Margaret of the North (40 page)

John regarded her for a very long
moment.  Where was she getting those ideas?  What had she been reading lately? 
This was the boldest of all the comments she had made about women and it
provoked in him both some trepidation and admiration.

He turned his attention back to
the tart he had starred eating with a fork but he put the fork down and,
pointing at the tart in her hand, asked, "Was that something you did as
well when you were a child?"

"You mean, eat tarts with my
hand?  Fred started it when we were children to see what he could get away
with.  Mama, usually conscious of decorum, was easy on him.  But we were not
allowed to do this at dinner."  With mischievous glee, she added,
"Now, I can."

He laughed, then picked up his
tart.  "It's tastier this way."

Later in bed, as John drifted off
to sleep, Margaret lay awake gazing at him, stroking his hair.  His last waking
memory was of his wife kissing him good night and murmuring against his lips,
"I love you."

**************

A few weeks later, the Thorntons
had their first dinner party at the house for new neighbors, John's business
associates and their wives.  Fanny arrived with Watson early in the evening and
found her mother and brother in the drawing room.  John was looking out the
window, drink in hand.  Mrs. Thornton was fussing around, askance at the table
settings with their mix of dinner plates and silverware.  More people were
expected at dinner than the number of service in the Thornton dinner wares and
Margaret had asked Dixon to unpack those of her mother's and use them.  The
latter were much older and daintier but less ostentatious and Margaret had them
placed in alternate positions for the female guests.  The patterns were clearly
different but the mix did not bother Margaret who thought it rather charming. 
It apparently grated on Mrs. Thornton's sense of taste and propriety and she
turned away with disdain from the table.

After greeting her mother and
brother, Fanny plopped herself down on a couch.  "How tired I am already. 
But I must rally for I have some news.  Where is Margaret?  I want her to hear
it, too."

John replied, "She's getting
Elise ready for bed."

"She must still be
nursing," Fanny said a little contemptuously.

"Yes.  It has its
benefits," answered John irritably, then he looked past Fanny. 
"Well, here she is with Elise."  He walked towards them and kissed
them both.  "Has my little girl come to say good night?"

Elise, her eyes alert, first
looked around the room and seeing strange faces, leaned against her mother's
bosom and tried to hide her face.  She raised her head, however, when her
father gave her a peck on the cheek, and then reached her arms out to him and
said something inarticulate.

John took Elise from Margaret and
kissed her a few more times on her face and her belly.  The child gurgled and
imitated her father by kissing him back on his cheeks.

Fanny remarked, "She has the
color of my hair, at least when I was a child."

"Yes, she does."  Mrs.
Thornton said.  It was the first time she spoke that evening.

"Well, now that Margaret is
here, I can tell you."  Fanny announced, glancing towards Watson who was
pouring himself a drink.  "I am expecting."

Watson turned and raised his
glass to all but addressed John in particular, "I am hoping for a
boy."

"That is great news,"
Margaret exclaimed, smiling at Fanny and Watson.  Mrs. Thornton smiled, pleased
but somewhat apprehensive.  John walked towards Watson and shook Watson's hand
vigorously.

Fanny smiled tremulously and
turned to her mother fretfully.  "Mother, I will need you at least during
my confinement, if not before.  You must come and stay with me."

"Of course.  At once, if you
wish since I am not needed here nor at the mill."  Mrs. Thornton did not
attempt to hide the bitterness in her voice.

"We have leased a flat in
London for six months for my lying-in and you must come then."

"London!"  Mrs.
Thornton was flabbergasted.  "Why would anyone wish to go to London for
that?"

"But mother, you cannot
refuse.  Watson will be back and forth from London to Milton on business and I
am scared to death to be alone.  I think about growing so big and getting ugly
and how I will endure the pain when the baby arrives.  You don't know how
frightened I am."  Fanny covered her face with her hands, nearly in tears.

Mrs. Thornton sighed.  "All
right, Fanny.  I suppose I need not go anywhere once I am in London."

