Page 6 of Fragile Wicked Things
"Yes, dears. Jane?" Mrs. Brocklehurst saw me as nothing more than a servant girl.
"Yes, Ma'am."
In the kitchen, Miss Smith cut two slices so large that only crumbs were left. Suddenly, I felt angry at their greed. It seemed to me they had done nothing to deserve the first two slices, and now they were to get the rest. Miss Smith licked icing from her fingers, and when I looked down at the slice, I noticed an imprint where she had handled it.
"Go on," she said.
Back in I went, but a ferociousness grew in my empty belly. I passed the Christmas tree with its wrapped presents beneath, each with our names engraved on small cards as a show of pleasantry. Happiness at Lowood was about as real as the empty Christmas boxes under the tree.
The twins grabbed for their slices. Benjamin hesitated as he examined his cake and then looked at me. He pursed his lips together. "She had some of my cake. I saw how she looked at it before. She dipped her dirty little finger in my icing and ate it."
All looked at me.
"Jane, did you?" Mrs. Temple asked.
"No...no…I didn't," I stammered, but to Mr. Brocklehurst this meant a clear indication of my guilt.
"I'm sure it was an accident," their mother said.
"That's not the point, is it? When asked a direct question, this young girl lied," Mr. Brocklehurst said.
Immediately, Mrs. Brocklehurst looked down to her lap. A blush sprang to her face, and she spoke no further. I defended myself and said a few words, but they came out as a mumble.
"Speak up, girl!"
"I didn't lie," I repeated louder.
"I'm sure it's as Mrs. Brocklehurst suggested. An accident occurred, and Jane didn't realize..."
"Mrs. Temple, I find your intrusion in this matter troublesome. Lowood is a place for girls to be groomed into clever and good ladies, just as my mother foresaw when she started this home."
"Yes, Mr. Brocklehurst."
"Yet you insist on defending her character."
"She's just a child."
"A child, yes, who must learn respect and obedience." Mr. Brocklehurst put down his teacup and glared at Mrs. Temple, the wolf rearing its true self. "Respect and obedience, I suppose, are not things that can be taught by you."
I was no longer the subject of his attack. Mr. Brocklehurst grew darker, his voice louder, and as he pushed himself forward in his chair, the button on his jacket strained. In comparison, Mrs. Temple seemed to shrink in size, her spirit breaking as she stared at the floor.
When she did finally speak, her voice cracked. "I'm not sure..."
"Are we running a home for the girls to live in a life of luxury and indulgence, governed by their whims and wants? We sent Ike to clean house in Washington, and now I'm afraid my own house is out of order with these...these..." Mr. Brocklehurst was at a loss until he sputtered out, "communist ways."
Mrs. Temple's mouth fell open at the great offense. "If anything, I bring order to this house with good Christian values."
Silencing the conversation, Mr. Brocklehurst waved his hand in Mrs. Temple's general direction to dismiss her. Mrs. Temple had bested him. I smiled at her victory, which led to my downfall as his eyes fell on me.
"I see that you feed their bodies but starve their immortal souls. Are you amused by this, Jane?"
If I answered no, it would be a lie, and I never told lies, but if I spoke the truth, it would lead to consequences. "Yes, sir."
Mr. Brocklehurst looked to Mrs. Temple at once, then stood over me and pointed his finger in my face. So infuriated was he that he spat out his words. "This is why there are rules in this house, Mrs. Temple. So that we don't have disagreeable ladies at Lowood."
He grabbed me, his large hand around my small arm where he could touch index finger to thumb, and pulled me out of the room. Mrs. Temple and Mrs. Brocklehurst gasped and followed as he dragged me up the stairs, down the corridor, and into my ward. Some girls sat around the communal table, their textbooks and notebooks opened. All looked at me, relief on their faces that it wasn't them. Mrs. Temple entered the room, but Mrs. Brocklehurst held herself back in the doorway.
"Bring me that stool," he told an older girl. When she returned with it, he said, "Stand on it."
