This is a what-if that takes place ofter the proposal scene and the storm. If you like it, let me know and I'll continue it-otherwise (heh heh) I'll leave you with "Cliff". By-eee!

AFTER THE STORM

The morning was so beautiful—the storm was over, the sun was shining, and all the leftover raindrops were sparkling like the crystals in the drawing room chandelier. I opened my window to the fresh, cool air of the day. Birdsong and flowers awaited me outdoors. I dressed hastily—filled with the joy of the new day and the anticipation of the new life which Fate had offered me last night.

I skipped down the stairs and out the door of the Hall, I danced down the paths of the garden, I flew through the orchard gate and there, among the flowers and the bees and the fruiting trees, I saw-the wreck of the chestnut tree. It was like the last stroke of midnight for Cinderella at the ball. Suddenly my gay fantasy fell apart like the halves of a bright curtain; for somber reality had abruptly made its appearance. A little shiver ran along my spine—joy and sorrow, life and death—so little divided them, what must I expect to find in the time soon coming?

It was then I became conscious of the presence looming behind me—I turned, and beheld-Mr. Rochester. He was smiling, and I suddenly became aware once more of the beauty of the day.

"There you are little fairy! I've been seeking you all over this morning, come and have some Breakfast with me!"

"Oh sir, truly I should not. Mrs. Fairfax expects me, as you well know."

"Nonsense! Come along with me, we need to talk, there are plans to be made."

"Could we not talk after Breakfast—once the crumbs and the coffee are dealt with?"

"Hmph! Are you trying to get your own way so early on, Miss Eyre?"

"But of course, sir, should I not begin as I mean to go on?"

He made a truly impressively horrid face at me. I broke into laughter, which stilled as he caught hold of me and kissed me rather thoroughly. "Now Miss, that's for that sauce of yours—I'll expect to see you in the Library directly after you finish with your 'coffee and crumbs'."

I felt my cheeks hot, under his quizzical look, but I agreed to see him then.

-xxx-

Mrs. Fairfax was at the table when I stepped into her room. "Good morning, my dear, such a lovely day after all that storm last night. You're looking well, is that a new dress?"

I looked down at my lilac gingham, I had put it on without even noticing what I wore. "No, ma'am, I thought I would wear it in honor of Summer."

She looked down at her plate, she seemed ill at ease, I remembered that she had seen me with Mr. Rochester last night in the Hall. I decided on a direct approach-"You saw us last night when we came in from the storm," I said.

She peered at me over her spectacles, "I did, it has left me very concerned for you—you are so young and he is a great deal older, and I think you do not know much about men and their behavior. They can be so unscrupulous when they want something. Please be careful, my dear."

Once again, I felt that little chill of apprehension, but I would not let myself be ruled by baseless fears. I swallowed my concern and indulged my curiosity. "I think you said you had known the Rochester family a long time."

"Oh yes, my dear, a long time indeed—some thirty years or so."

"Then you must have known the present Mr. Rochester when he was young. Please, what was he like then?"

"Goodness! What was he like? Very mischievous at times, but there was no harm to him—he was fond of jokes and pranks—He and John (the man servant) were much of an age and would get into trouble together sometimes. But it was never anything too bad. Old Mr. Rochester had his hands full with those two sons of his I can tell you. Mr. Rowland was several years older than Mr. Edward and had his own friends and pursuits—the two of them seldom spent much time together. It's true though that when it came to preference—most of the folk around here liked Mr. Edward better than Mr. Rowland."

Leah came to the door just then to remind me that I was expected in the Library. I rose and went forth.

-xxx-

I was scarcely through the door when I found myself captured in his arms. "You were enchanting this morning when I came upon you in the orchard—all spangled with dewdrops and raindrops—my little water-elf."

I met his smile with one of my own. Truly, I had never felt this way before—so alive, so filled with joy. I felt as though all my life had hitherto been passed in shadow—now the clouds had passed away and I stood in the sunlight. "If I am a water-elf (whatever sort of being that might be), then you, sir, must be a garden-gnome!"

A rumble of laughter and several kisses was all the response I received for this piece of impertinence. "I must be thoroughly under your fairy-spell to not take exception to being called a gnome! Enough of this, there are plans to be made!" He ushered me to a seat on the sofa and sat beside me—I think I must have been blushing to have him so close—for he presently observed; "Your eyes are so bright and your cheeks so pink—you are not feverish are you?"

"No, indeed, I am very well today. If I am in a fever, it must be a fever of anticipation to know more of these plans you keep mentioning."

A long, strong arm stretched out and drew me closer to his side—there were some more kisses. "Ah well, this is very pleasant, but we diverge from the main theme," said he—rising and going to his desk where there were several papers lying loose upon the surface. "I thought that after our wedding, we might go abroad—you will enjoy Paris, I am sure—it is very beautiful and extremely elegant. I must have you outfitted by a couturiere I know of. You will be the envy of all the fashionable ladies! Today I will send to my banker in London for the Rochester jewels—there is a diamond parure that will rival your dewdrops for brilliance! I want you to shine like the treasure you are!"

By now I was very ill at ease—all these plans of his—jewels and fine frocks—such things would never feel right to me. He saw my little frown, "What is the matter, Janet? Don't you want to go to Paris with me?"

