Missing Mr Thornton

CHAPTER 1 : The Journey Home

Margaret gathered her skirts and climbed gracefully out of the train compartment. Her unsuccessful visit to Milton had left her feeling sad at the thought of not being able to see him one more time. Mrs Thornton's words played in her head on repeat as she gulped in the fresh air of the station to steady her breathing.  She knew he did not love her anymore; she had missed her chance because of her inability to see what was staring her right in the face. Slowly she walked back towards the carriage in which Henry was sitting with their bags. She let him help her up and partook in a conversation about Marlborough Mill as much as the memory of it pained her.

The train began to pull out of the station as another train entered on the other side. Had she not been too wrapped up in her own thoughts she might have noticed the handsome face she was thinking of in the window of the other train.

Thornton needed to stretch his legs and so left his compartment to take a short walk along the length of the station. As he opened the door of the compartment he looked up and caught a glimpse of Margaret's profile in the window of the train across the platform from him, shaking his head thinking he must have surely imagined it, he continued out of the train carriage and onto the platform.

Margaret dozed on the journey back to London whilst Henry watched her from his seat, a look of admiration on his face. She had refused him once, but that was when she had her family around her. Now that both her mother and father were gone he was convinced he could persuade her to consent to becoming his wife. Margaret felt his eyes watching her intently and opened hers a crack, adjusting to the bright light streaming in from the window. She yawned slightly and smiled at Henry. He had always taken good care of her.

She noticed that he was staring at her in a peculiar manner and begged him to know what was at fault with her to make him stare so. He replied that indeed nothing was wrong with her, but he continued to stare at her face, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips. Margaret shifted uncomfortably in her seat, reaching for her satchel she took out a small book and began to read. A philosophy book Henry observed, it must have been one of her fathers he assumed. Without being able to refrain any longer Henry swiftly moved to sit next to her taking her small hand in his as he did so. Alarmed and surprised she looked up at him, he was at first a little lost, the fact that she had not immediately pulled her hand away had surprised him a little but he took it as encouragement.

' I'm sure what I have to say to you will come as no surprise for I know you know my feelings towards you,' Margaret lowered her eyes and carefully removing her hand from his placed it in her lap, 'yes you have told me before,' was her only answer. Having started he could not stop now and so he continued; 'Margaret, you have nothing to hold you anywhere, no family left, nobody to guide you. I only want what's best for you, I have plenty enough for us both to live on and I know I could make you happy.' This Margaret doubted, but she couldn't help but agree with the rest. She didn't know what she had expected to get out of seeing Mr Thornton one more time, she couldn't really have expected a repeat of his addresses, not after the way she had so cruelly treated him, but she hadn't foreseen this. Henry carried on, trying as best he could to persuade her for several minutes, after which, he finished, looking up at her with half-hearted eyes.

She simply nodded. She didn't know what else to do, who to turn to. She had lost the only man she had ever loved months ago, where would she find someone else who cared for her more than Henry did? She nodded again more convinced within herself that this was truly the best thing for her to do. A look of surprise mingled with happiness entered Henry's face along with a wash of relief; he didn't think he could stand being refused twice. He took both her hands in his kissing them softly. She tried to smile properly at him but all she could manage was a small smile, it should have been Mr Thornton, not Henry, it didn't feel right, none of what had happened in the past year had felt right except for Mr Thornton. She professed tiredness and turned her head away from Henry's letting sleep engulf her until the train finally stopped in London.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this first chapter, there's lots more to come - thank you so much for reading!

Milton Girl  xxx