Part three, section 1

Part three of the novel begins with a section in italics. In this section another voice is heard, that of Grace Poole, the keeper of the mad Mrs Rochester in Jane Eyre. In her speech in quotation marks she is talking to Leah, the maid. Her narrative shows that people in England gossip about Rochester and his wife, just as they did in the West Indies. Her unspoken thoughts in the final paragraph refer to other women in the house.

Commentary on part three, section 1

• Rochester's older brother would have inherited the family estate on the death of their father. However, when his brother died, Rochester would inherit all of it.
• Mrs Eff is Grace's reference to Mrs Fairfax, the housekeeper at Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre.
• Leah is the housemaid at Thornfield Hall.