by EJourney
"You have been a real friend to both of us. Say you will come," Margaret implored.
Nicholas was a bit dismayed. He wanted to go but how could he? Margaret understood the many reasons he hesitated and thought that she had the solution to one, "You are about my father's size. I still have a few of his things and I am sure we will find one that is suitable and could be altered to fit. As for Mary, I have just the thing."
Mary had been preparing a pot of tea and she approached with two cups that she handed John and Margaret. "Will you sit Miss?" Mary asked pulling a chair closer to Margaret.
"Thank you, Mary. Will you come to Marlborough Mills to pick up a dress that I would like to give you to wear to my wedding?"
Mary smiled shyly and looked at her father. Nicholas still seemed hesitant and Margaret declared firmly, "We will not take no for an answer, Nicholas."
He regarded her for a minute or two, turned towards his daughter who waited with hopeful eyes, and finally grinned at John and Margaret. "How can anyone say "no" to Miss Margaret?" With mischief in his eyes, he added. "We will come as friends happy to watch you two get united but I will admit to doing so also to provoke other mill owners."
John laughed. "Well, that would be nothing new, just another aggravation from the union firebrand. I am afraid I might be gaining a troublesome reputation myself. I had apparently committed a transgression in their minds when we started the dining hall. I believe they thought I had betrayed them."
**************
The hill park John and Margaret went to for a walk was not far from the Higgins home and was familiar to Margaret who had frequented it when she lived in Crampton. As soon as they reached it, he said, "Tell me more about Frederick. I want to know more about him than what Higgins told me, which is quite scanty. Where has he settled in Spain?"
"Cadiz, in the south. He's married now, has a good job, and appears to have settled there for good." She proceeded to relate the particulars of Frederick's joining the Navy, the alleged mutiny and the flight to Spain. "Henry—Mr. Lennox—started some legal process so Fred could at least visit England but, at the moment, it does not seem very hopeful. There is still a warrant and a reward out for the capture of the alleged mutineers and since Fred was branded their leader, he remains in the greatest danger. I'm afraid Fred may never set foot here again."
Margaret was pensive and sad when she finished her story and they walked in silence for some time. Then Margaret resumed a little more cheerfully, "Fred is quite happy in Spain, smitten with his beautiful Spanish wife, and is sounding more and more in his letters like a proud Spaniard. He's even converted to his wife's religion."
"That is wonderful!" John remarked with a bright smile, wishing to lift Margaret out of her sadness and lingering concern for her brother. Some distance later, he asked, "That man who fell at the train station and died later, was he from Helstone?"
"He was from a small neighboring village where Dixon comes from."
"Did he recognize Frederick?"
"He must have. Fred was barely a young man when he left and I doubt that he was ever acquainted with that man. Dixon did know him well and had seen him grow up to be a troublesome drunk who would have done anything for money."
John nodded and said no more. They continued on their walk, following a path that Margaret had favored in her previous walks, sometimes stopping to look down at the city, straining to see it through the haze. Occasionally, Margaret called his attention to small patches of wildflowers that her eager eye was constantly searching for. They talked little and mostly about what they saw on their walk and did not refer to Frederick again until the return to the city. John asked, "How about visiting your brother in Cadiz? I know it will make you happy to see him and I cannot wait to make his acquaintance."
"Is that possible? Can we really go just like that?" Margaret stopped and stared at him, her eyes, lustrous and wide with joy and incredulity.
"Yes, of course," he replied, pleased at her childlike delight. "I have a few business connections that would help with reservations and accommodations, even last-minute ones."
"When will we go? I must write Fred."
"I can easily make arrangements for us to spend one week in Paris on our honeymoon. From there, we could go on a train to Marseilles and then sail to Cadiz. Write him to expect us about a month from now. I am impatient to meet this dashing brother of yours."
"That soon? I can hardly believe it! I had dreamed of going since Edith told me that Mr. Bell had talked about taking me to Spain before he fell ill. I never ever imagined that it is you with whom I will be going."
