Summary:

Another snowy day brings a dinner invitation. The evening ends with Margaret earning a friend at the cost of a part of her innocence.

'I hope my ladies had a fun evening?' Mr Hale asked as they entered the carriage they'd rented for the evening.

'It was lovely, dear. I must confess I was surprised by how civil and polite everyone was. I'm still not used to their pronunciation though. It is very different from the south and sounds quite unpolished. The way they pronounced their k's and t's is quite shocking. I didn't know how a simple word like "water" could sound so differently when pronounced by someone from the north.'

'Oh yes, it does take some getting used to. They have quite a unique vocabulary as well. I believe it's a result of the lower classes mingling with the Irish and foreign traders. These local men are very proud of their social rank and their status as Englishmen, but I believe their accent is the result of their grandparents growing up in a lower social circle. They've been raised with the accent, and they hide it well. But as we come from the south we recognise the deviancies they themselves might have become accustomed to in the region. Perhaps they don't even know their pronunciation isn't the standard English one.'

Mrs Hale shook her head, but wasn't too bothered by it, she had been too happy to converse with other educated ladies of her own age for the first time in years.

'And Margaret, did you enjoy the evening? I believe you were quite shocked to hear yet another strange northern viewpoint.'

'Are you talking about Mr Slickson? Yes, I believe his point of view to be quite unethical. I still think it is wrong to risk any man's life, but I believe there is a big difference between the stance of for example Mr Thornton versus that of Mr Slickson. Slickson talked of his employees as if they were simple utensils to him, at least Mr Thornton admitted their worth and use as individuals.'

'Yes, I believe Mr Thornton to have a very organized and hierarchical view of the world, but perhaps because of his own past, and perhaps because out of genuine respect for human kind, he has a more humane view concerning his employees.'

'He still agrees to losing some.'

'Perhaps because he has no choice, as I believe he was trying to tell you. Both Mr Thornton and Mr Slickson were right when they said there could be no trade without risk. You are not blind to reality Margaret, you know England has always needed trade. We have always had the need to import products. Any long distance travel, especially by boat, contains risk, be it robbery, piracy, or a storm. It is simply impossible to remove these risks, but we simply have to engage in trade. I do believe Mr Thornton when he says he likes to limit risk, but cannot guarantee there not to be any. You shouldn't create a villain where there is none: Mr Thornton honestly wants the best for his employees, he is simply very honest about not being able to remove all risks, and these men working for him are aware of the risks and enter it willingly. The fact that there is still a risk is sad, but Mr Thornton is not to be blamed for this. You cannot hate all tradesmen simply because of the possibility of risks they cannot remove, it would be as if hating all mothers because some, even despite offering the best protection they can, still end up with wounded, ill or dead children. I admire your goodness, Margaret, but sometimes you forget that not all problems can be solved, and blaming people for perfectly understandable viewpoints and working methods won't make these problems go away.'

'It's just difficult to wrap my head around, father. Accepting that some men will die, feels like giving up on them.'

'But what didn't seem difficult was playing that piano, was it Margaret? You played quite lovely dear', Mrs Hale said as she laid her thin hand on top of Margaret's.

'I'm relieved that we only moved about a month ago. Had I been here any longer, I would have definitely been too out of practice to play that well', Margaret admitted, reminiscing the piano they'd left behind in Helstone.

'I quite miss hearing music', Mrs Hale sighed. 'Tonight reminded me of that, with you playing the piano at first and then the dancing. Oh you were such a lovely sight, my sweet Margaret! Your feet are ever so light. It was lovely to see. Especially with Mr Thornton, how a man of such size can still be so elegant in his moves is beyond me. It astonishes me, however, that you two seemed to get on so well during the dance. I thought you two didn't part on a good note last night.'

'We didn't, but we apologized to one another tonight', Margaret admitted. 'I didn't want there to be any bad blood between me and your friend, papa.'

'You're very considerate dear, I do so appreciate it. I'm glad the two of you are getting along better, despite your differences.'

'You and that Mr Ball got along quite nicely tonight, didn't you Margaret? I never heard you argue with him, not even once! I must admit he is quite dashing with his blond cherubim curls, don't you think dear? He must be quite young too, despite being co-owner of a company.'

