Literary heroine who described herself as "poor, obscure, plain and little"

EYRE

This governess falls for her brooding employer at Thornfield Hall, where mysterious laughter echoes through the night. Her first name shares a letter with the author’s last name.

This clue points to Jane Eyre, the famous protagonist of Charlotte Brontë’s novel who famously describes herself with those exact words. The answer is just her last name, "EYRE," which fits neatly into the crossword grid. It’s a direct reference to her humble self-assessment in the book, so no wordplay is involved—just a well-known literary quote.