Hello all!

THANK YOU for the amazing support. I am forever in your debt, I do not even know how to express my gratitude fully, but please know how humbled I am by it.

I would love it if you send a message saying what you think of the new characters! Or thoughts in general! It absolutely makes my day. I love knowing what you all think.

xoxoxox

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Jane arrived downstairs ten minutes later with Edward. She had asked, knowing what the response would be, if Jenny and some of the other women servants would like to watch Henry during dinner. The answer had been a unanimous and excited affirmative. The girls assured Jane that she could take as long as she liked at dinner as they hurried her from the room.

"This is so strange" Edward said a few minutes later when he and Jane sat in the sitting room, waiting for everyone to arrive downstairs.

"What is?" Jane asked

"Having a stranger over for dinner. What do we know of this Lady Denver? Only that she is simultaneously ancient and new to the neighbourhood. I would be willing to sell my soul to the devil if she turns out to be a decent women and a good conversationalist"

Jane gave him a serious look.

"You will not be selling anything of yours to the devil. Especially for Lady Denver's sake. Who knows? You may find her very charming and kind. It is not good to judge people before you know them, it makes people so bitter. Besides, there was a time you held these sorts of dinners at Thornfield Hall frequently. You need only call upon the powers of suppression you must have at one time employed frequently. Also-"

She sat forward so that he could remove his arm from behind her back.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"It is not proper" Jane said, "Not with company coming"

"Well, she is not here yet!"

"No, but the Captain and Diana will be down shortly".

Edward chuckled, "Like they will care"

"Diana may, in fact" Jane said, lowering her voice. "When I spoke to her today, I realised you may have been right about the sleeping in separate beds-"

"I knew it!" he said triumphantly, cutting Jane off "I knew that was the case. You can always tell".

"Shh, no, lower your voice. I meant metaphorically. Diana said that things have not been so romantic between them since the end of their honeymoon".

"Since their honeymoon? By god Jane, they were only married three months ago. Surely things cannot be so desperate yet?"

Jane knew instantly why his tone had turned more serious. Edward did not take unhappy unions lightly. He himself had been part of one for so long that he could no longer separate himself from the idea of people being in loveless marriages. It was an old memory now, but could be freshly called upon at any moment.

"She was looking for my advice, and I could not honestly give it, for there has never been a moment I have questioned the consistency of your feelings for me. I do not have much experience with what she was feeling, and I did not want her to feel isolated by my honesty in saying such".

"But I know you still gave her a suggestion, for it is in your nature to be helpful"

Jane bit her lip.

"I told her to tell him she loves him out of the blue, because men love being told they are loved, and it works at giving the upper hand every time"

"Does it indeed? And how in the world would you know that?"

"Experience" Jane said, throwing his hand away.

At that moment Diana and Mary rounded the corner, and to Jane's delight she saw that Diana had taken her advice to heart about being a support to Mary until she was ready to open up more fully. Mary smiled at the pair sitting on the couch and advanced towards them, sitting opposite of them in different seats.

"I am excited for dinner tonight" she said, far more brightly than anything else she had said since arriving.

"I am very glad to hear it" Edward responded, looking a little taken a back.

Captain Franklin came into the room just behind the girls, straightening his waistcoat.

"Goodness gracious, I think I have put on weight, this no longer as comfortable as it once was".

"Dearest, that is quite inappropriate to say" Diana said, looking at him with no trace of amusement in her face. Edward turned away from the group to grin broadly at Jane, ruining all of her efforts to keep a straight face. She was afraid of bursting out laughing.

"Stop" she mouthed, her smile wide.

"It has been a long while since I have meet a new acquaintance" Mary continued, not seeming to notice what was happening around her, "And of course with Father Andrew coming back it is sure to be a lovely, charming evening".

Edward and Franklin looked at each other, bemused.

"Father Andrew? My god he was an odd fellow Mary. He was so blundering, and so apologetic, and perhaps even too enthusiastic about his line of work. Why on earth would you ever be happy to see him?" Franklin asked, his head tilted to the side.

"I quite liked him" Diana said, "I did not find him an odd fellow at all"

"Odd? I do not think so" Mary defended "Lively is perhaps a better word for him".

"What do you think Rochester?" Captain Franklin asked, clearly looking for some support.

"Well, he is perhaps not the typical character of a vicar, which I think is a rather good thing".

"I think him very different from any other vicar I have meet" Jane said, "And I grew up surrounded by them in Lowood school. He seems to be refreshing and sensitive, and, most importantly, happy in his chosen career".

