The carriage carrying John, Fanny, and Margaret pulled up to the Hale's residence in Crampton. John hopped out and turned to help Margaret down as the driver retrieved Margaret's trunk. John escorted Margaret to the door which she opened. The driver brought the trunk in and returned to the carriage. Margaret led John into the house and he shut the door behind him. The couple listened for a moment but no one seemed to be coming.
"Dixon is probably with my mother, and father will be in his study," said Margaret.
"They are not expecting you, are they?" John asked.
"Nor you either," she replied with a grin, stepping closer to him.
Pulling her to him he said, "Then it might be quite some time before they realize you are here." He bent down and began placing light kisses behind her ear.
"That is true, John," she replied with some giggles, "but your sister is waiting in the carriage."
"Why must you always point out reality when I am in the middle of my fantasy?" he whined and stuck out his lip in a pout.
She stood on tip toe to kiss his moue and teasingly said, "Save your fantasies for after we are married, my dear."
At this he lifted her off the floor and gave her a searing kiss.
They broke apart when they heard a noise from upstairs, but he had yet to set her down.
Margaret recognized the sound of the study door and called out, "Papa, I am home!"
"Margaret, is that you? I'll be down in a minute," replied her father.
John, refusing to let her out of his grasp just yet started kissing her neck. He knew it would take Mr. Hale some time to get down the stairs.
"John!" she said, probably a little too loudly and swinging her feet in an attempt to reach the floor. He gave her a roguish grin but consented to release her.
Mr. Hale, not quite within sight yet, called out, "Is someone there with you, Margaret?"
"Yes, Mr. Thornton is here," she replied.
Just then her father appeared at the top of the stairs. "Ah, John! How wonderful it is to see you!" he exclaimed, "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
As the older gentleman descended the last of the stairs, John began to explain, "Your daughter and I ran into each other at the Exhibition. I was there drumming up investors for the mill."
Margaret picked up the story and said, "Yes, and we spent some time touring the exhibits together. Then, knowing that I did not want to be away from Mother for that long, Mr. Thornton and his sister kindly offered to escort me home with them today."
"Yes," interjected John, "How is Mrs. Hale?"
"She is actually doing pretty well today, John," said Mr. Hale, "thank you for asking and thank you for delivering Margaret safely to us. Can you stay for tea?"
"No," replied John, "Fanny is waiting for me out in the carriage and I must get back to the mill."
"Oh," said Mr. Hale a bit dejectedly, "this evening, maybe?"
Here Margaret, laying a hand on John's arm, interjected with, "Yes, do come for dinner this evening. Father, I'm sure would love to hear your account of the Exhibition."
Mr. Hale was a bit taken aback that Margaret would offer a dinner invitation at such short notice but he wasn't about to complain.
"I would be delighted," replied Mr. Thornton with a bow, "and now I must be going. I will see you this evening." Then donning his hat, he made to leave.
However, before he opened the door he turned to Margaret and said, "The sooner you can speak to Mr. Higgins the better." He gave her a conspiratorial wink, unseen by her father, and departed. Margaret understood that John would prefer to meet with Nicholas before they announced their engagement.
"Margaret," her father said to her with some concern, "what are you doing inviting him to dinner? You don't even know if we have anything in the pantry!"
"Oh, I will speak to Dixon right away. There is plenty of time," she assured him.
Then he asked, "What interest does John have with Mr. Higgins?"
"Well he had mentioned that he was in need of skilled workers and I thought to recommend Nicholas to him," she replied, "I will try to speak to Nicholas about it this afternoon."
Mr. Hale followed his daughter up the stairs and into his wife's room. She was greeted warmly by her mother and Dixon. However, they were surprised at her early return. Margaret sat and gave them all a basic narration of the events of the past three days. She wished particularly to get them used to the fact that she had a change of heart toward Mr. Thornton. However, she gave no hint of their understanding as John had yet to apply to her father.
Margaret then mentioned that Mr. Thornton was going to come for dinner. This surprised the other ladies.
"Margaret," said her mother with concern, "you shouldn't have invited him so soon after his return! He might prefer to spend the evening with his mother, after having been away."
