"Mrs Fairfax turned out to be what she appeared , a placid tempered , kind natured woman , of competent education and average intelligence." ~ Jane Eyre about Mrs Fairfax.

Mrs Fairfax - The honourable Lady Part I.

Shortly after Jane and Edward were married, they made a home for themselves at Ferndean Manor. They were not willing to pay the expense or wishing to relieve bad memories of the burnt down Thornfield to rebuild it. They had both agreed a part of them was missing. It was the simple old woman Mrs Fairfax they had missed the most. Arguably, Jane had missed her more as she had formed a friendship with the old lady as she was her only sensible female companion during her stay at Thornfield. However, Mr Rochester, who was loath to admit, he actually missed that simple old Lady's company too. The conversation between the pair on Mrs Fairfax ensued one rainy day when outdoor pursuits were not welcomed.

'I wonder where fate took Mrs Fairfax?' Jane sighed. She was only a couple of months preganant and was in one of her retrospective moods.

'What makes you think so, Janet?' Mr Rochester turned to his Love. Still he could not see her so well, his vision having still not cleared.

'Well, Edward, we haven't seen or heard of her since you decided to send her away. Besides, I have not spoken to her since I left Thornfield.'

'Hm, yes, well you are right Janet.' Rochester agreed. He was sat comfortably on his easy chair and moved his hand closer to Jane's of which she moved to clutch his. 'Perhaps we should to write find out where she has gone.'

Jane agreed deciding the best course of action was to contact the banker that delt with Mrs Fairfax's annuity that Mr Rochester settled on her. Rochester had the banker's address and she read her letter she composed for him. For now, she would often write and read letters to her Edward in his inability to read due to his vision impediment. So Jane was involved in the running of the estate much to her delight.

The letter ran as thus:

Dear Messers Codroy and Maller,

I have a small favour to ask of you in inquiry of an acquaintance that you manage an annuity for.

Her name is Mrs Alice Fairfax.

Please supply me with the adress of this good lady.

Yours ect.

Mr and Mrs Edward Rochester.

Rochester approved of the letter and it was sent off to Codroy and Mallor in the city.

It was a few weeks hence that the Rochesters recived a reply from Messers Codroy and Mallor

My dear Sir and Madam,

Gladly, I shall supply you the adress of Mrs Alice Fairfax. It is:

Croftborne House

Picadilly

Mayfair

London

Yours ect

W.Codroy

Jane knew what she had to do now, she would try and write to Mrs Fairfax to request to call on her.

A lone figure walked down the street carrying her purchases of the day. It had been raining so she was very careful not to trip over or get her gown too soiled. Master Edward was too generous in his annuity. She had plently and much to spare so she found herself frequenting the many shops buying items that before she wouldn't dream of purchasing.

Millie or Miss Millicent Ashby who she had been staying with for the past year was one of her oldest friends and living in her London flat had meant she would have the company that Mrs Fairfax craved and she only requested that Mrs Fairfax pay her share of expenses. Millicent was a spinster of a similar age to Mrs Fairfax and living together was almost like living with a sibling.

Opening the door with her own set of keys, she set her shopping down on the floor. She would sort out her shopping later, instead she decided to retire to her bedroom and change. Downstairs, she heard the door unlock and lock again and she knew Millicent was back as well. She was humming a tune that she could not remember, and she also came up the stairs.

'Your post, Alice is on the table next to your door.' Millicent shouted as she knocked on the door going past her friend's room and walked to her own, her own post in her hand. Mrs Fairfax thanked her friend and at this point had just finished changing.

Having opened the door, she opened the letter with the writing that stood out to her as she read it on her way downstairs to the drawing room. Remarking on the handwriting, she observed the way that it was written seemed familliar. Undoubtedly, she had seen this hand somewhere, but was unsure of where. Breaking the seal and reading the first line she then realised who had sent her this letter. At first, Mrs Fairfax was confused in her addressal by these people of her past, but she did not feel their addressal of her was unwelcome.

At this point, Mrs Fairfax had sat down on the lounge chair in the drawing room, with her hand still clutching the letter staring blankly at the page at the familiar writing. It started: 'Dear Mrs Fairfax,' she read out loud in a whisper. The name signed at the bottom had told her all she needed to know about the writer of this letter. 'Yours with the greatest esteem, Mr and Mrs Edward Rochester.'

