I own the storyline and a debt of gratitude for your patience. More at the end.
~HOH~
Chapter 14: The spring house
Sometime during the night, the rainclouds blew away and a bright, clear night sky filled with twinkling stars and a tiny sliver of a crescent moon shone through the open drapes. Bella lay curled up against Edward's side, breathing deeply and peacefully, one hand splayed over his heart.
Edward, on the other hand, lay unable to sleep as his mind ping-ponged from every fact they had gathered the day before to wondering how they were going to get back to their own time to Bella's marked drawback in their relationship. Occasionally, Edward's hand would gently play with the fine lace decoration across the shoulder of Bella's nightgown or brush a curl away from her face as his mind raced.
Suddenly, a soft whimper escaped Bella's lips as her face tightened and her brow creased. Images of being trapped and alone flew through her mind at lightning speed. The oppressive feeling of making poor decisions and wrong choices and what was real and what was not real weighed down upon her and Bella stiffened alongside Edward. He gently ran one hand over the soft skin of her cheek, humming softly and soothingly. She relaxed minutely.
"I wish I could read your mind sometimes, Bella Swan," Edward murmured before placing a kiss on her forehead. He was pleased to note her calm even more at his touch.
She's scared.
Edward jumped, nearly tossing Bella off of him but in her now-relaxed state, she barely moved and settled down almost immediately, much to his delight.
"You know, you really have to stop doing this," Edward muttered, looking around the room, searching for the voice.
A thin, wispy vapor appeared at the window, forming into the figure of a young woman who gazed out toward the woods.
"I know you mean well but this popping in and out and disembodied voice is rather unnerving."
Edward would have sworn the shimmer flipped him off, earning a chuckle on his part. Bella roused ever so slightly, causing him to still until she nuzzled against the rough cotton of his nightshirt and emitted a soft snore.
"Unless, of course, you can tell us what happened to you and Anthony and how to fix it."
The wisp shook its head sadly.
She's scared. Not confident. Doesn't know what to believe.
Edward silently agreed and stared at the sleeping woman. He recounted to himself every moment the two had spent together—from that dark side of the road when Alice's car had gotten a flat when they first met officially to their most recent date to dancing with her after his performance at Masen Manor. It was then that he realized he had fallen completely in love with Bella Swan.
You're her Anthony. She needs to know that. It's the only way you two will solve this. Together. Not like us. Apart.
Edward noticed the pain in the voice as it faded away.
"Marie?" he whispered but received no response, leaving him to think of what he needed to do next.
~HOH~
Dawn brought a bright blue sky and mild temperatures. A single beam of light peeked through a partition in the curtains, landing on the bed next to Bella's head. As the sun rose in the sky, the light slowly moved closer and closer to her face until it finally lay across her eyes. Squinting, she tensed and tried to turn away from the light only to find herself tangled in the sheets and alone.
Bella sat up, blinking away the sleep in her eyes and trying to shake the cobwebs from her brain.
"Edward?" she whispered but received no response. Suddenly it hit her that she probably should not announce that name. "Anthony?" Her voice grew a little louder and a little higher as her eyes searched the room for him.
She scrambled out of bed, wrapping a robe around herself as she tried not to stumble over her own feet.
"I need coffee," Bella mumbled, crossing the room and flinging open the curtains to allow in the bright sunlight.
Outside, she saw a familiar figure talking to an older man with a scraggly white beard that Bella did not recognize. They appeared to be having a very friendly conversation that ended in a hearty handshake before the stranger tipped his hat to Edward and turned to walk away. Edward glanced up toward where Bella stood, his face breaking into a huge grin when he saw her watching. He waved and his eyes lit up when she returned his greeting.
Bella would have sworn she could see a twinkle in his eyes before Edward disappeared from her view. Shrugging, she turned toward the armoire and began to scrounge around; looking for something appropriate to wear that would not require finding Maggie to assist in putting it on.
She was lost in her own world when a light rap on the glass startled her and Bella could not hold back the shriek that escaped her lips. She turned to find Edward, mischievous grin on his face, sitting on a tree branch just outside their bedroom window.
"What the hell are you doing?" Bella demanded after throwing open the window. "You could fall and …"
He placed a quick peck on her lips before pulling back.