"Well, I know he has things that he would like to discuss with father," she said truthfully.
"Oh, very well then," replied Mrs. Hale, "It's too late to rescind the invitation now anyway." The three ladies then settled into a discussion of what needed to be done to prepare for dinner with such a guest in attendance.
After things were set in motion for the evening, Margaret changed her clothes and headed to Princeton to speak to Nicholas and then to the market to get some supplies for their dinner.
….oOo….
When John and Fanny arrived back at the mill house he stepped out of the carriage and handed his sister down. Before releasing her hand he instructed her not to even drop a hint to their mother about his engagement. He explained that he did not yet have her father's consent and that he would tell their mother himself that afternoon. The two siblings then climbed the stairs to their house and were greeted at the door by their mother.
"John! Fanny! You are back. How was your trip to London?" she inquired as they bustled into the house.
"Very enjoyable, but much too short," complained Fanny.
John prevented her from saying anything more by replying with raised eyebrows, "Very fortuitous."
"Oh?" said his mother, "Come sit down and tell me about it before you go back to the mill. I will order tea. Fanny, why don't you go freshen up first. You must be exhausted after your train ride."
"Yes, mother, I am," she replied, "I think I will lie down for a bit so do not wait tea on my account." She disappeared up the stairs.
Mother and son entered the parlor. She rang the bell for tea and they both sat down.
"Were you able to secure some investors?" she asked getting right to the point and the original purpose of his trip.
"Yes," said he encouragingly, "It looks like there will be enough to cover the shortfall and allow us to catch up on all the orders currently in hand."
Sighing and leaning back in her chair she replied, "Oh, that is a relief. But I suppose you will have a lot of work ahead of you."
"Indeed," he replied with a sigh. After a few moments of silence he leaned forward, placed his elbows on his knees and rubbed his hands together. He added, "I also have some other news."
"Oh?" she said inquiringly.
"We met with Miss Hale and her extended family while at the Exhibition," he tentatively began.
"Really," his mother replied suspiciously, a frown beginning to form on her brow.
"Yes," said he, "she and I spent a good deal of time together," he paused but his mother only looked at him, somewhat disapprovingly. "We have come to an understanding," he said with a determination his mother knew could not be brooked. "I am to dine with her family in Crampton this evening. I will request Mr. Hale's blessing at that time. I do not foresee any objections on his part. With Mrs. Hale's current state of health, however, I expect a speedy wedding will be in order. To that end I have already acquired a Special License."
"Well, it sounds like you have been quite busy these last three days," she replied with some derision.
"Yes, I am sure Fanny can fill you in on most of the details." He stood up and turned toward the door saying, "I need to get to work." He then tried to escape to the mill.
"A moment, please, son," his mother requested, "I think you need to explain to me Miss Hale's change of heart."
"You are right, Mother. I apologize," said he turning back and reclaiming his seat. "As she explained it to me," he began, "it really wasn't a change of heart. She did have feelings for me at the time of my first proposal. I just caught her at a very bad time. She found out, only the night before, that her mother was gravely ill. Her only friend in Milton," at this he gave his mother a pointed look and her eyes fell away from his, "was also on her death bed. She was witnessing daily the struggles of the workers due to the prolonged strike. She had also overheard Fanny and Jane talking about how she had trapped me into marriage. Therefore, she was convinced that I was only there to save her reputation. Oh, and add to that the fact that she had been struck in the head with a rock and knocked unconscious only the day before, so she was probably not quite herself yet. Not only did these circumstances make my proposal unwelcome, I also provoked her. She followed up by offending me and the whole thing to blew up like our previous disagreements. I was too incensed by the end of it all to see that she was actually trying to make amends for the things she had said. It was a colossal mess."
"So what happened in London? And what is to say you won't keep arguing as you have?" she asked.
"As soon as I saw her in London I decided to put my bitterness aside, even if merely for the sake of myself. She, in her attempt to make amends for how abominably she had treated me (her words, not mine) had eschewed her Southern pride and prejudiced misconceptions. In short, we were able to show each other that we had both improved our persons at the instigation of the other and for the betterment of ourselves."
