"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 8 (PG-13, S): A Compromising Situation, December 9, 2013 Gratiana Lovelace
(An original fan fiction copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace; All rights reserved;
Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, North & South and its 2004 BBC adaptation; No copyright infringement intended)
[I will illustrate my story using my dream cast from the 2004 BBC production of “North & South”:
Richard Armitage for John Thornton, Daniela Denby-Ashe for Margaret Hale, Lesley Manville for Mrs. Maria Hale, Tim Piggott-Smith for Mr. Richard Hale, Sinead Cusack for Mrs. Hannah Thornton, Jo Joyner for Fanny Thornton, and Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, etc] [(1) story logo]
Author’s Mature Content Note: “N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons” is a story with mature themes of love and relationships set within a period drama of the 1850’s and beyond. As such there will be heartfelt moments of love and sensuality (S)--as well as other dramatic emotions, including some violence (V)--and I will rate those chapters accordingly. If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer.
Author’s Recap of the Previous Chapter: John Thornton had decided to raise his workers wages on a graduated scale. But he had not yet had the time to talk to the union reps about it the Monday morning starting his second week of engagement. And he was too late. The mill workers went out on strike over all of Milton’s six mills--even Thornton’s Marlborough Mills which was considered to have the best working conditions and wages among them. John’s mill is close to completing a large cotton fabric order that will bring in much needed funds to help them pay off debts and wait out the strike. John has cobbled together only eight people to work the mill--himself, his mother, Williams the overseer, four housemaids who were former mill workers, and Margaret. It will take the eight of them nine 12 hour days what twenty four mill workers could have accomplished in but three days of weaving and finishing [(2)]--or 864 man hours. Meeting the completion deadline for the order a week from this Friday will be close--very close.
“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 8 (PG-13, S): A Compromising Situation
Instead of focusing on wedding planning and having picnics with her intended her second week of being engaged to John Thornton, Margaret Hale is learning how to work the steam powered flying shuttle weaving looms like the others [(3) right] so she can be of help to John in his time of need. The first week of working in the Mill is indeed eye opening for Margaret as to the physically demanding nature of the work.
Though the looms are steam powered, the constant pushing and pulling on the looms and jerking the cord to send the flying shuttle bobbin through the weave row [(2), (4) right, and (5) video] still causes Margaret to develop blisters and callouses on the palms of her hands--and she develops shoulder and back aches and pains. Yet, Margaret will not complain to John--who is bearing the greater burden of trying to keep the mill open. Nor does Margaret want to give any ammunition to Mrs. Thornton about Margaret’s constitution--and by implication, her suitability as John’s future wife.
On Tuesday--Margaret’s second day still learning how to work the looms properly--John can see Margaret’s frustration rising. His mother seems to be determined to be overly critical of Margaret, no matter how uncomplaining and persevering Margaret tries to be.
Mrs. Thornton: Mrs. Thornton’s constant refrain of. “Have a care, Miss Hale.” echoes in the weaving room.
Margaret’s nerves are on edge, and she winces every time she hears Mrs. Thornton criticize her. So John decides to take matters into his own hands toward the end of Tuesday--before Margaret returns to Thornton Manor with his mother to prepare their dinner. As the looms are shutting down, John calls to Margaret.
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"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)
FanfictionJohn Thornton has an eager mind, starved for intellectual stimulation. But what John could not have foreseen was that just as his mind needs nourishment, so does his heart. Mr. Hale's proud, beautiful, kind, stubborn, and compassionate daughter Mi...
