A/N--I hope you are enjoying the ride. This is where we learn more about Adele. Please read and REVIEW! (I know you're out there!)

THE FRENCH POPPET

Events at Thornfield ran in a livelier course after the Master's return. There were more comings and goings as the gentlemen of the neighborhood paid their calls, Mr. Rochester was often invited out to the various functions hosted by his neighbors and now was beginning to return their hospitality with some dinners at Thornfield. He had been going over plans with his Agent and had put some men to work at repairs and improvements around the house and grounds.

Mrs. Fairfax seemed pleased to see him taking an interest in the running of the Estate. She explained that he had spent so little time at the Hall in the last few years that she had begun to think he might be planning to close the house entirely—leaving it with only a caretaker, instead of a staff. "It is such a loss to the area when a house such as this is not lived in by the family. Inevitably there is less prosperity because of the lack of employment opportunity and then there is the loss of custom to the village when there are no purchases to be made, no horses to be shod, no visitors to the inn..."

"Yet you have kept the house so well, Mrs. Fairfax—quite as if he were always here in residence."

"Well, he seemed to prefer it so—I had noticed that it put him out to have a grand bustle made whenever he came home—so I felt that it would be better to keep the main part of the house in readiness for him. He is fortunate also in having a very conscientious Agent—Mr. Burroughs has been very good with settling the tenants' problems—but there is no substitute for the owner's presence in some of these matters."

Adele came up to me just then, all dressed to go outdoors, "Oh Mlle. Jeannette, you are not prepared for the garden and I so wish to go outside!"

"I am sorry, Adele—call Sophie to go with you and I will follow shortly." Off she ran, and I went to find my bonnet and pelisse. I was on my way out the door when I met Mr. Rochester coming in.

He raised an eyebrow at seeing me and asked, "Were you on your way somewhere, Miss Eyre?"

"No sir, just to the garden with Adele—she is already out there with Sophie."

"I think I will join you then, it is a pleasant afternoon—there was something I wished to talk to you about and Adele will hardly miss you with Sophie to entertain her." I fell into step with him and we paced for awhile on the terrace which overlooked the grassy area where Adele and Sophie were tossing a ball back and forth.

"I promised to tell you more about Adele," said he. "You must know that my life has not always been an example of correct behavior. I have made some mistakes in the Past—some larger than others—but I try always to live up to my responsibilities—no matter how they were acquired. Adele's mother and I...we were very good friends once..." Here he sighed and paused for a moment before continuing, "I was such a green fool then—and she was very charming—but I am dodging the issue, am I not?"

He cleared his throat and went on, "To state the matter clearly—Celine Varens was an Opera dancer whom I had under my protection for a while. I was totally enthralled by her—couldn't get enough of her—showered her with all the gewgaws she could wish for and, in short, made an idiot out of myself over her. It came to a crashing end one night when I paid her an unexpected call and discovered her with another gentleman—both of them in a state of nature—and in what might be referred to as a classical pose. When I expressed my dismay at this discovery—the shameless jade invited me to join them in their romp! (Forgive me, I shouldn't have told you that!)

"Of course, my infatuation expired at that moment and on the spot. I gave Celine her walking papers and paid her off. I gave the gentleman my glove across his face and made a dawn appointment with him for the Bois de Boulogne—he got off easier than he deserved—I satisfied myself with leaving a bullet in his shoulder." He fell silent and we paced on for a while.

Finally I spoke up, "You were going to tell me about Adele."

"Ah yes, Adele—well—she is Celine's daughter, of course."

"Of course," I echoed him, "And her father...?"

"The father? Well, Celine claimed that I had the honor—but in the light of later discoveries and the basic applications of science and mathematics—I rather doubt it. She is nothing like me at all—and dismayingly like her mother in far too many ways!"

"So, if that's how things are—then why do you have Adele here?"

"These things always start small and grow into unforeseen complications, don't they? Despite a lack of certainty over Adele's origins—I had, from the first, kept an eye to her living arrangements. Over the years, I became more and more concerned about what might lie ahead for her. Meanwhile, Celine had run off to Italy with a musician, leaving Adele behind in Paris. When I heard that Celine was dead in an epidemic; I realized that I was the only person who was taking an interest in the child, so I brought her here. I intend her to have an education and then later on, provide her with enough of a dowry to get her decently married off."

