"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 67 (PG-13): The Cycle of Life,
June 24, 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 Ogilvy, Jo Joyner for Fiona/Fanny Thornton Ogilvy, 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, Jeremy Northam as Dr. Miles Houghton, Gerard Butler as Lord Jamie Ogilvy, and Juliette Lewis as Lady Thistle Ogilvy, etc.] [(1) story logo, top right]
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. As such there will be heartfelt moments of love and sensuality (S)--as well as other dramatic emotions (D), 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: Before meeting their new little niece, Audrey Grace Thornton, Lord Baird Ogilvy learned about his wife Lady Fiona's assisting during the birth of their sister-in-law Margaret Thornton's baby--and the resultant fears that Fiona's has about her having to suffer through a similar birthing ordeal when the time comes for their baby to be born. But Baird and his sister Lady Angharad Ogilvy MacIntosh help soothe Fiona by truthfully telling her that his and Angharad's birthing weights were small and under six pounds. This somewhat assuages Fiona's concerns. And Hannah and Cameron being wed almost two months before Fiona and Baird, also await their child's birth. But first, Baby Audrey Grace has some important people to meet.
"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 67 (PG-13): The Cycle of Life
Though John Thornton swiftly posted a letter via express mail train to Margaret's parents the Hales in Milton about the birth of their daughter Audrey Grace, Margaret and the baby are not able to travel home to Milton until two weeks later on Saturday July 5th, 1851 due to Margaret still recovering from the birth. Hannah and Cameron also travel back with them--since Cameron is Margaret's physician and she will still be recuperating over the next month.
Perhaps it is because Margaret has been apart from her mother and father for the last three weeks while they were in Scotland for the Highland Games and then recovering from the birth--or a woman's intuition, given that Margaret's mother's health has been in rapid decline these past few months--but on their way home to Thornton Manor from the train station, Margaret resolutely insists that they stop at Crampton to see her parents and show them their baby daughter, Audrey Grace. John is not happy about it because Margaret is still in such a delicate condition, but Cameron as her physician and father-in-law grudgingly agrees with Margaret--as long as they do not spend more than a half hour there. Margaret and the baby must get home and rest.
After dropping Hannah and Cameron off at their home above his medical practice, John and Margaret travel on to Crampton. The last few yards are difficult since the large Thornton carriage cannot fit through the street archway. So John helps Margaret alight from the carriage and directs their driver to deposit their trunks and belongings at Thornton Manor and then return for them in a half hour. Margaret is still weak as she slowly climbs the Crampton homes' front steps while John carries their baby daughter and their baby bag of necessities. Margaret catches her breath and then knocks upon the front door. Dixon opens the door.
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"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)
FanficJohn 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...
