"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 16 (PG-13): Hannah’s Long Forgotten Memories Awaken While Caring for Lissa, January 06, 2014 Gratiana Lovelace
(An original fan fiction copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace; All rights reserved;
Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, North & South and its
2004 BBC adaptation; No copyright infringement intended)
[I will illustrate my story using my dream cast from the 2004 BBC production of “North & South”:
Richard Armitage for John Thornton, Daniela Denby-Ashe for Margaret Hale, Lesley Manville for Mrs. Maria Hale, Tim Pigott-Smith for Mr. Richard Hale, Sinead Cusack for Mrs. Hannah Thornton, Jo Joyner for Fanny Thornton, Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, and Graham McTavish as Dr. Cameron Ogilvy, etc] [(1) story logo]
Author’s Mature Content Note: “N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons” is a story with mature themes of love and relationships set within a period drama of the 1850’s and beyond. As such there will be heartfelt moments of love and sensuality (S)--as well as other dramatic emotions, including some violence (V)--and I will rate those chapters accordingly. If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer.
Author’s Recap of the Previous Chapter: Hannah Thornton’s and Dr. Cameron Ogilvy’s Saturday night at the ballet after Christmas was interrupted just after the intermission by a young mill girl patient who had broken her arm as was waiting for him at his practice. Hannah accompanied Cameron there and soon learned of the family’s impoverished circumstances and filthy living conditions--and that the family were Marlborough Mills employees. This struck a poignant chord for Hannah and she and Dr. Ogilvy gave the family some food and astonishingly, Hannah invited to have the little girl Lissa convalesce at her home since her children were away and she has an empty house--though she does not want her kindness known to others, for fear that she will be thought soft hearted.
Ch. 16 (PG-13): Hannah’s Long Forgotten Memories Awaken While Caring for Lissa
On Sunday at Church--the day after Dr. Ogilvy had set Lissa’s arm Saturday night, interrupting his date at the ballet with Hannah Thornton--the Dillard Family agrees to allow their four year old daughter Lissa stay with Mrs. Hannah Thornton during the first two weeks as she rests to heal her broken arm. Their older six year old daughter Leanna and baby Timmy will also stay at Thornton Manor during the work day hours starting Monday, to keep their sister company. The Dillard’s acquiesce, mostly at Dr. Ogilvy’s urging and reminder that he will personally check on Lissa daily. And daily checkups will also give Dr. Cameron Ogilvy a lovely excuse to see Hannah Thornton--but he does not tell the Dillard’s that.
So after church, Lissa Dillard is transferred to Mrs. Thornton’s carriage to tearful farewells, with Dr. Ogilvy also in attendance. Mrs. Dillard had done her best in seeing that Lissa was cleaner than she was Saturday night, but they had no soap which is usually expensive, and little water, to make real progress in Lissa’s cleanliness. Lissa arrives at Thornton Manor, Dr. Ogilvy carries her upstairs since she is weak with the pain of her broken arm. Hannah Thornton follows behind. Upon entering the bed chamber Hannah Thornton has had made ready for little Lissa, Hannah takes charge to clean the little girl before she is put to bed.
Hannah: “Dr. Ogilvy, let us take Lissa into the adjoining bathing chamber. I intend to give her a bath, then put her in fresh clothes before putting her to bed.” She says rolling up the sleeves of her simple charcoal grey day dress that has little to no ornamentation on it. Some might call Hannah’s dress a high society work dress. But to Cameron Ogilvy, Hannah Thornton still looks beautiful.
Dr. Ogilvy: “Do ye think that wise? We do not want to jostle herrr arrrm. Perrrhaps a day of rrrest is needed” [(2) right].
Hannah: “Nonsense! We will be gentle. And Lissa needs to be clean in order to heal better.” She states a bit officiously to the doctor.
Lissa looks at Mrs. Thornton a bit fearfully. Her mother had told her to behave for Mrs. Thornton--and to do as she is told and not make trouble, for Mrs. Thornton is being very kind to them. But Lissa has never seen such a grand place as this from the inside--Thornton Manor. She looks around the bathing chamber, not knowing what this room is--her never having seen one before.
