North & South final scene extended version

If there is one reason to immensely dislike Dickens, it is the end of N&S. Why could he not allow for some more time, I ask! Ah, men and patience! ;) Anyway, with my most sincere apologies to Mrs Gaskell for taking liberties, this is my extended final scene. The bits in italics is the original text. I based this on the book, altho RA was in my mind (of course, how else!)

Your thoughts and comments are most welcome!

------------------

After a minute or two, he gently disengaged her hands from her face, and laid her arms as they has once before been place to protect him from the rioters.

'Do you remember, love?' he murmured. 'And how I requited you with my insolence the next day?'

'I remember how wrongly I spoke to you, -- that is all'.

Margaret lifted her head back as if to look at him, but she kept her gaze averted. She slid her hands down his arms as if to steady herself a little.

"Oh Mr Thornton! I must tell you something. -- That night at the station. -- The man you saw me with…"

He motioned to stop her but she buried her face in him again, and he felt her slender fingers tightening their grip.

"Please - exhaled she quickly, her voice almost inaudible. "I beg you, let me finish. It has weighed on my conscience for so long. I cannot bear it. I owe you an explanation of what I did… of how I was tempted …"

She looked around distractedly, as if not knowing how to proceed. Then she collected herself a little and with a steadier voice said:

"Oh please Mr Thornton, have a seat. There, take this chair over there. You will be more comfortable if you sit down."

Mr Thornton pulled the chair near hers, sat on the edge of it, and, as if jealous of any remaining space between them, leaned forward, drawing her soft hand between his broad reassuring palms. The feeling of her warm silky flesh, her round wrist, her taper fingers was exquisite and almost too much to bear. He did not want to cause her pain, as he knew this interview would, but he instinctively understood her need to unburden, to cleanse her soul, to escape her misery, and he would do anything, no matter how useless it seemed to him, to help her. Margaret did not dare look up at him. She felt only too keenly that she ought to atone to this good, deserving man. She steeled herself against her rearing mortification, and as if drawing strength from his steady touch, took one sharp breath and began in a soft but clear whisper:

"The man you saw me with that night at the station was my brother Frederick. We don't often talk of him. I am sure we have never mentioned him to you. Many years ago, Frederic was in the navy and partook in a mutiny. He's innocent but he can't prove it. He lives in Spain now. He can never come home. There is a bounty on his head, you see. -- We knew poor mama did not have many days left and she so wanted to see him for one last time. We were fortunate that he could come so quickly but we could not tell anyone." Her voice quivered, her head lowered further, but she continued. "The night you saw us, Fred was leaving. We went to the Outwood station because we thought there was less risk of detection. That man Leonards knew us from Helstone and he recognized Fred. He tried to grab him and... oh, it happened so fast. Fred pushed him and he fell from the platform. But he seemed unharmed and I did not think much of it at the time. All I could think of was seeing Fred safely on the train. When the police inspector came…" Her voice faltered, her shoulders convulsed, he felt few hot tears fall, one after another, on his hands. He raised one hand, the other keeping her tiny palm secure, and gently pushed few stray hairs off her temple. He hushed her gently, his face moving closer to hers, his eyes fixed on her with immense tenderness and longing. She nested her head in his cupped hand, but her eyes remained closed; her long moist eyelashes reminded him of supple young pine leaves glistening with the tiny droplets of summer rain. He yearned to drink these tiny pure raindrops away and let her face shine forward with serene beauty. Her voice interrupted his reverie.

"When the police inspector came, I didn't know if Fred was out of the country, for he had to stay a few days in London to meet Mr Lennox, and I hadn't received news from him yet. Oh, had I known that he was safe – as he was - I would have never said that falsehood. I would have never denied being at the station. But I could not risk it. I could not and I would not, cost what it might -- I have done wrong, I know I have. I who had prided myself on truth and honour… I feel so ashamed, debased! Oh how I repent… Please understand, Mr Thornton!"

Suddenly, she grabbed his hands earnestly, her sparkling eyes wide open, arresting him, begging his forgiveness. Mr Thornton gladly plunged in the dark depths of those glorious pools; he was mesmerized, hypnotized, he knew not, he cared not to know, where he was. He felt, perhaps strangely as his head was spinning and his heart pounding, peace at last. He instinctively kissed her small white hands, beheld those full inviting lips and flushed cheeks and mumbled, his voice hoarse with passion:

"Oh my Margaret! My Margaret!"... He started and applied every last ounce of mental and bodily strength to compose himself a little and continued: "Hush, my love! Do not distress yourself, I beg you! I know what happened. I know it was your brother. I always had faith in you, your character, your virtue, you most excellent creature! I did not know your reasons but I was certain in your superior judgment. I do understand! We shall not speak of it again, my love. It does not signify now."

The shadow lifted from Margaret's face, there was a glimmer of hope in her unsure smile: "I was so mortified by your kindness, your generosity in preventing the inquest. I knew I have fallen utterly and irretrievably before you. I was certain I was nothing to you, and that you would not care for my explanation anyway. I was so miserable. I longed to be able to explain, but you were cold and distant, and then you stopped reading with Papa, and …"

Mr Thornton buried his fingers in her luscious hair and gently pulled her head close to his throbbing heart.

"Oh, my little silly girl! I stopped coming to your house because I could not face you, I could not bear seeing you and knowing you belonged to someone else… Hush, let me talk now. I saw the look of love on your face; the way you gazed at this elegant, handsome man at the station, your small exquisite hand safely tucked in his arm… oh how this image has tortured me! One cannot conceive such savage and relentless pain. I lost all my powers of self-control, could not resolve on anything, quitted my center. I was cursed, mad with jealousy. …. And when you left Milton, on that black day, my life became blank. When you were in Milton, I could see you, and I still hoped, not that you would ever love me or like me even, but that your sweet image would propel my sore heart one more day. You might have disliked me and despised me, but I walked the streets you walked, I breathed the air you breathed. I shared something with you. In London you were lost to me forever. When we stood again at the steps of the mill, I resolved to free myself of the chains of love, but what a fool I was!"

He gently took her by the shoulders and pulled her back a little, just enough to lock her eyes in his intent gaze: "Oh, Margaret! If you only knew what you are to me. I know I am but a rough and uncouth fellow but my heart is pure and it will be true forever."

Margaret's fingers rose timidly to Mr Thornton's face, her soft fingertips traced his eyebrows, his cheekbones, the outline of his broad, stern jaw, and stopped on his lips, pushing them ever so gently to silence. Her voice came soft and clear:

"My heart is yours forever, John Thornton. And I promise I shall endeavour to deserve you".

She leaned forward and nestled her head on his broad chest and his arms engulfed her in sweet silence.

'Look here! Lift up your head. I have something to show you'…

----

Thanks for reading, Please let me know if you liked it... and especially if you didn't.