I own nothing.

Thank you so much for your reviews. I was a little anxious about the first chapter, if you were going to like it. Not everyone was pleased, but it's still the first chapter - things change as they go on.
The story is set in 1865 (the 'mom' word was a typo - sorry :D ). And it's not going to be a love triangle :)
Hope you like this chapter.

Waltz with me

The first time Bella had been truly shocked was when her mother left. She was only seven years old, then, and Rosalie was barely five. She knew something was wrong when she saw their father wander around the house, pale and angry, ignoring his daughters' confused questions about their mother. Bella finally learnt the truth two days later from her father. In the beginning, she had refused to believe him, thinking that her mother would never leave them alone. But as the time passed, she realized with a sinking heart that it was all true. She had locked herself in her room for hours, crying herself to sleep and refusing to eat. Her father had tried to talk to her and soothe her, but Bella was heartbroken. Rosalie had been confused at first about their mother's leaving, but she had recovered more quickly than her sister. While Rosalie had learned to accept and forgive what their mother did, Bella couldn't. She had loved her too much.

Now was the second time something shocked her. Only a few minutes ago, Lord Cullen appeared in front of her. He officially introduced himself to her, while Bella could only stare wide-eyed at him, blinking like an utter idiot. Her heart was racing, her legs were trembling, and her palms were sweaty.

She couldn't believe her eyes. Why was Lord Cullen talking to her? He had never bothered to make her acquaintance before. Why the sudden change of heart?

"Excuse me, Miss, but are you feeling well?" His voice snapped her out of her reverie.

She cleared her throat, something a lady should never do in front of a gentleman, and stammered, "I am… I am alright, Milord." Fumbling with her skirts, she dipped into a curtsy. Her foot caught in her petticoat, and she almost fell down, but managed to regain her footing quickly. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She was making an awful first impression.

"Miss Swan, Milord. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"It's always a pleasure to meet the beautiful Swan sisters," he whispered with a rakish smile.

Bella almost told him to repeat what he just said, but she bit her tongue before the words escaped her mouth. He considered her beautiful? Her chest felt very warm, all of a sudden. Her lips stretched into a wide smile, and she hoped that it was charming enough to impress him.

"T-thank you, my lord."

"I saw you standing here alone, and it seemed the perfect opportunity to finally introduce myself to you. I hope you don't find me too bold."

"Oh no. Not at all." She raked her mind for something else to say, but her thoughts seemed to have fled her. Biting the inside of her cheek, she opened her fan to cool herself. How long had she been waiting for this moment. Now that he was finally talking to her, she couldn't even think of an interesting subject to discuss with him.

"The ball seems to be a success," he said, throwing a casual glance around the ballroom.

"Yes, indeed. Lord Weber and his wife have always been known for their beautiful balls." Bella's hand tightened on her fan, thinking that he was searching for a way to escape, but he surprised her when he looked at her again and said, "Have you been to many of them?"

All of them, actually. And as pathetic as that sounded, she had always been watching him from afar, wondering if he would ever notice her.

"Yes, I have."

He had shared two or three dances with Rosalie over the years, but he hadn't once looked in Bella's direction, so she wasn't surprised when he simply nodded.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Swan?"

"Yes, of course. It's a beautiful night."

He studied her for a second, making her more nervous than she already was. Then, he leaned toward her, and she tried not to gasp in surprise. It was already taking her a lot of effort to appear nonchalant, that his sudden proximity made her feel lightheaded.

With him being so close to her, she couldn't help taking in his features. His eyes were very green, mesmerizing in their intensity. His jaw was bold and strong, while his lips were full and almost swollen. She tried to keep her gaze away from those enticing lips and let her eyes fall to the wrinkled collar of his shirt.

"I don't believe you."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't think you are enjoying yourself. Otherwise, why would you sit here, alone?"

Her cheeks flushed again, and she dropped her gaze to the floor in embarrassment. "Maybe I enjoy being alone," she whispered, knowing how stupid that sounded coupled with her previous reaction.

