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

Ch. 44 (PG): Sometimes Love Means Letting Go

Instantly going to his little sister’s side and sitting down at her bedside, he pulls her to him and cradles her in his arms as he kisses her forehead and cheeks. John is over wrought with concern as he gently rocks Fanny back and forth in his arms.

John: “Fanny, Sweetheart!”  He sighs. “You are never a bother, ever! Shhh! Shhhh!  You rest.”  When she was little, John would always call Fanny his sweetheart. For next to his mother, Fanny was the only woman then who resided in his heart.

Fanny:  “Don’t be mad at Baird, Johnny.  He didn’t know that I have these breathing attacks.  And it’s my fault.  I shouldn’t have gotten so emotional.” 

John and Hannah exchange a look between them in noticing that Fanny seems to have reformed her prior ways of milking every ache and cough for sympathy--more evidence of Fanny’s growing maturity.

John:   “Not to worry, Fanny.  All will be well.” John gently lays Fanny back onto her pillow.  "I’ll take care of things.”  By which John means ushering Baird Ogilvy out of his front door.

Fanny:    “No, Johnny.”  Fanny struggles to say forcefully as she weakly clutches at his coat sleeve, but she sounds so fragile and delicate to John.   “I want to see Baird before he leaves the manor tonight--alone.”

Hannah:  “I don’t think that is wise, Fanny Dearest.”   Hannah clasps her daughter’s hand in hers and squeezes it comfortingly.  “You’re still recovering from your ordeal.”  Hannah winces and Margaret nods sympathetically--she can see both sides of the issue.

Fanny: “It’s my life.   You have to let me do as I see fit.”  Fanny opens her eyes for emphasis [(2) right],   pleading for her brother and  for her mother to acquiesce to her request.  And with her agitation, Fanny’s breathing is becoming a bit more ragged.

Margaret:  Always the voice of reason, Margaret intervenes upon Fanny’s behalf. “Fanny is right.  It is her life.  And we should respect her wishes.”  Standing up, walking two feet to the bed and sitting down on its edge as John stands up and stands behind her, Margaret pats her pregnant tummy with one hand  and strokes Fanny’s coverlet covered leg with the other.  “Everything will be alright, Fanny. You’ll see.  If John and I didn’t patch up our disagreements daily, we wouldn’t be making you an aunt in four months time.”  Margaret smiles impishly while John blushes deeply.  “No offense, John.  But you have your moments.”  John raises a bemusedly perturbed eyebrow at her, but still caresses her shoulders and kisses the top of her head.

Fanny: “No!   Johnny is perfect!”  Fanny sighs like the adoring little sister she is--of her beloved older brother who is almost like a father to her.

John: “Oh no, Fanny.  I am far from perfect.”    John states humbly.  And he silently chastises himself for trying to hold Baird to a standard of behavior and conduct that he knows that he could not meet all of the time.

Hannah resigns herself to the inevitable--being out voted by the younger members of her family.  Of course, the concept of there even being a vote would have been unheard of even a year ago under the formerly stern Hannah’s then iron rule.

Hannah: “Very well then.  John, please ask Baird to come up to speak to Fanny before he goes back to the hotel for the evening.”

Fanny: “But Baird will be all alone at the hotel.”  Fanny frets.

Hannah: “Perhaps he will reflect upon his conduct.”  Hannah states a tad imperiously.

John: “I will go ask Baird to come up to say goodnight.”  He says bowing to the concession that Baird is not completely within his purview to eject from his home.