John frowned, flabbergasted and appalled. "Mr. Bell!" He had liked Mr. Bell before he met Margaret but afterwards, he found Mr. Bell's habit of provoking discord rather irksome. He suspected that the old academic tried to stir Margaret away from him.
Margaret, somewhat perplexed by his reaction, looked at him quizzically and waited for him to say more but he turned his face away and responded, instead, to her last statement. "It will do me good to get away from Milton for a while, particularly to a very different city. I realized when I visited Helstone that a new place gives you a fresh perspective on things."
Later, as they were nearing home, she said, "Will you allow me now to thank you for having prevented an inquest into the death of the man who accosted Fred at the train station?"
They were on the sidewalk of a busy commercial street but he stopped to plant a quick kiss on her lips and with a smile that lighted up his whole face, he replied, "You can thank me. All your life, if you wish. And, yes, I thought of you as I made inquiries and deliberated over the case."
**************
While John and Margaret were at Nicholas, Fanny also paid a visit to her mother in a huff. "There is gossip all over town that Miss Hale has come here and now John must marry her. I told you she had designs on him all along."
"Fanny," her mother replied indulgently, "you know nothing. Your brother was bound in honor to make an offer to Miss Hale after the riot but she rejected him then. Too proud, I imagine, and too much the southern lady to know her heart. It seems, however, that despite everything that passed, they have now reached an understanding."
"So, she is here! Where is she? What of that man at the train station? John should not feel obligated after she was seen with him."
"That was merely gossip and we need not concern ourselves about it. Miss Hale has been the subject of much gossip."
"Merely gossip! Are you saying there was no man? She was there at the station, she was seen."
"No, I did not say any of that." Mrs. Thornton was at a loss how to explain but she had made a promise to her son to say nothing of Margaret's brother. She continued irritably. "How should I know? John assured me she was not involved with a man at the station and I believe him."
"Well, we know John never lies to you." Fanny could not hide an undertone of sarcasm in her voice.
"Miss Hale would not have been my choice for your brother but I cannot deny that he is happy with her and something is different about him."
"Different? Is that in a good or bad way?"
Mrs. Thornton knotted her eyebrows, trying to hold on to a thought that still remained elusive. "Miss Hale finally swallowed her pride and admitted her feelings for him. I myself will reluctantly admit her return has done him a lot of good. He is relaxed, even looks years younger. For that, I can overlook anything."
Fanny smirked, "Well, I cannot say that I am happy to have her for a sister. I shall never like her."
"I am sure that I will never understand her," Mrs. Thornton sighed.
"Well, one big problem at least is solved. Johnny's financial troubles are over and I need not pester Watson anymore about lending him some money."
"Miss Hale owns the mill and this house but the bank still has to be paid."
"Her inheritance should easily handle that, Watson told me. Did you know Mr. Bell invested a bundle on Watson's speculation and she is now very rich?"
&
nbsp; Mrs. Thornton, surprised, stared at her daughter, "No, I did not know that. John has said nothing about it. I knew she would live well from the inheritance she received from Mr. Bell. But rich? Are you sure Fanny?"
"Watson said Mr. Bell was a very shrewd investor and bought many shares that became part of the inheritance. From the profit on those shares alone, Watson says Miss Hale can be considered quite rich and he believes she also owns other properties valued much more than the combined shares and profits from the speculation. Perhaps, Johnny knew and proposed again for that reason. Just as well, I am sure. Anne Latimer would not have him after his financial collapse."
Mrs. Thornton glared irritably at her daughter. "Your brother did not have a financial collapse. He lost the mill and we would have had to give up this house but he had put aside enough for us to live on not only respectably but also comfortably. He would have regained what he lost and gotten another mill in due time, I am certain of it."
Fanny shrugged her shoulders, bored with talk of her brother's business affairs, and began to chatter about what most interested her. "Do you suppose Miss Hale will come to see my house? She has recently lived in London so she can probably tell me about the latest fashion."