From the corner of her eye, she saw his hand rise toward her face. He seemed to think better about the gesture, because he returned his hand to his side. "You shouldn't feel uncomfortable. I think that's a smart decision. If I had to choose between being alone or smothered by eager mamas, I would definitely choose the former."

A giggle slipped through her lips as she raised her head to look at him. "I don't think that's relevant in my case."

"Well, not really, but at least, I made you smile." He winked at her, and Bella's stomach fluttered with anticipation.

Rosalie appeared next to her. "Bella."

Bella's shoulders fell in disappointment at the interruption, before she remembered that only five minutes ago, she had been very worried about her sister's disappearance.

"Rosalie, I believe you have already met Lord Cullen," Bella said. She wanted to ask her where she had disappeared earlier or why she looked like she had an upset stomach. But that had to wait, at least until they were alone.

Rosalie looked at the earl with a forced smile on her face. "Of course." She dropped into a graceful curtsy, while Lord Cullen inclined his head and said, "I am glad to see you here, Miss Rosalie."

The music for a waltz had just started up.

"Yes, well, nobody can throw a more glamorous ball than the Webers." Rosalie abruptly turned toward Bella. "I was wondering if we could possibly go home."

"Go home?" Bella blinked, confused. She threw a quick glance at the earl, who was watching them intently. She was the one who left these balls early, but now she wanted more than anything to stay. "But it's barely half past midnight. Are you feeling alright?"

"I feel a headache coming on. I would very much like to leave."

Bella sighed, "Alright. I will tell the footman to bring the carriage around." Before she could leave, though, she turned to Lord Cullen to apologize for their early departure, but he interrupted her.

"I am sorry to hear about your headache, Miss Rosalie, but I came here for a dance, and I won't let you leave without granting me this waltz."

Bella's heart sank, and she struggled not to let it show on her face. What did she expect? That he was finally interested in her? She felt foolish for letting herself hope that he wanted to talk to her.

"I am sorry, my lord, but I do not feel well enough to dance right now," Rosalie answered haughtily, grasping Bella's arm.

Lord Cullen frowned at Rosalie, while a devilish smile splayed across his face. "I wasn't talking to you."

Bella was too stunned to be suspicious about the sudden tension that had sprung between her sister and the earl.

"Will you grant me this waltz, milady?" Lord Cullen asked Bella with a slight bow, extending his gloved hand toward her.

Before she could answer him, Rosalie tugged on her arm. Bella turned to her sister and saw her desperate eyes, but she couldn't refuse the earl. She didn't know if he would ever ask her again for a dance, and she couldn't miss this opportunity. But she felt guilty for leaving her sister's side, especially if she was sick.

"I would like an answer now, Miss Swan, before the song ends."

Bella gave Rosalie a pleading look, before she turned toward him. "Yes, I will dance with you." Rosalie squeezed her arm and then, let it go, but she didn't say anything.

Lord Cullen grasped her hand, and they both walked toward the middle of the ballroom, where the other couples were dancing. Her heart was in her throat, and her knees were trembling. Then, he drew her in his arms. Their bodies weren't touching, but for Bella, it felt like they were. The sensation of being so close to a man, a man she was so attracted to, made her feel giddy. He was taller than her, and she had to tip her head back to look at him. She was so excited about the dance that her feet caught in the hem of her dress, and she stumbled.

"I am sorry," she whispered, self-conscious.

"Don't worry about it," he whispered back, staring at the top of her head.

He was an excellent dancer. His movements were fluid and graceful, but bold and masculine at the same time. His hand on her back was warm and strong, and his scent was making her dizzy with excitement. Her gaze went to his face again and watched that beautiful mouth smile down at her. She couldn't have imagined a more beautiful moment than this. If he never looked at her again after tonight, she would savor this night forever.

As the song neared its end, she slowly grew aware of the whispers around them.

"…heard he invited her…"

"…odd that her sister…"

"…do you think he is interested…"

The whispers upset her a little bit, but she refused to let them ruin her night. She smiled at the earl and enjoyed the feel of his broad shoulder beneath her palm. When the song ended, Lord Cullen took a step back and bowed to her.

