That Milton Girl

by Lights Frost

Maria Thornton is the child of her parents' two worlds and their only daughter. Her somewhat standard childhood has given way to a life led by an unusual young lady who scorns social conventions and follows her heart, wherever it may lead. Even if it leads to one who will not return her affection.

1. Miss Maria Thornton

Maria Thornton was not an average Milton girl. She was of the upper class with her father being perhaps the most successful mill master in the town but had a certain air about her that was the product of Southern gentility due to her mother. Maria was the youngest child of four and her parents' only daughter. Her eldest brother Oliver was ten years her senior and growing up he had been one of her closest companions.

When Margaret and John Thornton had at length received the little girl they had secretly wished for, it was easily decided to name her after Margaret's late mother, Maria. Unlike Maria Hale who had been victim to illness, Maria Thornton had inherited the iron constitution of her father and at the age of six, her parents could happily boast that she had never taken ill a day in her life.

She had always been an energetic child since the moment she was born. Her grandmother, a stern and somber woman, had taken an immediate liking to the girl. The old Mrs. Thornton valued strength of character above all else and believed her granddaughter possessed a great deal of it. Mrs. Thornton had gone as far as to say she was proud the child bore her name, Hannah, as her second name.

One particular incident had pleased Mrs. Thornton excessively. She had been standing at the drawing room window, looking out on her four grandchildren as they played in the yard. The game was obviously rather rough and the three boys were being rather careless in their treatment of their young sister who could have been no more than four years old. A friendly game quickly turned into a tussle between the two middle boys who managed to barrel over their sister in their distraction. Little Maria had been knocked over but had quickly recovered, scrambling to her feet while clutching a small stone in her hand. Having seen the child fall, Mrs. Thornton had hurried outside as quickly as she could to be certain Maria was not injured. The child had met her at the door, still clutching the rock. Dry eyed, the girl had shown her grandmother the deep and bruised scrape on her knee. If such an injury had occurred to one of the boys, Mrs. Thornton knew not one of them would have handled it with such strength and grace.

Shortly after that event, one of the properties in Milton owned by Margaret came up for lease. It was one of the larger homes available in the town and was only a short time without a tenant. The new family that moved in was of the name Taylor. Mr. Taylor was a promising young banker from the South who had prior connections in Milton. Maria could remember the day he and his family had arrived at the Thorntons' to call and pay their respects to their landlord. The Taylors' had three small children, a girl of eight and two boys of seven and three, respectively. Within minutes of being introduced, Maria had befriended the elder of the two Taylor boys and would spend several years of her young life in his company.

Maria lost her grandmother when she was twelve years of age. The blow had been devastating for none of the family could believe that Mrs. Hannah Thornton was human enough to die, they had merely assumed she would live for eternity. Following this hardship, the Taylor family – now very close friends to the Thorntons – removed back to London and over time the connection was lost. Having lost her dearest friends (her grandmother to death, her brother to college in Oxford, and "that Taylor boy" to London) Maria made the transition from a headstrong girl of boyish habits to a gentile young lady.

At the age of eighteen, the people of Milton said the young Miss Thornton was "striking" in appearance. She was tall and stately with a purposeful manner of walking that was reminiscent of her father. Her open face was similar to her mother's but her eyes were identical to her father's. Her hair was black as a raven's wing, as her father's had been in his youth. She had learned practicality at the hand of her father and compassion at her mother's knee. She was a proud creature. She was gentle and kind but fierce and severe with a sharp temper. She was in essence, a product of her parents' once separate worlds. She was a child of the North and South.