All Hallows at Eyre Hall: The Breathtaking Sequel to Jane Eyre (The Eyre Hall Trilogy Book 1)

by Luccia Gray

  “Mrs. Rochester will see you upstairs, if you will accompany us please, Mr. Junot.” Michael spoke politely, but just a little too firmly. I noticed he did not like the idea of taking him upstairs any more than I did, but I knew my mistress would be safe with Michael.

  Then he turned to me and spoke. “Susan, could you bring up some food and drink from the kitchen? The best meat and drink Cook can give you, on wooden plates.” I nodded without asking. I imagined it was for the visitor.

  ***

  I was quivering at the foot of my husband’s bed. Edward was flanked by John and Adele, embraced and kneeling on one side and Annette and Mason on the other side. Bishop Templar was sneering disapprovingly, facing the door.

  As soon as the Sin-eater crossed the threshold, the bishop spoke. “I must reaffirm that in my name and in the name of the Church of England, I am absolutely against this person’s intervention in this house. He is a liar…”

  “Bishop, please. I understand your position, but I must remind you this gentleman is a guest in our house. I have opened the doors to everyone who wishes to pay their last respects to Mr. Rochester.”

  The man smiled and spoke. “Thank you, madam. My ancestors can be traced back to Judas Iscariot, who was condemned to eternal resurrection after his first suicide. After his first resurrection, he used his thirty gold coins to travel to the north of Europe and set up a new religion of adorers of Satan. We cannot die, but we are not the undead. We fear not God and seek not Heaven, because we have been condemned never to enter therein. We must absorb the sins of the sinners, because the more sins we have, the stronger we become. I am the strongest member of our order. I came as soon as the looming herald clouds brought me the news of his death. His sins must be mine.”

  “Can you not see it, Mrs. Rochester? He is a charlatan and a devil worshipper…”

  “He will stay and do whatever it is he came to do. It will harm no one except himself, and it may do some good.”

  The bishop stormed towards the door shouting, “This is outrageous!”

  The ghostly figure leant towards him as he reached the door. “Good day, Bishop. We will meet again, when you are Archbishop.”

  Bishop Templar looked at him shocked and inquisitively before marching out of the room most displeased. I would deal with him later, but now I had to go through this ceremony. I could not risk a ghost in Eyre Hall, haunting its residents. Edward had sinned, and sinned greatly, and if this man were to devour his sins and let him rest, I was prepared to accept his intervention. The rest of those who were present consented with their silence, although not with their looks of disgust, as the intruder approached the bed.

  “May I please ask you to move away from the deceased? I need to speak to him directly.”

  We all obeyed, taking a step backwards. I broke the silence. “Mr. Junot, I would like my husband to know that I humbly and dutifully forgive him for everything, and likewise, I ask his forgiveness, if I ever failed him in any way.”

  He nodded. “You may stay if you wish, all of you, but I would ask you to turn away and close your eyes, lest his spirit should decide to resist and enter one of you by seeping through your eyes into your hearts and souls.”

  Adele gasped and embraced John, both turned to face the heavy drawn curtains which trembled against the open window. Mason put his arm around his niece and turned her away towards the open door leading onto the sombre gallery. I turned away with Michael and Simon on either side. Michael bent down and asked me if I was sure I wanted to continue. I nodded. I looked for his hand and squeezed it tightly, he moved closer. I wanted to lean on him, to close my eyes and bury my head in his sturdy chest, but I knew I could not succumb. I could feel Mason’s devious sideways glance at Michael. I wanted to tell Mason to close his eyes in case death entered his soul, but I dared not move, as I closed my own as tightly as I could manage.

  Mr. Junot started speaking his incantation, which sounded like a strange form of Latin, but I did not understand any of the words. Perhaps he was a fraudster and was just pretending to speak Latin, or perhaps it was another ancient tongue I had never before heard. Finally he spoke in English. “I absorb thine sins thee great sinner. Thou shalt not enter through the gates of Heaven, but thou shalt not wander with the undead on this earth. Thou shall first purge the trail of thy sins in purgatory before thou canst enter the Kingdom of God.”

