CHAPTER SIX

Isabella did not return to her room after her interaction with Master Cullen. Her mind was completely wound up and there was no possible way to find sleep when she was like this. As she walked back towards her room, she found everything about this house suffocating so instead of returning to her quarters, she sought out fresh air.

She was almost afraid to leave out the glass backdoor wondering if some alarm might go off. The door opened and unless it was a silent alarm, no sound could be heard. The fresh air filled Isabella's lungs and instantly cleared her mind. She closed the door behind her and walked a few steps out onto the patio. The vast maze lay before her and it piqued her curiosity. She moved closer to inspect it and as she walked down the short hill toward the entrance, she was overwhelmed by how tall it was.

The entrance frame was carved out of stone and etched around the top was a Latin phrase.

"Veni, Vidi, volo in domum redire," Isabella read.

"I came, I saw, I want to go home." Master Cullen's voice called out behind her.

Isabella's heart stopped as she spun around to meet his eyes.

"Uh….I…." She searched to find a valid reason.

"You should not be out here at this time of night. You have a long day tomorrow and with the amount I pay you, I expect you to give one hundred percent of yourself to my children's lessons."

"I couldn't sleep," She tried.

"I suggest you try. Lay in bed, close your eyes and eventually it will find you."

Isabella furrowed her brow disbelievingly.

"I take it that you have never had a hard time sleeping? Still believe in the Sandman, do you?" She quipped.

"I believe in a bed time and as you read in your guidelines, you are expected to have a full nights rest. With breakfast at seven, I don't see how that will be possible so I shall dock your pay and hope you will learn your lesson."

Gone was the man she had briefly known upstairs just a half hour ago. This Master Cullen was reminiscent to the one she had met when she first arrived. But you didn't bring you ruler down, did you Master Cullen, she thought.

"Well if my pay is going to be docked for my infraction then I see no reason to return to my room now. Have a good evening, Master Cullen."

Once again she said his name in the same sarcastic tone. She turned back to the maze and entered through the archway.

"Miss Swan!" Master Cullen barked. He couldn't believe her out right defiance.

Sensing that he would most likely catch up with her, Isabella took off in a run hoping to gain some distance before he could drag her back out. She turned at the first turn and then passed up the second, all the while, Master Cullen screaming her name.

She had never been in a man-made maze before and found herself exhilarated. This maze was like no other. In some spots it would open up to a small garden, in other areas it looked like a secret hideaway place.

Master Cullen knew the maze backwards and forwards. He knew all the nooks and crannies but it had been many years since he even ventured off in it. He was frustrated by Isabella's actions and pictured the ruler up in his desk.

"Silly girl!" He growled out.

He could hear laughter up ahead and knew it was coming from her. He caught sight of her finally, her long hair flying in the moon light as she skipped around. It reminded him of another beautiful girl who used to run around this maze.

His heart took hold as he reached out to grasp her wrist. She gasped and willingly stopped as he pulled her back towards him. Her lips were tinted pink, the very same pink that filled her cheeks and for a moment, Master Cullen completely lost himself in her. He pushed her up against the stone wall covered in ivy and before either of them knew what was happening, his lips attacked hers.

The taste was unlike anything Master Cullen had experienced. He pushed his tongue further and further completely enraptured by it. Isabella's chest was heaving and she could feel her body light up on fire as his strong hands kept her in place on that wall. But Isabella wanted more. She couldn't understand her desire but knew that this was unlike anything she had ever known. She wrapped her hands around his neck attempting to pull his body closer to hers and like her touch was bucket of cold water, Master Cullen was quickly brought back to his senses.

He pulled Isabella off him and stepped back unable to look at her. His fingers touched his lips and he began to berate himself internally. What was he thinking? How could he do something like this? Why did he find so much pleasure in it?

"You need to leave," He whispered.

Isabella was still trying to catch her own breath and make sense of what had just happened.

"I…I'm sorry," She replied softly.

"It's not your fault. But you can't stay here. You need to go…tonight."