"Romantic gesture number one," Edward interrupted with a smile, holding out a small bouquet of freshly picked red and pink Camilla blossoms.
"But …"
"May I come in?"
Bella silently stepped back to allow him room to climb through the window.
"Do you like it?" Edward inquired as he turned to close the window.
"It's beautiful but …"
"I'm fine. I've climbed many a tree in my day. Usually to rescue one of Alice's cats. They are about as flighty as she is, though I'll deny I said that if you ever bring it up."
Bella smiled warmly.
"Thank you."
"You are most welcome," he grinned. "Now, if you will get dressed, I have arranged for breakfast and we have a picnic and sleuthing at the spring house to get to. I'll meet you downstairs?"
Edward's enthusiasm was infectious and Bella grinned in return before returning to the armoire. She heard the door click as he left and quickly dressed in a robin's egg blue dress with dark blue ribbon trim, wondering what Edward had in mind.
As Bella reached for the doorknob, she realized she had given no thought to how to dress or fix her hair. It came completely naturally, as if she had done it countless times before.
"Maybe I'm becoming Marie," she murmured to herself with a shrug as she examined herself in the mirror, half expecting to see Marie but the spirit did not reveal herself.
In the brighter light of day, Bella examined the ornately carved wood frame of the mirror, hoping for some hidden message but the dark oak yielded none of its secrets. It was merely an oval of tiny flowers with a brighter wood inlayed to form a ribbon around a silvered glass.
Bella made one quick adjustment to her hair before spying the flowers Edward had brought her. She wove a few together and carefully pinned them into the knot she had created at the nape of her neck before rushing out the door.
Maggie and Edward were chatting quietly in the dining room when Bella appeared. She blushed when she saw his jaw drop and he silently rose to acknowledge her presence.
"Don't you look lovely," Maggie grinned. She handed a cup of coffee to Bella who accepted it gratefully. "Sleep well?"
"Actually, only about half the night. I had some strange nightmares," Bella replied, sitting in the chair Edward pulled out for her. She smiled her thanks up to him and blushed when he placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I hope I didn't keep you up."
"Not at all. I had trouble sleeping and after my quick chat with Marie, I decided to reread the 1790 journal."
"Did Marie offer any insights?" Maggie asked anxiously.
Edward shook his head sadly. "Though she seemed to be staring out toward where Fritz said the spring house is."
"Find anything in the journal?" Bella inquired after a welcome sip of her coffee. She sighed contently as she felt the hot liquid rejuvenate her.
"I'm not sure. I'll know more after we visit the spring house."
"I don't know what could be so important about the spring house. It's nothing more than a hut with water running though it to keep things cold," Maggie interjected. "It can't be more than a few feet across."
"Then we'll all go investigate and see what's so important." Bella stood and looked expectantly at Maggie and Edward.
"Um…" stuttered Maggie, looking out the window, her eyes downcast in embarrassment. "I can't go into the spring house."
"What do you mean?"
"As a witch, I can't cross water. I mean, I can if there's a bridge or tunnel or if I can jump it, but if there is running water, I can't and the spring house has running water surrounding it." Maggie looked ashamed at her revelation, earning a sympathetic look from Bella.
"Did it always?" asked Edward.
"Did it always what?"
"The water? Did it always surround the spring house or is this something new?"
Maggie thought for a moment before replying, "Come to think of it, we used to use a cave on the north side of the property. Last month the spring house was moved to this location. Well, not moved. They built a brand new house since we'd been using a cave before."
"Did anything particular happen to necessitate the move?" Bella inquired, her eyes bright with the possibility of a clue coming to light.
"Not that I know of. Alaric and Anthony went for a ride around the property and when he came back, Anthony suggested to Father that the spring house be moved. Gave a long list of reasons but Father didn't care one way or another and the house was built."
Bella and Edward exchanged an anxious glance. They were going to need to meet this Alaric before all was said and done if they expected to solve this mystery.
"So what do we do?" Edward asked.
"You and I will go investigate the spring house. You," Bella continued as she pointed at Maggie, "go find out everything you can about Alaric. Where he's from. How long he's known Anthony. Anything about their relationship. Oh, and if he's magical. I have a feeling he is. More than likely, very magical if he had anything to do with Anthony and Marie's disappearance and kept it hidden from you for almost two centuries."