"It's not that, sir." I fell silent.

"Well then, what is the problem? I see that there is something that troubles you."

"It is just that I don't want to be some sort of dressed-up doll to be shown off to everybody. That's not the way I am! I would feel like a fool."

"I can see we will have to reach some sort of understanding here. You do need some new dresses and well you know it. I can't be taking you on a honeymoon in your governessing wardrobe—what would people think? They'd take me for some sort of penny pinching skinflint!"

"Very well, I suppose I could manage a few dresses—but not the jewels—please, let them stay in the bank, I really don't think they would suit me."

"Your request is granted, then—no jewels, for now, at least. Now go get ready to go to Millcote, the Wedding will be next month and we've got to find you a dress to wear."

My nerves were all on edge from his high-handed behavior. Perhaps that's what led me to blurt out my curiosity. "Please, could you tell me what you meant by all that flirtation with Blanche Ingram? The whole business was very odd."

His eyebrows rose in surprise, but he answered me readily enough. "Good Lord, are we back to that? I can see that you must have an answer, but I'm afraid you're going to be offended. I think that almost from the first time I saw you, I was fascinated by you. You were so different from every other young lady I had met. There was no dissembling, no flirtation, nothing but honesty from you. I'm afraid that a life in Society rather isolates one from finding these qualities in others."

"Why should I be offended to be found sincere?"

"I had not finished my extrapolation—witch! As you may have noticed from the party I recently hosted; young ladies are expected to be lovely and flirtatious, but not very clever. It is assumed that they will look more attractive for the purposes of Matrimony if they seem to be docile and pretty. All too often, one discovers too late that the surface and the reality are not the same. Never mind that, I'm afraid I am diverging from the point of your inquiry."

"You are rather far afield, I fear."

"Just looking at you is a strong distraction, my darling; but, to the point now—I, as I have said, was powerfully drawn to you from the beginning; while you, as far as I could tell, simply regarded me as a sort of friendly employer. I could make nothing of your feelings toward me. I thought perhaps a little dose of jealousy might help."

"You used Blanche to make me jealous—that was infamous! You led her on—and then, what did you do? You dropped her, without a thought for her feelings! That was not kind of you, at all!"

"Now, now, let's not be hasty! Some years ago, I held a Christmas party here at Thornfield. The Ingrams were among my guests; Miss Blanche, who was all of sixteen at the time, took a decided fancy for me. I was not interested in her then, and I am not interested in her now; but I have had the deuce of a time avoiding her continued attempts to ensnare me. I finally decided to meet the problem head-on by means of the recent party. I let loose a rumor that my wealth was not all that it appeared to be; that the estates were heavily encumbered by debts run up by my brother's gambling habits. In short, that I was not worth her time or trouble.

She departed since for the greener pastures of the London Season—there was an announcement in the paper a few weeks ago of her engagement to some young fool with a minor title and a reasonable fortune. Miss Ingram has consoled herself for her loss, never you fear."

Another chill ran through me—how could he be so duplicitous, was there no end to his deceit? How could I marry a man who lied so easily, and who made nothing of it? I recalled the painful scene at Lowood when I had been accused of being a liar. How that had hurt me—still hurt me!

"What is the matter with you—you are so pale—are you well?" He enquired anxiously, peering into my face.

"I think I would rather not go to Millcote today" I said, my eyes downcast, as I came to my feet and edged away from him.

"But Jane, your trousseau, your wedding clothes—we must order them soon if we are to have them in time."

"They won't be necessary."

"What, you're going to wear your Governess gowns all over Europe!"

"I'm not going to Europe."

He was by now becoming rather agitated by my resistance. "What is it that you are planning, Jane? I do not understand you at all."

"At this moment I do not understand you very well either," I cried. "How can you enjoy the deceit you used on Miss Ingram and justify it as a polite means of discouraging her? I cannot and will not condone it! Furthermore, that you thought it an expedient method to encourage my interest in you—that truly infuriates me! I am not a puppet to be manipulated by others—I am not a doll to be dressed up and played with for a while and then to be laid aside when I am no longer of interest and some brighter novelty offers itself to your attention. I am myself and I can fend for myself—I have no need of outside support."

"Very well, you are not a clinging vine, but a thorny thistle patch. What am I to do with you?"

"You can write me out a recommendation for Mrs. O'Gall of Bitternut Lodge. I will go to Ireland, not to Europe!"

He had the grace to look a bit embarrassed by my request. He looked down at the surface of the desk, shuffling the papers about as though he had no idea what they were. His face was a bit flushed, he had trouble meeting my eyes. "Jane, there will be a difficulty in doing that."

"Why?"

"There is no such person, I made her up!"

Deceit upon deceit, nothing but one deception after another—all trust in him was gone. It remained only for me to remove myself from his presence. I did so swiftly and decidedly, closing the door crisply behind me. I found myself face-to-face with Leah in the hallway. "Oh Miss," she said, "I was coming to look for you, there's a gentleman come to see you."

"Indeed," said I, "and who might he be?"

That's all for now-if you want more-you'll have to let me know. Mwah haha!