It was unclear whether or not it was because of Glynn's somewhat unexpected arrival, but the large and expansive room suddenly felt smaller, and warmer, and as if the crowd was closing in on itself. It became more difficult to see through the increasing swarm of people as it thickened, making it impossible for the Rochesters to locate the friends that they were expecting but still hadn't found.

Jane held onto her husband's arm, noting that he was intent on keeping her close, holding the hand that clasped his arm as he guided her through the party.

He talked lowly to her about all of the people they were seeing and answered all of Jane's many questions about the gathering. This was not like any of the balls she had been to before, for these men and women did not act like those in the country. Quietly, Jane much preferred the humility and the lack of pretense they had left behind. For herself, it was difficult to know who to respect here, but it was made clear why she should. Everyone here had a shared wealth and status in common, and she supposed that was, to them at least, all she needed to know when addressing them. She commented as much to Edward as they passed into a much quieter hallway with only a few individuals who were speaking privately to one another in low and hushed tones. Here, there was a breeze which came through two large open glass doors with sheer white coverings which blew back into the hallway like two large transparent pillars. Edward walked in front of the doors where they had their own private enclave to talk where the air was cool and fresh.

"Do you know" he began lowly, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded casually in front of him, "You and I are as wealthy as any person here, and wealthier than a great many of them"

She parted her lips thoughtfully, and then furrowed her brow.

"Can that be true?"

He tilted his head to the side, looking around for onlookers before proceeding.

"The Rochester fortune is a very old one. It has had hundreds of years to accumulate and stabilise unlike many of the men who are here tonight. Many of them have earned their wealth in the last few generations and have lost the majority of it buying the things which give the impression of that money being inherited and not earned".

"But there is much to respect about a person who makes their own wealth. It is surely more impressive than simply being born into it".

Edward smiled, and so Jane proceeded.

"Before meeting you, I perhaps would have been tempted to criticise the privilege you, for example, were born into. In knowing you, it has always been clear to me that had you not been born into such wealth you would have made yourself an honest man through hard work. As it is, you are not able to sit still for more than five minutes. If you are not doing the books for the estate, you are hosting meetings, and if you have no meetings you are in the fields gathering hay or harvesting the crops, and if not that, you are doing one of a hundred other things which must be done".

"It is good for a man's constitution to work" he admitted appreciatively, "One cannot sit day after day in a smoking parlour, drinking and reminiscing on school boy days, though I'm sure that is the vast majority of the conversation going on out there".

Jane smiled,

"But you say that many of these men do not actually possess the fortune that they claim to have. Is that because they have spent it on estates, carriages, and fields?"

"Precisely. That, or the cost of upkeeping the business which brought in the initial wealth constantly drains the profit. Owning a factory, for example, brings in initial wealth, but they cost a lot to maintain, and paying your workers is expensive, so one does not retain the wealth unless it is significantly profitable."

"So then how can they afford to reside here and not where they must earn their keep, if they are indeed working men?"

"It's an excellent question. I suppose in their eyes it is worth the financial loss to be able to come here and talk of all the money that they must worry about losing in their absence".

Jane laughed softly, leaning against the window frame at her back.

"And so practically, how does that differ from our wealth? Surely there is some financial risk, too, in us being away and yet you do not worry about such".

"A few things. Firstly, we employ men who are experienced in the crops the estate raises to oversee the work. Whether or not we are there, these men ensure things run smoothly. Secondly, if we were to lose a crop, perhaps due to poor weather or animals, we could still afford to pay those who work the land and so we would not lose that labour or rental income. Bad years happen, but we have the stability to ensure that a bad year does not sink the estate, nor a family. Thirdly, we have multiple streams of income. If one were to be affected, we would still have investments, and inheritances, and rents, and other sources which would not be touched".

"We", Jane mused, "I am afraid that it is not a matter of 'we'. I know nothing which could be of any help to you in managing our affairs".

But then Edward's countenance turned more thoughtful, and he nodded.

"I said to you, some time ago now, that I would show you the finances of our estate but I should have already done so. I do not want you to ever feel like you cannot know what we spend our money on, or how much of it we have, because you were not taught to read the estate logs. That said, I do not want you concerned about our finances. But if anything were to happen to me, I need you to know what we have so that no one can take advantage of you ".

"The only things allowed to happen to you are the things I decide" she reminded him sternly, "But I do not want to be helpless in caring for our family if anything were to ever happen. You'll be taking on more than you bargained for, though. I fear I never was excellent at maths and I cannot imagine that you are a very patient teacher".

"I could be, for you".

"I do not think even for me" she smiled, but then her expression fell slightly and she looked at her husband curiously.

