"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)

Ch. 7: The Mill's Future is Cast into Doubt

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons",  Ch. 7:  The Mill’s Future is Cast into Doubt, November 30, 2013 Gratiana Lovelace 

(An original fan fiction copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace;   All rights reserved;

Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, North & South and its
2004 BBC adaptation; No copyright infringement intended)

[I will illustrate my story using my dream cast from the 2004 BBC production of “North & South”: 

Richard Armitage for John Thornton,  Daniela Denby-Ashe for Margaret Hale, Lesley Manville for Mrs. Maria Hale,  Tim Piggott-Smith for Mr. Richard Hale, Sinead Cusack for Mrs. Hannah Thornton, Jo Joyner for Fanny Thornton, and Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, etc] [(1) story logo] 

Author’s Mature Content Note:  “N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons” is a story with mature themes of love and relationships set within a period drama of the 1850’s and beyond.  As such there will be heartfelt moments of love and sensuality--as well as other dramatic emotions--and I will rate those chapters accordingly.  If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read that chapter.  This is my disclaimer.

Author’s Recap of the Previous Chapter:  John and Margaret had dinner at Thornton Manor Sunday evening and told his mother and sister of their wedding plans--with mixed results, though both were shocked.  Ever the pragmatist, Mrs. Thornton acknowledge--if not accepted--their announcement with steely poise.  John’s sister Fanny was less poised, even petulantly asking a plaintive why.  Though Fanny was slightly mollified when she was reminded that the event would be cause for John to buy her a new dress.

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons",  Ch. 7:  The Mill’s Future is Cast into Doubt

John had taken Margaret home after dinner with his family that Sunday evening in a euphoria of hopeful anticipation after their engagement and impending nuptials announcement.  Not even his sister Fanny’s chaperoning companionship--if one could call it companionship--on the ride home to Thornton Manor after delivering her back to her parents at Crampton--could dampen his spirits.  John contentedly went to bed that night dreaming of her, Margaret--and of how in but five weeks time she will be his bride and lay beside him in his bed as his wife. He had rarely dreamed for love and tenderness in his life, and now she, Margaret, will be the unblemished joy upon which all of the dark loneliness will be banished.   And though John and Margaret enjoyed a lovely picnic after church again the following Sunday after their engagement, such frivolities would soon be curtailed. 

The grumblings of the mill workers planning a strike across all of Milton’s mills persisted.  And then, it happened.  What they all had dreaded happening came to pass an early Monday morning after John Thornton and Margaret Hale’s first week of being engaged.  It was quiet, very quiet.  As the Marlborough Mills Overseer William arrived at 5am to stoke the fires to begin the steam engine that would power the looms, he noticed at eerie quiet about the streets.  The mill workers are not due to arrive for another hour—until all was in readiness for them. 

John Thornton began his Monday morning as usual--ablutions at five o’clock then breakfast with his mother at half past before heading to his office at the mill at six.  They could hear the blasts of the steam engine at regular intervals—dispelling the unspent steam until the steam would power the looms.  Fanny was not up—she never was at this hour.  And she always tried to bury her head in her pillow to sleep longer once the sound of the looms deafened their ears at six o’clock. 

And yet, the sound of the looms earnest spinning of thread into cotton fabric did not come.  All was quiet.  It was the start of the new work week for the mill workers.  The start of the new week’s wage period.   And mill workers of Milton began their strike across all six mills—including Marlborough Mills—to try to force the masters to raise wages five percent to reclaim what was lost five years ago.