North & South (A Fanfiction)

Chapter: 5

It's been a month since my father told us that he was blind. I sit by the window in the Thornton's parlor with a small pile of my fathers books in my lap. No one is here in the parlor with me at the moment, I wait for someone to come though it seems like it's been a long time since I came here.

"Ms. Teller!" I turn from the window. Mr. Thornton stands in the doorway. I stand up. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your father?"

"I have something to give you Mr. Thornton." I walk over to him and hold out the three books. "These were my fathers, he told me that he wanted you to have them." I say.

He takes the books slowly, seeming surprised. "These were your fathers?" he asks. "I can not take these." He holds them back out to me.

"No, he wants you to have the books." I tell him. Gently pushing them back into his hand.

"Why do you give these books to me? What has happened?" He asks. He has already seen the saddened look on my face. "Is something wrong?"

"We are going back home. My father wants to be home for his last few weeks."

"Last few weeks? Has he become ill again?"

"Very ill, but we suppose that the clean air will do him some good."

"Is it just Ms. Dixon going with you?" he asks.

"Yes, it is just us going. Why do you ask?"

"Only because I would think that you would need company, being all alone and without a friend to talk to." he says. I look up at him and his eyes catch mine. His eyes, how I never looked at them before, a deep brown with gold flecks here and there. Then a sudden feeling enters the pit of my stomach and I flinch suddenly.

"I-I have to go."

"Ms. Teller.." he starts. I shake my head. I pull my hands away from the books and run out of the parlor. I pick up my skirt and run down the steps and out into the cotton mill. Tears fill my eyes and yet I do not know why I am crying.

"Ms. Teller!" I hear someone call behind me. I turn my head slightly and see a figure running this way, yet I cannot see if because of the tears in my eyes. When I turn back around I am almost charged by a horse but I stop just in time. The horse looks like it become loose from one of the wagons. I start running again but this time a hand takes mine and I stop. I turn around and Mr. Thornton stands there. He pulls me back towards him and suddenly kisses me. It's not a kiss that I'd try to get away from, or one that I would want but it is one that I have no idea what to feel.

When Mr. Thornton pulls away my fingers touch my lips as they tingle slightly. I step back a little, picking up my skirt I turn and run quickly out the front gate of the mill.

"Madeline!" I hear him yell. I have to leave now, I can not come back here again. To my surprise I run all the way back to my home, back to the old home I suppose. I open the door and close it quickly, sinking to the floor I sit there crying, my hand covering my mouth from the sobs.

"Ms. Teller?" Ms. Dixon appears from my fathers study and she looks at me. "Oh my, what happened?" she asks. I just shake my head and continue crying. She helps me stand and then leads me up to my room where the only thing that remains is my bed mattress. We are supposed to leave today, but who knows if we actually will or not.

"I will tell your father that we will be leaving tomorrow." Ms. Dixon says.

"No." I stop her from leaving, "No we're leaving tonight." I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath but it's hard not to let the tears fall. "Do not mind me, I'm just upset to be leaving. I'm fine." I tell her. She nods.