It little mattered whether my curiosity irritated him; I knew the pleasure of vexing and soothing him in turns; it was one I chiefly delighted in, and a sure instinct always prevented me from going too far: beyond the verge of provocation I never ventured; on the extreme brink I liked well to try my skill. Retaining every minute form of respect, every propriety of my station, I could still meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint: this suited both him and me.
– Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre, Chapter 16. Though a governess in Rochester’s home, Jane has a growing confidence in her more-than-employee relationship with him. She delights in being able to argue, banter and converse with him freely. He is a willing participant in her manipulation. Exerting her power over him “of vexing and soothing him in turns,” Jane is careful to stay within socially permitted boundaries. She has come a long way from being a lowly and powerless orphan to an independent, assertive woman who can hold her own with her gentleman employer.