Lissa: “I’m tired--and my arm hurts.” Lissa says as if to agree with Dr. Ogilvy. Then she admits warily. “And I ain’t never had a bath.” They always just washed over a basin in their one room home.
Hannah: Hannah bends down and smiles at the little girl as she speaks softly to her--in a kind voice that had rarely been heard in the past, but is she is finding reason to employ it more recently. “Now Lissa, after you have your bath over there …” Hannah points to the bath tub. “… and wearing one of my daughter’s nightgowns from when she was little like you--you’ll feel much more comfortable.” Then a housemaid joins them. “Lissa, this is Sarah, she will help me bathe you.” Sarah smiles and nods at the girl.
Dr. Ogilvy: “Ach! It does na take two people to bathe a wee gerrril.” He rolls his eyes.
Hannah: Hannah Thornton turns to Dr. Ogilvy and asks him sharply. “Dr. Ogilvy, had you ever bathed one of your children when they were little?” He looks sheepishly at her without replying. “I thought so.” She raises an amused eyebrow as a small smile curves upon her lips. “Now Lissa, let’s have Dr. Ogilvy return to his medical practice so that you may have your bath then get into that nice warm bed and rest.”
So Dr. Ogilvy smiles warmly at little Lissa and Hannah Thornton as he leaves.
Dr. Ogilvy: “Aye! You have the powderrr I left you to mix in herrr milk to help with the pain. It will also make herrr sleep. I will rrreturrrn arrround tea time.” He says as he waves farewell.
Hannah: “We look forward to it.” Hannah nods with a smile. Hannah Thornton is ever so much happier when she is in charge of a situation--like now.
Sarah and Mrs. Thornton carefully help Lissa out of her clothes, since her broken arm is splinted and painful. Then Lissa sits in the tub and lets them wash her--because she is too tired from lack of sleep due to the pain she is in to argue with them. They wash her matted blond hair and then the rest of her. After she is rinsed with warm water, she stands up in the tub and Hannah wraps her in a large towel, drying her.
Sarah: Smiling at the little girl, Sarah says. “See ducky? That twern’t so bad.” Sarah dries Lissa’s hair with another towel.
Lissa: “I didn’t mind it.” Lissa says in a small voice. Then she looks at them needfully. “Where’s the chamber pot?”
Hannah: “Over there.”
Hannah points to a commode chair [(3)] with a chamber pot underneath it when John recently had installed the tub--with water pipe to drain to an outside exit beyond the house--to create this bathing room out of a walk in closet.
Lissa: “But that looks like a chair.” Lissa says quizzically. For Lissa is only familiar with using chamber pots.
Sarah: “I’ll help her, Mrs. Thornton.” Maid Sarah puts the small child’s pink nightgown that had belonged to Fanny Thornton over Lissa’s head. They had already thought to cut out the left arm and opened the left side seam and added ties--to make it easier to get it on and off Lissa with her broken arm. “Then I’ll fetch her some warm milk for her medicine while you put her to bed.”
Hannah Thornton nods and walks into the medium sized bed chamber--the small very pink bed chamber that had been her daughter Fanny’s when she was younger when they first came to live at Thornton Manor nearly ten years ago. Hannah stokes the fire and adds a coal to make the room warmer.
As Lissa is walked back into the bed chamber by Sarah holding her good hand, Lissa’s new pink nightgown is so long on her that the maid Sarah had to cinch it up for her with a robe belt so that she didn’t trip. You see, Hannah Thornton didn’t keep too many clothes from when Fanny was four to six years of age because they had become so worn in their poverty, that they weren’t worth keeping and the worn clothes were given away. Though they were in a better condition than the clothing rags Lissa and her family wear, Hannah Thornton realizes. And two ideas begin to germinate in Hannah Thornton’s mind.
But first to Lissa. Hannah Thornton tucks Lissa under the soft bed covers as Lissa sits up like a small doll on her pillows. The tiny four year old Lissa is engulfed by the queen sized bed, but she likes the soft and comfy feel of the sheets and blanket as she gently strokes them with the right hand of her unbroken arm. And Lissa smiles for the first time since Hannah first saw her yesterday [(4) right]. Lissa is a beautiful child with bright blue eyes that draw Hannah Thornton to her for her innocence and sweetness.