"When you talk of our wealth, are you including the money that Lady Denver gave to us?"

"No" he said easily, "That money has always been kept in a bank vault separate from ours. We have more than enough without ever touching those funds, though admittedly we would have had a little more had my wife not given away the majority of her own fortune before we wed, but, who is keeping score?"

Jane grinned widely,

"To think you could have married an heiress. I'm sorry"

Edward reached forward for his wife's waist, gathering her to him.

"You musn't" she said in surprise,

"I would be tempted, Ms Rochester, to do much more if I thought you could remain quiet enough in the process"

She blushed furiously, but narrowed her eyes.

"You are all talk, Mr Rochester"

But he only grinned in amusement, chewing his lip as he took her hand and turned them back toward the party, the feeling of the hot air hitting their skin the moment they had emerged from their private, breezy, secluded spot.

"Thank you" she said sincerely, "For always ensuring that I am your equal in action as much as in words".

"I should have done it sooner" he acknowledged, "I should have made it a priority. But when we are home, I will show you everything and right that wrong"

She touched his cheek affectionately, conveying much more with her touch than she was free to express here in words. But he seemed to understand, for he kissed her hand and lowered it into his.

"Tell me" he continued, lightening his tone, "Does your newly realised status change the way you see your place here?"

"No" she said at once, "Not in the slightest"

He chuckled, walking into a more populated hallway where at once one could smell the mixing of perfumes, cigars, and alcohol, and the sound of a hundred different conversations buzzing quietly and then noisily.

After several minutes they had still not found their friends, nor had they learned if the Franklins or the Roberts had arrived, but to Jane's surprise and delight she suddenly saw Adam and Emma Clarke heading towards them, both looking relieved to have found familiar faces.

"Hello" Jane greeted Emma,

The gentlemen shook each other's hands.

"We did not know you would be here this evening"

"We did not think we would make it" Emma explained, "But we made rather good time on the roads and we decided to come this evening if we could, and I am glad, for it has been far too long since we have seen you!"

"It has been many weeks spent here in London, and I fear we are all missing the comfort of home, including our good friends"

Emma looked rather radiant in her dress and her jewels. While the Clarkes often did not display their wealth, they certainly had it, and in moments such as this it was apparent. She was effortlessly elegant, and came from a line of women who had taught her to be such. Although, it was her own apparent disinterest in her station that made her most elegant of all.

Since Edward was busy filling Adam in on the work that had been done in London, Emma suggested that she and Jane take a walk around the room.

"We will return shortly" she promised, taking her friend's arm as they began their turn. Edward looked slightly weary, but he did not stop Anne from guiding her away from him.

"My husband has felt quite guilty remaining at home" Anne explained privately, "He fears he could have done more good for you all here in London, but you know we could not leave in the middle of harvest season. We have taken on so many new farmers that Mr. Clarke did not feel it would be right"

"Of course not" Jane acknowledged, "We thought nothing of it, apart from wishing that you could be with us for the rather selfish and personal reasons. How has the harvest been?"

"It seems to be well organised. It has been hard having Adam spend so much time away from Arthur. The boy does love his father, and when he is away from him he is never very content, and I fear I cannot substitute those manly things they do together like fishing and walking. As it is, Adam comes into the house at dinner time, eats quickly, goes into his study, and I fear I hardly know what time he finally turns in for bed. One night I happened to be awake, for I could not fall asleep, and I thought that the clock read nearly two when I heard the door to Mr Clark's room close".

"He works hard" Jane reasoned, "And it is only for the harvest season. Surely things will settle soon enough".

"Yes. Of course they will. You are right".

But then her face fell, and she turned to her friend.

"Jane, when we learned of your attack, I cannot tell you what I felt"

But Jane only smiled weakly,

"When Mr Eshton came back to ensure the man was behind bars, and had learned that he had escaped, he came to our home. He was so upset, and he was terrified to tell Mr Rochester what had transpired. We could think of nothing else for days. How unfair for such a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but especially you, sweet Jane".

"All is well" she assured her, as sincerely as she was able, "I was terrified for the children. I would have been terrified to remain at home alone after such an event. But since arriving here, my own mind has been mostly settled. As settled as it can be".

"Because you have your husband again?"

"I fear it is him I worry about most of all"

They both turned back, eyeing their two very serious looking husbands who were deep in conversation.

"There is so much anger inside of Edward he will not share. I know he does not sleep through the night, nor will he allow himself to know a moment's peace. You know him. You know what he is like. He will not be easy until the identity of my attacker is known, and so I am afraid he will never be easy again".

