A/N: This story starts after Margaret receives her inheritance from Mr. Bell and before that fateful dinner party in Harley Street. This combines text (in italics) from Elizabeth Gaskell's wonderful book and Sandy Welch's amazing BBC script (neither of which do I own).

….oOo….

Margaret missed Milton - for multiple reasons. She missed the freedom she had there. She missed the city's energy and purpose. She missed her friends (especially a certain someone, although she was convinced that he no longer thought of her). She also missed helping people. Here in London she was ensconced in her aunt's house and under her aunt's rules. She couldn't even take a simple walk to the corner without being accompanied by a footman at the very least. To even request an opportunity to meet some of the lower class, let alone offer them some assistance would be considered an impropriety by her aunt. People of her class just didn't do that sort of thing. This was yet another reason that Margaret did not feel she really belonged here in London.

When her godfather, Mr. Bell, died, two very important things happened in Margaret's life; he bequeathed Margaret all his worldly possessions thus making her an heiress, and she lost her last hope of redeeming herself in Mr. Thornton's eyes. Mr. Bell had promised to explain to Mr. Thornton that the man he had seen her with was in fact her brother and not some clandestine lover and that her lie to cover for him was justified. With this change in Margaret's circumstances she needed time to reflect on her new situation and decide what to do.

After much soul searching she came to accept the fact that she would never be able to regain Mr. Thornton's good opinion let alone his affections. Therefore, since he was the first and only man she would ever love she resigned herself to spinsterhood.

Margaret also resolved to take her life into her own hands. She knew that she herself must one day answer for her own life, and what she had done with it; and she tried to settle that most difficult problem for women, how much was to be utterly merged in obedience to authority, and how much might be set apart for freedom in working. So after a lengthy discussion with her family which required the assertion of her formidable strength of will Margaret gained the acknowledgment of her right to follow her own ideas of duty.

At the end of the conversation Edith came up to her and said, "You will still let me buy your dresses for you, won't you Margaret?"

"Indeed I mean to buy them for myself. You shall come with me if you like; but no one can please me but myself," Margaret replied with a smile.

"Oh! I was afraid you'd dress in brown and dust-colour, not to show the dirt you'll pick up in all those places," was Edith's rejoinder.

'I'm going to be just the same, Edith," said Margaret, "if you and my aunt could but fancy so. Only as I have neither husband nor child to give me natural duties, I must make myself some, in addition to ordering my gowns.'

So Margaret started to make regular visits to some of the poorer sections of London near Harley street such as Chelsea and Westminster. She would wander through the streets unaccompanied (her aunt's insistence on a footman still fell on deaf ears). She would meet people in an attempt to befriend them and maybe learn something of their struggles with the purpose of finding some way she might help them. It was difficult at first as the residents of those neighborhoods were suspicious of a lady in their midst. However, as she was undaunted, and her visits common, they came to know and trust her. So with her friendship as well as baskets of food and articles of clothing, Margaret was able to fulfill her Christian duty as well as find some meaning in her life.

Margaret would spend her mornings with her friends on the streets and would return to Harley Street in time to play with little Sholto and have afternoon tea with Aunt Shaw and Edith. Henry would stop by multiple times a week to give Margaret updates on the status of her financial holdings and lessons on how best to manage her affairs, the financial ones, that is (at least that was his excuse).

One hot summer afternoon Henry arrived just in time to join Margaret, Edith, and Aunt Shaw for tea.

"I have some excellent news," he stated.

"Really?" Margaret asked.

"You have made money," he said, looking at Margaret.

"What, since yesterday? While I slept?" she asked, "How clever of me."

Henry sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. "Money makes money," he stated.

"Well, I would rather earn it honestly and put it to good use," said Margaret.

"Margaret!" Aunt Shaw exclaimed, "You're sounding a little…. well, I hate to notice, but a little revolutionary."

Henry explained, "Mr Bell was a shrewd fellow. He bought into a hundred to one investment with a chap named Watson."

"Watson? Fanny Thornton's husband?" Margaret asked.

"The very one," he replied, "Being hailed as a wonder boy. Probably a nine-days wonder, but nevertheless, Fanny's struck gold. Which is more than we can say for her brother."

Looking down, Margaret replied, "Oh?"

"He wouldn't have anything to do with it. Far too principled. Might just be the last straw," Henry practically gloated, "I'm afraid you'll soon be looking for a new tenant, Margaret."

Margaret looked at her plate and realized she no longer had an appetite. She was proud of John for adhering to his principles, but she couldn't help thinking about his loss. Poor John having to give up the mill – his life's work – and all of his employees, many of them her friends, who would no longer have an income! What would happen to Higgins, Mary, and the Boucher children? Oh, what John must be feeling!

Margaret made to excuse herself and got up. Edith asked her what the matter was, and she claimed a headache. She then turned and rushed out of the room.

Edith, not wanting Henry to think that it was anything more than a simple, temporary indisposition, looked at him and said, "It must just be the heat. The poor girl spent the morning out again, that's all."