Chapter 16

           Heledmebacktotheroomthathe’dpointedoutasCarlisle’soffice.Hepausedoutsidethedoorforaninstant.

           "Comein,"Carlisle’svoiceinvited.

           Edwardopenedthedoortoahigh-ceilingedroomwithtall,west-facingwindows.Thewallswerepaneledagain,inadarkerwood-wheretheywerevisible.MostofthewallspacewastakenupbytoweringbookshelvesthatreachedhighabovemyheadandheldmorebooksthanI’deverseenoutsidealibrary.

           Carlislesatbehindahugemahoganydeskinaleatherchair.Hewasjustplacingabookmarkinthepagesofthethickvolumeheheld.TheroomwashowI’dalwaysimaginedacollegedean’swouldlook-onlyCarlislelookedtooyoungtofitthepart.

           "WhatcanIdoforyou?"heaskeduspleasantly,risingfromhisseat.

           "IwantedtoshowBellasomeofourhistory,"Edwardsaid."Well,yourhistory,actually."

           "Wedidn’tmeantodisturbyou,"Iapologized.

           "Notatall.Whereareyougoingtostart?"

           "TheWaggoner,"Edwardreplied,placingonehandlightlyonmyshoulderandspinningmearoundtolookbacktowardthedoorwe’djustcomethrough.Everytimehetouchedme,ineventhemostcasualway,myhearthadanaudiblereaction.ItwasmoreembarrassingwithCarlislethere.

           Thewallwefacednowwasdifferentfromtheothers.Insteadofbookshelves,thiswallwascrowdedwithframedpicturesofallsizes,someinvibrantcolors,othersdullmonochromes.Isearchedforsomelogic,somebindingmotifthecollectionhadincommon,butIfoundnothinginmyhastyexamination.