Childermass had untangled himself from her with great reluctance that morning, but personal matters of his own demanded his attention in the coming daylight hours. Turning to watch Rosie's sleeping form in the grey of the early morning light, she looked the most inviting prospect, even in slumber. With her was constant warmth, comfort and a strong sense of belonging, yet magic tempted and plucked at his coat tails daily. Today, before returning to Norrell he would visit Lady Pole who he had recommended to the care of John Segundus and Mr Honeyfoot, there were questions to be answered. As he sat perched on the edge of the bed, slowly acclimatising to the chill of the room and finding the rousing benefits of it, he realised the hour. Despite only just waking, it was already nearly time to depart and he was sorry for it. Indeed, it seemed a little ungallant even for a man not of a gentleman's background such as he to dash off so suddenly. Unfortunately, he must.

Whilst he sat staring ahead of him, shaking off the final embers of sleepiness, little did he know that Rosie's eyes were open and observing. This was the only quiet act he could never sense in these moments. She always let him rise first and always took those first moments to watch him. Looking at the straightness of his spine, the smooth white skin and the somewhat morning bedraggled locks slaking down his back, it was only a slight droop of his shoulders that suggested any defiance to his duties for the day. Rosie knew they would be considerable and important, but that didn't mean her heart didn't sink. At this, something about her changed and Childermass turned again, sensing she was awake.

Twisting slightly and leaning towards her, his face hovered close to hers, his hair coming to tickle the skin of her cheek.

"Mornin'," He uttered in a gravelly tone, then kissing her he continued, "I'll have to be gone soon."

Yet this sentence sounded somewhat half-hearted as he remembered all her wild, loving, beautiful brilliance from last night. His skin felt prickly and brandished all over from the unseen imprints of her fingertips. It was as though she possessed magic beneath them to lay claim to him and mark herself on him forever and always. Rosie's large eyes, deep and dark as it seemed at this moment looked at him in the short distance between them, curtained off from all the world by his loose hanging hair, yet there was no readable expression in her features.

"Where to today?" she asked keeping his gaze. Though she knew he would not lie to her, she liked to see the truth in his eyes. Childermass remained just as he was, shifting himself a little only to rest his weight on his arms for comfort.

"To see a magician about a woman."

"Not Norrell?"

"No."

"Strange?"

"Him neither." Childermass replied and this emitted a small smile from Rosie's lips.

"Does Norrell know you refer to other men as magicians?"

"He may do, he may not."

Again they looked at each other for a long moment, Childermass sorely tempted to kiss her for a again, not to rouse desire, merely to show the affection he held so deeply within him. But Rosie's eyes became more knowing as his softened and she shifted herself a little away from him, breaking the moment. Yet her eyes were still steadfast in their attention of his.

"This woman…" She began, "Does she have anything to do with this?"

Rosie's hand touched the wound at his shoulder, still bandaged from the previous day, they had been careful at least where that was concerned last night. It was tempting to look away in order to answer her question, maybe a coward would have, yet he could not.

"She did it."

He saw the muscles in Rosie's throat swallow hard and the feeling in her eyes seemed to tighten along with her jaw. Shifting herself into a seating position now, her eyes finally dropped to look at her hands resting in her lap. To many people, this would have been seen as a defeatist betrayal of the body, but Childermass knew better. For when Rosie did this, she was seeking control over her temper. Allowing her the time, though becoming conscious of it also, Childermass waited for her eyes to meet his again. But it was her words he heard first.

"After seeing you yesterday, I had made up my mind. This only makes me more certain."

At last, those eyes he knew looked up and though her words did not inspire him with confidence, he was always happier when he could see her feelings.

"Of what?"

"Of my returning to York."

The flush of feeling, anger and fear mingling together within his frame held Childermass on the brink of temptation to let his passion rise and speak in defiance. But like her he held back, dropping his head and realising the truth of the matter, this was to be the price. On the day of his shooting he had performed magic publicly in the presence of a few that knew him to save his master. Now privately, some of the magic was to disappear from his life as payment. The shooting had not been the consequence of using his magic at last, surrendering to his loyalty to Norrell, indeed it had only been a bump in the road. But now sat with her as they were, hearing what she had to say, he knew this was the charge of following magic. Her voice continued around him, wrapping him in the truth of what she spoke.

"These are not my people John; there is no sympathy for me here. All that I have and love here rests with you and yet at such a time, I cannot expect you to be pulled between two points." Childermass placed his hand on her two as she went on. "I will go back to York and when the time comes, for I know it will come, you will be back to. I have people there; I have a life there though it is much different from that of before. I have you to thank for that always. So, I can return and prosper there more than I can here. To remain here will break me and be a burden to you, even if you do not see it as such."

"I understand." He replied, his voice deep and thick. His ride to see Lady Pole was pressing upon him yet he could not move. In that moment he admired her wisdom and was thankful for it, yet still he was saddened that unlike Strange, it seemed he could not hold both spheres. Rosie turned one of her hands upwards and laced her fingers with his and her eyes glistened a little. Again they looked at each other with a loving and earnest understanding, yet both sad at how this had come to be.

"I can say this confidently, John," She said lower now, almost as though whispering a secret in a public place, but there something unearthly in her voice. "I do not know how I know but… I feel you will be back at York soon."

"With Norrell, I presume?" He replied ruefully, though marvelling at her strange sense of second sight, perhaps she was a little of the witch.

"For a time." She replied, a small smile again forming on her lips, but her eyes looked graver in a way that he found odd. It was as though she seemed sorry at the idea somehow, yet she had never liked the sound of Norrell.

Sounds of the street poured in from outside, as though a shroud around them had been pulled back and they were forced to rejoin the world. Yet it was only the day's business now in full swing and another reminder to Childermass that he must go. He wanted to ask her how she was certain about the words she had just uttered, but his time had now run out.

"When will you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"I will come again tonight."

"No John," She said with a sad smile, "All has been said and known this last night, let us part here, for the present."

Childermass nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead, remaining there for a long second. As he moved to pull away she caught him with a kiss to the lips and another loving moment was stolen for themselves, precious seconds of borrowed time.

A little while later, both dressed and ready to rejoin the world, Childermass took a small bag of coins, more than she really needed and handed it to her. Though not knowing of her departure, he had wanted her to be taken care of for the near future. Rosie took them without argument, grateful for him always and having forgiven him for his absence. It was a hard to task to come to the conclusion to take her leave of him and London, but it was the best for him. Standing near the door ready to take his exit, the pair shared one last embrace and a kiss so intense of feeling that had she been manipulative, she could have tempted him to throw it all away for her. Yet whatever Rosie felt at this moment about leaving him, she said not a word, she did not even let her eyes betray one drop. Here, is perhaps why others had found those eyes mistrustful, for when they chose they could conceal the deepest of secrets. Childermass loved her all the more for this and as he left her home and heard her close the door behind him, he felt like another part of him had been left in her keeping. Then, before changing his mind, he walked quickly towards the next step of his destiny, for magic was in England and he was very much needed.