All I had gathered from it amounted to this, – that there was a mystery at Thornfield.
– Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre, Chapter 17. Jane makes this comment after watching the strange, erratic behavior of Grace Poole, who spends most of her time alone upstairs. She also overhears a conversation between the servants about how Grace is paid more than the other servants. Jane’s conclusion is that there is something mysterious going on at Thornfield. She has yet to learn the shocking family secret that is being hidden from her.