Chapter Seven: Battle for Her Heart

Henry had only a few days left to woo Miss Hale before he had to return to London. He had to show Margaret how much she meant to him, and the life he could offer her.

He arranged a carriage ride to show Margaret the beautiful vistas on the property of the estate. He took her into town to visit the quaint shops and for long walks. He encouraged her to talk about her parents, and he listened with sympathy. Henry had lost his own father five years ago and with Margaret's encouragement, Henry spoke of his deep admiration for Colonel Lennox. He shared his heart with her about many things, but he never once spoke of his love for her in a direct way. He did not want to make her uncomfortable. He longed to show her affection but did not.

Margaret thought she knew Henry because they had been friends for years, but she learned she really had only known the public persona Henry wanted people to see. He was still the confident and successful barrister who had a dry sense of humor, but he was also thoughtful and deeply caring. They spoke of their faith, and Henry took her to see the chapel built on the estate. They knelt together and prayed for her parents.

Henry was lost in his own thoughts as they walked from the chapel. The silence was comfortable, and he was glad that Margaret was not the kind of woman who needed to fill the silence with inane chatter.

Margaret stopped walking and titled her ear up to the sky to listen to the birds sing.

"Margaret, what is it?" Henry wondered why she stopped walking.

"Listen, Henry, to the songs of the birds. I had not realized how much I have missed being out in nature. Isn't it lovely?"

"Yes, it is, and I find it sad that you have missed out on such simple things. I am certain there are not many birds in Milton."

"No, birds need trees and there are a pitiful few of those in Crampton where my family lived."

Henry just smiled; he did not want to say anything disparaging against Milton and risk offending his love.

Margaret did not resume walking, but instead was looking at Henry intently.

"Henry, I have known you for such a long time, but I have learned since coming to Scotland that I really did not know you as well as I thought I did."

Henry smiled, and said, "I hope what you have learned about me is favorable."

"Yes," Margaret answered with a smile, "It is most favorable. Although you have always been a good friend to me, you have an exceptional one this week. Thank you for your offer of this trip to Scotland. It is exactly what I needed."

"My dear Margaret, I will do whatever I can for you, as your friend. You must know that I care deeply for you."

Margaret remembered Henry's visit to Helstone over quite some time ago. He had come to ask for her hand, but she never let him finish what he wanted to say. She had been too afraid of losing her friend, and she did not want to hurt him with her refusal. Today, she felt Henry wanted to speak to her in the same way as he had in Helstone, and she hoped he would not.

"Yes, Henry, I know that you care for me, and it may be very selfish, but what I need from you right now, during my time of mourning, is your friendship. I can barely breathe when I think of losing my parents because the pain is so intense. You may not know this, but I only had one friend in Milton, Bessy Higgins, and she died right before Mama did. I am mourning her as well. In the space of three months, I have lost three people who were most dear to me."

Henry chose his words carefully, "I am so sorry to know that you are how deeply you are suffering, but please know that I will offer you comfort as much as I am able as your friend. It is true I wish to be more than a friend, but we will save that conversation for another time."

Margaret was relieved. Henry was a very good man, and she did care for him, but just as she had told John Thornton, she did not know her heart yet. In truth, she felt an emotion she could not identify when she read Mr. Thornton's letters, but she couldn't sort it all out yet.

Henry asked her if she would like to go out on the boat moored to the dock and she said yes. The rest of the afternoon was spent on the lake and Henry even taught her how to row the boat. There were ducks and the most beautiful swans swimming in the shallows, and Margaret thought swans were very elegant creatures. The sun felt wonderful on her face, and Margaret felt more at peace than she had since she learned her father had died.

Henry had removed his coat to row the boat and had rolled up his sleeves. Margaret had always thought him pleasing to look at, but she realized he was quite handsome. He smiled at her, and he seemed content. One thing she admired greatly about Henry, is that he was good-natured. She had never seen him angry, and he rarely let his emotions get the best of him.