Hannah: Hannah Thornton smiles kindly back at the small child, remembering when her daughter Fanny was this little. Then she opens up a drawer from the bedside chest and takes out a memento from the past. “Would you like a soft doll to cuddle with as you lie in bed, Lissa?”
Hannah Thornton asks pleasantly and offers Lissa a fabric doll with button eyes and a pinafore dress. Lissa takes the doll and looks at it curiously, turning the doll over in her hands and fingering its dress, and stroking its yarn hair.
Lissa: “Thank you.” She says in a small voice.
Hannah: “I made this doll for my daughter Fanny many years ago, but she doesn’t want it anymore.” Fanny only likes things that are store bought. But this dolly was made with much love by Hannah Thornton for her daughter. “So you may have it.”
Lissa: “I haven’t seen anything as fine as this before.” For her one homemade hand-me-down rag doll had long since gotten dirty and was thrown away before she even was old enough to know that she had a dolly. Lissa carefully sets the doll down next to her on the bed.
Hannah: “Don’t you like it?” She asks disappointedly. Hannah Thornton so wants the little child to feel welcomed into her home so that she recovers in pleasant surrounds, and Hannah sits on the end of her seat [(5) right].
Lissa: “I do. But what is the doll for?” Lissa asks uncomprehendingly.
Maid Sarah returns to Lissa’s room just as Lissa responds to Mrs. Thornton. Maid Sarah carries a small glass of warm milk on a silver tray and a sweet roll and an apple for Lissa. She sets the tray at Lissa’s bedside.
Hannah: “What is the doll for?” Hannah repeats--uncertain what Lissa is confused about. Hannah Thornton measures some paid medicine powder given by Dr. Ogilvy and stirs it into Lissa’s milk.
Maid Sarah: “Beggin yer pardon, Mrs. Thornton, Maam. But children of common folk don’t often have toys nor dolls.” Then she turns to the little girl. “Lissa, the dolly is for you to hug and play with. Like this.” Then Sarah picks up the doll and demonstrates for Lissa by hugging the doll, then making it dance on the bed. “Now you try to make her dance.”
Lissa shoots a wary glance at Hannah Thornton, who is shocked that Lissa has not even had a doll before. Then Hannah Thornton smiles and nods encouragingly at the little girl. So Lisa gently hugs the soft fabric doll with her good arm and then she makes it hop up and down on the bed a bit. Lissa smiles.
Hannah: “That’s nice.” Hannah smiles. “Lissa, You can play with the dolly more later. Please set the doll aside for the moment while you drink your milk and eat your cinnamon roll and apple.”
Lissa nods compliantly. Her mama had told her to do what Mrs. Thornton told her to do. So Lissa drinks some milk. Then she looks at the cinnamon roll--not knowing what it is. But the adults are waiting for her to eat it, so she takes a very small bite--and she scrunches up her face at the strong flavor. Lissa has never tasted cinnamon before--their food at home is usually tasteless, but for some salt once and a while. And sugar is almost unknown to them.
Lissa: “Do I haf ta eat the cimmon roll?” She asks wincingly--for she does not like the taste of it.
Hannah: “No. It is fine if you don’t like it. You may eat the apple and Sarah will bring you some buttered toast with jam, and a scrambled egg.”
Maid Sarah: She curtsies. “Yes maam.” Then Sarah leaves the room.
Hannah hands Lissa the apple and Lissa bites into it with a smile. Lissa also rarely eats fruit, if ever, but she likes its blander taste. Then in fifteen minutes, Sarah returns with a small plate on a tray with the breakfast that was ordered for the little girl--even though now it is mid day and luncheon will be served soon for Mrs. Thornton. Lissa has eaten an egg or two before since a nearby family sometimes keeps a chicken in their home--until they had to sell it or eat it--and they were given an egg in exchange for coal. So impoverished family’s have to make some tough choices. Do they eat, but freeze? Or do they choose to be tepidly warm, but hungry?
Lissa eats it her toast and egg and finishes her milk, too. Then Sarah brings Mrs. Thornton a luncheon tray of soup and small finger sandwiches--one of which Mrs. Thornton gives to Lissa to try. Lissa likes the small meat paste sandwich. Then Lissa soon falls asleep from the medicine in her milk and Mrs. Thornton sits with her, reading silently from her bible.
