Ext. A midsummer dawn. Thornfield the grounds

INT. NIGHT. THORNFIELD - THE GROUND FLOOR.

A smiling lady dressed in black approaches her through the

darkness - Mrs Alice Fairfax.

MRS FAIRFAX

How do you do, my dear? What a

long and tedious journey you must

have had of it. John is quite the

slowest driver in the county. You

must be cold to the bone.

JANE

Are you Mrs Fairfax?

MRS FAIRFAX

Indeed I am; come and warm

yourself in here.

Mrs Fairfax leads Jane up the dark corridor and into a cosy

parlour. Leah, a young maidservant, follows.

MRS FAIRFAX (CONT'D)

Your poor hands must be quite

numb; here, let me help you.

Mrs Fairfax undoes the ribbon on Jane's bonnet. Jane is

taken aback, unused to motherliness of any kind.

MRS FAIRFAX (CONT'D)

Leah, make a little hot port and

cut a sandwich or two.

Leah eyes Jane with great curiosity. She hurries away.

MRS FAIRFAX

Draw nearer the fire. John is

taking your trunk up to your room.

Knitting apparatus lies abandoned on a fireside chair. Mrs

Fairfax moves it and gestures for Jane to sit.

Jane Eyre adapted by Moira Buffini March 2008 31.