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

Ch. 38 (PG): Dr. Houghton is Very Attentive

“North & South:  John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 38 (PG):  Dr. Houghton is Very Attentive,   March 17, 2014 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” and other actors for additional characters:   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, Holliday Grainger for Angharad Ogilvy MacIntosh, Simon Woods for Baird Ogilvy, and Emma Ashton as Mrs. Dillard, John Light as Henry Lennox, Tim Faraday as Watson, Gillian Anderson at Carlotta Quint Watson, and Jeremy Northam as Dr. Miles Houghton, 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 from the previous chapter:  Margaret has a pregnancy health scare.  Fanny is distraught over Baird, but she finds distraction in helping Margaret and watching the mill nursery little ones.  But Fanny still needs her big brother John’s comforting.

“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 38 (PG):  Dr. Houghton is Very Attentive

Fanny spends the next few days home in Milton, helping at the mill school and nursery for lunchtime and in the afternoons, quietly embroidering while sitting with Margaret, or visiting Mrs. Hale who has become more ill.  With Margaret on bed chamber rest with her pregnancy and not able to visit her mother, Fanny’s filling that need by visiting Mrs. Hale in the mornings is a great comfort to Margaret. And Fanny as an unacknowledged former hypochrondriac has a sense of fellow feeling with Mrs. Hale’s fragile condition.   And since Fanny’s own mother is still in Scotland, she appreciates Mrs. Hale’s motherly influence.  So Fanny reads to Mrs. Hale, or they talk about the times they had together during their extended visit in London previously. 

But Fanny still cannot forget Baird Ogilvy.  Even when the youngish thirty year old Dr. Miles Houghton comes to call on Margaret Thornton Monday afternoon to assess her progress, Fanny does not notice his particular interest in her.

Closing his medical bag after examining Margaret Thornton with Fanny present in the room as propriety dictates, he gives his assessment. 

Dr. Houghton:  “I think you seem a bit improved, Mrs. Thornton.  Your heart rate is lowering to normal levels for a pregnant lady.  And you said that you feel less faint.  Good, good.”  He smiles cordially.

Margaret:  Margaret is eager to resume her active life and she asks with a hopeful smile. “So may I stop being on bed chamber rest now?  I miss the children at the mill.” Margaret wistfully gazes up [(2) right] at the doctor.

Fanny: “Oh Margaret, I wouldn’t over extend yourself, if I were you.”  Fanny squeezes Margaret’s hand caringly.  “I can still help out at lunchtime and in the afternoons when the second little ones helper isn’t able to come.”  Fanny delightedly moves to the bed to fuss over Margaret as she adjusts and fluffs Margaret’s pillow for her.  Then she smiles. “Besides, I’m enjoying it.  Children are so dear.” Fanny sighs--and she thinks, children are not judgemental like some adults, Baird Ogilvy in particlar.