Milton Belle

Thanks again to lovely Pepper on the ArmitageArmy@RichardArmitageCentral Forum for her help.

Just a note before we start.........Margaret's attitude to John's dealings with Mattie might seem far fetched but here's some info I found on line about the Victorian view of sex before marriage.

Major double standards...

"The majority of women (happily for them) are not very much troubled with sexual feelings of any kind" - Dr. William Acton


Dr. Acton's books were very popular, and they suggest how much truth there was in our stereotypes of the constrained character of nineteenth-century English sexual behavior. In proper middle-class and upper-class circles, women were supposed to have no sexual conduct before marriage - a hand around the waist, a small kiss, and a fervent pressing of the hand was probably the accepted limit in most cases.

Also, when a woman married, she had no independent legal status. She had no right to any money (earned, inherited, etc.), she could not make a will or buy property, she had no claim to her children, she had to move with him wherever he went. If the husband died, he could name the mother as the guardian, but he did not have to do so.


For middle- and upper-class men, premarital sex would have been with servants and prostitutes, since "nice girls" didn't go beyond the small kiss or squeeze of the hand.

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Part 15

John didn't head back towards the Mill. How could he work with all this on his mind ?
He couldn't go to see Margaret yet.
She'd been so angry when she left. He guessed she wouldn't even acknowledge him at the moment.
He walked, not knowing where he was going. Then he stopped to see where in the town he was.
To his relief was close to the fledgling Mill Gardens. Good. He could go and talk with Nicholas and Cedric.

Higgins looked up from the ground he was digging. John felt his spirits lift .
Not only had Nicholas been happily married he also knew Margaret very well.
“ Can I speak to you in private Nicholas ?” He asked in an uncharacteristically nervous voice.
The Gardener put down his spade and brushed soil from his hands. “ Is everything alright Mr Thornton ?” He asked in concern. John shook his head and the 2 men walked apart from the other workers
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“ A mistress ? John ?” Cecily was incredulous. “ What makes you think that about him ? “
She couldn't be thinking rationally. Cecily was certain that her friend was mistaken about what she'd heard.

Margaret breathed slowly wanting to still her raging, angry thoughts. What had John said that led her to her conclusion ?
“ He said that they're friends and that before he and I began courting they were.....Well he didn't actually say the word but it's obvious they were lovers.”
Cecily sat down and took her hand. “ Very well and what was there in that that makes you assume they still are lovers.“

Margaret held her breath. What indeed ? She began to stammer in her embarrassment.
“ I...I'm not sure.” Her voice became tiny and bashful.....Then the tears began to flow.
' She's beautiful and sophisticated. I'm sure she's working class but she's made herself into a lady. She has such charm....and.....and......charisma”. The words finally flowed along with the salt water.
All Margaret's fear that the years she had missed out on being brought up as a lady would come to haunt her now welled up fit to choke her.
Worse still the fear that John would realise how unsuitable she was as a society wife. Or that he already had seen it......and wanted to replace her.

Cecily held her until the storm of tears blew itself out.
“ Well I'm glad I could get you thinking darling. After lunch and when you feel calmer I think you need to go and tell all that to your husband. Who no doubt is going through hell.

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“ So you 've not told Margaret that this Mattie's a Prostitute then ?” Nicholas asked.
“ No”. John answered feeling completely perplexed. “ I thought that........Oh I don't know what I've been thinking. What have I done Nicholas ? I couldn't tell Margaret then and there what Mattie is. I assumed that she would realise that our relationship is very much in the past”.
Nicholas grinned. “ There you have it Sir. That word......'Assumed.' Ladies are amazing but they conna read minds. Sometimes tha's got to tell 'em things straight so there's no confusion. Tha'd ave done better to have telled her about yon business arrangement wi Mattie sooner. Then her'd know it were in 't past.
Tha's t'have fer't go to Miss Cecily's and tell Margaret 't 'full tale. And soon as possible Ah'd say.


John approached Cecily's house. His belly a tight knot of nerves. What short of reception would he get ? Would Margaret even listen to him ?
he pushed himself forward anxious for it to all be over. And knocked on the door.
It was opened by the middle aged servant who went to tell ' Miss Cecily' that Mr John Thornton was here.
“ I'll come out and see hin Davis” Cecily said, walking out of the drawing room to face her friend's husband.
“ Is Margaret here ?” She heard the same small voice as Margaret had used only deeper and gruffer.
“ Come through John”. She said quietly. “ Margaret”. She told her friend. “ You have a visitor..........I'll go and leave you alone”. And she slid silently away.

Margaret stood up and turned to face her husband. He looked lost and bewildered. Not like an adulterer........But a frightened little boy who has made a terrible mistake.

John faced his wife. Those lovely hazel eyes red with tears............” Oh Margaret”. His voice broke.....I'm so sorry”.
“ John”. Her lips trembled and fresh tears trickled down. “ I'm sorry too”. And she rushed forward to be enfolded in his arms.
“ Oh God”. And he really was praying. “ Oh Margaret. I thought I'd lost you for good..........I handled all that so badly”.
Margaret tried to speak but he put a finger to her lips.....” Please my love. let me explain”.

And he told her the full story this time. His Uncle taking him to lose his virginity......His being too busy trying to rebuild his Father's business to have time for love..... His finding that Mattie could not only cater to his baser needs but also be a friend. And how the arrangement had suited them both for years.

“ But Mattie has no desire to belong to any one man”. He explained. “ We both knew that one day I would find a woman to marry and that when I did it would be the end of our business arrangement......
She knew when the time had come. Even before I told her that I wanted to court you.She said she could see it in my eyes that I'd found my bride to be. We parted as friends and with happy memories of our time together. Then I asked you to walk out with me............And the rest is history.”

He cupped her face in his hands studying her beloved face before bending to shower her with heated, tender kisses.............. “ So elucidate Angel. What did I say to make you think Mattie is my Mistress ?”

So Margaret told him all she'd just told Cecily about her feelings of inadequacy..........
And John kissed her again........Telling her in between each kiss that if anyone were to present him with a gaggle of 'Finished' young ladies he still would choose his unaffected, warm and tender Maggie Hale.
“ I can say with pride that I met my wife in a private library where she was working as a servant........Though nothing disguised even then what a lady she was”.

Cecily stood outside the door listening and she smiled to hear the Thorntons reliving their early relationship in the sweet way that lovers have.

Content that her friend was back in the safe hands of her devoted husband she went to tell Davis that Mr Thornton would be stopping for lunch too.

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John and Margaret floated down together on a cloud of post orgasmic bliss. This was the third time they had made love tonight. And no doubt there would also be a fourth before long.
“ Darling”. Margaret's voice was a silky caress. It emanated through John's ear and into his blood as her hand flowed across his muscled chest and abdomen.
“ I was thinking that it might not be a bad idea for me to meet Mattie properly. Perhaps we can have tea together just she and I...........You see I think she might have a few things to teach me about pleasing my Lord and Master”.

John gave a low growl from the back of his throat asMargaret Maragret on her back again.Hands and lips streaming across her creamy skin once again.
“ You already please me more than I can say little Maggie”. He purred. “ But I'm sure Mattie can teach you some tricks that I will enjoy sharing with you.”.

TBC.