Notes: This story takes place after Margaret's father dies unexpectedly in Oxford while visiting Mr. Bell. Margaret's London family is in Greece, and her brother in Spain. Margaret will have to decide where she will reside now as a single woman. What will happen when Mr. Thornton offers her another choice? Henry is a fierce rival for Margaret's heart, and he will not let his hopes of marrying her go without a fight. This is a multi-chapter story, and I will update regularly.
Chapter One: Loss and Revelations
John was stunned to learn that his dear friend, Richard Hale, was dead. Nicholas Higgins had just informed him, and John was so lost in his thoughts that he did not remember walking to his office. He would miss his friend, but his thoughts were focused on Margaret Hale. He wondered what would become of her. Nicholas had told him that Margaret was not expecting her London family to come and fetch her since they resided in Greece at this time.
John's thoughts went to the young man Miss Hale had been seen with at Outwood Station. Would she go to him? John felt a surge of anger at the cad who had left Margaret to deal with the fallout of their indiscreet behavior at Outwood Station. The young man had not appeared at Mrs. Hale's funeral, nor had anyone seen or heard of him again. As a magistrate, John was used to dealing with incomplete information in a case, and he found it befuddling that this man was not known to anyone in Milton before or since the incident at the train station. No matter, he had seen Miss Hale in the man's arms, and she had lied to protect him. Her heart belonged to the man, regardless of his behavior.
Thornton was ruminating about what was to become of Miss Hale now that Mr. Hale had died when Adam Bell knocked on his office door.
John called out, "Enter!"
He stood to receive his guest and was glad to see his landlord. The two men shook hands, and John asked Adam to take a seat.
"Terrible business, Thornton, to have to inform my goddaughter of her father's death. I am worried about her. The London family is abroad, and I fear I may have to take Dixon and Margaret to Spain to live with my godson, Frederick."
John was confused. Was this Frederick the man he had seen Miss Hale with at Outwood Station?
Adam continued, "John, I can see from your expression that you do not know who Frederick is. The Hales rarely spoke of him. Frederick is Margaret's older brother. Frederick Hale was in the navy and got caught up in a mutiny at sea. When our dear Maria Hale was at the end of her life, Fred slipped into Milton to say his goodbyes to his mother. He lives in Spain, in exile. He took a great risk to come to England, but as a son yourself, I am sure you understand his need to see his mother once more."
John nodded in understanding and urged Adam to continue. He was reeling from the revelation that Margaret had a brother who had come to Milton during her mother's last days. She did not have a lover!
"Fred is my godson and a good man. Richard and I discussed the case many times, and it was decided that there was little use in pursuing justice, because so many of the witnesses on the ship were tried and hanged. Margaret believed the family had to try to help Fred, so she arranged a meeting between Henry Lennox and Fred in London to see if anything could be done to clear Frederick of the charges. You may recall that Henry is practically family, and he would have been trusted with the secret."
John despised Henry Lennox, and it hurt that Margaret trusted the man. John would have done anything he could have to help the Hales had they trusted him with their secret.
Bell continued, "Margaret recently heard from her brother. Fred has been back in Spain for weeks now and has a good job with a shipping company. He has even recently married. I know how dearly he loves Margaret, and I believe he would expect to assume her care as he is her closest relative. Of course, once her London family finds out, I have no doubt they will send Henry here to collect her. The only way Henry could travel with her to Greece to join her family is as her husband. Margaret confessed to me that Lennox asked for her hand shortly after her cousin Edith married Captain Maxwell Lennox. Of course, she refused him because she regards him as a friend, not a lover."
John vowed he would do all he could to see that did not happen, but he kept his thoughts on the matter private.
John asked, "Why did Mr. Hale not tell me of his son? We were close friends, and I spent a great deal of time at the house in Crampton until after Mrs. Hale's death."
Adam nodded, and explained, "It is because Richard valued your friendship that he did not reveal the family secret. You are a magistrate and as such, it would have put you in a terrible position to be in possession of such knowledge. The Hales wanted to protect you, Thornton. Margaret asked her father to tell you, but he convinced her the kindest thing to do was to keep the truth from you."
John was stunned. He tried to keep his emotions concealed, but the shrewd Adam Bell had not missed the dawning of understanding that had crossed Thornton's face. Bell knew Thornton cared for his goddaughter, and that was precisely the reason for his visit. Adam also knew of the malicious tittle-tattle in Milton slandering Miss Hale as a fallen woman because she was seen with Frederick at the train station.
"Thornton, our Margaret has been maligned in Milton society, and she has been unable to defend herself. I am glad she will leave this small-minded town." Adam continued, "I have come to ask you for a favor."
John said, "I will help in any way I can, Bell."