Isabella was somewhat taken aback. When he said she needed to leave, she thought he meant leave the maze. She didn't realize that he meant leave the house. She had only been there a few short days, hours practically and oddly enough, she did not want to leave.

Slowly she began to walk back in the direction of the house. Of course she hadn't memorized the maze so eventually Master Cullen had to walk in front of her to show the way. Isabella began to wonder where she would go. She didn't have any money to leave. What about the girls? She did not want to leave them.

"Master Cullen," It was the first time she said the name seriously. "I apologize. Please…don't make me leave. I don't have anywhere to go. What happened…I…it won't happen again, I promise."

Master Cullen shut his eyes tightly. He hated hearing her pleas especially since it was his fault. He lost himself in a moment and now that moment was going to ruin him. Even if the girl left, he would never forget how she tasted, the feeling of her body aligning with his own, but keeping her here would prove a more difficult challenge.

"I will make sure you will be fine. For your silence, I offer you a most generous contribution."

They had reached the house as he said these words and Isabella was offended by them.

"You know what, Edward…" She spit. "Keep your money. I will be more than fine on my own."

She pushed past him to go straight up to her room. What she felt down in the maze was unlike anything and now he managed to taint it by making her feel cheap. She pulled out her suitcase the moment she arrived back at her quarters and began to toss her clothing from the closet and drawers back into it. She was absolutely sickened by how callous Master Cullen had been toward her. He kissed her. Isabella needed to remind herself of this because at the very least she was not to blame for this mess.

However, the kiss occupied every facet of her mind. She was incredibly upset by Master Cullen as she threw her clothes haphazardly into her bags but each time her blood would reach a boiling point, she found that kiss pop back up and distract her anger. There had never been a kiss like that in the history of the world, Isabella believed. How was it possible that this ogre of a man who hadn't proved he even had a heart could affect her so?

A short knock on her door caused her to pause. Isabella believed it was Mr. Whitlock coming to show her out.

"I'm not finished." She snapped. "You could wait a damn minute, you know."

Isabella berated herself for her attitude but she was well within her rights to speak this way. After all, the adult occupants of the house had shown her nothing but disrespect since she arrived.

The door opened and Master Cullen walked in to shut the door quickly behind him.

"I told you I wasn't finished. If you wish me to be gone sooner, you could send help. I didn't unpack myself so now I have to open every drawer to find where your man put my things."

"Stop it." Master Cullen said calmly. "You don't need to leave but you will stop acting like a brat."

Isabella's jaw dropped at his audacity.

"I'm acting like a brat? If I'm acting like a brat it's only because you're acting like the world's biggest ass. I have done nothing to deserve the ill treatment I have received since I arrived. From you and your staff. It's absolutely ridiculous how you people think it's okay to treat others in this fashion. You want me gone, fine, you have your way, I'm going!"

The room felt ten degrees warmer as Isabella worked herself into a frenzy. For Master Cullen the room felt ten degrees warmer just watching as this girl berated him. Everything about her attracted him. The way her hair fell, her blazing eyes and those lips. The same lips that he had the opportunity to taste only moments before.

Master Cullen knew that she should not stay with his feelings running a muck but he made a promise to himself and Charlie and he knew it wasn't right to throw the girl out for his mistakes. How he was going to endure her in his house just a few steps away from his bedroom was unbeknownst to him yet.

Once again Isabella had turned back to her packing. It took a few seconds for Master Cullen to wake up and see her violently throwing her clothes into a case that lay on her bed.

"I said stop," He commanded softly.

"You are no longer my employer so your words hold no weight with me," She replied pulling out another drawer and dumping the contents into her bag. She placed the drawer back and the proceeded to pull her suitcase to the floor where she could sit on it to try to secure her contents within.

Master Cullen was not angry with her. He knew that her actions were his fault even if he did find her to be acting immature. Isabella stayed grunting and huffing on the ground atop her suitcase as she pried at the zipper.

"Get up," Master Cullen said.

Isabella didn't listen.

Master Cullen reached down and with ease pulled her up by the arms.

"I said get up!" He barked. "Why can't you ever do as you're told?"