'He is twenty-six. His father was the original co-owner but I'm afraid he died last year. '

Margaret froze. Losing a parent seemed like a truly dreadful thing. She daren't even imagine the pain Mr Ball must have felt. Yet he as a man, was lucky. If she were to lose her father, there would be nothing to inherit. She was a woman, her only option was to move in with other family members.

'Margaret, what did you think?'

'Hm? Oh yes, he is handsome I suppose.' Truth be told his Adonis looks made him resemble Mr Lennox, and that was not something she liked at the moment, or had ever liked. She knew, objectively, that he was handsome. His looks were the dreams of many girls, she couldn't start counting the amount of romances her cousin had read about men with angelic golden hair and blue eyes, 'Archangel Michael reborn' said some descriptions in the bolder books.

What was it her mother had said before? Was this what she meant when she had talked about? She had talked about a man not needing good looks to be attractive, but now Margaret found a man with good looks simply not handsome in her own eyes. Was this the attraction thing? Did she lack attraction to these two objectively handsome men?

'I suppose, my dear, you seem completely unconvinced. At least he appeared to be very agreeable over dinner.'

'Oh yes, he was kind and good humoured.'

Her mother raised her eyebrows.

'Oh mama, I simply don't know quite what to say. Do you want me to be gone from our home already?'

''I'm afraid I'm not quite catching on? Is there something I'm not aware of, my dears?' Mr Hale asked while looking between the two women.

'It is simply that it would put me at ease, knowing our Margaret is loved and taken care of. She's nearing twenty now', Mrs Hale explained.

'I turn nineteen in the new year mama!'

x.X.x

The new day brought a new announcement from Mr Hale. 'My dears, we are invited to dinner with the Gallaghers this evening.'

As it was yet another day where they had to look presentable, Margaret only managed to sneak out of the house for a brief hour. She rushed to the park and took deep breathes of freezing crisp air, and walked slowly through the freshly fallen snow to hear it cracking beneath her boots. Another gift was sent her way when suddenly in the midst of her walk, heaven's gates opened and fresh thick snowflakes lousily fell down from the sky. Margaret couldn't describe the sound of falling snow, but she simply recognized the special silence. She closed her eyes. She hadn't seen anyone near her the last couple of minutes so she stuck out her tongue, waiting for a flake to land on her tongue. It did, and melted immediately. She giggled.

Oh, if life could only be simple like this forever. If only she could enjoy life's simplicity with someone; Practically everyone would think her odd for sure, with her great sense of justice on one hand and her childish joy for snow and nature on the other hand. She bent down and removed her glove. Pressing down her hand in the snow, she revelled at the cold sting and the burning sensation in her hand.

This was winter, the type of winter she loved and had feared she wouldn't get up North. She remained quiet for a few more minutes before she decided she had to head home.

Mr Thornton had seen it all from a distance, not having intended to invade her privacy, but simply having been unable to stop watching once he had spotted her during his own morning walk.

She was, as ever, a marvel in her blue coat with her hair hidden in a hat and her chin buried in her shawl. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the empress who entered each room with such grace and dignity, now turning around in the snow while catching snowflakes with her little pink tongue.

He remembered her, withdrawn, never going beyond what was deemed necessary conversation, always on the fence to defend the poor. She had seemed larger than life then: tall, proud and unapproachable.

Now an astonished feeling crawled upon him. She had never been tall, she couldn't be over 5ft 4, nor could she be over twenty years of age.

Today she was no high and mighty empress looking down on him, today she was a princess, wanting happiness. He doubted not that her face would quickly sour again when she was confronted with someone who went against her moral code. He could just imagine her turning into a vengeful empress in a matter of seconds, condemning the person in question to the unbearable fate of being disliked by her.

Would such a woman ever have him?

x.X.x

He hadn't expected to see Miss Hale again so soon. When he entered Mr Ball's house he had expected a crowd; a mix of investors, wives and daughters, some respected professions, and two aristocrats who had decided to dabble in trade companies. He had not expected to see Margaret Hale, hidden away in a sitting room reserved for the women who were present. The room was a flurry of pastel and white fabrics, crawling children and laughing faces. It was a sharp contrast to the dark cigar room with its emerald wallpaper filled with darkly dressed men. The only person who wasn't in on the dress code appeared to be Mr Hale, dressed in light coloured trousers, a white ruffled shirt, a red vest and a burgundy tailcoat.

