Chapter Text
Margaret Hale closed her eyes and felt the rhythm of the railway in the knot of her stomach as the train dragged her away from Milton once more. Where has he gone? Where has he gone? Where has he gone? Where has he gone?
"We will be brave, little heart. He will see his mother right - he always has."
But as her rush of hopeful courage weakened, as her distance from his place, his rightful place in Milton, expanded, Margaret felt traitorous despair at the edge of her being. Now she had to find another way. Henry Lennox would have to help her write her hopes into legal documents and letters, as persuasively as ever they could. Margaret would have to wait, and wait, and pray that proud, resolute Mr Thornton would write back to accept her ill-gotten funds to right the sad misfortune of the undeserved failure of his mastership of Malborough Mills. Would he even countenance such an business proposition from the Miss Hale who was so completely dishonoured in his eyes by her behaviour that night at Outwood Station, and by her impertinent, intemperate rejection of his quietly honourable heart? Would he graciously allow her to lay her funds at his feet, so he might properly restore the livelihoods of Nicholas Higgins and all his other faithful workers, as well as his own?
Margaret fought to hold back the tear of self-reproach which threatened to betray her bitter regret to Henry Lennox, who could never fully understand nor sympathise - most especially given his casual assumption that one day soon she would humbly accept his renewed offer of marriage.
Margaret's thoughts continued in these unhappy ways as the train slowed its cadences and drew into and stopped at Midland Central Station.
She welcomed the chance for a brief respite from the seemingly airless first class compartment, as she stretched her legs to step onto the breezy platform and rested her eyes on the approaching north-bound train opposite.
She felt her heart leap with wonder as the longed-for vision of his face appeared - with, she briefly noted, his strangely unbuttoned collar - as if in answer to her desires, coasting to a halt resting in a compartment of the train opposite.
John Thornton was almost overcome by the great bubble of pure joy which engulfed him as the mere sight of her ever-beloved face and form arrested his thoughtful, melancholy exit from his train compartment. All other matters, all manners forgotten, he spoke in wonder to learn where she was bound on this marvellous chance crossing of their ways.
He watched as a answering flicker of joy seemed to pass across her beautiful features, replaced by uncertainty and discomfort even as she named her point of departure. Hope flared in his breast: could her business in Milton possibly have something to do with him, with her property at Malborough Mills; could she feel something of the happiness which was washing through him at finally meeting one another once again?
Eager to sooth and encourage her, the yellow Helstone rose which he had treasured up in his breast pocket brought a welcome glow of sunshine to her cheeks and her eyes. His heart ached with protectiveness and love at seeing her determination to overcome her own feelings of unworthiness as she - all unawares - revealed her utterly transformed regard toward him by means of her business proposition for the funds which Bell had so carelessly speculated his money to accumulate.
The feel of her hands and her lips on his hand made all his reserve and his sense of propriety melt like snow in Spring, and his unimagined joy further expanded by untold measure as she gently returned his passionate, unchained kisses.
John felt his world drop away again, as waves of unworthiness at having drawn her into a far more shameless public display than he had ever imagined her to have committed, washed over him as he helplessly watched her walk out of his life into the personal life of her lawyer, Henry Lennox.
Margaret silently thanked Henry from her heart for his gracious concession of any claim on her affections, as he handed over her carpet travelling bag and bade her 'Goodbye' without requiring any word of explanation for her wildly unconventional behaviour. Perhaps he saw she could never be a proper Lennox wife?
Margaret's stomach unknotted as she saw Mr Thornton's countenance mirror her own emotional swing from despair to joy, as she stepped quietly back beside him.
"You're coming home with me?"
She answered his question with her resolute actions, symbolically passing to him her possessions and stepping up to share his compartment. He likewise shared without reserve, giving his personal space to her with his open arms and lips. They each paused a moment to drink at the common well-spring of their joy in one another and their togetherness, before continuing to indulge for many more minutes of delicious silence.
Finally, they clung together in an enfolding embrace and she spoke, "We are going home together. Oh, my beloved John."
"I never thought to speak my love for Margaret out loud ever again. But Higgins saw into my heart - Higgins set me straight about your blameless care for your dear brother."
"Then I shall forever owe a deep debt of gratitude to Nicholas Higgins, for bringing you and I to perfect mutual understanding."
THE BEGINNING