"It was a pleasure to share this dance with you, Miss Swan. You are a wonderful dancer."

She curtsied. "I can say the same thing about you, my lord."

He nodded and without another word, he walked away, disappearing in the crowd. Bella watched him until she couldn't see him anymore and then went to her sister. She tried to ignore everyone's curious glances and gave them all a short smile as she walked past them. Even she was curious about the earl's sudden interest in her.

Rosalie was anxious when Bella finally reached her. "Can we go home now?"

As soon as they were seated in the carriage, Bella grabbed both of her sister's hands. "Can you believe I actually danced with an earl?"

Rosalie bit her lip. "I am happy for you." She turned her gaze toward the window. "I didn't know you liked Cullen this much. Why didn't you tell me?"

Bella shrugged. "I didn't think it was important."

"I am your sister, Bella. Everything about you is important to me."

"Well, you didn't want to tell me about your secret affair, so I guess we are even." Bella saw Rosalie flinch. "I was worried about you. You didn't tell me anything before you simply vanished. I was a step away from opening every door in the house. I assumed you were with this gentleman, if I can even call him that for treating you like this. Is that why you disappeared for two hours?"

"You don't have to worry about that anymore. The entire thing is over. We shouldn't spend more time thinking about it, and we sure as hell shouldn't talk about it."

Since Rose never cussed, Bella was taken aback. "But something obviously happened to upset you this much. Is that why you wanted to leave so desperately or were you really feeling ill?"

"I meant it when I said I don't want to talk about it. Please, Bella," Rose murmured, her eyes begging her to drop the subject.

"Alright."

For a couple of minutes, they didn't say anything. Bella looked out the window, taking her white gloves off. She dropped them in her lap, but her hands lingered on them, remembering how warm his hands were.

"Did the two of you argue?"

"Bella!"

"You cannot just act like this and expect me to keep my mouth shut. I am curious to know what put you in such a mood."

Rosalie glared at her sister. "He proposed to me, all right? He told me he loved me and that he wanted me to be his wife."

Bella wasn't shocked about the man's proposition. She was stunned by Rose's reaction to the proposal. "Oh. And here I was thinking that the man was an utter fool for not proposing to you." Seeing Rosalie's mortified expression, Bella realized what the real problem was. "You refused him. Why?"

"I don't love him. I never did. I thought we were just having fun. How was I supposed to know he would fall in love with me?"

"Now who is the fool?" Bella asked rhetorically, shaking her head at Rosalie's predicament. "You should have expected it, Rose. If you haven't noticed, every man in London wants your hand in marriage. What made you believe that he was the exception?"

That only made Rosalie sag in her seat. "I guess it was just wishful thinking."

Bella joined Rosalie on the bench and put her arm around her sister's small shoulders. "Ah, my dear sister. What am I going to do with you?"

xXx

Edward knew something was wrong as soon as he stepped inside his house and saw his housekeeper's anxious expression. Mrs. Sue Clearwater was wringing her hands and exchanging anxious glances with the butler. Edward gave Harry his coat and tugged on his tie.

"What happened?"

Mrs. Clearwater cleared her throat and leaned toward Edward. She whispered, "Your mother is in the study."

Edward froze. His hand stilled on his tie, and his breath slowed. "When did she arrive?"

"Three hours ago, but she never once left the study. She told everyone to leave her alone."

He gave the housekeeper a brisk nod, as he started toward his study.

The last thing he wanted right now was to confront his mother. It had been one of the worst nights of his life, and all he wanted was to slip into oblivion. His temples throbbed, and his chest ached. He pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to alleviate his pounding headache, but he knew nothing would soothe his heart.

As soon as he entered his study, he saw his mother sprawled on the floor with an empty bottle of brandy in her hands. Her auburn hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn and dirty. Her once smooth, delicate face had wrinkles now, and there were dark, deep circles under her eyes.

Edward swallowed hard at the sight of her. She had once been such a beautiful woman. Now, she was only a shadow of her former self.

