“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 63 (PG-13, D): The Pain of GIving Life, June 06, 2014 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” 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 Ogilvy, Jo Joyner for Fiona/Fanny Thornton Ogilvy, Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, 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, Gillian Anderson at Carlotta Quint Watson, Jeremy Northam as Dr. Miles Houghton, Gerard Butler as Lord Jamie Ogilvy, and Juliette Lewis as Lady Thistle Ogilvy, etc.] [(1) story logo, top right]
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. As such there will be heartfelt moments of love and sensuality (S)--as well as other dramatic emotions (D), 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: After the very amusing Highland Games Husband Calling contest entries, Margaret goes into labor and John whisks her back to Airlie Castle to give birth
“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 63 (PG-13, D): The Pain of Giving Life
The coming joy of their first born child cannot provide any measure of peace to John with his beloved wife Margaret suffering the agonies of childbirth. And he is not permitted to be with her.
Margaret: “Aghghghghghghgh!” Margaret cries out as she writhes in excruciating pain with her birthing contractions in her sixth hour of active labor. Though with Margaret revealing to Cameron that she had felt back pain since the early morning, she has probably been in labor for ten hours.
Dr. Cameron Ogilvy is Margaret Thornton’s attending physician--along with a local midwife being present in Margaret’s and John’s guest bed chamber at Airlie Castle in Scotland. And Margaret’s mother-in-law Hannah and her sisters-in-law Fiona Thornton Ogilvy and Angharad Ogilvy MacIntosh are also present in the birthing room to lend moral support--and to act as a go between to John pacing the hallway where he is banished.
John rushes back to the closed doorway to his and Margaret’s guest bed chamber and leans his forehead against the door, wishing that he could be of comfort to his wife.
John: “Oh Margaret.” He whispers to none but himself in the otherwise empty hallway.
The other Ogilvy and MacIntosh husbands and children are at the Highland Games in the middle of the adult male Tug of War. John had been exempt from participating it as soon as it was clear that Margaret was in labor. There was some discussion about Airlie Team SCOT defaulting in the Tug of War so they could await the birth with John. However John had urged them to continue with the competition when they had first followed him carrying Margaret to Airlie Castle after her water broke during the Husband Calling Contest. Now John is regretting that suggestion, for he has none to console him. But more importantly, he is not allowed to support and console 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...
