My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2)(113)

But what had caused Jane to catch her breath was the young man’s eyes. There was something so entirely familiar about his dark, intelligent eyes. A certain brooding intensity. She was overcome by the sudden notion that this boy possessed the ability, not only to see her, standing there awkwardly in her blue dress and her paint-smeared smock gaping up at him, but into her as well. Like he could see into her very soul.

“I’d like you to meet Mr. Edward Rochester,” Alexander said.

“Edward . . . Rochester?” Charlotte tilted her head, frowning.

“The Second,” the boy clarified.

“As it happens, before Edward and Bertha Rochester withdrew from the Society, before Edward was possessed and Bertha imprisoned in the attic, they had a son,” Alexander explained. “As her last act of defiance against the duke, Bertha sent the boy away to the West Indies with Mr. Mason, to be raised by her family and kept secret and safe. But now it’s time for him to be restored to us.”

“Edward Rochester,” breathed Jane.

“The Second,” added Charlotte.

“Hello,” the boy said. He gave a slight bow. “I am so pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Bront?.” He looked at Jane and smiled. “Miss Eyre. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Say something, Jane,” hissed Charlotte.

“Hello,” said Jane.





Acknowledgments


Hello again! It’s us, your friendly neighborhood Lady Janies. We’re back to the part where we’d like to thank an incomplete list of the people who need to be thanked.

We’d like to start with the Society for the Revision of Wayward Novels, aka our agents (Katherine Fausset, Lauren MacLeod, and Michael Bourret) and editors (Erica Sussman and Stephanie Stein—sorry we killed you in fiction, but it’s out of love). And thanks to our publicists (the incredible Rosanne Romanello and Olivia Russo) and our amazing cover designer (Jenna Stempel-Lobell, who created another winner for this book!).

To the incredible authors who blurbed My Lady Jane, Tahereh Mafi and Jessica Day George, we say thanks! Your words make us blush pre-Victorian blushes.

Thanks again to our families (Jeff, Dan, Will, Maddie, Shane, Carter, Beckham, and Sam) for dealing with us. And a big thank-you to Jack and Carol Ware (Cynthia’s parents) for allowing us to use your lovely home in Virginia as a retreat to work on the book over the summer.

And where would we be without you, our clever, adventurous, and creative readers? Thanks for giving our silly book a chance.

Finally, to the ghosts.