Liz was taken aback for a moment. "My inheritance? You mean I am still in the will?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't you be? You are their only child."
"I just thought they would have taken me out or disowned me."
"No. In fact, everything they owned is now yours."
"Everything?"
"Yes, the manor, the jewelry, the money, everything."
Liz was silent as she comprehended all this. In all honesty, she had not even really thought of her inheritance. When she had ran away, she had assumed that her parents would be so angry with her that they would disown her and forget all about her. But now, she had everything they had once owned. A little voice then crept into her head that said, 'Now you are Max's equal.' She shook this thought out by saying, 'I don't want to be his equal only in wealth, I want to be equal in all aspects of his life. But this will never happen.'
Toward midday, Liz finally saw her old home. It all looked the same, as if nothing had changed in the time that she was gone. Liz then experienced some pangs of sadness as she thought of her parents. They had loved this house and they were extremely proud of it. It had an extensive garden surrounding the entire manor that Liz had used to play in when she was allowed to.
As they pulled up to the front entrance, Liz could see that all the servants had assembled outside, waiting for her. When Alex got out and held out a hand to Liz, all the servants craned their heads to look at their new mistress. Many of the servants had been their for years and knew Liz well. When Liz stepped out, they broke out in smiles to see her return.
"Welcome back, Miss Parker. We are all so happy to see you again," Maria DeLuca, the head caretaker warmly greeted Liz.
"Thank you, Maria. It is good to see you all again also. I hope you are doing well," Liz smiled.
"Yes. We are sorry for your loss though. Your parents were good people."
"Thank you."
Alex then interrupted and said, "Liz, you must be weary from all this traveling. Why don't you go and refresh yourself a bit."
"All right." Liz then was headed back up to her old room. When she was there, she took a good look around. It was as if nothing had been moved. All her old possessions that she didn't take with her was still there. After washing her face and brushing her hair, Liz went back downstairs.
The funeral was to be held the next day. Liz tried to help out as much as possible, but she found it difficult. She was used to being in charge of everything from taking care of arrangements at Max's house. She couldn't help but wondering if everything back at Thornfield. She knew that she had promised Max that she would return but now she started wondering.
If she was here, she would not have to worry about seeing him with that Tess woman. She wouldn't have to work at all here. She wouldn't have to worry about her future. But then again, she had made a promise to return. 'Why am I thinking about this now? Think about it later,' she told herself.
All day long, flowers came in along with various people who wished to give their condolences. Many had known the Parkers through Jeff's business and respected the way he handled his business. That night, Liz had trouble sleeping. She just couldn't stop her brain from going into overtime over everything in her life up to this point. Finally giving up, she got up and lit a candle. On her walls, there hung numerous paintings and portraits that Liz had drawn over the years. Her eyes were drawn to a large watercolor that she had been the last one she had painted before she ran away.
It was a family portrait as she wished her family could have been. In the watercolor, she was a little girl of eight and she and her parents were having a picnic outside. The bright colors shine brightly at Liz for a moment before it seemed to dim right before her eyes. Liz sighed and turned away. Thinking about families, Liz's thoughts just somehow turned to Max. 'Why try and fight it,' Liz thought to herself. 'You can't put this off forever.'
She began pacing the room and contemplated her dilemma. 'I love him. There's no denying it now but what do I do? I promised him I would return and I want to, if only to see him again. But will I stay? If he marries Tess, there is no doubt I will not. Not only because she would not allow for it, I would not allow myself to stay. 'It is obvious that he does not love her. I know in my heart that he doesn't. But that won't stop him from marrying her, will it? I must know how he feels. That's the only way I can move on.' With that thought, Liz went back to bed and caught a few hours of sleep.
The next morning she woke up to a stream of sunlight coming through her window. Somberly, she put on her best black dress and went downstairs. After a few last minute preparations, she and Alex rode to the church where the service was being held. Once there, she greeted people who had once known her parents. She sat silently with a sad, faraway look on her face throughout the eulogy that was given by Alex. Her lips were pressed into a thin line when they filed outside where the graves were then slowly lowered into the ground. At that sight, Liz couldn't keep the tears back inside anymore. Slowly they streamed down her face.
When one last final prayer was given, the people began to slowly leave. When she was alone, Liz stepped to the gravestone her parents shared. She knelt down and began to speak. "Hello, Mother, Father. It's me, Elizabeth. I just wanted to talk to you to tell you that I am sorry. I'm sorry for causing you any pain from my running away. However, I hope you can finally understand why I did what I did.
