Hello all my lovely, lovely readers.

I hope you're doing well. Happy New Year to you all! I hope it is the very best year for you all, and one which brings you much happiness.

Thank you, so much, for your continued support of this story. It means, truly, the world to me. And thank you for your reviews. They really make my week.

Big changes coming soon!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lady Denver's funeral was a very quiet affair.

It took place in the small but beautiful church on the edge of her estate and was attended by few. Jane wondered if the sacred space seemed almost austere because of how few were in attendance. There were the Rochester's who attended by choice, the Eshton's, the Franklin and Mary who attended as good neighbors, an older couple named the Dalton's whom Jane had never met before but were well known in the neighborhood, and two middle-aged men who only stepped into the church after the service had begun. Father Roberts gave a lovely sermon, one which was respectful yet honest towards the character of the woman he had known for only a brief time. To over romanticise who she was would have seemed ingenuine, Jane thought, and yet to not recognise what she had brought into their lives would have been equally wrong. The delicate balance that had been struck between the two made Jane respect Father Roberts a little bit more. In spite of this, the end of the funeral had been somewhat marred for Jane by the ominous, looming presence of the men who waited at the back of the church- for what, she did not know. They were evidently restless, not there for the service. Edward had turned at one point to look at them, and they starred back at him with threatening intent. Jane observed her husband nervously, but he reassured her silently by turning her back towards the front of the church when he had seen that her eyes were on him.

"Edward?"

But he only shook his head,

"Everything is fine" he promised, so quietly she could barely hear.

By the time the service concluded Franklin and Eshton had also noticed the men and were on their guard. They sent each other serious looks, and Jane became anxious to know why. As Father Roberts moved forward to speak to the Dalton's, the two gentlemen who hovered at the back of the church stepped outside, no doubt to avoid a confrontation within a house of God.

"Edward, who are those men?" Jane asked the first moment she could with relative privacy. He looked to her and sighed.

"I believe that they are Lady Denver's nephews"

"Her nephews? But why do they stare at you in that way?"

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she knew the answer. Closing her eyes she nodded,

"Of course".

Just then, Eshton and Franklin stepped away from their wives to discuss the matter with Edward, but the action did not go unnoticed. Anne looked worried, as did Diana, as they took each others arms in support.

"Jane, what is all this about?" they asked, stepping towards her.

"Apparently those men at the back of the church were the nephews of Lady Denver"

Mary gasped,

"Do you think they are here to demand something? Will they fight?" Anne demanded, now concerned.

"I do not know" Jane responded honestly, turning back towards the men.

"Are you sure it is them?" Franklin was muttering lowly, his brow set.

"Definitely" Eshton replied, glancing towards the door, "Both are Lords and members of Lord Batton's personal council. I have encountered them several times in London this past season alone".

"Well then, we should send our wives home. They do not need to witness this"

"Witness what?" Diana asked sharply,

"Nothing. You ladies should head back to the Rochester's now. We will meet you there shortly".

But Jane turned on Edward, taking his hand at his side to make sure she had his full attention. When she spoke, it was only to him.

"This does not need to come to something. Can we not all just leave together?"

"I have no intention of fighting, but I would prefer if you left, Jane. If there is an altercation, I would rather you not be there for it".

She opened her mouth to respond, but then Anne's frustrated tone caught her attention instead.

"You would send a carriage of women home alone, would you?" she probed angrily, looking at her husband in disbelief.

"Yes I would" Eshton countered, "It is safer that way, and do not question me on such again"

"Edward" Jane repeated lowly but meaningfully.

There was much going on around them, but the look she gave Edward sobered him instantly. After a long pause he nodded to her before turning back to his friends.

