Missing Mr Thornton

CHAPTER 12: Jealousy

A Ball was to be held at the Finchington's, a very wealthy and well known family in London, to celebrate their return from the country to town to which the Lennox's had been invited, Margaret had also found out that Mr Thornton was also to be a member of the party. They had both been meeting on a daily basis in Mr Thornton's hotel for around a month now and all was going well. It was the afternoon of the day of the ball and Margaret had just returned home, having visited Mr Thornton that morning, to change. With the help of her ladies maid Bessie she had picked out a pale pink dress and white elbow high gloves matched with a small necklace hosting one pearl in a silver setting and a pair of cream heels. The dress was low cut but not too revealing and had a lace fringe around the rectangular neckline, it was very fitted around the bodice then flowed out in one piece of rose pink satin. Her hair had been curled then twisted into a loose bun on top of her head with a few curls left out to frame her heart shaped face. She also wore a bit of pink colour on her lips and some rouge on her cheeks. She then smoothed down her dress, thanked Bessie for her excellent help and left her room to join her husband downstairs.

The relationship between Margaret and Henry had got worse over the month she had been seeing Mr Thornton, Margaret couldn't help but feel guilty every time she saw her husband and so took to staying in her room or out of the house when he was at home, meals were eaten in an awkward silence broken only by him attempting to make conversation which was often rejected by Margaret. Henry had also noticed his wife's change in mood since the month before, she had never been as happy as he had hoped she would be with him but she seemed content with her life, now however she always seemed much happier and he often caught her in a reverie with a dreamy smile on her face. If he didn't know better he would have thought she had a lover but he knew that Margaret would never go behind his back like that, she may not love him yet as he did her but he was confident that in time she would fall in love with him. Now they sat in their carriage on their way to the Finchington's Ball in an uncomfortable silence leaving the only sound between them that of the wheels of the carriage as they turned over the cobble stoned roads and the horses hooves clacking on the stone.

When they arrived at the Finchington's house, that was really much closer to a mansion than a house, they were announced by the footman and then made their way into the main ball room. Hundreds of guests milled about some chatting, some drinking and others dancing. The couple were introduced to many of the other guests and took part in trivial conversations with them. Margaret found this form of socialising rather dull as the most interesting topic ever talked about seemed to be that of the weather, whenever she had tried to talk about something more important like poverty she was simply laughed at and ignored, instead she stood by her husband pretending to be interested and paying attention in whatever he and his law friends were talking about, she smiled and nodded her head every now and then to give the impression of the interested wife who loved to hear about the gentlemen's most recent card games. She skimmed her eyes across the crowd of people mingling with each other looking for a familiar face, she was hoping to spy her aunt or cousin among the guests but couldn't see either.

Bored out of her wits by the men's conversation, she politely excused herself and headed towards the table from which drinks were being served, she poured herself a cup of punch and was about to take a sip when a hand touched her shoulder. "May I have this dance m'Lady?" he enquired. She turned around to find herself face to face with one of her cousins George. "George!" she cried and quickly enveloped him in a hug, as unladylike as it was to embrace a man that was not her husband she could not help it, she had not seen George in an age and was so glad to finally be reunited with him. He was tall and had grown incredibly handsome over the past four years that she had not seen him. His hair was blonde and slightly dishevelled giving him an almost rogue like appearance, he had a defined jaw peppered with some light stubble and his dark blue eyes flecked with hints of brown were like wells of midnight blue sky, his nose was slightly crooked from being broken one too many times and his lips were turned up in a boyish grin. She matched the large grin that spread across his face and took his offered hand with an over exaggerated, "Yes m'Lord," she even added a long curtsey for effect. Taking her gloved hand in his he pressed a long kiss on her hand to which she laughed and then took her into the middle of the area erected for dancing. They danced the next three dances together catching up on what each other had missed and laughing and smiling all the while. George bent down to whisper into her ear, "Who is that man glaring at me as if I'm wanted for murder? My dear Margaret, I believe you have an admirer," his eyes twinkled in amusement as she stood on her tiptoes to look across the sea of people. Her eyes roamed the crowd until she locked gazes with an irate looking Mr Thornton. 

Hey Guys!

Sorry this is a rather short update but better than nothing right?  Dun dun duh what will happen next.... You'll just have to wait and find out, however, because this is such a short update I will post the next chapter at the same time! Please continue to comment and vote! lots of love and happiness to all my readers, have an amazing day! 

Milton Girl

xxxx