Jane Eyre

Mr. Rochester had given me but one week's leave of absence: yet a month elapsed before I quitted Gateshead. I wished to leave immediately after the funeral, but Georgiana entreated me to stay till she could get off to London, whither she was now at last invited by her uncle, Mr. Gibson, who had come down to direct his sister's interment and settle the family affairs. Georgiana said she dreaded being left alone with Eliza; from her she got neither sympathy in her dejection, support in her fears, After Mrs. Reed's funeral, Jane remains at Gateshead for a month to help her cousins settle their affairs. She assists the helpless Georgiana in preparing for her departure to London, while observing Eliza's methodical preparations to join a French convent. Jane's mature perspective allows her to see both cousins clearly - Georgiana as shallow and dependent, Eliza as coldly practical but self-sufficient. When Jane finally departs Gateshead, she reflects on the concept of 'home' and realizes she has never truly experienced the joy of returning to a place where she belongs. Her journey back to Thornfield is filled with anxiety about Rochester's impending marriage to Blanche Ingram, news she has received from Mrs. Fairfax during her absence. As Jane approaches Thornfield on foot, she experiences conflicting emotions - joy at returning mixed with the painful knowledge that her time there is limited. She acknowledges her deep feelings for Rochester while recognizing the futility of her situation. The chapter ends with Jane arriving at the estate grounds, setting the stage for her reunion with Rochester and the dramatic revelations to come.