JANE

JANE Chapter Twenty-five: Rivers

Chapter Twenty-five

Rivers

I'd been with the Rivers family for six months and I had not contacted Nathanial Rochester or Sophie or Mrs Fairfax in that time. Of course, it was impossible for them to contact me, even if they wanted to, as I'd abandoned all formal communication, including my email.

I was extremely grateful that Connor Rivers had found me a teaching assistant's job at the local church school. At Lockwood, religion had been incorporated into our daily routine, so this was not new to me.

His sisters, Rainbow and Daisy, became my friends. They were one and two years' younger than me and studying at the local fashion college. In the evenings, as I prepared items for the morning's lessons with the television playing and the usual evening news in the foreground, they spread patterns on the floor and sewed and sketched. Between the three of us, the house looked like a remnants factory. One night, as I was sorting felt covering for arts and crafts, I looked up to see Connor looking at me, strangely.

'Jane , I have something to tell you.'

'What is it?'

'I need to talk to you... in private.'

The girls looked up and giggled as we walked into the spare room.

'Jane, there was a solicitor looking for you in the village this morning. I said I knew you; I did not tell him that you were staying with us.'

I had no idea what to say. He knew me well enough by now to know I was hiding from something, or someone. Connor gave me the solicitor's details and told me to call him straight away. I borrowed his phone and went outside and stood in the street to make the call.

When I came inside, my life had changed.

My adopted family and I stood in the kitchen.

'It's my uncle, the one I met only briefly. He's died and left me a fortune.' Connor raised his eyebrows.

'This can't be for real.'

Instantly, I knew what I wanted to do.

'I want to share it with you all; this family has treated me like a sister.' Connor looked at the kitchen floor.

'Jane , this is a bit of a shock. You can give something towards the school in India if you like, but you must keep the majority of the money. It's the first time you've had any by the sounds of it, and we could never take it from you; it wouldn't be...

right.'

Rainbow chimed in, looking disappointed nevertheless, ' That's so true, our brother is absolutely right, though I fancy that new frock I saw in town yesterday,' she said smiling impishly and pointing to a fashionable dress in one of the magazines on the coffee table.

Connor glared at her.

Daisy smiled and said placidly, 'I'm so happy for you, Jane. Truly, we cannot accept any money for ourselves but I would be so happy if you would give me something to share with the orphans in India...' 'Of course,' I said.

'And come with us,' Rainbow added, 'Help us build the school.' I smiled, thinking this seemed like a good, practical idea.

For the first time since I'd left Thornton, I felt I was part of a family. I also asked to stay with them as friends, be part of a house share. Daisy and Rainbow were quick to agree. Connor nodded with a more perplexed look on his face than I'd previously seen. This was my first experience of having house mates and I was prepared to enjoy this taste of self-devised freedom.