A/N: Hello! So you, guys are awesome, no doubt about it! Within the first hour of me posting this up here, I literally got like four reviews in a row, haha. Now I'm sitting here with a stupid grin on my face, completely inspired by the enthusiasm you showed. So thanks for being amazing, it's made my whole evening!
Chapter Two
"Miss Hale….denied she was there?" his voice didn't sound quite his own anymore. This could not be true; she was not a deceitful person. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she had been there at the station that night. He had seen her with his own eyes, seen her passionate, loving embrace with the handsome young gentleman, seen her look of surprise when their eyes had met….
"Twice," Watson replied. "As distinct as she could be about it. I told her I would have to call again later this evening; I wanted to go back and speak with the witness once more, and tell him of her denial, and now I'm here to speak with her once more. Forgive me, but are you a friend of the Hale's?" John was still partially lost in his own thoughts.
"Yes, I am a friend of the Hale's." he said, quite distracted. His every thought was consumed by Margaret, and this one small lie.
What could posses her to do something like this? Lie to a Police Inspector, who was investigating a murder? This man, whomever he was, must have been very important in her life for her to take a risk so great. If she denied she was there, taken in to a court where a witness identified her in front of a judge, she would be condemned. How could this man allow her to suffer so greatly for him? He could never ask anything so great of her. Then again, knowing Margaret, this man probably knew nothing about it. Then again, she had risked her very own life to protect him. Perhaps she would have done something like this for any man. No, that could not be true; Margaret would not just go strolling out with any man, especially so late at night, and she certainly wouldn't lie. There were so many thoughts and emotions happening inside him, that John felt his own body was not enough to contain it, or even understand it.
"I would not like to doubt the word of a respectable young lady without absolute proof to the contrary." Watson continued. "Perhaps, with you being a friend of the family's, you could tell me how to proceed." John seemed to come out of a reverie.
"Yes, you're quite. Don't do anything further until you have seen me again." John replied in his usual business-like tone.
"Sir, I told Miss Hale I would call on her this evening." Watson said looking around, as though he would find her in the room waiting for her.
"Miss Hale is quite unwell this evening, I'm sure she will not notice your absence." Watson looked apprehensive. "Listen, come to my warehouse in an hour, we will discuss everything then."
"Yes sir, one hour." Watson stood to leave, and John stood with him, clasping his hand before they departed. He himself could not leave without first going to see Mr. Hale. John made his way up the stairs and towards Margaret's room, his heart beating faster with each step he took. God, he hoped she would not be awake; how could he face her after this?
"John!" Mr. Hale exclaimed in a low voice. He glanced quickly at the bed where Margaret was, and breathed a sigh of relief before instantly becoming disgusted with himself that he should be wishing her ill, so that he wouldn't aggravate the ache in his chest. "John, I have to thank you."
"No, Mr. Hale please, it-"
"Absolutely not John, I will have my way in this." Mr. Hale replied firmly. "If you had not noticed Margaret, who knows if either of us would have even found her. To think she might have woke alone on the floor!" Mr. Hale shuddered. "I never would have known if it wasn't for you John, and I am eternally in your debt."
"Is she well?" John asked, trying his very best to suppress every emotion he was feeling. He couldn't push everything away however, and Mr. Hale noticed the worry and concern written plainly on his face as he glanced quickly at Margaret's unconscious form.
"Yes," Mr. Hale said slowly, looking back into the room where Dr. Donaldson was giving Dixon precise instructions about things that John didn't have the clarity of mind to perceive. "He says that she has exhausted herself, most likely with the anxiety of everything that's been going on, and looking after me so diligently. I must say, I have neglected her most cruelly these past weeks, and she has devoted every moment to the task of caring for me." Mr. Hale looked away from Margaret's room at the opposite wall.
"Don't trouble yourself too much Mr. Hale," John said kindly. "Your daughter loves you very much, and there was probably little you could have done to persuade her to do otherwise." Mr. Hale smiled sadly at him.
"Perhaps you are right; but from now on, I will be the most attentive father there ever was!" He chuckled slightly at his own joke, and John couldn't help but smile a little at him.
"I must return to the mill, but I am glad to hear Miss Hale will be well." he said.
"Will you join me for dinner tonight?" Mr. Hale asked. "It is the very least that I can do in return."
"Mr. Hale I promise you that you're in no debt to me." John said smiling again.
"John, really, I insist." John frowned for a moment, thinking about the consequences of Miss Hale appearing at dinner, before remembering that the doctor had ordered strict bed rest for a least a week.
"Of course, I'll join you at around six." he replied.
"Excellent!" Mr. Hale exclaimed, beaming at him before bidding him farewell.
Margaret woke quite suddenly, and was momentarily disoriented. She was in her room, in her nightdress, and tucked firmly into her bed covers. Why was she here? She should be in the study, waiting for the Police Inspector to call again.
The Police Inspector! She sat bolt upright in bed.
"Now, now Miss Margaret, Dr. Donaldson says you are to remain in bed." Dixon said firmly. Margaret hadn't noticed she was in the room.
"Dixon, I cannot!" she exclaimed, startling the maid so severely, she actually jumped a little.
"Miss Margaret!"