  He then instructed us to turn around, which we did apprehensively. Edward’s eyes and his mouth were open. I screamed in horror. Michael and Simon held my arms, as my legs weakened.

  “He tried to retain his sins and escape my purge. He wanted to be an undead and torment the living, but I was stronger than him. He has now left this body, this room and this world, forever.”

  “Simon, please can you close his eyes again!” I screamed.

  “At once, madam, I must get some paste.” He rushed out of the room.

  “Do not fear his eyes. He can no longer invade another living body.”

  We were all dumbstruck as he continued with his frosty words. “His sins were so great, he cannot be absolved, but he will not stay here. He will not be a walking dead.”

  I stumbled again, grabbing Michael’s arm and summoning all my strength to remain upright. The devil’s apostle added disturbingly, “The next Master of Eyre Hall is in this room. His surname is not Rochester, but has number eleven times three, that is thirty-three. The number of years Christ walked upon our earth, but he is not innocent as Christ. He has already killed twice, and his killings are not over yet.”

  I managed to speak firmly. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Junot. Do you require any payment for your services?”

  “None, madam. I have received more than enough already from Mr. Rochester. He is most thankful for your forgiveness and says he has nothing to forgive you.”

  “Can my coachman take you anywhere?”

  He smiled sardonically. “No, thank you. I will return in fourteen months’ time, to relieve the next soul to depart this house.”

  I gasped and he smirked. “There is no need to worry, it will not be you, Mrs. Rochester. You will have a long and eventful life.” He moved towards me, but Michael stood in his path.

  Abruptly he turned to John. “You will not marry the woman you love. You will not live where you were born. You will not live as you would choose.”

  “Mr. Junot, please leave, your services are no longer required.”

  He ignored my words and turned to Adele, who was still perched on John’s arm. “You will marry the man you love, but the man you marry will not love you.”

  I insisted, “Please, Mr. Junot. You must leave now.”

  He turned to Annette, who was the only person who seemed not to be terrified of him and smiled at her. “We meet again, Antoinette.” She gasped, and so did Mason.

  She replied hoarsely, “I have never seen you in my life.”

  He ignored her words. “Perhaps you will be happier this time. You will have everything money can buy.”

  I had to stop him. He knew too much. “Mr. Junot, will you be taken out by force?”

  He turned to look at me over Michael’s shoulder. “Good day, madam. I have told each one of your guests their destiny, but I have other important news for you.”

  I recoiled behind Michael, who stood between Junot and me until they reached the door. I followed them out and watched Michael accompany him along the gallery and down the staircase, then I relaxed and turned back into the room. John, Adele and Annette were crying in a circular embrace while Mason looked on dumbfounded and distraught.

  Blood froze in my veins. The Sin-eater was back in the room, standing next to me. He could not be here! I had seen him walk down the stairs! Where was Michael? Junot pulled my arm and whispered in my ear. When I turned in bewilderment at the four words he said, he had vanished. I shouted, “Michael!” and a black curtain covered my eyes and smothered my mouth.

  ***

  .

  Chapter XXVII Mourning Weeds />
  When I woke up, Adele was looking at me anxiously, but where was I? I looked around. I was in my room, fully-clothed on my bed. The fire glowed and the candles on the mantelpiece were inciting the playful shadows dancing around the room.

  “Jane, Mon Dieu! What a spectacle! However did you let that madman with his ravings into the house? The chanting, the conjuring and fortune telling… Bishop Templar is most upset. I had to persuade him not to leave Eyre Hall. That Mr. Junot said terrible things to us. We are all troubled. It was a bad idea, Jane, a very bad idea. If I were you, I would dismiss Simon for convincing you to let him in. How could you let yourself be persuaded by that half-wit of a valet?”