The men from Liverpool were practical in their dark suits: they rarely stained and showed sobriety . The fabrics of their clothing was heavy and mostly without embellishment. The only things which weren't black on Mr Thornton himself were his shirt and black satin vest with purple embroidery.

In an ultimate case of perfect timing, the topics, which were usually limited to regional business and the news of crews or family members harboured in other places, were now of a more intellectual level. He had no doubt that Mr Hale was responsible for leading the conversation away from business and towards philosophy. Mr Ball's circle was quite educated, almost everyone came of good stock. He was glade he had started on Hume with Mr Hale. Mr Thornton had learned about Latin and the classics in school, but modern philosophy had been new to him. Despite being new to the topic, he found himself easily joining the conversation, his class with Mr Hale really helping him.

It took an hour still before dinner was finally announced. Mr Thornton would have been lying had he said he didn't hope Margaret would be seated near him. As such, he couldn't help the feeling of disappointment when he was seated between other Mrs Gallagher and Miss Latimer. Margaret sat on the other end of the table, near the younger Mr Gallagher and Mr Ball and her parents.

As he admired her from afar, he was glad his sister wasn't joining them this evening. He was certain the soft lavender lamé dress with a lower waistline Margaret was wearing, was one of those new fashionable models his sister would love.

'I've heard nothing but mentions of snow, ice and freezing rivers from my correspondents.'

'Yes, there won't be any thaw in the near future I'm afraid.'

'My goods have been stuck in a port for a week now. The letters of my customers have started flooding in. I'm starting to get agitated truth be told, the longer a cargo is on the way, the more likelier it is for thieves to steal a part. Besides, I don't like my customers to breathe down my neck.'

'I'm having similar problems.'

'So do I.'

'I was planning on paying my employees with the money from the trip. I will have to delay their payment, normally I pay both them and my harbour workers from the money of the excursions, instead of from the profits I get out of the workshops making shawls, scarves and gloves with a part of my bought fabrics.'

A large chunk of the table agreed the income would be welcome, because of the festive season many of their customers ordered larger amounts. It was big money, and it was more than welcome after the rough storms of autumn had wreaked havoc in the harbour. Mr Thornton himself had been forced to invest a good deal in repairs of his ships and new sails. He would very much like it if the money of his newly purchased goods came in before the new year.

While Mr Thornton was discussing business, Margaret was being introduced to Sir Edward Aldridge, a baronet of twenty seven years of age. He was not the first baronet Margaret had met, having previously met one Alexander Sharpe of Allerdale Hall of Crimson Peak in London a couple of years prior, and a certain Sir Elliot when she went to Bath some five years ago.

Despite them not having met before, it quickly became clear that they had a lot of shared acquaintances. For once, Margaret didn't have to explain London, she could talk about London with this man. Her mother asked him questions as well, to see how the London Margaret talked about compared to his vision. The young Gallaghers listened with large ears to the stories about a society they had been brought up to envy. And as Sir Aldridge managed to make Margaret, who had laughed so little the previous day, smile so much, an idea started shaping in the head of Miss Gallagher that both she herself, Miss Thornton and Miss Hale could create a very happy spring season full of wedding bliss.

Margaret herself was completely unaware of this thought, just as she was unaware of Mr Thornton admiring her smile for the second time today, and once again wishing he could share a happy moment with her. If only there was a way to get her in his company more often. But what was there that bound them, except his being tutored by Mr Hale?

An idea started taking shape in his head. They were new here, they had little connections. This was only the second time the ladies of the house had been out and in touch with other people who weren't servants. He could ask his mother and sister to form a connection, so the women could at least have two friends in the city.

A young one for Miss Hale, and an older one for Mrs Hale, though he doubted the women would form a natural attachment. Mrs Hale was weak, soft and emotional, where his mother was hard and had a wall around her heart. Miss Hale was intelligent and educated, while his sister was excitable and shallow, matter of fact it seemed as if Miss Hale and his mother and Fanny and Mrs Hale were more equally matched in temperament than the other way around!

But then a vision formed in his head of his mother and Margaret Hale, sitting across each other, both with their heads stuck up proud, both with their reserve and dignity and full belief of their own capabilities, both judging the other… They either recognized their similarities and bonded, or would detest each other just because of their likeness. No, it was better he did not place the young Miss Hale right across of his mother without two other beings in the room to take away the awkwardness.

x.X.x

After dinner, the women left and the men were remained behind. It was then that Mr Kearney announced that he had received Mr Gallagher's permission to marry the Gallagher girl. Mr Gallagher sr. himself was absent that evening, which was a good thing. Mr Thornton hoped no father or bride would ever have to hear what was being said that moment.

