proper respect. I am still your employer and do not wish for my children to learn from your bad manners. Try. Try and not speak out of turn or fight me on every single issue. If it is really important than do come and speak with me privately."

"No…submitting my claim in writing?" She raised an eyebrow.

Master Cullen sighed and then stated slowly, "If it's important."

"Fine. I will on a trial bases attempt to fulfill the position."

"Trial bases? I don't want you running away when you disagree with me again."

"Then don't threaten or force me to eat every bite on my plate." She countered.

"SHERIFF BLACK!" Master Cullen beckoned.

A few seconds later, Sheriff Black reappeared.

"You may release her." Master Cullen dictated.

Sheriff Black sighed disappointingly but walked forward with the keys in his hands toward the cell door. Master Cullen picked up the extra coat that he arrived with and held it open for Isabella as she walked out of the cell.

"Mr. Whitlock is waiting outside with the car. I will be a few moments longer. Go." Master Cullen told Isabella. She looked back at him and the sheriff and appraised the situation before turning to do as she was told.

The door closed behind her and Master Cullen turned to Jacob.

"If you ever lay a hand on her again, I will make sure you are physically unfit to keep you job."

"She fought me." The sheriff lied.

"Even if that was true, there is absolutely no excuse for the marks on her body. Although the Swans have been absent from this area for many years, their name still requires respect and you will treat Miss Swan with your utmost respect or I will see that every last Black is banished for your misdeeds. Good evening, Sheriff."

Master Cullen swept out of the station to the car awaiting him just outside. Thoroughly exhausted from her day, Isabella had already shut her eyes. Her day had been filled beginning with a seven a.m. flight out of Seattle, a two hour layover in Chicago and that was before the events with Master Cullen.

"Proceed." Master Cullen told Mr. Whitlock.

The drive was short back to the estate. Only a few times did Master Cullen look over toward his newest acquisition but she seemed to be sound asleep. The pull of the town cemetery on his right caused Master Cullen's eyes to turn away from Isabella. He sighed sorrowfully at the sight of the tombstones passing by but his thoughts were cut short when he wondered if Isabella had made it this far on her trip earlier. Did she see anything? Surly not, Master Cullen came to conclude. Isabella would have mentioned it.

"We have arrived, sir." Mr. Whitlock stated.

Master Cullen looked over toward Isabella once more and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder to give it a shake.

"Miss Swan."

But she did not stir.

"Should I leave her here, sir?" Mr. Whitlock asked.

"Of course not!" Master Cullen snapped. "Open the door."

Master Cullen went around to the other side of the car where Mr. Whitlock waited with the door open. He sighed and then reached in to retrieve the small girl and picked her up with ease in his arms. Mr. Whitlock raised an eyebrow at his master's actions but did not say anything to him about it.

Mr. Whitlock ran to catch up and open every door in Master Cullen's way. It was a few minutes later that Master Cullen was entering Isabella's suite but he was not about to undress her and put her to bed, that would be inappropriate. He did however pull the covers back and lay her down in them. He pulled her shoes off and placed them on the floor beside and then pulled the covers back over her body. It was such an odd thing for him to do. He had not cared for a person like that in many years since his daughters were young and even then that job was usually taken care of by the governess.

Master Cullen looked down at the young woman who rested soundly in her bed and was compelled to stay there longer but he had already been far too unsuitable so instead he abruptly turned from the room and quickly exited. He paused for a second outside the door and wondered if he should lock the door behind him. Would she try to run again?

It was a great deliberation before he finally decided to leave the door alone. If she found out that he had locked her inside, she would be much harder to deal with. Instead he would leave his bedroom door cracked to listen for any sound of disturbance. He was already a light sleeper so he was sure he could catch her in time.

The light shined directly through Isabella's window straight toward the head of her bed. At first she thought that it was another cars headlights as she had believed that she was still in Master Cullen's car. She felt the warmth of her body and position she was in and gasped when her eyes opened to reveal the ceiling of her quarters.

How did she arrive here? She searched through her thoughts for that answer but could not find one. It was almost as if her memory was wiped clean of the event. She pulled off the covers and found that she was still wearing yesterday's clothes.

Somewhat disturbed by her lack of memory of the events she shuffled out of bed in search of a good warm bath. The clock on the bedside table read half past nine which meant that she had missed breakfast and lunch wouldn't be for another two and a half hours.

The bath was perfection and exactly what she needed. So far, the tub was the best perk of her position. She looked up at the crown molding on the ceiling and began to devise a plan for her new position. After this bath, it was time to search out the dark hair daughter of the household and find a way to help her be triumphant in her recitation due later that day.

If Isabella was to live in this house with the impossible guidelines that Master Cullen expected his children to live by, than she would do everything in her power to ensure that they were a spot of perfection at every turn. She would help the young girls give their father no reason to ever use that horrid ruler again.

That was her plan for the twins but it wasn't enough to have a plan for them, she would need a plan for Master Cullen as well. She knew that there was no way for the two girls to always be perfect and it wasn't fair of him to expect that from them so in order to help them in the long run, she would need to change Master Cullen's standards. But Isabella knew that changing Master Cullen's standards would mean changing Master Cullen and how exactly was she going to turn this beast into a prince?

AN: thank you for reading and reviewing! I am so happy that so many have embraced this story. Hope you continue to like it!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. Story is mine.