Margaret of the North by EJourney Page A

his financial losses and
someone asked, "Is it the Latimer girl?"  All his colleagues knew he
had escorted Miss Latimer a few times and her inheritance is rumored to be
rather sizable.  She was thus the perfect answer out of his financial
predicament.  That she was also very pretty and the product of a finishing
school might have been too tempting even for Mr. Thornton to resist.  Most of
them had not heard the more recent gossip about him escorting a relatively
unknown young woman who was not from Milton and who was, in fact, staying in
his house.
    Before John could reply, Hamper
volunteered, "I think it must be that parson's daughter, that handsome
young woman from the south, Miss Hale."
    Several exclamations of disbelief
greeted this declaration.  Most of them remembered Miss Hale as the young woman
who, at the Thornton's last dinner party, spoke with self-assurance about her
sympathies for workers.  They had thought her beautiful with the natural grace
of a lady but the frank manner with which she asserted her radical views turned
them off.  Her charms were forgotten and, to them she, became just someone poor
who was too independent-minded for her own good.  Everyone, therefore, thought
that if Hamper was right, then John Thornton had to be out of his mind,
marrying imprudently for a more uncertain future.
    Although John was annoyed that
Hamper preempted his response, he continued as if he had not been interrupted,
"I know you're all quite curious who I have been lucky enough to persuade
to be my wife.  You have all met her—Margaret Hale."
    Hamper smiled triumphantly and
was the first to approach John to congratulate him.  The others stared at him,
then at each other but quickly recovered from the surprise and followed Hamper
in expressing their congratulations, most of which John knew were insincere. 
They were dubious about his choice and were convinced that, finally, John
Thornton had made a serious mistake and proved that a paragon of a businessman
could sometimes be stupid.
    John could not control the urge
to continue the provocation of his colleagues and asked to be excused, "I
am sorry but I must leave now.  Margaret is at home with my mother and I
promised to accompany her on her daily walk."
    He could hear the buzz of
sneering comments and speculations that issued from his parting communication
as he was walking out of the room.  He  could almost hear the gossip that would
ensue when these men went home to tell their wives about foolish John
Thornton.  It did not matter to him.  In fact, he was realizing that he had
begun to look at many things in a different way ever since Mr. Hale introduced
his daughter Margaret.  It had been a contentious first meeting—with flashing
eyes, she challenged the way he treated his workers.  She consternated him with
her charge and thought her then ignorant of the danger in cotton mills.  Still,
her conviction had caused him to think.
    At home, John found his mother,
embroidering with Jane in the drawing room.
    "Where is Margaret,
Mother?"
    "How should I know?  I have
not seen much of her since that servant of hers arrived.  She seems to be
spending a lot of time with Dixon in her room."  Mrs. Thornton could
hardly hide her annoyance.
    John replied evenly, "They
were unpacking this morning.  They must still be arranging Margaret's
belongings."  He hurried out of the room.
    In the bedroom, Dixon and
Margaret were quietly working on the wedding dress; Dixon was adjusting the hem
and Margaret sewing one on the lace that was to be her bridal veil.  Dixon made
a motion to get up when she heard the knock on the door but Margaret stopped
her.
    "It's all right, Dixon,
continue your sewing.  It's John.  We're going out for a walk."  Margaret
rose to open the door but John had already opened it and entered.
    John immediately noticed the
changes that Margaret had made in the room.  His eyes quickly took in books
lying everywhere, a couple of them open, vases