Jane Gibbons
Sharpe’s Second Wife · The Woman Who Left Him
Who Is Jane Gibbons?
Jane Gibbons is Sharpe’s second wife. Young, beautiful, well-born, and initially devoted to Sharpe, she represents everything about civilian English life that he has never had: respectability, comfort, a home. She is the niece of Sir Henry Simmerson, though she is nothing like her uncle. Meeting Sharpe during his investigation into the South Essex crimping racket, she is attracted to his fame and his physical presence. He is attracted to her beauty and her apparent admiration.
The marriage is probably a mistake from the beginning. Jane wants the glamour of a war hero; she is not prepared for the reality of the man, or for the poverty and violence of life on campaign.
First Meeting
Sharpe meets Jane in Sharpe’s Regiment, when he returns to England to investigate the South Essex battalion’s crimping racket. Jane is connected to the world of Lord Fenner and the corruption surrounding the battalion. Their relationship develops quickly against the backdrop of danger and intrigue. Sharpe, recently widowed after Teresa’s murder, is vulnerable. Jane is young and dazzled by his reputation. They marry.
The Betrayal
While Sharpe is on campaign in France during Sharpe’s Revenge, Jane begins an affair with Lord John Rossendale, a young, wealthy cavalry officer who represents everything Sharpe is not: well-born, charming, rich, and socially confident. Jane drains Sharpe’s finances, taking his prize money and savings. When Sharpe returns from France he finds himself abandoned, nearly bankrupt, and accused of theft by the army.
The betrayal is complete: his wife, his money, and his reputation are all gone. It is the lowest point of Sharpe’s life, and it drives him to Normandy, to Lucille, and ultimately to the peace he never expected to find.
Why She Left
Jane is not simply a villain. Cornwell presents her as a young woman who married a man she barely knew, found herself in a world she was not prepared for, and made choices that were understandable even if unforgivable. She wanted comfort and security; Sharpe offered neither. She wanted social standing; Sharpe, for all his rank, would always be the man from the gutter. The marriage was a mismatch of expectations, and when a man who could offer what Sharpe could not appeared, she took the easier path.
Her Fate
Jane and Rossendale appear in Sharpe’s Waterloo. Sharpe wants to kill Rossendale but the battle intervenes. Her ultimate fate after the war is not described in the novels. She simply vanishes from Sharpe’s life, replaced by Lucille and the peace of Normandy.
TV Portrayal
Abigail Cruttenden plays Jane across four ITV films: Sharpe’s Regiment, Sharpe’s Siege, Sharpe’s Revenge and Sharpe’s Waterloo. Cruttenden captures both the initial charm and the later coldness of the character. The TV series compresses the timeline but preserves the essential arc: attraction, marriage, betrayal, abandonment.
Teresa, Jane and Lucille
Teresa was passion and partnership: a guerrilla fighter who matched Sharpe in courage and loved him for what he was. Jane was ambition and incompatibility: a young woman who loved the idea of Sharpe but not the reality. Lucille is peace and permanence: a woman who asks nothing of Sharpe except that he come home. Jane sits in the middle of this emotional journey, the lesson Sharpe had to learn before he could accept what Lucille offered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jane in Sharpe?
Jane Gibbons is Sharpe's second wife, met during the crimping-racket investigation in Sharpe's Regiment. She later leaves him for Lord Rossendale.
Does Jane betray Sharpe?
Yes. She begins an affair with Lord Rossendale while Sharpe is on campaign and takes his money.
Who plays Jane in Sharpe?
Abigail Cruttenden across four ITV films.
What happens to Jane Gibbons?
She leaves Sharpe for Rossendale. Her fate after Sharpe's Waterloo is not described.