"We shall all leave together"

"But you will not be able to stop them, Rochester, if they decide to fight-"

"It takes two to fight, and I need to take my wife home"

There was such authority in his voice, such confidence in his tone, that no one contested him. Though there was uncertain silence, Franklin and Eshton eventually nodded,

"Let us go then, and get this over with"

Outside the day was grey, and the dim sun which did make its way through the heavy clouds was muted and dull. Edward walked out first, surprisingly at ease with Jane on his arm. To no one's surprise, the unknown men were waiting by the carriages looking expectant, but the Dalton's approached first.

"Mr Rochester" the old man said somewhat shakily, standing nearly a foot below Edward in height, "I regret to inform you that my wife and I will not be able to attend the gathering at your home. We were grateful for the invitation, but we, unfortunately, have a previous engagement that must be attended"

"Of course, Mr Dalton. It is no trouble. Perhaps you will visit us on another occasion soon?".

He nodded slowly,

"My wife would like that very much. Ms Rochester" he said, bowing in acknowledgment to Jane before entering the carriage behind his wife.

The moment the doors closed the two men still lingering by their own carriage approached. Jane felt Eshton move closer behind his friend, though she knew that Edward would not allow the confrontation to turn physical in front of women, so she was less worried than she had been before.

The men stopped and leered uncomfortably close, but as Edward stepped forward to meet them, Jane was struck by the power of his presence. She never viewed him in that light, for she was his equal, but in moments such as this she could not help but recognise him for what he was, and even she was in awe of his absolute authority.

"Rochester, we've come for what is ours"

"You come to the wrong place. You need a courtroom, not a churchyard"

One of the men's knuckles turned white as he balled them into a fist at his side.

"Watch yourself" Eshton warned, "You cannot return to court if you have no teeth".

But the man only growled lowly and turned back to the person of most interest to them.

"We have a right to that money, Rochester. We are her blood- you are nothing".

Edward's chin lowered and his eyebrows set.

"Whatever transpired between you and your aunt is not of interest to me, but whatever it was made her determined that you never see a shilling of her wealth. Until informed otherwise, assume that her dying wish was fulfilled. Excuse me"

He turned to take Jane's hand, and the quieter of the men looked at her curiously, seeming to realise for the first time who she was.

"This your wife, then? She has already made plans as to how to use the money, I am sure. Certain women do have their patterns-".

It was the wrong thing to say.

Holding Jane's hand firmly but using his body to shield her, Edward pushed the man's chest so quickly and so forcefully that he toppled back against the carriage, only just managing to stay upright as he steadied himself. The other man looked so surprised at the force of the impact that he naturally stepped back.

"Never speak of my wife again".

Using the opportunity of their stunned silence, Edward guided Jane into the carriage before helping Anne in behind her. Eshton sent the men a slightly smug look as he followed behind his wife. Jane could see through the window that Franklin had already helped Diana and Mary inside of their carriage and was now watching intently, looking stern and serious. Turning her attention back to her husband, Jane saw that Edward muttered something lowly to the men before stepping into the carriage clearly angry, but still collected. He tapped the coach twice to indicate to drive on and a moment later they were on their way.

There was silence for a long moment, and then Eshton began chuckling quietly to himself. At first his friend looked confused, but eventually, Edward's hardened face softened into a grin, and he too was laughing.

"What is funny about this situation?" Anne asked, eyebrows raised.

"Your husband proposed breaking the men's teeth" Edward explained, "I think I would have enjoyed seeing him try".

As the men dissolved into quiet chuckling, Jane and Anne looked at each other, grinning.

. . .

Back at the Rochester's home there was a reception for the funeral mass of Lady Denver. With the Rivers, the Franklin's, and the Eshton's all in attendance the only unexpected guest to show up was Father Roberts. Though he had been invited, he hadn't responded to the invitation, and so when he suddenly appeared in the doorway of the sitting room Jane approached him in surprise, watching him as he swept into a low bow.

"Good afternoon, Ms Rochester"

"Good afternoon, Father. It is good to see you".

"I do apologise for not responding to your invitation. It was quite rude of me, I know, but I can only blame my bachelor ways. I receive my mail on time but I often open it too late".

