Jane Eyre Fanfiction

Evening Tea

After Jane was finished conducting Adele's lesson, Mrs. Fairfax arrived thereafter notifying of Mr. Rochester's request for tea in the parlour. To that notice, Jane took kindly and responded by saying that she will be there. Jane curious to know of Mrs. Fairfax obliviousness to the woman who lives upstairs, asked, "Mrs. Fairfax, what do you make of those noises that Grace makes every now and then, and quite often on a dreary evening such as this one?" - To this Mrs. Fairfax stated, "My dear, I understand but as mentioned when you first came - Grace is simply doing her job, albeit her cackles are a bit disturbing, nonetheless she does a good job of things - and we can't complain of that," Mrs. Fairfax with a look of defeated exasperation. Jane nodded her head in compliance of the facts so duly mentioned by Mrs. Fairfax, but then Jane thought - oh, if she only knew of the terrors that reside in this house!

.... Evening Tea Time approached..

Unaccustomed as she was in the beginning of dressing finely for the evening tea hours, ever since Mr. Rochester had proposed to Jane - Jane had accumulated her good share of fine dresses and jewelry to wear on evenings such as these. Though, it was that eerie cackling that brought shivers down her spine. Not to mention the dark face and red eyes, she saw the night before they were to be married - and it was right here in this room that she that face. Oh, it scares her to her very core just thinking about it again. Regardless, Jane found a dress that matched her sense of self tonight, her colourless face had gained some rosy cheeks and the sun and good food had certainly helped her complexion as well. With a steady heart, she walked down to the parlour.

....Once reached the parlour, she opened the door, and saw the fireplace lit, with Mr. Rochester's back to the door and hand on the mantle - it gave her flashbacks to the night she had decided to run away. Thinking on the idea of why she had stayed, Mr. Rochester turned around and pulled her in and said, "You look beautiful in this rosy dress, it matches your complexion". "I do thank you for your kind words," replied Jane. 

Mr. Rochester sat on the big sofa-like seat next to the fireplace, and called for Mrs. Fairfax to bring in the tea. Meanwhile, he inclined Jane to sit near him as she used to - and talk. 

The embers in the fireplace burnt slowly as a peaceful exchange followed between Mr. Rochester and Jane. Jane asked Mr. Rochester, "How is it that Mrs. Fairfax is oblivious to the fact that Grace is not behind the eerie cackles but rather your wife is? - (Jane looked away as she said that - because it pained her to say that her Edward already had a wife that was not her). Noticing her change in expression, Mr. Rochester says, "Perhaps she is as oblivious as I desire to be" - Mr. Rochester looked into Jane's eyes as he said this, and cupped her face in his hands, brought her closer, and Jane slowly got up and inched her way onto the sofa that Mr. Rochester sat on - and he kissed her deeply with all the passion resembling the burning embers in the fireplace. 

It is true that all the people in Thornfield Hall are aware of Jane and Mr. Rochester's engagement, as our story started where they were forbidden to marry according to the current law {that being Mr. Rochester cannot marry until his first wife is dead - at least he cannot on English soil}. So, what does Mrs. Fairfax make of this predicament? It would seem strange to her as well, considering she has no reason to understand why they would not marry as there are only a few servants in Thornfield Hall who are aware of Bertha's presence. Will Bertha make another move to jeopardize Mr. Rochester's life? Or, will something else happen?