Margaret sat down next to Fanny
and placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.  "It can be scary but you
are young and if you take good care of yourself, everything will be all right. 
If you want, I can ask Edith for the name of her doctor.  He is the best, as my
cousin tells me, and has a very reassuring manner.  He will follow you closely
through your pregnancy."

Fanny looked at her with grateful
eyes.  "Thank you, I would like that.  He might be better than the one a
business associate recommended to Watson.  I am really scared going through
this and Watson does not give me enough sympathy."

Margaret smiled and stroked her
arm, trying to reassuring her.  "You will get through it, you'll see, and
afterwards, you might wonder why you were so scared."

**************

Among the visitors to their first
party were Mr. Latimer, his daughter Ann, and Henry Lennox who was staying with
the Latimers.  Although Henry Lennox often came to Milton on business or to be
with his fiancée, Ann Latimer, Margaret had not seen him since her wedding.  No
word was exchanged between them on that day beyond the formal best wishes
muttered with a perfunctory buzz on the cheek.  The night before that, their
conversations had been forced and awkward.  The many months in between had
brought major changes and restored the informality and ease of their former
interactions in London.  Henry was relaxed and friendly when he greeted John
and Margaret and she, in turn, was happy to respond in the same way.

New to the city and attending his
first social gathering was a young doctor, Dr. Hartley, who just arrived from
America.  Margaret had invited him and Dr. Donaldson when the latter informed
her that he intended to transfer his young patients to this new doctor who had
specialized in children's diseases.  Dr. Hartley was born in England but moved
to America with his parents when he was a child.  Curious about his heritage
and the country his parents grew up in, he decided to return to England and
practice his profession there. 

Tall, broad-shouldered and
handsome, he easily became the evening's sensation and everyone, eager to hear
what he had to say about the world on the other side of the vast ocean, pumped
him with questions.  He clearly relished the attention and he talked freely and
enjoyed satisfying everyone's curiosity.  His manner, frank and casual,
offended some and delighted many, particularly all the young women who
immediately thought him a good catch.  They waited only for an introduction
before giving him their card and asking him over for tea.  Margaret was curious
as well but, as the busy hostess, she only had time to inquire about how he
found his new surroundings before other visitors claimed her attention.

Dr. Hartley was, in fact,
fascinated with his young hostess.  He had expected to meet someone plump, maternal
and older.  Instead, he was introduced to this very lovely woman, a few years
younger than he.  He first noticed her expressive eyes: Were they blue or green
or both?  They were so clear he could see deep into them.  He watched her move
among the guests with poise and a simple natural elegance he seldom saw among
young women he knew in America.  Eavesdropping on her conversations with
others, he discovered that she was also intelligent and had well-considered
opinions she did not hesitate to share. 

The young doctor was smitten.  He
could not help remarking to Dr. Donaldson, "Mrs. Margaret Thornton is
easily the most enchanting woman in this room."

"Careful, Hartley," Dr.
Donaldson replied with amusement.  "John Thornton can be a formidable
adversary and he is very much in love with his wife."

"I don't doubt it," Dr.
Hartley muttered but Dr. Donaldson's caution proved to have no effect on him. 
Before the night was over, Dr. Hartley fancied himself infatuated with the
mother of his little patient.

Henry, who dutifully stayed by
Ann Latimer's side for most of the evening, came up to Margaret when Ann's
attention was sought by her father.  "I think you have a new conquest
tonight."  He remarked in the teasing tone he used to assume when she
seemed distant and he wanted to provoke her into making a response.

She looked at him, puzzled, and
he gestured with his head towards Dr. Hartley, adding, "He could hardly
take his eyes off you.  He banters and discusses and he flirts with the pretty
women but his eyes are always darting in your direction."

She laughed in that way he knew
when she was diverted but somewhat embarrassed; her eyes twinkled but hardly
any sound issued from her slightly-open mouth.  "I probably just remind
him of someone from home.  I imagine he must be homesick."  She changed
the subject and remarked with more liveliness, "So, are we going to be
neighbors or will you and Miss Latimer settle in London?"

