A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate it guys :) This chapter was a little delayed, and I'm sorry for that. I bypassed my beta again on this, so if you guys catch anything off please let me know! Enjoy!

BLACKTHORN AND MYRTLE

III.

Jane had slept hard during the night. So hard in fact, that she did not have a single dream. Not any that she could remember anyway. The sun had just crested the horizon when she slid out of bed to wash her face and brush out her hair. Her hair was full of tangles, a consequence of not braiding her hair before bed. Jane gritted her teeth as the brush hit a sizable knot on the back of her head.

At least I will be wide away after this ordeal.

It only took a few minutes for Jane to finish smoothing out her hair. It was time to start on her to-do list. Wrapped in her light robe, Jane slipped downstairs. It was early enough the house staff would be busy with their morning routines. Giving Jane time alone to complete her task. She rounded the corner and came to a familiar solid oak door. Jane had been reviewing her letter to Darcy all the way from her bedroom. It would only have to be a quick note of apology, but she still felt guilty. The night before her temper had gotten the better of her. The feeling of remorse was swirling in her stomach. She would have to send flowers along with the note. It was to early for raspberry so a sprig of bramble would have to suffice. And perhaps a few Amethyst flowers to smooth things over.

The shiny brass knob of the study door was cool in her. Jane slid through the crack in the door and shut it behind her. She hurried over to the desk and pulled a piece of parchment from a drawer. An apology and invitation to tea for that afternoon were scratched out. Darcy would be more than eager to hear about her dealings with The Rose and The Thorn. Jane folded the thick sheet several times and sealed it with a large blob of wax. The stamp made a satisfying click as she lifted it from the still sticky blot. The imprint was of a swirling 'J' encircled by nine small stars. Erik had purchased the brass stamp from a fine retailer in London. A token from one of his business trips to the large city. Letter in hand, Jane made her way back to her room. Sure enough, by the time she had reached her room, a tray of tea and toast was waiting on her vanity. Jane smiled and reached for a slice of bread. The letter to Darcy sat next to the silver tray. She needed to head down to the garden before sending off her note. Jane nibbled on the thick crust of the bread while she decided on which dress to wear. With a slice wedged into her mouth Jane went to dig through her wardrobe. She finally came to the simple grey and blue dress that hung on the far left side of the cabinet. It was one that only had a few buttons down the back that she would be able to manage by herself. Jane tore the slice of bread out of her mouth and set it back on the tray. After a few moments behind the dressing screen she had managed to button up her dress. She piled her thick hair on top of her head and secured the mass with a few pins. Satisfied with her look, she took a few gulps of hot tea before lacing up her high boots. Jane snatched the letter off the vanity, she needed to head to the garden. The sooner her small tokens were sent off the better. But not before a detour through the kitchen. Jane smiled, she might be able to snag a snack for the walk to the garden and she needed a pair of shears.

The early morning sun felt warm on her skin. It was a sure sign that summer was on it's way, something that Jane looked forward to. Fall and winter gave her a wonderful excuse to shut herself indoors with a book. But after several months, she had become claustrophobic and longed to see clear skies. The dewy blades of grass dampened the edges of her skirt as she picked her down the garden path. In a few hours the mist and water droplets would be gone. A pair of small iron pruning shears were gripped in her hand. She had come prepared to tackle a bramble bush. Two small purple flowers were already cradled in her opposite hand. Jane finally came to the only bramble bush in the garden. It was placed in a far corner along a high stone wall that marked the boundary of the large garden. The small leaves had started to bud with the coming of spring. Jane cut off a lengthy sprig and placed it with the amethyst flowers, taking care not to prick her hands. She managed to return to the house without drawing blood or getting too damp in the grass. Molly was waiting at the kitchen door with her arms crossed and a smile on her face. Leave it to the older woman to know exactly where she was at all hours of the day.

"Enjoying the beautiful morning, my dear?" The governess held out a hand.

Jane nodded and handed over the set of shears. "I thought I'd get an early start on making amends for the early departure last night. The weather was a wonderful incentive. If you could..." Her voice trailed off and she pulled the parchment from a pocket in her dress.

