分节阅读_110

  side.
  esme smiled and stepped forward as well, reay hand. her cold,
  stone grasp ected.
  ”it's very o know you,” she said sincerely.
  ”thank you. i'm glad to meet you, too.” and i was. it was like meeting a
  fairy tale — she flesh.
  ”where are alid jasper?” edward asked, but no ohey
  had just appeared at the top of the wide staircase.
  ”hey, edward!” alice thusiastically. she raairs, a
  streak of blad white skin, ing to a sudden aop
  in front of me. carlisle a warni her, but i
  liked it. it was natural — for her, anyway.
  ”hi, bella!” alice said, and she bounced forward to kiss my cheek. if
  carlisle and esme had looked cautious before, they aggered.
  there was sho my eyes, too, but i was also very pleased that she
  seemed to approve of me so entirely. i was startled to feel edward
  stiffen at my side. i gla his face, but his expression was
  unreadable.
  ”you do smell iced before,” she eo my extreme
  embarrassment.
  no oo ko say, and thehere —
  tall and leonine. a feelihrough me, and i was suddenly
  fortable despite ard stared at jasper, raising one
  eyebrow, and i remembered er could do.
  ”hello, bella,” jasper said. he kept his dista to shake
  my hand. but it ossible to feel awkward near him.
  ”hello, jasper.” i smiled at him shyly, ahe others. ”it's
  you all — you have a very beautiful home,” i added
  ally.
  ”thank you,” esme said. ”we're so glad that you came.” she spoke with
  feeling, ahat she thought i was brave.
  i also realized that rosalie a were o be seen, and i
  remembered edward's too-i denial when i'd asked him if the others
  didn't like me.
  carlisle's expression distracted me from this train of thought; he was
  gazing meaningfully at edward with an intense expression. out of the
  y eye, i saw edward nod once.
  i looked away, tryie. my eyes wao the
  beautiful ihe platform by the door. i suddenly remembered
  my childhood fantasy that, should i ever win a lottery, i would buy a
  grand piano for my mother. she wasn't really good — she only played for
  herself on our sed upright — but i loved to lay. she
  y, absorbed — she seemed like a erious beihen,
  someohe ”mom” persona i tranted. she'd put me
  through lessons, of course, but like most kids, i whiil she let me
  quit.
  esme noticed my preo.
  ”do you play?” she asked, ing her head toiano.
  i shook my head. ”not at all. but it's so beautiful. is it yours?”
  ”no,” she laughed. ”edward didn't tell you he was musical?”
  ”no.” i glared at his sudde expression with narrowed eyes. ”i
  should have known, i guess.”
  esme raised her delicate eyebrows in .
  ”edward d, right?” i explained.
  jasper snid esme gave edroving look.
  ”i hope you haven't been showing off— it's rude,” she scolded.
  ”just a bit,” he laughed freely. her faed at the sound, and they
  shared a brief look that i didn't uhough esme's face seemed
  almost smug.
  ”he's beeually,” i corrected.
  ”well, play for her,” esme enced.
  ”you just said showing off was rude,” he objected.
  ”there are exs to every rule,” she replied.
  ”i'd like to hear you play,” i volunteered.
  ”it's settled then.” esme pushed him toiano. he pulled me
  along, sittihe bench beside him.
  he gave me a loed look before he turhe keys.
  and then his fingers flowed swiftly across the ivory, and the room was
  filled osition so plex, so luxuriant, it ossible to <b