Milton Belle

Part 16
Over breakfast next morning as Hannah quietly sorted through the post she handed John a neat envelope. “ From Burnley. It must be your Aunt Elisabeth.
And it was. She wrote...........
[i]
Dear John and Margaret,
Is it really a month since your wedding my dears ?
I hope all is well with you both.
I'd like to invite both of you to come to a dinner party on Saturday evening
and to stay over into Sunday with us.
Love Aunt Elisabeth.[/i]

Hannah was also invited . To be accompanied by Cedric who had yet to be introduced to Hannah's sister and brother in law. Also Cecily and Thomas who were now formally betrothed as announced in the [i]Mliton Times[/i].

The Townley Hall dining room looked a delight with candles light glinting from crystal and Lady Townley's floral decorations.
Warm and effusive as ever Elisabeth kissed John, Cedric and Tom as they came in. She hugged both Margaret and Cecily but knew better than to attempt it with her sister.
She and Hannah simply touched cheeks. The closest to an embrace they ever got.

There were 12 couples for dinner that evening. And such was the scale of the Darkshire Cotton Industry that it was inevitable that John would not be the only Mill Owner there.
There was one from Blackburn and one from Preston. Both had heard about the rejuvenation of Marlborough Mill and wanted to talk about it.

Margaret glowered a little at the way that now John was making a success once again no one ever mentioned his not having wanted to join in Watson's speculation. For which he had once been accused of 'not behaving like a man'.
Yet at the same time she was thrilled by how much her husband was being lauded again. Which was no more than he deserved in her opinion.
' John Thornton. Mill Owner and Magistrate'. She glowed happily. Respected by men of business.......(She noted with satisfaction how the eyes of ladies kept stealing glances at that handsome profile), desired by ladies..........
And he's My Husband..........The notion of it set her pulse racing and brought a blush to her cheeks. Under the table she let her hand slide onto his leg and he gave her a sideways glance fit to melt her pearls.

Lady Townley took the ladies from the dining room to the salon where she had provided tea.
Aside from her happy thoughts about her husband. Margaret's mind had also been occupied that evening with what she's said to John about Mattie.

She was aware that in her relief that John was still hers she had committed a faux pas in suggesting that she invite Mattie to tea. She had already told John that she had thought better of it now and he had kissed her hand.
“ I think it's for the best My Love”. He smiled gently. “ Milton is not such a large town that one 's actions may go un noted.
I think that the other 'Respectablee Ladies' of our aquaiintance.....” his expression gave no doubt as to his opinion as to these 'worthy' females ..............” would censure you pitilessly for having a prostitute to tea”.

Margaret was far from a snob herself but she had seen that the other ladies were. And she couldn't allow herself to injure John by having his wife spoken so badly of as she would be.

At the same time though she did want advice regarding the marriage bed. She enjoyed all that she and John did there. But there had to be other things that respectable ladies could do by way of variety and yes.......fun.
The problem was finding a 'respectable lady' that would be willing to discuss such things with her.

“ Margaret dear. Is everything alright ? You're positively brooding there “. It was Elisabeth.
And suddenly Margaret recalled Her Ladyship having said that the rigid rules of high society were mere guidelines.
She seemed to have a happy marriage with Lord Townley too...............

“ I'm very well thank you Elisabeth just having a moment's reflection is all”. she smiled.
“ Whilst you are here though. I am rather in need of some advice. And I could do with someone.....Shall we say 'open minded' to talk to about it”.
“ I see”. Said Elisabeth gently. “ Well I pride myself that I am far from being a prude.....Perhaps we should go out onto the terrace My Sweet. Away from more delicate ears.”

**********************************

John and Tom said goodnight to the 4 gentlemen remaining with the port and cigars and made their way off to bed.
' I envy you Thornton”. Tom said with the soulfulness of the slightly drunk. “ Going off to the arms of your lovely wife..........”.
John, not entirely sober himself clapped him companionably on the back. ' Cecily will be worth the waiting for Boucher Old Lad”. He said warmly. Just keep having the cold baths until the wedding.”
Tom groaned in frustration and then chuckled ruefully as he went to open one door and John another.

Stepping inside his room John swallowed . Margaret was sitting up in bed reading. She wore a white night gown and neatly plaited hair hung over her shoulder, showing him the creamy column of her neck and those edible, tender ears.

