Several hours later, having finally given up on the prospect of leaving, Lady Denver was moved into one of the bedrooms upstairs for the night.

Jane did feel genuinely sorry for her. At her age it was easy to imagine how sleeping in a house that was strange, and in a bed that was not her own, would not be very comfortable, especially as she had none of her own servants, clothes or supplies. Still, Jane tried her best to make her comfortable. She had sent Anne to help Lady Denver settle because Anne had a talent for charming people, but Diana and Mary, who were far more practical, went to find things of Jane's which could prove comfortable for her. Still, in spite of all the expense that people went to in to make her contented, she was not.

Jane felt incredibly bad as she watched her husband being called, time after time, to the bottom of the stairs to comply to one of Lady Denver's requests. With the last request taking Edward out of the room, Jane experimented with putting weight on her ankle again. The thoughts of being carried into Christmas dinner by her husband embarrassed her beyond words, so she felt more determined then ever to get back on her feet. She swung her legs over the side of the couch and touched her foot to the ground, feeling it shake slightly as she lifted her weight onto it. Jane felt a strange mix of relief and discouragement as she realised that it did not hurt as much as it had before, but she still was not able to put her full weight onto it. When she heard approaching footsteps she put her legs back up on the couch and watched her husband round the corner with Henry in his arms.

"Are you sure you do not want me to watch him while you have your tea?"

"I want him with me. Besides, I think he will sleep"

"Very well then" he said, kissing his wife's forehead and handing her their son, "I will only be next door in my study"

"Thank you, so much"

Edward smiled and kissed her forehead just as Anne was rounding the corner, speaking to someone behind her.

"Dearest, I cannot deal with it now"

She turned around to look at Jane and Edward, sighing.

"My husband needs assistance with the simplest of tasks".

Edward and Jane grinned at one another.

"I have no doubt of that, Ms Eshton. Most men do. If you will excuse me"

He bowed to them both before taking leave of the room.

"You poor thing, Jane. How are you feeling? How is your ankle?"

"A little better, I think. Though I cannot put my full weight onto it to see for certain"

"It is better to rest then, and not risk injuring it further. I know you must be frustrated but if you injure it more you will not be able to be yourself for longer"

Anne smiled understandingly,

"And I know your independence is tied to who you are"

"Is it not tied to who you are?"

Anne took a moment to think,

"I do not think so. I do not really spend much time alone"

"And yet, independence does not mean being alone"

"What does it mean, then? Tell me, for I do not know"

"I think it is that you are able to care for yourself when others are not able to do so".

Anne smiled, the smile conveying everything that her following words articulated.

"You are braver than me, Jane. And that is no secret. I have always admired that bravery in you that I have no desire to have in myself. I know it is probably wrong but I wish to be taken care of. I do not wish to care for myself. I like being a woman and being married because I will always have someone to care for me"

She paused before continuing,

"I spent so much of my childhood caring for myself that now I do not want to have to think of it"

Jane shook her head,

"It is not wrong. But you do yourself a huge disservice, Anne. What you say of yourself is not true. I see you as a very brave person, for any woman who speaks her own mind must be brave. Though, I do completely understand wishing to be taken care of"

"I know you do" Anne grinned, "That Mr Rochester of yours does take care of you and I can see it plain as day"

"I would never deny it for a moment. In us marrying we became partners in life but at the end of the day it is natural and easy to just be his".

At that moment the other girls rounded the corner. Diana and Mary walked side by side, chatting in the way sisters did.

"Oh Jane! Your poor ankle"

"I am well enough" she assured quickly, "Only a little-"

"Frustrated?" Diana finished knowingly

"Exactly"

"Hello little one" Mary said, reaching out her arms for Henry, "Can I hold him?"

"Of course" Jane said, passing him over.

Mary bounced him in her lap while Anne and Diana exchanged happy greetings.

"What a terrible storm outside" Mary continued, "Poor Lady Denver. She stood no chance of making it home in this".

