Speculation

Speculation - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hannah Thornton sat in the dinning room working on some napkins that needed mending. She was waiting to hear word from John concerning the speculation and had hoped that the work would occupy her mind while she waited, but try as she might she could not keep her mind on the task at hand. Instead it was on the words her son spoke days before "...right now the payroll is safe, would you have me risk that?" She had asked " But if it succeeds who would ever know?" "And if it fails mother I would have injured others would you have me risk that..."

How very different he was from his father, she thought.

Her mind drifted back 16 years hence, to that dreadful day when she received word of her husband- the wild speculation, it's failure and .....his death.

If only he had listened to her,she thought. She knew there was something not to be trusted in Stewart. She tried to tell George but... she sighed. Her fingers were gently tracing the initials on the napkin she was working on...G.H.T. ...George was so certain, so confident he would succeed....

Georges' last words echoed in her mind "it will be alright my dear Hannah, all will be fine. You have nothing to worry about, it will work out trust me, Stewart is shrewd he knows whats at risk, he won't fail he won't let me down" then he gently kissed her, and smiled down at her, it conveyed all his love and reassurance. His smile was what she liked best, it was like a ray of warm sunshine breaking through thick clouds, shining down on her ....John has his smile she thought and was glad of it, it was all she had left of George.

....She never saw George alive again and from that day her world was never the same...

These thoughts so occupied her that she did not hear the approaching footsteps of her son as he entered the room....

His words broke into her thoughts "...it's failed mother." ...Startled by the sound of his voice she looked up at him with a start "John!"

As John approached, he looked inquiringly at her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and asked "are you alright?" concern was evident in his voice and shown on his face.

She nodded her head in the affirmative shaking off the dark thoughts that had occupied her mind. Placing her hand over his she looked up into his inquiring blue eyes, and gave him a small smile to reassure him that she was indeed well."I am fine John"

John searched his mothers face, and when he was certain she was in fact all right he proceeded to relate the recent turn of events.

"The speculation failed terribly. Many of the manufactures who joined the venture are facing serious financial set backs. And it looks like Slickson's and Hamper's are facing the real possibility of closure. The situation......" He paused raising his hand to his mouth, trying to swallow his growing anxiety," .....the situation in Milton doesn't look good." Removing his hand from her shoulder he walked towards the mantel, unable to keep still, he started pacing.

Hannah watched her son as he paced back on forth by the fire place "John!, are things really that serious?"

John stopped, and walked back over to where she sat, placing his hand once again on her shoulder to reassure her, for what he had to say next would not be easy. "Yes it is. For the time being I can keep Marlborough Mills running, but for how long, that I can't answer....the market is taking a downward turn, the price of raw cotton is dropping.. And I haven't yet told you the worst. Fanny and..."

Before he could finish his sentence Hannah turned in her chair, grasped his arm while looking up into his eyes and exclaimed

"What? What about Fanny, John? Tell me Watson hasn't done anything foolish!" A note of fear crept into her voice.

"Watson!" John spat out the name " He and his tom fool money scheme! He lost everything. He's gone under, risked everything he had. He has lost the house and will have to shut down his mill. He's financially ruined." Anger, pain, sorrow all showed on his face, was heard in his voice, "Fools, the lot of them! Risking the livelihoods of their men and Watson putting his family at risk" He sighed shaking his head "Fanny- I thought Fanny would be taken care of..." As he raised his eyes they were met by his mothers, he knew what she was thinking.

With a ragged edge to her voice she asked "Isn't there something you can do John? Some way you can help? She is with child and she has always...always been weak, she has never been strong...not strong like you and I. How will she bear the hardship? She will never cope raising a baby in such reduced circumstances" Her eyes searching her sons for an answer.....

Her look pained John to the very core of his being, never had he seen his strong, proud mother so shaken, but he knew why. Fanny couldn't remember much from the early years, but he did,.... oh how he remembered......

©2010, leah147, All Rights Reserved.