"Well John, it warms my heart to see you so content," his mother gushed, "I look forward to seeing this new Miss Hale. If what you say about her is true I think I too may be able to put aside my pride and extend the hand of friendship to her."
"That would mean so very much to me, Mother," said John, "thank you. Now I really must get to the mill. I will be back early to dress for dinner."
….oOo….
Thornton went to the mill and sought out Mr. Williams, his overseer. He found him on the sorting room floor helping to mend a broken loom. He told Williams to come to his office when the job was completed.
When Williams arrived, Thornton bade him take a seat. He told his overseer about the new investors and what that would mean for production. He then quizzed the man about the state of the mill in his absence. After Williams was done informing him of all the goings on, Thornton dismissed him.
However, before he was out the door the master called him back, "Williams, what do you know about Nicholas Higgins?"
"What? The union leader? 'e's a troublemaker I say," Williams replied, "Worked over at 'ampers. I 'eard tell 'e was quite a skilled 'and, but 'amper wouldn't take 'im back after the strike. Why d'ye ask, sir?"
"If he comes by to see me," Thornton replied, "send him up. I'm curious to meet the man. Thank you Williams, you may get back to your duties."
As soon as Williams left, Thornton dispatched a quick note to his fellow mill master Hamper asking for information about Higgins. A few hours later he received a reply.
….oOo….
Later that afternoon there was a knock at the master's door.
Without looking up from his paperwork, Thornton said, "Yes. Who is it?"
Nicholas Higgins was standing in the door. He said, "Sir. I want to speak to you."
"You'd better come in then," the master replied.
Nicholas stepped in and began to fiddle nervously with the cap in his hands as he stood in front of Thornton's desk.
"Well, so what do you want with me?" Thornton prodded.
"My name is Higgins…" he began.
"I know who you are," interrupted Thornton, "What do you want?"
"I want work," was the simple answer.
"Work?" Thornton repeated, "You've got a nerve."
"Hamper'll tell you I'm a good worker," countered Higgins.
"I'm not sure you'd like to hear all of what Hamper would have to say about you," Thornton said, glancing at the note on his desk.
"I'd take the risk. Worst they could say of me is, that I did what I thought best," Higgins said honestly, "even to my own wrong."
Thornton leaned back and folded his arms, still looking suspiciously at the man.
"I promise you, master," said Higgins, "I'd not speak against you. If I found anything wrong I'd give you fair warning before taking action. I'm a steady man. I work hard."
"How do I know you're not just planning mischief," questioned Thornton, "or maybe you're just interested in saving up money against another strike?"
"I need work," replied the man, "for the family of a man who were driven mad. He had his job taken by one of those Irishmen you hired. Didn't know one end of a loom from another."
"So you've taken on orphaned children," Thornton said, "I could not have taken care of another man's children myself, if he had acted towards me as I hear Boucher did towards you. I admire you for doing it."
Higgins' mouth dropped open. He thought to himself, 'How did he know it was Boucher? Where did he get his information?'
"Well, Boucher's dead and I am sorry. But that's the end of it," replied Higgins.
After pausing for thought, Thornton conceded, "All right, I'll take you on."
Higgins thought for a moment and then said, "You've called me impudent and a mischief-maker. But for the sake of those children, you think we could get along?"
"Well, it's not my proposal that we get on well together," the master replied.
"Work is work," replied Higgins, "I'll take it. And what's more, I'll thank you. And that's a good deal from me."
Thornton, standing and holding out his hand said, "And this is a good deal from me. Now, mind you come sharp to your time. What times we have, we keep sharp. And the first time I catch you using that brain of yours to make trouble, off you go. Now you know where you are."
"Reckon I'll leave my brains at home, then," replied Higgins, "see you tomorrow, master." He turned to leave but before he reached the door he looked back at Thornton and asked with suspicion, "Was Miss Margaret the one that told you about me? You might have said."
Thornton arched an eyebrow and replied, "And you'd have been even more impudent?"
Higgins laughed, and placing his cap on his head he turned and left.