After everyone offered their words of congratulations, someone had to deliver the following comment.

'And do you know how to ground the corn?'

Mr Kearney had the decency to feign shock.

'Of course I do, I'm twenty-five! I've been about the block at least three times.'

'Poor lass, it'll be like two bricks trying to swim.'

'No! I meant… Well, I didn't mean three times! I meant… you know, I've been with three ladies.'

As the men laughed, they were oblivious to what went on beyond the door.

'No need to blush like that man, it is only natural. We've all been there. Our ladies deserve a little bit of experience even, don't you think?'

'I believe that they don't deserve the potential diseases that might come with it. Surely, we've all heard of the stories of these so called venereal diseases. Wartime is only a couple of years removed from us, we've heard about the outbreaks', Mr Thornton said to no one in particular. Mr Hale remained awkwardly silent as well.

'One simply has to look for a lady in the right place, and pay attention to the signs before going at it. These are valid concerns but dear John, surely you understand it is impossible to refrain from everything? You must have- oh. Well, perfectly respectable choice too.'

Mr Thornton's and Mr Hale's faces said more than enough. The men dropped the topic.

Miss Gallagher had forgotten her handbag underneath her chair, and had been waiting with Margaret to retrieve it at the right moment when there was a lull in the conversation.

But it seemed they had arrived at exactly the wrong moment.

'Oh dear no', Miss Gallagher breathed. All confrontation with the marital life came like a shock to unmarried women of their class. Hearing her beloved was going to ask her for marriage, and then hearing he had been with three women in a marital way, was too much contrasting and confusion for the seventeen year old girl to take. The only thing she understood, was that there were currently three women who could have potentially have a baby from the one who was to be her husband. The reference to intercourse had flown over both their heads, but Mr Kearney's reply had been all too clear.

And then Mr Thornton's reply. Disease! From being together with a woman. And he had had three, and the other men potentially even more, except for Mr Hale and Mr Thornton!

Margaret supported her new friend as she sank through her knees, her breathing pace increasing and becoming irregular.

'No, Miss Gallagher, Mary, please, breathe more calmly.'

Her friend buried her face in her hands.

'Oh dear, oh dear.' The first sob bubbled out of her throat, the next rapidly following as her breathing remained quick.

'Shh dear, shh, calm down. Let's get away from this door, won't we?'

She tried to lift Miss Gallagher, but she was simply too heavy for Margaret. Yet if she called for a servant, the men would undoubtedly hear her.

'Mary, calm down. Mary, please. They might hear us. Let's head somewhere quiet where we can process the news, you don't want them to find out we overheard, do you? No Mary don't get too worried, please!'

As the sobs increased in volume, one man who had detached himself from the conversation took notice of the sounds behind the door, and quietly excused himself.

Mr Thornton had not been prepared to come face to face with a sobbing girl lying in Margaret's arms not five feet away from the door. She looked up at him with pleading eyes, begging him not to alert the other men in the room.

'Can I help, Miss Hale?'

'If you could fetch a servant? I didn't want to call for one as I was afraid you might hear and come out to have a look. It's a delicate situation.'

Mr Thornton nodded wordlessly, although he wondered how the girl came to have a nervous attack in the hallway, of all places. They were supposed to be in the drawing room, or in another private room. Why would they be here, having an emotional moment in such an open place?

Then it clicked.

As he retrieved the servant and came back, all three of them helped Miss Gallagher upright.

'Should we fetch Mrs Gallagher?' Margaret asked.

'No, I don't want mama to know. She will forbid me to marry him. Not that I still want to- or maybe I do? I don't know. Am I being ridiculous? Do all men really do this and are we simply kept unaware? It is useless to cry over something if it isn't special. If all women marry men who have done this, then I should not shed tears like this. Yet I feel slighted.' She looked at Margaret through teary eyes, while supporting heavily on the female servant.

'I- I can't offer advice, I have no knowledge', Margaret admitted helplessly, looking at the mess of a girl with sorrowful eyes.