Jane smiled, not having any trouble believing him.

"It is quite alright. Edward and I assumed you were busy, for we have hardly seen you these past few weeks anyways".

"I have been rather busy. There was an accident on the Mills' farm about a quarter-mile from here. All four of the men in the family died trapped under a collapsed beam in their barn during a fire. It was a terrible affair. I have been counseling as best I can while also trying to find accommodation for the women and children in the meantime".

Jane's forehead creased,

"Oh, I had not heard. I am so sorry. I've always heard that the Mills are a lovely family".

"They are, though things are not well for them at the moment".

"No, of course not. What can we do to help?"

Father Roberts hesitated, but then his face fell into an appreciative smile.

"I would usually say nothing for the sake of ease, though I know you mean what you ask. All of the children's possessions were burned in the fire. This includes their clothing, which is the most pressing thing at the moment".

"Of course. How many children are there? And what are their ages?"

"I am not sure offhand. I shall send you post tomorrow so that you can arrange such accordingly".

"Very well"

"They will be very grateful when I tell them you have agreed to source some clothes for them, Ms Rochester"

"Oh please do not mention they are from myself or my husband" Jane said quickly, and Father Roberts looked at her in confusion,

"I simply do not want the Mills to feel as if they owe us anything, or are indebted to us, if it is a possibility for them to simply not know where the clothing came from. We would be happy to help in any way possible".

"Of course" Father Roberts nodded, his own modesty evident in his understanding.

"And what of their mothers?" Jane continued, "I am sure they are in need of clothing too?"

"Of whom do we speak?" Mary asked, stepping beside Jane curiously.

Father Roberts looked to Jane to gauge what the honesty of his response should be, but Jane informed cousin of all she had learned. At her words, Mary's face sunk,

"It sounds like a horrible affair. I could help you, Father, if you would like it".

He paused, looking skeptical.

"I do not wish to put you out, Ms Rivers. I know you have your young son to look after"

"He will do very well with Diana or Jane. I can be of use- only if you require it, that is" she corrected, blushing furiously at her apparent forwardness.

Father Roberts hesitated a moment, but eventually dropped his shoulders.

"In that case, very well".

Mary nodded,

"If you would like some tea, Father, we could discuss plans further?"

"That would be lovely. I would enjoy a cup, I must say. Ms Rochester".

He bowed to her briefly before walking away alongside Mary. As they approached a set of chairs at the end of the room, set away from the rest of the crowd gathered, Jane watched them more intently than she would have normally- watched how their movements mirrored one another, watched how though Mary was shy, something in Father Robert's demeanor made her appear calm and at ease as she busied herself with the tea set. The sight of it made Jane feel slightly guilty.

In hindsight, knowing what Father Andrew could have been to her, Father Roberts was exactly the type of man Mary needed- straightforward, fair, mature, and a natural leader. After all that had happened to her, Jane recognised that Mary's self-confidence was forever damaged. Though it could, of course, be recovered, fostered, and cultivated back to health, Mary did not have the strength to believe herself capable of certain things again. She now required a man who would guide her through life, someone who would always make the decisions in their marriage, someone who would allow her to take a place at his side while he acted as head and protector of the house. And yet, it wouldn't have mattered if Mary had found twenty men who fit this criteria, for she had largely given up on the idea of marriage. She did not seek it for herself, and claimed she would not accept it even if it came her way. To live alone meant she could not be hurt again, and Mary was sure she would rather face loneliness than heartbreak.

"I know what you are thinking"

"I bet you do not" Jane countered, smiling at the sudden appearance of her husband behind her.

"You are thinking that Mary and Father Roberts would be a good match, in spite of, and perhaps because of all she suffered with Father Andrew".