Reading the letter slowly, previous reminisces of being in company with both Mr and Mrs Rochester had put the couple in high esteem with the old lady. Her confusion and tolerancy towards Master Edward's behaviour was more than compensated for in his generosity and thought of her. When he decided in ordering Mrs Fairfax to leave, she did feel offended that she could not help him or being able to comfort him in the loss of Miss Eyre, however, she was persuaded to go and live far away amongst friends almost to give her a holiday. So now, Mrs Fairfax was resolved and was no longer offended by Mr Edward's decision to send her away.

As she continued to peruse Jane's letter, she felt she was hiding something from her, but this didn't stop her from answering the letter in acceptance of Jane's suggestion. In this letter, Mrs Fairfax was never told of the tradgedy that struck Thornfield she was only told of Jane and Edward's desire to see her again. This story, of course was much too long to be written in a letter of this nature so, it would be during Jane's visit up to London on an errand which included calling on Mrs Fairfax, that acquainted her with the history of the last year especially the issues that transpired after she was convinced to leave her master and leave Thornfield.

Millicent had come down to the drawing room and taken her usual seat when Mrs Fairfax had reached the end of the letter. Milicent's concern for her friend was apparent as she asked her what the matter was.

Mrs Fairfax felt to keep the Rochesters writing to her a bit of a secret at first and didn't wish to impart any information. 'Nothing of consequence, Milli.'

Her companion nodded, took a chair close to Mrs Fairfax and started reading a book that she had laid on the table closest to her. Rising to move to the desk, Mrs Fairfax took out some note paper and a pen and started to pen her letter to the Rochesters.

My Dear Sir and Madam,

Upon receiving your letter, I must admit I was suprised at your efforts to reach me.

Nevertheless, I would be happy to receive you at twelve noon at Croftbourne house on the Monday after next.

My humblest regards to you.

Your humble servant,

Mrs A.Fairfax

Sealing the letter and handing the letter to a boy servant that they employed to post, Millicent observed her friend from the open book that she was pretending to read. Confused as she was in her friend's behaviour, their trust was the only thing that did not tempt her to ask who the letter was from and why she needed to respond to the letter. Millicent knew of Alice's employment and the handsome annuity from a gentleman relative, but she was not told of why she had come to stay with Millicent.

Meanwhile, Mrs Fairfax resumed her usual seat and decided, she would tell Millicent, who was her oldest friend, who the letter was from. 'Milli you were perhaps wondering who I was corresponding with and that singular handwriting on that letter.'

Her companion nodded and looked to hear what the situation was. 'Please, I would so like to be acquainted with the details.'

'Very well,' Mrs Fairfax started, Millicent was much too curious for her own good. 'I shall tell you that was a letter from my previous empolyer and his wife, Mr and Mrs Rochester. Have you heard of the name?'

Her friend replied in the affirmative.

Mrs Fairfax continued 'I never did tell you of why I came to live with you and I shall tell you now, and it involves that gentleman. However, you must be discreet Millicent, it will not do to have this partied about London society like common knowledge.' Millicent replied again in the affirmative, giving Mrs Fairfax full confidence of her discretion. Then, Mrs Fairfax told the story of how Jane Eyre, the then goveness, had almost became Mr Rochester's wife and he had a wife who was still living that he married a few years ago hence stopping this union. Miss Eyre then ran away and this caused Mr Rochester to become so depressed that she too had been sent away. This of course lead to her living with Millicent, she explained and now she presented the letter which was written in Jane's hand 'I had received this letter from Mrs Rochester, formally Miss Eyre, to encorage a renewal of our previous acquaintance.'

Millicent was not particularly astonished at the story her friend told her, she was only worried for Mrs Fairfax 'So you will meet the Lady?'

'I will, here, when she comes a week henceforth of today.' Mrs Fairfax replied.

'How do you feel, really, do you not feel obligated to meet Mrs Rochester.'

Mrs Fairfax sighed, Millicent was always trying to look after her feelings even if she didn't. 'Of course I don't, Miss Eyre was an excellent companion at Thornfield I would like to meet her again.'

That had been the final word on the matter, Millicent was to be out of the house on some pretext or other and when she arrived, the guests her friend was expecting would either be staying or going.