I own the story and a really bad sense of the calendar (more on that at the end)
Not beta'd—Javamomma0921 is enjoying a well-deserved vacation
Chapter 13: Are spirits temporal?
"More wine, Mrs. Masen? More to eat?"
Bella waved off the effusive cook as she and Fritz pressed more and more food and drink upon her. She had long lost count how many glasses she had enjoyed and her corset felt uncomfortably tight.
"Thank you for this feast," Edward smiled, rising and offering his arm to his bride. "If you will excuse us, please."
Bella ducked her head at the knowing chuckle from the staff and carefully clutched Edward's arm. Perhaps that last glass of wine was not such a good idea after all. Maggie nodded and wished them farewell before mouthing that she would be in their room as soon as she could.
A soft, gentle rain fell outside, drops skittering down the windows as they strolled down the dimly lighted hall. Bella sighed softly and rested her head on Edward's shoulder. He pulled her closer and wrapped one arm around her waist.
"Tired?" he murmured softly, rubbing his nose against her temple and placing a light kiss there.
"A little."
"Almost to our room. You can take a lay down while I look at the journal."
Bella nodded silently, closing her eyes as she was guided to their bedroom.
"That went well," Edward observed as he closed the door to their bedroom behind them.
"Mmmm…hmmmm," Bella hummed, plopping down into a cozy chair and waving her feet back and forth in an effort to kick off her shoes.
"Are you okay?"
She frowned as her shoes remained stubbornly attached to her feet. Her kicking became more and more pronounced but to no avail.
Edward cocked his head curiously at her before kneeling at her side and gently untied the ribbons wrapped around her ankles and slid her shoes off. Bella sighed and leaned back into the chair, closing her eyes and humming contently.
"Are you sure you're okay, love?"
Bella opened one eye half-way and peered at him silently.
"Bella?"
"My middle name is Marie, you know," she whispered before giggling. "Kinda ironic, don't you think? Every historian's dream. To go back in time to study what they love, and I truly get sent back and have to pretend I'm someone with my middle name. Though no one ever calls me that. It's Bella or Bells or Belly or …" She hiccoughed gently and smiled at Edward. "And every now and again, someone calls me Isabella. I don't like being called Isabella. It makes me think I'm in trouble. Though when you call me it, it doesn't sound quite so bad."
"How much did you have to drink tonight?"
"I never get drunk." She waved off his concerns with both hands before standing. "Oooh. Head rush."
"If you say so, but you are acting like it."
Edward stood and pulled off his jacket. He crossed the room and carefully laid it over the back of a chair next to the fireplace.
"Damn."
He spun around toward the sound and found Bella staring at him, her mouth slightly agape.
"Something wrong?" Edward inquired with concern.
"Oh, no. Just…" A soft blush colored Bella's cheeks. "You have a mighty fine ass, Dr. Cullen."
"Do I now?" He grinned at her, indulging her behavior. "I do think you had too much to drink at dinner."
"What does how much I drank have to do with your ass? Have you looked in the mirror lately? It's quite fabulous."
Edward stifled a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Sorry," Bella apologized. "I lose my filter when I've had a few." She stumbled over toward the bed and lay down over the covers. Reaching across the expanse, she grabbed one edge of the blankets and pulled them over herself, not bothering to climb underneath.
Edward waved her off.
"Every time I look in the mirror, I see Anthony," he pointed out, gesturing toward the fireplace before sitting down and removing cravat and stock.
"I see Marie. I don't like being a blonde."
"I don't like you as a blonde, either," Edward murmured softly with a smile. "You get some rest. I'll be right here reading until Maggie shows."
Bella closed her eyes and a few moments later, the sounds of her deep, even breathing filled the air. Edward smiled to himself, pulled the tails of his shirt out of his breeches and grabbed the journal before sitting at the desk. He adjusted the oil lamp so he could easily read without disturbing Bella before beginning to read.