"Yes" Jane admitted, turning back to look at them across the room, "Though I have thought such to myself before, it just seems so obvious in this moment. I regret that I ever encouraged her to give her emotions over to that man, Andrews. Perhaps she would have been more receptive to Father Roberts now".

"We all encouraged her" Edward reminded, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Besides, perhaps she does not want a man in her life anymore. Perhaps that was an honest realisation bourne out of that entire ordeal"

"No" Jane said softly, "If anything, I believe that now more than ever she would benefit from a husband because she no longer trusts herself to make the right decisions".

"But that is no mentality to enter marriage with. That would lead to an inevitable imbalance. A person should stand on their own two feet independently before attaching themselves to another being"

Jane looked up at her husband, the busy room allowing them to have the personal conversation in privacy, for no one enveloped in their own conversations looked their way.

"Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of such independence, whether because of their temperament or their circumstances. Perhaps Mary could have been otherwise, if not for her fate, but she at least does not believe she will ever be capable of such again".

Edward sighed, moving in front of his wife and leaning against the chair to that he was facing her.

"I am sorry to hear that. She is capable of much more than she gives herself credit for, and I know you want better for her than she would ask for herself"

Jane sighed,

"I try not to think of it too much. It is not my place to grieve for her when she does not grieve for herself. She is, after all, contented in raising her son and enjoying the time she spends with Diana. No one can change another person's decisions. No one can be responsible for another person's feelings".

"Mmm"

But Edward, in observing his wife, turned his head curiously to one side.

"What did Roberts say to you just now? It looks as if he gave you bad news"

"Oh" Jane said, feeling sorry she had not said something sooner, "Edward, the Mills had an accident on their farm. The Father, Uncle, and two sons are all dead".

"Dead?" Edward asked in surprise, "How?"

"During a fire all the men of the family were trapped under a beam in their barn when it collapsed on them"

"Good God"

"I asked Father Roberts what we could do to help, but Edward, I suspect he is in need of more help than he asks for. He is looking for accommodation for the family. Do we have anything on this property, or any other you know of?"

"I am not sure. Here we do not have the accommodation for two combined families, and I am sure they do not wish to be separated at present. But I will look into it and speak to Roberts about what I find. Between the both of us we shall work it out".

'Thank you" she said, putting her hand over his. "I also told him I would help source some clothing for the children and the women of the family. I will need some money to go into town tomorrow".

"Take whatever you need from the desk in my study. There should be more than enough there".

"Very well" she said, interlocking their fingers and squeezing them gently, "Thank you"

But he looked unsatisfied as he watched his wife.

"You look tired, sweetheart. Do you feel alright?".

"I feel well, but I am tired today. In truth, I cannot wait for my bath tonight".

But before he could respond they were interrupted by Anne turning and looking for them over her shoulder.

"Jane, Mr Rochester, come over here this instant! My husband is gone absolutely mad".

"Anne, do calm down".

The frustration in his voice made Jane and Edward smile at eachother before approaching.

. . .

As she suspected, sinking into the warm foamy water of the bathtub was the best Jane had felt all day. She closed her eyes, smiling as it lapped over her chest and arms and then finally settled into calm ripples which pushed themselves to the edge of the basin. Her limbs relaxed under its warmth, and the deep breath it drew from her felt like the first she had taken in a long while. The room was quiet while Edward put Henry to bed, the sound of water dripping from her hand ringing clearly in the silence as she raised it to her face.

The past few weeks had felt very long, between Edward's recovery and Lady Denver's death. Jane had had little time to herself, but she had been assuming it had been a good thing to have had so many distractions from her own thoughts. Now, however, she wondered if ignoring them had been a mistake. The weight of it all was beginning to feel like lead on her chest, and even the recognition of it made her feel a little lighter.

