This is an Edward/Bella story taken back to a different era. Victorian. Enjoy.

I picked up the laundry basket and carried it outside. I could see the fresh white sheets blowing in the wind. I thought to myself the world would soon be graced by rain by the good god. With sheets to fold, a trip to town to make, and food to prepare, I hardly had time to admire the dark skies above. "May I help you?" I heard a small voice ask from behind me. Little Mary. A kind young girl with blue eyes, black hair, pale skin and rosy cheeks. One of my three younger sisters. She would surely be a beauty and turn gentlemen's heads when she came of age. She was only eight summers.

"No sweet Mary. Go on now, back inside the house before you catch a cold."

"But I'm so bored," she pouted.

"Hush now," I said as I pulled down the last sheet and put it in the basket. "No one likes a pouty girl. If you must help then, go and prepare the shopping basket for town." Her face lit up with excitement as she scampered off. She always liked going into town with me. It wasn't often, due to the little money we had, but she always liked to be included.

As I came into the house with the sheets, I saw my father sitting at the table eating a piece of bread while drinking a strong cup of brewed beans. "Going to town?"

"Yes, we are out of beans, bread and milk, the necessities. There is no milk for dinner tonight. I have tried to make it last as long as possible."

He cleared his throat and stood. "Here," he said reaching into his pocket pulling out some money, "rent will be due this evening you may have what is left." He placed 2 shillings in my hand. I knew the rent to be 7 shillings a week.

"Are you going to town, may I come too?" Grace, another one of my sisters came running out to me.

I shook my head, "No Grace, Mary is already coming. I can't have more than one of you to watch. I don't have eyes in the back and side of my head."

"But I won't be too much trouble I promise."

"I said no, Grace. Next time it will be your turn. Now don't sulk, it's not for a face like yours." Grace had fiery crimson hair and blue eyes, with the smallest freckles speckled all over her small pale face. She was seven summers. I knew one day my sisters would bring the gentlemen to our doors. I, on the other hand, was far too plain to be noticed even by the most common men. I did not have exotic eyes, just ordinary brown ones. I didn't have fiery red hair, golden locks like Jane, my third younger sister, or dark curls like Mary. My hair was just a dull brown color.

I already knew that one day I would be an old maid, or a spinster, for I was already 22 summers. No offers for marriage had ever been made to me. Although, if I was perfectly honest, I was always far too busy with my daily chores to even notice if I caught the gaze of men. "Come Mary, get your coat and grab the basket we must be off to town."

Charlie, my father approached me swiftly. Grabbing my arm, he whispered, "Mary is to go with you then?"

"Yes. I believe it will be good for her. The devil finds work for idle hands."

"It's not her hands I worry about," he whispered, "it's her pretty nose and want for expensive things and your weak nature in wanting to give them to her."

I scrunch my face as a twinge of irritation seeped into my body. "Have I ever once been irresponsible with the rag money? I have always made sure the necessities come first."

"And after the necessities are met, the remainder money should come home. As a man, don't you think after clothing and feeding you all, I'm entitled to being able to enjoy a drink or two?" I wanted to argue, but I knew it would only result in him becoming violent. And after his fit was thrown the end of the matter would be the same anyhow. I was to bring the remainder money back for him to drink and be merry to escape our daily slum life. In some ways I didn't blame him, as he did work hard every day. But another part of me felt angered that he didn't wish to give his children any sort of luxuries over himself, small and few as they were.

"Yes father," was my only reply.

He released my arm giving me a warning look. "I'll be off to work then." He sipped the last of his hot drink and grabbed his coat. As I watched him leave, I wondered what life would be like if he never came back. The money he earned was not much, but it kept us from the streets and a roof over our heads.

"Grace, Jane, come and lock the door behind us. And do not open it for strangers. And both of you stay inside till I return. No excuses." Jane finally came out from the back room. She was my beautiful youngest sister. Only five summers. Grace took Jane's small hand in hers. "You two take care of each other now," I smiled down at them.

"Bye bye Isie," Jane said, "come back soon."

"I will. Tonight, we shall have a good dinner. Today is market day." I tickled her face and she let out a small giggle. I grabbed my coat and hat and shut the door behind me. I stood there for a moment after to listen as they locked the door. My sweet sisters meant more to me than anything in the world.

Town was bustling with people of all sorts. I rarely came; therefore, it always took me a moment to adjust to the fast pace of it all. I reached down and grabbed Mary's small cold hand. "Stay close to me." We went into a small shop and approached the man at the counter. I could feel as his eyes sized me up for my worth. Which was very little judging from my old maid's dress and hat.

