Missing Mr Thornton

CHAPTER 3 - Deep Devotion

                Margaret and Henry sat together at the table eating their breakfast in slow silence. Henry looked over the morning's papers with little interest and Margaret pushed her food around her plate whilst contemplating what she should write to her brother Frederick.  She had written to him previously about her marriage and their move but had not yet had anything to tell him of significance. She began to ponder about Frederick's life in Cadiz but was interrupted by the entrance of one of the servants carrying a letter. Both Margaret and Henry looked up at the girl expectantly, 'for you ma'm,' she said curtseying to Margaret, the letter outstretched in her rough hand. Margaret took the letter and opened it. The letter's contents were of a business nature, as the landlord of Marlborough Mills she had been called upon to take an annual visit, to check over the legal documents and to keep her up to date on the mill's progress.

                Margaret did not look upon this invitation with joy, she would be glad to see Higgins again but that was all. Milton held too many bad memories for her, that part of her youth was over. In her experience the past was best left untouched. Henry enquired after the letter and she told him of its subject whereupon he raised his eyebrows slightly and a look she couldn't quite place bequeathed his face. Henry had always seen the owner of Marlborough Mills, a certain Mr Thornton, as competition. In looks and in character Thornton was his superior, and he could tell that she had been quite partial to him at one time. He was not worried by the idea of Margaret seeing him as he knew Margaret was sensible and he trusted her judgement, yet he felt agitated by the idea all the same.

                Margaret planned to go to Milton that same day as she wanted to get the visit done as soon as she could and with as little injury to herself as possible.  She left the table promptly and went to her room to call for Dixon to help her dress. She wore a simple green striped dress and put her hair up into a fashionable but business-like up do. Gathering what she needed she left the house and hailed a cab to the train station.  The last time she had taken the train to Milton was when she went to visit the mill one final time. At the memory of her time spent there she smiled a sad smile. She had grown up in Milton; she had never truly known herself till then. She had experienced as much sorrow within one year as some do in a lifetime there but it had been mingled with happiness.

                The train slowly pulled in to the station, she had not had time to send ahead a message to let the mill know of her imminent arrival but did not feel that she would be inconveniencing them too much as she did not plan to stay long. She walked the familiar walk through the smog filled streets of Milton until she reached the gates of the mill, large and imposing. She opened the gate enough for her to get through and leisurely walked into the courtyard marvelling as she had done before at the hard, cold beauty of the mill and the house next to it. The house, grey and menacing it towered above her dominating the courtyard, 'and I could be living there now,' she breathed. There wasn't a day when she didn't regret her actions towards him, she hated herself for her abominable treatment of him but was content in her punishment of her unhappy marriage. She stood marvelling at the sombre creation of dark stone a few minutes more before her reveries were interrupted by a formal cough behind her. Jumping slightly, she spun around to find herself face to face with Mr Thornton.

SORRY I HAVENT WRITTEN IN AGES! I  apologise profusely for not updating earlier but I have been so busy with revision for exams that I haven't had time! I promise that I will try and stay on track with updating now though! thank you so so much for reading - it means a lot! please comment on what you think of it so far as I would love to hear your feedback!  xxx