As the sun went down, Jane watched the most stunning sunset through the window. With its warm glow colouring her face she felt so at ease, so at peace, that she could have stayed for hours looking. But the sun set, and the warm glow of dusk passed away, and Jane was left in her dark bathroom with less and less light to marvel at. In the dim light she moved the bubbles around on the surface of the water, watching them swirl in delicate patterns long after she had lifted her hand from them. She was so absorbed in the thoughtless task that when the bedroom door opened she jumped, her hand flying to her chest. Through the darkness, however, Edward could not see this, and when he entered with a candle in his hand he looked only thoughtful.

"Shall I leave you in peace?"

"You do not disrupt my peace" she replied, somewhat distracted by her own thoughts again.

"Then I suppose I will join you".

Edward laid down the candle on a side table and began undressing, discarding his clothes absently on the floor. The flickering light the flame cast moved across the surface of the water in interesting patterns but was broken the minute Edward stepped into the tub. Jane slid forward to give him room to sit before being pulled back to rest comfortably against his chest. When wrapped in his arms she closed her eyes, feeling her chest rise and fall with his in an undisrupted rhythm. When a warm cloth was dragged across her chest and water ran down her stomach, she realised just how very safe she felt with her husband- a feeling she never took for granted, especially since that night when she thought she had lost him. The cloth traveled down her arms, across her legs, and up her side, dragging warm soapy water with it, and Jane kissed the arm which held her in place. Staring forward somewhat blankly, she rested her cheek against the place where her lips had just left.

"Oh Edward, I am so tired"

"Time for bed?"

"No" she replied softly, "Not in that way. I just feel as if my mind has been running a million miles a minute and has not slowed for weeks".

There was a long pause, and Jane worried that Edward was feeling unnecessarily guilty for his part in it, but then he spoke, turning her so that she faced him.

"Come here"

He looked into her eyes, searching for the answer to some unspoken question.

"You sound serious- more serious than I was expecting"

"I am, but I'm not unhappy. It has just been one of those seasons in life where we haven't had a moment to catch our breath. It is normal, but strange nonetheless"

Jane touched his cheek to soften his expression, but instead his face transformed into something she was not expecting. He looked curious for a moment, and then almost as if he was awed by a private thought. It was so surprising that for a moment it stopped her in her tracks, and her smile faltered.

"You know" he began slowly, transfixing her as he played with a piece of her hair, "These past few months have made me more grateful for you than I ever thought I could be".

She bit her lip,

"And I am not just talking of how you physically cared for me, though I will always be grateful for that. I am talking of your resounding optimism and resilience. You carried the weight of this whole house, our unborn child, our son, and myself for several long months while I could not be there for you. My God, Jane. I have never met your equal in strength".

Filled with a rush of love for him, Jane pulled her husband into a hug, laying her face on his shoulder as she squeezed him tightly and his hands wrapped securely around her waist. His lips brushed her cheek, her eyes closing as they moved to her temple. The smile which coloured her face warmed her entire body.

"It is not about strength" she said softly, filled with conviction, "It is about love. And I love you with my whole heart and soul".

"I know you do" Edward said, matching her conviction in full as he looked on her with such pride and love.

"Now then, come. Let us go to bed and think of nothing else for tonight".

"In a minute" Jane promised, taking the cloth from him and dipping it in the now only luke-warm water. He smiled to himself, not breaking his gaze as she cleaned his chest and down his arms. The repetitive motion of running the cloth up and down his body, the darkness of the room, and the fog of sleep which fell across her mind lulled Jane into her own world of thoughts. She did not know how long she was distracted for, but it wasn't until she caught her husband's eye that her reverie was broken.

"What is it?"

"I was just thinking- I cannot imagine walking through life without you".

"Why? Did you have a plan to leave me afterall?"

"Mmm" Jane teased, biting her lip.

Taking her chin between his fingers, Edward pulled her to his mouth and kissed her slowly, but with an intoxicating level of restrained need. She gasped slightly and he smiled, pulling her back to his mouth before running his thumb over her lip.

"Time for bed?"

"For bed?...or for sleep?"

Grinning, he stood and helped her from the water.

