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

Ch. 78 (PG-13): Chance Made Us Sisters

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 78 (PG-13):  Chance Made Us Sisters,  August 30, 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, Juliette Lewis as Lady Thistle Ogilvy, and Helena Bonham Carter as Brigid Gordon, 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:  John and Margaret returned from Airlie Castle in Scotland with their two adopted children--baby Douglas and two year old Catriona--and their four year old Audrey Grace.  Their Nanny Brigid is a great help in gently overseeing the children--including her own baby son Arthur.  And with Parenting duties slightly lessened, John and Margaret are able to rekindle their romantic spark after  children tending had put a damper on things.  The girls--Audrey Grace and Caty--become especially close.  But as with any sisters, difficulties will arise.

"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", Ch. 78 (PG-13):  Chance Made us Sisters

(This chapter is dedicated to Kitty--a sister friend in my heart.)

During the first week of her stay at Thornton Manor, Brigid enjoys eating below stairs with the other house servants- -and becoming fast friends with Head House maid Sarah.  Brigid welcomes finding a sisterly soul in Sarah since her own family is so small now--just she and her baby son Arthur.  Brigid has living parents, but they are back in Scotland and advanced in years --and she is not likely to see them ever again.  Brigid had hesitated briefly at the offer of the Thornton's to join them in England.  But her parents insisted that she take this chance to make a new life for herself and their grandson Arthur.  And so Brigid is making a new home for herself and her baby son.

And Brigid notices off handedly, that the man Higgins seems to be a regular visitor to the Thornton home.  However, Brigid is usually so engaged with the children--playing with them in the nursery when she is not nursing baby Douglas--that she does not have much time to think upon it.  The children in her charge have also taken to familiarly calling her Nanny Brigid--rather than addressing her more formally as Nanny Gordon.  And that is just as Brigid prefers. 

And Audrey Grace is delighted to have not one, but two playmates in her newly adopted two year old sister Caty and Nanny Brigid's seven month old son Arthur.  Although, it is true that Arthur does not do much but sit and some crawling.  Audrey Grace will have to wait a year before he might become more interesting.  However, two year old Caty delights in playing dollies with Audrey Grace, and she with her--dollies being something that had been left behind when Catriona's grandparents took her to the Airlie Castle Orphanage with her baby brother.  Margaret enjoys watching the girls play as she sits with Brigid while she nurses baby Douglas.  Then Margaret burps him to feel part of his feeding routine.