Chapter 2
Edward's face fell as soon as he stepped foot in the house. It was everything he had ever feared, and worse. A lot of commotion, too many servants fumbling around him and his men, the surrounding objects in bad taste. It was not the first time he wished he had basked further in the sleepy sun with the dark beauty who had intrigued him. But he pulled himself together and put on a mask, if only for his mother's contentment.
He met the Swans and exchanged pleasantries. While Renee was overcome with emotion, Edward found the chance to pass a small gift from Esme – he was ready to shower her with gifts if he would be leaving the house with no marriage commitments.
Charles was looking at Edward intently and after the first introduction, invited him to relax with a drink. It would be a chance to spend more time between men, no Renee and the daughters. Edward readily agreed.
They spent most of the time in silence. Edward was contemplating the household. Although he didn't know much about the Swans, they seemed to be reasonably happy. He wondered if the girls were as loud as the mother. He mentally checked if he had all their names… Alice, the elder, followed by Lauren, Jessica and the youngest… Isabella. Although Alice was his intended, as the eldest, he might need to make conversation or inquire over the others, and was smiling proudly that he had remembered them all.
"I gather you are tired from your trip," Charles interfered after a while.
"I… I appreciate the glass of port, sir," Edward replied stiffly.
"I am sure you would prefer to retire to your chambers for the night, but I doubt my wife will leave it at that. I am afraid you will make acquaintance to Alice sooner rather than later."
"Sir?"
"She is a sweet girl, that Alice. Full of life, but not quite as my wife, she can sometimes be very… wise."
"I am looking forward to making her acquaintance."
"Edward, just between us, you do not have to pretend."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You are not inclined to marry any more than I would like to give you Alice's hand. But let's try to break it out gently on Renee, she has high hopes for the girl, and through her, for the others."
Edward was speechless. Although he wanted to ease his way out of this, he now saw the way Charles had seen through him. He had intended to be polite and pretend to court the girl, only to turn her down gently. He also came prepared to offer Charles another business deal, one that would manage to save him and his family from destitution, and hopefully himself from ever entering an unwanted marriage. But now he couldn't even bring himself to talk about it.
He just nodded. Charles nodded back and called Renee in. She didn't hesitate in coming in, pushing Alice forward. The exchange that followed was awkward.
Alice was not as Edward imagined. She was quiet and reserved, barely meeting his eyes. It was difficult to engage her in conversation, but also to dismiss her. It became one of those strange situations, in which Renee had to interfere in the conversation in order not to leave it stall.
"Alice prepared a wonderful bouquet of flowers for your room. She kept asking me when you would arrive all week," Renee was chiding in.
"I hope I have not kept you waiting," Edward replied politely, but noncommittally, "I took in your surroundings and I must say you have quite lively places." He smiled at the memory of the water nymph. He wondered whether he would see her again. He remembered her servant's outfit, and wondered if she might even be working for the Swans.
When Edward was consumed by desire, it did not matter if the woman in question was of high or low station. In fact, he preferred the servants, since they knew what to expect from him – nothing more than a night or two of pleasure. As he was smiling at the memory, he met Alice's eyes and lowered his gaze. She was not his fiancée, but it still felt awkward to dream about other women in her presence.
"I think… I will go upstairs and prepare for supper. I need a change of clothing," he excused himself.
As he was leaving the room, he could hear Renee saying, "Well, I think that went rather well." He almost felt like rolling his eyes.
But he didn't manage to head upstairs, since the commotion grew again and he was met with a vision for a second time that day: a girl entered the house drenched from head to toe. As their eyes met, he realized it was not any girl, but the one he had been daydreaming all day. It only took her one look to change her look from embarrassment to anger.
They stared at each other, but before any of them could speak, Renee appeared from behind and rushed to the girl, "Isabella! I can't believe you! Out in this outfit, and coming back all wet! Where have you been all day, we have guests!"
As the mother pushed her up the stairs, his gaze lingered on the wet spot on the tiled floor, with only one word resonating, 'Isabella'. So this was the youngest Swan girl, 16 of age, Isabella…
A/N: Thank you to all reading, I have some chapters already lined up and for now I will keep the weekly update... Enjoy!