Part XIV

BPOV (Bella)

Jacob promised we would be wed in England and we would stay at least a year after our wedding. It was all the same to me. Edward was to leave in December, just days after my wedding. He was to leave for France with his bride to be. He'd come and demanded I told him myself that I was to marry Jacob. I received him as coldly as I could. I knew that if I let myself I would fall into his arms once more.

The Duke and his family, including Edward, were invited to the wedding. I didn't expect him to show up yet it didn't cease to worry me. The root of my current anxiety was Jacob's family. They were arriving here from Spain for the wedding. I never met them before and as much as he said they approved of me, I didn't believe it. Jacob said it himself, his family had riches to spare.

Jacob came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. "You don't have to worry about my father and mother, I promise you that."

I looked down at the dress I was "suggested" to wear, I was forced. It was worse than the dresses Alice had lent me. I wasn't this kind of person and somehow I had become one, rather quickly.

It was easy to spot the Santillana family when they arrived. It was his parents and two sisters. The younger sister ran up to him. He released me and embraced her. I wasn't sure what they were saying but she already seemed like a nice girl, she was only around twelve.

"This is my younger sister, Adela."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Bella."

"So I've heard. It's a pleasure to meet you too." Her English had a thick Spanish accent but she English very well.

Behind her was who I supposed was his other sister. She was tall and thin, dark hair and a very stern look on her face. "That is Lea my other sister." She didn't make a move to greet me. I knew she hated me, I didn't know why but I knew that she did.

Jacob scowled at introduced me to his parents. "My darling, how are you?" His mother said softly.

"Very glad to meet you." I smiled, not quite earnestly. I didn't know to act around them, I had to be cautious. I wanted things to be okay, we were going to be married soon, I had to get along with his family. It proved to be a difficult task. His parents liked me enough and so did his youngest sister, Adela. She was a sweet girl but her sister, Lea, was not. She did not like me in the least.

"Lea –"

She stopped me with a piercing glare. "I'm not impressed but what can be expected from a maid. Brother you've gone mad."

Jacob turned to her and spoke to her angrily in what I could only assume to be Spanish. His mother took Lea to the carriage.

"I apologize for her, she's not very pleasant."

"Why is that?" I dared to ask.

"It's cliché I suppose. She fell in love with a servant's son. When my parents found out, they sent him and his father away."

"She hates that I'm a maid and that your parents have allowed it."

He shrugged. "She is enraged but there is reason behind their decision. I am the only male heir but Adela and Lea must marry to survive, their inheritance will be given to their husbands but it is not something that will offer her the life she is used to. She must marry a man who can offer her that life."

"It's not fair."

"Bella –"

"That's proof that I don't belong with you. You should marry some one who likes you. I am not even remotely accustomed to this life –"

He held his finger to my lips. "We've discussed this, we'll speak of it no more. I do have news that might not please you."

I waited, wondering what ever he could mean.

"The Duke has invited us once more to dinner. This time I could not refuse, we must attend."

I sighed, defeated. The day would have come eventually. Jacob and Edward would dine together and I would be engulfed with shame and guilt.

EPOV (Edward)

I sat at breakfast, my mother had requested I join them. I hated being anywhere near Robert. I could not hate my mother but I could hate Robert, it was almost easy.

"How are the plans for the wedding Edward, do we have a date?" my mother asked.

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

Genevieve cleared her throat. "We were thinking March, Jasper Hale recently married and…Mr. Santillana will have his wedding in a week."

I slid out of my chair and went out to the stables. I would not sit there as they silently mocked me. The man was robbing me of the woman I loved. Genevieve chased after me. "What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong, I despise that man and yet you bring him up so casually. His very name mocks me."

"I put up with so much but I will not allow you to reprimand me for something so ridiculous. It was a mere fact not an attempt to mock you."

"I never asked you to put up with anything."

"I know that you go off with a woman every night. I stay up waiting for you and there are days you don't return and when you do you reek of rum and women. I don't deserve that."

"Walk away. Leave me, I never asked you to stay by my side." I mounted Argo and rode off towards Hayrick.

After I ended my time with Emily I returned that night for dinner, against my better judgment. Robert met me on the way in. "The Marquess and his wife will join us tonight."

"The Marquess."

He nodded curtly. "The Marquess of Santillana del Mar."

"His father is a Marquess, I never would have known it." I muttered. "Don't expect me to show up."

"You will because that's what I ask of you, I will not have you argue. Miss Delaflote is in the garden, you should speak to her." I asked him why. "It's not her fault that things turned out this way. Her father wanted a husband for her, she didn't choose you nor did she know of the maid and of your behavior."

