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It was sundown in Milton. Hannah Thornton was sitting alone, doing embroidery in her drawing room. The sound of footsteps on the stairs gradually grew louder. There was a hint that someone entered the room.
"Mother."
She pulled her gaze from her embroidery, her eyes landing on John with relief.
"Welcome back, John"
He was dishevelled from travel, no tie on his neck, and his jaw bore the shadow of stubble. The mother looked away from her son and back at her work. She began doing again as she said:
"John, I'm not going to ask where it is you've been... it's good to have you back."
"..."
"Your father never came back."
"..."
"But you did...and that is enough for me."
John couldn't tell whether she spoke to herself or to him. He walked up to the chair where his mother was sitting and put his hand on the back of it.
"Mother... There is something I must tell you."
He took a small breath and said:
"I met Miss Hale today."
The mother flinched and looked up at a nearby wall.
"And I proposed to her."
Hannah slowly turned around and looked at her son. He had a soft expression on his face.
"She accepted me...for who I am."
He sounded satisfied. She remembered what Margaret said:
"You once accused me of not knowing what kind of man I'd rejected.
And ... you were right."
After that, the two had met__ Hannnah thought.
"I see."
The mother blinked at him in thought, trying not to show any emotion. There was a brief silence.
"John... Can you trust her?"
He said with certainty.
"Yes, Mother. I trust her. Everything about her."
"...Very well. Then I will have no say in the matter."
The mother returned to her embroidery in an effort to end the conversation.
YOU ARE READING
Margaret Hale & John Thornton
Historical FictionAs a homage to North &South (BBC 2004)＊＊ Why were you in Helstone?__ If Margaret asked John on the train, what would he answer? How would his mother react? And Higgins? I couldn't help but imagine and make a kind of sequel after watching the movie...
