-1"Apologies sir" Jane replied, voice barely a whisper. The air seemed colder between them and both new it was not just the crisp morning air. "yet…. I still feel slightly pale. I must retire."

"Jane, wait there is….."

Edward paused and turned once again to gaze across the water, so eerily still. How on earth was he meant to brooch the subject. He unconsciously ran a hand through his thick dark hair. Jane watched him curiously, watched his eyes as beautiful as dawn breaking, his proud features furrowed slightly as he stood, looking perplexed, his hair becoming lightly mussed from the breeze. Poor Edward. Why had the gods chosen to play such a cruel game with their hearts. Jane, who herself had never know love but loved without hesitation, and Edward… woman loved him, woman all over Europe, yet he himself had been unable to love. And then what they had, had been taken away by a cruel twist of fate.

"Martha is dead"

Jane looked up sharply, and his voice, though soft as ash, seemed to pierce through her. She was silent, knowing not what to say as a million emotions rushed through her. Jane was a simple creature by nature and now knew not how to react. Martha was dead, which meant Edward was no longer married, they could be together!. But as soon as the thought entered her mind it vanished. Poor, ill Martha. A soul had departed from their lives and despite the after-math, Jane still felt saddened by the death of another living being.

"I am sorry to hear that sir" she said sincerely meeting his eyes.

"sorry?" he said in a suddenly, looking bemused and unhappy as he turned to face her. "My dear Jane, Why pray tell are you sorry for that madwoman!" .

Edward turned his back to her as if to leave and Jane's heart sank, but in an instant he had turned to face her again and seized her and held her against him, and shook her once gently.

"How can you be sorry? When the one thing that was keeping us apart, that caused you to flee is gone. Do you not see we can be together now Jane and you are sorry. I can hardly believe my ears!"

"She was a living person, with a heart and a soul just like you and I sir. I mourn her departure as I would any others, as should you sir."

"She was an animal. I was awoken to find her in your chambers" he said walking to the embankment, hands clasped behind his back, as though talking to himself. "I thought she had taken you. The hour was early still and everything was in ruin, the curtains pulled down, the bedding shredded, furniture slashed by the knife she held in her hands, the knife she had managed, to use amongst your being. I subdued her in the tower and rode to find you. When I brought you back you were unconscious and that old spinster banished me so I went….I went to find her. When I did she was standing on the battlements. I tried to stop her Jane…..Alas I was too late. Their was no funeral here nor have I mourned her. Her brother came for her immediately to take her home."

"May God give rest to her soul" came Jane's response. "and may you finally find peace in yours", she added in a barely audible sigh. "Now" she said in a clearer voice "I will return to collect my thoughts sir, and to mourn the late Martha Rochester properly and respectfully."

He merely sighed and walked away from her toward the grand oak, and Jane took her silent tears with her and once again entered Thornfield Hall.

However, the weight she had expected to have been lifted, now seemed to weigh more heavily on her heart.