"Yes Ma'am, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"I need three loaves of bread, 1 pound of cheese, two pounds of beans, two pounds of rice, six pounds of potatoes, one pound of coffee, and 2 pounds of sugar." He loaded each item up on the counter and then looked cautiously at me.

"That will be one shilling and six." He took the money and handed me back 96 cents. "Anything else Miss?" I wanted to say no, but a part of me wanted to give my sisters a great meal, as I promised.

Mary looked up at me. "Yes Sir, I would also like 1 pound of vegetables, and one pound of steak." I knew it would be a little pricier, but what was life without a little luxury? He raised a brow and retrieved the items.

"That will be 47 cents."

Mary tugged on my coat, "but father," she whispered, "he will be mad."

"I will deal with him; your job is to enjoy tonight's dinner. You all have earned it." She smiled at the thought. I handed the man the money. It would leave me with 49 cents for milk and oats. "Thank you, Sir," I said as we readied to leave.

A certain scent caught my attention. I smelled the fresh scent of honey and clean linen. When I looked behind me there was a man waiting and standing calmly behind us. An astonishingly well-dressed slender, but muscular man in leather boots, top hat, and waistcoat. My eyes scanned his elegant facial features which consisted of high cheekbones, a strong jawline, a straight nose, and very full lips. His jet-black hair too was neatly arranged and complimented his moonlike silver eyes.

His silvery eyes locked onto mine. They seemed to freeze me in my place. I don't know why I couldn't turn away. Something in his air made me want to hold his gaze. I had never seen a man like him before. He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment before returning to meet my eyes again. I watched as a smirk tugged at the edge of lips. "Excuse me Miss. If you are quite done staring, I would very much like to get my supplies."

His voice jolted me from my thoughts and propelled me back into reality. "I wasn't staring," I said quickly. "You shouldn't flatter yourself Sir, I was just wondering why a man would dress in such a way to get such simple necessities. Seems a bit pompous." I could scarcely believe the words coming from my lips. But something about his statement made me feel small and demeaned. As my mother used to say, just because some have more money doesn't mean they are different. They piss and shit like the rest of us and when they do it smells no different than ours. She was a forward woman.

At first, he looked taken aback. Then he shrugged it off with a smirked. "I take pride in my appearance at all times." He eyed me, letting his eyes travel up and down my attire. His eyes did not show any emotion of being impressed. Instead they held a bored and uninterested expression. "One cannot expect, another from a lesser class to understand the importance of appearances at all times. Therefore, I do not blame you for not understanding, Miss."

My mouth dropped a little at his words. The conceited words cut through my brain and sent a surge of anger into my blood. I could feel my blood boiling. I wanted to slap that smile from his lips as he turned away from me arrogantly. How dare he think he has the right to put on airs!

A lesser class?

"And you are the same ones who call yourselves gentlemen aren't you? I see nothing more than a pig robed in nice clothing." His eyes darkened, and I felt excitement at the little victory I gained over him. If we had not been in public, I felt he would have held no restraint in dealing out a blow at me. He didn't seem like the reasonable sort of man to show honor to women.

After a moment, he seemed to regain control, as he sighed. "Out of respect for you as a lady, I will make no comments on your character Miss, and you would do well to do the same as respects mine. I'm not one to be trifled with in such a way."

I wanted to respond to him with the same venom he held his voice, but the burning fierceness in his eyes made me think twice about doing so. I didn't like feeling intimidated or put in my place by a man like him. But my gut feeling was that it was wise not to carry on a conversation of insults.

I lowered my gaze a little as I bit the bottom of my lip to hold my tongue. An action that seemed to bring an unnerving small, but wicked smile to his face. Every moment I spent standing in his presence made my blood boil even more.

Mary shrunk away a little, hiding her body behind mine. He seemed to notice as he looked down at her then softened his features. It made me sick that he would even look at my little sister. I put my hands around her.

"Come on Mary," I said grabbing her hand. The man proudly stepped around me and moved to the counter.

The storekeeper, who had been trying to ignore us, suddenly was engaged again. "Ah, Mr. Cullen. Nice to see you out and about. Your usual Sir?"

"My usual." He repeated.

"Twenty pounds of sugar and tea, forty pounds of vegetables, sixty pounds of beans and rice….."

With all that he was buying, I would think he would be able to afford some manners. Mary's eyes were wide as I opened the door to leave. "Did you hear that Isa?! He's so rich! Oh, when I grow up, I'm going to marry a man like that!" She giggled with her hands on her rosy cheeks. I could tell the vile man heard her loud voice as he looked at her smirking. I felt sickened that he looked at my sister again. I thought to myself, I would surly gouge his eyes out if he even thought of my sister in such a way.

