Jane Eyre
Bessie Lee
The nursemaid
The Gateshead nursemaid, Jane's one source of warmth in childhood.
Bessie is the Reed family's nursemaid, lively and warm-hearted though sometimes sharp-tongued. She is the only person at Gateshead who shows Jane any tenderness, bringing her broth and kind words.
She stays loyal to the Reeds but cannot fully hide her fondness for the girl. When Jane leaves for school, she says goodbye to Bessie at the gate. Later Bessie is proud to see how Jane has turned out, and says she always knew she would.
“There now, miss. Drink a little warm broth. You are quite safe with Bessie.”
In the story
Contains spoilers.
After the red-room, Jane wakes in the nursery to find Bessie giving her warm broth and telling her she is safe. Jane says goodbye to Bessie at dawn at the gates when she leaves for Lowood, and tells her that Lowood cannot be worse than Gateshead.
Years later, Bessie visits Jane before she leaves for Thornfield and says she always knew Jane would turn out clever and respectable.
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