Ms. Hale and Mr. Thornton

The Letter

Dear Margaret,

Henry has informed Mother and me about your decision to return to Milton with a Mister Thornton. Who I would also like to mention we have not had the pleasure of meeting. I must confess Margaret that we were entirely shocked by your actions. Mama, baby Sholto and I were expecting you to come home here with Henry after your visit to Milton. I've not made it secret that I want you and Henry to be together. Can you not see that he is a suitable husband for you?

What I find most intriguing Margaret is that of the entirety of your stay here in Harley Street you have never mentioned Mr. Thornton to me, Mama not even Mr. Bell when he delighted us with his company. Dearest cousin I love you like a sister and if what I dread is true that you intend to have Mister Thornton as a husband then I must press that Mama and I should meet him!

I am to come to Milton in a fortnight with Dixon, Mama, the Captain and Sholto to have a proper introduction to Mr. Thornton. You need not worry for our lodgings, we will be staying in a hotel.

Your dearest cousin,
Edith

Margaret anxiously stood in front of John waiting for him to finish the letter. She received it the day before pondering over how her fiancé and his family would react after she shared the contents of it. She planned on telling him about what Edith wrote but decided to let him read it himself.

"Your cousin is...eager to meet me" John finally spoke after reading and handed the letter back to her.

"She has written as if I have committed a great scandal" She said as she sat next to him both hands still holding the letter. "it is always like this between me and Edith... So used to have her way with everyone and everything. She bares it greatly when she thinks I've done her wrong.I love her like a sister but she can be spoiled sometimes."

John's hand reached for hers "It also says that she intends to bring her entire family with her to Milton."

"My aunt, my nephew and the Captain" Margaret faintly smiled at him. "I think my cousin followed my aunt's example when it comes to her marriage." John looked at her in earnest listening. "Aunt married a general you see. General Shaw."

"Like mother like daughter, your cousin married a captain." John concluded

"Yes" Margaret nodded stood and scanned the letter again
"Although I cannot say if both marriages were of love or convenience. I am inclined to say the latter."

"and ours will be -?" John asked in an effort to steer the conversation to something concerning him and his future bride.

"both"

"both?" John surprised and raised his eyebrow in question. He raised his hand to her waiting for her to take it and immediately had his fiancé sitting on his lap. His arms around her waist and hers around his neck.

"John, surely you must admit that marrying your landlord will be tremendously convenient for you" she teased "no more paying the lease or negotiating for you"

"I believe payments can be given in other ways"

After a few moments of delicious silence. "We still have a few days. We must prepare for your family's arrival" John said still holding his fiancée unwilling to relinquish her yet. "Have you told my mother yet? "

"No" Margaret shook her head "I imagine she'll want to show them the best Milton has to offer"

"Yes, I believe so"

"and so will I" and again both were paid in full.

A/N: sorry it took me so long to update. I had a long time figuring out where this story is headed and how I'm going to tell it.

'delicious silence'is from the book :) I will always believe in my mind that John and Margaret kissed in the book :)

This story is not abandoned or forgotten and will be upated until the end. Thank you so much to everyone who commented and liked this story :)