Margaret Hale and John Thornton　8 of 21

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 Hannah stared at Margaret without blinking.

Seeing the expression on Hannah’s face, Margaret decided to give her only the facts, because she knew Hannah was too smart to need excuses and explanations.

“We didn't tell anybody about my brother. Due to legal issues...he was abroad for a long time. We hadn't seen him for almost ten years before coming to Milton. And then, as you know...my mother's health took a turn for the worse.”

"..."

“She often cried. She wanted to see her son if only for a moment before she died.”

"...”

“I wrote a letter to him, and he risked his life to come to this country, to Milton."

Hannah moved a little closer to Margaret.

"Did she see her son in time?"

"...Yes. She spent her last moments with him, and he left Milton later that day.”

 “So that's what happened,” Hannah thought.

＊＊

“Tom."

Margaret called out to the boy, who was sitting on the steps outside the mill, reading a book. He looked up from his book and murmured, "Miss. Hale.”

“Are you waiting for Nicholas?"

Tom nodded silently. She went up the steps and sat down next to him.

“I read your letters. They were excellent. Good for you!”

He smiled shyly.

“Tom, read the rest of the book. May I listen to it?”

He nodded again and continued reading aloud. She listened to the story while watching the boy gently.

＊＊

A few days later:

The day a package arrived from London, Margaret left the hotel and came to her place. After she entered the house, saying "thank you" to the men who were bringing the package, she thought there was a woman's voice coming from the kitchen just near the front door. She peeked into the room, thinking, “It can’t be”, then shouted out.

"Dixon!"

The servant stopped her hands.

"Oh, Miss" 

Dixon turned her large body toward Margaret.

"This house is not as dirty as I thought, is it?"


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