Page 47 of Zenith
Bessie appeared, nodding as she presented Mr. Briggs, and withdrew.
I was glad to see the lawyer, more so as he had now become a familiar friend than a business partner. He carried his briefcase with him and wore his trademark suit and tie, though he looked a little rumpled from his long journey.
He shook Edward’s hand, and I watched closely as they regarded one another quite briskly. I’d never seen Edward conduct business outside of Thornfield before, and if it was anything like this display, then he was a formidable man, indeed.
Mr. Briggs turned to me, and a smile appeared on his face, softening his features. His fondness for me had done nothing but grow, and I wondered what I had done to deserve it. Perhaps I reminded him of my late uncle James more than I realized.
“Miss Eyre,” he said, taking my hand in his. “I wish I were here under more pleasant circumstances, but this will have to do, I suppose. Are you well?”
“I am much settled since our last meeting,” I replied with a smile. “Come, make yourself comfortable, and we shall get our business out of the way so we can discuss happier things.”
Without delay, we arranged ourselves on the couch and armchairs around the fireplace, and Mr. Briggs went through the proceedings, giving us instruction and guidance over our options. I presented the evidence Adele had provided, along with the new recordings Georgiana had delivered. Edward was not pleased to hear these new words from Blanche, but he remained silent throughout the proceedings, only giving a nod when he was asked a question.
Finally, it was decided. There would be a private meeting between our legal teams where all evidence would be presented, and then each lawyer would reconvene with their clients before another meeting to discuss terms. It was unorthodox, but it would avoid a public trial, which would be in everyone’s best interests. I would not prosecute for assault and attempted murder if she would remain silent about Edward’s past. All of it hinged on the quality of evidence I had gathered and Blanche’s judgment of it.
“It’s risky,” Mr. Briggs said. “Are you sure you want to go ahead?”
I nodded. “Yes, I am sure. As I have already said, I do not wish to sit back and do nothing. What Edward did to protect Bertha was not illegal, only perhaps immoral. His reputation is linked to his business, so if it were to be tarnished, there is every possibility he would be financially ruined.”
“And you?” he asked. “What have you to gain, Jane?”
I glanced at Edward, who remained stony-faced, allowing me to speak and conduct my business as I saw fit. It was a grand gesture on his behalf, and I loved him more then than I ever had before. He was treating me as his equal—something that had never been extended to me before in my entire life.
I grasped his hand tightly in my own as I replied to Mr. Briggs’s question.
“I have been harmed by her hand and by those she has manipulated, it is true,” I began. “And I have as much right to pursue justice as any other, but I do this to protect our future, Mr. Briggs. While Blanche Ingram holds this information over Edward’s head, we cannot live without fear. That is no life to live. I am done being trodden upon, abused and discounted as nothing. I am Jane Eyre, and I am no longer plain and little. I am a human being, same as any other, and I have the right to freedom and happiness. Edward has the right to be free of his darkness and come back into the light. I am his light, and I will not allow him to suffer anymore. We have both endured enough. So you see, Mr. Briggs, I stand to gain a great deal from Blanche Ingram’s downfall.”
Edward’s hand tightened around mine, the only indicator my words had struck him deep. I’d spoken the intent in my soul, and every word was a complete truth. He and I would never be parted again, and even if we were poor and homeless, it would be in each other’s arms. Circumstance did not matter where true love was concerned.
“Well said, Jane,” was the lawyer’s reply. “You would make your uncle very proud. You are just as strong willed as he was, do you know? No was never a word that existed in his vocabulary.”
“Then it is settled,” I proclaimed. “We fight until the end, no matter the outcome.”
“What will happen to Thornfield?” Mr. Briggs inquired. “If word is leaked about the existence of your ex-wife, Mr. Rochester, then the hotel will be shut down. I think it is imperative you take measures to prevent—”
“It is closed now and forever shall be,” Edward interrupted. “The hotel was only ever a front for her prison, a distraction to throw her despicable family away from her scent. Thornfield shall never reopen. What say you, Jane?”
I frowned, suddenly shy that Edward would ask my opinion, and cast my gaze to my lap. I thought over the circumstances that had brought me to the manor in the first place and was quite disappointed. I’d been tasked with Thornfield’s revitalization, and it was a project I had excelled at, but all of it had been a ruse. I would likely be sour about it for a long time, for I saw the potential in the old bones of the place, but deep down, I knew closure was for the best.
“I agree,” I said, confirming my thoughts. “Thornfield must remain closed.”
Edward nodded, his expression grave. He rose to his feet and strode to the library door. Throwing it open, he beckoned to Alice, who came forth, eager to hear what had been decided.
“Alice,” he said, ignoring Georgiana and Adele, who were both watching on. “You must gather the staff together in the dining room at once. We have decided Thornfield is to remain closed for good. I must be the one to deliver the news and the terms, and it must be done immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, looking rather upset.
“You always have a place here,” I said to her despite the warning look Edward shot me.
“Oh, I know,” she replied. “But I knew it couldn’t go on like this forever. We had a good run of it.”
Once she’d gone, Edward turned to Mr. Briggs. “Will you assist?”
“I will do what I am able.”
Once everyone had been gathered, Alice came to let us know they were ready and waiting. All that was left to do was to deliver the news.
All eyes turned to us as we entered, and I nodded and smiled to the few faces that had turned to me. I sat beside Alice and Bessie, and Edward strode to the head of the room as if he did not feel the weight of the household staring at him. Mr. Briggs, who took the space to his left, followed him.