"Jane, you are quite right. No wrong can come from him being here this evening, of that I am sure" Diana nodded confidently.

Jane looked at Diana, who was already trying to catch her eye. They smiled at one another, sharing knowing looks.

"Captain, do you know anything of Lady Denver?" Jane asked, still half watching Mary's lingering excitement.

"Not a thing, only what we were told here this afternoon. Though if she has spent her time living in town, I cannot imagine what has inspired her to come here-"

"Apart from having nothing left to say about the city except complaints" Edward chimed in, wisely, "It is generally what happens to people at a certain age".

Before there was any more time to consider, there was the sound of people entering the front door and soon two people were brought into the sitting room. All gathered stood to greet them.

The women that rounded the corner with Father Andrew was perhaps the most intimidating woman Jane had ever seen. The most prominent feature on her face was her eyes which were greatly sunken, giving her the striking appearance of a hawk or some other predatory bird. The large collar of her exceptionally formal dress did not help detract from this bird look, with a high neck that looked like feathers surrounding her face. Her lips were pursed together so tightly that there were deeply defined lines around her mouth that Jane suspected were still apparent when she was not surveying a room critically. She held a cane in her hand which was too short for her, so it caused her to balance herself unevenly and carry her weight more on one side then the other. She wore a look of slight shocked surprise, even though nothing had happened- it was rather as if the whole situation of being in this place with new people was enough to justify such an alarmed look.

Edward was introduced to her first by Father Andrew, and he then proceeded to introduce the rest of the room to her as well. She looked similarly unimpressed by Diana and the Captain and also Mary, but Jane had the curious feeling when Edward had introduced her as his wife, Lady Denver's gaze had softened ever so slightly- hardly noticeably. It was very curious, and Jane was forced to wonder if she had only imagined this in order to make her seem less frightening.

When dinner was announced ten minutes later, Lady Denver had still not said anything to the group, but rather listened and surveyed while others spoke, giving the room a rather self-conscious feel. As the party moved into the dining room, Jane found that they were to be seated next to each other during dinner, and braced herself for the upcoming discomfort.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Lady Denver commented that is was bizarre to see a wife sit to the side of her husband at the head of the table. Edward explained, with some slight annoyance that only Jane could detect as a result of knowing him so well, that when he was blinded she sat beside him in order to help, and a habit had grown from it that neither had any wish to change. She seemed satisfied with this answer, or rather if she was not happy with it she said nothing to indicate so.

"So" She said again, turning to Jane several minutes later while everyone else was engrossed in conversation, "You must be the kindest out of this group of people, and perhaps the best conversationalist. You have been placed beside me at dinner, and I always ask for such a person to be placed beside me".

"I do not deserve to be singled out for such qualities. I am fond of everyone here, for they are all kind, and all good conversationalists"

"Surely you only say such out of politeness rather than genuine feeling".

"Indeed not. If you will excuse me for saying so, I choose the company I keep, and I would not keep company that was unkind, or not fond of good conversation".

Lady Denver looked surprised, but slowly her surprise dissolved into amusement. She observed Jane at length, but Jane did not say anything.

"Well, this sort of raw treatment is refreshing to me. No one ever has the courage to be so blunt with an old woman. Perhaps you are not so harmless after all".

Edward turned towards them at these words, but Jane proceeded without taking notice of him.

"I do not think there is any harm in being honest, I think it is a far better and less clouded way to live"

"Well Ms Rochester, I have meet many, many people in my life who have claimed such but do not live it. Though, from the way you have answered me, I do not think you can be one of them. It is all very interesting to me, you know. Once you live long enough, you can start seeing people for who they truly are and can tell what their character faults will be even before they do"

"You sound very sure of this"

"I am, in fact. You see Ms Rochester, my husband and I were never gifted with children, and so the normal role of being a mother did not take up my womanly years as it should have. I had much spare time on my hands, and very little that needed attending to. I became very good at reading people, for I was observing them constantly at the endless events and parties I attended, despite me never wanting to be there. So, you surely will not object to me being a good reader of people, given my years of experience".

"I would not have objected to the claim in any case, for I do not know you well enough to either agree or contest you. So, in the meantime, I shall be contented to take your word for it".

"Shall I try to convince you? Shall I go around the table and try my hand at reading those in the room for you?"

"I think not. I think it would be a poor use of our time together. I know the people in the room very well, apart from yourself of course. I would much rather learn of your life".

