I awoke to a knock on the door. John, Mr. Rochester's manservant, asked, "Sir, are you ready to be dressed?" I opened my eyes in horror. I was still in the Master's bedchamber; let alone in his bed! From the corner of my eye, I watched as Mr. Rochester got up from his couch across the room and walked towards the door. He opened it enough to protrude his head outside to speak to John. I strained to hear the conversation but what I could convey was Mr. Rochester refusing his services for the present. He then pulled his head inside the room and closed the door.

He turned and started to make his way towards me. Mr. Rochester was still wearing his unbuttoned nightshirt along with the trousers he scrambled to put on earlier in the night due to our encounter. I watched as his gaze met mine then slowly sat on the side of the bed, near the end.

"Good morning, Jane" he spoke in a warm, low tone. His voice made me internally quiver in excitement.

"Good morning, sir"

"Did you sleep well?"

"For the last few hours of the night, I did indeed, sir. I'm most gracious to you for lending your bed."

At this remark, he laughed. His smile was almost breathtaking to me.

Oh dear, I'm in love with him

"Jane, it would be completely ungentlemanlike of me to force you to sleep over there on the couch while I slept in my bed. Think nothing of it."

I concluded that this frame of mind sounds rational.

He continued, "I did promise last night that I would wake you before the servants were up but it seems I am in falsehood. Now the question is, how to get you back to your room undetected?"

I looked at him in earnest.

How will I get back? I will most surely be caught

"I could leave you here for the rest of the day," he joked.

My face redden.

"No, no, that won't do. Some of the house staff would eventually start looking for you. What we could do is for I to get dress and stand guard in the hallway while you make your way to your room. I would be your watchman and distract anyone who might come near" his smile broadened.

"Sir, that would have to do. I don't want anyone, especially Adele, to come look for me and find me in such a state."

"Then it's settled." He stretched out his hand.

I took it and climbed out of the bed. I believe we both had a moment in a lapse of judgement for I was standing before him in my nightdress yet again. I franticly looked around me for Mr. Rochester's robe as he stood there looking at me. His senses shortly come to him as he reached over and picked up the robe off of the floor where I had thrown it earlier in the night.

"Here, Miss Eyre" he said as he held out the robe in his hand. I snatched it quickly and put it on. Securely tightened, I looked up at Mr. Rochester. He ran his right hand through his hair as he pivoted towards his wardrobe.

"Give me a moment to get dressed and then we will be on our way." He was fumbling with some articles of clothing as he said this. My emotions were secretly pleased with Mr. Rochester's current mishap.

Did I cause this reaction?

I rotated around so that he could dress in piece; though I must say, I did let out a slight giggle. My exterior vision saw Mr. Rochester give me a stare but I could sense it was in jest.

"Alright, Jane, I'm ready to be your knight and rescue you from this predicament." He held out his hand, yet again, and I took it. He led me towards the door and he, once more, projected his head out into the hallway. He glanced down both sides and then led me out. I walked behind him, still holding his hand, as we made our way towards my room. His hand was rough, but in a masculine way, and the heat from his body flown through my hand causing my emotions to stir. Once there, Mr. Rochester looked down both sides of the hallway again, then opened the door.

I promptly entered through the doorway but was interrupted by Mr. Rochester's entrapment of my hand. Desire was starting to build up inside me. I looked at his face, his face that had a look about it that could drive my imagination wild.

"Jane"

"Yes, sir"

He paused, looking straight into my eyes with his gorgeous, piercing stare.

"Thank you… for coming last night… I'm really grateful… for you… returning Pilot." He then looked down at the floor.

"You are welcome, sir"

"Enjoy the day" and with that, he swiftly turned and left.

I decided that Adele and I would conduct lessons outside today. The weather was warm and was the first of many days that there was not a cloud in the sky producing rain. If we had stayed indoors, in the school room, there was no telling what my imagination would have become.

I spread out a blanket upon the grassy lawn and brought slate and tasks for Adele to attempt. She busied herself on the objects before her while I gazed out over the lawn.

"Miss Eyre, the day would be much more beautiful if there were birds singing."

I mumbled a spell under my breath so she would not hear it. Two blue jays appeared and spun together above Adele, singing. She laughed at the blue jays' dance and watched on, mesmerized. Her amazement at the birds brought me great joy.

After a moment or two, the blue jays' song was finished and so they flew off together into the sunlight.

"Miss Eyre, did you see? It was as if they heard me and performed just for me!"

"I believe they did, Adele."

Just then we both heard someone walking towards us. We spun around towards the house to see Mr. Rochester coming over to us.

"What is this? Are we having a picnic?"

"No, sir," I said. "We are studying. It is such a fine day out that we could not let it go to waste."

"No, indeed. Fresh air is always good for the mind. Care if I join?"

"No, sir. Please sit."

Mr. Rochester sat right on the corner of the blanket between Adele and I. He looked over her shoulder to witness her progress.

"Getting better, I see. Once you master that, Adele, I will give you a geography lesson."

"Really, monsieur?"

"Oui, petite fille! I could tell you stories of Italy and Spain. Possibly Ireland and Greece, if you like."

"Oui, monsieur, that would be very great!"

He looked over at me with a smirk.

"And you, Miss Eyre. You may listen if you like. Course you're probably busy bewitching some poor creature."

I looked at him with a grin of my own. Just then the blue jays returned and danced around both of their heads, singing. Both were amazed at the sight above them and; just as before, the blue jays left once their tune was complete. Adele giggled as she stared towards the direction that the birds went; Mr. Rochester looked over at me with his smiling but disbelief face. I, unconsciously, laughed.

"Adele, they are gone now. Go back to working on your task."

"Yes, Adele. Work on that as Miss Eyre and I take a turn about the lawn."

Mr. Rochester stood and reached out his hand towards me. I kindly obliged and began walking beside him.

"How did you do it?"

"Do what, sir?"

"How did you conjure up those birds?

I looked over at him and saw the slight beam on his face.

"You must be still in amazement, sir, for I can do no such thing" I said laughing.

"I knew that you could bewitch horses and men but I didn't realize that birds had succumb as well."

"When have I bewitched a man?" I asked without thinking.

He looked forward, changing his face to show no emotion.

Minutes of silence had passed between us. My body tingling over the possibility of what Mr. Rochester had said.

Did he just confess his feelings?

My mind still in raptures, Mr. Rochester broke the silence.

"Let me tell you about Adele's mother, Celine Varens."