Returning home

fan fiction as a follow up to North and South, the movie not book

Returning Home.


When they returned to Milton, Margaret suddenly thought of what would happen as soon as they entered Marborough Mills, what would Mrs. Thornton think now when they are engaged? She who had boasted of not liking her, she who was displeased in her son’s choice when he proposed the first time. She turned to John, and said
“My love, how will you explain this to your mother?” said she with a slight feeling of panic in her soft voice
“My mother?” He asked
“I know she did not approve of me the first time you proposed, but now, how shall we live in the same house if she hates me?” she was now really panicked
“Well she is my mother and she cares for me greatly but she cannot control my heart. For that are yours, and have been yours since the first time I saw you” she blushed, he continued:
“Perhaps you can visit the Higgens’ while I go home and talk to her? I think it makes it easier for her without your presence my dear” He said to her in a soft kind voice.
“Yes perhaps that is the best way, and I do long to see Nicolas and Mary again and tell them to good news” She smiled at him, they walked on in silence, Margaret was at ease now, thinking how John would calm Mrs Thornton and explain his feelings and hopefully she would understand.
They separated by the Mill, they did not kiss, in fear of Mrs Thornton saw them. Margaret continued towards Princeton and The Higgens’. She was now at the door, Mary opened and she was all astonished,
“Miss!” She cried out and continued
“Oh miss we thought you were in London, how come you are in Milton?”
“Oh Mary I have such good news, are Nicolas at home?” Margaret asked
“yes he is, but he is not at the best mood, you see since Marborough Mills closed the other Masters wouldn’t give him work so he has been begging for work and he has been turned down everywhere” Mary almost cried out
“Well then perhaps I have just the news for him then” Margaret said cheerfully. They went inside and Margaret saw the great proud man sitting down by the table with his face covered in his hands.
“How are you Nicolas?” She asked
Nicolas rose and by the sight of his good old friend he smiled.
“I’m good, have been better though, come sit down” He said 
They say down at the familiar table, Margaret though of her good times with Bessie at this table, their conversations, and their mutual unspoken love for each other.
“My lass Mary told me you had some good news” he asked,
“Yes should I rather say we have some good news” Margaret said smilingly

Nicolas and Mary looked questioning at her while she smiled,
“Oh I don’t know how to day this but eh you see Nicolas you might not try and find work anymore. John… I mean Mr Thornton and I am opening up Marborough Mills again” She tried to hide her smile by looked down at the floor

“You and Mr Thornton?” Nicolas asked
“Yes you see Mr Bell gave me all his assets including Marborough Mills and a rather large fortune, Mr Thornton is to take that money and run the Mill again. And before long he and I will be husband and wife” she looked up to see his reaction.
Nicolas looked at her cheerfully and Mary rushed over to congratulate Margaret.

“I know John wants you to come and work for him and that he have a higher position for you” Margaret said taking Nicolas’s hands.
“Thank you Miss, this is all your doing” He said thankfully
“No actually it is all John’s idea, he really like your strength and spirit” she said to him.
They continued talked, the mood changed from gloomy to cheerful.

John walked up the stairs to find his mother; she sat in the drawing room, she raised as soon she head him come in
“I’ve been looking for you, where have you been all day?” She was angry

“I’ve been to Helstone mother” He replied
“Helstone, Isn’t that where the Hales were from? What in earth have you been doing there?” She was still angry and upset.
“I come to see the place Mr Hale talked as highly off, and it was as beautiful and idyllic as he described” His voice now became softer
“I’m glad you are home, you missed the visit of Miss Hale, she was here to overlook her property and gloat I’m sure” Mrs Thornton’s face changed when she mentioned Margaret name.
“Well mother I have something to tell you that might upset you, please let us sit down” Mr Thornton took his mothers hands and let her to the sofa.

“Yes?” She said in hast
“I saw Miss Hale at the train station, and” He hesitated.
“And what?” her face was slowly turning read
“She explained to me why she was here in Milton, she has a business proposition for me, and she is investing her money in Marlborough Mills so it can be running again” he paused for a moment

“And there is another matter, which might not please you. Miss Hale and I are engaged, to be married, I am so happy mother but it pains me to know you do not approve of her” He looked anxiously at his mother

“Engaged! To me married!” Mrs Thornton got up from the sofa and let go of her son’s hands. She was furious; her whole face had turned scarlet.

“Oh do not be angry mother, I love her, deeply and she loves me” He looked at her. She turned and said:
“Then she will be moving in here I suppose” She said
“Yes” he said quietly
“Im sorry John I cannot accept her in my home as yet I still despise her to much, I’ll be going to Fanny’s, she has been asking me to go, until I can forgive her and welcome her” She said proudly.

Mrs Thornton went to her room to pack her things, she wanted out of the house as soon as possible. Mr Thornton sat on the sofa with his face buried in his hands, he couldn’t hold a straight thought. He loved Margaret, and finally he got her love in return but the way his mother reacted made him sad.

“She will come to like her, she must, she is my mother” He said quietly to himself.
Mr Thornton decided to give his mother some space so he went to the Higgens’ to fetch Margaret and break the news for her.