Molly nodded and took the flowers and note from Jane. "Of course, I will have the stable boy send it right away." And with that the older woman ushered Jane in the large doorway. The smells of bread and cheese filled her nose. In a hushed tone, Molly told the younger of the two kitchen staff to go down to the stables. The young woman nodded and rushed out the dutch style door. Jane felt a wave of relief flood her body and she relaxed, it was good to get that task out of the way. And now she would have time to prepare for Darcy's arrival. She didn't need to wait for an answer back from her friend. Darcy was sure to show up and before the time requested.

"Jane?" Molly's voice broke her concentration. Her head jerked up as she had been gazing lazily at a bowl of potatoes.

"Er, yes? I'm sorry."

"I said you had something arrive for you, while you were out enjoying the morning." The corners of Molly's eyes crinkled. A sure sign that Jane may not find this 'surprise' entertaining. "Two in fact. I placed them upstairs on your vanity."

Jane frowned but thanked the woman before exiting the kitchen. Curiosity prickled in her mind. Two packages? She made her way up the stairs, trying to calm the jitters from the anticipation she felt. Perhaps one was from Darcy already? She had reached her bedroom door and bumped it open with her palm.

She could see two creamy envelopes on opposite ends of her vanity. Jane scanned the table top before walking into the room. Her forehead wrinkled, each envelop was accompanied by two bundles of flowers. She stopped in front of the first envelop. Camellia and gooseberry. The gooseberry was still flowering, the small bell-shaped flowers adding a delicate touch to the vivid pink and white camellias. The flowers were tied in a large bundle with a silky red ribbon. Jane paused to inspect the wax seal on the envelop. Pressed deep into the crimson blob was a large 'O'. And inside the letter was what looked like a small double sided hammer. It almost looked like the letter 'T'. Thor, she thought. She broke the seal and pulled the small note out.

Dearest Jane,

As promised, I have sent you an invitation for the engagement discussed last night. Please join us at the Odinson estate on April the twenty-third at half past noon. I hope that you have not changed your mind on the matter.

I am looking forward to hearing your reply.

Best regards,

Thor Odinson

Jane couldn't help but smile at the note. She could almost feel his wide smile beaming up from behind the scratchy cursive. The flowers were a thoughtful touch and she felt her face flush. He seemed to be making the best out of the situation, as evident with the gooseberry. The camellia was flattering, and also the reason for her deep blush. Jane quickly set the letter down next to the bouquet of pinks, reds, and white. Her eyes moved to the opposite end of the vanity. The envelop looked similar, but instead of red wax it was closed with a smudge of black. Jane cautiously picked up the small parcel, her thumb sliding over the seal. It was peculiar, she thought, some sort of rune. It was almost a capital letter 'F', but the horizontal lines slanted downward. She frowned, it seemed familiar as if she had seen it in a book once before. Jane nibbled on her lip in thought, it would be something to look up later in the day. The flowers on the table top were just as peculiar. Compared to the large bouquet from Thor, this one was simple. A single branch of leaves and single stalk of deep purple flowers. Sycamore and larkspur. Someone had an odd sense of humor. Jane frowned deeper, it seemed like something Darcy would send her. But the seal on the envelop told her otherwise. Using the same thumb that was gliding over the wax she broke the seal and slid out the letter. The crease in her forehead grew deeper as she read the slender handwriting.

Miss Foster,

I am surprised at your fortitude in the face of adversity. It is most intriguing. Please do not fail to entertain at other engagements. Or try to slip away unnoticed. I am sure after receiving this correspondence you would be most eager to reply. You may send your reply to Price and Kemp's bookstore in town. I will warn you now, trying to pry information out of the owners will prove to be fruitless.

An admirer.

Jane gritted her teeth. The nerve of this...this.. A unladylike snort escaped her. No wonder she was given larkspur. Levity. She huffed and slapped the letter on the table top giving the two slender stalks a dark look. She wasn't sure what was more frustrating about this particular note. If it was the fact that they had caught on to her early, and slightly rude departure. Or the taunting combination of flowers and words. Or worse yet, the fact that she had no idea who this was. Jane turned on her heel and headed for the staircase. This admirer was going to get a piece of her mind. The stairs squeaked in protest under her heavy footfalls.

"Molly!" Jane's voice rang through the house. She reached the foot of the stairs and marched towards the study for the second time. Molly popped her head out of the parlor room, just a few doors down from the study.