***
It is several hours later at tea time on Sunday afternoon, that Dr. Ogilvy returns to Thornton Manor to check on his patient--and to see his lady, Hannah Thornton. But he is not alone. Mrs. Dillard had been one of many mill workers to wait at the Marlborough Mills Clinic Sunday Afternoon--in her case, in order to join the doctor in visiting Lissa at Thornton manor to make sure her daughter was alright. It is not that Mrs. Dillard thought any harm would come to her daughter under Mrs. Thornton’s care. But Mrs. Dillard is a mother unaccustomed to being separated from her child.
Though the Dillards are poor, their financial hardships have not caused their family to disintegrate as often happens--and they love their children dearly. Mrs. Dillard shuffles quietly behind Dr. Ogilvy and into the Thornton Manor bed chamber where Lissa sleeps. Mrs. Dillard was a maid in a large house before she married her husband, so she knows that people live fine like the Thornton’s. It has simply been a very long time since Mrs. Dillard was in a large house such as this one.
Dr. Ogilvy holds out his hands to Hannah Thornton’s questioning look. Then he explains the mother’s presence to Hannah Thornton, whispering so as not to awaken the child.
Dr. Ogilvy: “Mrs. Dillarrrd just wanted to see how Lissa was getting on.” Mrs. Dillard nods.
Hannah: “Of course.” Hannah Thornton stands up. She also whispers. “She is sleeping, if you would care to sit with her while Dr. Ogilvy examines her.”
Mrs. Dillard: Seeing her daughter looking cleaner than she has seen her in a long time and wearing a clean nightgown and hugging a clean fabric doll in a warm bed brings tears to Mrs. Dillard’s eyes. “Thank you.” She manages to choke out in a whisper to Mrs. Thornton. Hannah Thornton nods back to her in acknowledgement.
Lissa is sleeping comfortably. Dr. Ogilvy takes Lissa’s pulse and listens to her heart. He feels for a temperature, and she has none.
Dr. Ogilvy: “The little gerrril is rrresting comforrrtably under Mrs. Thorrrnton’s care.” He pronounces. “And the swelling in herrr arrrm has gone down. So I will tighten the splint a wee bit to insurrre it supporrrts her arm.”
But with that movement of the splint--and the pain of her broken arm--Lissa wakes up.
Sleepily seeing her mother, Lissa holds her good arm out to her for a hug and she tears up.
Lissa: “Mama! Have you come to take me home? I’ve been good like you said I should be.”
Mrs. Dillard darts a cautious glance at Mrs. Thornton. Hannah Thornton realizes that the child is not ungrateful of her care, four year old Lissa naturally misses her Mama. Mrs. Dillard embraces her child and she notices how sweet smelling Lissa is.
Mrs. Dillard: “Lissa, we have to wait until you’re feeling better for you to come home. Dr. Ogilvy and Mrs. Thornton are taking care of you for now.”
Lissa: “But can’t you take care of me, Mama?” Lissa appeals to her Mama. For little ones want and need their own mamas.
Mrs. Dillard: Mrs. Dillard pauses reflectively. Then she admits resignedly. “No, we can’t, sweetheart. Not like they can.” Mrs. Dillard gestures to Mrs. Thornton and the doctor. “You’ll get better much more quickly if you stay here. But I will visit you every day--twice a day, if they let me.” Lissa nods half heartedly. Mrs. Dillard stands up from the chair.
Hannah Thornton: Smiling kindly, Hannah Thornton suggests. “Mrs. Dillard, please stay and chat with your daughter Lissa if you like. I will have my maid Sarah bring you up tea and cakes and more milk for Lissa, while Dr. Ogilvy and I take our tea in the parlor.”
Mrs. Dillard: “Thank you, Mrs. Thornton, Maam. We appreciate all that you’re doing for our Lissa.” She nods her head to Mrs. Thornton. Hannah Thornton smiles graciously at Mrs. Dillard.