Mrs. Thornton's thoughts were engaged in something of greater consequence than Fanny's house and she rolled her eyes and fixed them blankly at her daughter who kept up her prattle. She was forming a resolve to be nicer to Margaret. She knew that a rich woman without much beauty would have attracted many men. If that woman was also beautiful—and she could not deny that Margaret was so in an uncommon but appealing way—she would have been considered a priceless catch. If on top of wealth and beauty, she exuded the natural grace of good breeding that Mrs. Thornton begrudgingly conceded Margaret did, she would have men from the best families, even those with titles, seeking her favor.
Yet, despite rejecting him once, Margaret had chosen John over the many other men in London who had probably swarmed around her after her fortune increased considerably. Mrs. Thornton, who thought no other young man equal to her son, was not surprised at Margaret's choice and credited her, in fact, for her good judgment. But Mrs. Thornton had to admit as well that Margaret must truly care for her son or she would not have come back. It reassured her to get this further proof because, despite Margaret's earlier acknowledgement of her attachment to John, Mrs. Thornton continued to have apprehensions about her. Not that those apprehensions were now eliminated. Margaret was still a Southerner whose ideas and attitudes Mrs. Thornton distrusted. But a sense of fairness compelled her to grant Margaret her gratitude for loving her son and admiration for possessing the strong mind and will to go after what she desired instead of what she was merely offered.
The following morning, before Margaret came down to breakfast, Mrs. Thornton asked, "Did you know Margaret made a fortune from Watson's speculative venture?"
"No, mother, I did not. We have never talked about those things. I am marrying Margaret for no other reason than I love her. If she was Margaret Hale from Crampton, I would still marry her." John could not help the irritation in his voice. Before his mother could answer, he added, "By the way, I have invited Nicholas Higgins and his daughter to our wedding."
Mrs. Thornton started to protest but this time, she stopped herself, mollified by what she had lately learned about Margaret's wealth. She nodded at her son but secretly, she sighed as she realized that in holding her tongue, being agreeable to Margaret was not going to be easy.
V. Readjustments
Three days after Margaret posted her letters to London, Dixon arrived with most of her possessions. Among these were Mrs. Hale's bridal gown which Margaret decided to wear on her wedding and an heirloom comb with which she intended to secure her veil in place. The comb first belonged to a grandmother several generations back. When a daughter was not born, it had been passed on to the first-born son to be presented to his oldest daughter on her sixteenth birthday. On Edith's suggestion, Dixon also bundled the gown with yards of white Spanish lace that Frederick had brought as a present to his mother and his sister when he came to Milton. Edith knew Margaret's reason for wanting to wear those items from her parents and thought that she would agree that something from her brother would complete the sense of having her immediate family celebrating with her on that important day. Edith gave Dixon detailed instructions on fashioning the lace into a bridal veil and using some of it to let out the bridal gown for Margaret who was taller and shapelier than her mother.
As they were unpacking, Dixon said to Margaret, "I cannot say I was surprised, Miss, about you and Mr. Thornton although everyone else at Harley Street was."
Margaret looked up from the trunk she was rummaging through and regarded Dixon with amused curiosity. "Oh? Why not? I never said anything to anyone about what passed between Mr. Thornton and me."
"No, Miss, but I always thought there was a spark in your eyes when he was around. Like that I saw in your mother when Mr. Hale was courting her," Dixon replied timidly, searching for any signs that Margaret might have been annoyed or thought her impertinent for offering her opinion.
With Margaret about to become the mistress of her own household and wife of a man who had some prominence in his trade, Dixon felt that she had to show more deference if she wanted to remain the young Mrs. Thornton's personal maid. Mrs. Hale had always been kind and sweet-tempered with her and receptive to her counsel even through her silent suffering as the pastor's wife. But Margaret had an imperious streak, evident since childhood, from which Dixon had often smarted when she could not persuade the child to comply with what she asked her to do. As a young woman, Margaret kept her own counsel. Dixon stayed noncommittal and offered her opinions only when she thought Mrs. Hale might object to Margaret's judgment, an admittedly rare occurrence.