I was becoming the man I hated the most, my father. "Fine." I walked out to find her and surely I found her whimpering under a tree. My heart softened at the sight, I was not dead inside by any means but I deemed it pointless to approach her. She hated me. She didn't want to see me. Instead I went out to the stables and groomed Argo, it had been a long day.

"Mr. Edward." The man had been working for us since I was a child, he still called me Mr. Edward. He had trouble calling Robert, "your grace" or anything of that nature. He and his wife have been around our entire lives, this man taught me how to ride a horse.

"Yes, Sam."

"Is something the matter?"

I scoffed. "Everything is the matter, nothing has gone right. I have taken my misery and given it to a woman does not deserve it."

"You were always a good boy, your father might have never recognized it but you have more heart than your brother. You might have stopped acting upon it but you always took others feelings into consideration, it's something your brother lacks."

"That doesn't help me. Robert has a charm and the people love him, I have a reputation, a terrible one at that." I left him in the stables and took a stroll around the stream nearby. It was a quite place, lined with trees. As a child I found refuge in a small clearing, I stopped going after I turned thirteen I stopped going and I never found it again. I secretly searched for it but never made any progress.

"Mr. Masen," Claire, the young maid called. "Sir, your mother asks me to remind you of tonight's dinner."

I approached her. "Tell my mother that she may rest easy, I'll do as she asks."

I decided that I had no energy left to rebel against her. It didn't benefit me in any way. I went up to my room to prepare for the dinner and anxiously waited their arrival. My heart pounded when I saw her but she didn't as much as raise her eyes to meet mine.

"Edward Masen, young grown into a wonderful man." The Marquessa was obviously not aware of my relations with Bella. "Your bride to be…"

"Miss Genevieve Delaflote," I took Genevieve's hand. "She shall be my bride soon."

"Your father would be pleased, Miss Delaflote is a beauty." The Marquess interjected.

Robert cleared his throat. "Dinner is served, shall we?"

Everyone filed in. The table was large enough to accommodate Robert and Charlotte, my mother, my three cousins, my uncle Nathaniel and his wife, the Marquess, the Marquessa, Santillana and Bella. It was quite an ordeal, if I might say. There seemed to be tension at the table, all the small talk was nearly forced. I refused to speak to Santillana. Bella refused to speak to me. Emmett didn't even look at our Uncle Nathaniel. His wife couldn't lift her eyes, her guilt was too great. William and George spoke in hushed voices about how this was a disaster in the making. My mother was uneasy as she spoke to the Marquessa, she frequently glanced over to Bella. She looked as if she wanted to speak to Bella but did not. Genevieve was a quite as a mouse, she was extremely angry at me and only spoke to Santillana. I suppose she did it to bother me but I was much too occupied to care eventually she accomplished her purpose.

"Genevieve." I hissed. "That's enough small talk. I know why you are doing this."

"Stop gazing at her. I am not a fool, your eyes are glued to her."

I gritted my teeth. "Do not attempt to reprimand me, I will not have it."

"Mr. Santillana," She said softly. "How do you like England?"

He shrugged. "It's different, perhaps I miss Spain but I've found more than I ever expected here in England. How about yourself?"

"Pardon my boldness but England is not for me. France is my home and I yearn to return to it."

"So we will," I added. "It won't be long until you return to England with me."

"You will stay for my son's wedding." The Marquessa inquired.

"I –"

"I'll hear nothing of it, I expect to see you there."

"We would be delighted to attend the wedding." Genevieve interjected.

I took a deep breath, attempting to keep my composure.

"I expect to see you Edward, you and your beautiful bride to be."

I wanted to tell her that I didn't want to go, that I wouldn't go but Genevieve had already agreed to it. There was no way to enjoy what was left dinner. I excused myself from tea to get some fresh air.

As I reached the door I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to find Bella. "What are you doing?"

"You don't have to go," she whispered. "I beg you please don't this because you feel you must."

"You don't want me to attend."

She bit her lip. "You may do as you please."

"It's not what I asked. Do you truly want to marry him or are pressured into doing it? Bella," I reached up to caress her. "I would put a halt to this in a second. If you asked me to, I would march out there and reveal to everyone that you are mine and that I will never let you go."

"No," She pulled away from me. "You have her. She –"

"Edward, I was wondering where you'd run off to." Genevieve's soft voice interrupted. She smiled sweetly. I knew her well enough to know that she was not sincere in the least.

"Pardon me, I…was…I'll you two alone." She turned on her heel and left before I could object.

Genevieve's smile turned into a frown. "How dare you? How dare you speak to her behind my back, while I'm under the same roof?"

"I've said it once and I'll say it once more, do not reprimand me, I'm not a child. I'll do as I please and I will not censor my behavior for you."