***
After giving orders for tea--in two places--Hannah guides Dr. Cameron Ogilvy into the parlor for their tea. She sits primly on the sette--and he joins her there. A brief silence ensues since they have not had a chance to be friendly and familiar with each other yet today. They have always been around other people--at church and with the little girl. After their tea arrives, the maid leaves and shuts the parlor door--which gives Hannah and Cameron some privacy to speak to one another.
Hannah: “I will pour.” Hannah smiles at Cameron benignly.
Cameron: But before she can begin pouring, he takes her hand in his and brings it to his lips for a kiss. “So! How have ye farrred playing nurrrse today, My Dearrr?”
Hannah: “Cameron, I am a mother. I have nursed both my children through illnesses and injuries over the years.” She intones.
Cameron: “Yes. But they werrre yourrr own bairrrns. This wee lassie belongs to someone else.” He smiles at her warmly for her kindness.
Hannah: “I know. There is something about Lissa--she is so dear. Maybe I have missed having a little one whom I could coddle. So, I’m practicing on Lissa for now--until such time that John and Margaret give me a grandchild.” She smiles at that thought. Then she gracefully detaches her hand from his so that she can pour their tea.
Cameron: He accepts his cup from her. “Thank ye.” He takes a sip. Then he continues, but in a professional tone. “But I hope that you rrrealize what Lissa staying herrre will mean forrr herrr--and forrr you.” He raises his eyebrow knowingly.
Hannah: “I know that she will return to her family.” Hannah says a bit defensively. “Lissa is such a sweet little girl. She reminds me so much of Fanny--before we spoilt her too much. Hhhhh!” Hannah rolls her eyes. “I will have to face Lissa leaving when the time comes to return her to her parents in a few weeks, but for now, I just want to help her get better.”
Cameron: “Yes, but Hannah my dearrr, how will Lissa rrrespond to leaving the luxurrries she enjoys herrre as your guest, when she must rrreturrrn to her family? Ach!” Then he softens so as not to seem that he is chiding her--nor goading her into action. “Will you rrreturrrn Lissa to living in squalorrr with her parrrents afterrr she has enjoyed living herrre in what must seem like heaven?”
Hannah: “Certainly not!” Cameron looks surprised at her vehemence. Then she says soberly. “I had forgotten how despairing poverty truly is. Or maybe, I had pushed it from my thoughts. I think Margaret must be influencing me, for I have a few ideas about improving mill worker living conditions that I’m certain she would approve of.” Hannah shakes her head.
Cameron: “Oh? And do these ideas perrrtain to your familiarrrity with the Dillarrrd family’s circumstances?” He asks with a twinkle in his eye.
Hannah: “In part. But Cameron, I don’t even know if my ideas are feasible or if they will have much of an impact.” She winces. His patient listening urges her to continue. “But if our mill workers could be afforded some measure of basic sustenance, that might at least insure that their children do not continue to suffer their impoverished circumstances.”
Cameron: “Ye know that I will help ye wherrre I can.”
Hannah: “Thank you.”
Cameron: “My pleasurrre.”
Hannah: “John has already created a worker’s lunch kitchen. And Margaret has the idea to start a day nursery so mothers can nurse their babies between shifts--our hoping to have less worker absenteeism problems.” She reasons that it is just good business sense. But it is more than that. “So that leaves health, clothing, and shelter.”
Cameron: “What arrre your ideas?”
Hannah: “Every year we save cotton fabric scraps from the end of the bolts to send in the missionary barrels for them to make clothing with it. What if we were to make a monetary donation to the missionaries and keep the fabric scraps here to make new clothing for the workers? Or provide them with the materials like needle and thread and scissors and such to make their own clothes? The clothes wouldn’t be fancy, but they would be better than the thread bare rags they wear now.”
Cameron: “That would be commendable, my dearrr.” He smiles warmly. “But you mentioned you had more than one idea?”
Hannah: “Yes.” She sighs. “Following John’s principle that fed workers work better, I will propose to him that we expand the worker’s kitchen to include a small breakfast option that they may pay for--with children 13 and under eating free.”
Cameron: He prods since she is on a roll and he doesn’t want to stop her enthusiasm now. “And you mentioned shelter?”