"Margaret wants to attend the funeral, so I want you to escort her and Dixon to Oxford tomorrow. I am leaving this afternoon for Oxford because I have much to do to finish the arrangements for Richard's funeral. I will have rooms booked for you at the University Hotel near the chapel where the service will be held."
John readily agreed, "Of course, Mr. Bell. I will be glad to do it if Miss Hale is willing for me to escort her. She has a low opinion of me, I am afraid."
Adam ignored John's last remark even though he knew it was untrue. He stood up to shake John's hand, "Thank you, and I must be off to catch the next train. I will ask you to go and see Miss Hale as soon as you are able, and I will see you all in Oxford tomorrow."
John left immediately for Crampton. He needed to pay his condolences anyway, and if Miss Hale agreed, he needed to make the arrangements for their trip in the morning.
When Dixon heard the knock on the door, she wondered who was calling. The Hales had few friends in town, and all of them had already called on Miss Margaret.
"Mr. Thornton, if you have come to see Mr. Hale, he has died."
"Yes, I am aware of that. I am here to see Miss Hale."
Dixon led him upstairs to the study where Margaret was.
The scene before him broke John's heart. Miss Hale was sitting on the floor with her face laying on her father's chair. She was quietly weeping and when Dixon realized it, she asked John to give her a few moments to prepare her mistress for his visit.
John waited outside the door and heard Dixon telling Miss Hale that Mr. Thornton was here to see her.
Miss Hale appeared in the doorway after composing herself, and invited him to come in. Dixon left to prepare tea and warned them to keep the door open as it was not proper for them to be left alone. Dixon knew what the hateful tongues of Milton were spreading about her dear girl. Dixon would be glad to leave Milton and its harsh ways behind.
John hardly knew where to begin, "Miss Hale, I am sorry to hear of your father's death. He was a good friend to me, and I shall miss him."
"He loved you as a second son, Mr. Thornton." John would have found that comment confounding if he had not just learned of Frederick Hale. He wondered if Miss Hale realized what she said.
John nodded, and he said, "Miss Hale, Mr. Bell tells me that you wish to attend the funeral. I would be happy to escort you and Dixon tomorrow to Oxford."
Margaret tilted her head to one side and met Mr. Thornton's eyes. "You would do that for me? Even though you think I'm a fallen woman?"
John said, "Miss Hale, I do not think that, but we will talk of that later. I know you to be a virtuous woman, despite the tittle-tattle. In your father's memory, I would be honored to do you the service." John loved this beautiful woman with all his heart and soul. He would do anything for her.
Margaret felt the tears threaten to fall again, and thanked Mr. Thornton for his kindness to her. John promised to be in Crampton to collect both women in the morning at 6:00 a.m.. The service was at 1:00 p.m., so they had to leave on the earliest train. He told her to pack at least one extra change of clothing since they were to spend the night in Oxford after the funeral.
She promised she and Dixon would be ready.
John left to go back to the mill after stopping by the train station to buy three tickets to Oxford.
He met with his overseer and worked in his office long after the last whistle sounded. He let him know that he would be away for two days. He could ill afford the time away because the mill had yet to recover from the strike in late summer, but he would do all he could for Miss Hale during her time of need.
John left the office to go home. He needed to bathe and to pack. He stopped by the dining room to speak to his mother.
"Mother, I am attending the services for Richard Hale in Oxford tomorrow. I have prepared as best I can to be away from the mill. Williams will take care of things while I am gone."
Hannah nodded and asked if he was ready to eat dinner."
"Yes, thank you, and can you ask Cook to heat water for a bath?"
'Of course, Son."
Soon, a plate of hot food was placed before John, and he ate it all without really tasting it. He had so much on his mind, and he needed some privacy to think.
After dinner, John excused himself to go upstairs to get ready for his trip.
The servants soon had his bath ready, and he eased himself down into the hot water. He thought about all he had learned today about the Hales. How Margaret had suffered while protecting her brother. John was sure he had never met a more noble and compassionate woman, and he regretted how he had treated her. John scrubbed himself clean, dressed for bed, and packed his clothes.
He opened the top drawer of his bureau to retrieve a cravat to pack and spied the little black velvet box that he kept hidden away. Nobody, not even his mother, knew he had purchased an engagement ring for Margaret. It was his secret and with her impending removal from Milton, he knew that the ring would never find its rightful place on her finger. A wave of pain washed over John. He had never loved a woman before, and he doubted he would ever love another. He felt such guilt over his judgment of her, and he wished he could make things right between them before she left Milton forever.
When John finished packing and made his way to bed, he prayed for Richard Hale, and he prayed for his beloved Margaret. She had suffered so much over the last several months. He wished he had been able to comfort her as a friend, but he had lost that right when he allowed jealousy to cloud his better judgment. He knew Margaret's character, yet his anger had blinded him to the possibility of another explanation for what he had witnessed at Outwood Station.
He closed his eyes and got what rest he could.