'I shouldn't pry, and it is not my place, but given that not a single woman will be able to provide you with an answer, I hope I may offer one if that gives you peace of mind?'

Both the maid, Margaret, Miss Gallagher and Mr Thornton were incredibly awkward in the ensuing silence, knowing that they were about to break one of the biggest conversational taboos in existence.

But seeing as it had been breached the moment they overheard the men's conversation, and given that the new information couldn't possibly make matters worse and was given to comfort Miss Gallagher who had overheard something without any context, Miss Gallagher understood the rarity of the circumstances which lead Mr Thornton to offering to break the taboo, and nodded. In the seconds of ensuing silence, all parties felt an unspoken pact forming between the people present: they were not to talk of it to any other living being, for this was knowledge they weren't supposed to possess, and he wasn't supposed to tell. He was breaking the gentleman secret by telling them this.

'I'm afraid, Miss Gallagher, that ninety percent of all men who enter marriage, have already had contact with women in a way that went beyond polite conversation. It is simply a thing men don't tend to inform their wives of.' For the mental health of both women he refrained upon remarking that Mr Kearney's number of women was far below average and that many men kept up their visits after their marriage. The less the ladies knew, the better.

'But I heard someone mention diseases! What kind of diseases? Can I get ill?'

Mr Thornton stood there awkwardly. He had not expected Miss Gallagher to be so bold as to ask yet another question, let alone one of this nature. He simply couldn't imagine a polite way of explaining it to her, or calming her, without being more specific than a woman ever ought to hear. And then there was Margaret, standing there so calmly, with her big eyes. What would she think of him for knowing about it, and then telling proper ladies about it? They were supposed to be the moral guardians of their homes, beacons of virtue, and he was giving them this dirty information which they should never have become aware of in the first place.

It appeared he could never do good around Miss Hale.

'It is highly unlikely, there are signs, which would have been evident by now. Please, Miss Gallagher, if you were considering marriage before, I encourage you to not let your answer be altered by what you heard tonight. Mr Kearney is still a good and respectable man by all standards, including by the standards of men.' That was the most he could say of the whole thing without saying too much.

Tears were still silently rolling over her cheeks.

'Thank you, Mr Thornton, for you honesty and truthfulness. I shall not forget your service. Rest assured I shan't speak of it.'

She looked at Margaret, who nodded, a silent conversation passing between the two girls before they bid him farewell and retreated with the servant.

That was the last he saw of Margaret Hale until everyone said their goodbye's, they didn't exchange any more words. His mind couldn't stop thinking it over. What must she think? What had they done? At the end of the evening, the engagement of Miss Gallagher and Mr Kearney was announced, though she was far from the blushing fiancée his sister had been, and he doubted not that the crisis of a few hours prior had something to do with it. Would it blow over? Or would the dynamic of the two be forever altered with her knowledge?

Would Margaret think of men differently? She had always been so pristine and above everything. She couldn't even accept a realistic stance on the loss of employees, no doubt she would add this to her list of the failures of mankind. He had admitted to most men entering sexual relationships before marriage to assure Miss Gallagher she wasn't marrying an immoral monster, and it had been the truth. But had she and Margaret understood from the way he critiqued it that he hadn't engaged in anything yet? Were they still listening when Mr Watson almost spelled out that he hadn't engaged in anything? Or had Miss Gallagher already been crying by then? For some reason he ached and burned for Margaret to know that he hadn't engaged in anything. He despaired to have her approval, even though he had probably ruined his chances by admitting to have knowledge of such things.

x.X.x

Margaret went home exhausted and confused. Comforting Mary had been difficult, especially since it concerned a topic they couldn't and shouldn't talk about. It had been difficult to comfort her without being able to discuss the very thing that caused the misery. In the end they had both sat next to each other, sometimes hugging, but mostly just sitting silently, until Mary had settled her inner turmoil, at least on a rational level. She had decided what she was going to do with the situation, but it was clear her emotions were still unstable from the shocking information.

'Margaret, I know it is a lot to ask of you, since we have only known each other for two days, but I fear fate has destined you to be my confidante since we heard the information together. I need to ask your absolute secrecy.'

After Margaret had nodded, Mary started talking again.