Hannah: “Housing and sanitation are the final and largest hurdles. Each year devastating health epidemics plague the Princeton District where the workers’ live. We need to find a way to move, at least our workers, to somewhere heathier for them and their families--with clean drinking, cooking, and bathing water and sewer drains for waste, and soap.” She adds wincingly.
For Hannah Thornton has moved beyond her comfort zone of not being aware of the mill workers’ true plight--and she has gone off the deep end, and gained a nascent social conscience.
Cameron: “Hannah, My Dearrrr! Yourrr ideas arrre magnificent!” He exclaims delightedly, sets down his cup and saucer, takes her cup and saucer from her hands and sets it down, clasps her hands in his and he pulls her into his embrace.
Hannah: “Cameron! What if a maid were to walk in on us?” She protests primly.
Cameron: Kissing her cheek, he says. “You have them well trrrained, My Dearrr. I have watched them when I came to tea beforrre. They will not come in again until you pull the bell chorrrd.” He smiles as he kisses her other cheek, for he has paid attention during his many visits for tea.
Hannah: “But it is still afternoon and quite bright out. And … and I have a guest upstairs.” Hannah flusters while blushing.
Cameron: “I will close the drrrapes and lock the doorrr, if you like. But I mean to kiss you, Hannah My Dearrr.”
The thoroughly scandalized Hannah’s eyes widen as Cameron leans forward and kisses her on her lips--their kissing for only the second time, the first time being Christmas Eve, under the mistletoe. But then, they were interrupted by Hannah’s daughter Fanny. Cameron holds Hannah lightly in his embrace so that she can move away if she wishes it. A gentleman never imposes upon a lady. However, Hannah does not protest further--and she allows him to kiss her for several moments. Then she begins to kiss him back, tentatively, with her hands lightly resting upon his broad and muscular shoulders. Cameron thrills to recognize her loving response to his kisses. However, their kisses are restrained--as decorum and honor dictates--and last only a few minutes before Cameron pulls back from her, as a gentleman must.
Hannah: “Hhhhh.” She smiles at him. She finds that kissing him is not altogether unpleasant. Though she will not admit more to herself.
Cameron: He kisses her hand then lays her hand on his chest and covers it with his hand. “Hannah, My Dearrr. Ye arrre a fine lady with a kind hearrrt. My own hearrrt is filled with love forrr you. I have alrrready made clearrr that my intentions towarrrd you arrre honorrrable and trrrue. Might I be so bold as to hope that one day soon ye might considerrr becoming me brrride, and me countess?”
But Hannah’s discomfittedness at the thought of becoming Cameron’s wife returns to her now--her not knowing if she could submit herself to being a wife again, in all that such a relationship possibly implies and entails. She and her late husband were a friendly match, but not a grand passion. However she had grown quite fond of him before his death. But with her late husband leaving them to suffer the consequences of his actions, she was a shattered woman emotionally and rationally. But for her children needing her, she would not have been able to cope with her loss. And even now, sixteen years later, Hannah Thornton is afraid of being a wife again--depending upon someone, and fearing that she might be let down again.
Hannah: So Hannah responds a bit off puttingly. “Cameron, I have been a widow for sixteen years. My youngest child is nearly twenty one years old.” She is trying to indicate something to him in a delicate way.
Cameron: “Aye! And the lass will be married soon, herrrself no doubt.” He smiles. Cameron has some thoughts on that score, but he will keep himself mum for the moment. “It is time to think of yourrr own happiness finally. And I know that I can make you happy. And making you happy will make me happy.” He smoulders with his love for her.
Hannah: Hannah replies reticently. “Yes, I think you can make me happy, Cameron.” She smiles hesitantly. Then she lowers her eyes and continues meekly--well, meekly for her. “But, though I find the idea of you as my companion for my remaining years pleasing--and I am increasingly more fond of you--I am not certain that I am prepared to give you more than the fond regard that we share now.” She is stating her terms for marriage. But will he abide by them, she wonders?
Cameron: “Companion?” He asks slowly as he pulls back from her a bit to gaze upon her. She nods, but does not look at him. “Hmmmm. So let me understand rrrightly, My Dearrr. When we marry, ye would …” He cannot state it out loud because it is such an intimate personal matter. “… ye would prrreferrr our interactions to remain …” He searches for a delicate word to employ, then he just says it. “… chaste?” His pinched face has an expression of slight incredulity upon it--looking almost as if he had eaten something distasteful--hoping that he is incorrect in interpreting her wishes.
