Chapter 3

Edward slept restlessly, tossing and turning. At one point, he moaned in his sleep. Of late, his slumber was often interrupted by dark passages that set him thrashing and fighting the bedclothes.

“I am here, my love,” I said as I wrapped my arms around him. “Edward?” I raised my voice enough to rouse him slightly.

“Wha—? Jane? Oh, my darling Janet.” He called me by his favorite endearment. Soon he settled back into a regular pattern of breathing.

But I was wide awake. Slipping out of bed, I went to the window and threw open the shutters.

The thought of being here alone, surrounded by my young family, filled me with pleasure. Far from feeling isolated, I felt protected, as if by keeping it at bay, the world at large could not destroy the joy we found in one another.

And yet, was the world beyond these borders really so daunting? After Lowood Institution, the charitable school where I had been sent as an unwanted orphan, could any place be more hostile? And hadn’t Lowood turned out for the best? Yes, at first it had been difficult, but eventually I’d gained my footing and found friends. And even at my lowest point, when I’d truly had nothing, I had managed to discover not only friends but family in unexpected places.

Surely I could do the same wherever we went.

A bat winged its way through the night sky, moving in silence against the mottled gray of a moonlit landscape. If only my husband could move through his darkness with such confidence!

A trip to London was in order. I had a sure friend in Lucy Brayton, and another in her brother, Bruce Douglas.

We couldn’t remain in Ferndean any longer, not in its current condition, not with children and my husband’s health to consider. Edward’s melancholy and his vision grew worse each day. Ned could easily catch a fever. Adèle? Right now, with her school in Millcote closed for the summer, she was bored out of her wits. Without an outlet for her energies, she often chose misbehavior as a way to capture our attention. Certainly, Adèle would find the trip delightful, as she adored Lucy, or more correctly, she was agog at Lucy’s well-appointed house and fashionable lifestyle. Moreover, my husband would have much-appreciated opportunities for entertainment and socializing in that friendly environment.

The next morning, while Lucy slept in, Mr. Carter joined my husband and me for breakfast and brought good news. Seeming blessedly oblivious of the disarray in our dining room, he took a place at our table. Once Leah served him hot tea, toast, a plate of sliced ham, cooked rashers of bacon, and cheeses, he gave us his full report. “The crisis seems past. If he is kept quiet, I believe your manservant will recover, Mr. Rochester.”

“His full measure of health?”

“That I cannot say. He fractured his arm. I encouraged him to move his legs, and he was at last able to do so. But he did hit the ground hard, and at his age, such a blow can set off other issues. It’s impossible for me to know what else might be amiss. A portion of his healing will depend on the sort of care and rest he gets now. To that end, I’ve inquired after the services of a healer, a Mrs. Pendragon, who lives several miles away, closer to Millcote. I hope you don’t mind me taking this liberty.”

“Not at all. John’s recovery is my primary concern.”

“Good. I thought you would feel that way.” Mr. Carter looked relieved. “Mrs. Pendragon is of Welsh descent. More than a few of the locals actually fear her, but their reaction is born of ignorance. She has remarkable knowledge of the healing arts, and a vocabulary of herbal recipes that are unexcelled. As a matter of fact, I have learned much from the woman. I should like for her to stay here for as long as necessary. Mrs. Pendragon can instruct Mary in the preparations of certain tisanes and poultices. My biggest fear right now is that John will develop a fever or pneumonia. Both are common after an injury like this.”

“Mr. Carter, is our help needed here? Perhaps my husband and I should repair to London. My husband and I had discussed going to the city, rather than staying here at Ferndean with all the repairs that need to be made,” I said. “Is that wise? Or would it be best for us to wait?”

“I think you should go. If you stay here, John might try to hurry the mending process. If you are gone, he and Mary can devote themselves entirely to his recovery. He won’t be tempted to move around before his bones knit.”

“That reminds me,” Edward said as he turned toward me, “before you came to breakfast, James scrambled up on the roof and took a look. The supporting beams have rotted through. The entire skeleton will have to be replaced. This is more than a simple patching job.”

“I don’t mind the inconvenience, nor am I put out by having to fend for ourselves, but I am worried about the damp. We can’t risk having Ned catch a fever. Especially living so far from Millcote. You saw how long it took James to fetch Mr. Carter.”

