"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)

Ch. 30: Traveling to Airlie Castle in Scotland for a Highland Wedding

"North & South:  John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 30:  Traveling to Airlie Castle in Scotland for a Highland Wedding,   February 14, 2014 Gratiana Lovelace

(This chapter is dedicated to Katia as part of the RA World Secret Valentine Challenge.)

(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" and other actors for additional characters:   Richard Armitage for John Thornton, Daniela Denby-Ashe for Margaret Hale, Lesley Manville for Mrs. Maria Hale,  Tim Pigott-Smith for Mr. Richard Hale, Sinead Cusack for Mrs. Hannah Thornton, Jo Joyner for Fanny Thornton, Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, and Graham McTavish as Dr. Cameron Ogilvy, Holliday Grainger for Angharad Ogilvy MacIntosh, Simon Woods for Baird Ogilvy, and Emma Ashton as Mrs. Dillard, John Light as Henry Lennox, Tim Faraday as Watson, and Gillian Anderson at Carlotta Quint Watson, 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 from the previous chapter:  With Hannah attempting to call off her wedding to Cameron because she thinks that she is falling in love with him and that scares her given her experience with her first marriage--but she still insists on theirs being a friendship marriage, though Cameron loves her passionately. It has become a tumultuous week leading up to the Thornton and Ogilvy families traveling to Scotland for the wedding.  And it continues to be so.

"North & South: JohnThornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 30:  Traveling to Airlie Castle in Scotland for a Highland Wedding

When Fanny returns home to Milton on Monday, February 17th, she and her mother Hannah and her sister-in-law Margaret have only one week to have their bridal and attendant gowns final fittings and alterations before the flurry of packing for their  trip to Scotland the following Monday.  Dr. Cameron Ogilvy's daughter, Angharad Ogilvy MacIntosh living in London, will do her fittings there and then her family will travel to Scotland for the wedding separately.  And though there are still tussles regarding the wedding--with more to come--Cameron will not budge on holding his and Hannah's wedding on the first Saturday in March--March 1st--and so it shall be.

However, for Margaret Thornton--who is well into her third month of pregnancy--the difficulty of overwhelming morning sickness and its nausea and vomiting overwhelms her and severely curtails her activities this final week before they leave for Scotland and then have another week of activities before the wedding.  Her illness might even prevent she and John from attending the wedding.   And though Margaret has made it through her gown fitting this Wednesday, February 19th--but barely as she races to the guest necessary room on the main floor to throw up--she is not looking well at all.  Hannah sends for John to come home from the mill to comfort his wife who has eaten little food of late and consumed less fluids--with Margaret looking very pale and she has actually lost weight. 

John finds Margaret in their bed chamber this afternoon lying still with her eyes closed [(2) right]  in their bed in her nightdress after being helped out of her dress and corset by a maid.  John walks toward her without speaking.