'I also think that it's important for you to know that I am no longer angry with you. You may not have known that I was in the first place, but I had been for a long time without even knowing it. I was angry with the two of you…for…not being good parents, I suppose. But I realize that you were doing the best to your knowledge and that was all you could do. I love you both. Good-bye." With that, Liz placed two roses on the ground and walked away.
Back at the house, Liz told Alex of her plans to go back to Thornfield. When he heard this, he strongly objected. "You can't leave yet, Elizabeth. We have too many loose ends right now that we need you here for. All the legal deeds have to be transferred to your name along with various other possessions of your parents, not to mention the bank matters. Also, there are some parts of the will that still have to be executed that pertain to other people. There's so much to be done…"
Liz then agreed to stay a while longer until everything was under control. She had no idea of how much there still was left unsettled and things just kept popping up. Before she knew it, the weather had turned much warmer and it had been nearly a month. A letter then came for her addressed from Thornfield. It was from one of the maids that Liz had gotten to know while she had been there.
In the letter, it recapped what had happened at Thornfield while Liz was gone. The party had lasted another week after Liz had left before everyone went back to their homes. After that, the rumors that were swirling about the prospective engagement of Max and Tess had grown much stronger. Max had even gone to London to buy a new carriage, adding fuel to the fire.
Then something had happened. The details were unclear but the people were saying that Tess was caught in a scandal where one night her house was holding a party. A man had become drunk and had started professing his love to her. When Tess had told him to leave, he started becoming very loud in describing their *moments* together. Of course everyone knew what he meant and the whole family was disgraced. Needless to say, it came as no surprise to anyone when they just somehow disappeared from their whole social circle.
Liz's heart stopped beating for a minute as she read this. She wanted to stop and just think about everything, but she felt compelled to read the rest of the letter. It went on to name the man who had gotten drunk at the party as a Kyle Valenti. Liz almost fell over in shock as she read the name. Kyle Valenti? As in the Kyle Valenti her father had wanted her to marry? She silently thanked the powers above that she had not married him.
But the fact that Max was not going to marry Tess just caused Liz to rethink her plans of returning to Thornfield. Before, she had a reason to go and sort of declare her feelings. She wanted to before she lost her chance to. But now that there was no obstacles standing in her way, Liz found herself hesitating.
The next evening, the weather was so warm that Liz decided to take a walk outside in the huge gardens. As she was about to go out, Maria stopped her. "Miss Parker, there is a man who is here to see you. He claims you know him."
"It's not that Kyle Valenti, is it?" Liz asked suspiciously.
"No," Maria answered, giving her a puzzled look. "Shall I send him in?"
"Did he give a name?"
"I asked him for one but he refused. He said he wanted it to be a surprise."
"A surprise?" Liz asked skeptically. "Fine. Take him to the parlor. I'll be right in."
Liz waited a few minutes before heading into the parlor. When she did step through those doors though, she stopped. "Surprise," Max said. He looked at her and half-smiled. "I take it you did not know I was coming?"
"No," Liz managed to get out.
"Well, I thought that since it looked like you weren't coming back, I would come and see what was keeping you from returning," Max informed her.
"I was going to," Liz said a bit defensively. "But I was...just...a little..."
"Busy?" Max finished for her.
"Yes, exactly."
There was an awkward silence as they both stood there, not knowing quite what to say. Finally, not being able to take the silence anymore, Liz asked, "Was there anything else?"
"Well...since I'm here, we might as well get this cleared up. Do you plan on coming back to Thornfield?"
Liz didn't know how to answer that. 'Yes, I want to come back, but not as your housekeeper,' she thought. "I – I'm not sure."
"I understand. After all, you are rich now and you certainly shouldn't be working as my housekeeper. But that's just as well because I have already hired another housekeeper."
"You what?!" Liz was shocked for a moment. 'He doesn't want me to come back,' she thought desperately as her heart took a dive.
"Yes," Max replied casually. He started walking around a bit and Liz noticed that he was holding something behind his back but forgot all about it when he started talking again. "I had to. You weren't back yet and I needed someone to arrange the house for the wedding."
Liz gasped. "Wedding?"
"Yes, I'm getting married. Soon too."
'He is going to marry that Tess woman! How could this happen?' the thoughts raced through her head and she could feel the tears start to rise in her eyes. 'Crying won't help right now, Liz! You have to do something!' she commanded herself. However, even as she was thinking this in her head, another part was telling her 'You're too late and it's your own fault.'
She took a deep breath and spoke icily, "Then why are you here?"
"Well, I need a bride, don't I?" Liz could see a twinkle in his eye but she was still confused.
"Yes, but why are you here?"
"Because I need a bride," Max repeated.