However, she did not feel the fluttering in her stomach in Henry's presence as she did in Mr. Thornton's. She did not feel flustered like she often did around Mr. Thornton, but instead, she felt perfectly at ease. She wished she understood what all of it meant, and she wished she had a friend her own age to talk to.

She lamented that she had never been courted. At almost twenty years old, two men had asked for her hand, but neither had courted her. In her inexperience, the only thing she had to draw upon is what she read in books and that was proving of little use.

She decided to write her thoughts down later in the new journal on her desk from Mr. Thornton.

Saturday, after dinner, Mother Lennox, Henry, and Margaret spent their last evening together. Henry would be leaving Lennox House at 5:00 the next morning to return to London. Mother Lennox retired early after wishing her son a safe trip home and asked him to do better about writing to her.

After Mother Lennox left to go to bed, Henry and Margaret sat before the fire talking of their shared experiences in London, their families, and Margaret's trip to Cadiz.

When Margaret stifled a yawn, Henry encouraged her to retire. She thanked him for the many kindnesses he had shown her since her father passed away, and for all he had done for her family.

It was all Henry could do not to take her in his arms, and to tell her how much he loved her, but he knew his advances would not be welcomed. He clenched his hands at his sides in his efforts to not to reach out to her. He longed to hold her close. One look of encouragement from her and he would have lost his resolve.

After Margaret went to bed, Henry retired to his room as well. He sat by the fire and thought of the choice Margaret might someday make. As a barrister, he was used to weighing the evidence and making judgements based on the facts. There was no emotion in those decisions, and his instincts were almost always right. Henry won almost all the cases he defended, and it had built his confidence.

In this situation, his emotions ran deep, and he had found it difficult not to ask Margaret for a courtship. He had ruined his chance with her over a year ago because he had not courted her before going to Helstone to ask for her hand. He would not make the same mistake again. He would write her letters as a sort of courtship, he decided, and if things progressed as he hoped through their letters, he would sail to Cadiz, ask her brother for her hand, and they could marry in Spain. He would take her on a honeymoon in Greece and then make their home in London. He could bring her to Lennox House once or twice a year.

Henry scoffed at his musings. If only he could win her affections, those dreams could become a reality.

In his opinion, he had much more to offer Margaret than Thornton. He earned a stable living. In addition, he had an annual allowance from the estate. He would be able to provide Margaret with every comfort. His family loved her, and he was already closely connected to her family. In London, they would be well-received as a couple with her beauty and poise along with his position with his law firm. He would encourage Margaret to be involved in charity work to fill her days. Margaret would not be happy spending her days with meaningless social calls.

Thornton could offer her very little in Henry's estimation. His mill had not recovered from the strike. The Hales thought well of him, but they were gone now. Thornton's mother clearly did not like Margaret, and Thornton would not be able to provide a pleasant home for her. Henry knew Thornton worked long hours, and that would leave Margaret alone with his daunting mother all day. Milton was dirty and almost completely devoid of any natural assets.

Yet, Henry had seen the way Margaret and Thornton had looked at each other at the Exhibition many months ago. There was something between them even then. At the funeral in Oxford, Thornton had not been able to conceal how smitten he was with Margaret, and it had irked Henry when Margaret asked Thornton to sit beside her at the funeral.

It had hurt deeply to see Margaret on John's arm. On occasion in London, Margaret would take his arm when they walked, but it meant so much more to him than she knew. He was a man of six and twenty, and he found her beautiful and desirable. Even in her mourning gowns, she stirred his blood. He had never been in love with anyone other than Margaret, and he longed for so much more with her.

If he were to lay odds to which man Margaret's heart was leaning towards, he would not come out the victor in this battle. He may be able to offer her a life of beauty, but Margaret would never marry for any other reason than love.

Henry wanted Margaret's happiness, and in truth, it mattered more to him than his own. He was not ready to concede defeat, but he knew the odds were against him. He desperately wanted the life he dreamed of with her. He wanted to have a family with her, to share his nights with her, and love her in all ways.

Margaret was warm towards him, and he knew she valued his friendship, but she had been very guarded when he had broached the subject of his feelings for her.