"That's a very generous thing to do, all things considered."

"It's not the child's fault, after all—I saw no reason for her to follow her mother's path for lack of someone to take an interest in her future."

"You thought it likely that she would do as her mother did—become an Opera-dancer?"

"There was every likelihood of such a thing—after all, Opera-dancers and the rest of the Demi-Monde have to come from somewhere. Pretty girls with no money and no one to care haven't many choices open to them. Now that you know about Adele, perhaps you will no longer wish to teach her. Perhaps you will think yourself contaminated by the association and wish to tender your resignation and seek a new post elsewhere?"

"I think not, I am fond of the child—she is sweet, affectionate and very lonely—she tries very hard to please—I could not abandon her for such a reason as that."

"Are you that way with all your friends—so steadfast and loyal?"

"I would be that way with anyone who was deserving of my interest and concern."

He started to say something more, but was interrupted by John, who came up with a message for him. He took his leave of me and went off on some business matter, while I stayed out a while longer and played games with Sophie and Adele.

I thought about what he had told me about Adele's background and felt I now understood her better. We were both orphans, standing by ourselves, without parents to protect us from life's storms. She was fortunate to have, at least, someone who would see to her safety and welfare.

-xxx-

I had just come into our maison with my nursemaid, Claudine, when Maman called me to her side. "Alors, ma petite, M. Edouard has called and wishes to greet you, go and make your curtsey to him."

I was always happy to see M. de Rochester—as he usually had a smile for me and sometimes a little present. It was true that he was English, but I never thought about it as his speech and appearance were like everyone else's. I ran to him, and there he was as always, with his gruff greeting and special smile--"Eh, Adele—you are grown so much—can this be the same little girl I saw a few months ago? No—this must be some other child—also named Adele, n'est-ce pas?"

"Oh no, Monsieur, I can assure you that I am the same Adele you saw before."

"That is as well, since I had brought something special for that Adele."

"Oh, had you indeed? I am certain it will be a nice thing!"

It was bonbons this time, and I liked them very much and thanked him for his bounty. Maman then had me to recite a little poem she had taught me—my performance was well received and I retired with applause.

Maman had many friends and there were often parties where I was allowed to be present and sometimes to show what I had learned from Maman. She was such a clever teacher—I remember the dance she showed me how to perform where she was a beautiful flower and I was a little butterfly trying to steal a kiss from the flower. There was much applause for that one—even M. le Vicomte who went about with one arm in a sling--(it was said that he had been wounded in a duel)--clapped for my performance with Maman!

But then Maman went away for a vacation with M. Contini and left me with Madame Frederic and after a while when there were no more letters from Maman, M. Edouard came to see me. He talked with Mme. Frederic for a bit and then he asked me if I would like to go to England with him and live in his house with him. He told me that Maman had gone to Heaven with the angels and that she would be watching over me even though I could not see her.

Oh, how sad I was when he told me this—it was one thing to miss Maman, but to know that I would never see her again—that was very hard! I cried a great deal—he put his arms around me, and I think he cried too! In the end, I agreed to go to England with him.

It is very cold here in England and I miss Paris; Sophie, my new nursemaid, is very nice; but I am lonely without M. Edouard—for he has gone away again. There is something strange in this house, sometimes I hear someone laughing in a very odd manner; but they claim that it is only a woman servant called Poole. I am not sure what to think, because yesterday my book of Fables was not where I left it and Sophie and I searched without finding it. This morning it was in the hallway on a window sill. Sophie says that we will lock the nursery door at night, just to be safe.

I am to learn English and then I can go to school and be with other girls. That will be a good thing—they say that I am to have a teacher soon—I hope we like each other.

My teacher has come—she is young and very good to me—Mlle. Jeannette speaks French as well as M. Edouard. I am learning a lot of new things. Arithmetic is very interesting—it is so logical, and then there is scientific study. There are so many things outdoors to look at and think about—I never knew there could be so many kinds of plants and animals! I am learning verses and stories in English now and she has begun to show me how to play the pianoforte. I am happy now, even though M. Edouard is not here!

M. de Rochester has returned and brought me many beautiful things. I love my new dress—I hope we have a party soon so that I can wear it! I still miss Maman, but I see her in my dreams and I am content.

So, there is Adele--our little French butterfly--I hope you liked her.