Henry had also witnessed Margaret's behavior during her short conversation with Mr. Thornton and he was concerned. Just when he thought her interest in himself might be increasing here comes this tall, handsome Northerner to get in the way. Henry knew that Margaret had quite an affinity for Milton and he now wondered if that affinity extended to a particular Milton manufacturer. A failed manufacturer! But money, or lack thereof, would be of no consequence to Margaret. She never put much store in such things and it didn't matter now that she was filthy rich herself. A fact that Henry wished to exploit for his own purposes. No, he would not let Margaret slip through his fingers so easily. He must do something, and quick.
Noticing Thornton in the background, Henry approached him. Other than Margaret, he was the only person Thornton knew among the party so Henry was certain of a ready welcome.
"You think Miss Hale looking well," said Mr. Lennox, "don't you? Milton didn't agree with her, I imagine; for when she first came to London, I thought I had never seen any one so much changed. To-night she is looking radiant. But she is much stronger. Last autumn she was fatigued with a walk of a couple of miles. On Friday evening we walked up to Hampstead and back. Yet on Saturday she looked as well as she does now."
'We! Who? They two alone?' John thought to himself. However, he was determined to keep his cool amongst these high class Londoners so he didn't take Lennox's bait.
Thornton seemed unphased by Henry's familiarity with Margaret so the barrister decided to try a different approach. Henry turned to Thornton to inquire, "Margaret mentioned that you are a Magistrate of the Crown! That surprised me after having heard how close you were with Hales. One might have supposed a Magistrate would wish to avoid such tincture." Henry took his eyes away from Thornton to look about the room, raising his glass to his lips.
John thought he knew where this was going, having been informed by Nicholas of Margaret's brother and the reason for his absence from England. John angered at the thought that Lennox would dare broach such a subject with a veritable stranger, and a Magistrate too. The man was playing fast and loose with Margaret's loved ones. This didn't seem to John a very smart way for the young lawyer to win her heart. John was much more careful with his reply.
"I have never found anything lacking in the character of any member of the Hale family, living or dead, to dissuade me from befriending them - even as a Magistrate of the Crown. Conversely, however, I know many people, including representatives of the Crown ('such as yourself,' he did not add) who lack the moral fortitude I find most prevalent in Hale blood. I would be extremely honored to count anyone, woman or man, with the name of 'Hale' among my acquaintance." John hoped this was enough to demonstrate to Lennox his good information and to convey to him his censure for bringing up such a subject.
Henry hooked a finger in his collar. His cravat felt tight all of a sudden. It was probably just the heat he thought to himself. Turning to John he politely excused himself mumbling something about the heat and getting some fresh air.
Even though he spoke very low to Mr. Lennox, Margaret, ever straining to hear that deep timbre of Mr. Thornton's voice, caught this speech (from halfway across the crowded room no less) and its meaning. He knew about Frederick! She could not conceive of how he knew, but he did. She would now be vindicated in his eyes! A great weight was lifted from her heart and her soul began to soar.