"And this has to do with me…?" a stubborn part of Liz would not let her believe what her heart so desperately wanted.
"I want you to be my bride, Liz," Max said softly.
"Me?!" Liz reeled back in shock. Immediately Max was by her side, gathering her up into his arms.
"Yes you. Who did you think I was talking about?" Max asked, affectionately looking down at her. Liz had never seen him to look so happy, to be so carefree.
Suddenly she thought of Tess and pushed herself out of his arms. "No. What about Tess Harding?" she asked bitterly.
"What about her?"
"She was your fiancee. Why then, all of a sudden, are you proposing to me?"
Max sighed and shook his head. "She was never my fiancee, Liz, and you know that as well as anyone. You of all people know that I did not love and she did not love me. She just wanted me for my money. She wanted anyone who had money. Why do you think that she went after that Valenti guy."
Liz's eyes widened at the mention of Valenti. Suddenly, by taking a look at his mischievous look, Liz knew. "You set her and Kyle up," she accused.
Max grinned and said, "Guilty as charged."
"But why go through all the trouble?"
"Because of you. I knew I loved you from the first moment I saw you but I didn't know how you felt about me? And the quickest way to find out was to see if you were jealous of Tess when I started paying her attention."
"You wanted to make me jealous?"
"Yes, but I still wasn't sure if you loved me. It wasn't until you had gone that I knew."
Liz was doubtful. "How?"
"Because of this." With that, Liz saw what Max had held behind him. It was her unfinished portrait of him that she had left in her room at Thornfield.
"Where did you get that?"
"I went into your room," Max began. He saw her rise of indignation and hurriedly continued, "Please forgive me, Liz, but it was all in innocence. I was only looking for smelling salts for one of the ladies had fainted and I knew you had some. When I went in, this was on the table and I knew. I knew then that you really did love me."
Liz was silent and embarrassed for a moment. But realization at his words slowly sunk in. 'He loves me." That thought reverberated in her head, her soul, and her heart. A smile appeared on her face and she softly glowed. Max saw this and took her in his arms again.
This time she stayed in his arms, contented. Her soul felt at peace and a sense of belonging spread through her. Her thoughts went back to the painting in her room of a perfect family. This family could be reality, she realized. It would be her family – with Max.
Max leaned back slightly and looked at her. "So, once again, will you be my bride?"
"Yes." With that one word, Max bent down and kissed her. As his lips descended onto hers, Liz opened up her heart to him and in return felt Max's heart coming through to her.
Max now knew that no one would ever call him cold again because with Liz in his life, he would be happy. In the time that Liz was gone, he had missed her and craved for her presence. When he could stand it no longer, he had came and sought her out. The day he found the portrait of himself in her room, he could no longer stand the thought of having Tess throw herself at him. So he arranged for her to meet the Kyle Valenti that Liz had told him about.
As he knew, his plan had worked perfectly. With Tess gone, he had been able to go to Liz. But first he made sure that one of the maids had written to Liz about what had transpired.
Now that he was with Liz, Max knew that he was complete. They would have a future together where they would each be happy to love the other. Forever.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Epilogue~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Max and Liz stood next to each other in total contentment and happiness as they looked out at the sunset. It was late summer and they had been married for six months. Liz then turned to Max slightly and said, "Do you know the painting that hangs in the parlor? The one where there's a family?"
"Your perfect family. Of course I do. What about it?" Max asked as he smiled at her.
Liz looked down and took one of his hands. Gently she placed it on her stomach and looked up at him with a smile on her face and in her eyes. Max took a second to comprehend this and with a whoop, gathered her up to his chest and buried his face in her neck. Liz laughed with joy and happiness at his reaction and to her new family. The sound of Max and Liz's laughter slowly subsided as they sank into each other's embrace.
They grew to be old and had three children. Through the passing years, when they thought it wasn't possible to love the other any more, they found something new that made them fall in love even more. Never were they alone again because they had each other.
The End
I just wanted to thank each and every person who has read my story and left feedback and even to the people who read it and liked it! You guys made writing this story fun and worthwhile for me and inspired me when I was going through writers' block.
To the people who actually read Jane Eyre because of this fic, that was the greatest compliment of all. Jane Eyre is a fantastic book that is difficult to enjoy the first time, but if you read it a second time, that's when you fully appreciate the romance and love in it. Please give it a try if you haven't already!
Well, I guess this is the end of this fic! It's been fun and look for me a little bit in the future. There won't be a sequel to this, but I am toying with the idea of starting a new fic. If I do, I'm planning on titling it "Drops of Jupiter." 'Till then! Thank you!
~*~Lisa~*~