North Marries South

Chapter 6

As they began their dessert, the maid came in and announced the arrival of Dixon, much to Margaret's delight.  After a short discussion during which Dixon explained she had started making arrangements as soon as Henry came back with the news, which allowed her to come much earlier than if she had started after receiving Margaret's letter.  The maid took her to her new room to settle in.  Margaret was happy to have Dixon with her again, so Mrs. Thornton's maid wouldn't have to take care of her too, and because Dixon was someone familiar, which Margaret needed in a house where most was unfamiliar.

After dessert they spent some time in the sitting room, Mrs. Thornton crocheting, and Margaret and John sitting together in low conversation.  Sometimes all three would share in a conversation, usually about some aspect of the wedding or the mill.  Margaret could tell John was almost falling asleep, though, and expressed some concern about it.

"I am fine, my dearest, with you at my side," he replied with a smile.

"John, would you rather forego our meeting tonight, so you can sleep?  I wouldn't mind in the least," she asked in a low voice, tracing his jaw lightly with one hand.  His eyes heated up at her question.

"I should probably sleep, but I am not missing our meeting.  I expect to see you at the appointed time," he growled.

"All right, you have convinced me," she responded softly.  "I will be there."

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Margaret sat in bed, her ears straining for any noise coming from outside her door.  The house was quiet, but she waited a bit longer, not wanting anyone to see her clandestine journey.  Eventually she got up and walked quietly to John's bedroom door, and knocked softly on it.  He opened the door and ushered her in, locking it behind her.  They stood and stared at each other a moment, then rushed together.

"Oh, how I have missed you," John breathed, between the kisses he rained down on her upturned face.

"And I you," Margaret responded softly.

Those were the last intelligible words either one spoke for some minutes, but they communicated with each other through touch.  Their tongues intermingled, their clothes found the floor without much delay, and their hands explored each other quietly, with just soft moans to break the silence.  When he entered her, they gazed at each other intensely, feeling their communion with every fiber of their beings.  As they took flight they brought their mouths together, reveling in their mutual pleasure.

Afterwards they lay together in his bed, their hands caressing each other slowly, Margaret in his arms.  They were content to bask in the afterglow quietly until they came back down to earth.  After some time, Margaret shifted so she could look up at him and asked a question she had been mulling over since his proposal.

"Did you really love me the first moment you saw me?"  He looked down at her, but only saw the question in her eyes.

"You intrigued me.  I couldn't figure out why such a fine lady was in my mill, with cotton fluff flying about, chastising me about disciplining a worker.  You were nothing like the women in Milton.  Fanny is a perfect example.  She's my sister, and I love her, but she couldn't hold an intelligent conversation to save her life.  These women are all about fashion and money, and they all wanted my money, not me.  And of course when I lost the mill, none of them wanted anything to do with me any more, not that I cared whether they did or didn't.  When I saw you, I knew you were different -- that you could talk about things other than the latest dress from London.  I knew that even if we didn't agree on things, we could talk about them and share our opinions.  That has certainly turned out to be true."  He smiled and touched the side of her face.  She leaned into his hand and looked up at him with love in her eyes.

"I tried to fight it for a long time, knowing that you would have nothing to do with me, telling myself I was just interested in you as my friend and tutor's daughter.  But it was a slippery slope, and when you did what you did the day of the riot, I couldn't lie to myself any longer.  I realized then that I loved you so much that just the thought of not being with you was unbearable.  I had no expectation of you accepting me, although when you rejected me it still shocked me."  As she heard this, she began kissing him tenderly, trying to take away some of the hurt she had inflicted that day.

"Oh, John, I regretted those words almost as soon as they left my mouth," she responded sadly.  "I wanted to take them back, especially when you left the room and I realized that you did really love me."  She held his face between her hands.  "I know now that I acted out of love that day at the riot.  I was just too blind to see it."  They gazed at each other, letting the love of the present wash away the hurts of the past, then brought their lips together in a gentle kiss.

As the kiss heated up, Margaret moved to sit astride John, and they made love slowly, gently, and softly.  Although she was tempted to stay, when they were done she gave him a last tender kiss and gathered up her clothes.  His face showed his disappointment, but also his understanding.  Until they were wed, she couldn't be seen in the vicinity of his room.  It was better for her to go back to her room before they fell asleep.

He opened the door slowly and looked out.  He gave her a kiss goodnight, and she went back to her room.  They were both asleep within minutes, tiredness having won out.