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Chapter 2 – Fight or Flight

Looms pull in and out within the Marlborough Mills as clouds like snow travelled about the room. Cotton fills the air and sweat clings to the workers under the careful eyes of Mr. Thornton and the ever involved Ms. Hale. It has been three months since Ms. Margaret Hale inherited the mill along with a large sum of money from her family's dear friend and god father, Mr Bell, and since then she has made her presence known by overseeing the workers who were once again at getting the mill running in the morning and working on the cotton orders. Her goal was clear, a fair work load and pay to the people she came to care for as well decided to once again have Mr. Thornton as their Master. It was strange for her to know she was the landlord of a man she could have loved and perhaps even should have and now having to share such a space and have meetings with the man sometimes made Margaret unsure if she should not simply return to London and leave it in the hands of Mr Thornton to run and watch over the mill in her stead.

But her love for the people most notably the Higgins kept her here under the falling cotton and scowling features of Mr. John Thornton. Margaret often wondered if it was possible for his scowl to grow even deeper, she could swear that in the past few months it had managed to...

Thinking these things it was as if she called for him for she could see Mr Thornton climbing the stairs onto the platform she was now gazing out onto the mill from, she assumed he planned to head back over to the office of the building where he seemed to spend much of his time. Striding Mr. Thornton approaches Margaret and stands beside her looking out as well.

"Mr. Thornton" Margaret acknowledges the man who stands head and shoulders over her, from the corner of her eye she could see his icy blue eyes were set on the mill with no intention of looking over at Ms. Hale.

" " he gruffly returns the acknowledgment

"How are the numbers ?" she asks attempting to keep her eyes off of the man "from the last time we spoke you stated that we were close to completing the back orders"

"Yes, that is the case" he curtly replies "sooner than I had expected but it seems the workers are intent on getting it done as much as we are" he states clearly imply that under the ownership of the workers gained a drive to work through her stern but nurturing ways.

"That is wonderful!" she states "and the debt with the bank?"

"Down to 200" he replies about to speak further before something catches his eye to which Margaret follows his gaze to see a briskly walking through the mill. Many of the workers look at the strong and steadfast woman from the corner of their eyes but she makes no movement to look at them. She appeared as though she was on some important mission as she set her destination as her son and once she reached him she quickly climb the stairs. Spotting Margaret she nodded at her but offered no smile.

"Hello " she said with little warmth. She had promised to watch over the woman but felt torn between the love she has for her son and the promise she made a dying woman.

"Hello Mrs Thornton" Margaret replies but before she could ask anything else Mr Thornton takes over the conversation.

"Hello Mother" He says to her "what are you doing here?"

"We have a problem John" she says to him, eyes quickly moving from Margaret back to him as his eyes narrow.

"Is it Fanny? It she alright?" his tone becoming sharp as his mother shakes her head

"No" she pauses, dropping her tone to a whisper hoping to keep what she says away from the ear of but unbeknownst to her she fails.

"It is the girl...she is missing"

Everything that could possibly be sore throbbed along her body as Ellie pushes herself into sitting position, her back ached and right arm was press to her body which she then realized was because it was within a stark white sling which hung from her equally aching neck. With effort she shoves the stiff blankets off herself to find she is no longer in her running kit.

"Where are my clothes?" she asks out loud, eyes traveling the room. Her shorts, t-shirt and bright blue trainers were nowhere to be seen "those things were expensive..."

Before she could move again she pauses and lets her eyes travel across the room again causing a lump to gather into her throat and chest to tighten. The room was not a room that she was accustom to staying in. The furniture was clearly from around the 1800's from what she could gather and looking down she could see that she was not in her own clothes causing her to wonder one thing about the scratchy white nightgown she was wearing.

...who undressed me...?

She quickly shook off the disturbing question and pushes herself to her feet, unsteady at first she manages to will herself to move forward. Her legs beg her to stop but the more she looked about the room the more adrenaline began to build within her. If this was a moment of fight or flight and her body is screaming flight. It was not till she looked out the window that her eyes widened.

"What the hell?" she whispers pushing aside one of the curtains which looked out onto a courtyard with men in period clothing working, carrying stiff packages and wagons filled with those packages. Woman in long dresses were also in the courtyard of dirt and brick.

This is not real

Ellie slaps her face, accidentally hitting the cut on her lip and cries out before changing her mind and closing her eyes, she pinches herself.

"Ouch!"

Opening her eyes she expects to be back in her hotel room in York with Emy looking at her with a puzzled look asking her what she was doing but no. Instead Ellie was faced with the same sight of period clothing and buildings. The flight kicks in at that point. Adrenaline takes over her body as Ellie begins ruffling through drawers and the wardrobe in the room trying to find her belongings but finds no trace of them, instead she finds a stiff and dark grey dress which she quickly pulls over the nightgown.

Am I supposed to wear a corset?

She wonders only for a moment before taking a quick look at herself in the mirror. Her long blonde hair was still there looking strangely wild, fair skin freckled with cuts and bruises could be seen on her face, neck and hands with those same light green eyes looking back at her.

At least I recognize myself

With that Ellie pushes open the room door and peers out. Seeing no one she quickly tip toes down the hall towards the staircase. The dress scratches her neck as she continues to make her way before reaching the staircase. There is not a sound in the house and taking it as a sign to make a break for it that is what she does. Letting her legs do what they do best even in the state they are in she lets them carry her down the steps her eyes quickly finding what appears to be a front down and rushes towards it pulling it open and finding herself letting her legs take her somewhere.

Where she was not sure, she knew she passed through the courtyard, she could feel the dirt under her feet as she vaguely realized she has no shoes on. Those legs take her through the gate which lay open as men walked in and out. Before she knew it her legs took her right and down a street but she was slowed down but the pain of her feet hitting the cobble stone so she stopped on the walk way. People are looking at her as they pass. Ellie pays no notice as she beings walking absent minded scratching the back of her neck where it itched till she caught the eye of a woman. Somewhat overweight but with a kind face, Ellie quickly makes her way over to the woman.

"Excuse me but where am I?" She asks the woman who looks at her alarmed.

"Why you are in Milton, such a strange question to ask where you are" The woman states eying Ellie "You alright?"

"Yes...yes" Ellie says and smiles at the woman before walking off, not knowing where she was going only knowing she was very much not home anymore.

The workers were used to seeing the tall and brooding frame of passing through the courtyard. He had gained their respect and want to work through the creation of the cafeteria where they would be feed at the mill though he was still understanding of the workers even they could see that Mr. Thornton had become less prompted to smile in the past months and now as he passed them with his mother at his side his handsome face was set with a unpleasant scowl as he spoke quickly with the woman at his side.

"When did she go missing?" He asks her as they pass through the gate he slips his top hat onto his head as his mother sighs.

"I do not know John, it is not my duty to watch over some strange girl" she huffs "The servant noticed the room was empty and thinks the girl disappeared about an hour ago"

"Well then we must find her" he states but before he can move his mother's hand holds him back.

"Oh John she is not our problem, perhaps she simply returned to her family or employer" she tells him but he shakes his head.

"We do not want the girl saying that we did not tend to her or watch over her as she was injured do we?" he tells her "the mill is finally on its feet and I am a Master again...I cannot lose this over some woman saying that the Thornton family was not attentive"

With that Mrs. Thornton releases her son nodding, letting the man begin walking in an attempt to find his unexpected or wanted responsibility.

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