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

Ch. 8 (PG-13, S): A Compromising Situation

John:  “Oh, Miss Hale!”  He always uses formal address when in front of non family members such as the house maids and Williams, the overseer who are also working the looms.

Margaret: “Yes, Mr. Thornton?”   Margaret asks hopefully.  She has tried to learn how to work the looms and she thinks that she is finally getting the flying shuttle to move cleanly through each row’s weave with no hitches.   It is just that Margaret is still only half as fast as Mrs. Thornton and the rest of them who have more experience than Margaret.

John:  “A word, if you please--in my office.”  John smiles benignly, but gives nothing away in front of his mother, the four maids and the overseer Williams who are all helping with the looms.

Margaret nods her head and begins to following John--wondering if he is going to suggest that she go home since she isn’t helping much.

Mrs. Thornton: “John!  Miss Hale should return to the house with me!”  She says stridently, worried about appearances of the two unmarried fiancés alone in a room together.

John:  “Mother, I will only detain Miss Hale for a few minutes, then she will join you at home.  I don’t think she will get lost on the way.”  He shows a bland expression to his mother, then he turns back to Margaret and smiles mischievously at her.  Margaret stifles a smile, but flashes John a look of curiosity.

Mrs. Thornton:  “Very well.”  She acquiesces uneasily.  “But, mind you, keep it to five minutes.”

John: “Thank you, Mother.  Thank you everyone for your work today.” John nods to his motley crew of workers. Then he turns to his overseer.  “Williams, I will be back to help you in a few minutes with the finishing and bundling for shipping today’s fabric.”  Then John gestures for Margaret to follow him.  “Miss Hale, if you will please follow me.”

***

Margaret walks quietly behind John to his office at the mill.  No one is in the hallway to it since the mill is practically deserted, with not even the two office clerks around--since they have mill hands in their families and they feared repercussions were they to cross the strike to attend to their duties.  John shuts his office door behind Margaret. She stands in the middle of the room facing his desk, her head down, hands lightly clasped in front of her, worried about what John will say.  John walks around Margaret and sits on the edge of his desk--most informally--facing her.  Then he takes her hands in his and lifts them to his lips for a kiss--first one and then her other hand.

Margaret:   Her face flies up to look at him in surprise.  “So you’re not mad at me for being so slow with my loom?”

John: He smiles at her referring to it as her loom.  “Not at all, Margaret Darling. I am grateful that you are here helping me.”  He squeezes her hands encouragingly.  Then he fibs a little.   “Usually workers take a month to learn how to seamlessly work the loom as you are doing now.  In fact, you are picking up loom work so quickly, I might just keep you on as a regular hand after the strike is over.”  He smiles impishly.

Margaret: “No thank you!”  She states without thinking. 

John: “Ha ha ha ha ha!”  He throws his his back and laughs at her vehemence.

Margaret:  She bites her lips and looks at him apologetically for being so outspoken.  “What I mean to say, John, is that I would not wish to take a livelihood away from a person who needs the job.  And I will have other duties to tend to in our home.”  She states primly.

John stands up and gently pulls Margaret to him and sweetly kisses her forehead, then gazes down at her lovingly. 

John:  “I will ensure that you have other duties in our home.” He leans down and tenderly kisses her cheek.  “Perhaps a year from now, there will be someone to keep you company all day when I am at work.”   Then he kisses her other cheek.