The rain continued to beat a steady tattoo outside while Edward perused the journal. His hands came up to adjust his glasses out of habit whereupon he sighed and shook his head. Minutes later, he reached forward to grab a peppermint out of the bowl that sat on his desk back at Hands-On History and again, a sigh broached the quiet. Some rituals were just too deep. The question of if his favorite candy was available in 1790 or 1820 or whenever they were ran through his mind before the composition before him recaptured his attention.
Across the room, Bella lay peacefully sleeping off a few too many glasses of deep, rich wine.
Bella?
She rolled over onto her side and snuffled into the pillow, earning a curious glance from Edward before he returned to his exploration of the book.
I need you to wake up, Bella.
A coolness settled over the bed, causing Bella to wrap the blanket around her more tightly.
"No. Not gonna," Bella muttered, earning another curious look from Edward.
I can help.
"No."
Isabella Marie Swan.
Bella's eyes flew open and she quickly tried to gather her thoughts. A small movement across the room caught her attention and she found herself staring into the mirror above the fireplace.
"Marie?" she whispered, earning a nod from the figure standing there.
I tried to warn you away. Not to get involved in this. But you are. Please help me!
Bella's widened. She stood and took a cautious step toward the mirror. "Interesting."
Bella studied what she saw reflected back at her. This time though, the reflection did not copy her every move. Bella's disbelief grew as she watched Marie's hand come down and caress her belly in a gesture as old as motherhood itself.
"I must be more tipsy than I thought," Bella muttered to herself, earning a frantic shake of the head from Marie.
"Bella? What's going on?" Edward inquired, turning the journal upside-down and laying it on the desk.
She silently pointed toward the looking glass, unable to speak. Marie in the mirror held up her left hand where a thin piece of twine was wrapped around her ring finger. Tears welled up in Bella's eyes at the sad smile.
"Marie was sixteen and Anthony was twenty-seven, correct?"
"I believe so." Edward stood behind her and stared up at the portrait. He saw only a static image of Marie standing in the same position as Bella. "Not too big of an age difference, considering the time."
"What was their relationship before the marriage?"
"I believe it is assumed they were tutor and student."
Marie in the mirror continued to move around as if trying to think of what to say next.
"I hate assumptions," Bella muttered over her shoulder.
"Duly noted." His hands gently rested on her hips as they looked into the silvered glass.
"So plenty of time to be alone and unsupervised."
"I suppose so. Why?"
"I think their relationship crossed the student/teacher boundaries long before they got married."
"There's no proof of that."
But you're right.
Bella jumped at the whispery voice, clipping the top of her head on his chin.
"Tell me you heard that." She grasped her head and willed away the stinging pain.
Edward silently nodded, rubbing his jaw.
"I heard that voice in the library before the party," Bella whispered. "And just now it woke me up."
A girlish giggle wafted through the room, causing Bella to cringe. Edward wrapped his arms tighter around her, causing Bella to relax ever so slightly.
Music room.
"What?" Edward inquired.
Go to. Music room. Bring journal.
A cold wind blew gently through the room, causing the oil lamps to flicker but not go out.
"I'm sober now," Bella muttered, searching for her shoes.
"I didn't think you were drunk," Edward teased, earning a glare.
Without another word, the two stole down the hall and stairs until they found the music room. It was quite different from what they had left in 2012. Gone were the chairs, grand piano, and lavish curtains and wall hangings. In their place were simple wool drapes, two chairs and a small harpsichord.
"What do we do now?" Bella asked timidly, her eyes darting around the room for more clues.
The bench at the harpsichord slowly pulled back about an inch, the sound of wood scraping on wood drowning out the sounds of the rain outside.
"I am bordering on the freaking out stage," Bella said, taking a step closer to Edward.
"I'm right there with you." He took a step toward the harpsichord before Bella laid a hand on his arm to stop him.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing? Who do we trust? Just because this voice tells us to come here, do you think it's the right choice?"
"Kinda late to determine that now," he replied with a gentle smile.
"But…"
"Bella, it's a harpsichord. The worse thing that could happen is I get a splinter."
Edward approached the instrument cautiously and opened the bench seat. Inside, he found a small scrap of parchment.
"What's that?"
