Margaret Hale & John Thornton

Margaret Hale and John Thornton 20

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John Walked from the spinning room to his office in the mill.

As opening the door he saw the back of the woman near the window.

"Ah..."

Margaret. He'd never met her in the office before. She turned and shifted her gaze to John. Her eyes lit up. He teasingly asked her.

"Are you waiting for someone here, Miss Hale?"

She thought for a moment and answered it.

"Oh, yes. I'm waiting for the master who is honest, punctual, quick, resolute in all his doings. Do you know where he is?"

They giggled. She walked straight into the arms that were opening to her.

Margaret looked over his desk.

"Well, this is the second time I've waited for you here."

With a smile she nostalgically said.

"The first time your overseer led me to this room. It was the day my family had come to Milton and I was looking for our house. "

"Take me to see this 'Mr. Thornton'"

"Stay here, miss. I'll find Master."

"You never showed up. While waiting I imagined that 'Mr. Thornton' must be about the same age as my father."

"Same as Mr. Hale? Why?"

"Because Williams called you Master. It would be more natural for me that Master was older than he."

"You were wrong. That's what's called assumption or prejudice, isn't it?"

John touched a lock of hair on her forehead.

"Your story reminded me of my own assumption, Margaret. I thought Mr. Hale's daughter was a little girl."

"Margaret? Is that you?"

"Meet my new friend and first proper pupil."

"Mr. Thornton.　This is my daughter, Margaret."

"I was surprised to see an accomplished young lady. Not a girl. And what puzzled me more was her sudden accusation."

Margaret nodded lightly.

"Yes, I was quite rude. I now understand properly why you beaten that worker. Though I still believe violence must be avoided."

John chuckled.

"I was surprised again to find she could speak her mind to anyone openly. "

"Oh dear, is it a compliment or__"

He interrupted her, saying:

"Don' t speak till I have ended, love. the most surprising thing was__"

He stares into her eyes.　

"＿＿I realized I fell in love with her. "

"Oh John"

"And now she stays with me and shares her first impression of me, that makes me laugh.  I never thought I'd see such a day."

", John"

He placed his hand on her cheek. His voice was low.

" I love my name on your __"

He called her name again while hearing her calling his. The carding machines operated loudly behind the door. But there was some time of delicious silence in his office.

＊＊

The day before the couple left for London, John worked at his desk in the drawing room as usual.

"Are you still working?"

As Hannah called out, he looked up at his mother.

"I'll be off for four days tomorrow... I should do what I can now."

He smiled at her again, then turned his attention back to his account book, writing something. His mother approached him and gently placed a handkerchief on his desk. He stared at it and then at her.

"Give this to Margaret," said his mother.

He took it in his hands. There were the initials of "J" and "M" in a corner of it.

"Mother."

"I finished it in time unexpectedly. Give it to her tomorrow."

she said, trying not to show her emotions. John wrapped it carefully in his hands.

"She'll like it. I'm sure."

Hannah gave a slight look of agreement, hearing her son saying.

"Thank you. I'm proud of you, Mother."