"I can do that," Maggie said primly, looking slightly perturbed at being talked to in such a manner.
"We can meet back here at suppertime to discuss our findings," Bella said, standing and casting an expectant look at Edward. "Ready to go?"
"Absolutely," he smiled secretively. Take charge Bella had returned, at least for the moment.
~HOH~
Edward surprised Bella with an open coach and a beautiful black stallion to carry them into the woods to the spring house. She smiled brightly as he settled next to her and tucked a blanket around their legs to shield them from the slightly cool air. The day appeared to be warming nicely, though the hint of the coming winter still existed. Edward pulled a dark blue woolen shawl out of a bag and carefully arranged it around her shoulders to chase away the chill. Bella grinned her thanks and adjusted it ever so slightly. Her excitement was almost palatable and Edward was thrilled she was enjoying his surprises so far.
Edward guided the coach through the trees and over bumpy barely-there paths with casual grace, a skill he had never before had. The men in the stable had taken care of everything upon his request but somehow he knew just what to do and it confused him ever so slightly.
"Look!" Bella whispered in awe, watching a hawk ruffle its wings in the trees above. "I've never seen one so close."
Edward pulled the stallion to a slower pace so Bella could enjoy the wildlife before the hawk took off and they continued on their way.
"I'm not trying to hit every bump and pothole," he said with a grin as the carriage rocked over a patch of uneven ground.
"Part and parcel of living in the nineteenth century, I suppose," Bella replied good-naturedly.
He noticed that as she was bumped toward him, Bella made no move to scoot away and felt his mood lighten even further.
"Are you sure you know the way?" Bella quietly asked.
"Oh, sure. It's just over the next ridge," Edward said assuredly.
"How do you know, though?"
"I'm…I'm not really sure. It just seems like things are becoming clearer and clearer. Like I knew this beauty's name was Eclipse." He motioned toward the horse who shook his head as if acknowledging his name. "Apparently, he is my favorite."
"He's a beauty."
The coach pulled to a stop in front of a small rock and weathered board hut sitting on an outcrop in the middle of a stream. The building seemed as if a good strong wind would knock it down.
"That is just plain odd," Bella muttered, climbing down from the coach. She walked up to the water's edge and looked around at the dark green surrounding her. "Maggie said the house was built here last month."
"Right."
"That doesn't look like a brand new building. Even with Washington's humidity, the boards would not have weathered that quickly."
"Absolutely."
Bella paused and listened for a moment.
"What?" asked Edward, curious of what was going through Bella's mind.
"Do you hear anything?"
Edward listened for a moment before shaking his head.
"I don't either. We are in the middle of the woods on a beautiful fall day and there is absolutely no sound around us. I can't even hear the water from the stream."
Bella looked for the narrowest part of the stream.
"I don't think I can jump it."
"You don't need to jump it," Edward scoffed.
Before Bella could react, she found herself scooped up into his arms and toted through the water.
"Ed...Anthony!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"The joy of the fashion of the times," he murmured, holding out one knee-high leather boot for her inspection. "Completely waterproof. Much better than those slippers you are wearing, yes?"
Bella nodded in agreement, trying her best not to acknowledge just how good it felt to be held in Edward's arms.
"Only cost you a kiss, Mrs. Masen," Edward grinned with a rakish wink.
"Why, Mr. Masen," she grinned flirtatiously. "What usurious rate are you charging me?"
"I thought that was rather inexpensive, Mrs. Masen."
"I place a rather high value on my kisses, Mr. Masen."
"As you should, Mrs. Masen." Edward leaned in and placed a quick peck on Bella's lips.
Bella smiled and tried to free herself from Edward's grasp but to no avail.
"Oh, no, my dear," he whispered before gently setting her feet on the ground but keeping his arms around her. "You're not getting away that easily."
Edward placed a soft kiss on her forehead before slowly trailing his lips down her left temple.
"You'll have to tell me to stop, Bella," he whispered, gently brushing a few wisps of hair that had escaped the knot at the nape of her neck. "I don't want this … us being sent back here to help Marie and Anthony … to make us take a step back. I'd very much like to continue forward."