"You called?" The older woman struggled to keep a grin off of her face. Jane looked frazzled and she could guess why. She was no stranger to what larkspur and sycamore meant.

Jane didn't stop, keeping on track towards the room that held parchment paper. "Would you please do me a favor and go down to the garden and cut me some mistletoe? I will need you to send something else for me this morning." Her voice was short and Molly raised her eyebrows. Mistletoe, an interesting choice.

"Of course, Jane."

The door to the study was thrown open and Jane swept in. Erik, who was sitting at the desk, nearly spilled his bottle of ink across his papers. Jane stopped in front of his desk, her jaw was tight and her hands fell to her hips. Erik frowned and looked at his parchment. There was a large dark blotch on the paper left by his quill.

"Really Jane, storming in here. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry, Erik. Once you have finished may I borrow your quill and ink? I need to write a few quick letters." Erik leaned back in his chair, his palms held up acquiescently. Jane mumbled a thank you and selected two sheets of parchment. On one sheet she scribbled a quick acceptance to Thor. She paused a moment, deciding on what to say to her admirer. A smirk began to form on her face and she started to write in her own neat script.

My dearest admirer,

I must say that it is rather displeasing that you write about me under the guise of anonymity. Surely you are more brave and witty to come up with a better alias than 'an admirer'. Please do not disappoint me in future correspondences.

Most unimpressed,

Jane Foster

By now the smirk was a full on toothy grin. Erik had raised a single eyebrow at the look on her face. "Might I ask, what you are so pleased about?"

Jane looked up at him, the same look on her face. "Oh, just replying to some mail I received this morning." Erik grunted in acknowledgement but did not press the matter further. He had learned when to press a subject and when it was better if he didn't know the details of things.

"In that case, if you don't mind, I would like my quill back so I may continue with my writing." The wide grin changed to a sheepish look and she handed over the quill. A familiar scratching filled the quiet study as Erik began to write. Jane moved around the desk and opened the drawer to retrieve her stamp and wax. She folded the letters back up and sealed them. Then as quietly as she could, Jane slipped out of the study and shut the door behind her. Now she needed to catch Molly and have these two sent off to the appropriate places.

Molly was nearly to the door the lead out to the garden from the kitchen when Jane found her. The older woman nodded at Jane and insured the letters would be sent immediately. A quick order was barked into the kitchen and the letters were off to the stable boy. Chickens scattered in the wake of the cook's assistant. Molly patted Jane's shoulder and gave her a knowing smile. Jane wanted to sneer, it had been a while since she had been this worked up. Let alone this worked up about a letter.

The two women headed inside, Molly steering Jane to the parlor room. Before she knew it Molly had handed her a cup of tea and bustled out of the room. Jane looked up at the grandfather clock. It was already nearly noon. Darcy would probably be arriving anytime now. She sipped the hot liquid enjoying the strong flavor. Peppermint, one of her favorites. Her mind wandered back to the mysterious and infuriating note she had received. The writer had been careful to not give away much information. But what had been shared showed it had to have been someone from the party the night before. She ran over the list of people that she had spoken with. It was far too many to sort through. It could even be someone that had gotten wind of her predicament. Someone that was interested in her plight for the entertainment value. A deep sigh left her chest and she took another sip of her tea. A loud set of voices echoed down the hall. Jane took another sip, larger this time. She gulped down the mouthful just as Darcy entered the room. Molly followed with tea tray in hand.

"There is the girl of the hour!" Darcy gave Jane a huge smile. She settled into the vacant spot of the sofa next to Jane and gave her a side armed hug. Jane returned the smile, but it appeared more strained than she had meant.

Molly set the tray on the small table in front of the pair. A dainty floral tea pot perched in the middle of the tray. Beside the tea pot was a tea cup and saucer, matching sugar bowl, and tiny milk pitcher. A small tray of biscuits was nestled comfortably between the milk and sugar. Darcy thanked Molly and reached to pour her own tea, eager to talk to Jane. Molly nodded and took the cue to leave, shutting the parlor door behind her.

