Margaret found Mr. Thornton outside. She showed him to a bench which was partially obscured from the house by the shrubbery, where they could sit together and talk. The sky was still slightly aglow with the setting sun which cast upon the couple ethereal hues of orange and red.
Margaret had something important to discuss with him and she was a little nervous. She began hurriedly, "Mr. Thornton, I wanted to tell you, how grieved I was to find that I am to lose you as a tenant."
'Oh no, here it is,' thought he, 'she is going to attempt to let me down easy since I no longer have my position in the world.'
"Thank you Miss Hale," he said dolefully, "You don't know what it is to find oneself no longer young-yet thrown back to the starting-point which requires the hopeful energy of youth-to feel one half of life gone, and nothing done—nothing remaining of wasted opportunity, but the bitter recollection that it has been."
"But things are sure to brighten," she replied hopefully.
"I cannot bank on hope. I have to deal with the reality of life, such as it is," he sighed.
"I believe there is a great probability of your redeeming-your more than redeeming what you have lost." Collecting herself, she went on rapidly "I have a proposal," she took a deep breath and swallowed, "if you would take some money of mine, eighteen thousand and fifty-seven pounds, lying just at this moment unused in the bank, and bringing me in only two and a half per cent.-you could pay me much better interest, and might go on working Marlborough Mills."
Mr. Thornton did not speak.
"I will have my lawyer draw up the papers tomorrow," she was most anxious to have it all looked upon in the light of a mere business arrangement, in which the principal advantage would be on her side.
Mr. Thornton was dumbfounded. What he thought was going to be a rejection turned out to be a declaration of faith in him and – could it be true – even love! The implications were all there: her solicitous attentions all evening, her desire to confide in him about her brother, her contrite confession, the looks and blushes and teasing flirtations, her approval of his charitable efforts, her deference to himself (and obvious indifference toward Lennox). Even her words, that he would 'more' than redeem what he had lost – meaning her?
When he finally spoke his voice was hoarse, and trembling with tender passion, as he said:-
'Margaret!'
Her very heart-pulse was arrested by the tone in which he spoke. For an instant she looked up; and then she sought to veil her luminous eyes by dropping her forehead on her hands.
Again he besought her with another tremulous eager call upon her name.
'Margaret!'
Still lower went the head; more closely hidden was the face. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered-panted out the words:-
'Take care.-If you do not speak-I shall claim you as my own in some strange presumptuous way.-Send me away at once, if I must go;-Margaret!-'
At that third call she turned her face, still covered with her small white hands, towards him, and laid it on his shoulder, hiding it even there; and it was too delicious to feel her soft cheek against his, for him to wish to see either deep blushes or loving eyes. He clasped her close. But they both kept silence.
After a minute or two, he gently disengaged her hands from her face. She gripped his hands tightly with hers and brought them to her lips. He then slid his hands to cup her face and gently brought his lips to hers.
After some time of delicious silence the two lovers separated.
"Will you marry me, Margaret Hale?" John asked, looking lovingly into her eyes.
Closing her eyes and sighing contentedly she replied, "Yes!"
Just then Edith stepped out on the terrace calling, "Margaret, where are you?"
Margaret, fearing discovery, whispered to John who was hidden from Edith's view by the shrubbery, "Go that way," she gestured, "and pretend you went for a walk in the garden."
As soon as he was gone Margaret rose and walking toward Edith she said, "I'm here Edith."
"Oh there you are! What are you doing out here?" her cousin asked, taking her arm and leading her back to the house.
"Edith, I needed a reprieve," Margaret replied laughingly. As they neared the door she could see John approaching behind Edith and her face flushed.
"But that was just the heat! You must be cooled off by now," Edith looked confused when she noticed Margaret's flushed countenance in the light coming from the doorway. Just then Edith startled to hear Mr. Thornton walk up behind her, "Mr. Thornton! You quite surprised me. I did not know you were out here as well." Edith shot Margaret a suspicious glance.
Mr. Thornton looked smoulderingly at Margaret and her blush deepened. "I had stepped out to enjoy the view," he said without averting his gaze.
"Oh," said Edith, sensing there was something going on that she was not privy to. "Shall we proceed inside then," their hostess suggested. And with that the three of them stepped inside.