So, clearly, I enjoyed the weekend of cliffies much more than you did. This chapter will answer some of your questions, but not all of them. The rest of the answers will follow soon, I promise.

I'm just going to borrow them for a while. I promise not to fold, spindle or mutilate.

Chapter 40

When the Cullen's arrived on home soil they decided to head straight to the farm house to introduce Alice to the children. As it was already late in the day they planned to stay there for the night. They were all surprised to find the house dark and empty when they arrived.

Once the party noticed that the kitchen fire was out they were fairly certain the house was unoccupied. However Edward insisted on searching upstairs as well, just in case. Some of the girls clothing was missing as well as their favourite toys, the hand-knit stuffed animals Bella had made for them.

Esme checked Bella's bedroom but there seemed to be little gone from there, an enigma to be sure. Why wouldn't Bella pack her own things if she had packed for the children. Esme and Edward made their way back downstairs to see if a note had been left.

There was indeed a note but not from the person they expected. The reading of the note left more questions in the minds of the Cullen's than before it's discovery, if such a thing were possible.

Em and Rosalie had been to visit three days before and having found Bella and the girls gone left word of their visit. They also left the promise to visit again in the following morning.

Esme and Alice prepared a light tea for everyone. Edward's only thought was that Bella took the children to visit with Mrs. Cope, it was the only thing that made sense to him. He ignored the argument in his head that Bella would have told Emmett and possibly Rosalie where she was going. Emmett most times was the one to drive her there so that he could pilfer snacks from Mrs. Cope.

As Edward sat for his tea, his foot slipped out from under him, causing him to fall into his chair. He looked under the table to see what caused the problem and saw another slip of paper. He bent to retrieve it and held it to the light. It was an envelope, more rather, the envelope in which he had sent his letter to Bella.

"What have you there, Edward?" His father asked noticing the paper in his hand.

"The envelope from the letter I wrote to Bella letting her know when to expect us." He said as he turned the paper over hoping for a clue as to her whereabouts on the other side.

Esme had a horrible thought, could Edward have written something in his letter that would make Bella upset?

"What did you tell her?"

"I mentioned the name of the ship we were taking, approximately how long the crossing would be and our estimated date of arrival." He told them with a sigh.

"Nothing else?"

"Well I told her of my illness and recovery. I mentioned Alice, how wonderful she would be with the children, and that we were convincing Alice to accompany us to stay. I mentioned moving house into the city and raising the girls in a new home." Edward could not see why the details of his letter were important.

"Did you mention that Alice is happily engaged? Or that she was coming here to be your nurse in the medical practice you are starting in town?" Esme could barely contain her anger.

She knew of the feelings Edward was fostering for Bella, she could see it on his very person. She also suspected that Bella was harbouring an affection for Edward. If her son had written a glowing letter about another woman to a shy, sheltered young lady like Bella, that could be a cause for her to run off. She highly doubted that Bella would leave the children for any reason, however, if her emotions were overwrought, she might not be thinking clearly.

Alice's eyes flew open at Esme's questions. Esme had confided in her that Esme was hoping for a match between her son and the lovely nanny. They had plotted together whenever the men were away from them.

Edward had yet to speak to his mother about his courting. After the success of their last meeting, Edward had felt that he was doing quite well without his mother's interference, thank you very much.

"I don't recall if I mentioned those things in the letter." Edward looked from his mother, to Alice and then to his father.

Esme was livid, Alice became teary and his father was slowly shaking his head.

"I love you, my boy, but sometimes you are an idiot!" The volume of Esme's speech grew louder with each word.

With a very bewildered look on his face, Edward listen to his mother berate him until he saw the error of his ways. Carlisle, in a moment of pure intelligence, said nothing, just nodded his head at whatever his wife had to say.

The three of them had to hold Edward back when he decided to run into town to see if he could find Bella. They threatened to tie him to the porch if he did not stay until morning. The carriage had been arranged for half past nine and the group would leave then, and only then.

AN: Thank you.