'The situation is such that we cannot avoid the topic, since it does affect me most personally. I know men and women are not equals, and although I had never thought of it, but I suppose somewhere in my mind I had assumed we entered the marriage as equals in that regard. Therefore hearing what I heard today was a shock, though apparently it is common practice. As it is common practice I feel I cannot judge Mr Kearney for it, it seemed as if no one in that room except Mr Thornton was opposed to the idea. I still am shocked though, and I do feel less excited to marry him now, but I may not let it decide my answer. If we can believe Mr Thornton, and he is not one to lie, Mr Kearney is a good man. I cannot judge his character since I cannot compare him to other men, so I will have to trust the judgement of others.'

She seemed most unhappy about it, but Margaret understood her reasoning. 'But you are not certain whether you want to be with him?'

'Of course I want to be with him. I love him, I just…' She shook her shoulders. Margaret just allowed her new friend to be conflicted. In the end she accepted his proposal and that was the end of it. Margaret couldn't help her inner turmoil, she could only offer a hug after Mary made her decision known.

The knowledge pressed on her, as did the lack of answers. Were men really doing this? Were they allowed this by their guardians and male society or was it something they hid from their entire families, just like they did from their wives? Were women still supposed to marry men once they knew they engaged in immoral deeds? Or were they not immoral but commonplace, and was it only the ignorance on the wife's part that had been taken away now? If so, that meant almost all women married men who had done things which women had been strictly forbidden to do. It was a topic so forbidden it was not even discussed until the day before a woman's marriage.

Margaret knew that she was the child of her parents, but she didn't know how that came about, not that she had ever been particularly curious. She only knew Edith had been taken away by aunt Shaw the day before her wedding, and when Edith returned, pale faced, she only disclosed that Mrs Shaw had informed her of her wifely duties and children. That was when Margaret learned that there was information about the topic, and that that information would at one point, when it became necessary, be disclosed to her. The next thing she heard of the marital bed was when Edith announced that she had finally gotten pregnant and was expecting a baby, this had been the news that had arrived with the post just two days prior.

Margaret's thoughts involuntarily went back to Mr Thornton. He had not, he had remained like the women. Why, if like he said almost all men did it, did he choose not to? Once she started thinking on it, she couldn't stop the thoughts from forming, nor could she push them away. Did he not want to? For women it was no choice, it was not done nor discussed. But if for men it was an option, a popular one, why not?

'Margaret dear, you appear quite flushed, you are not getting a fever, are you? The weather is particularly unkind and you've been out and about it in for more than an hour twice now?'

'No mama, it is nothing.'

She screamed in her head at the thoughts to stop. She didn't want them. She didn't want to think of it. She shouldn't think of it. It was of no importance to her. On the day before her wedding she would learn what she needed, and then she would do what was called this 'wifely duty'. She should definitely not wonder about what certain men did or did not do. A lady shouldn't think of it. And she didn't want to think of it.

Margaret had always been able to learn about something when she discovered it. Never had her curiosity been laid to rest by something else than knowledge. Now she found herself confronted with a head full of questions she couldn't, shouldn't and didn't want to answer.

No! She wouldn't answer them. She would stop thinking about the topic.

x.X.x

'Our ladies deserve a little bit of experience even, don't you think?'

Margaret's eyes shot open. , The memory attacked her mind right as she was drifting off in her bed.

Experience for what? It must have something to do with making children.

Stop Margaret Hale!

'Two bricks trying to swim.'

Was experience needed to make children? The experience apparently contained a risk some were not willing to take.

Margaret Hale, you quit that line of though right now! These were not the thoughts of a lady.

Tainted, she felt properly tainted with the knowledge.

She had no say in getting this information, and now it would never leave her head again.

Out of desperation she lit a candle and grasped for the first philosophy book she could find, hoping it would cleanse her mind with its intellectual content and that it would force her brain to think of something else.

NOTES

I'm unsure about whether this twist was a good idea, I did have my reasons but I don't know if it works.

