Finding My Will

Chapter 3

                                                                                      [10 years later]

      I pulled up to Thornfield with hope bursting out of me. My new employment offered a fresh start and a chance at forgetting Will. I hopped out of the carriage and was greeted by the same Mrs. Fairfax that I had written to.

     "Ah, I'll bring these to your room for you. The Master, Mr. Rochester, will be wanting to have a word before you get started," she gave me a hug and smiled, "It'll be so nice to have someone here for Adele."

     I was ushered down a hallway and given directions to his study. The house was very nice, though, a bit cold. The walls of this hallway had portraits of all the old masters, except it seemed one was missing—odd. The door to Rochester's study loomed over me, and just as I was about to knock, a little girl bounded out and wrapped her arms around my skirts in a hug.

     "Madame!" she laughed.

     "Please leave us, Adele," a deep voice spoke out. I looked for the body of it and found a bear-like man warming his hands to the fire. His face was hidden from my view. "Troublesome brat, she is."

     He turned to look at me, and I gasped. He turned white. "Will?" I ran to him and clutched his hand. He was the spitting image of Will—same dark hair and eyes. All these years I had thought he was dead. I had my Will back!

     He ripped his hand out of mine. Still pale, he backed away from me. "I'm...I'm...My name is Rochester."

     I grabbed his arms. "I'm not crazy. I know it's you," I said, looking into his face, trying to find faint recognition.

     In what seemed like a second, he composed himself entirely. He pushed my arm away in disgust, and said, "I know not of this Will you speak of. My name is Rochester," he emphasized the last part with excess sternness and resolute. "Leave me. You must find a new place of employment. I will not allow an unstable creature to govern my charge."

                                                                                              ***

     Will (I was sure it was him, and refused to call him Rochester when I was alone) didn't make me find new employment, and started warming up to me. He still wouldn't admit that he was Will, but I didn't mind. I was positive that he was. Any bit of Will that I could get, concealed or not, was welcome to my aching heart. He invited me to his study every evening to talk, and asked me of the boys I grew up with. Maybe he thought he was being clever, but this made it plain that he was Will. See, I had never told him about the boys.

      I had no desire to torture him, though, and I filled him in on the happenings of our little gang. I had fallen out of touch with Jem, and last I heard he had his own parish (or something of the same sort). Monty had moved to Ireland, and was now a slight alcoholic. I learned of his many bar fights through the bail requests I was so often sent (and so often rejected). Fritz still lived in an institution. I feared he was being mistreated, and was saving up money to move him.

      As of today, I had been here 6 weeks. I had spotted Will in the garden through my window, and had decided to join him for a stroll. I now walked closer, and he spotted me. He purposefully stalked over. I moved to be half behind the tree closest to me for protection. He looked angry.

      "Don't be silly. I've been silly," he said. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He picked me up and spun me around in a hug. "I'm Will." I laughed and hugged him harder.

     "I knew from the first moment I saw you, stupid" He was warm and nice. All my past memories of growing up with him came back as I breathed him in. A tear rolled down my cheek. I had missed him so much.

     I backed up and hit him on the arm, "That's for letting us believe you were dead." He laughed.

     Now serious he said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I now it'll be hard to forgive." I forgave him instantly. I had no wish to dwell on the past. I had spent years without him. "Marry me," he said.

     "Of course."

                                                                                                ***

     The day was finally here. I felt perfectly content. I would get to live with this man for the rest of my life—my dear, precious Will. It didn't matter to me that he pretended to be Rochester. Rochester wanted out. All Will had to do was take care of Bertha. I would accept all the baggage in the world in return for my Will.

     "I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest declared. I was ecstatic. We were married!

     Just as I kissed him, the doors of the church flew open and a man with an eye patch and one stubby hand walked in.

     "Wait," he said in a gruff voice. Will cursed, and I asked him who it was.

     "Rochester," he said through gritted teeth. How could it be, when this was supposed to be the happiest day of my life?

     "This man stole my name and identity! I have papers to prove it!" Rochester pronounced. He slapped the papers onto the table with his good hand.

     "You liar!" Will yelled and charged towards him. His clenched fist met Rochester's jaw with a crack. All the while, Rochester's lawyer had come in and was explaining the papers to the priest. I viewed these happenings with shock from my place in front of the pulpit.

     I stood paralyzed on the spot as the next few events unfolded. Rochester reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a black revolver. He aimed it at Will. The lawyer and priest yelled, and ran over to him. Will had grabbed the end of it and was struggling to point it to the ceiling. A shot went out, and sunlight glimmered through the church's wound.

     Jem opened the wooden door of the church, and looked around. His silhouette was framed against the bright sunlight of the outdoors. He spotted me, and ducked down as he ran over. He grabbed my arm, and said, "Jane we need to go. Jane, come." Jem picked me up when I didn't respond and carried me as he ran out. Before we could get to the door, a bullet sunk into my thigh. Will yelled out, "Jane!" and I faded away.