When Dixon saw only an amused half-smile on Margaret's face in response to her observation, Dixon added, "And Mr. Thornton was always staring at you in that intense way he has."
"When did you notice all this, Dixon?" Margaret asked, her curiosity turning into incredulity.
"I think ever since the evening Mr. Thornton came to tea and you worked so hard ironing curtains, Miss. I thought you wanted to make a good impression on him."
"That early? You must have known me then better than I knew myself," Margaret replied wryly.
Dixon regarded her for a long moment and did not answer. Then, she smiled eloquently, "I was there when you were born. I have lived with you from the time you were a baby and I am familiar with your moods and all the many expressions in your eyes and your mouth. You have always had that spark in your eyes when something excited you and made you happy. I knew Mr. Lennox had feelings for you, too, but he never got you agitated the way Mr. Thornton did. No, unfortunately for him, that spark was never there."
Margaret smiled at Dixon with a wistful sadness. "Oh Dixon, how sweet you are! You are the only one with me now who has been around ever since I can remember."
This simple declaration, so rich with implications for both of them kept them not only silent; it arrested what they were doing. They sat still as shared memories of the past took hold of their consciousness, asserting the unique bond they had between them. Margaret thought it was something to be grateful for that she had someone so intimately acquainted with her history that she did not have to explain anything to her. It did not matter at all that Dixon was not of her flesh and blood.
Some minutes later, Margaret reached out and touched Dixon's hand. "We have quite a bit more to go through in those trunks, I'm afraid."
When they had finished unpacking, Margaret placed a hand on Dixon's arm. "Please sit down, Dixon. There is something I would like to talk to you about."
Dixon sat down, apprehensive at the gravity in Margaret's voice. She dared not speak and waited for what Margaret had to say.
"Dixon, I am aware that you never really liked Milton. I would not want to force you to stay with me if you think you will be unhappy here. Would you rather return to Helstone
and be with your family? Or perhaps since you seemed to like London, Edith or my aunt might find a place for you in their household. In either case, I am now quite capable of providing a lifelong allowance that would make you quite comfortable and free from anybody else's charity. You could choose not to work for anyone anymore."
Dixon was dumbfounded for a few moments. Then, with a quivering voice, she asked, "Would you prefer that I go, Miss?"
"Were I the one who decides, I would say no, Dixon. Until you arrived, I felt as if John was the only one who wanted me here and it was only with him that I really relax. So, I very much appreciate your familiar presence. But you served my parents most of your adult life and since I have the means, you are free to take advantage of it to live your life as you choose. If you should wish to leave Milton where most of your memories were sad, I can understand and respect that."
Dixon bowed her head to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. She could not speak until a few minutes later when she had composed herself and could answer in a low, solemn voice, "I would rather stay with you Miss. Most of the life I have known is with the Hales and, truth be told, it is not so bad in Milton, with you here. And I do like Mr. Thornton who had been most kind to my poor mistress, your mother." She paused and added, hesitatingly, "But I confess this house gives me the chills. It is so stony and big. I cannot imagine you in it." Then, she smiled. "So, you see, you need me here."
"Are you sure this is what you want? I assure you, you will have more than enough to live on." With a teasing smile, Margaret added, "And you would no longer need to wake up too early in the morning and cater to someone else's needs and whims. You can do what you want any time you want."
"I know no other life, Miss. What will I do back in Helstone with my grasping relatives? You mean more to me than any of them."
Margaret regarded Dixon for a few moments, her eyes glistening and growing moist. She pressed Dixon's hand and said, "Thank you. I am grateful and actually rather relieved to have you stay. We shall endure this place together and, with time, I hope that we both become less intimidated with it and learn to be content. But I want you to know that if you ever decide to be released from doing service, tell me so as my offer of an allowance is a permanent one and you shall have it, in any case, as soon as Henry sends me the legal papers. It is an amount on top of whatever wages you get from continuing to work."