1) the scouser accent: I know the video is a bit cringy but this details a couple of the specifics of the scouser accent(Liverpool): watch?v=R_C4PDSfQJAbr /

br /
2) Did you spot the references? Yes the Mr Elliot is Anne's father from Persuasion. The Alexander Sharpe of Allerdale Hall is the grandfather of Thomas and Lucille Sharpe of de movie Crimson /

3)Thornton's age and backstory:

This story takes place at the end of the regency period, at around the end of 1824, going on 1825. The reasoning behind it is this: both Frederic and Mr Thornton have been in the navy, the English navy was great, but after the Napoleonic Wars, there weren't as many wars at sea anymore, so I believe that the smaller sailors looked for new professions. Mr Thornton is about thirty-one when we meet him in Gaskell's North and South, I think building your own company takes at least a couple of years of experience, and then building it until the height it is now, I believe Thornton must have had his own business for about eight years, and must have worked on building contacts and experience for at least two years. In my timeline Mr Thornton's father died when he just turned fifteen, then he worked on repaying the debt for two years whilst they lived in very poor circumstances. When he was just seventeen he decided to enlist in the navy around the later period of the Napoleontic Wars and the War of 1812.
He quickly rose in ranks and worked hard, but after 1815 all main wars at sea had been fought, and Mr Thornton decided to move on to his next venture, now having had experience at sea. So this makes him 21 when he gets back to England. With the help of local investors, and friends in high places (captains he had served under, aristocrats he had saved) he started slowly building his /
For me, having him fall back on his acquaintances made during the war, serves as a shortcut because under normal circumstances, like in the original North and South, he would have definitely have to have had a longer period learning and growing in other businesses, I believe in her period he must have started working for mill owner's from the second he paid his debt, which could have lasted between two-three years, which means he would have worked 13 years to grow to the spot where he is now: a wealthy renowned manufacturer, yet one who still has little fixed capital. If Thornton had a lot of savings, he wouldn't have had to give up his mill just because of a couple of slower months, this tells me he has a habit of constantly reinvesting his money in his company, hoping it will better the company, instead of saving his extra earnings for times when business is /
It is my belief that even with constant reinvestments he would have had enough capital in his bank if his company had been big and going strong for over eight years, this tells me Thornton's business rose in rank quickly, because of his investments, but it also means he never took the time to let his company just 'be'. Once it got to a certain level, he always expanded instead of keeping his company like that for a couple of years to gather money without expanding. In my eyes that is the only way his business could be so big while he hadn't owned it for over ten years, and that is also the reason why his business toppled so fast, whilst the others endured. So even in NorthSouth, he hasn't owned his business for a long time. So there you have my personal views on how Thornton manages his business in both NorthSouth and in my story. In my story with the slight change of timeline, he is just shy of his thirty-second birthday. So yes, we will see both Margaret and Thornton's birthday in this fic!

4)History of sexuality and the societal context of the story (additional and unnecessary to read if you don't wish to, but I recommend at least reading the last part starting from the underlined words)

About notions of romance in the 18th century. Gaskell herself, in some part, was influenced by her friend Charlotte Bronte, and some argue that some parts of North&South are strongly influenced by it as Gaskell also sets out that her main characters aren't conventionally attractive, Margaret is also occupied by her own problems before forming an attachment to Mr Thornton, both Margaret and Jane refuse a marriage offer that disagrees with their moral stance, both only agree to marriage once their lovers have been disgraced, and both women end up as wealthy heiresses who take control of their lives.
Yet Gaskell is also strongly influenced by the literary tradition of her time, as everyone knows, women ruled novels and gave women happy endings. In fiction written by men, the most important relationship a woman could have, was that with her father: a family love, superseding the relationship between mother and daughter(the mother was often dead) and this relationship forced the young daughter in a motherly nurturing role because of her sense of duty. In not a single book, a woman went against the desires of her father. Sexuality was portrayed as a source of power in these novels, and it was not only this way in novels, in real life romance was also full of power.
The restricted social life of women is expressed in N&S by Margaret insisting on still having some kind of 'charitable' visits, even when it stops being part of the framework of her father's job. The female visit is one of the few ways women of her class could navigate the limited social space they had. One of the very few ways they could exercise autonomy was by abstinence: either by abstaining from marriage, or by abstaining from the marital bed. We know that Margaret gives little thought to marriage in the beginning of the book. But she must be very aware of the mentalities and the implications of marriage.

This gives a nice extra meaning to the North and South miniseries when Margaret claims Thornton wishes to possess her. Not only is it a jab towards his profession, but in that time marriage indeed meant a surrender of power from both Margaret, and of Margaret's father. And Margaret surrounded by contemporary novels which expressed the holiness of the relationship between a father and a daughter, Margaret, having grown up with loving parents yet with ideas that the sexual aspect of marriage is something to be endured, must not be too keen on the prospect of marriage because with it, she gives up her parents whom she knows are ailing (going against her sense of duty) and potentially giving up the large amount of freedom she had under her father(she was allowed quite a lot of freedom for a woman of her stance, and she doesn't know how Thornton regulates the women of his family).

