This is where our story will end-sorry but that's what my characters want. It's gonna end with a bang though!

THE MORNING AFTER Chapter 27

My Cousin's arrogance in attempting to cancel my engagement to Edward made me furious. I glared at him, "You are no Guardian of mine!" I cried, "That would require you to go to Chancery Court, if I am not mistaken—and then—being my Guardian, you could not marry me!" I turned on my heel and left him standing there. I hurried back to the House—intent upon finding Edward and Mr. Briggs. The latter had been planning to leave us now that all was settled with my Uncle's estate. I prayed that he had not yet departed for London.

Indeed, I was only just in time, for there he stood with the Coach at the door, his trunks in process of being secured in the Boot, he was in the act of saying his Farewells to Mr. Rochester, when I appeared breathlessly in the midst of the bustle of activity. "Mr. Briggs, I pray your indulgence for a moment—there is a problem that I must lay before you, ere you depart."

"But of course, Miss Eyre, I am your servant always—please tell me of your difficulty." So I informed him of my Cousin's untoward declaration. I saw from the corner of my eye, Edward's reaction—his face flushed, his hiss of anger, his fists clenched—but he said nothing. Mr. Briggs echoed my opinion, that St. John had no power at this time to interfere with the Wedding. He wisely suggested that we lose no time in accomplishing our marriage, whether by a trip to Scotland or by means of a License. He then had his luggage taken back into the House and delayed for the moment, his travel plan.

Edward took me into his private Study and sat me down—"Well, my love, it seems the time has come for us to act. What shall it be? The anvil or the altar?* I am prepared to do either—as I have no intention of losing you to that fellow's caprices."

At some point, I had started to shiver, perhaps at the mere idea of being married to my Cousin. Edward, ever sensitive to my feelings, inquired if I felt cold—I told him that I was not cold—only upset by the mere thought of being married to a man who cared nothing for me, but only for the benefits I might bring to him in terms of money and unpaid labor—a sacrifice to his ambition.

"I think there is only one thing I want to do just now, my darling—indulge me in this, if you will." With that he took me in his arms and began to kiss my face and neck; the shivering soon went away as I relaxed under his attentions. I became aware that my dress was being loosened and that his lips were straying into previously unexplored territories—I considered making an objection, but decided that it was too much trouble. I seemed to be existing in a warm haze of gratification—I never wanted it to end—my arms had somehow entwined themselves around his neck—and his tongue had somehow strayed into my mouth where it was jousting vigorously with mine, and there was a hand making its way up my leg under my skirts.

I definitely felt warm all over, and there was more than that happening—I was aware of a wanting, an urgency for something I could not define. Edward chose that moment to abruptly cease his invasions into my personal areas. He set himself apart from me, "No more, by God—or I shall not be able to stop! Name your choice, Jane, Scotland or the License—but let it be swiftly done!"

-xxx-

There was a great disturbance at Thornfield that night; I was roused from my slumbers by a knocking on doors and a voice shouting something that sounded like my name. I was reluctant to rise, being very comfortable where I was. However, the hullabaloo continued until it arrived at the door of the bedchamber where I was. "Hell and damnation!" cried my companion, "What the Devil is going on now?" Perhaps you will have divined that I was not alone in the bed—Mr. Rochester was sharing his bedchamber with me that night.

He rose from the bed in all his male glory and somehow found a dressing gown to wrap about himself. That matter achieved to his satisfaction, he opened the door to find a furious St. John on the other side. "You Villain," he almost hissed, "what have you done with my Cousin Jane?"

"I?" replied Edward nonchalantly, "Why, nothing that might not be expected of a man on his Wedding Night."

"That cannot be possible! I gave no permission for such a thing!"

"Perhaps not, but both Mr. Briggs and the Bishop agreed that her Uncle's permission was sufficient."

"The Bishop performed the ceremony at such short notice? That sounds a bit unusual..."

"His Excellency is a connection of mine on the Fairfax side of the family—he was delighted to preside. Now, I do not wish to seem inhospitable, especially to a member of my Wife's family, but you would greatly oblige me by departing this house at Daybreak, your sisters may stay if they wish. If you will excuse me, I was rather occupied when you disturbed us." With that final salvo, he closed the door on the inhabitants of the Hallway. He made his way back to the bed, "That went rather well, I think," he said complacently, "Now where were we when we were so rudely interrupted?"

I could not help myself—I laughed until I cried—and I discovered that Edward was laughing also. "I wish that I might have seen his face when you said that about the Bishop," I said, "I had no idea that he was a relation of yours."

"Oh well, you know how it is—after a century or so, one ends up related to half the Neighborhood, one way or another. Now, what is this? Have you put clothes on? You know that I prefer you without such things. I shall just have to take them off, shan't I?" Here he gave the heavy sigh of a greatly put-upon man, and I rewarded him with the smile of a very satisfied woman.

Yes, Reader, I had married him!

*He refers here to the custom at Gretna Green of a marriage performed by the blacksmith over his anvil.

I hope you have enjoyed this little excursion-I certainly could not wait to see what these 'paper-dolls' might do next. Yours, until Inspiration strikes again.