Despite my attitude a few moments previous, while I walked back to my room I was on cloud nine. My head was spinning and it was full of thoughts and fantasies about my new employer. He was even more impressive than I had ever imagined him to be. His voice was deeper and smoothe, his face was sharp and brooding, his clothing fit him just right that it was obvious that even though he was not a young twenty-year-old anymore, that he still kept a masculine and muscular figure.
I was already longing to see him again. To over analyze him and to discuss his worldly travels, his likings and disliking's, all of his thoughts, fears, anything and everything. He could pontificate on the in-depth workings of mathematical equations and I would be thrilled to sit by the fire and listen to him for hours on the subject. Of course, thanks to the many years of reading the book, I knew exactly everything that I listed, but not everything has been exactly as I had imagined it from my book, so it was quite possible that I was missing many key details about Mr. Rochester.
I unlocked my door, and then locked it back up tight. One thing was for sure: there was still a crazy woman locked up in an attic. I was not going to have her come into my room and set me on fire, or bite me, or try to kill me in my sleep. I was still mulling over whether I should put a chair under my doorknob when I head someone run down the hallway. I knew it wasn't Adele, and it did not sound like an animal, like the dog that Mr. Rochester had at his feet when I saw quickly unlocked my door and threw it open. I ran down the hallway where I heard the running go, and I raced down it as fast as I could, trying not to slip on my skirts – the last thing I would need would be to have my dress repaired
I picked up my skirt and ran even faster, I could hear laughter now. I remember it being described as an off-putting sound and one that could instill fear in someone, but I had never heard something so… evil in my whole life. It chilled me to the core to the point that I almost stopped in my tracks when that horrible laugh became a reality to my ears, but I knew I had to keep going. My legs were flying under me as I turned a corner, into the nicer parts of the house where I presumed Mr. Rochester kept his room. A faint glow came from an open door, and a shadow ran into the room, long locks of hair flowing behind her. I was a few seconds behind her, but I burst into the room to see her dragging Edward's bedspread and canopy curtains into the fire, where they were beginning to burn. There was an evil grin on her face. She was beautiful; it was a haunting and horrible beauty – one that I did not want to continue to look at. She stared at me, the smile still plastered to her red lips, and I jumped on her and tackled her to the ground.
" !" I screamed, as I held the woman down. She struggled against me, and I was surprised by the strength that came from me that was managing to hold her down "Mr. Rochester!" I yelled even louder at him this time, I heard him stir on his bed, and then leap up.
"What in the world?" He exclaimed as he grabbed everything that was on fire and started to put it out. "Miss Stark!" He said as he was suffocating the fire. Luckily, it hadn't spread too far around the room; it was not nearly as bad as it could have been if I had not been paying attention. "What are you doing?" He spoke, slightly breathless while he was trying not to breathe in too much smoke. His right hand covered his nose and mouth until he made it to the window and threw it open after the fire was completely vanquished.
"I heard someone running down the hallway, sir. So I ran after it." I gripped the woman's wrists tighter as I felt her fight hard against me. "Um, but I found her, too late though I'm afraid. She seems to have ruined your bedding." He walked over to me, just wearing a plain white, slightly puffy, shirt and his riding pants. He kneeled down towards us and grabbed Bertha's arm. I jumped up as he pulled her up quickly.
"Miss Stark, I was hoping I would never have to explain this to you… or to anyone, for that matter…." His voice trailed off. Bertha, on the other hand, was making some incoherent noises as she cocked her head to one side and then the other while she smiled with her crooked and yellowed teeth, and her eyes were wide open to stare at him.
"Sir, I promise not to say a word." I brushed myself off, and coughed. The smoke was not completely gone yet. "Would you like any help to clean this up? I don't believe that I will be falling asleep anytime soon and I wouldn't mind. "
He shook his head. Even his hair was perfect. "No, thank you. I'll deal with this before the others wake up. I'll get her out of here and back to where she came from. You must think me a horrible person, Miss Stark."
I smiled sadly at him. "We all have our own skeletons in our closets, sir. Your secret is safe with me."
I will be on my way then. Wait a few moments before going back to your own room. Sleep well." He drug Bertha out of the room and out of my sight. I sighed and started back to my room after a few moments, and got to my door and locked it for the second time that night. I tried to fall asleep, but it was not coming to me very easily, I was still shaken by the experience of the evening. My adrenaline was still coursing through my body while I tried to get into my sleepwear. I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. After a few hours, I heard footsteps head back down the hallway. They were not urgent or angry; they were sluggish, like someone who was barely managing to walk from exhaustion. I knew it had to have been Rochester – he was the only one up at this hour aside from myself. I was eager to see what he would have to say on the subject in the morning.