“Yes, and you were lucky he managed to hunt me down.” Mr. Carter put down his fork and looked at me sternly. “He happened upon me while I was on the road. Otherwise he’d never have found me going from door to door. I could have been too far away to be helpful. Of late, I’ve taken to making monthly visits to London myself, to meet with other like-minded men in the medical field. In fact, that’s how I came to learn about Mr. Parmenter, the specialist whom I suggested you visit after I examined your husband several months ago.”

“But you are still our local surgeon.” Edward said this by way of confirmation. If Mr. Carter was not keeping his practice here, we would need to see what we could do about engaging another doctor for the people of our estate.

“I have been meaning to speak to you about that. This is a most inopportune circumstance, but well, I believe the time has come for you to engage another surgeon for your estate. Millcote and its surrounds are growing, and I am past my prime.”

To this disclosure, Edward reacted with alarm, as did I. Mr. Carter seemed too young to retire, being only a few years older than my husband. However, we did not reply quickly enough to interrupt the surgeon’s speech.

“More and more, I find myself arriving too late to be of maximal assistance. I spend more time in my carriage, riding from patient to patient, than I do at bedsides. Another doctor would lessen my load and assure your tenants of the sort of attention they need.” I felt my husband relax—Carter merely wished for assistance, not to leave his position. “I’ve taken the liberty of mentioning this position to a young colleague of mine in London, a Samuel Lerner. There is another benefit you will find most interesting; he is a specialist in matters of the eye, having studied under Mr. Parmenter. He served me well for a short while when you were healing from your injuries after the fire. In fact, it was he who saved your one eye by his quick thinking and knowledge of ocular arts.”

“Did he indeed?”

“Yes, I was delivering Mrs. Mulcahy of a child coming into this world breech, so I dispatched Lerner to your bedside. You were unconscious, and badly mauled, but he managed to spare you excess pain and to stabilize your condition until I could arrive. Believe me, his skills are astonishing, and you are living proof.”

“Lerner? A Jew?” Edward asked.

“Yes, and one of the best minds for healing that I’ve met in my lifetime. Surely you won’t hold his religion against him, if his skills are commensurate? Or exceptional?”

“Carter, remember to whom you are speaking. Of everyone you know, surely I am the most tolerant. Given the crooked path I’ve taken, how can I not be? Furthermore, I’ve met many of the Hebrew persuasion in my travels. I think they are ill-used as a people. Your suggestion surprises me only because I wonder if my tenants would accept him.”

“I believe they will if I take him with me and introduce him around as my second.”

“All in all, then, I believe it behooves us to take Lucy up on her kind offer,” said Edward. “We can leave as soon as we pack. Some things should not be left unattended.”

His words were straightforward, but they held a special meaning for me. He was suggesting that I bring along the letter.

I never meant to own it. Although I had thought about destroying it, as I had done the others, cooler heads than mine prevailed. I had sought the counsel of Lucy; her brother, Bruce Douglas; and my own dear Edward. My husband’s argument had been particularly compelling: “That letter could change the course of history. If George IV slips into madness as did his father before him, it might prevent a bloody fight for control of the throne by pointing the way to a simpler solution.”

And so we had kept it locked away. Now Edward was suggesting that I bring it along rather than letting it remain here at Ferndean. After all, there would be a myriad of workmen in and out of the house. The strongbox could easily be discovered, and a hammer applied to a chisel could force it open. Leaving it or any other valuables behind would not be prudent.

Mr. Carter interrupted my musings as he said, “If you would like, I can stop and speak with Thadius Farrell on my way home. He’s a local builder well-qualified to see to your roof and kitchen. Mrs. Carter and I have engaged his services in the past, and we were well pleased. I’ll send him round to talk with you.”

“I believe your father once employed Thadius to make repairs to the stable,” Mrs. Fairfax said as she carried a kettle of hot water to replenish our teapot. “I will stay here to direct the repair efforts and forward your mail.”

“Excellent,” said Edward.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if Mary needs anything,” said the housekeeper.

“I will go with Mrs. Fairfax to look in on John one more time and then be off,” said Carter. “As soon as I’m home in Millcote, I’ll pen a letter to Lerner telling him to expect you. In fact, I am overdue for a visit to London myself, and I’d like to hear his opinion on your eye. Perhaps our visits will overlap.”

“Yes,” said Edward. “I think that would work nicely. I shall go with you to see John. While I cannot fix what is broken, I can reassure Mary that I will do everything in my power to aid her in his care.”