Page 40 of Zenith
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Edward was resignedto his fate, but I was not.
He remained in my bed again, though the comfort of his closeness couldn’t silence my worries. I lay awake, my mind restless with all that had happened, searching for the clue that would piece it all together.
Was Blanche going after Edward merely because she was jealous? Or was it something more? I suppose it had to do with their long-standing feud—something Edward had not explained fully to me—and this was the ultimate fallout. She was desperate to strike the final blow. That, I did know.
I couldn’t work it out, but perhaps I was asking the wrong question. How was much more appropriate, for if I knew how she intended to destroy him, then I could hopefully find a way of undoing it before more damage was done.
It sounded simple enough, but I wasn’t even skilled in the simple art of conversation, let alone espionage. I would need help if I were to embark on such a journey. The first step was to put a stop to the information leak, and I knew the perfect person to assist.
Leaving Edward to sleep in, I dressed quietly and caressed his rough cheek before seeking out an ally in my crusade.
Despite what we’d been through, there was no one else I trusted more than Alice Fairfax. Her heart and intentions had always been pure, and for that, I afforded her my complete confidence. I decided I would ask her to assist in rooting out Thornfield’s mole once and for all.
I found her in the kitchen gathering her breakfast, and I accosted her immediately.
“I need your help,” I whispered, pulling her aside.
“Jane, what is it?” she asked, almost dropping her plate. “Why are you whispering?”
I took the plate from her hands before it ended up as shards of china on the floor, set it on the table, and then dragged her outside where we could not be overheard. I explained my theory to her in great detail, her eyes widening the further the story unfolded.
“If we do not stop whoever it is leaking information, then we are doomed before we even start,” I said. “Will you help, Alice?”
Her eyes were wide with shock. “You truly believe someone at Thornfield could be to blame?”
“Alice, someone here must have told Blanche about Bertha. I don’t know how else she could have found out. Not even I knew. Do you remember how I searched every corner of the house after Edward left? When I became ill?”
She pondered this, her brow creasing. “Yes, you did tear apart the whole house…”
“I don’t think I’m the cleverest person here, but don’t you think it would have been easy for me to find her considering how I acted? Bertha is a well-kept secret, Alice. You must see that there was no way for Blanche, who was a guest and always watched, to find her on her own.Someone told her. We cannot hope to beat Blanche at her own game if someone is spying. If the story is leaked, it will be the end for all of us. For Thornfield.”
Alice hesitated, her gaze falling to the ground. I could see it pained her to think a member of staff could be so treacherous. I sincerely hoped I was wrong, but we could not take any chances.
“Do you know anyone who would want her favor?” I prodded. “Someone who needed money, perhaps?”
“There are a few people,” she mused. “Sam in housekeeping fussed over her a great deal last summer. And Flora in the kitchens is always complaining about her wages…”
“Can I trust you with this?”
“Yes,” she said, grasping my hands. “Yes, you can. I won’t let you down, Jane. If there’s someone leaking information to Blanche, I will find them.”
To her surprise, I embraced her tightly. “Thank you, Alice.”
Edward found me in the dining room.
“Where did you spirit off to?” he asked.
“The kitchens,” I replied, not sure if I should tell him of my plot just yet.
“If you say so, Jane.” He narrowed his eyes and gestured for me to sit at the main dining table. “Shall we eat breakfast here this morning? I know how you miss your friends.”
“You want to sit with the help?” I asked, smiling. “You usually take your meals in your study.”
“We can go upstairs if you want,” was his reply, and I shook my head. It would be a delight to see the looks upon the staff’s faces when they saw the master within their ranks.
Our breakfast was long, and we were mostly left alone, people coming and going from the dining room more quickly than usual. It seemed no one wanted to linger with Edward around to watch their gossiping or hear them talk about his curious presence that morning.