She looked disappointed as she sat back in her chair, not breaking her unforgiving look.

"I have told you all you can possibly want to know of me. I was married, unable to conceive children, and thus unable to do many of the things women typically spend their life doing. What else is there to discuss?"

"Well, the details of your life. A woman does not become identity-less because she does not have children. I could not accept such a notion, for it would mean in all your years of living you never encountered anything interesting, or anything important to impart to another less worldly person".

At this point, Jane could sense that the rest of the tables conversation had subsided and they were now listening to the conversation between herself and Lady Denver, but Jane was intent upon hearing the answer from the women sitting beside her.

"Ask me something I can answer then, for I do not know what you could find to be important about my life"

Jane paused, thinking.

"Why is it that you lived in town all of your life, if you were indeed so weary of parties and events?"

She chuckled, as if the question was a foolish and immature one to ask.

"My husband's work, of course".

"And you could not spend your summers in the country then? When your husband was free from work?"

"No. We could not. For he enjoyed town immensely, and so there was no question whether we would leave it".

There was a sad, stiff, and old reserve in Lady Denver's reply that made Jane pity her. She, like so many women, had lived her life stifling her own desires in order to please her husband- that much was very evident. Though she did not know the details of their marriage, it was clear that she, over her many years, had become very good at this stifling process.

"Then, if the country was not to be an option, what redeemed the city in your eyes?" she asked, encouragingly.

"Surely the theatre!" Diana answered unexpectedly, with much excitement. Lady Denver looked momentarily surprised that she was listening and had spoken, but answered without missing a beat.

"When the right show or ballet was playing it was a tolerable way to spend an evening. Far too social for my taste, however".

"Well, I found it delightful when we went" Diana said, indicating her husband, "I had never been, and so it was quite splendid for me".

"I am glad you think so dear, but the longer you live surrounded by such luxury, the more you become immune to its splendour that, in truth, is nothing more than a dull pallor when thrill is stripped away".

Diana looked hurt, as if she did not know how to respond. Mary too looked far too frightened to chime in. Father Andrew picked up and remarked something about once seeing a production of Romeo and Juliet in London, but his story was cut slightly short by a question posed to Edward.

"Mr Rochester, you are a well travelled man, I am told".

"I have travelled many places, yes" he replied.

Jane thought to herself that if Lady Denver was looking to intimidate another person at the table, she was wrong in her choice of target.

"And did you find that each place is filled with the same sort of mundane things, and the same mundane people? That people far overestimate the value of travelling to different places, and seeing unique things that are not so very different from their home?".

Edward shifted in his chair before answering, putting down his wine glass and looking at her.

"I did. But it was because of the state of mind I was in when I was travelling. I regret now that I was so selfish, and so consumed by my own troubles, for I missed out on many things I would have appreciated far more in better times, and with better company than my own destructive mind".

"Well, I see your wife shares your honesty, Mr Rochester. No doubt you taught her such things".

"No, in fact. I have only ever encouraged what Jane possesses naturally. I admire her honesty in the way I admire everything about her"

Jane sent him look, but he merely smiled subtlety at her, wordlessly defending what he had said.

"Well, at any rate I find much fault in your claim. Seeing places and things, despite whatever a person may be feeling at the time, does not change what the place or thing is. It is impossible".

"Now Lady Denver, I find fault with what you have claimed" Captain Franklin said brightly, sitting up in his chair and leaning over the table. "There have been many cases in my life where my personal feeling has greatly interfered with the experience I was going though. When I met my aunt last week, in fact-"

"Time teaches you control" she replied, bluntly, "Just wait and see".

Edward grinned to himself, bringing his cup to his mouth again in order to disguise his smile. But Jane found it all less amusing. As the dinner continued and then ended with an after dinner drink, the repetitiveness of Lady Denver's cynical and unimpressed answers made Jane feel as if she was a woman with very little to be happy about in the world. It was true she had been rude and dismissive to everyone apart from Jane and Edward, and she still had found fault in everything they had said. Mary had hardly spoken the whole meal, and had only chanced unoffensive and safe answers when she did.

In spite of it all, Jane could not say she disliked her. She felt guilty condemning a woman's character that was so buried with disappointment and a lack of free will overtime, for she was unsure such a person could even know themselves after so long of repressing it. As she sat with Diana, Captain Franklin and Mary after Father Andrew and Lady Denver had departed with Edward for the carriage out front, she could not join in the vocal disapproval towards their dinner guest.