"Both, I imagine.  We will
have a townhouse in London.  My practice is mostly there and Ann has embraced
London fully but we will also keep house here with Mr. Latimer.  Ann is quite
attached to her father and I will be a legal consultant in his bank."

"You look happy and
content.  I am glad."

"Yes.  We suit each other
quite well, Ann and I.  My future father-in-law has also convinced me to limit
my practice to business law so we will spend a great deal of time here."

"Mr. Latimer must be
grooming you for a top post in his bank."

"Yes," he answered
simply and with a broad smile, added "Oh, here's Ann."

Miss Latimer had left her father
talking with another guest and was then approaching them.  "Ann, you have
met Mrs. Margaret Thornton," Henry said, gesturing towards Margaret.

"Yes.  Good Evening, Mrs.
Thornton."  Miss Latimer glanced at her and turned towards Henry, hooking
her hand around his arm in the same possessive gesture Margaret had seen her
assume with John so long ago.

"Good Evening, Miss
Latimer.  Thank you for coming tonight."  Margaret smiled engagingly,
paused, and when Miss Latimer did not answer or look at her, she turned to
Henry.  "Miss Latimer and I met a few times when I first lived in Milton
but we never really had the chance to talk and get acquainted.  I believe we
saw each other last at Fanny's wedding, did we not, Miss Latimer?"

"Yes."  The answer was
curt, spoken in a cold manner that was not lost on either Margaret, who was
somewhat amused, or Henry, who was perplexed.  He found this demeanor
uncharacteristic of Miss Latimer who had always been gracious to everyone they
met and, sometimes even ingratiating, when potential clients were involved.

"I told Ann I have known you
for many years and as Edith's cousin, you and I were thrown a lot into each
other's company in London.  She also knows that Mr. Thornton had kept me on as
your legal adviser in financial matters."

Margaret suspected that Henry was
addressing Miss Latimer, instead of her, trying to reassure his fiancée. 
Margaret answered in a similar vein.  "Yes, Edith is quite fond of Henry
and he was a fixture at Harley Street, popping up unannounced, but always
welcome, for breakfast or dinner.  If we happen to all be in London at the same
time, I am sure we will see a lot of each other there.  Edith likes to gather
friends together for dinner parties.  Perhaps, we will become better acquainted
then."

"I hope we need not wait to
go to London for that.  We intend to have our own dinner parties here for both
friends and business associates and clients.  Ann is the perfect hostess,
having hosted many of them for her father."  Henry answered, anxious eyes
on Miss Latimer whose attention seemed to be tenaciously on her father across
the room.

"I am in awe of perfect
hostesses since I have neither the talent nor experience for it the way you and
Edith have."  Margaret addressed Miss Latimer directly with a sweet
disarming smile.

Miss Latimer had no choice but to
turn to her and respond.  "Thank you."  That was all she wanted to
say but Margaret still smiling engagingly at her, held her gaze.  Miss Latimer
finally broke into a faint smile.  "Perhaps, we will have more
opportunities to become better acquainted."

"I would like that very
much."  Margaret replied warmly, sincerely.

Henry Lennox was not the only one
who noticed Dr. Hartley's fascination with Margaret.  John did as well.  He had
noticed it from the time the doctor was introduced to him and Margaret, in the
instantaneous look of surprise followed by an intent gaze of undisguised
admiration and interest.  He knew that look; he had it when Mr. Hale first
presented his daughter to him.  After dinner, when Margaret ushered the ladies
to the drawing room—leaving the men behind to talk about business and other
serious topics of no interest to the women—John got up and with an apologetic
smile, said, "Excuse me.  I need to talk to my wife but please continue
your discussion.  I will only be a moment."

He left the men in the dining
room and called out to Mrs. Thornton as he caught up with his wife,
"Mother can you please show the ladies to the drawing room.  I need to
talk to Margaret."

Margaret paused in her steps and
lifted questioning eyebrows at him.  With his hand on her back, he drew her
aside and whispered, his lips brushing her temple, "The American could
hardly take his eyes off you all through dinner and seemed too distracted to
give full attention to those around him."