Bella swallowed hard, unable to speak. Every caress pulled her toward him. She tightened her hold around his shoulders.
"I don't either," she whispered. "Want to go back in our relationship, I mean."
Her words earned a bright smile which she returned faintly.
"Then let's take a look inside and solve this mystery and get back to our lives." Edward's eyes sparkled brightly, earning a broader smile in return.
"Ok." She prayed his optimism was warranted.
"Because I'd really, really like to test the limits of page 48, section 2D with you."
Bella felt a shiver go through her that was not due to the temperature of the air and nodded mutely. Her fingertips lightly toyed with the bronze curls twirling around the nape of his neck, earning a quick kiss on the lips.
"So," Edward continued, "let us find out what Marie thought was so important about this spring house."
Bella stood to the side while Edward attempted to open the door but the knob merely rattled in his hand. He jerked and pushed but the portal refused to give way.
"Might take a bit of force," he muttered, taking off his jacket and handing it to Bella.
Edward braced himself and rammed his left shoulder into the door. The wood creaked and groaned before a second blow caused it to splinter and fall open. Edward dusted himself off before kicking a few scraps of wood out of the way.
Both peered inside the windowless hut but were unable to see beyond the entryway.
"I think there's a lantern in the carriage. I'll get it and we can investigate with better light," Edward offered, turning and wading back through the stream.
"I'll be just inside," Bella called, seeing him wave in acknowledgement.
She took a step inside and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Slowly, Bella began to make out broken pieces of furniture and oddly placed shelves filled with crockery and smoked meats. At least, she thought that was a ham wrapped in cloth by her head. It did appear to have a rather unique odor wafting up and shaking the notion of what other body parts it might be from her head, quickly moved on.
"What I wouldn't give for a Maglight," she muttered, cautiously shuffling further into the spring house.
As Bella poked through the boxes and jars in the dim room, she wrapped her shawl further around her. It was a good fifteen degrees cooler in the spring house and while outside was probably not much above 65 degrees, the sun's bright rays provided the illusion of being warmer. Inside, the dank dampness made her shiver. She glanced toward the door and saw a wave of black clouds rolling in. So much for their sunny day picnic. A sudden blast of cold air caused her to clutch her wrap even tighter around herself.
"What the …" Bella shrieked as something scurried over her shoe. While she wasn't squeamish over small critters thanks to her dad and his love of the great outdoors, she did not appreciate them within her personal space.
"I've got you." A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist steadying her.
"Find the lantern?"
"No."
Bella felt the arms tighten and cool lips brush against the back of her neck.
"I missed you so much."
She relaxed into the embrace, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the caresses.
"You were just gone a minute," Bella giggled as strong hands pulled her even closer. She felt him shake his head in denial.
"More like an eternity."
"Ever the poet, Mr. Masen." She sighed happily as fingertips lightly stroked over her ribcage and brushed against the underside of her breasts. "Getting bolder?"
"Ever so much so, my Marie."
"Bella?" came a confused voice from the doorway.
Bella's head shot up and she realized the arms around her did not belong to Edward but she was locked in place and could not turn to see who held her. The hurt in Edward's eyes quickly vanished only to be replaced by shock.
"Who?" she whispered just as she was released and pushed forward.
Bella stumbled into Edward's arms and quickly turned in time to see a misty figure fade away.
"Anthony?" she gasped.
~HOH~
I thank you for reading and your understanding in the delays I've had. Our house is on the market and while I've had over a half dozen lookers, no buyers. In addition, I chair a committee at my church and the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1, so I've been tied up with those duties. And on top of that, I had company for 2 weeks which included a trip from my home in Georgia to Oklahoma where on top of getting to visit my great-aunt and great-uncle, I got to meet TLammy! She's only the 2nd person in the fandom I've met and while I forgot to get a picture of her in my excitement, it was a great visit!
The upside of the delays, though, is while I was unable to write, I have plotted the rest of the story to the end.
Evermore readers will remember my love of the language of flowers so if you are curious, search Camilla to find out how Edward feels about Bella.
As always, I treasure every review and hope to get back to responding to them so don't forget to log in!
See you in two weeks! *pinky swear*