Margaret walked back to Harley street her cheeks still red from her near encounter with the man she loved but whose opinion of her had sunk so low. She did not know why he was in town, but she longed to see him – to speak with him. But alas, he would surely not wish to see her - she, who was now above him worldly (she even held his tenancy) yet in his eyes, below him morally (if only Mr. Bell had had a chance to explain to him…).
"Oh, Margaret! here you are! I have been so wanting you. But how your cheeks are flushed with the heat, poor child!"
Margaret covered her cheeks with her hands. Heat was always a convenient excuse, but she knew better.
Edith went on, "But only think what that tiresome Henry has done; really, he exceeds brother-in-law's limits. Just when my party was made up so beautifully-fitted in so precisely for Mr. Colthurst-there has Henry come, with an apology it is true, and making use of your name for an excuse, and asked me if he may bring that Mr. Thornton of Milton-your tenant, you know-who is in London about some law business. It will spoil my number, quite."
All the blood now drained from Margaret's face. She may indeed have a chance to see and speak with him. However, not feeling that she should impose her presence on him she replied in a low voice, "I don't mind dinner. I don't want any. Dixon can get me a cup of tea here, and I will be in the drawing-room by the time you come up. I shall really be glad to lie down."
"No, no! that will never do. You do look wretchedly white, to be sure; but that is just the heat, and we can't do without you possibly. (Those flowers a little lower, Dixon. They look glorious flames, Margaret, in your black hair.) You know we planned you to talk about Milton to Mr. Colthurst. Oh! to be sure! and this man comes from Milton. I believe it will be capital, after all. Mr. Colthurst can pump him well on all the subjects in which he is interested, and it will be great fun to trace out your experiences, and this Mr. Thornton's wisdom, in Mr. Colthurst's next speech in the House." Margaret's heart skipped at every mention of the Milton manufacturer's name.
Edith went on, "Really, I think it is a happy hit of Henry's. I asked him if he was a man one would be ashamed of; and he replied, 'Not if you've any sense in you, my little sister.' So I suppose he is able to sound his h's, which is not a common Darkshire accomplishment-eh, Margaret?"
"Mr. Lennox did not say why Mr. Thornton was come up to town? Was it law business connected with the property?" asked Margaret, in a constrained voice.
"Oh! he's failed, or something of the kind, that Henry told you of that day you had such a headache,-what was it? (There, that's capital, Dixon. Miss Hale does us credit, does she not?) I wish I was as tall as a queen, and as brown as a gipsy, Margaret," Edith enthused.
"But about Mr. Thornton?" Margaret tried to get her cousin back on topic.
"Oh I really have such a terrible head for law business," Edith replied, "Henry will like nothing better than to tell you all about it. I know the impression he made upon me was, that Mr. Thornton is very badly off, and a very respectable man, and that I'm to be very civil to him; and as I did not know how, I came to you to ask you to help me. And now come down with me, and rest on the sofa for a quarter of an hour."
The privileged brother-in-law came early and Margaret reddening as she spoke, began to ask him the questions she wanted to hear answered about Mr. Thornton.
Edith noticed her crimson countenance. "Margaret, your face now matches those flowers! It must be the heat," she said, giving Henry a wink, "I will ask the Captain to open a window to allow the cool evening breeze to come in."
Henry, in answer to Margaret's queries, went on, "He came up about this sub-letting the property—Marlborough Mills, and the house and premises adjoining, I mean. He is unable to keep it on; and there are deeds and leases to be looked over, and agreements to be drawn up. I hope Edith will receive him properly; but she was rather put out, as I could see, by the liberty I had taken in begging for an invitation for him. But I thought you would like to have some attention shown him: and one would be particularly scrupulous in paying every respect to a man who is going down in the world." He had dropped his voice to speak to Margaret, by whom he was sitting; but as he ended he sprang up, and introduced Mr. Thornton, who had that moment entered, to Edith and Captain Lennox.
Margaret looked with an anxious eye at Mr. Thornton while he was thus occupied. It was considerably more than a year since she had seen him; and events had occurred to change him much in that time. His fine figure yet bore him above the common height of men; and gave him a distinguished appearance, from the ease of motion which arose out of it, and was natural to him; but his face looked older and care-worn; yet a noble composure sate upon it, which impressed those who had just been hearing of his changed position, with a sense of inherent dignity and manly strength. He was aware, from the first glance he had given round the room, that Margaret was there; he had seen her intent look of occupation as she listened to Mr. Henry Lennox; and he came up to her with the perfectly regulated manner of an old friend. With his first calm words a vivid colour flashed into her cheeks, which never left them again during the evening. She did not seem to have much to say to him. She disappointed him by the quiet way in which she asked what seemed to him to be the merely necessary questions respecting her old acquaintances, in Milton; but others came in-more intimate in the house than he-and he fell into the background, where he and Mr. Lennox talked together from time to time.
Edith noticed Margaret blush when she was addressed by Mr. Thornton. She could no longer attribute Margaret's heightened color to the heat as the room was now quite cool. And it must have nothing to do with Henry as he was no longer near. Could it be…? She wondered. However, Edith did not have time to contemplate this new idea. She had to return to her hostess duties and in her flighty mind the thought was forgotten.