Milton Belle

Pretty please could my little muse have some comments. Be honest but kind.


Part 19

Hannah wasn't sure how she was feeling about the impending return of John and Margaret.

Her Son and his Mill had been her entire life for so long. Now little Margaret had begun to be woven into her fabric too.
She had become as vital to John as breathing and gradually Hannah had begun to see that if she could allow it, she may well have found a daughter rather than losing a son.

Part of her reluctance to accept Margaret becoming John' s wife had been her fear of loneliness.
That much she had learned. For years John had been the only person with whom she had been able to establish any real emotional contact.
Margaret had longed to be friends and had been prevented from this by Hannah's jealousy.

Then Cedric had entered Hannah's world. Dear, gregarious , warm hearted Cedric.
He had looked through her protective emotional armour to the lonely frightened woman beneath and begun to tenderly coax her out.

For 2 weeks he had spent the best part of his days at Marlborough Mill, and they had got to know each other better and better.
The dour humourless Hannah and begun to smile......and the servants swore blind that they had even heard her an Sir Cedric laughing together.
She was certainly looking brighter. She had even stopped wearing nothing but black.

Cedric was taking lunch with Hannah, as usual, on the Saturday at the end of the fortnight.
Hannah had taken an envelope from her pocket and showed a letter to Cedric.
“ Ahhhhh the love birds return “ Cedric smiled. Hannah nodded.
“ Yes.........And I'm looking forward to seeing them again, of course I am. It's just that.....”

Cedric had moved closer to her. “ Yes My Dear ?” He coaxed softly.
Hannah heaved a shuddering sigh. “ It's just that I've got very much accustomed to you being around and I'll miss you “.

Cedric was closer still now. “ We don't have to stop being together Hannah. Your John isn't some disapproving Patriarch. I rather fancy he'll enjoy seeing us together. Will you allow me to court you properly and openly? No more pretence that we are just friends and nothing more. “

He took Hannah's hand and she made no attempt to repel him. “ I'd like that Cedric. Indeed I would “. She said softly. “ And no, I don't envisage John seeking to prevent us”.
Then gave a tiny gasp as his lips met hers. It was a brief kiss. Intended to impart romantic affection without causing alarm.
It left her tingling from her toes to the ends of her carefully arranged hair. No man, even the late Mr Thornton had ever made her feel like this before.
“Oh Cedric”. She breathed . “ Hannah”. He replied huskily. And he kissed her again with not nearly so much reticence.
And Hannah, to her own surprise and delight kissed him right back.

The Thornton's carriage pulled up at the door of the Mill house and John stepped out. Extending a hand to steady Margaret as she too climbed down.
They exchanged contented smiles. Somerset was beautiful. The 2 weeks of peace, quiet and unending leisure there had been most welcome.
But here was home. The place they belonged and it felt good to be back.

Hannah greeted them both with a warmth that took them by the best kind of surprise.
“ Dear Margaret”. She kissed her daughter-in-law's cheek. “ It's taken this absence to make me realise how much I am now accustomed to this being your home too.
As though I have a daughter now as well as a son. “
Margaret looked at John. Who standing behind his Mother raised an eyebrow in dramatic amazement.
But she took Hannah's hand in hers and spoke tenderly to the older woman. “ I have had no Mother of my own for years. And I think I have said before that I would relish having you as a Mother now. I'm so very glad you feel the same. “

And John saw the look of understanding that can only pass between 2 women who share a common love.
But there was more to this transformation than met the eye he was sure and voiced this to Hannah.
“ All in good time John.” She said with her usual briskness. “ Now we are invited to dine this evening with Sir Cedric. Dr Boucher and Miss Harrington will also be there.”


“ Cedric !” John sat on the bed having just removed his clothes and broke into mirthful laughter.
A steaming bath had been prepared in the dressing room. Jane had blushed to the roots of her hair when the Master informed her that he and Mrs Thornton would share the same tub as they often did.

“ Would you care to elucidate ?” Margaret asked as her husband helped her to undress too. For the journey home, she had done the unthinkable and left off her corset as an experiment. It had felt wonderfully liberating. Though she knew that she could not dress this way all the time. Too long without the corset too which a woman's body grows accustomed and it could become uncomfortable.
Now as John unfastened buttons and slid the garments from his wife's body he voiced the theory that his Mother and Sir Cedric might be courting.
“ Were I fool enough to be a gambling man I'd stake a fortune on it “. He remarked blithely. Margaret mused on the question herself. John watching intently knowing that when she thought this way her mouth slipped subconsciously in to a perfect round moue.
An unconcious, innocently sexy quirk that got right under his skin.

