He laughed. He took her hands in his and caressed them gently.

"She will love you as much as I love you."

"As much?"

She smiled a little. He could not, would not, resist his impulse to kiss her nose. The reddish blush on her cheeks made his heart skip a beat.

"Nay, perhaps not as much, but close. I will dare to say that there is no one in the world who loves as much as I do. Should we go to see your aunt?"

He made a move to stand up but she pressed his hands to stay.

"No please, just a minute more, I…want to try a little thing."

"As you wish, my love."

He came down on his knees and looked at her with the delight of a man passionately in love.

"Very well. Close your eyes Mr Thornton."

"Please, you must call me John."

"John."

There was nothing in the world more delicious than his name whispered out by her lips and he wanted to kiss her. He moved forward but she put her hand on his chest.

"Stop. Stay right where you are and keep your eyes close."

He let out a little sigh. She was afraid that someone would come in and interrupt them. No sound was heard outside, no one walking. She relaxed. She brought her lips closer to his and gently, with a butterfly's touch, put a kiss on his lips. She found that the sensation was more delicious than any food she ever tasted and she did it again, holding it longer. When she tore herself from his lips, he opened his eyes and looked at her with such intensity that her heart seemed to expand and her body to become soft and weak.

"Oh John, I love you so!"

On an impulse, he rose and took her in his arms. He let the passion he felt for her be free and kissed her lips with a hunger than brought new feelings to her, feelings that made her blush deeper than before.

It was at that moment that Providence had chosen his moment to interrupt this beautiful scene. Edith opened the door to see Margaret and stopped at the door. The harm was already done. Margaret was flushed but let her arms rest around John's neck and John his around her waist. There was nothing to be ashamed of was Margaret's first thought but then she realized how it must look when all Edith's hopes had been on Henry Lennox. Edith was about to run when Margaret called her.

"Please Edith, come inside. I need to talk to you."

It was John's moment to go out and he whispered in her ear that he would wait for her outside. When he had closed the door behind him, Edith looked came forward with a worried look.

"Margaret! Are you unwell? To kiss a man with that passion! Has he…he proposed to you?"

The bright smile Margaret gave her was the answer.

"Oh Edith! How happy I am! I…who disliked him immensely! There is not a man who can make me happier!"

"But…what about-"

"Henry? He does not love me. He may have somehow, in the past but not anymore. No Edith, do not think of him anymore in association with me. I wish, I hope you give John a chance. That you will love him as much as he want me to love his mother. Beside Frederick and Aunt Shaw, you are the only family I have."

"I have never seen you like this Margaret! You seem almost as happy as I was when I married my dear Captain! In time, you may be as fortunate in your children as I in mine! You should go to Greece on honeymoon! It is the best place! Oh, I must tell mamma! She will be as happy as I am, for sure!"

"No, please Edith, let John and I tell her ourselves! We want to make sure she receives the news in our liking. Please!"

Edith was not pleased not to be the informant but saw that Margaret was very eager to do it so she agreed.

"Oh thank you Edith! You are the best woman in the world! I must see John!"

Aunt Shaw reacted as expected, with great exclamations and grand gestures. She was happy for Margaret, even though she could not understand why anyone would want to live in Milton, as the couple would surely do. She rejoiced to see her niece better married than her dear sister, a manufacturer was still better than a poor country curate, despite her claims at the time. She found in Mr Thornton an intelligent, modest and sensible speaker, eager to please and a joy to watch when near Margaret. There was no doubt that the man saw Margaret as the 8th wonder in the world and it reminded her of former days, when her dear general was alive. She wished all the best for her niece and called her maid to consult about what could be spared in terms of linen and teacups..

Margaret felt that her family expected to have the wedding here in London but she was more and more certain that a Milton wedding was to be preferred. John would have accepted a London wedding for her, but she thought of Mrs Thornton and her pride in Milton. John had Milton in his blood, had made his fortune and name there so it was evident that he would also be married there. She spoke with John about it.

"John, my love, I begin to sense that I cannot be married here."

"Why not?"

"Well, you were born in Milton, raised there and became the man than you are there and I cannot but feel that your mother will hate me forever if we marry here."

"Oh Margaret, she could never hate you!"

He tried to caress her face but she took his hands away.

"No, but can't you see? She is so proud of you for succeeding, that you became a manufacturer and the symbol of Milton. In her eyes, Milton is you. London is full of hypocrites, lazy people like me. She is afraid that I transform you into a South person. Now, we need to convince Aunt Shaw, which should be a minor affair."

She caressed his face, the little hair on his chin tingled by her touch. He had his arms tight around her. She felt safe when he held her so, as nothing could harm her.

"To think about my mother about your big day! You do know me better than anyone!"

"Have you written to her?"

"Of course. As soon as you were mine."

"What did she say? Does she disapprove of me?"

"She says she is happy if I am happy. She likes you, you know, more than she is willing to admit. It was written between the lines. She will like you even more when I tell her we will marry in Milton."

"It is settled then. I will converse with Aunt Shaw about it."

