"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 47 (PG-13): Sunday Luncheon Parting is Bittersweet, April 14, 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, 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: After the movers left on Saturday afternoon, Baird helped his Stepmother Hannah and his Father Cameron with moving their furniture around in their newly renovated home above Cameron's medical offices. Baird was exhausted, but joined them for tea before returning to his hotel to draft a reply to his law offices about him returning for the urgent legal matter. He knows his duty to the case's participants, but it will still be difficult to break the news of his return to London to Fanny at their luncheon today.
"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 47 (PG-13): Sunday Luncheon Parting is Bittersweet
After Fanny spent an enjoyable time Saturday morning with the mill children nursery children while their parents worked at the mill--with there being no academic lessons per se for the children on Saturdays, just fun things like drawing, table games, and outdoor play--she looks forward to having Baird join them for Sunday luncheon after church. It will be the first time that they might have a chance to be alone together since their falling out at the Charity Ball two weeks ago. And Fanny is more eager to heal their rift now--after their pleasant and humorous exchanges about Ann Lattimer and Dr. Miles Houghton (dull and duller) at the Friday evening Chopin Nocturnes concert. It was, perhaps, wicked of Fanny and Baird to be so secretly uncharitable about Ann and Miles, but it betokened a kinship of feeling and sentiments between them that cannot be ignored.
So Fanny takes extra care with her grooming and gown choice for church--wearing her lovely pink and blue plaid dress with the wide lace collar [(2) right]. There is no Scottish tartan plaid on Earth in these girlish colors. But she is making an effort by wearing plaid. And Fanny wonders if she and Baird will kiss if they make up today. And she also looks down at her bare ring finger on her left hand--where she had worn Baird's late Mother's cameo ring when they were almost engaged. Fanny had given the ring back to Baird via his sister Angharad when she broke up with him. And her not wearing the lovely ring was a further reminder to her of the breach between them.
After church this Sunday as they await their carriages to collect them to return to Thornton Manor for a family luncheon, Fanny chats with her Mother Hannah and Stepfather Cameron, and with Baird. John and Margaret are still chatting with the vicar. And Fanny notices a slight change in her Mama and Cameron--even more loving and happy, if that is possible.
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"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)
FanfictionJohn Thornton has an eager mind, starved for intellectual stimulation. But what John could not have foreseen was that just as his mind needs nourishment, so does his heart. Mr. Hale's proud, beautiful, kind, stubborn, and compassionate daughter Mi...