His fingers dug into the soft skin on her shoulders as he shook and yelled at her.

"Why can't you ever make up your mind? You told me to leave. Now you're telling me to stay. Honestly, what is your problem?" She yelled back.

"You are my problem!" He roared back in her face.

He took a moment to gather himself. Noticing how hard he was gripping at her shoulders he loosened his hold and stepped back.

"I don't want you here," He started.

Isabella instantly felt hurt by his words. She backed away from him and angled herself toward the window. She wanted to cry but felt she had not earned that right.

"I don't want you here and I want nothing more than to keep you here forever. I don't know what is going wrong with me. For years, no one has affected me the way that you have. You are all wrong. Everything you do is wrong. Your clothing is hideous. You have no sense of manners and have not been brought up to show proper discipline. You speak out of turn and more often than not, too much. My life would be simpler if you were to go but…I don't want you to go."

Isabella did not know what to make of his statement. He had just provided a rather long laundry list of her short comings. Some of which should not bother her more than they did. Sure, he may have made no note of her appearance or personality, so why should she feel as horrible as she did? Because she believed that the Master may have held back on these points to save her from that misery. If he had held back, what really must he think of her?

She looked him over, his tall broad muscular frame and with a face that would have made any female weak in the knees. She was able to look in the mirror behind where Master Cullen stood, and with the image being reflected back was able to see herself more clearly than ever. She believed that there was a definite difference between herself and the Master.

If only Master Cullen knew what she had been thinking right then, he may have had more to quarrel with her then what he had already expressed.

"I don't really know how you wish me to react to that. I can't change who I am. Like I said before, you never had to hire me and it was apparent since the moment I walked into this house that I did not belong, that I was the wrong fit. Do you want me to leave? Please don't offer me money; I couldn't bare the humiliation of that again. But if you want me to stay…I don't know what to say about tonight other than I think you are severely confused and need time to yourself to search out your true feelings. It's obvious that what happened in the maze was a result of some desire that you held down deep inside for too long and I just happened to be the bystander of that expression. I know you don't find me attractive or want me in any way other then what you originally brought me here for. I know my place, sir. The maze…it's forgotten. I will go on and teach your children, do my job and maybe you can allow yourself to be open to the possibility of allowing yourself in another's company. Nothing could be more beneficial to you or your children if you allowed that to happen."

That was it! Isabella thought to herself. Master Cullen didn't need anything more than a healthy dose of sex to cure his frustration and callousness. He just needed a good lay. She could not imagine that he ever entertained the idea of another woman in his bed since his dear departed wife. He had told her that she reminded him of her, maybe that's why he lost himself in the moment when they were in that maze. It was not because he actually wanted her, he just wanted his wife back.

Isabella was quite proud of her assessment but then it hit her; Master Cullen did not want her. Meanwhile Master Cullen was having trouble himself because he did want Isabella to stay but what troubled him the most was when she told him that he wouldn't want her. That was the problem, was it not? He did want her but he knew that it was wrong to want her.

"You have a long day tomorrow. I will stay out of your way and hope you can focus your attention on my children…as that is what you are here for."

He said that last part for more for him than her. She was here to teach his children, not to please his darkest desires.

"Good evening, Miss Swan." He turned and abruptly left. He needed to get far away from her and as he walked further and further from her door, he did feel his head clearing however, his heart began to hurt.

It was a very confusing feeling the house seemed to endure. Isabella had more trouble than ever to find sleep as she tossed and turned all night. Master Cullen, found sanctuary in his office since his bedroom was closer to Isabella and he thought it better to be far as possible from her.

The next morning, Isabella searched out her most sensible dress. It was shorter than what she believed her employer would have preferred. But it was black and functional. It was her graduation dress which came two inches above the knee and was tighter than what was probably considered appropriate. But it did cover her arms and her cleavage so that was the reason Isabella chose to wear it.

Mrs. Cope practically had a fit when she walked out and saw Isabella sitting at her kitchen table waiting for breakfast. A harlot had entered her home. It was apparent that she did not approve of Isabella's wardrobe choice and she could hardly keep the disgust from off her face.

