Second Chance (a North and South tale)

Chapter 3: Revelation

"What did Dr. Donaldson say, father? What happened to me anyway?" I nearly pleaded him to tell.

"Well, I came into my office and saw you lying on the floor. I think that you must have lost your consciousness and fell, but unfortunately caught the corner of my desk with your head on your way down. Dr. Donaldson was here and examined you. He said that the exhaustion of the last days must have caused your dizziness. As to your head, he said nothing bad happened. You just should be more careful in the future and avoid any falls. And you should get more fresh air, I presume you have neglected your daily walks since your mother got a little worse. But now I want you to take care of yourself, alright?"

"Yes, I will, thank you; father. But how are you?" I was afraid of the answer he would give me, I had to ask him nevertheless.

"Don't worry about me. I am alright as long as you are."

" ...Ah...." He turned to me again, after he already lifted himself up to his full length and went into the direction of the door. "When I talked with Dr. Donaldson he mentioned something about another head wound you got two days ago. What did he mean Margaret?"

What? Another wound on my head? I searched through my brains to find any memory of an injury. But nothing happened two days ago....wait two days ago....yesterday was the dinner party, so two days ago....I was home all day long with mother and I don't recall Dr. Donaldson visiting us. So, even if I had injured my head back then, he wouldn't have known. Something strange was going on. Father looked concerned at me, but still a slight glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"Margaret?" He asked after I didn't respond to him.

"I am so sorry father, but I have no idea what he was talking about. Two days ago I was at home with mother, the whole day in fact. So I really. ..." he didn't let me finish.

"Wait, no, you went outside to post some mail, and after that, you went to call upon the Thornton's. Your mother wanted something, I think, a water mattress or something like that."

I gave him a questioning look of astonishment. Water mattress....yes I do recall something of that kind...yes, of course, Funny told me at the dinner party about it and that my mother should try it. But I know that I didn't leave mothers side the day before it because she was worse. God, what is going on?

"Oh no, please not." I hear my father growl. "Dr. Donaldson said something to me before he left."

I stared at him, anxious to hear an explanation for what was happening.

"What is the last thing you remember?" He asked after a long pause.

"Father what did Dr. Donaldson..."

"Margaret please, I will explain later. What is the last thing you remember? "

"Wait let me see" I frowned, trying to find an answer. "I think the last thing I remember clearly is when I talked to Dixon before going to bed after the dinner party yesterday.

"Thursday you mean." He corrected me, a faint smile formed on his face as if it was against his will.

"What?"

"Yes, you know the last thing Dr. Donaldson said before he left was that with two head injuries in such a short period of time it is very likely that you will have memory problems."

Memory problems rang in my ear. What happened in the meantime? I was still in my thoughts when I heard myself say those words out loud.

"I don't know most of it, I am sorry to disappoint you. I was at work the most of the time. I know that you went to Malborough Mills and when you came back you were with your mother, at least I have been told so. Shortly after I came home a young girl named mary called upon you and you went with her. You came back only after the dark started to rise. Oh, and I nearly forgot, apparently after you left the Thornton's there was some sort of violence, but I don't exactly know what happened. I heard a young woman was attacked and hit with a stone or something. But you know I don't think much of rumors." He said the last sentence with a wide and cheeky smile, trying to make my laugh.

"I don't recall any of this. Do you know what Mary wanted from me? She is too shy to just walk up to someone's door. It must have been something important."

"It doesn't surprise me anymore that you don't know anything about it. But Dr. Donaldson said it's only a matter of time that it will all come back, so don't worry."

"And a matter of time is how long exactly?" I asked him teasingly.

"I don't know. But I hope it won't take long. " He smirked at my comment, obviously relieved that I could think clearly again. He left my room with the words "Rest a little longer, and if you wish, I will take you outside later. " and gave me one last grand smile before he disappeared out of my view. I tried to get some rest but sleep kept avoiding me. Well, I had enough to think of now. Maybe if I tried hard I would remember something. I hoped I would.

Picture: Daniella Denby-Ashe as  Margaret Hale