"Though she seems comfortable enough now?" Diana interjected

"I did have to ask to have some furniture moved around for her" Anne said, "The writing desk was in the direct line of the sun and thus it was too bright, and then her bed was on an angle she did not like"

"Whatever makes her comfortable is all that matters" Jane said

"And where is Georgiana?" Mary asked, "Is she still upstairs?"

"Yes" Jane responded, "I believe she is still feeling a little under the weather from last night"

The women all nodded in shared understanding. No one thought it was fair to comment on Georgiana's rather ungraceful exit the previous night, but Jane had asked to have her checked on and she was still asleep, so she was taking the advice of sleeping to feel better to heart.

A few minutes after that Leah brought in a tea set and the conversation switched to Anne's pregnancy, which was now nearing its end. Jane noticed that in spite of her pregnancy being easier and less of a strain on her body, Anne did not like being pregnant as much as Jane had. She took a great amount of effort to disguise her bump, which was by any standard small, by wearing dresses designed to cover it. She also spoke frequently about wishing her body would return to normal, musing on the fact that she may never look the same as she did before and that such could be unacceptable to her husband. Although Jane did not believe Mr Eshton to be that shallow of a man, she also did not blame Anne for being worried. She was a beautiful woman, and she had grown up in a society which rewarded her for only her beauty. As looks were the thing which fades for every person, and is the thing which no single person can hang onto, her fear that it would slowly slip away haunted her. Jane knew from personal experience that her body had not returned to the way it was before she was pregnant, and yet to her it was so much more wonderful because of what it had created.

Anne, too, was excited to introduce her baby to hers and Mr Eshton's family. Her family was a very large one, from what Jane had understood of it, yet she had not seen them for a long time. Her family came from the very south of England and she was the only girl amongst four other brothers, her sister had died when she was four of a fever. After she was sent her to London with a distant uncle to find a husband, she never returned home. She had married Eshton after knowing him for thee months and moved in with him afterwards. The only one who had made the trip to London for the wedding had been her father who only went to financially manage the match. He had not come to verify what type of man Eshton was. Jane had gotten the impression that her family were not very close, yet Anne had never said as much herself- protective of the way others spoke of them. Still, it seemed she felt she had much to prove to them and was excited to show that finally, after two years of trying, she had produced a baby.

"I do hope that we will have some music tonight" Anne said, "Perhaps Mr Rochester will play"

'I am sure he will if you ask him to"

"What about sing? I hear he is a great singer"

"Where did you hear that?" Jane grinned, "It was not from me"

"Certainly not. It was Mr Eshton who I know cannot sing at all"

Jane bit her lip as the others laughed, trying to imagine Mr Eshton singing even one note.

The setting sun broke over the hill on the far end of the property, shining warm orange light throughout the whole sitting room. Jane smiled to herself, her thoughts drifting away from the rest of the conversation so that for a moment she was in her own world. How beautiful the world looked, how warm with the light bouncing off the snow. It looked almost bright enough in the room for it to have been a summers day. The light too breaking through the bare branches of the trees sent light scatting over the carpet before Jane in strange patterns which moved as the wind blew.

Henry's crying brought Jane back to her senses. Mary looked flustered at the quick onset on his crying, rocking him aimlessly before handing him back to his mother.

"Oh little one, what is wrong?" Jane asked, holding him close and bouncing him gently. He snivelled and his spirits rallied enough so that the crying stopped.

"He is probably hungry" Jane explained, looking into his face.

"I am sure he is"

"Yes. If you don't mind I am going to leave you ladies for a little while. I have to make sure Henry goes to sleep, I must see to Adele, and I must change before dinner. Plus, I will also need to make sure my husband realises he needs to be ready. He is probably engrossed in some book and will be completely unaware of the time".

"Of course" they all agreed quickly,

"Can we help with anything, Jane? You are doing a lot and now with your ankle..."

"Oh, no thank you. I just need a little more time to make sure everything is ready. Actually-" Jane said, "Would someone please ask Edward to come in here? He is only next door in his study".

. . . . .

