AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry to all those North and South purists out there but, Character Invention Alert! Mrs Keenan is from 'Mrs Watson's Party' and I've bought her in here again to be a sort of ally to Margaret.

Thanks to all the readers, followers, favouritisers, reviewers and commenters - you are all beautiful people!

Chapter Two

A clock sounded the quarter hour. Margaret was half way along the Milton High Road and still not one Hansom on the busy thoroughfare was unoccupied. Such had been her hurry to leave that there had been no time to call the Thornton's carriage as preparing the horses would have taken many precious minutes. But Margaret was beginning to wish she had taken the risk of that over the now diminishing chances of a private hire.

But, it appeared her luck had held after all, as one of the neat black carriages moved out of the rush of traffic and pulled alongside the pavement just ahead of Margaret. Whispering grateful thanks under her breath Margaret quickened her pace once more, hurrying towards it as its door opened.

'Mrs Thornton! I thought it was you!' A lady leant forward from her seat inside the Hansom, placing her hand on the ledge of the door.

'Mrs Keenan!' Margaret smiled warmly. After a day spent within the studiously polite small talk of Milton society, seeing her sister-in-law was a welcome delight. Catherine Keenan was the sister of Fanny's husband, Watson. Clever, quick-witted and warm hearted Mrs Keenan had been amongst the first to offer genuine friendship to Margaret when she had first arrived back in Milton with John just over a month ago. 'You are well? And how is your mother?'

'Mother is as well as can be expected, thank you for asking my dear. You know how the cold weather is so much the enemy to her now.' There was a slight dip in Mrs Keenan's voice before she collected herself once more and brightly addressed Margaret again. 'I am on my way to the Ladies Aid, are you going to attend?'

'Yes,' Margaret replied. 'Although I feared I might be late.' Seeing Mrs Keenan had settled Margaret's worries a little, as Catherine was a long-standing member of the Ladies Aid and if she were still travelling to the meeting, there was hope for Margaret's own timely arrival.

'Then we must arrive together!' Smiling, Mrs Keenan moved across to make room and Margaret gratefully stepped up into the carriage and sat beside her. 'I confess I was running a little behind myself this evening, but we are making good time so all will be well. And,' Mrs Keenan added as the cab moved off, her eyes twinkling, 'I am sure that by arriving with you, any tardiness on my part shall be forgotten, as sure as any on your part would not even be remarked upon!'

'Whatever can you mean?' Margaret laughed.

'My dear, you must know that yourself and Mr. Thornton are the most talked about couple in Milton?' Margaret looked a little worried, embarrassed. 'Oh, no Mrs Thornton! You misunderstand!' Mrs Keenan took Margaret's hand. 'You are the the couple of the moment! I should imagine Fanny would have loved to be able to have not only your delightful presence tonight but that of your new husband too.'

'Most talked of couple?' Margaret smiled with disbelief. 'Mrs Keenan you are teasing me!'

'My dear,' Mrs Keenan was laughing now. 'Milton masquerades as a new and industrious town, but even the most polite and proper women in its society think nothing of gossiping like schoolgirls over the slightest shift in the social scene! Hence, the very minutest details of your wedding day are quite the topics of conversation over tea in even the most genteel of drawing rooms.' Admittedly, Margaret had spent the last afternoon or so carrying out the social visits required of a newly married woman, but these had been very small familial groups. The possibility of being part of the focus of conversation of a whole town was intimidating.

'I cannot imagine what they find to talk about, it wasn't as though it was a lavishly extravagant ceremony!' Margaret laughed and airily dismissed Mrs Keenan's revelations, hoping her light tone would hide her embarrassment.

'But that only adds to the interest my dear!' Mrs Keenan smiled. 'People are intrigued to meet the new Mrs Thornton and so those who did not attend the wedding and who you have not visited are seeking out those that did and have! You must remember that very few people knew you as Miss Hale and so they are interested to know who this young, handsome quiet woman is that has so entranced one of Milton's most eligible men!'

'Well, I can only hope their expectations are not too high!' It was not that Margaret didn't believe Mrs Keenan - after all the Hales had led a very quiet life – it was just that she found it so unlikely that the whole of Milton was waiting to make her acquaintance.

'I fear you are in for an evening of celebrity.' Mrs Keenan said gently. She felt she should warn her young friend. The ladies of the Aid were all charitable and committed to fund-raising and good causes and many were her dearest friends. But, among their numbers were some of the most frightful old gossips Milton had! 'However, you have me as your chaperone and I shall attempt to fend off the more ardent admirers.'

Margaret laughed again, still unable to fully believe Mrs Keenan. 'Well, atleast it is just tonight,' Margaret said, 'and so will be over by the Slickson's dinner on Friday.'

'That will be the first time that you and Mr. Thornton are to be in society together?' Mrs Keenan asked and Margaret nodded, then laughed at Catherine's kind but doubtful expression.

'Well, if what you say is true,' Margaret smiled. 'I do hope they find something else to talk about soon.'

'You have nothing to fear on that front, my dear.' Mrs Keenan said, comfortingly. 'Attention is quickly distracted, and if nothing else, Miss Latimer and Mr. Locke are to marry in the spring. That will certainly ensure your release!'

'The spring!' Margaret exclaimed as Mrs Keenan started laughing again. 'Mrs Keenan!' But Margaret's shock quickly dissolved in to laughter as well as the helplessness of the situation presented itself. She laughed at herself, it was hopeless to worry over gossip she could do little to control. Let them talk, Margaret told herself defiantly and she tilted her face towards the window and the chilly breeze flowing in from around its loose-fitted glass.

. . . John's breath sighing and fluttering over her cheek and neck. His lips whispering kisses on her throat and mouth. His body pressing against her . . .

Let them talk all they want.


John Thornton, having had much less distance to travel, had arrived to meet Mr. Latimer in good time. As always, Mr. Latimer found Thornton to be well-prepared, considered in his thoughts and confident in decision. It was only mid-way through the meeting that Mr. Latimer was given the smallest inkling that John's mind was not completely absorbed in the endless papers and columns of numbers. A new clerk had neglected to replace the ledger he was working on in the correct place and so Latimer left the office to fetch it from the young man's desk.

Left alone, John glanced towards the next sheave of papers to be considered; 'Investments and Interest Payments'. But the flickering warmth of the fire in the grate to his right drew his attention all too easily.

Another fire, in a different, smaller room. Margaret, her body glistening in the firelight, the droplets of water trickling over her warm skin. Her gentle, exploring fingers trailing over his body. Her kisses on his chest. Her slim torso. His hands flowing over her waist and hips. His fingers tracing around her breasts.

Mr. Latimer returned, ledger in hand, to find Thornton seemingly lost in thought, a small smile playing on the corner of his mouth. The papers Latimer had expected to find Thornton reading lay untouched on the large desk. The click of the door as Latimer closed it behind himself alerted John to his presence, but it was the loud thud as the financier placed the ledger on the desk with perhaps a little more vigour than was necessary that fully brought John back from his thoughts.

'Shall we continue, Thornton?' Mr. Latimer sat back behind his desk and opened the heavy ledger. 'Now then. Investments and Interest Payments. Your ruminations on the former are . . ?' He looked up expectantly as John momentarily hesitated before connecting once more with the conversation.