. . .

For a long time after she woke, Jane fought opening her eyes. She wanted to remain as warm and cozy as she felt in that moment so that she did not have to admit that it was time to wake. The longer she thought on this, however, she became aware of how little light there was in the room, perceptible even through her closed lids. When she opened them, then, her mind was forced to quickly mull over the confusingly dim, darkish blue light in the room. She was unsure of the time of day from the haze alone, so she sat up with some difficulty and moved to the edge of the bed. Through the large pane of glass before her she saw nothing but two dark planes in the ground and the sky, and a crack of thin, warm, orange light splitting the endlessness of both. The longer she looked, the more she could see what was illuminated by the thin slit of rising sun, though it was still nothing more than black, indistinct shadows. She was somewhat surprised when such a genuine smile crossed her face, for she realised it had been such a long time since she had witnessed the beginnings of a sunrise. As she watched, having no desire to look away, she had time to think.

Hours before, when she had lay with her husband before falling asleep, they had discussed the recent pace of their life at length. Though they both understood that there was nothing they could have done to prevent the rush of activity, it felt reassuring to have it acknowledged by another person. So many nights over the past few months Jane had collapsed into bed and fallen asleep without so much as a deep breath, a stark contrast to the way she normally fell asleep with peace in her mind and her husband laying beside her. Without him there to share the positives and negatives of the day, she had been left feeling out of balance and displaced in her own life. And then, when there had been the glimpse of a return to normality, Lady Denver had passed and the loss had weighed on Jane and Edward more than they could have anticipated. In the wake of all she had left them, especially without instruction, Jane felt a great responsibility to her memory, though how best to honour it was still a question she was grappling with. In sharing her concerns, Edward had eased her anxiety by offering instead that they could, and should, take the time to carefully consider how best to use the money and property she had left to them so that whatever they chose to do, it would be the right decision. Though it was difficult to hold onto the money while there was those in immediate need in the world, Jane knew that her husband was right.

In spite of having no answers to certain questions, in spite of Jane being tired and emotional and uncomfortable in nearing the end of a pregnancy, in spite of Edward's slow recovery and personal frustrations, laying in each other's arms had made everything feel as though it could be dealt with- that it was not insurmountable. As he had pushed the hair back from her forehead over and over in a soothingly repetitive motion, Jane watched him meaningfully until her eyes closed and she had fallen asleep.

Now, as the sun rose slowly over the horizon and Jane felt the warm orange glow on her cheeks, the confidence she had not experienced in some time returned to her, and when she let out a sigh, it pushed much of her pent up feelings out with it. So she leaned back, hands supporting her as she tilted her head to the side, and took another deep breath.

"Jane?"

Surprised, she turned and looked at her husband now propped up on one elbow and rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Morning!"

As Jane began moving towards him, he lay back down and opened his arms to her. She crawled into his embrace and watched him as he closed his eyes to fall back asleep. Taking a deep breath, he rubbed her back lazily.

"Are you alright, darling?"

"Mmm. I was just enjoying the sunrise"

"Were you?" he muttered sleepily,

Jane smiled and kissed his cheek, knowing he would remember none of this in the morning.

There was silence for such a long while that Jane assumed that he had fallen back asleep. To her surprise, however, he spoke again seeming much more alert as he turned onto his back.

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice gravelly.

"I'm not sure. The sun is still rising".

"Did you sleep well?"

"I did, I slept like a baby. You tired me out last night"

Edward chuckled as she held closer to him, grunting in satisfaction as her hands slid across his chest.

"I am not sure I moved the entire night. I've never had a better sleep"

Jane laid her head on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go back to sleep for a little while then?"

"No, I am well rested. Besides, I have something to talk to you about".

"Oh?"

"Something you said last night while we were laying together...".

Surprised, Jane propped herself up on her elbow, looking skeptically at her husband,

"What is it?"