He decided to get what rest he could. He would have plenty of time to think it all through on the journey to London. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


Henry left Lennox House without seeing either his mother or Margaret. It was too early for anyone else to be stirring about other than the servants.

The trip to London was a long one, and Henry made the decision to stay overnight in Milton. He arrived at Outwood Station at 6:00 p.m., and he went directly to the Crown Hotel. He secured a room, left his bags at the desk, and walked to Marlborough Mills.

Thornton's overseer showed him to John's office and Henry knocked on the door.

"Enter!" John called out. When the door opened, he was very surprised to see Henry Lennox.

John held out his hand to Henry and after exchanging greetings, John asked about Margaret.

"Lennox, is everything alright with Miss Hale?"

"Yes, Thornton, she is doing as well as can be expected. We have spent a great deal of time outdoors, and Margaret has enjoyed spending time on the property. My family home is only a few miles from Loch Lomond. Margaret said it was even more beautiful than the New Forest. I can agree since I have been to the Helstone where she once lived."

John registered the intended dig but did not allow Henry to goad him.

"Helstone is beautiful. I visited there myself several months ago."

Henry decided to get right to the point of his visit.

"Thornton, We are rivals for Margaret's heart. With some time, her grief will lessen, and she will know which one of us she loves or could come to love. I believe she knows we both wish to ask for her hand, but she is not ready yet. When she is, and if she chooses you, I want some assurance that you will do all you can to make sure she is content as your wife."

Henry continued, "I want to be clear that I am not conceding the battle to you, but I want her happiness more than anything. Like you, I am not a man of leisure, and my days are spent away from home. Margaret would be the mistress of our home and would answer to nobody else, even if my mother came to live with us. Margaret was a dutiful daughter to her parents, and I saw how she did everything in her power to bring them happiness. Margaret could never thrive in a home where she was considered an intruder and was despised."

John nodded in agreement. He recalled her words in her first letter to him about what home meant to her. He also knew Henry was referring to his mother when he spoke of Margaret being an intruder and being disliked. John wondered if Margaret had spoken about his mother to Lennox.

Henry continued, "If you are the victor for her heart, I asked you to earnestly consider the kind of home you will provide. I am asking you, Thornton, to put your love for Margaret before your duty as a son."

Henry concluded by saying, "I understand I may have offended you, but I have to know that if Margaret chooses you, she will have a chance to be truly happy. I would do anything for her, Thornton, even if it is at the expense of my own happiness. I love her that much."

John said, "Lennox, I will do all I can to make her happy if she does give her heart to me, but I think the both of us need to be very patient. I am embarrassed to admit that she and I have spent many months misunderstanding each other, and I did not ask for a courtship as I should have. I have made many mistakes, but I can promise you, I will put Margaret first in my life, should I be given the privilege of becoming her husband."

Henry stood, offered John his hand, and gave him a wry smile. "Let's just hope some suave and debonair Spaniard doesn't sweep off her feet when she gets to Cadiz."

John smiled at Henry's humor and said, "Indeed, that would be a damn shame."

He added, "Thank you, Lennox. I think we both know where we stand. Only time will give us the answers we seek. You are a better man than I gave you credit for. If Margaret chooses you, I know you will do all you can to make her happy."

Henry nodded to John and left.

John sat at his desk for hours after the last whistle had sounded for the night. Dixon had only arrived in Scotland two days ago, and Margaret probably had not responded to his letter yet. He hoped she received his gift of the journals in the spirit in which he gave them. One thing was for certain, if she read his journal, she would know he much he loved her and that he would be a deeply devoted husband.

He reflected on all Henry had said, and he knew he might someday have to make a choice between the woman he loved, and the woman sitting in the dining room in the house across the yard. He hoped that his mother would rejoice in his happiness if he won Margaret' hand. He was determined to talk to her and help her see the damage she was doing to their relationship with her hate for his beloved Margaret. But not tonight.

John extinguished the candles and left to spend another night in his lonely bed.