"No, Dixon, the Police Inspector, oh he said he would call again tonight, and I must be there to meet him! Father can know nothing of this!"
"Do they know something about Master Frederick?" Dixon asked worriedly.
"No, someone saw Fred at the station and recognized him; they argued for a moment, and the man fell down the stairs and has been dead these two days! And someone….someone saw me there, and told the Police. They think I'm involved."
"Oh, Miss Margaret!" Dixon cried.
"He told me he would return this evening. I must get dressed!"
"No Miss, if you please, the inspector has already been here again." Margaret paled. "Now please don't get too excited, or your father will be so upset! He came earlier and handed me a letter to give to you. He already knew you were unwell, and did not ask to come in." She pulled the letter from her apron and handed it to Margaret. "You father knows nothing of it." she added, but Margaret paid her no heed. She hastily opened then envelope and devoured it's contents:
Miss Hale,
I was sorry to hear that you are too ill to receive visitors, and wish you a speedy recovery. There will however be no inquest into the Leonard's case, and I've explained the situation to the witness, who apologized for mistaking your word. Enclosed is a note from the magistrate of the case, explaining any further details.
Sincerely,
G. Watson
Margaret scrambled to find the second note that had fallen from the envelope in her haste to read the first. She opened it and read aloud so Dixon could hear:
'There will be no inquest; medical evidence not sufficient enough to justify it. Take no further steps. I have not seen the coroner yet, but I will take full responsibility.'
John Thornton
"Mr. Thornton!" Margaret gasped in shock. She looked up at Dixon, who looked just as surprised as she felt. "Dixon how did this happen? Did he meet Mr. Thornton here after I fainted?"
"No Miss," Dixon said. "Not to my knowledge. See it was Mr. Thornton that found you. On his way out you see; he saw you laying on the floor, pale as could be, and came and found me. Your father went for the doctor, and Mr. Thornton carried you in here so you could rest properly."
"Mr. Thornton-" Margaret couldn't finish. She didn't know how to respond to the situation.
"Yes Miss. He carried you in here and left for a bit, but I don't think he left house; he came back and spoke to your father only about thirty minutes later before leaving, and no he's downstairs with your father aga-"
"Mr. Thornton is here!" Margaret hissed. "Dixon, I cannot face him now. Not after everything he has done."
"What do you mean, Miss?" "Dixon, I had to lie to the Police Inspector, and Mr. Thornton….Mr. Thornton knows it. He saw me at the station with Frederick." she looked down sadly. "Don't let him up come up here Dixon, I could not bear to face him at this moment. Say anything you have to." Dixon nodded solemnly, before leaving the room. As soon as she was gone Margaret leapt out of bed and began pacing about her room, wringing her hands as she walked and looking anguished.
"Oh what must he think of me!" she exclaimed to herself. If she were truthful, she knew what he must think of her; it was what everyone would have thought of her. She felt her face grow warm at the thought of such indiscretion, and her chest clenched in a sudden burst of anger towards Mr. Thornton. How could he possibly believe such things about her? She had never given him any reason to doubt her character!
But in truth, she didn't know if he actually believed anything of the sort. She felt guilty at having thought so badly of him after everything he had done for her so far. He had offered her his hand, his heart, and she proudly rejected him without consideration of his own feelings. In spite of all this he had shown remarkable kindness to her parents, and even though he generally went out of his way to look past her, he had offered his sympathy and condolences only hours ago. Not to mention carrying her unconscious form up to her bedroom; something her father most likely would have been unable to do. Still on top of everything he had already done, he put his career and reputation at jeopardy by using his position as a magistrate to clear her name. How could she have been so quick to condemn him just moments ago? Margaret's face reddened with guilt, as she remembered his words to her:
"You may speak on, Miss Hale. I am fully aware of all these misplaced sympathies of yours. I now believe that it was only your innate sense of oppression that made you act so nobly as you did. I know you despise me, but allow me to say it is because you do not understand me."
"I do not care to understand," she snapped back at him, taking hold of a table to support her. The conversation was so mentally and emotionally taxing that she didn't even realize the severity of what she was saying to him.
"No," he replied, looking away from her. "I see that you do not. It is unfair, and unjust of you." Margaret said nothing; she would not respond to such a statement. After what felt like an eternity to her, he took up his hat.
"One more thing, Miss Hale, and I will leave." Still she did not look at him. He sighed before continuing. "You act as though it has tainted you to be loved by me. You cannot avoid it. No, even if I would, I cannot cleanse you from it. Even if I could do it, I would not." he paused again, and Margaret glanced up at him. He was fidgeting with the rim of his hat, and appeared to be weighing his words. "I have never loved a woman before; I've always been too busy, and my thoughts have always been absorbed with other things. Now…Now I love, and will continue to love. Don't worry yourself though; there will not be much expression on my part."
He would continue to love….her? No, he couldn't possibly. Especially not after the horrible way that she spoke to him. She had been so cruel. Perhaps she deserved this guilt. Perhaps, a small part of her mind couldn't help but plant the seed, his actions towards her had been an indication of his continuing love. She resolved that she would be as remarkably kind to Mr. Thornton, as he had been to her.
