In the following days Jane and Edward meet with all the servants and all in all, they were very happy. All seemed loyal and devoted to the house in which they worked. The final servant to enter interviews was the boy Louis, who walked in shyly, yet respectfully.

"Hello master Louis" Edward had said as Louis sat before him.

"Hello sir, madame" he said, nodding at Jane.

'Ah, Monsieur vous etes francais"

"You speak french as your wife does!" Louis said in surprise, perhaps even in relief.

"I spent some time in Paris as a youth, perhaps not much older than you. But I fear I am out of practice"

"Oh no! Your francais is wonderful. Ms Rochester has said as much" he promised.

Edward smiled, looking toward Louis.

"Louis we have called you down today because we wish to know what your duties are in this home, if there is anything you are doing now that you particularly wish to continue with or anything you dislike and would like to give up".

Louis thought for a moment.

"Well, I work in the stables with Mr Mills, but the last couple here did not ride and did not leave the house often. So us in the stables were not needed. Since then I help where I can, doing small tasks here and there".

"And do you have family?" Jane asked.

"No ma'am, none of which to speak. I am afraid I was abandoned at a young age but I am no bastard!" he said, strongly.

Jane smiled kindly at him. "No Louis, I am sure you are not. I myself had no family until I married Mr Rochester, and he was quite the same'

Louis looked surprised at Jane's honestly, but grateful for it. He nodded at her, an understanding in his look.

"Are you happy working in the stables?"

"Oh yes miss, I like horses above all else. Sometimes even people. Oh, perhaps I should not speak so".

Jane and Edward laughed

"Then it is settled, the stables is where you shall remain" Edward said. "I look forward to seeing you as head of the stables one day".

Louis thanked him excitedly, sweeping into a bow for Jane as he left the room.

"Jane, let us keep an eye on him. He is a child, a mere boy. He should not be working like this at his age, however the other option would be a boarding school and it cannot be much better'

She squeezed his arm lightly and nodded. "Yes, we must"

"Though I know you naturally would take an interest in him and thus he is well taken care of" Mr Rochester said, grinning at Jane.

. . .

As the days stretched into weeks, Mr Rochester became very comfortable in their new home. He could walk around on his own, perhaps not with ease, but in a way that he did not seem a complete stranger to the house. Jane too was contented, except with the fact that Edward seemed to be dragged into more estate work than ever before. He had assured her in bed one night that this was all very typical of the transference of estates, and that the amount of time it demanded of him would not last long.

"Otherwise" he had said, kissing her in bed one night "I would not be able to continue with it, for already it is an annoyingly long time to be separated, and I count the minutes until I can be rejoined with you".

Edward had not excluded Jane from the meetings in any way either, for she had attended several. But she being ignorant of all estate work found she could not keep up without asking many questions, and thus the meetings were greatly extended. As a result, Jane had decided to simply busy herself with other work during those times. But she couldn't help feeling a little selfish in wishing for him to return to her, for she knew that to be involved so heavily in matters of estate made Edward feel as he had before, perhaps more so of a husband, master, and man. His servants adored him, they worked loyally and kindly towards him. Jane still found it difficult to call them "her" servants. It was so close to the date when Jane herself had been in the same position as they, and it played on her mind at every moment she saw them. She had tried, many times, to interject and help with small tasks and yet she was always hurried away by a willing hand. In such moments Jane was forced to admit that although she was not unhappy in any way, she was not contented with simply sitting around.

One morning, four months into their union, Jane had decided to walk into town to the post office to receive the letters that had arrived. She had stopped Tom, who usually received the posted letters, and asked for him to allow her to go instead. Agreeing to her request, Jane entered the house again in order to tell her husband. She found him sitting in a meeting with Mr Leimens, a local magistrate. Jane knocked softly on the door before being entreated to enter.

"Hello Jane" her husband said brightly as she entered.

Mr Leimans looked lightly surprised at him knowing his wife entering the room without seeing her. But he knew Jane's knock, her walk, the sounds of her dresses and thus he knew when she had entered. Edward stood and moved swiftly from behind the desk.

"Mr Leimans if you'll excuse me for a moment" he said, feeling for Jane's hand and leading her from the room.

Outside, behind the closed study door Edward turned to his wife.

"Jane, do you come in search of more knowledge of mortgages and wages and estate?" he asked, smiling and raising his eyebrow at her.

"No, I cannot say that I do. I think perhaps I shall never be master of this estate as you are"

Edward laughed softly "What then?"

"I was just informing you that I am walking into town to pick up this mornings mail. I didn't want you to leave your meeting and find me gone without explanation".

His face sunk, he looked serious.

"Jane, I do not like the idea of you walking to town alone. This road could be filled with people and things that do not wish you well. I can be of no use to you if something were to happen- you must wait until the carriage can be arranged"

"My darling, from Thornfield I walked to town most days. I was always unharmed"

"Jane, do you think I would have let my pet lamb walk into town, even in those days, if I did not know the road by heart and could assure that there would be no danger?"

She sighed, caressing his face with her thumb.

"I am not asking for your permission, I am telling you where I am so that you may know if you came out of your meeting and could not find me".

He stepped towards her.

"And what if I was to say you are my property, you belong to me, and I forbid it", although his tone was stern Jane found his fixed expression softening.

"Then sir I should laugh at you, and say you are dreaming. I own you in the same way you own me, and that ownership involves no restraint".

He sighed and looked down.

"I married a strong woman indeed. It seems I will not get my way".

When he looked back at her his face was filled with worry.

"My love, please, be quick".

"Of course, I should not want to be away for you for longer than that" she said, kissing his cheek.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips deeply. Jane did not know whether it was an attempt to stay or not, but the kiss broke and she took her bonnet from the table beside her.

"I love you".