He had not drunk sufficient for his body to be unable to react to the sight of her.
God she was ravishing..........” And all mine” . His instincts told him. Lust surging through every vein.

He worried at such times that he might lose control of himself. He would die if he ever hurt or frightened her by being violent. Bad enough for her to have believed that he had a mistress.
But seeing her her now like this...........Smiling joyfully at him in greeting, putting down her book, lifting her arms as the white night gown vanishing to reveal pure unhindered Margaret.
He neither sought nor needed any other woman .

A low moan of want slipped from his throat as he shed his clothes . The undiluted desire in those soft golden eyes drawing him in like a moth to a candle flame.....

*************************************

The Townley's private chapel was full that Sunday morning as the family and staff were joined by most of their dinner party guests.
As they filed out afterwards Lord Townley asked if the gentlemen would like to come pigeon shooting with him for the morning.
“ Clear our heads. Eh ?” He encouraged. John looked almost beseechingly at Margaret.
“ Do I get your undivided attention by way of recompense ?” She asked teasingly.

John sighed in mock resignation. “ You drive a hard bargain Madam. But very well if you insist.
He grnned and kissed her. “ You won't be able to turn around with out my being there”.

*****************************

Cecily had been a little put out that Margaret hadn't come to her for advice the evening before. Then Margaret had revealed that it had been ' marital matters' she needed to talk.
And Cecily still felt very nervous about such things. Fearing the unknown, unchartered waters of physical intimacy.

“ Elisabeth lent me a couple of books amongst other things”. Margaret smiled. “ I think we could both learn something. Would you like to come and look ?”

It would be November when Cecily and Tom married so a little forward information might be helpful.

The 2 girls sat on Margaret and John's bed and Margaret took out the 2 books Lady Elisabeth had loaned her from the Townley Library.

There was a novel called [i]'Fanny Hill'[/i]. “ A rather 'busy girl' I'm told'. Margaret blushed.
The other was a text written in Ancient India called The [i]Ananga Ranga.[/i] This copy had translated by a well travelled relative of Lord Townley. He'd been unable to face trying to get it published so it had remained in the family collection alone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananga_Ranga


They looked over the 2 books together. Both squealing with shocked laughter. Their contents were certainly an eye opener.

Margaret also revealed some thing else that Lady Elisabeth had confided to her. A particularly popular trick for the bedroom.
“Apparantly most men love it . I'll certainly try it out on John when I can pluck up courage”. She giggled.

Ceily wasn't quite so sure. “ With your mouth ?” She gasped incredulously. “Margaret Thornton you forward hussy.........”.

Margaret knew when she wanted to try out some of her new found knowledge as a surprise for her husband.
One of the couples at dinner turned out to be Arthur Bradbury an old school friend of John's and his wife.
He now lived in Somerset where his wife hailed from and ran her late Father's estate there.
His own late parents were friends of the Townley's and he and his wife had been visiting his elder brother in Burnley when they'd been invited to dinner.
Hearing that John was now married and that he and Margaret had not yet had time for a honeymoon, stayur had invited them to come to stay with him and his wife for a fortnight.

“ Somerset is beautiful”. He told John. I'm sure you and Margaret will love it. The pace of life is so much slower. Lot's of time and space for you to spend together in private.
We'll not make any great fuss. Just provide bed and board, recommend a few places to visit and other wise let you get on with your own agenda”.

John had told Margaret. They had looked at each other and the answer was a foregone conclusion.

When they mentioned this to Hannah however she was not so enchanted “What about the Mill John ?! “ She inquired sternly as if he was likely to have forgotten it.

“ The Mill will manage a fortnight without me Mother”. He'd said placatingly.
“ William's can run things on the shop floor without much difficulty and you know the business as well as I do.”

Reinforcement had come in the form of Cedric. Margaret could happily have kissed the older man for it.
“ Hannah My Dear”. He said sweetly. “ I certainly wouldn't leave you to struggle without aid. Nor would I want to see these young people deprived of a honeymoon.

I'm sure Higgins won't mind my dividing my time between the Gardens and your Mill for 2 weeks”.
So what could Hannah do but give a half smile and agree. She couldn't deny that seeing more of Cedric would be very welcome.
She was becoming very fond of the Dear Old Rogue.
Margaret hugged both Hannah and Cedric. “ Thank you both very much”. She twittered in delight.

So it was arranged for John and Margaret to set off by train to Somerset early on Wednesday morning.

TBC