A/N: Dedicated to L and Zigra, who reviewed my last North and South story.
Set the day after the riot, and afterwards.
John Thornton was an intelligent man. Indeed, he had risen to the role of magistrate, a task which, coupled with running the mill and lessons with Mr Hale, meant that he quite frequently used and developed most areas of his intelligence. However, in one area, John was sadly lacking common sense, and that was when examining the workings of the heart. Long had he known that he was in love with Miss Margaret Hale. Long had he known that she was the daughter of a gentleman, and expected to marry someone equal to her station.
Now, if Mr Thornton had taken more of an effort to observe Miss Hale, he might have saved both himself and her a good deal of heartache. And if he had used a bit more common sense, following the riot, he may have behaved differently. He would have realised that, firstly, Miss Hales understanding of the concept of gentlemanly behaviour was different to his, meaning that his own conduct may require some alteration. Further, Miss Hale was not a woman to be rushed. She was independent and proud, and would not relinquish her freedoms easily. Though she had tried to protect him at the mill steps, she may justify such intervention on the basis of not wanting to see anyone harmed, a consequence of her Christian upbringing. Indeed, she may not have any regard for him at all. Finally, Miss Hale's keen sense of social justice meant that his treatment of the workers would not impress her, and that perhaps in seeking a compromise could he show her that he indeed valued her opinion and the welfare of the mill and its' workers.
Thus, on the day following the riots, Mr Thornton went to address Miss Hale, with full knowledge that she may not return his love, that she may not have intended to show any romantic feelings for him when throwing her arms around his neck, and that if he were to win her, it would involve the long and arduous task of changing her opinion of him. However, he was sure that the benefits of succeeding in such a scheme, namely, Margaret's hand, would make the exertion worthwhile.
Miss Margaret Hale had be brought up among the upper crust of London society, and as such had high expectations of good grace and manners from her acquaintances. As such, upon moving to the north and mixing with the upper crust of society there, she realised that things were indeed different. However, at this point, she made an error, and assumed that different was inferior, and it was the responsibility of those in the north to adapt to the higher standard of southern manners.
If Miss Hale had made more of such an effort, that is, an effort to understand those around her, rather than concern herself with their various short-comings, she may have been more reasonable and thoughtful in her conduct. However, she made no such effort. Indeed, it was only after sustaining a blow to the head that she realised that the north was very different, and if she were to be happy there, she would have to exert herself to adapt, and restrain from judgment. As she lay in bed the night of the riot, unable to sleep and staring at the ceiling, she thought back to her conduct towards Mr Thornton with regret. She had not tried to understand him at all. He had been nought but kind towards herself and her family, and she had made no reciprocal effort. He had befriended her father, been kind to her mother, and she had broken her own rules of decorum in sometimes spitefully arguing with him.
Determined to make more of an effort to engage with and understand the views of the master of Marlborough Mills, she fell asleep with his face in her minds eye.
And so it came to be that two people, recently resolved to change their comportment towards the other, met in the sitting room of the Hale household, both eager to please and be pleased.
