A/N:

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I thank you all for following this story and adding it to your favourites.

Reviews are also great motivators or guidelines to know what I'm doing well, but also what I need to work on. You can be honest if you find fault with something, but please also understand that I always do my best and am working on improving both my writing style and plot ideas. Constructive Criticism is always welcome.

I have also uploaded another story based on Jane Eyre with an inserted OC. I uploaded it under the name "Lost in Bronte - A Jane Eyre Story."

My story "The Disappearance of Miss Bronte" is basically a Doctor Who story from Charlotte Bronte's perspective where she time-travels to modern London.

If you're interested, please feel free to check out those Bronte-related stories as well. :)

I'm always grateful for your feedback and your reviews are a blessing.

All the best,

Dreamatorium x

Chapter XIII – A Secret Unveiled

How could this be happening? I kept asking myself over and over again once I had retreated to the safety of my room once more. Had I completely miscalculated the situation this evening, or had I purposefully placed myself in danger?

I knew better. At least, I thought I knew better. I should never have gone with Mr. Rochester to his study in the first place. I should never have placed myself in danger.

But what am I doing? Why am I blaming myself? It wasn't my fault, after all! Even if I had been a tad naive, Mr. Rochester had abused his position of power. He should never had asked me to his room and put me in that compromising position.

Bastard! And here I was thinking he was one of the good ones. Messed-up, yes, but not a sleazebag. Not a sad excuse for a man, not like all those modern-day assholes who took what they thought they deserved, even if it wasn't willingly given. I wondered how far he would have taken things if I hadn't reacted so strongly.

But no matter what, now I knew Mr. Rochester was one dodgy dude. Not to be trusted.

I couldn't help rewinding the events of this evening over and over in my mind, but the whole time I felt numb, like it hadn't been me in that study, like I had been an onlooker to my own trauma. I felt like I had left my body, like I wasn't of my body anymore. I was simply a vessel to Mr. Rochester's amusement.

I was boiling on the inside, my thoughts spinning out of control, but on the outside, I was a picture of calm. I was sitting motionless on my plush four-poster bed, staring blankly at the opposite wall, taking no notice of the flower-pattern of the wallpaper, which I normally found so pretty to look at. I couldn't move, paralyzed, tied to my bed.

At this moment, I hoped against hope that Mr. Rochester hadn't followed me to my room or wasn't on his was here. I wouldn't know how to behave. I didn't have the strength to defend myself anymore. I no longer felt safe at Thornfield Hall and I didn't dare to go to sleep.

It was then that I heard a faint knock on the door. When I didn't react, Mrs. Fairfax popped her head through the doorway.

"Are you alright, Miss?" she asked me worriedly. "I heard some commotion coming from the master's bedroom and thought I should check on you."

She came in without an invitation. She didn't need one. Seeing my red, blotchy eyes and my hair undone in a messy bun, hanging down at the side of my face - which I had tried to untie, but which had refused to loosen up - was enough. I hadn't even had the strength to undo my hair, let alone comb it or change into my nightgown.

I didn't know how to continue this day, let alone this journey, alone in a world where no-one really knew me. I felt desperate. So desperate I started crying on Mrs. Fairfax's shoulder, as she sat beside me, placing her sturdy arms around me.

"Oh – my dear child! Whatever is the matter?"

"Oh, Mrs. Fairfax!" I cried. "I feel so lost. I wish someone could help me."

"Perhaps I can, Miss Eyre," she said, a look of concern on her face, waiting for me to explain. I pulled back a little, wiping my eyes with a tissue, Mrs. Fairfax had handed me.

"I don't know where to start," I stalled, unsure whether I should recall the incidents of this evening, or even confide in Mrs. Fairfax further. Perhaps she could be my ally. But whatever would happen, if she found out I had travelled in time? I couldn't very well tell her that, could I? There was already one madwoman in the attic, and if there was room for two, I wouldn't want to share an enclosed space with that Bertha!

"I feel so far away from home, Mrs. Fairfax," I began truthfully, leaving out the true nature of my real home. "I grew up without a mother, with only my father to fend for me, until he died in an accident, leaving me to fend for myself." I left out the fact, that I had a stepmother, because she had never really treated me like family, and had made me feel more alone than if I had actually been on my own.

