Jane Eyre Fanfiction

Every time I've read "Jane Eyre" or seen an adaptation, when I get to the part where Jane is visiting her aunt at Gateshead I've always had the same thought: If I were Jane, I would not want to go back to Thornfield Hall. After all, why return? Edward appears to be in love with Blanche, it's just a matter of time before they marry, then Jane will be sent away ... No. If I were Jane and the opportunity presented itself, I would not return to Thornfield Hall.

Of course, that means everything changes ….

Chapter 1 – Return to Gateshead

"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day."

The last time Jane was in the small breakfast room adjoining the drawing room at Gateshead was on a cold, rainy November afternoon. Jane had sat cross-legged in the window-seat, the red moreen curtain drawn nearly close, looking through Bewick's History of British Birds. She had been only ten years old, a small, scared child; unloved, unwanted, bullied, ignored.

And now, nearly nine years later, she has returned to Gateshead, which she never thought to see again. Sitting in that same window seat in the breakfast room, now on a beautiful morning in May, a little over a week after her arrival, Jane thought over all that had passed since that time, all the changes in her life. Her years at Lowood. Mr. Brocklehurst. Helen Burns. Miss Temple. Her life at Thornfield. Mr. Rochester.

Jane turned away from the window and looked around the breakfast room. The last time she had been in this room she had been bullied by her cousin John, struck in the head with a book and then dragged, literally kicking and screaming, to the red-room. Although Jane had lived here for nearly ten years, Gateshead had never been her home. It could have been her home, if Mrs. Reed and her children had loved and accepted and not loathed her. Gateshead was impressive and richly furnished, but she had been happier at Lowood even with all its privations because there she had found love and acceptance for the first time in her life. There she had loved and been loved by Helen and Miss Temple.

Thornfield was also impressive and richly furnished, but unlike Gateshead, there she had found a true friend, someone who saw her as an equal. Thornfield was her first true home. Mrs. Fairfax had treated her like a daughter. Adele – Jane thought of how she and Adele had grown to love each other; Jane knew only too well what it's like to be a parentless child, unclaimed and unwanted, and had bestowed all the love and tenderness she could on Adele, to spare her the loneliness and misery Jane had experienced at her age. And then Jane thought of Mr. Rochester – he has been so good to her, so kind, and she loves him so; but he does not love her in return and instead plans to soon marry another. Now, Jane has to face losing her one true home and the man she loves, and start over, once again all alone in the world. Somehow, she has to find another home. But how will she bear it, to be away from him, to be alone, with no one to love...?

Lost in her thoughts, Jane was startled when Bessie suddenly entered the room and announced the arrival of Mr. Lloyd, the apothecary. He has come to see Mrs. Reed. As Eliza and Georgiana are unavailable, Jane welcomes him to Gateshead.

"Mr. Lloyd, how can I help you," Jane said as they shook hands.

"Mrs. Reed's physician can't come today, so I've come to check on her and give instructions to her nurse," he replied, then pausing a moment he asked "Don't I know you? Aren't you Jane Eyre?"

Jane smiled. "Yes, how good of you to remember me. I have never forgotten your kindness to me after the incident in the red-room. You have no idea what it meant to me. Please sit down and I will ask Bessie to bring us tea."

"I'm so glad I could help you; I remember how unhappy you were that day," Mr. Lloyd replied as he sat. "Tell me, how have you been all these years? You were sent to school, as I remember. I have often wondered how you were, if you were doing well."

Jane rang the bell for Bessie. "Yes, I was sent to school not long after that and I received a very good education. I spent eight years at Lowood Institution, the first six as a student and the last two as a teacher. Since last October, I have been a governess at Thornfield Hall, teaching a young French girl. I have been very happy there, but unfortunately, I will not be there much longer as the master is getting married and will send Adele, his ward, to school. Excuse me," she said, then addressed Bessie who had just entered the room, "please bring us tea, Bessie." Bessie nodded and left.

"Is that so?" Mr. Lloyd said with interest. "What a shame that you must leave if you have been happy there. May I ask if you have found a new situation? Because if you have not found one, I know that Mr. Robert Wilson, our parson, is looking for a schoolmistress. We have a small school here for the girls in the village, and we need a new teacher. As you have experience both as a teacher in a boarding school and as a governess to a young girl, I believe you would be very well qualified for the position. Should I tell him to come and speak to you about this?"

Surprised by this unexpected offer, Jane paused before answering. She remembered her last meeting with Mr. Rochester, how she had given him her word to return to Thornfield, to trust him to find her a new situation. But what kind of a position would he find for her? Doubtless as a governess in yet another great house … but now she was being offered a position as a schoolmistress, to run a school herself. This had been her dream, and it would be foolish not to find out more about this unexpected, unlooked for opportunity.

"Yes," Jane finally replied, "yes, please tell him I would like to meet him and hear more about this."