Once in the water he pulled her against his increasingly heated body. “ That provocative pout of yours has much to answer for Madame Thornton". He growled into her ear and she giggled with the headiness of mounting desire.
“ Then you must give me more to ponder over Monsieur Thornton “. She replied letting a soft hand slide beneath the water.
John groaned softly. “ You Temptress. Tormenting me when there is no time for us to..........”
He was silenced by Margaret's mouth coming down upon his. A soft smile curving those rose lips as she thrilled to the power she held.
The most rewarding part of which was the pleasure she knew she would be able to give John when his wait was over.
“ Think of me over dinner then darling”. She whispered. Her breathy tones adding more fuel to the fire in his belly......
“ Imagine all that you'd like us to do when we can be alone again. Then you can tell me your desires. And you shall have them all “.

As the 3 of them sat in the carriage rolling towards Sir Cedric's house John had to stop himself from glancing at Margaret.
For she caught his eye whenever possible. Her own reciting an epic poem of the promise of the delights to come.
And he reflected on what a clever little minx she was. For she knew that had they been dining with anyone that John didn't regard as a friend, he would like as not have cancelled the appointment somehow and simply taken her to bed.
But she had known he wouldn't have missed out on dinner with his friends Cedric and Thomas. So she had him at her mercy. And oh but he loved it.

Cedric clasped John hand pumping it in friendly cheerfulness. “ The honeymooners return !” He grinned broadly. “ And looking very well and relaxed “. He kissed Margaret's cheek with fatherly tenderness.
Then he shared a hopeful glance with Hannah and suggested that she and Margaret go into the dining room where Thomas and Cecily were already waiting. “ I'd like to borrow your husband for a moment if I may dear child “. He asked Margaret.
Smiling at John she followed his Mother into the dining room. Content to wait to see if she and Cedric had anything to say when Cedric and John were done.

Cedric had ordered a light, simple supper. “Just 2 courses. Don't want this degenerating into some ghastly dinner party do we ?”

He was now in an extra joyful mood, as was Hannah. No one had ever seen her smile quite so much though she remained as quiet as always.
John had been delighted to give Cedric his blessing to court Hannah formally. “ And may I hope that soon you'll be asking me for her hand ?” He quipped, half jokingly. Though it would be a dream come true to see his Mother happily married to this fine man.
“ John really !” Hannah poked his arm. Though she would certainly say 'yes' if the question ever came.

Tom and Cecily had arranged their wedding for mid December. “ A good excuse for a Party to brighten the winter. “ Tom smiled. "Could we put in an order for some of your Marlborough Mill cotton for Cecily's dress please? “

Margaret hugged them both. “ Thank you both. The more ladies use cotton for their special dresses the better it will be”.
John was quietly flattered by Tom asking him to be his Best Man. Cedric patted him on the back. “ I'm sure we can come up with a fine party for them can't we John ? Wedding meets Winter Wonderland and all that “.

Margaret also promised to introduce Cecily properly to the Malone Sisters who she was sure would be delighted to make another wedding trousseau.

Deciding that wedding talk would be better suited to when the ladies retired, Cecily remembered a conversation she had been about to have with Margaret that had been stalled by the thankfully unfounded worry about John's fidelity.
“ Margaret “. She exclaimed. “ I believe I was about to tell you that I may have found someone for your school. But what with one thing and another.......
Now then.......A friend of Mama's has just seen her children off to school and now no longer need their Nanny. She has been a governess in her time too so will be able to teach your little ones well enough. “
Margaret said she'd be delighted to meet the lady to discuss terms.

Everyone had been enjoying themselves so much that it was very late when the party finally broke up. Hannah could barely keep her eyes open in the carriage and as soon as she reached home went straight to her bed. To dream of the Opera in London she was going to see on wednesday with Cedric. ( They would be staying over night with some friends of his there.

John slowly removed his cravat , opened his shirt cuffs and waistcoat and then, glancing suggestively at his wife, followed through with several shirt buttons.
He patted his lap for Margaret to sit and she could see that he had indeed been giving her earlier words a lot of thought.
“ Now then young Maggie”. John said in what Margaret termed his ' Mr Thornton Voice'.
“ I do believe that I am owed the fulfilling of my every desire. Is that correct ?” Margaret knew what game they were playing and her insides tingled with anticipation.
“ Yes Mr Thornton Sir “. She said demurely, and sat down on his lap.
“ Now you know that it's very wrong to get into arrears Maggie don't you ?” John continued sternly.
Margaret looked more demure still “ Oh yes Sir and I do so want to be a good girl Sir “.
From out of his waistcoat pocket John pulled out a list of all that he wanted to do with her and let her read it, seeing a smile spread over those soft lips.
“ I'm ready to pay my debts Sir “. She said. Not quite so demure now as she trailed a hand down the bare chest in front of her.
Hand in hand they went to their room to continue playing.

TBC