Speculation

Speculation - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

By the following afternoon word had spread throughout all of Milton of the failed speculation. Many were in shocked disbelief,for the speculation had been hailed by Watson as a sure thing. Now news had spread that he would have to close his mill and several other mills were facing the same fate. People were in an uproar, many panic stricken as the town waited to see which mills would close and who would be forced out of work.

Not long after news began circulating around Milton, Fanny burst into the Thornton's sitting room one afternoon in a flurry of rustling skirts, terrified and on the verge of hysterics. "Oh mother, mother! What are we to do???" She flung herself into her mothers arms sobbing uncontrollably.

"Fanny, Fanny, please try to stop your panicking, please Fanny dear" coaxed Hannah. She was prepared for this reaction from Fanny yet the sheer force of emotion left Hannah at a loss as to how to control and calm her daughter's fears.

As John opened the door to his home, he was accosted by the sound of Fanny's hysterical cries, and for a brief moment thought it best to close the door and return to the mill and the sanctuary of his office. He had already had his fill with Watson. Earlier that morning he had offered him a position and was angered by the response he had received.

Watson had stood just inside the doorway of Thornton's office, appalled by the offer presented to him. "Foreman?!" he replied, disdain showing on his face and evident in his voice " that's all you are offering, the position of foreman? You expect ME to be a foreman in your mill?"

Thornton was sitting at his desk causally looking over some papers. In reply to Watson's question he raised his head giving him his full attention. Sardonically asking" I presume you have something else in mind?"

"I do!" he said a bit too haughtily for Thornton's liking, who replied in a cool even tone "Care to enlighten me?"

"I will take nothing less than being made a partner!" Watson folded his arms across his chest looking the other man straight in the eye.

"Is that so?" Thornton raised his brow in mock surprise at this statement, now leaning his elbows on his desk as he waited to see what other ludicrous ideas were going to come out of Watson's mouth.

Watson arrogantly added, "Being a partner is what I am best suited for in the present circumstances I find myself in. It will allow me to keep the house and Fanny, dear girl..." pausing he gave Thornton a confident grin, "need never know the true extent of my financial dilemma."

This arrogant response caused Thornton to sit up placing his hands palm down on his desk,clenching his jaw in a effort to control the growing anger that was mounting within him. His voice was cold and measured as he spoke.

"Partner? You want me to make you a partner so that you can hide from Fanny your financial ruin? You think being a partner is what you're best suited for, do you? So tell me Watson, what do you think you can bring to this partnership? Money? Expertise in running a mill? I don't see either from you! And from where I sit; I would just as soon set fire to the cotton waste and be done with the mill before I ever consider taking you on as a partner!"

Rage flared in Watson's brown beady eyes as he took a step towards Thornton and spat out " I knew you to be a hard master but I never expected you to be a heartless brother in law. You are cold Thornton, not even caring what happens to your sister and the baby!"

Upon hearing these words he suddenly rose to his full imposing height, the undercurrent of furry that was coursing through Thornton came surging to the surface as he spoke with an intensity that Watson had never experienced before.