Dear readers, I've tried to take your reviews to heart and make this chapter a bit longer. Quotes from The Fairee Queen by Edmund Spencer and allusion to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
The feather bed was luxuriously soft. Margaret couldn't remember the last time she slept this peaceful. She lay on her side facing a stone fireplace. 'This doesn't seem familiar' her half asleep mind thought. She turned over in bed to find a more comfortable position. Suddenly she was gripped with terror and let out a blood curdling scream.
John jumped out of bed, heart racing, fully awake and ready to defend Margaret. He cautiously looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He looked at Margaret and saw her expression go from abject fear, recognition to embarrassment. "Margaret?"
"I saw a man in the bed with me and I panicked."
John said slowly seeing the humor in their situation, "You saw me in bed and it terrified you that much?"
"Oh John, I am sorry." Margaret said, finally catching her breath. "I was still half asleep. I awoke in a strange place, turned over and saw a huge man beside me. So much has happened these past two days. Do you think they heard downstairs?"
"I'm sure they did. They will think I've murdered you." John put his robe on and ran his hand absently through his hair. "I'm guessing someone will come and check on us momentarily. You may want to dress in case they want to verify that you are still alive."
A knock sounded on the door in the sitting room. "Mr. Thornton, Mrs. Thornton?"
John closed the bedroom door to give Margaret privacy and walked into the sitting room to answer the door.
Margaret heard the anxious voice of Mr. Dupree followed by Mrs. Dupree. Margaret heard John apologizing for alarming them. He explained that Margaret was perfectly fine-she had just been frightened in her half awake state. He promised they would be downstairs shortly to partake of breakfast.
Margaret was mortified. What a missish thing to do!
John entered the room, looking charmingly rakish with his untidy hair and the beginnings of a beard. He walked to a mirror and said, "I suppose I do look worse for the wear, no wonder I terrified you." He smiled ruefully.
Margaret began to giggle and reached for John's hand and pulled him gently back to the bed. "I am sorry."
John began to laugh. "Truthfully, I think you gave me just as big a fright with that scream. My first thought was that the Scots were invading."
"What a way for us to start our first day as man and wife!" Margaret said with a smile.
"Never fear-omnia vincit amor." John replied.
Breakfast was simple but delicious! Mrs. Dupree gave them generous helpings and as they ate they discussed their plans for the day. Hadrian's wall, the ancient Roman structure build to keep out raiders, was a spot that John and Margaret both wanted to explore. The couple decided to set out after breakfast, hoping to arrive by luncheon. The picturesque countryside flew by their coach window, but they only had eyes for each other.
When they arrived, they took a self guided tour of a portion of the wall. They chatted easily, first about the history of the area, then about the glory that was Rome.
"It truly forces one to think," John mused.
"About?" Margaret prompted.
"Life-the progress of civilization. Imagine an empire that spanned thousands of miles and hundreds of years, yet this same empire was not immune from destruction. And the repercussions of its fall led to an intellectual darkness that covered Europe for nearly five hundred years.
"But even during that time a few individuals continued to strive against the darkness." Margaret added. "Great thinkers who in turn inspired others: Aquinas, Luther, Chaucer, Da Vinci, Dante..."
"So what will our generation choose, the path of innovation and invention or the path of ease and predictability?"
"I know which path we shall take." Margaret said. "I do not believe you could choose any other path but innovation and invention."
John took her hand and put it to his lips. "All this talk of choice-at times it seems that one has little choice in life. Since my youth, I've worked hard for all I had and took care to be cautious, but I still lost you and everything I cared for."
"But you must remember what Spencer said, 'there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.' You have the opportunity to start anew. You can try new schemes for better production at the mill and I promise I will be there to help and support you in any way I can."
"Speaking of new schemes reminds me that I have not told you the latest about our friend, Nicholas Higgins. He and I collaborated on a meal program for the workers and the results spoke for themselves. A well fed employee produces a better quality fabric. We had even begun to mull over a medical provision for the employees by giving workers access to a doctors care once a week."
"I'm so glad Nicholas has proved to be an asset to you."
"He still is-I've written to Nicholas asking him to assist me in reopening the mill." John paused. "Which brings me to you. All my plans would be for naught without you. I've been thinking about the money you loaned me and wanted to speak to you about the best way to return your investment."
"John, it is not necessary for us to discuss this now. We can wait until the business is back running at capacity before we settle anything."
"It would make me much easier if we established a plan for your repayment including the promised interest of course." John replied. "Do you have a preference for a monthly, quarterly, or yearly payment?"
"I think you know that I gave you the loan for love rather than financial gain. Not that I didn't believe that given an opportunity you would succeed and repay me, but that was and is beside the point to me. So if it comforts you to establish a payment scheme please do, but do not think you have to for my sake."
John caressed her face and fought for control of his emotions. "Let us settle on smaller monthly payments to begin with and as more profits come in and as the business becomes more stable the amount of the monthly payments will increase proportionally."
"That sounds reasonable. I can use the money for our household expenses and my pin money. I've observed from my parents that different financial expectations can cause unease in a marriage." Margaret gently squeezed his hand. "I trust you with my investment and I hope you will trust me in my management of the household. And if we either have questions or a change in expectation we can feel comfortable consulting the other."
"If we are being honest with one another, I'm afraid I must warn you that managing a household with my mother will not be easy." John admitted. "She is use to being ruler supreme."
"Yes, well I've also been inspired by these Roman ruins. They have put me in mind of Julius Caesar."
"Beware the ides of March?" John asked.
"No." Margaret said trying to appear serious. "Sic semper tyrannis." And she dissolved into laughter.