She walked over toward Isabella's chair and dug into her pot and slopped the grits down in the bowl that set in front of Isabella. Isabella, thought it was a good idea to keep her eyes off of Mrs. Cope and focus on the plate in front of her.

Rosalie and Alice also had a hard time with the dress their new governess was wearing but they weren't disgusted, they were mostly curious and wondering if the dress would make their father angry. It wasn't good for them when their father was angry. But being the properly raised children of the Cullen Manor, they too kept their focus on their plates.

Isabella sighed wishing she could at least make small talk with the girls but as it was believed that speaking to one another was an outrageous belief in this house; instead she tried to focus on what she would do for a cup of coffee. Who did she have to kill to get a decent cup of coffee? Hell, it didn't even need to be a decent cup of coffee, a cup of coffee sludge was what she could settle for at the moment.

After breakfast, Rosalie and Alice walked in front to show Isabella the way to their classroom. The classroom was as plan and dismal as the rest of the house. Not an ounce of color could be found in that room. There were two small desks in front of a large desk which, Isabella, assumed was for her. A large blackboard covered nearly an entire wall and there was a pull down atlas attached.

Both Alice and Rosalie took their seats while Isabella walked to her desk to find a packet waiting on top. It was filled with the work required for the duration of that week. Inside was a list of tests that were to be administered and reference to the books which sat behind the desk on a small shelf.

"Okay…well…how about you tell me what your average school day is so I can acclimate myself to your standard schedule."

Rosalie was always the first to speak when it concerned the well-being of her and her sister.

"Yes, Miss Swan. Our mornings begin with the requirement list. Each week there is a list of requirements that we are to fulfill. It should be near the top."

Isabella thumbed through and found the list.

REQUIREMENTS

Romeo and Juliet Act II

Romeo and Juliet Completion test.

Essay.

Weekly Recitation: Act II Scene II, Juliet

Grammar and Spelling Pg.45

Test.

World War One Chapters 12-16

Test.

Geography: Africa

Test.

Mathematics: Chapter Fourteen

Test.

French: Chapter Twelve

Test.

Spanish: Chapter Ten

Test.

Latin: Chapter Eleven

Test.

"You really test this often?" Isabella marveled.

"We spend Monday through Thursday preparing and learning for the tests we take on Fridays. At assessment you are to hand in an evaluation of our progress and we have to submit our essays that evening as well," Rosalie informed.

"What about art and science. Do you never have education in these areas?"

"Father does not approve of anything that is not on his list," Rosalie replied.

Once again Isabella found herself at a loss for words. The wheels in her mind were already turning as she tried to figure out a way to complete Master Cullen's demands but also allow these girls an opportunity that they had never had before. It was up to her to teach them that learning could be fun. Of course looking around the room it was clear with the intentions of the dismal room that fun was something that wasn't allowed at the Cullen Manor, hence its absence from the Requirement list.

"Today we are going to tackle your math portion but tomorrow….tomorrow; I will show you a new way to learn."

Both Alice and Rosalie looked between one another. They were worried because if Miss Swan's methods did not work, surely their backsides would pay the price.

Isabella on the other hand had a much more difficult task ahead. How was she going to bring color and fun into these lessons without a trip to a store? This house didn't look like it possessed one ounce of colored paper or scissors and glue. Plus, there were only so many pairs of jeans that Isabella had on her. It was a challenge indeed for Miss Swan but somehow she was determined to overcome.

AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I would like to take a moment to thank Ipsita Chaudhuri for taking the time to produce a lovely banner for this story. I appreciate all your hard work! Please check it out on my facebook page!

Also I apologize in the delay of this and Definition of Love's update. I was on a business trip this weekend so hopefully I will be able to get back to updating on a proper schedule. Some people asked when i plan to update this story and I will try at least once a week to do so but I cannot promise and exact day.

Also several have asked when this story takes place. Even though it sounds completely outdated, the time is present.

Thank you again!

Disclaimer: Story is mine, characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.