"A note signed by Marie. She wanted to meet Anthony at someplace called the spring house."
"Spring house?" Maggie inquired, suddenly appearing at the door, giving Bella a start. "What's this about the spring house?"
Edward quickly gave Maggie a report on what had happened, judiciously leaving out any reference to Bella's opinions on his posterior.
"She's pregnant," Bella blurted out at the end of the tale, earning wide eyed gapes from both Maggie and Edward.
"And how do you know this?" Maggie gently demanded.
"Her reflection told me."
"I see." The tone of Maggie's response told everyone that she was not quite as willing to believe as her words belied.
"Are spirits temporal?" Bella asked quickly.
"Are they what?
"Spirits. Are they tied to a particular time or can they move back and forth?"
"I don't really know," Maggie said apologetically.
"How can you not know?"
"Just because I'm a witch doesn't mean I know everything about every supernatural creature. I don't know everything there is to know about magic, hence it took me so long to get someone back here to solve the mystery. You weren't born knowing how to walk and talk and feed yourself, were you?" Maggie glared at Bella who had the good graces to look abashed.
"Well, considering you heard Marie's voice in 2012 and again now, a week before she was supposed to disappear, I think it would be safe to assume…to conclude," he cast a rakish grin at Bella who shook her head at him, "that they are and can move through time easily. Were either Anthony or Marie gifted?" Edward asked looking up from the harpsichord he had been admiring.
"Gifted? Well, yes. Magical, no. Anthony's gift was his music. Marie had shown some signs of different abilities but none had fully developed."
"Then tomorrow, I suggest we go to this spring house and investigate."
"And hopefully Marie can help us once we get there," Bella stated.
No.
The agitation in the voice was clear.
"What was that?" Maggie demanded, looking around the room for the source of the voice.
"That's Marie," Bella replied. "What's wrong, Marie?"
I can't.
"You can't go to the spring house?"
Yes.
"Then we're on our own there," Edward said simply.
Thank you.
The sounds of approaching footsteps echoed down the hall and suddenly all three felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room.
"Marie?" Maggie whispered but there was no reply. "Well, even I must say this is a strange turn of events."
"I've given up on labeling anything," Bella said, watching Edward as he sat at the harpsichord, the journal open before him. His fingers ghosted over the keys as he pretended to play the music.
"I suggest we get a good night's sleep and get an early start on investigating the spring house," Maggie offered, earning nods of agreement from the others. "I will await you two in the library. Heaven knows, I don't wish to interrupt anything."
And with that, she spun on her heel and bustled out of the room, leaving Bella and Edward speechless.
"I'll sleep on the chaise," Edward offered, rising and motioning toward the door.
"We're both adults," Bella said softly, looping her arm through his as they returned to their chamber. "We can share."
"OK."
The two silently changed clothes, their backs to each other with dimmed lights preventing any furtive peeks. Within a few minutes, the two were lying flat on their backs, stiff as boards under the covers.
The weight of the entire day finally hit Bella and she stifled a small sigh.
"Come here," Edward whispered, wrapping one arm around Bella's waist. "I much preferred waking up with my arms around you."
He placed a gentle kiss on her temple and smiled as he felt her melt into him.
"Do you think we'll ever get back home?" Bella whispered.
"I'd like to think so. I'm a happily ever after kind of guy."
She giggled softly, earning a bigger smile.
"Though if you ever tell Emmett and Jasper, I will deny it to my dying day."
"You have my word, Edward Cullen."
Edward hummed his thanks and in a matter of moments, the only sounds to be heard were the gentle breathing of two sleeping souls.
~HOH~
A thousand apologies for the delay in posting—when I said 2 weeks, I totally forgot the start of school for my girls (we went back 8/1) and the fact my wedding anniversary (19 years!) and DD2's birthday were all within those two weeks. I'm talented, but not that talented!
That said, we have smooth sailing for the next several weeks and I am writing madly.
I'd love to hear what y'all think so drop me a review but please log in because I like placing a name with the reviewer (and it makes it easier to respond if you have a question, etc.)
Thanks!