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The innkeeper's tale part 2
Weeks Passed and we didn't hear much about Thornfield and eventually forgot what we had heard, putting it in the category of what my wife called 'servants gossip'. The party of the noblemen assembled there had of course brought their valets and maids with them, so they sometimes visited us here when they were free to 'be rid of orders' as we heard one of them say. From what they said we could make out that Mr. Edward was courting one of the beautiful, rich ladies called Miss Ingram, if I am not mistaken. As this seemed more possible, we believed her to be the future Mrs. Rochester as did everyone else. The party at last dissembled and Mr. Rochester went away to London to probably prepare the necessary arrangements for his wedding.
So long as Mr. Rochester was at home, the servants rarely got the chance to come and visit us especially during the party except Mrs. Poole and from her you couldn't get any sort of news so, without news we were left until a week later when my wife was affronted by a much apprehended Mrs. Fairfax by chance on the road. She later told me all about their conversation.
"Why Alice, you look so troubled what's the matter?"
Mrs. Fairfax was at first surprised to hear her first name but seeing my wife gave her a hasty smile.
"Oh, it is you, Eliza? Nothing, nothing, I am fine."
"We used to be close friends and still are although we don't see each other much. I don't remember that we ever kept anything from each other."
"Oh, maybe I could unburden myself to you, I am so astounded."
"Why? What's the matter?" She asked again.
"It's about Miss Eyre. I don't think you know her but she is a very nice and sensible young lady, very understanding and I'm worried about her." she hesitated. "Well, it sounds very strange but Mr. Rochester… he told me that he intends to marry her. I had suspected that he felt deeply for her but never expected him to marry her and thought her too sensible to allow him … to let him …."
"Oh my" was all Elizabeth could say. "It's not appropriate" she heard her murmur.
She could sense that it was more to it than that because, although it was unusual, there could be no other reason why she should be so worried.
"I had always been uneasy at his marked preference for her." She continued presently. "He sent for her every evening after she had returned from her aunt's house. I could some times hear their chatter and laughter when I passed the dinning room's door, she seemed to be happy with him and depressed at all other times and this made me uneasy as she also kept asking me about his marriage to Miss Ingram. I tried to convince myself that she didn't want to depress him as well with her despondent countenance. But the sad look in her eyes when she asked me the same question everyday broke me down so I, at last, put the question to himself one day and he answered: "I am to be married Mrs. Fairfax. Why are you in such a hurry?" I really couldn't make out anything of that. And finally last night, when I was searching for her through the house and couldn't find her, I realized that master was no where either. I grew really worried; for her sake. Then at midnight when I was going upstairs, I saw them coming in from the orchard together. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that he was kissing her and she was allowing it. Neither of them saw me at the time but as Miss Eyre came up the stairs she smiled to me and almost ran to her room. I couldn't sleep that night …"
She had turned pale as she narrated this so my wife invited her to the inn where she may recover before going. She thanked her but said that the couple had gone to Milcote to purchase some wedding accessories and she must be home before they return.
It certainly was a shocking event but we couldn't see then why Mrs. Fairfax was so worried for her sake so long as they were going to get married.
A month went by indicating the wedding day to come nearer. But Mr. Bates you can't imagine the disaster that day brought along. The rumor was spread through the whole Milcote. It was said that the wedding was interrupted by a Mr. Mason who turned out to be Mr. Rochester's brother in law! I couldn't believe it when I heard that Mr. Edward was already married and that his wife was now mad.
The lunatic who was locked up at the Hall was always thought to be Mr. Edward's illegitimate sister or maybe former mistress whom he had brought from abroad. For us it was really tragic because we didn't believe that either.
Well Miss Eyre left Thornfield and quite suddenly and without notice. Perhaps that was the worst part of it. Poor Mr. Edward turned desperate when he lost her. He couldn't bear it. He wouldn't even hear of her name. Neighbors said that they could see him wandering here and there at nights and servants said that he would lock himself up in his room all day and refused to eat.
Once John told me that Mr. Edward had gone to bed early; he hadn't eaten properly for days and was unwell. At the dead of the night he had started crying her name. Nobody said anything about that to him the next morning but all eyed him anxiously and tried to take extra care of him but apparently he didn't like that as the next day he dismissed most of the servants and found other situations for them. He sent Mrs. Fairfax to her friends with an annuity on her for life. I told you he was a generous man and even in his despair didn't neglect his duties as a good master.
He sent his ward, the little French girl to school and shut himself at the Hall all alone except for John and Mary. Leah was rather unwilling to leave this neighborhood so she came here to work for us and we happily accepted. And of course Mrs. Poole who, by the by was Mrs. Rochester's nurse and keeper kept her post."
"Did he never try to find her? Did he not search for her?" Mr. Bates asked.
"Well of course he did and for long. But he didn't find her. Some thought she had died for with all these efforts to find her she was never found. Perhaps it was this suggestion that turned Mr. Edward so restless and desperate.
Mary used to say that she had never seen anyone set such a store by his governess."
The clock struck ten and that seemed to bring Mr. Bates to himself. He got up.
"Thank you I was so engrossed in your story that I lost track of the time but I'm afraid I have to go. It's grown so late."
"Of course, sir. Shall I tell you the rest of the story another time?"
"Perhaps. Now if you excuse me…" he said moving towards the door. He wished the old innkeeper goodnight and left for home.
To be continued…