A Misguided Mistake

Chapter Seven

"Yes. I - I bid Mr Thornton to go and reason with them, but I knew as soon as he stepped out that he was in danger. I should not have made him go, for it was not fair to him. There were so many of them, all of them angry - he could have been killed and I would have been the one to order him there!"

"It weren't your fault, he did not have to go. Then what? If Thornton were the one out there, how did you-"

"I ran out after him, placed myself between him and the mob." Margaret explained. "I was cast down by a stone, I do not remember much of what happened after but I found myself in the Thorntons' house."

"What? But that were just yesterday morning, you were here when I were ill!"

"Yes."

"And you with a head wound, running around t'streets? Margaret!"

Margaret looked away, embarrassed by Bessie's concern. It was not warranted, for she had been quite well. A little tired perhaps, and her body had ached where she had fallen - but it did not matter.

"You needed me. I was fine, just a little bruised."

"What did Thornton say?"

"He-" Margaret took a deep breath. "He told me that he loved me."

"Do you love him?" Bessie asked after a long silence.

Margaret looked up from folding and unfolding the collars. Bessie was staring straight at her. Margaret looked back, saddened by the pallor of her friend's skin. Her eyes, however, still held a little of the fire Margaret was so fond of - despite her weakening condition, Bessie had lost none of her spirit. Margaret felt tears gathering, for she knew her friend would soon be gone. She was wasting so much time, Bessie was right. Where was the sense in that??

"I - I-"

But their conversation had been too much for her friend because Bessie began to cough, so suddenly and so fiercely that her skin began to turn blue. Margaret patted her back in a panic, trying to soothe her as she gasped and spluttered. Mary ran in from outside, alerted by the noise. All thoughts of love and Mr Thornton were forgotten as Margaret tried to ease the suffering of the girl she had come to care for so dearly, but would lose all too soon.

-

Upon returning home, Margaret had no time to dwell on Bessie's words. Mr Bell was still in Milton, and Margaret sat with their guest and her parents. She had a new book she had been meaning to read for some time, and buried her head in it hoping that she would not be engaged in conversation.

She had forgotten about the fruit, still on the table where Mr Thornton had left it.

"How kind of Mr Thornton!" Her mother exclaimed.

"The most splendid fruit I have ever seen. The best in the county I shouldn't wonder."

"It shows his high regard for you, my dear."

"Margaret!" Her mother spoke to her directly now, and Margaret had no choice but to raise her head. "You must visit Marlborough Mills and give Mr Thornton our thanks in person for such a wonderful gift."

"I am sure a note would do as well, Mama." Margaret said.

She certainly had no wish to face Mr Thornton under the current circumstances, for he would surely be most angry at her. Well, good.  Let him be angry, for if he had cared to listen for a moment or two it would have served him far better than the assumptions he had been determined  to make about her. Still, her heart was racing, her stomach churning at the thought of seeing him once more.

"I saw Thornton in the street today, not far from here." Mr Bell remarked, and Margaret did not like the way he looked at her while he said it. "He didn't seem quite so in control as usual. He seemed rather distracted today. I thought he might have been visiting, he was just nearby."