CHAPTER XXI 280 was surrounded with a crape band .
" I daresay you hardly remember me , Miss ," he said , rising as I entered ; " but my name is Leaven : I lived coachman with Mrs . Reed when you were at Gateshead , eight or nine years since , and I live there still ."
" Oh , Robert ! how do you do ? I remember you very well : you used to give me a ride sometimes on Miss Georgiana ' s bay pony . And how is Bessie ? You are married to Bessie ?"
" Yes , Miss : my wife is very hearty , thank you ; she brought me another little one about two months since -- we have three now -- and both mother and child are thriving ."
" And are the family well at the house , Robert ?"
" I am sorry I can ' t give you better news of them , Miss : they are very badly at present -- in great trouble ."
" I hope no one is dead ," I said , glancing at his black dress . He too looked down at the crape round his hat and replied -
" Mr . John died yesterday was a week , at his chambers in London ." " Mr . John ?" " Yes ." " And how does his mother bear it ?"
" Why , you see , Miss Eyre , it is not a common mishap : his life has been very wild : these last three years he gave himself up to strange ways , and his death was shocking ."
" I heard from Bessie he was not doing well ."