  I remembered what Junot had said to me, those four words. Could it be true? Yes, it could be true. What could I do? I was feverish, almost delirious with expectation. I felt a mixture of fear and hope. I had to tell Michael what Junot had told me, but what had Junot told him? He said we had each been told our destiny. I was too excited to think.

  “Where is Michael?”

  “Michael! Michael! Michael! I think it is better that you don’t see Michael for the time being. There is enough talk going on. You should have seen Michael when he rushed into the room and saw that you were in Mr. Mason’s arms! He told him to get his hands off you. Can you imagine that! A valet threatening Mr. Mason! They were glaring at each other. Mason could easily have caused a scene, or Michael could have killed him. There was murder in his eyes. Michael wouldn’t let anyone near you until I told him to bring you to the bedroom, then he sat there holding your hand and looking at you as if... as if you were his beloved. Mon Dieu! He said he couldn’t leave you. Can you imagine that too! Thank God I calmed him down and convinced him that I would look after you. You will ruin his life and Susan’s, if you don’t leave him alone. He is not for you, Jane.”

  “Adele, I must see Michael, I must! You don’t understand. I must see him,” I sobbed uncontrollably. What was happening to me? What kind of desire had he sparked in me that I had not felt in years? He was the centre of my universe, my present and my future.

  “Jane, you will pull yourself together. You remind me of the time you were ill with the laudanum. Don’t look so surprised. Of course I knew what had happened to you. How Dr. Carter and Monsieur got you used to it and you couldn’t stop, and you weren’t yourself at all, Jane, like now. Thank God Mary and Diana nursed you back to health, away from both of them. Then it was laudanum and now it is Michael, the same obsession. He will be your ruin, or you will be his. You must forget him! You could have any available lord, count or bishop you choose. Don’t you dare throw it all away on a valet, however attractive or clever he may be.”

  “Adele, I feel quite possessed. I don’t know what has happened to me. It’s too late, now. I’m trapped, deliciously trapped.” I sobbed into my pillow.

  “You are delirious!”

  “You don’t understand, Adele…”

  “We will find him a good position in another household. Perhaps Bishop Templar can help us, or Judge Harwood in London.”

  I cried even louder into my pillow and babbled, “I can’t live a single day without him. I can’t. I can’t.”

  “Sleep now, Jane.” I thought my mind would never rest that night, but I must have cried myself to sleep, because I woke up gasping for air in a cold dark room, and I had dreamt I had a baby girl in my arms. I had to leave Eyre Hall as soon as possible after the funeral. I needed to find Helen. God could not keep her away from me now. I had forgiven Edward and would be allowed to start a new life, without any bitterness or remorse.

  When I woke up the next day, Adele told me the mourning weeds had arrived. I howled at the ugliness and heavy burden of the clothes I had to wear for the following six months: a weighty black crepe dress with a stiff white collar and white muslin cuffs. The cloak was black and the bonnet had a long black veil to cover my face. The underwear was also black and stiff. Adele said she would wear the same clothes to accompany me. She had ordered black suits for the servants and for Annette too. I agreed to wear the clothes for this week, but I warned her I would not be wearing them for longer.

  “You must order black silk dresses, capes and bonnets, but pretty ones. I won’t have you and Annette looking like old wives, and I won’t do so myself, either.”

  “But what will they say? Everyone will think we did not love Monsieur enough!”

  “Nonsense! What has love got to do with stiff crepe! Adele, you must travel to Italy as soon as possible, as arranged with Mr. Greenwood. Your mother is not young, she is Edward’s age, or older, she may not live another two years. You will be leaving next week, as planned. You will take black and grey dresses, mantles and bonnets. It will not make a great difference in winter. When summer comes, we will buy new frocks. Annette must go to finishing school in Belgium. She will also wear black and grey silk gowns.”

  “But Jane, I cannot leave you here alone!”

  “I will not be alone.”

  “You will be alone! John will be at Oxford, so you will only see him in the holidays.”

  “Do not worry about me. I am not staying at Eyre Hall. I have plans.”

  “Mon Dieu! You are not leaving with Michael! I will not allow it!”