"Oh, dear Miss Jane! You are so young! Of course you feel this way. It is your first journey out in the world, in an unknown place where you don't know a soul. It is so hard to get through life without familiar acquaintances. Everything is foreign to you here, but if you ever need anything at all, dear, just ask me. I know what it feels like to be far away from home." Mrs. Fairfax smiled at me gently, placing her hand on my shoulder comfortingly.

What an incredibly kind woman she was. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Fairfax. I truly appreciate your help." After a brief pause, I added, "And I am so embarrassed to have displayed such a spectacle of emotion in front of you. You must think I am quite soft and not fit for the job."

"No, dear," said Mrs. Fairfax reassuringly. "But I must ask," she inquired gently, "I do not mean to pry, but I came to see if you were alright, because I heard such commotion coming from Mr. Rochester's study as I passed by it just half an hour ago. You seemed to be in an argument with the master. If anything untoward happened, my dear, you can tell me. It wouldn't be the first time, and we can easily place you in a different home. I can write you a brilliant recommendation."

I was shocked. It had happened before? Mr. Rochester always behaved in this way, assaulting women, perhaps even sexually harassing them? What on Earth was going on?

"Whatever do you mean, Mrs. Fairfax," I asked her, feeling slightly aghast.

"Well, to be honest," she began, "our previous governess fell pray to Mr. Rochester's beguiling nature and was fooled by him, tempted even to give herself to him. I still do not know the details to this day, but she was a young thing, like you, Miss Eyre. Young and impressionable, she was. I suppose she must have fallen for the master, but he merely toyed with her. The poor thing!" Mrs. Fairfax finished, sighing, as if she were reliving the memory in this very moment.

I didn't think it a good idea to out Mr. Rochester at this time, as I still needed to spend some time here at Thornfield, at least to find out what was going on. I knew I had come here for a reason, but this couldn't be it. There was always the option of trying to head back through the hedge, but I felt, it would be hard to flee this place.

I lied smoothly then: "No, nothing of that nature happened to me, Mrs. Fairfax. It was just a big misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding, eh, my dear? Well – I suppose I may believe that. However, I do sense your disappointment. Were you hoping Mr. Rochester would return your feelings for him? You do seem so shocked." Mrs. Fairfax wouldn't give up on this matter.

"I did feel a little disappointed in the man, but I do not have feelings for him. However, I felt let down due to my positive impression of him. He seemed trustworthy, but tonight I felt he was flirting with me, and this confused me." Flirting, of course, was putting it mildly, but I didn't think I should give Mrs. Fairfax a reason to attempt to protect me further and possibly send me away.

"Ah yes," Mrs. Fairfax smiled wryly. "You must be wary of men, my dear. Do not trust them! Especially the ones you have only just met. That's all I can say. Do look out for yourself. I wouldn't want to speak ill of the master, but he is a man, too, after all. And men enjoy the chase. He may see your refusal as part of the game. So beware!" Mrs. Fairfax looked at me dramatically.

This moment would have been funny, if the events of this evening were not still making my stomach churn.

What made matters worse, was that I felt even less reassured now, after hearing that there had been some funny business with a previous governess.

Did Mr. Rochester just see them as his playthings? I really didn't know, at this point, whether or not I would be able to stick it out at Thornfield Hall, but I may not have the choice.

I thanked Mrs. Fairfax for her moral support and for looking out for me. "I'll send Sophie in to run you a hot bath," she said, rising from the bed. I followed her to the door, saying, "I simply cannot believe that Edward Rochester would behave in this mischievous way. I really thought he was a descent man."

Mrs. Fairfax turned around then, her eyes wide in surprise: "My dear, why do you refer to Edward Rochester?" she exclaimed, astonished.

Now I was confused. I stared at Mrs. Fairfax in silence.

Then she said, laughing: "What a curious thing to say, dear! The man living at Thornfield Hall is not Edward Rochester, it is his brother, Rowland!"

My jaw dropped. Rowland Rochester was living at Thornfield Hall, not Edward?

Oh – my – God! You have got to be kidding me!

How could this possibly be? There was no way! My heart started racing in my chest, a million questions running through my mind.

I had been fooled. The man I had met was Edward's brother, who was supposed to have died a long time ago! But if the man living here was Rowland, then where on Earth was Mr. Edward Rochester?

~to be continued~

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little surprise twist! Let me know what you think in your comments. :) As to what happened to Mr Rochester, I myself am still to figure that out... :)