Emma held her gaze on them for a moment, and then returned it to her friend.

"What husband would not be devastated? Least of all yours. He has not taken his eyes off of you this entire time".

They took another turn, closer to the music of the band performing and so needing to talk closer together to be heard.

"I always feel uneasy in London," Emma lamented, "It always feels so serious here. Everyone here has things to hide, and they have things to prove. And it matters here, because these people are of a different social caliber".

"But for you, it is different" Jane said reasonably, "You left this society willingly to go and live in the country. You betrayed them, and I am sure they remember as much".

"We knew it when we left" she shrugged, "We knew it would not be easily forgiven but we did not care. When you live in the city it is this all of the time, and we never enjoyed it. I never felt as if I could trust anyone, because one never sees the sincere parts of people".

"Well as you say, the stakes feel much higher here in London. I feel somewhat on edge here, and I am of no consequence-"

"Of course you are" Emma countered, "For Lady Denver's fortune was always a continual topic of conversation in this city and you and your husband have been the unlikely recipients of it. Everyone is curious about who you are, and why it was gifted to you. That, and yours and your husbands unconventional coming together in marriage. No, I fear that you are of rather significant consequence here".

Jane shook her head.

"Goodness, do not tell me such. It is my worst nightmare".

"You need not worry about a thing here, Jane. Let your husband navigate these social waters he is so familiar with while you can just continue to look lovely".

She turned to her friend skeptically,

"Emma, are you suggesting that us women need only worry about looking pretty?"

"I think we both know that women are often the ones doing much of the thinking, and that you could not hope to wipe half of the thoughts we have from our mind, but in this case you need not bother yourself with worrying about people who expect nothing of us".

Jane bit back a grin.

"And you do look very pretty tonight, Jane. You should enjoy such".

"I was going to say the same of you" she contested, "But you are always so effortless in your beauty. I had to work exceptionally hard to look this way. It is embarrassing, really"

Emma furrowed her brow,

"How much you lie. Anne was right. Your dress is stunning".

"She talked me into it. I never would have made such a frivolous purchase without her bad influence".

"I'm glad she did! One should own at least one dress which is as lovely as this one. This one I wear is from last season. Imagine if anyone here knew"

"I shall keep your secret. You have nothing to fear with me"

The women smiled at one another as there was a loud noise before them. One man had burst into laughter and several others nearby had joined in, and because the music of the dances was changing it was unnaturally quiet in the room when it had happened. Though everyone around them turned to see the point of amusement, people soon returned to their conversations.

"You should see the other girls too. Well, actually, I need to see their dresses as well. I didn't end up going to the modiste with them so I only know their dresses in imagination"

"Why did you not go with them? Were you unwell?"

"Someone needed to watch the children" Jane explained, "Anne's nanny was unwell and we didn't want to cancel the appointments".

"Ah, that is too bad for you" Emma sympathised, "I know you would have offered willingly, but I also know that you would have enjoyed being there too".

"I would have, but I was also happy to help. The girls could take their time with me watching their children whereas with their husbands watching them, I think it might have made them feel rushed".

"Of course it would have" Emma said, amused, "I'm sure they were very grateful, but now I am rather anxious to see these dresses too. I must have one made for me while in London so that I am not left out".

"Good thinking" Jane grinned, turning back to the crowd and sighing.

"We arrived with the Eshtons but have not been able to locate them since, and I have not laid eyes on either Mary or Diana, though they must be here by now".

"We will find them eventually. One time I endured a whole ball without finding my own sister, though admittedly I was not that set on finding her".

Jane smirked,

"How is that sister of yours?"

"Oh, as selfish and prideful as ever"

"I'm surprised that she did not come here tonight if you were coming. It seems she hates to miss out on any experience you have"

"Well the only accounting for that is her not knowing" Emma said darkly, "Though she has ways of figuring these things out so she may walk in at any moment".

Another song started on the dance floor, this one upbeat and lively. The couples stood apart from one another, bowing and curtsying in acknowledgement before the dance began- choreographed perfectly to give some opportunity for the couples to talk privately, but also being public enough to discourage any wrongdoing, or forwardness.

"Oh Jane, did you ever have the experience of dancing with a man whom was interested in courting you, but you were certainly not interested in them?"

"Yes"

Her friend turned in surprise,

"Really?"

Jane nodded,

"St John Rivers asked me to dance one time at a Christmas party. It was not what I would call a very romantic experience"

Emma looked rather enthusiastic to hear more as she tugged her arm.

"Do not leave me in suspense!"

"He is simply an awkward man, so it was an awkward dance"

Emma rolled her eyes,

"Jane, you must indulge me for a moment. I believe I deserve to hear that you, too, have had the experience of an uncomfortable dance".