Margaret was so persistent in the matter that Aunt Shaw had to give in. In the end, it was a simple affair. Margaret and John took the train to arrange matters in Milton and it was so that the Lennox and Aunt Shaw would follow, as soon as convenient.

Mrs. Thornton had, as soon as she had received John's letter about Milton marriage, arranged that the wedding would be in three weeks' time, in the same church where John and Fanny had been baptized. There was conflict about where the wedding clothes would be bought, as both sides insisted on them being from their city. Margaret wanted to please everyone, so it was decided that the dress would be from Milton and the veil from London. The shoes then? Margaret had kept her mother's shoes, which strangely fit perfectly. Margaret had written to Frederick and they would spend the honeymoon in Cadiz, to her brother's great joy. It would be a perfect opportunity to both parties to get acquainted and receive as much sun as in Greece.

Margaret thought about her wedding and amused herself by thinking how different it was now compared to years ago, at Edith's wedding. She had not less to do but to have a companion in the discussions made it easier to support. John was an active speaker of all matters, from shoes to flower, if not to say how great Margaret's ideas were. He wanted to be on a level of equality, since he and Margaret would work together in the future, dependent on each other to make the mills and workers work. He who would have prided himself of his self-dependence, wanted nothing but to be one with Margaret, to share and talk about all problems and sorrow, even with their future children, who would not grow up with an absent father.

The expected day soon came and everything was ready, but the bride to go down the aisle and the groom to wait by the altar. The Higgins and the children were invited of course, even though it caused many of the Lennox to raise their noses. Margaret did not care; they were the dearest friends she and John had, who had helped them both to come to where they were now.

Margaret walked at the arm of Captain Lennox, who gave her away in the absence of the father. Margaret hoped that her parents looked down at her now and rejoiced in her happiness. Her father would have been in tears, like her mother, despite the possible worries for the Milton air. As the custom, John only turned to her when she was beside him and removed the veil. Mrs Thornton, who sat in the front row, let a little smile slip out despite all, when she saw the open admiration on her son's face. Margaret's eyes glowed at her future husband; John raised her hand to take away the little tear at the corner of Margaret's eye.

"Don't cry, my love. They are with us today. If you look closely, you can see them back there. If not, they are in here."

He put a hand on his heart. Margaret took his hand and kissed it. They turned to the priest and Margaret became Mrs Thornton.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom stepped into the carriage, from Milton, who was narrower to adjust to the streets. It was a short ride to the Marlborough mills, but not short enough for the Thorntons, who would have to be civil a bit longer before they could escape. Everything was packed and ready for departure. After the breakfast, they would take the train to London, and further on to Southampton, where they would spend the night to take the boat the morning after.

John had no longer any scruple about the need to show his love to the world. She was his wife, meaning that he could kiss her in open sight if he could. He had kissed her when they had been alone, as often as possible, which was very little, since there was always someone who needed clarification on a matter that could hardly wait. Now, time being the only enemy, he took the opportunity to act.

"Finally. Come closer, Mrs Thornton."

He took her in his embrace and took possession of her red mouth, an action she gladly responded too. Still, she was raised in the South and such behaviour would not be acceptable, even between newlyweds in an open carriage.

"John, are you sure we can act like this?"

He looked at frustration. Wasted time!

"In Milton, we are aware of proper decorum, but as the men we are, we completely ignore custom and do the opposite. Now, be quiet love and let me kiss you."

She did not say any more and put her arms around his neck. If he said so, thought she and kissed him.

The breakfast made everybody's stomach happy and no cake could have more satisfactory than to the children, who had never tasted cake before. They were almost afraid of eating it, their big round eyes looked at their piece with delight, until Mary told them to eat it before she would. Nicolas walked around the house to check on the children and to express his joy at the union of two people he admired the most in Milton. Henry Lennox was not of the party. He had taken a train right after the ceremony. He could and would not rejoice for a man he had hoped to be himself and looked at the woman he had hoped would smile at him the way she did at Mr Thornton. Margaret had so many children to hug and please that she hardly was at her husband's side, who did not mind since he would have her for himself in a hour or two, he spend the time at his mother's side. His mother, a woman who prided himself in the control of her emotions, could not resist showing her pride, by rearranging his waistcoat or set his hair right.

Finally, nothing could delay the couple any further. A great deal of goodbyes ensued, many hugs were to be given and well wishes to be said. The newlywed stepped into the cab and the finally wave was given.

The newlywed did not breathe out until they were in the compartment. Now they had time to be alone, too much time perhaps since they did not know what to do with it at first.

"I thought I would never have you for myself!"

Margaret smiled and put her hands on his cheeks.

"Do not mock them, they were probably afraid of what happen if we were alone."

"No, what I want to do with you is hardly proper decorum."

He caressed her neck and took out the pins that held up her hair.

"My love! Now I am not fit to be seen outside!"

"You are beautiful as you are to me. Ignore the world, besides we will head straight to our room so they will not see us."

He entangled his hands into her hair and drew her close.

"What do you wanted to do with me, Mr Thornton?"

"Kiss you, Mrs Thornton, kiss you for the rest of your days."