Over the course of the afternoon Jane found that she could hobble weakly on her foot (or rather forced herself to hobble weakly on her foot) so, with new found enthusiasm, she prepared everything for that evening. She finally put Henry down for his nap after keeping him awake a little longer so he would sleep through dinner. She then went to spend some time with Adele but found she was too consumed with Jenny showing her a new way to tie ribbons into hair. So, instead, she changed for dinner, reminded her husband to do the same, and walked down to the end of their long hall, stopping at the first door at the top of the staircase and knocking.

"Who is it?" a shill, older voice called.

"It is Jane"

A few seconds later the door swung opened to reveal Lady Denver.

"I thought that you may need some help dressing for dinner and would prefer a friendly face to one of my maids"

She paused in contemplation before opening the door all the way.

"I have only just learned why you have neglected me today- you fell".

"I did, unfortunately, but I am feeling a little better now".

There was a dress laid out on the bed, but Lady Denver was still standing in the one she had worn that day.

"Where did you come across this dress? It is beautiful"

"I am surprised you do not know. Your friend Ms Eshton gave it to me. She said she found it in the closet in her room upon her arrival".

Jane knew this was impossible, for there would have been no reason for any clothing to be stored in a closet in a normally vacant room. She let this remain a mystery, however, and instead began helping the old woman into the dress.

"It was likely an older dress belonging to a member of my husband's family" Jane lied, "You are somewhat taller than me, though. It would need altering before I could ever wear it".

"Well, thank you for allowing me to wear it", she said, pausing and shaking her head, "I would have been mortified if I had to wear my day dress to a formal dinner"

"Of course. I am glad it happened to be around".

As Jane began doing up the corset in the back she sighed,

"One would think that one of the perks of growing older is getting to disregard the things you have done over your life that you no longer wish to do. I cannot imagine that after your whole life you still enjoy being sewn into these tight dresses"

"It is not about what one enjoys" Lady Denver said definitely, "It is about doing what is expected of you. A woman is expected to look her best, not to be comfortable".

Jane rocked her head side to side in consideration.

"Perhaps it will become possible to have both".

"Not in my lifetime" she protested, "I find it a comforting part of my routine. Over my life that is the one thing that has not changed. I have been expected to look well at all times and I have done my best to do such. There is not one day that is an exception"

"Certainly not today. You look lovely" Jane said, stepping back and looking at the fit of the dress, "For a dress that is not yours you look very well indeed"

"Mmm, I do".

Jane smiled.

"Shall we have a look at your hair?"

. . . .

Dinner came and went, meeting every expectation that Jane had of the night.

Lady Denver added a new aspect of humour to the evening that normally was not there, speaking too freely on her feelings towards certain people, more notably Father Andrew whom she offered a particularly scathing opinion of. Jane thought at one moment that Captain Franklin was going to choke on his food, laughing at Lady Denver scolding a particularly devious member of the Navy whom he had known in his younger days as a officer.

Georgiana, too, had returned to her usual self and added an extra element of extravagance of person and manner to the table. She spoke shrilly over everyone's individual conversations, laughing quite loudly at things which were only mildly humorous. She enjoyed being looked at, and indeed she was worthy of attention for she looked very well. She was absolutely thrilled, too, that because of the snowstorm herself and the Baron could not leave and thus they would be in the Rochester home for Christmas too. Because Jane had long since abandoned her notion of a quiet Christmas with friends, she found herself very happy with the table before her.

When Lady Denver was not amusing the whole table with her free speech, or Georgiana was voicing her opinions and giggles to the people there, Edward was charming the table in the unobtrusive, natural way he normally did. A gifted storyteller, the room hung on his every word as he painted vivid pictures of his worldly travels, inviting people into worlds they would only read about in books. His intelligence never isolated people, nor excluded them from conversation, rather it moulded itself to fit whatever person he was talking to- allowing him to connect to each person in a genuine way. When he spoke to Eshton it was about science and the maths. When he spoke with Franklin it was about history and politics. When he spoke to Mary it was as an older brother talks to a younger sister, with wisdom and patience. With Anne he was light hearted and amusing, and with Diana he was thoughtful and helpful. He was a match to Lady Denver's quick wit and knowledge of the arts, particularly painting and sculpture, and related to the well-travelled nature of the Baron's life. Georgiana was simply happy to have him glace at her from time to time when one of her shrill laughs pierced the air. Though his interactions were as easy as breathing to him, to Jane they were nuanced and showed the very height of his empathy.