He walked on and knocked on the door, Margaret knew it was him she recognised his knock. Mary opened the door, Nicolas rose form his seat.
“Evening Master, may I congratulate you, you couldn’t find a better woman in all of England” He looked at Margaret and smiled. Mr Thornton went up behind the seat of his love and placed his hands on her shoulders. Margaret saw the look in his eyes and saw that the meeting had not ended as they wanted to.

“I hope the men you wrote down just before the mill closed still want to work for me again Higgins” said mr Thornton cheerfully
“I recon’ they all do” He replied
“And I’ll hope you would not mind becoming sorting-room manager?” John smiled
“No indeed master, thank you sir” Nicolas bowed his head in gratitude.
“So be it, Miss Hale I think we should be going now” said John while looking at her.
“Well it was nice to see you again Nicolas and Mary” She shook hands with Nicolas and hugged Mary.

John and Margaret walked on, she holding her hand on his arm, Margaret turned and said:
“I hope Mrs Thornton wasn’t to angry at us”
“She is going to Fanny’s, to cool down, she still don’t care for you and it hurts me but I hope in time she’ll come to like you or hopefully love you” he replied
They walked on in silence, comfortable silence. They entered the house, a note from Mrs Thornton lay in the parlour; she was gone…
Margaret and John sat down on the sofa together, she was scared he could see, he took her hands, her small and beautiful fingers and kissed them gently.
“She will accept it in time my love, she must! Besides she can’t control me forever” He looked at her, she looked at him, she smiled and blushed.

They rang for tea; they talked together for a while, about anything and everything. Margaret thought to herself that she could not believe she was finally with the man she loved so dearly, and he had always loved her. She smiled at the thought.
“What are you smiling about?” asked John
“Oh nothing, nothing, just that I cant still believe it” She replied
“Believe what” He inquired
“That you love me still, even though you said to me you didn’t” She said with a cheeky grin.
“I never stopped loving you, I persuaded myself to hate you because I though you had a secret lover and I would never be the man in your life” He said
“You must understand that I could not tell you about Frederick, we were so afraid that he should be caught that we didn’t take any chances” She hoped for his understanding,
“Of course, and when Higgens told me you had a brother living in Spain it all became clear to me” He replied
She smiled so blessedly at him, he caressed her warm peachy cheek and then kissed her so passionately, he took is arms around her and hugged her tightly against his chest. She was finally his, and he was hers, they were two souls melted together as one. He was happy, more than happy.
They continued talking and caressing for many hours until darkness came upon the day. They looked at the time and thought it wise to go to bed. Margaret was to spend the night in the old nursery where there was a comfortable bed for her.
John followed her to the room, they kissed goodnight and she went in. She lay on the bed for a while, thinking about this blessed and busy day. She began to undress herself, she sad down by the dressing table and took out her brush from her bag. She loosened her hair and sat there glancing at herself. She began to comb her hair. It suddenly knocked at the door.
“Are you awake” John whispered silently.
“Yes” She replied
He walked in the door and said
“I was just wondering….” He stopped talking as he laid his eye on her. She sat there in just her petticoat and corset, her dark beautiful thick hair caressing her beautiful face and landed on her shoulders, he had never seen her this way, so natural and beautiful.
“What did you want my dear” She asked him continually brushing her hair.
“I can’t remember now” He replied embarrassed.
He walked up to her and knelled down before her. He placed his head on her lap.
“We should properly be thinking of setting a wedding date my dear” She said to John, stroking his dark hair.
“Yes I think we should” He replied
“But who should we invite and would your mother come?” Margaret said anxiously
“Well we should invite Fanny and Watson, my mother, your aunt Shaw and the Lennox’s.” He said.
“And the Higgens’ they are my only friends here in Milton and I care so deeply for them” She replied
“Yes of course” He smiled at her

She braided her hair and said
“I am very tiered John and would like to go to sleep now”
“Oh yes, I am so sorry, goodnight my love” He kissed her goodnight and he went to his own room
~~~
The wedding stood 3 weeks after, the bride looked beautiful and the groom extensively happy. They all came, Edith, the Captain and little Sholto, Aunt Shaw and Dixon, Fanny and her husband, Mary and Nicolas Higgens along with the older Boucher children and even Mrs Thornton came and accepted Margaret, not whole heartedly though, but enough to show them both joy.
The wedding night was spent at Marlborough Mill because John had received a large order and couldn’t be spared from work. Margaret understood, and she though that she had her shares of travelling therefore she was contempt.
Margaret was a happy married woman now to a man as devoted to her as to his work. Now as he had Higgens to keep and eye out for him sometimes John sneaked out to the house to give his beloved wife a kiss.
Margaret also helped out at the Mill sometimes; for the most part she just stood beside her husband and supported him. All his workers loved Margaret; for she had turned their hard cold working master into a loving devoted master.
Their daily life went on as this, loving, devoted and hard working. They loved each other more than they could understand.
One morning 3 months after their wedding Margaret went down stairs to John and told him the good news; he rushed to her and embraced and kissed her.
For they were now expecting their first child…

~~~ The End ~~~




……Perhaps?