"Fine. It was only awkward because he was quite in love with another woman there who was quite in love with him, but he refused to marry her. So he held me at a very, very safe distance, his arms stiff as a plank, and with his feet barely shuffling along the floor"

"Goodness" Emma said, in an enthusiastic whisper, "I knew there was more to it. That is strange, for one of the Rivers' siblings. The sisters are so lively and agreeable".

"Well, St John is nothing like his sisters. He is stiff, and prideful, and set in his ways. He was no more interested in courting me, or marrying me, than he would have been interested in cleaning out a pig pen. But he thought it was the right thing to do, and that I would be the respectful choice to fulfill God's wish".

Emma shook her head,

"And he would not marry this women he loved, because?"

"He did not think she would make a good missionaries wife"

"And he thought... you would?"

"No one quite understands it, least of all me"

But at that moment their husbands re-appeared suddenly.

"There you are" Adam said, "We have been looking for you both"

"We did not go far. Only far enough to have a private conversation"

Jane smiled at Emma, who smiled back at her.

"That sounds intimidating"

"Nonsense, dearest. But have you found the others yet? I swear I saw the back of Mr Eshton's head about twenty minutes ago".

"No, but you'll never guess who we did see"

"Who?"

"Do you remember the Pestons?"

"Yes, of course"

"They are here with their son"

"Really? Are they? The youngest?"

But Jane turned away from their conversation and back to her husband, seeing that they were about to be consumed in a conversation about strangers.

"Shall we dance?"

Jane brightened instantly.

"Do you wish to?"

"Clarke" Edward called to his friend, turning his contented gaze away from his wife, "We'll be back in a moment"

Adam nodded in acknowledgement,

"Very well. We shall remain here".

The dance floor was large and had two long rows of couples on it, men on one side and women on the other. Jane wondered to herself if Edward picked a spot in the middle of the floor so that they may have been more disguised from the crowd, but it did not matter to her once the music started. The song was a little faster than anticipated, so she had no time to think of anything else but her feet. The women moved forward, bowing to the men before taking their hand and walking around them in a circle. The men then stepped forward, stepping around the woman before taking her hand on the other side and turning to the left.

Jane had a fleeting flash of what this might have felt like at eighteen if she had met Edward then under these circumstances- if they had courted as some of these people were courting tonight. If their story had been more traditional, if their coming together had been more of what society recognised as a good match, then she would have been burning in this moment with nerves to be dancing alongside him.

They moved in and out of strangers as the dance went on, weaving between people living all sorts of lives with all sorts of different expectations for their night. Jane caught small words or phrases of their conversations as they passed one another, but nothing more. Still, the hopeful gleam in the young girls eyes which were respectfully bent, and their practiced smiled were the embodiment of hope they had for their future.

The song came to an end as quickly as it had begun, the strings pulling a long and harmonious chord which indicated the closure of the dance. The couples bowed to one another before the men stepped forward to take the women's hands to guide them off the dance floor. Jane looked up at Edward, who looked back at her, taking her to the side of the crowd.

"Do you remember when we first married how long it took you to learn all of the dances?"

He smiled at his comment, rubbing his thumb over her hand as Jane gave him a warning look.

"Well, unlike you I had to learn in about one week, not one decade. Besides, I warned you I would not be a fast learner".

"Well, you were a graceful learner, I will give you such. And now, you are an excellent partner. Though a quiet one, tonight".

"I was thinking"

"You normally are"

"About something which has been on my mind during this trip to London"

Edward furrowed his brow curiously.

"I have been thinking about what it would have been like if we had met here as a young couple. Our own story is so different from the traditional way of meeting. It's almost absurd by comparison".

"It is rather, isn't it? I've robbed you of the opportunity to have quiet and hesitant first dances, and quiet and awkward teas with potential suitors and their mothers"

She rolled her eyes,

"Theoretically speaking, of course, do you think I would have received a second dance from you?"

"No" Edward affirmed, amused, "I'm not sure you would have gotten a singular dance from me. Not if we had met at eighteen. And you would have been all the better for it".

"I think you might be right. I would have found myself a far more mature and even-tempered man who was very proper and right in all he did. Perhaps even one who was sweet enough to tuck me into bed each night and come into my room to wish me good morning"

"You must stop at once. I warn you I am a jealous man, Jane -even in imagination".

She smiled at him, and he winked, squeezing her hand.

Another dance started, a slower one. The Rochester's watched as the new set of couples moved around the dance floor, sweeping in and out of their lines with serious and set looks. But Edward moved his wife closer to him by pulling her in at the waist, looking back at a man across the room who was watching them closely.