She looked to him, often sharing with him in meaningful glances everything they could not express in words- how much she admired him, how much he was awed by her, and how thankful they both were to have each other. He held her hand firmly in his under the table in the moments he was not eating, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles affectionately. In the moments where something particularly funny or noteworthy was mentioned, Jane felt her hand squeezed and she smiled in recognition of the action. How intimately she was in tune with him, even in a room full of people.

. . .

It was quite late when dinner concluded and still it was later before everyone bid one another good night and then advanced upstairs into their rooms one by one. The Rochester's waited at the bottom of the stairs, bidding goodnight until the entryway was empty and they could finally prepare for sleep themselves.

Jane turned on her husband, smiling sleepily.

"Your eyelids are half shut" he said affectionately, "I am tired too".

"Then come. I shall check on Adele if you will check on Henry".

"Very well" he agreed, sweeping his wife into his arms and carrying her up over the steps.

"I know that you will not tell me if you overdid it walking on that ankle of your today, yet I am sure you did"

Jane paused for a moment, speaking reluctantly.

"I may have"

The corners of his lips curled ever so slightly and bit his lip.

"Here"

He set her on the ground gently and supported her weight as they both looked into Adele's room where she slept silently and peacefully in her bed. Leaving Jane in the door frame, Mr Rochester advanced slowly and closed the curtains of the window so Adele was not woken by the morning light. They then left silently, walked back down the hallway towards their own room and checked on Henry in the nursery. He too was sleeping soundly, leaving the Rochester's free to get ready for bed themselves.

Ten minutes later Jane found herself sitting in front of the fire having already changed for bed. She was brushing her hair slowly and lazily, enjoying the soft flicker of the fire. Eventually tiring of running it over her hair, Jane dropped it into her lap and looked over at her husband who sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through the final pages of a book he was engrossed in earlier that day.

Jane stood up and walked over to him, kneeling behind him on the bed and kissing his cheek. He looked to her curiously before she took the brush and began running it through his hair, brushing his long curls so that the ones which hung on his forehead were joined with the rest of his hair. He closed his eyes and Jane smiled.

"I need to cut your hair" she said frankly, smoothing his hair with her hand,

"You do not like it long?"

"I do, but your curls are beginning to fall in your eyes"

"Mmm" he said in agreement "Tomorrow then"

"Not tomorrow. We shall be too busy. The following day I shall do it"

Jane stood up and began to walk away but her arm was caught by her husband.

"Where are you going?"

Edward paused, looking at his wife meaningfully. She stopped and looked back at him, sighing in contentment.

"I am so in love with you, I cannot even begin to tell you"

The softness in his voice at his confession made Jane's heart swell. She touched his face gently and bent down to kiss him, her tongue meeting his as he parted her mouth sensually. He ran his thumb across her ear and through her hair, pulling his wife onto his lap.

"I've been thinking about you all day" Jane said in between slow, sensual kisses, "I have been watching you and-"

A kiss.

"Thinking of how much I love you and-"

A kiss.

"How-"

Another deep kiss.

Jane pulled back and stopped another kiss by putting her thumb on his lips.

"How attractive every single part of you is"

Edward smiled his rare, warm, intoxicating smile that when shed on someone illuminated their entire world.

"You must not say such dangerous things, my love" he said, brushing his lips against her neck. Jane felt his lips curl against her skin before bringing her mouth back to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, being pulled closer to him as he broke the kiss, heaving sightly.

"Tell me if this is what you want, because once I start with you that will be it for me".

"It is" Jane said confidently before she was flipped over on the bed so that she was on her back looking up at her husband. Edward discarded his nightshirt before reaching to take off his wife's. Jane laughed as it was caught in being pulled over her head, leaving all of her hair in her face. Edward chuckled as his wife pushed the hair out of her face, looking up at him happily.