She didn't like the devilish, almost proud, grin which spread over his face,

"You wanted me to take you in a certain way, but you were a little too eager last night for us to rearrange our...position".

Blushing furiously, Jane remembered exactly what she had said, so she rubbed her husband's chest in embarrassment,

"Mmm, well that is quite enough. I do not think we need to talk of that again"

"No?"

"No"

His teasing smile when he bit his lip was absolutely intoxicating, and Jane could not find the power to resist him as he pulled her back into his embrace.

"And what if I want you in that way, right now?"

"Now?"

"Mhm"

His confidence was at once so attractive and so easy.

He climbed over her and pressed soft kisses to her forehead, jaw and throat. As his lips found hers, he slowly and deeply drew a moan from her- a moan which was meant to be an answer to his question.

"Go on" he teased, amused that she was disarmed so fully.

But Jane hesitated, deciding that if he was going to play such games, so would she. Sitting up awkwardly, with the help of her husband, she climbed on top of him, kicking the blankets down to the bottom of the bed and spreading his legs.

"What if I were to tell you that I do not want you in that way at all?".

But he did not have time to reply before her head was ducked between his legs and he inhaled sharply.

It was an easy surrender.

As she worked, Edward's hand tangled in her hair, guiding her so gently but confidently in her movements that she had to focus on the task at hand and not what the sensation made her immediately want- almost enough to beg for it. As Jane sped up, Edward groaned agonizingly but pulled her back, breathing heavily.

"You cannot go that fast, darling. I won't be able to control myself".

But Jane, set on dazing him as he had done to her, resumed her task at an even faster pace, calling upon all the skill she could muster. It worked. Edward let out a breath which had been held for too long, uttering a profanity as his hand twisted his wife's hair. The next moment, however, she was yanked firmly from her task up to her husband's face.

"I need you to behave"

Jane grinned,

"What if I do not want to listen to you?".

"Well you will listen to me, because- look at me".

Jane's eyes met his as he tilted her chin up, and she felt an instant warmth spread through her in spite of his threatening, raised brow.

"If you do not listen to me, I cannot turn you over and take you from behind until you are screaming my name, and I know that that is exactly what you were thinking of the moment you put me in your mouth".

As his hand found her womanhood, he stroked her wetness for proof and Jane felt her eyes roll up in her head.

"I thought so".

At his words, and as his fingers made contact with her again, Jane sighed in satisfaction.

"Are you done?"

"With you? No. Not even close"

Edward chuckled, turning his wife as he had promised so that she was on her hands and knees before him. As his hands warmed her, he kissed her lower back.

"How do you feel?"

"Very good".

"Comfortable?"

"Mmm"

His hands smoothed her bottom for a moment before he rubbed himself against her. Pressing her forehead into the mattress, Jane felt him enter her lowly and slowly and then pull back equally slowly before pushing into her again and again. Biting her lip, she smiled as she heard her husband's satisfied grunt. As he pushed into her over and over she felt the sensation in her stomach building and building until it was a pulling, pulsating throb between her legs. Jane could have given into the rush of emotion in that moment, and she wanted to, but the only thing which stopped her was wanting more- and the wanting was strong.

And then, before Jane recognised what was happening, she was shuddering, mouth opened, unable to speak as an orgasm swept through her. Before her knees buckled unwillingly, Edward caught her weight and guided her onto her back while she laughed in surprise. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly and her breath was unsteady, but she closed her eyes and smiled, rubbing her stomach affectionately. A moment later, her eyes flew open.

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Did you finish?"

He was clearly amused, and his laugh made Jane smile, but she closed her eyes against it.

"Didn't you notice?"

"No" she grinned guiltily, "I must admit I did not"

"Come here you" Edward grumbled affectionately, kissing her cheek. Jane leaned into him, regretting the moment he pulled away.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go-"

"No you don't," Jane said, clutching his arm as he laughed heartily, his lips kissing her hair.