"Who is that?" Jane asked lowly, not wanting to look directly at him.

"I'm not sure. But he was watching you the entire time we danced"

She turned a little closer into him, happy to be guided once again back into the larger crowd beyond the dance floor where they would be less visible. But nearly the moment they had walked back to where they had last seen the Clarke's, Jane was met by Anne's excited face.

"I've found the others!" she said, "They are by the door"

She grabbed Jane's arm and whisked her away, Edward and Adam following closely behind.

"I could have sworn.." she said, moving to the right, and then weaving between a large group of people, "I definitely just saw Anne, and also Diana. Perhaps they moved into the hallway here"

But as they passed in front of the large opened doors, several things happened at once which paralyzed Jane with fright. The cold breeze which blew in through the doors sent a chill down her spine, and as she turned to look at it she saw a face which had been burned into her memory- a face she could not forget and was terrified to remember.

He was hovering near the door, one foot raised on the step and one hand hanging limply at his side, a cigarette in between his distinctly yellowed, cracked teeth which were made visible as he laughed at one of the other servants hanging around him.

Jane gasped, a noise which was only masked by the noise in the room. Her heart pounded in her throat and she turned instinctively into Anne, walking faster in the opposite direction as her friend looked at her in confusion.

"Jane?"

But then she saw her friend's face, and her eyes widened.

"Jane, are you well?"

"That is him"

"Who?"

"The man who attacked me"

Her eyes flashed, turning quickly on the spot.

"W- what?"

"That man" Jane said lowly, looking back towards the door while keeping her head bent.

"That man!? The one who is smoking?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Jane held her arm desperately,

"Anne, Edward cannot know. He can't know he is here. He can't see him or else-"

"Ladies!" A familiar voice called, and Jane recognised the voice before she saw Mr Eshton's looming figure , "There you are. We couldn't find you anywhere"

But then he saw both of their faces, and he stopped short as Anne appeared beside him.

"What's happened?"

"Mr Eshton, Jane's attacker is here, he's over there by the door"

"He is here? Now? Jane, are you sure?"

She nodded,

"Where is Rochester?" he asked urgently, spotting his friend coming up behind them in the crowd with Adam,

And then he was there, touching Jane's shoulder and turning to look at her face the moment he had seen everyone else's.

"What's happened here?"

"Rochester, you need to leave"

Adam arrived in an instant beside his friend.

"What is happening?" he repeated, more firmly this time.

Jane's heart pounded wildly, her breathing feeling short in the crowd, and the heat, and the noise. She didn't hear the exact explanation that was given, for her blood was rushing past her ears.

And then she felt a hand at the small of her back that was guided her in front of Edward and gentle compared to the repressed rage in his voice.

"Where is he? Which one is he?"

An anxious pause.

"Rochester-"

"I need to get my wife away from here and I want to know where he is. Now."

"You know we cannot tell you"

"I have a right to know" he said evenly, and yet with so much force that Jane worried that no one would contest him. He stepped forward, and if looks could kill, this one would have.

"Tell me now or I swear to God-"

"Edward" Jane said lowly, her voice pleading and only loud enough for him, and suddenly his attention was on her and her alone.

He looked at her for a moment, and then back up at Adam and Eshton, torn between wanting to act, to hurt, and to revenge, and wanting to take his wife away from the danger. But then he tightened his mouth, and he lowered his voice to an almost inaudible level.

"If he escapes again I will not be answerable for what I shall do. That goes for you both. I will not be answerable for it."

Eshton and Adam gave him whatever reassurance he needed for him to take Jane's arm and guide her away from them all, moving her in front of him and through the crowd quickly and swiftly until stopping where they had left their cloaks.

Jane tried to still her shaking hand- tried to put it at her side where it would not be seen, but until she could quiet her mind, she knew such an act would be fruitless.

"No, that one- that one" Edward was indicating impatiently, taking Jane's cloak out of the mans hand and wrapping it around her shoulders. He eyed her up quickly before again taking her arm and leading her out to the carriages. He muttered instructions to the driver as he loaded his wife inside, climbing in directly behind her and shutting the door the instant the carriage pulled away from the curb.

The silence inside was deafening, but it was quiet, and because of it Jane could feel for the first time just how much her heart raced, and just how short her breath was. She put her hand against her chest, sighing and then taking a breath in an attempt to have her heart regain its normal rhythm.

She reached forward and dropped the window, laying her face against the carriage. It was only then that she realised that she had a singular tear rolling down her face that felt icy in the breeze that blew across her face.