He paused seriously, looking at her body like it was the very first time he had seen her. He let his hands explore her, rubbing and warming and touching her until her skin writhed with feeling. Jane gasped audibly, biting her lip as he brushed her core. She felt her heart start to pound inside of her chest as one of his hands, which had been massaging her breast, moved to her centre of pleasure. Her mouth opened but no sound came out as she gripped her husband's arm.

"Jane Rochester" he said in surprise, "You are ready for me as it is"

"Mmm, but I think you should make sure"

"Oh do you now?" he smiled, kneeling down in front of her and pulling her to his mouth on the end of the bed.

As soon as his lips closed around her Jane was in paradise. She lay back, one hand thrown over her stomach and one throw above her head, enjoying every second of her husbands divine mouth. She moved both legs over his shoulder as he worked, breathing in deep, steadying breaths to stop herself from crying out. Edward looked up at his wife and beamed, biting his lip in the most handsome way.

"Jane, love, why do you not show me a little more that you are enjoying yourself?"

He moved his hand to her core again, kissing her inner thigh as she took in a shaky breath.

"It is your fault" she said, pulling him up to her mouth, "We shall see in a minute what you look like"

"You know I only tease you because I think that you are the sweetest thing in the world, do you not?"

"Mmm" she responded, kissing his neck sensually, "That better be the case"

"It is" he said, his tone turning much more serious, "More than that. I walk around thinking that no one else in this world knows what you possess under those dresses of yours, and that you are mine. And I do not know how it has come to be, but you are mine and you are perfect".

"Enough" Jane said, kissing him briefly before pushing him onto his back, "That is quite enough of that".

She climbed on top of him and straddled him, pinning her hair on top of her head so it did not hang down in her eyes. Edward put his hands on her side and his thumbs on her stomach to steady her as she lowered herself down onto him, a groan escaping from him as he moved inside of her.

"Oh" Jane breathed, closing her eyes and biting her lip in concentration. She did not move yet, but the feeling of him pushing tantalisingly against her made her squirm. She gave an experimental wiggle and Edward helped her to find a rhythm slowly. After her heart began to pound and her skin turned to fire, Jane felt herself turned over so that her husband could move over her, entering into her again and pushing her back into the pillows. He thrust in and out of her, his skill and self control making him an intoxicating lover. Jane breathed shallow, quick breaths in an effort to calm herself and steady her racing heart and throbbing core.

"Edward" she breathed, causing him to stop instantly.

"What is it?"

"Can you go slower? I will come too quickly if you continue in that way".

"I'm sorry, sweetheart" he said, kissing her forehead, "I should have realised. I was being selfish, though I cannot be blamed for such when it is you".

Jane smiled as he turned her onto her side and lay down beside her, lifting her hips back down onto him so that he filled her again. Jane closed her eyes and sighed, laying her head on her husbands arm.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked,

"Yes" she replied,

He began moving in, and out, in a slow, teasing, rhythmical manner. The slowed speed lasted for a long time, Jane so desperate to release by the end that her whole body shook with anticipation. When she did, followed by her husband, she was not sure for a moment where she was, what was up and down, and what was real. The only real thing in the world was the man beside her, whose beating heart was the same one that was in her own chest. She turned over so that she was facing him and rested against his chest, resigned to never moving again

. . .

Jane was almost asleep when her husband moved his hand from the back of her neck to her lower back. She stirred sleepily, stretching and reaching for the blanket at the bottom of the bed so that she could wrap it around herself and her husband. He thanked her quietly before gently bringing her face up to his.

"I do not tell you enough how grateful I am for you"

"You do" Jane assured him, but he shook his head.

"No. I mean that I am grateful for who you are. I am grateful that people loved each other enough to bring you into the world"

Jane paused, playing with his fingers.

"I know you have said that you parents had many faults, but I will always be grateful to them for having made you"

"I've never thought that anyone could appreciate my family for anything"

"If they were alive, whether or not they would ever look upon me as enough for you, I would thank them".

