The Gilded Cage of Thornfield

Synopsis

Word arrived that the true lady of the manor was returning. I, the counterfeit, had the good sense to make my exit. So as not to disrupt the household's affairs, I meticulously handed over every last detail of my duties to the staff. Yet, strangely, not a single soul uttered a word. The silence was so thick, so dreadful, it felt as though I were reading out my own last will and testament. I was just about to step through the main gate when the steward suddenly blocked my path. His face was a battlefield of tangled emotions as he asked, "My Lady... will you not wait for the Lord to return?"