Thornfield Hall Read Online Free Page A

his profession imposes secrecy upon him. Not discretion but absolute secrecy. I will make it worth his while .
    Prepare a suite of rooms for her so she can live independent of the rest of the household; she will not be mixing in society. My memory of Thornfield Hall tells me the third floor might provide suitably sized accommodation. Furnish the rooms so that her everyday needs are provided for. All should be clean and comfortable, but not luxurious .
    In Liverpool I will hire an attendant who will take charge of her, someone skilled in this kind of work. The patient is not one of my kin. She is merely a connection of my father’s from his business in Jamaica. I rely on you to keep gossip to a minimum and ensure the family name remains free from any hint of the taint of madness .
    Edward Fairfax Rochester
    What a family for secrets! It was shrewd of him to use his middle name and to stress my connection to him; it sealed my lips most effectively. People love a scandal. Once the neighbours got hold of this we would all be tarnished by speculation and slander.
    With the help of Leah, I set about preparing the rooms for this lady – invalid – lunatic. I knew not what to call her.
    â€˜I have never been in this part of the house before,’ Leah called out in excitement as she scampered up the last flight of steps. ‘It’s an awful lot of stairs for carrying the coal in the winter and the hot water.’ We had arrived at the third-floor corridor with its row of black doors.
    â€˜You sound like Martha,’ I told her. ‘She was always good at grumbling.’ For a moment Leah thought I was serious. I gave her a knowing look. ‘I expect John will give you a hand if you ask.’ I waited until she finished giggling and blushing before I went on. ‘It was Mr Rochester’s suggestion that the lady live up here. We can turn that to our own benefit. We can tell him that with so many stairs we need an extra pair of hands. You’ve been after a place for your young brother, haven’t you?’
    I unlocked the door to the first chamber and revealed a good-size room with windows that looked out over the drive. Stray pieces of furniture were scattered haphazardly about. It was large enough to contain an ugly old cabinet and a big old-fashioned bed with dusty hangings.
    â€˜O look, here’s another door,’ cried Leah in excitement. She wrenched it open and ran through laughing into the next room. There she exclaimed in delight as she found another door. ‘It opens into the next room. And the next one! And the next one!’ Her voice grew fainter as she ran through the tunnel of rooms until she reached the end. ‘I’ve never seen such a thing,’ she panted after running back. ‘The rooms are nice though. Bigger than ours at the back.’
    â€˜The servants always have the smallest rooms, Leah. You know that.’
    We checked the other side of the corridor but the rooms onthat side were smaller. Being on the north side they were dark and cheerless.
    â€˜Where do those stairs lead?’ Leah pointed to a narrow staircase.
    â€˜Up to the attic. Shall we go?’
    When we had climbed to the attic we found the ladder that led to the roof. I opened the trap door and beckoned Leah up. She was nervous at first. ‘I’ve never been this high before.’
    We walked carefully on the roof leads for the wind was buffeting in from the east. Leah leant against the battlements and took in the view, the patchwork of fields, the toy cows and the miniature sheep. This, I reflected, would be a splendid place for an invalid who lived secluded from society to come and take exercise and enjoy the fresh air, though a lady who had lived on a tropical island might find the Yorkshire air bracing. Indeed I was finding it chilly myself. I wrapped my shawl round me and summoned Leah to descend the ladder. My mind was made up. The lady would live on the third floor. I