Hannah: Hannah nods her head shyly, still not looking at him. Then he gently clasps her chin and raises her fearful eyes to look up at him. “Yes.” She breathes deeply, worried that her wish to have a friendly marriage and not a romantic marriage will lose her the one man who has captured her interest in all these years--apart from her son, John.
Cameron: Cameron gazes steadily into Hannah’s eyes and sees her ladylike reticence firmly residing there. He can sense that there is something more behind her request for them to remain chaste as husband and wife. But he cannot discern what that is at the moment. However he will not let her slip through his fingers. “I accept!” He smiles broadly to her astonishment. “And with our chaste marriage, I will not lie with anotherrr woman to satisfy me base needs. I rrrespect you too much to do that. And it is a point of personal honor. I have not lain with a woman other than me wife for all of my nearly sixty years.” He admits to her boldly. “And I have not loved as a man loves a woman since before my dearrr late wife became ill seven yearrrs ago--and I have surrrvived up until now with shouldering that loneliness. Yet when we marry, I will at least have you in tenderrr solicitude by my side.” He smiles warmly at her.
Hannah: “Oh!” Hannah looks at Cameron in astonishment. Given the passions that many men are understood to have, Hannah is a bit skeptical of Cameron’s promise to her for them to remain chaste once they are married--but she is disposed to believe him at the moment.
And her faith in him is well placed. For Dr. Cameron Ogilvy, 8th Earl of Airlie--and now fiancé to Hannah Thornton--is a patient man. And if his Hannah’s love will be shyly slow in coming--if at all--he will give her time and space, as a gentleman must, even after they are wed. He will let her choose when and if to end their chaste marital arrangement.
Then he kisses her soundly to seal their engagement--clearly indicating to her that he does have romantic feelings for her, but that he is prepared to curtail them at her request. Though how Cameron’s tender kissing of Hannah might be construed as curtailing his romantic notions about her, could be considered a novel approach. But afterall, he is Scottish.
To be continued with Chapter 17
“N&S: JT Love Lessons”, Ch. 16 References, January 6, 2014 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #497)
1) “N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons” story logo: Richard Armitageas John Thornton and Daniela Denby-Ashe in the 2004 BBC period drama North & South, was found at richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/nands/album/episode3/ns3-110.jpg ; For more information about this wonderful 2004 BBC miniseries adaptation of Elizabeth’s Gaskell’s story North & South, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_&_South_%28TV_serial%29
2) Dr. Cameron Ogilvy image is Graham McTavish in the role of Dougal MacKenzie in the Starz tv series “Outlander” found at http://outlander.wikia.com/wiki/Dougal_MacKenzie
3) Disguising chamber pots within furniture—called commodes (either as chairs with a receptacle for a chamber pot, or a cabinet where the chamber pot was stored)—was still the norm before full indoor bathroom plumbing became a modern convenience for upper class homes; almost twenty years later, the Davis Mansion Clover Lawn built 1869 – 1872 had indoor plumbing installed as a technological marvel at the time with hot and cold running water (with information found at http://daviddavismansion.org/history.html) ; indoor plumbing became more commonplace for everyone in the later 1800’s; for more information, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commode and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet
4) Image representing Lissa Dillard propped up on pillows recuperating at Thornton Manor is an MS Office Clip Art image (with the right side of the pillow manipped to not be washed out) Jan0514 Gratiana Lovelace
5) Hannah Thornton is Sinead Cusack in North & South epi 4 (22h46m44s114) Dec2814 GratianaLovelace Cap-crop-pink room manip
Link to Ch. 16 Images for Wattpad:
http://gratianads90.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/aansjohnthorntonlovelessonsfanficch16imagesjan0614gratianalovelace.jpg
Link to Ch. 16 with embedded illustrations on my blog:
http://gratianads90.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/ns-john-thornton-love-lessons-ch-16-pg-13-hannahs-long-forgotten-memories-awaken-while-caring-for-lissa-january-06-2014-gratiana-lovelace-post-497/