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

Ch. 14: After Christmas Visit to London Part 1

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 14:  After Christmas Visit to London Part 1, December 31, 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 Pigott-Smith for Mr. Richard Hale, Sinead Cusack for Mrs. Hannah Thornton, Jo Joyner for Fanny Thornton, Brendan Coyle for Nicholas Higgins, and Graham McTavish as Dr. Cameron Ogilvy, 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 (S)--as well as other dramatic emotions, including some violence (V)--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:  After Christmas Eve church services, Dr. Ogilvy escorted Hannah Thornton and her daughter Fanny home, while John and Margaret had a heartfelt visit at the Hale home in Crampton.  And finding themselves under the mistletoe yet again, Cameron and Hannah shared the briefest of gentle first kisses.  He hoped to follow with a more  tender kiss, but they were interrupted by Fanny who flew into a tizzy.  Happily, John and Margaret arrived home just then and Fanny's questions were averted--and stymied through the rest of the following day.  But Fanny pouted silently to herself that her mother has a suitor when she does not.

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 14:  After Christmas Visit to London Part 1

The day after Christmas, John and Margaret, the Hales and Fanny set off for London by train as a mini wedding and holiday trip.   John and Margaret will spend time with the Hales in London at her Aunt Shaw's residence since the Shaw family was not able to travel to Milton for their wedding.  Fanny travels with them to take in the delights of London--museums, plays, concerts, and much shopping.  She had not originally been slated to go with them, but John persuaded her that she would have a good time--with John hoping to give his mother Hannah Thornton and her suitor Dr. Cameron Ogilvy some private courting time away from Fanny.

Fanny's [(2) right] rather incessant excited chattering during their train trip from Milton to London--about all the things that she wants to do when they reach London--becomes a steady buzz that gives John a headache. Margaret rubs his temples to help ease his symptoms.  Mrs. Hale has long since fallen asleep with the aid of a sleeping packet their maid Dixon made sure to bring along with her.  And Mr. Hale is the only one who listens interestedly to Fanny's wish list--offering further suggestions every so often that Fanny appreciates.  Fanny feels that she is quite warming to the Hales--well, Mr. Hale anyway, because he actually listens to her.

As their party is welcomed into the large and elegant pink and cream colored parlor at Margaret's Aunt Shaw's mansion in London, the extended families all have tea together. The men sitting on a long sette on one side of the room, and the ladies sitting on a long sette on the other side of the room--though Mrs. Hale has gone upstairs to her room for a nap in a proper bed, with her maid Dixon sitting by her bedside should she need something. While downstairs in the parlor, Margaret eagerly cradles the now [13] month old Sholto, son of her cousin Edith and Edith's husband Captain Maxwell Lennox.