Darcy took her time adding a small amount of sugar to the peppermint tea. She stirred the hot beverage with a tiny silver spoon, taking a sip once the sugar was mixed in. Jane waited, knowing the onslaught of questions was not far behind.

"So," Darcy said slowly, her eyes not leaving her up of tea. Darcy smirked down at her cup knowing Jane was cringing. This was pay back for leaving early, Jane was sure.

"Just ask, Darcy," Jane huffed and took another drink.

"I got your letter, and it's fine. I had a feeling you would slip away unannounced. Have you heard anything today?"

The question sounded innocuous to anyone who hadn't attended Darcy's gala. Jane didn't answer immediately, instead she plucked a biscuit from the the table. "I did actually." She inspected the small cookie in her hand trying to feign an apathetic tone.

"The Rose?" Darcy gave her a wolfish smile.

Jane nodded. "Yes, he gave me the time for the hunting expedition he has organized."

"Did he say if anyone else was attending?"

The wide smile never left Darcy's face. Jane pursed her lips, she hadn't thought of that. The words of Thor's note replayed in her mind, he had said to join us. "He didn't give a guest list."

Darcy bobbed her head. "I would expect it would be the group from last night. So brace yourself." She laughed and Jane gave her biscuit a vicious bite. "Anything else? Did he send flowers?"

The dry biscuit scraped the inside of Jane's throat and she took a gulp of her tea. "Thor sent me a bouquet of camellias and gooseberry." Darcy opened her mouth to fire off another question. "I got a second letter as well...along with sycamore and larkspur." Jane finished before Darcy could interrupt.

The pleased look on Darcy's face turned to one of surprise. "Oh my, sycamore and larkspur? Well that is certainly interesting. What did the letter say?" One of Darcy's dark eyebrows was arched nearly to her hairline.

"It said they were impressed with my fortitude. And that I had better not disappoint to entertain at other functions." Jane scowled and chewed on her biscuit again.

"Any idea on who it could be?" Jane could see that Darcy was sorting though the possible candidates in her head. "You definitely have someone's attention."

"The worst part is that they warned me it would not be easy to find out who they are." The corners of Darcy's mouth turned down but only for a moment. She was just as disappointed as Jane about this revelation.

Darcy scoffed and waved her hand. "That's what they think. You will just have to do a bit of detective work. Like Sherlock Holmes! We will get to the bottom of this, Jane." She flashed Jane a smile before sipping her tea.

Jane laughed, with Darcy's help she might be able to get to solve the mystery. "I sent back some mistletoe."

Jane left out the part about how she had challenged the author to write her back. Her friend snorted with laughter. The small tea cup in Darcy's hand jiggled and she nearly spilled a few drops on her dress.

"Cheeky, Jane." Darcy gave Jane a proud smile and a pat on the shoulder.

Jane chuckled, it was pretty cheeky. She didn't like being second best in a battle of wits. "So what happened after Erik and I left?" It was a perfect opportunity to steer the conversation away from her letters.

Darcy's eyes lit up and she set her tea cup and saucer down on the tray. Her hands flew up in excitement. For the next few minutes the Darcy rattled off the events of the party that Jane had missed. Jane nodded along, commenting when it was appropriate. There was no stopping Darcy once she got going. That was until Darcy mentioned several party goers had asked about her absence. More accurately it was members of the Odinson's entourage that had asked about her. Jane gasped and tried her best not to cringe, but was sure her friend had noticed. Much to Jane's relief Darcy moved on. Instead delving into a story about two of the Harris sisters. Pearl and Cora Harris had each attempted to goad The Thorn into asking them to dance. Both only to be shot down with a frigid look and a short word. Darcy's eyes glinted as she described the sour looks on Pearl and Cora's faces. It was something Jane couldn't help but smirk about. Darcy and Jane shared a mutual dislike of the Harris sisters. They were always trying to flaunt their wealth and talking down to people. Jane could easily picture the curl of Pearl's lip once she was dismissed by The Thorn.

The pair fell into comfortable conversation as things progressed farther away from Odinson men. Darcy was a great source of information on all things gossip and politics related. Jane was more interested in political news than gossip but today she let Darcy run rampant. It was the least she could do after leaving so rudely.