"Oh hush! That man is as vulgar as a vulture. He would take what he wants and not care for you. Now come we must hurry home, there is much that needs doing." We made our way to a booth where an old woman was selling milk, honey, and oats. "Excuse me Miss, I would like one pail of milk and three pounds of oats."

"Money first, it will be thirty-two cents," she said holding out her hand. I suppose she was suspicious because of the way I was dressed. No doubt she wondered if I had the money to pay. I handed her the money, and she counted it slowly. Once satisfied she stuffed it into a small money pouch, grabbed a pail and began to milk the milk fresh from the cow she had brought with her. Once finished she handed me the pail and gathered the oats in a bag, weighing it carefully. "Here you are. Anything else I can get for you?"

"No. Thank you, we will be off now." Mary and I weaved our way through town on our way home. A pail of milk in one of my hands and a bag of oats in the other. And that's when I noticed the man from the shop again.

There he was, standing in the middle of the market in front of a carriage as if the whole world revolved around him and only him. He was straightening his waistcoat as a manservant opened the door to the carriage. He nodded once and went into the well lavished carriage never even looking at the manservant. I thought to myself, what life must be like for a man with everything at his fingertips. Of course, it was much easier for a man than a woman to acquire such wealth.

As a woman we had to marry into wealth. Just as cattle, if we were lucky and appealed to them, they would marry us and add us to their collection of acquired objects. I suppose I had a bitter idea of marriage to the wealthy. My family was never rich. Father worked at a factory, mother, who passed away one winter, was a house maid. We spent our lives working for the rich. Taking their scrapes of food, emptying their chamber pots and looking at the things we were never fit to enjoy in our lives.

"Oh, Isa he is divine." I realized Mary too was looking at the very same man. I looked down at her with the feeling of repulsion rising in my stomach once again. "If I married a man like that, I would go to market every day. Buy all sorts of shawls, all the ribbon in all sorts of colors." She made a swooning sound while batting her eyes in a dreamy way.

I half smiled, "yes and I would be your old maid."

"Nonsenses! You still have a few good years left." She giggled. I had to laugh at the tone she used. "And anyway, I would take you into town with me so you could buy things you liked too. I just know I'll marry the most wonderful man. Never a pauper"

"Alright Miss Mary, or Mistress Mary, let's go before you are late for your decadent super." She and I both walked home the rest of the way giggling and laughing about nothing. Just silly girlish rants. When we arrived home Mary and I quickly put away all the goods. There was 10 cents left from the shopping. I wrapped it in a small rag and placed it in the cabinet for safekeeping until father arrived home.

Grace came running into the kitchen with Jane trailing behind her. "Isa, did you get us presents?"

I rolled my eyes laughing. "It's market day Grace, not Christmas."

"Oh!" she squeaked out. "Vegetables and meat."

"Get down off the counter and behave like a lady."

She blushed and giggled. "Maybe the food will make father feel better." I stopped suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Father came home early. He said he was not feeling well. He is asleep now." I quickly pulled off my hat and went to Charlie's room.

"Father," I said coming to his side. He turned his head weakly in my direction mumbling nonsense. I felt his skin. It was burning with a fever. "Father?" I said again. His breathing was shallow. "Mary!" I yelled. "Mary!" She came running in, a scared look in her eyes. "Mary, get me a rag and a cold pail of water now."

She quickly rushed out to do so. Jane and Grace came to stand in the doorway, both equally frightened. "Stay back you two, one sick is better than three." When Mary returned with the water, I dabbed his forehead a couple of times with the cool rag.

"Will he be ok Isa?" I said nothing, as I was too preoccupied with my own feelings of worry to comfort her.

After a moment I stood. "I must call a doctor." There was a sharp knock at the door suddenly. Grace and Jane quickly hurried for the door. I rushed past them and opened the door. A tall man stood there. "Yes? Sir? I can I help you?"

"Beg your pardon Miss, don't mean to be bothering you too much, but the rent is due. Normally Mr. Swan drops it off, but the landlord figured he forgot and sent me to collect it."

"Oh, yes the rent. I'll get it now." I went to the cabinet where all the money was kept and pulled out the rent money. I rushed back and handed it to the man.

He counted it carefully, then nodded once with a small smile. "Thank you, Miss, hope all is well. I'll be off." I nodded back at him with a smile, but inside I was terrified. The only money we had left was the small amount father brought home from half a day's work, and the 10 cents from market. A doctor's visit would surely cost a good amount. We kept an extra week's rent in the cabinet. If I used it for the doctor's visit, we would not have anything for next week. We had no other money and if father was sick, it would stay that way. The only reasonable thought was for me to pick up work. And it had to be soon. I was not even sure if I would have a father by morning. And as much as I wanted to crawl into a corner and hide away from the world, I had a home and three younger sisters to care for.

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