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

Ch. 84 (PG-13, D): Brigid's Past Threatens to Claim Her Future

“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 84 (PG-13, D):  Brigid’s Past Threatens to Claim Her Future,  September 23, 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, 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, Helena Bonham Carter as Brigid Gordon, and Steven Waddington as Major Reginald Monckton, 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:  Margaret and John congratulated the happily engaged couple of Nicholas Higgins and Brigid Gordon that Saturday, August 30, 1855.  However, the rain prevented Margaret and Brigid going in to town to begin wedding clothing shopping. So that excursion will be delayed until the following week.  But Nicholas and Brigid at least convey their intention to marry to the parson on Sunday and the first of three wedding banns are read in church to everyone’s delight.  Nicholas and Brigid are a very happy pair contemplating their wedding to take place in the coming weeks at the conclusion of her serving as wet nurse to baby Douglas Thornton.   But just as the rain deluged Nicholas’ and Brigid’s engagement proposal, a development will arise to cloud their hoped for happiness.

“N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons”, Ch. 84 (PG-13, D):  Brigid’s Past Threatens to Claim Her Future

After the first week of Nicholas Higgins’ and Brigid Gordon’s engagement, the second of three wedding banns [(2)] are announced in Sunday church as is custom--they will be wed the following Sunday, September 14th, 1855.   Two week engagements seem to be prevalent amongst John and Margaret Thornton’s extended family and friends--and was the case for John and Margaret. 

The first week of Nicholas Higgins’ and Nanny Brigid Gordon’s engagement is a whirlwind of wedding clothes fittings and a small trousseau collection for Brigid courtesy of John and Margaret.   However, Nicholas buys a new dark blue suit from his own pocket.  Though Nicholas is gracious about John and Margaret Thornton gifting his intended bride Brigid with some wedding allowances in lieu of her parents doing so, he will not accept such largesse for himself.  A man has his pride. 

Nicholas earns a generous salary as Senior Overseer of Marlborough Mills for Master John Thornton. He saves a good deal of his salary in the bank and under his mattress, and there is plenty saved for Nicholas to support his hoped for growing family of his intended wife Brigid and her now eleven month old baby son Arthur.