He walked toward her and took the bottle from her hand. Then, he gently scooped her up in his arms and realized how frail and thin she really was. Edward carried her outside his study and walked toward the staircase, knowing that the servants were watching him.

Without glancing at either one of them, he said, "Warm some water and bring it to her old bedchamber. Also, bring a new change of clothes."

"Yes, my lord," a couple of maids answered.

Edward took her to her bedroom, down the hall from his, on the second floor. He pushed the door open with his elbow and gently placed his mother on the bed. She stirred in her sleep and mumbled something under her breath. Running his hand through his hair, Edward pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. He knew his mother wouldn't want him this close to her, but she looked so sick that he was scared to leave her alone. Her breath was already too shallow, and her skin looked very pale.

"Edward," she sobbed in her sleep. "Why did you hate me so much?"

Edward realized she was dreaming about his father, who had been dead for almost five years. His father had never been close to his son, and Elizabeth Cullen always reminded Edward of the reason.

"I was enchanted, bewitched, my love," she continued to cry, her small frame quivering. "I never meant to sleep with him, Edward. Please, forgive me."

His real father was a stable boy, only twenty years old when Edward was born. Edward never saw him, never talked about him. He only knew that the earl had thrown the man on the streets when he first found out about his wife's deception. Edward didn't know what became of the man, or if he was still alive. The earl had claimed Edward as his son in front of everyone, but not in his heart. His mother had always blamed her son for her husband's estrangement. It grew worse when Edward's father died, and Elizabeth started drinking.

Ever since he was a little boy, he had tried to justify his parents' distant behavior toward him, but even now, at twenty eight, he still felt a pang in his chest when his mother threw him a look full of loathing.

Just like the one she was throwing him right now.

"Get away from me," Elizabeth hissed.

"Don't try to leave the bed. You need to rest," he murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Take your hand off me." She tried to sound intimidating, but her voice was trembling.

Edward slowly retrieved his hand and placed it on his knee. "What are you doing here, mother? I specifically told you to stay in Hampshire. This trip was too tiring for you, and you need to be more careful about your health."

"Why do you care?" She coughed and tried to get off the bed, but Edward gently pushed her down between the pillows. "Besides, you left me alone, with that old, stupid woman while you were having the time of your life in London."

"That woman is well-educated and a very good nurse. I told you I was only going to spend a couple of months in London, and then, I was going to join you in Hampshire."

"Don't bother. I don't want you there."

Edward ignored her last comment and continued, "Since you are already here, I will send for the nurse and have you established here, in your old room."

"Who says I want to stay here? I just wanted to leave that rotten house and see what my son is doing in London that he forgot about his poor mother. And where is that bourbon? Bring me a glass of brandy."

"You should stop drinking."

Elizabeth glared at him.

The door opened. Three maids entered the bedchamber, every one of them carrying either linens, clothes or steaming water. Behind them were two footmen, who were carrying the tub inside. They placed it on the floor, under the window and let the maids continue their duties.

"I am not taking a bath," Edward's mother protested, but he knew she was too weak to fight with the maids.

"I will talk to you in the morning, mother," Edward said as he stood up. He almost leaned to kiss her forehead, but he stopped before she saw what he wanted to do. She wouldn't accept even that small kiss from him. So, he just turned his back on her and walked outside the door.

With a heavy sigh, he entered his bedchamber and closed the door behind him. He was tired. He had gone to the ball so optimistic, so happy with his decision to marry Rosalie, that he still couldn't grasp the fact that she had refused him. She laughed in his face. Obviously, his feelings meant nothing to her. He was such an idiot. Not even his mother and father could love him. What made him believe that Rosalie would?

He sat down on the edge of the bed, propping his elbows on his knees. He had wanted to make Rosalie jealous when he asked Isabella Swan to dance, but that had been a mistake. Her sister had seemed so eager to dance with him, that now he felt like a cad for taking advantage of her like that. With a long sigh, he poured himself a glass of brandy and closed his eyes.