"You would never be enough for them" Edward smiled, "Which is exactly why you are exactly enough for me".

Jane smiled and sighed, stretching out comfortably in her husbands arms.

"You have told me such before but I do not believe you"

"No, it is true" he assured her, "They would find you to be an incredible insult to the good institution of the British Upper class".

"Truthfully?"

"Well you were not born to a noble family- that would have disgusted my father. You are a wonderful mother who loves her son more than anything- that would have disgusted my mother. You are humoured and light hearted as a woman- that would have disgusted my brother. I do not know why you are laughing Jane, this would have been your family" he teased, smiling at his wife's amusement, Ultimately, you are a thinking, feeling, intelligent woman and they all would have been disgusted by that"

Jane grinned,

"You were also only given a measure of money due to the death of your uncle which would have made you 'new money' which would have been intolerable. Besides, the fact that you gave the majority of it away would have enraged the lot too"

"Goodness" Jane said, "I would not have stood a chance"

She flipped back the blankets to expose herself to cooler air, feeling a little too warm to continue entangled under the covers. Jane sat up and turned to face her husband, who raised his eyebrows at her.

"Are you well?"

"Mmm, just a little too warm"

Edward reached forward and touched her.

"You are, a little. Here"

He stood up and opened the bedroom window, letting a cold breeze blow into the room. Jane lay down and spread out so that the breeze covered her whole body, oblivious to her husband laying down beside her until he spoke.

"I can leave, you know, if I am disturbing your peace-"

Jane chuckled briefly

"No, I need you here"

"I know you do- though I do not know why you are so warm at present"

Jane blushed slightly,

"It is because we made love for a very long time".

"Mmm, tell me that again" he said, kissing her lips briefly,

"You tired me out" she repeated, grinning, "In spite of you being considerably older then me"

"Excuse me" he warned, kissing her again, "You better be very careful Ms. Rochester. It seems I still have power over you yet"

Jane laid her hand on his chest, closing her eyes again for several long minutes.

"Thank you for being so patient with Lady Denver today"

"I should be thanking you. I only walked her to her room. You saw to her comfort and had she not felt so at ease tonight would have been a very uncomfortable night"

"In truth I do not blame her for being so disagreeable. At her age, not being in her own bed, within her own space must be immensely hard. Besides, it is Christmas and we are all so close here- she must feel a little out of place"

"No, not with you around. I saw that you were very conscious of that"

"Perhaps at the expense of others, but I know that the others understood. Besides, you are the only one I really care about neglecting and I could see that you were well entertained"

"I was, I must admit" he said "Diana and Franklin's squabbling is highly amusing to me"

"Why?"

"Because you and I never fight, let alone fight about things which do not matter"

"I think Diana must naturally be that sort of woman. She used to do the same with her brother too"

"Well some men like to be bossed around by women" Edward said, sinking back down into the bed, "Some men would not do well without having a woman to set him straight"

"All men need a woman to keep them straight" Jane said, straddling Edward and kissing him briefly, "All men"

"Mmm" Edward agreed, kissing her stomach before reaching for his pocket watch on the nightstand. Jane, now cold again, reached for the blanket and pulled it around herself and her husband, cuddling into his frame.

"Two forty"

"Merry Christmas" Jane whispered, playing with one of his overlong curls.

"Merry Christmas, my love"

She yawned and laid her head back on his chest,

"We cannot continue with these late night lovemaking secession's. We sometimes only get four hours of sleep and I can see you are tired"

"Do you truly mean that?"

He paused for a moment and grinned,

"No, not a word".

Jane rubbed his stomach before standing up and closing the window. It was cool enough now, and if they left the window opened all night they were likely to freeze during the night. Edward smiled at his wife's naked form as she closed the window, and she sent him a knowing, amused look. Must he always look at her in that way?

Jane picked up her nightshirt from the floor but her husband took it out of her hand.

"No, no sleep in my arms. I'll keep you warm"

And he did, all night long.