Summary for Chapters 13-17

The following day, Mr. Rochester invites Jane and Adele to have tea with him. He acts unfriendly and cold towards both of them, although he seems harmed by Jane's drawings, which he asks to see. Later on Jane mentions to Mrs. Fairfax that she finds Mr. Rochester "changeful and abrupt." Mrs. Fairfax then suggest that his idiosyncrasy is a result of a difficult personal history. Jane learns that Rochester is something of a family outcast, and when his father died his older brother inherited Thornfield. After the death of his brother Rochester then became the proprietor and has been so for nine years now. 

 During the first days at Thornfield, Jane sees little of Rochester. But one night when he is in his "after-dinner mood," he sends for both Adele and Jane. Adele then receives the gift she had been anxiously waiting for and while she plays Rochester, he becomes chatty with Jane, which is an unusual thing for him to do. Jane then comes to the conclusion that he is slightly drunk. Rochester's command that Jane converse with him makes Jane feel awkward especially because he goes on to argue that her relationship with him is not one of enslavement. Their conversation eventually turns to the concepts of sin, forgiveness and redemption. Jane then becomes fascinated when Adele asks about her mother. Rochester then promises to explain more about the situation on a future occasion. 

Sometime later, Rochester then tells Jane of he and Adele's past. He had a long affair with Adele's mother, named Celine Varens. But when Rochester had discovered that Celine was engaged with another man, he ended the relationship. Rochester has always denied Celines claim that Adele is his daughter, but still, he took her in after she was abandoned by her mother, to take proper care of her. While Jane is brooding about all the insights that she has learned of Mr Rochester's past, she begins to hear noises. She hears what she believes to be fingers stroking against the wall, and soon after, laughter fills the hallways. The second she hears a door opening, she hurries out of her room and sees smoke coming from Mr. Rochester's bedroom. She drenches the bed with water, saving Mr. Rochesters life. After being saved, Mr. Rochester's first response is to check the third floor, which is quite strange. When he returns, he inquires Jane of whether she has heard an eerie laughter and from who. With her answer being the same as his, he confirms it and thanks Jane for saving his life. He also alerts her not to tell anyone about what has happened, and so, for he reminder of the night, he sleeps on the couch.

The following morning Jane arouses shocked to hear that last nights events have caused no misconduct. The servants believe that Rochester might have fallen asleep with a lit candle by his bed, and even Grace Poole shows no signs of culpability nor repentance. At this point Jane does not understand why an attempted murderer can continue to live there. Jane finally realises that she is starting to have feelings for Mr. Rochester, which makes her quite sad that she is saving. Thornfield for a couple days. Jane learns that he has left to accompany a beautiful lady, Blanche Ingram, at a party. She rebukes herself for being disappointed at what she has learned. She then compares herself to Blanche, and notices how much plainer she is to her. 

Rochester has already been gone for a week now, and Jane is appalled to learn that he may not return to Thornfield, and that he may just head for Europe instead. According to Mrs. Fairfax, he could be gone for more than a year. However, a week after Jane finds out the horrible news, Mrs. Fairfax receives a call call from Mr. Rochester stating that he will be arriving to Thornfield in three days, with a large group of guest. While Jane waits for Rochester return, she cannot help but notice how strange Grace Poole, seems to be enjoying the rest of the staff. Jane also overhears a conversation in which a few servant are discussing Grace's high pay. This makes Jane a bit sceptical abut Grace, because now she believes that she doesn't know the entire truth of Grace Poole. 

A party of elegant and aristocratic guest arrive accompanied by Mr. Rochester. Jane becomes forced  to join the group but spends the evening watching them from a window seat. Blanche and her mother are both members of the party, who both treat Jane with contempt and brutality. As Jane is trying to leave the party she is stopped by Mr. Rochester. However he lets her go once he sees the tears falling from her eyes. He informs her she must come into the drawing room every evening during his guests' stay at Thornfield. As they are partying Rochester says, "Goodnight, my--" before biting his lip and saying more than he had intended to.