Title: Scandalous

Summary: When he asked for her hand, she refused him. Now a scandal throws her on his mercy, will he marry her or leave her to her fate? Will she let him?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight.

Chapter Four: Strategies

Edward kept his visits to the Swan household religiously. He arrived precisely at 2 o'clock and always left before dinner. Each time he brought with him a small gift, as was polite, though it ranged from the traditional albeit boring flowers and candies to the more inspired—small gifts such as a book he thought Bella might enjoy and, two weeks in, a carved chess set. That gift had been a milestone in his visits.

The idea had come quickly during a stilted conversation wherein he'd been attempting to gage her interest in parlor games. The weather that week had been particularly wet and they had been regulated to tea in the sunroom—which had been abysmal at living up to its name—when he had learned that although she knew the basic rules, Bella did not play chess. He'd gone to a shop immediately after leaving the Swan's and purchased a pretty set with carved ivory pieces and a board with inset ebony and birch.

The next visit had proved the best so far as he revived her flagging knowledge of the game.

"Who is it that taught you to play?" Edward asked, observing as Bella moved her last remaining knight instead of the bishop as he had expected.

"Hmm?" She glanced as him briefly before refocusing on the board. "My father I suppose, though we never played much and that was years ago. At this point I suppose you've taught me as much of the game as he has."

Edward surveyed the board and reconsidered his moves.

After a pause Bella asked "Why do you ask?"

Edward smiled a bit, it was rare for her to ask such open ended questions. "Oh, it's just that your strategy is so different from mine, I never seem to anticipate what your next move will be."

She scoffed. "I hardly call what I'm doing a 'strategy,' I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've played this game before now, I'm barely remembering which moves I can make, much the less plotting out some grande scheme."

Edward slide his own knight into place. She responded quickly with a move of her bishop, ignoring his knight it seemed and slipping closer to his queen.

"Hmm, I'm not sure about that. If you were playing with no plan at all I'd have beaten you long before now, I think."

"Well you always seem to manage it anyway." Bella was right, so far in their games Edward had always won in the end.

He nodded his agreement of her statement, but continued to disagree with her point. "Yes, but it always takes such a long time for me to get there. I'm usually a much quicker player."

"You are probably just overestimating the skills of a novice." Bella shrugged.

"No," Edward lightly gripped is queen, "I think you are underestimating your strategies."

He gently placed the piece into its new position, threatening Bella's remaining knight. Looking up and catching her eye, he continued. "But I think with practice I will figure them out."

*S*S*S*S*S*S

It was nearly three weeks after he began his visits that Edward showed up with a surprising gift. It was a formal invitation; the first Bella had received since the scandal, to a party at the Cullen's home. Technically the invitation was from Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, but it was hand delivered by an earnest Edward.

To say Bella was surprised was an understatement. Though the Cullen's Christmas ball was one of the biggest social events of the year, it was also the only party the family threw. She had never heard of, much less attended, any other event at their estate.

It was . . . suspicious.

Unsure of a polite way to ask her question, she settled for as direct as courtesy allowed.

"Edward," she waited until she was sure she had his undivided attention. "This ball your family is throwing, it's . . . unusual?" Directness was not her forte.

"Ah," he ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Yes, a bit. But I gather there is an important announcement my parents plan to make."

When he fidgeted but did not continue she tried again.

"Concerning?"

"My sister Alice."

Bella had a sudden mental image of pulling teeth, but when Edward finally looked at her and saw her expression he relented and clarified.

"I believe Jasper Whitlock has asked for her hand."

An engagement announcement. Well, Bella thought, that did make sense. It was custom to announce and celebrate such things, though bad luck to broadcast them in advance of the formal announcement.

It did not explain entirely Edward's obvious embarrassment at sharing the news, but then she was finding out she was not a good judge of Edward's behaviors.

"Ah, I see. Are you sure I should be invited?"

At this Edward lost his embarrassment for the sudden ire of indignation. "Of course I'm sure, Bella." When she jumped slightly at his display of temper he made a constant effort to calm his words. "Alice would be very disappointed if you did not attend."

She would not be the only one.

"Will you come?" He asked before he left at the end of the visit.

Bella looked for a long moment at the envelope she had placed on the entryway side table earlier. Turning back to Edward she looked into his eyes and said, "I will."

The smile that bloomed across his face left her reeling, but it had nothing on the expression he had later that night in the privacy of his own room. He realized then that it was the first time in recent memory that she had agreed to anything with him.

He planned to make the most of the opportunity.

*S*S*S*

Author's Note: Gee Bella, I wonder why the boy is embarrassed to invite the girl who keeps jilting him to his sister's engagement party.