But let's give credit where credit is due:

Gaskell, Bronte and even Austen in an earlier period defy classic female qualities male authors praised. In male works the heroines are passive and In Marmion Clare is 'lovely, and gentle, and distress'd'. Scott's heroines are characterized by blushes, sighs, and swoon. Matilda of Rokeby is described as having: 'a soft and pensive grace', 'a downcast eye', signifying modesty and submission: 'The mild expression spoke a mind | In duty firm, composed, resign'd'. Jane Eyre and Margaret are described as having daring judging eyes, Margaret has a proud 'soft femine defiance' in the way she lifts her chin, they judge their future lovers. Though both Margaret and Jane endure hardship because of their strong characters: Jane casts herself out and away from the loving arms of Rochester because she cares deeply for herself and God, and Margaret endures constant criticism of society because of her relationship with the workers, she also doesn't try to save her reputation when she's seen with Frederic because her morale forbids her. Jane Austen defies this by punishing Jane Bennett for her classic submissive femininity almost leads to her losing her beloved whilst it is Elizabeth with her assertive behaviour and intelligence, despite a lack of female accomplishments, gets her ideal and transformed husband? Marianne's vibrancy is also awarded with not one but two men who fall for her, and Anne Elliot also only gets the man once she stops sulking and starts running after him. Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Bennet and Margaret Hale are all three admired by their suitors for their defiance of classic female behaviour, and they are unique because they enter an engagement on their terms, in a position of certain power (especially Jane with Mr Rochester being blind and thus dependant, and Margaret by being having the financial upperhand).

But now, why is this essential? Why do these books propagate such things? We now think it was just a sign of Regency or Victorian prudishness, but the reason might be more surprising. There was a baby boom in the postwar period around 1815. Children were a financial burden, and the leading cause of death amongst women, and the more children a woman had, the bigger the chance she died in childbirth. There was only little contraception, and people didn't engage in more creative ways of sexual pleasure than penetration (at least not that is recorded). Since there was little anticonception there were only two ways to limit the amount of children: firstly societal control: poor or lower middle class people only married in their late twenties (so less years to make babies) and rich women married young and were supposed to have more babies since that was their function. But the amount still dropped because society instilled an idea that the marital bed was only meant for making children, and the idea of the marital bed was mostly remained silent about. It is definitely true that ignorance is bliss, from the second one knows something, they start thinking on it, and the idea becomes more realistic in their head. So the less people know of sex, the less they are likely to want it.

So those who have endured my history lesson see it coming: it is important that Margaret stops feeling the obligation towards her parents which takes precedence above love OR her parents tell her she should put marriage above them. And by placing Margaret and Mary in the situation where the social control mechanisms were absent and they accidentally got information about sexual relationships, I deliberately caused Margaret to think on it. Throughout the upcoming chapters you can be assured this will influence the pace at which Margaret develops from child-woman to a woman ready to marry.
North & South was a romance novel from the latter part of the 19th century, I do intend on making this an early 19th century story by making Mrs Hale the embodiment of societal expectations "Margaret must marry" and though Mrs Hale can't help the amount of times they meet possible husbands, she can help the situation by encouraging Margaret to think of men as possible husbands.

Thank you for coming to my Ted talk, I have sources, of course:
- " 'At Once Above - Beneath Her Sex': The Heroine in Regency Verse Romance " by Caroline Franklin in The Modern Language Review: Vol. 84, No. 2 (Apr., 1989).
- "Reproductive Sexuality" by Hera Cook in Journal of Social History: Vol. 40, No. 4 (Summer, 2007)
- The Female Visitor and the Marriage of Classes in Gaskell's North and South by Dorice Williams Elliott in Nineteenth-Century Literature: Vol. 49, No. 1 (Jun., 1994) (THIS ARTICLE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL LATER ON IN MY STORY)

5) Thanks for the encouraging comments they do mean a lot to me: to sari18 and the Anon

If by any chance you are interested in one or more articles I allude to, you can message me and I could send them, but only until September.
Much love,
Lynn