Molly slipped into the parlor to refill the biscuit tray and the pot of tea. She it was five o'clock and that Darcy was welcome to stay for dinner at seven. Darcy declined politely, saying this would be the last cup of tea for the day. Molly caught Jane's eye and gave her a familiar smile as she shut the door. Jane's stomach dropped, it was the same look from earlier that morning. Another letter must have arrived. She was thankful Darcy would be heading home soon. Jane took a small sip of tea and forced her mind back into the conversation with Darcy.

The moment Darcy had left Jane was up the stairs to her room. She balled and unballed her hands trying to relieve her anxiety. Or was it excitement? Jane couldn't tell but her stomach was definitely knotted. Her hand twisted the knob of her bedroom door and she stepped in. She shouldn't feel this nervous to enter her own bedroom and she swallowed hard. The two bouquets had been placed in separate vases. The two letters next to their respective bundles of flowers. Jane sighed in relief, there were no new flowers this time. In the center of her vanity was a single envelope. Her heart was in her throat in an instant. She could see the black seal from the doorway. With five large steps she was across the room and tearing open the wax seal. A familiar script met her eyes and she urgently read the letter.

Miss Unimpressed,

There is that sharp wit I had hoped to see! Once again you impress me and I hope you are as bold as the bundle of mistletoe I received. You may call me The Wolf, since you are desperately trying to find a fitting name to call me by. I some how doubt that I will fail to disappoint you seeing as your response was quite swift. I imagine you were waiting for my response with baited breath. I have a feeling that curiosity runs deep with in you.

The Wolf.

Once again Jane was unsure how to feel. There were undertones of arrogance and overconfidence. It made her grit her teeth as she looked down at the short reply. She had not been waiting with baited breath.

What a presumptuous twit.

She reread the letter a second time. The author had admitted he admired her wit, another thing that made her unsure. At the least she had a proper alias for the author, even if it wasn't one she was fond of. The Wolf was what they had chosen? Jane chewed her bottom lip. She was sure there was a deeper meaning to the name that had been selected. Jane set the letter down on her vanity and sat on her padded stool. Did this mean she was the lamb? Or perhaps the naive Red Riding Hood? Or could it mean he thought himself cunning? She had to begrudgingly concede that The Wolf seemed to be one step ahead of her. As she sat going over the letter in her mind, the urge to respond began to well up. It was too late to respond now, especially since she was supposed to send her replies to a shop. That would be something she would bring up in the next letter. It irked her that she had to follow the rules of someone that wouldn't share their true name. She would respond in the morning. There was no use in getting caught up in the allure of the letters. Instinct told her not to give any inkling of desperation or yearning for a reply. The Wolf was most certainly trying to bait her. Baiting her into what, she wasn't entirely sure. Jane shivered from the excitement and nervousness. She folded the letters from her mystery writer and hid them them in a drawer of her vanity. The letter from Thor she folded and tucked behind the few perfume bottles she had.

Her eyes darted to the vase holding the sycamore and larkspur. The corner of her mouth curled up into a sneer. She snatched the pewter vase off the vanity and pushed herself up off the stool with a huff. She moved so suddenly that her seat toppled over backwards. The cushion flying under the bed with an elegant spin across the rug. In two steps she was at the window throwing back the sash. Jane flung the window open and dumped the sycamore and larkspur out of the vase. She watched the lovely purple flowers fall to the lawn below in a flurry of petals. The small branch had landed in the flowerbed, hidden by a group of daffodils. The feeling of frustration bled away in an instant and she started to laugh. How fitting that part of The Wolf's delivery ended up in a bunch of narcissus.

Egotistical, indeed. Jane hummed happily to herself and shut the window. The sun was beginning to set in the sky meaning that dinner would be ready soon. She checked her reflection in the mirror to insure no strands of hair had come loose. Appeased, she righted the stool and stooped to retrieve the wayward cushion. Jane left her room and headed down the stairs with a new bounce in her step. She felt famished and with a grumble her stomach agreed.

A/N: Tada! As always feedback is much appreciated. And here is the list of flower meanings for you guys.

Camellia ... Perfected loveliness.

Gooseberry ... Anticipation.

Sycamore ... Curiosity.

Larkspur ... Levity.

Mistletoe ... I surmount difficulties.

Narcissus ... Egotism.

Jane sent back some sassy flowers!