"She was awful" Mary said, definitely. "What a hateful woman"

"With no sense of humour whatsoever" the Captain agreed, "What a terrible existence"

"I thought she was an odd companion for Father Andrew" Diana mused aloud, "What does he see in her that we do not?"

"Quite right" Mary nodded, "It is strange for such a warm person to have such cold company around him. Perhaps he pities her"

"And, perhaps, he knows part of her story that we do not" Jane said, more so out of wishful thinking than a real conviction, "It is almost certain he does. Sometimes, people do not know how to make a good first impression, but does that mean we should forever hold her to that initial assessment?"

"Oh Jane, that is very kind of you to say, but how can you mean that? Lady Denver was plain mean, and if you ask me, she was trying to deflate your confidence time after time with her answers"

"I did not much care" Jane replied honestly, "I was not personally offended by it. Such people always have a reason for being the way they are, and I pity anyone who lands in such a place in their lives".

Edward stepped into the room, wringing his hands. His hair stuck to the sides of his face and his dark green tailcoat was covered with water.

"It is pouring out, good God"

"Edward, tell us what you thought of our guest tonight!" Captain Franklin called, "We will not give you our own opinions, so we will not bias you".

"I'm not sure there is much to tell" he said frankly, throwing off his coat, "Obviously Lady Denver is an unpleasant woman, but we do not know her or anything of her situation. She was so reluctant to speak of the personal details of her life, there is no way to fairly judge her".

Jane felt a swell of appreciation for Edward, and for his answer.

"Well, both you and Jane are kinder than us" Diana said, looking to her cousin, "As per usual"

"Excuse me" the Captain interjected, "But I bore her insult very well when she called me a child in a mans body".

Jane burst out laughing, and soon started a ripple of laughter all over the room that soon turned to eager laughing from everyone. Jane felt her cheeks blush, and she covered her mouth as Edward turned to her, grinning from ear to ear.

. . . . . .

Later when Jane was dressing for bed, she and Edward talked at length about Lady Denver. He agreed with Jane in saying it was unfair to make a judgement based on one impression, but also said he was put off by the rudeness and inferiority of the majority of her answers.

"It is a very odd way to meet new people in a new, and very small place- contradict everything they say and make them feel inferior when they answer. I do not know what game she is playing at, but if I were her I would be careful of building a reputation she will not be able to undo".

Jane crawled into bed beside him, pulling the blankets up around her.

"I know, I know. But Father Andrew likes her, clearly- or he at least sympathised with her enough to ask her to dinner at a new house. That must mean something".

"He is a pastor, Jane. It is his job to be equally kind to everyone"

"Indeed, but how many vicars do you know that actually live by that?"

"Fair" he said, opening his arms so Jane could crawl into his embrace.

"Well, tonight is not the last we will have seen of Lady Denver" Jane said, "I have a sneaking suspicious that we will see her Sunday at Henry's baptism too".

Edward groaned miserably into the air, putting his hand to his forehead. Jane smiled to herself, putting her arm lazily across Edward's chest.

"In fact, if she is to be attached to Father Andrews hip, I fear we will see her even frequently"

"What do you mean by that?" Edward asked sleepily, kissing the top of Jane's head absentmindedly as he closed his eyes.

"I think Mary will be doing as much as she can to be in his presence when possible, and while she is here that means we will see him too".

"Mmm" Edward grunted in agreement, but his eyes opened again as he looked down at Jane.

"Wait, why?"

"Because she is interested in him"

"Interested in what? Helping him get established as a pastor here?"

"No Edward" Jane said, turning over on her stomach to look up at him, "Interested in him"

He went to answer but stopped himself, looking absolutely puzzled.

"Interested in him?"

"Mhm"

"Are you sure? That does not seem quite right"

"I am sure".

"But I thought all of that praise of him this afternoon was because he managed to assure her in some way the other day? I thought she was grateful to him, I did not think it was romantic"

"Well, love comes in all types of ways-"

"Yes Jane, but Father Andrew? He just seems so... young, and excitable"

"Well now, not everyone can find a man like the one I found in you- contrary, worldly and experienced".

He shot Jane an unamused look, but she grinned at him and kissed his lips briefly before settling back into his embrace.

"Just promise me something, love"

"Anything"

"Promise me that if you ever have to leave me, for some unknown and horrible reason, you will not fall for the likes of Father Andrew"

Jane laughed into his side, shaking her head.