  “I will be all right. I will tell you my plans shortly. In the meantime, you must tell Mr. Greenwood to secure your passages, and Susan’s, as soon as possible.”

  “I think I know what you are up to…”

  “You do?”

  “Mr. Greenwood told me you were most interested in his house in London and said he was going to offer it to you while he was away with me in Italy.”

  “Oh, that is good news, Adele! How charming of him!”

  “Yes, he is very thoughtful. I am so very glad he came to Eyre Hall!”

  “So am I, Adele. You have made a good choice, for once.”

  “You think so?”

  “Of course,” I replied, but I was thinking about Junot’s prophecy. He had said Adele would marry someone who did not love her. Perhaps Mr. Greenwood was still in love with his deceased wife and would never be able to love anyone with that intensity again. He did speak of her frequently with watery eyes. However, I was sure he would be a good, caring and honourable husband for Adele.

  “Come on, Adele, help me get dressed. We will be leaving for the funeral after lunch. Let us eat in my chamber, Adele. I don’t want to have to talk to all the visitors downstairs. Tell them I am unwell.”

  “Very well. I will go down and excuse you from the others and order lunch.” She kissed me and walked to the door, telling me she was happy I was feeling better.

  I lay in my bed planning and plotting my next moves. Tying all the loose ends was giving me quite a headache. There were so many people who depended on me and there were so many decisions to make in such a short time. I thought about Junot’s predictions. I needed to write them down, so I sat over at my writing desk and took out my diary, which I had brought up from the drawing room, and started making notes.

  Adele: She will travel to a distant land and marry the man she loves, but he will not love her.

  Well, that is obviously Mr. Greenwood, who is unable to love her completely, because unfortunately all his love has been spent on his first wife.

  Annette: She will have everything money can buy.

  She’s beautiful enough to marry the richest man in London. Once she has been groomed, I’m sure she will be clever enough to know what is best for her. That pleases me. Her poor mother was such an unhappy lunatic.

  John: he will not marry the person he loves, and he will not live as he would choose.

  He may move away from Eyre Hall, probably to London. Dear John destined to fulfil an arranged marriage and recover the Rochester name and honour.

  Me: I would live a long eventful life, and the last prophecy, the one which made my hand tremble with anticipation...I could not even bring myself to write the words…

  There were two more: someone would die this time next year
and another would be the new Master of Eyre Hall. One must be for Mason and one for Michael. He said something about numbers: eleven times three and thirty-three. I was too excited to think clearly.

  A knock on the door startled me out of my reverie. I heard Michael’s voice. “Mrs. Rochester. I came to see how you were.”

  I rushed towards the door. “I’m very well, Michael, much better.”

  “May I come in?”

  “Of course. But be careful, Adele will be back in a few minutes and will want you to leave. She is very upset with you. She says you caused a scene.”

  “Do you remember what happened before you fainted yesterday?”

  “Vaguely.” I only remembered the four words Junot had whispered.

  “Junot was walking down the stairs with me and suddenly he was no longer there. He vanished and I heard you shout my name. I ran back to the room and he was in the gallery, and when I reached him, he vanished again. He wasn’t there. Was he human or a malevolent spirit? What did he say to you before you called me? Mr. Mason said he appeared in the room and whispered something in your ear before you shouted my name. Tell me what he said.”

  “I can’t tell you now, Michael.”

  “You can’t tell me now?” He repeated my words, and I shook my head.

  “Why not? What did he say?” he insisted, and I was silent. He looked enraged. I had never seen him look at me gravely. Was it anger? Michael angry with me? Impossible. I walked over and put my hand to his face; he took it, kissed my palms and then my wrists.

  “I missed you, Michael,” I told him. “But Adele said there was gossip, and she wouldn’t let you come. I was too tired to argue with her. She told me you caused a scene and threatened Mason.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Rochester, I couldn’t help myself. You screamed my name, and when I saw you on the floor unconscious and Mason was bending down touching you, I couldn’t let him touch you.”