〃Just a few minutes；〃 Rose said。 〃We would have called you soon。 She"s been asking for you— demandingmight be a better description。 Esme sacrificed her secondbest silver service to keep the little monster entertained。〃 Rose smiled at Renesmee with so much gloating affection that the criticism was entirely weightless。 〃We didn"t want to。。。 er； bother you。〃 Rosalie bit her lip and looked away； trying not to laugh。 I could feel Emmett"s silent laughter behind me； sending vibrations through the foundations of the house。 I kept my chin high。 〃We"ll get your room set up right away；〃 I said to Renesmee。 〃You"ll like the cottage。 It"s magic。〃 I look up at Esme。 〃Thank you； Esme。 So much。 It"s absolutely perfect。〃 Before Esme could respond； Emmett was laughing again—it wasn"t silent this time。 〃So it"s still standing？〃 he managed to get out between his snickers。 〃I would"ve thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now。 What were you doing last night？ Discussing the national debt？〃 He howled with laughter。 I gritted my teeth and reminded myself of the negative consequences when I"d let my temper get away from me yesterday。 Of course； Emmett wasn"t as breakable as Seth___ Thinking of Seth made me wonder。 〃Where"re the wolves today？〃 I glanced out the window wall； but Page 288 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html there had been no sign of Leah on the way in。 〃Jacob took off this morning pretty early；〃 Rosalie told me； a little frown creasing her forehead。 〃Seth followed him out。〃 〃What was he so upset about？〃 Edward asked as he came back into the room with Renesmee"s cup。 There must have been more in Rosalie"s memory than I"d seen in her expression。 Without breathing； I handed Renesmee off to Rosalie。 Superselfcontrol； maybe； but there was no way I was going to be able to feed her。 Not yet。 〃I don"t know—or care；〃 Rosalie grumbled； but she answered Edward"s question more fully。 〃He was watching Nessie sleep； his mouth hanging open like the moron he is； and then he just jumped to his feet without any kind of trigger—that I noticed； anyway—and stormed out。 was glad to be rid of him。 The more time he spends here； the less chance there is that we"ll ever get the smell out。〃 〃Rose；〃 Esme chided gently。 Rosalie flipped her hair。 〃I suppose it doesn"t matter。 We won"t be here that much longer。〃 〃I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up；〃 Emmett said； obviously continuing an earlier conversation。 〃Bella"s already registered at Dartmouth。 Doesn"t look like it will take her all that long to be able to handle school。〃 He turned to look at me with a teasing grin。 Tm sure you"ll ace your classes。。。 apparently there"s nothing interesting for you to do at night besides study。〃 Rosalie giggled。 Do not lose your temper； do not lose your temper；I chanted to myself。 And then I was proud of myself for keeping my head。 So I was pretty surprised that Edward didn"t。 He growled—an abrupt； shocking rasp of sound—and the blackest fury rolled across his expression like storm clouds。 Before any of us could respond； Alice was on her feet。 〃What is he doing？ What is that dog doing that has erased my schedule for the entire day？ I can"t see anything＇ No！〃 She shot me a tortured glance。 〃Look at you！ You neecmeto show you how to use your closet。〃 For one second I was grateful for whatever Jacob was up to。 And then Edward"s hands balled up into fists and he snarled； 〃He talked to Charlie。 He thinks Charlie is following after him。 ing here。 Today。〃 Alice said a word that sounded very odd in her trilling； ladylike voice； and then she blurred into motion； streaking out the backdoor。 Page 289 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html 〃He told Charlie？〃 I gasped。 〃But—doesn"t he understand？ How could he do that？〃 Charlie couldn"t know about me！ About vampires！ That would put him on a hit list that even the Cullens couldn"t save him from。 〃No！〃 Edward spoke through his teeth。 〃Jacob"s on his way in now。〃 It must have started raining farther east。 Jacob came through the door shaking his wet hair like a dog； flipping droplets on the carpet and the couch where they made little round gray spots on the white。 His teeth glinted against his dark lips； his eyes were bright and excited。 He walked with jerky movements； like he was all hypedup about destroying my father"s life。 〃Hey； guys；〃 he greeted us； grinning。 It was perfectly silent。 Leah and Seth slipped in behind him； in their human forms—for now； both of their hands were trembling with the tension in the room。 〃Rose；〃 I said； holding my arms out。 Wordlessly； Rosalie handed me Renesmee。 I pressed her close to my motionless heart； holding her like a talisman against rash behavior。 I would keep her in my arms until I was sure my decision to kill Jacob was based entirely on rational judgment rather than fury。 She was very still； watching and listening。 How much did she understand？ 〃Charlie"ll be here soon；〃 Jacob said to me casually。 〃Just a headsup。 I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something？〃 〃You assume way too much；〃 I spit through my teeth。 〃What。 Have。 You。 Done？〃 Jacob"s smile wavered； but he was still too wound up to answer seriously。 〃Biondie and Emmett woke me up this morning going on and on about you all moving crosscountry。 Like I could let you leave。 Charlie was the biggest issue there； right？ Well； problem solved。"7 〃Do you even realize what you"ve done？ The danger you"ve put him in？〃 He snorted。 〃I didn"t put him in danger。 Except from you。 But you"ve got some kind of supernatural selfcontrol； right？ Not as good as mind reading； if you ask me。 Much less exciting。〃 Edward moved then； darting across the room to get in Jacob"s face。 Though he was half a head shorter than Jacob； Jacob leaned away from his staggering anger as if Edward towered over him。 〃That"s just a theory； mongrel；〃 he snarled。 〃You think we should test it out on Charlie？ Did you