Mrs Rochester by Hilary Bailey

Author:Hilary Bailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Chapter XX

Winter was setting in. At Ferndean, time, summer and winter alike, had passed swiftly in a mixture of activity and repose, but I began to find the short, drab days at Thornfield wearisome, the nights sad and long, the more so when Edward was away from me.

One evening, late, I went, in wrapper and nightgown, to his room, to talk and laugh with him, as we had once used to try to re-establish our old natural, friendly communion. Outside his bedroom door, as ever, lay vast Pilot, my old Pilot, but he did not move aside as I approached the door and even, as I leaned over him to put my hand to the doorknob, growled at me. ‘Now, Pilot!’ I said in astonishment and he growled again. ‘Pilot,’ I exclaimed, ‘move!’ But he would not stir from Edward’s threshold.

Edward opened the door, in his robe, pen in hand. ‘What’s to do?’ he asked, laughing at me as I stood behind the great dog, who had now risen to his feet.

‘Pilot has decided not to let me in,’ I explained.

‘That is because you are too infrequent a visitor,’ he told me, drawing me into the room. It was lit by one lamp. I sat down by the fire, he opposite, the dog between us, on the rug. He said, ‘It will be agreeable to have one of our old conversations for I am dull and lonely.’ He yawned. ‘Excuse me. Tell me the truth. Do you regret this move to Thornfield?’

‘I sometimes regret Ferndean.’

‘We were closer at Ferndean,’ he mused. ‘Here, I seem beset by problems. I have no time – I am distracted, Jane. I know my mood is sometimes – not good.’

‘Oh Edward,’ I said, crossing to him, ‘let me help you.’

I was standing in front of him. He took my hand, murmuring, ‘If you could, if only you could. Sometimes, Jane, I wish to go away, as far as I can from here.’

‘Then if you wish it, let us leave, at least for a while.’

‘How can we do that?’ he said. ‘You are specifically instructed to stay quiet. And would you leave Jonathan?’

‘Jonathan could come with us wherever we went, and if we cannot leave now, for my health’s sake, surely we can make our plans.’

‘Sadly, the thought of waiting many months to make a journey and then setting forth with an entourage appeals little,’ he said, grimly. Seeing my unhappy expression, he relented, saying, ‘Well perhaps – perhaps – in future. And to turn to the present and pleasant thing I have got you a horse, a pretty but plump mare. Her name is Ruby. Sugden brings her tomorrow.’

I kissed him. ‘Edward – you are too good, too good.’

‘Nonsense,’ he said. ‘You must have your exercise but you must promise me you will take short rides, and only when the weather is good. Now sit down, calm yourself, talk to me and enliven me for I know I am a bear. A bear,’ he repeated and his head sank on to his breast.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.