North and South

Thornton is too mired in his business problems to visit the Hales. Margaret slips into a depression and struggles to find any joy in life except spending time with the Boucher children. Frederick writes announcing his marriage to Dolores. In response to the news of the impossibility of a pardon, he renounces his loyalty to England. He has married into a wealthy family. Dolores sends letters to Margaret and sent her a lace mantilla as a gift. Richard’s health is failing but he still goes to visit Bell. Margaret opts to stay in Milton and enjoy a respite from work and worry: “For months past, all her own personal cares and troubles had had to be stuffed away into a dark cupboard; but now she has leisure to take them out, and mourn over them, and study their nature, and see the true method of subduing them into the elements of peace” (469). Martha tells her Fanny Thornton is engaged to a wealthy merchant. The Thorntons cared for Martha when she was younger after her family had experienced hardships. Margaret visits Mary Higgins and finds Nicholas subdued and more interested in religion. Margaret burns the letters from Lennox. She thinks of her father and hopes he returns from Oxford in better spirits.

Richard is weary from visiting old friends, but he is heartened to know they approved of his decision to leave his role as vicar. He laments his decision cost him so dearly. Richard asks Bell to care for Margaret upon his death. Bell commends Richard for caring for Margaret. Richard dies in his sleep. Bell immediately takes the train to Milton and sees Thornton on the way. Thornton is concerned about what will happen to Margaret, and Bell assumes she will go to the Lennox’s but says he plans to watch after her. Thornton reveals he has recently traveled to Helstone. As soon as Margaret sees the carriage arrives, she knows her father is dead.

Margaret falls into a despondent state of grief. Dixon and Bell write to Mrs. Shaw requesting her help. Mrs. Shaw cannot stay long because Edith is pregnant, so she wants to take Margaret home with her immediately. Edith mentions the possibility of Margaret returning to Lennox and he ignores it. Mrs. Shaw arrives with her maid and judges Milton to be filthy. Bell leaves Mrs. Shaw to comfort Margaret. He will have to stay at the Thorntons as they are out of rooms at the Hales’. Bell tells Thornton that Margaret is glad to leave Milton as it has been a place that has only brought her sorrow. Thornton thinks the last 18 months have been a boundless joy to him. Fanny and Mrs. Thornton are busy with wedding preparations. Bell refers to Margaret’s brother Frederick and his exile, and Mrs. Thornton is shocked. She asks if he has ever visited Milton and Bell says no. Mrs. Thornton asks about the man at the rail station and Bell misidentifies him as Lennox. Thornton explains to Bell his relationship with Higgins. Thornton creates a cafeteria for his workers and consulted Higgins on the plan. Higgins helped him perfect the plan. Thornton has begun dining with his workers and forming relationships with them. Bell offers him money for the project but Thornton declines saying he does not want charity.

Mrs. Shaw is anxious to leave Milton. She does not like the town and feels it is making Margaret’s health worsen. Bell sends Margaret a letter outlining all the plans for liquidating the Hales’ assets in Milton. He tells her she will have his inheritance when he dies. Margaret keeps only her father’s books. She sends some to Bell and sends one to Thornton. Margaret wants to say goodbye to the Thorntons and the Higgins’s. Her aunt accompanies her. Mary gives her a cup that belonged to Bessy. Mrs. Thornton is kind to Margaret knowing she is leaving. Margaret apologizes to her about their last meeting. She exchanges a few words with Thornton, and he strains to keep his emotions hidden. Margaret visits Higgins last. He expresses his condolences for the loss of her father. Margaret gifts him Richard’s Bible and money for the children.

Margaret has plenty of leisure time on Harley Street, but she finds herself bored. Aunt Shaw spoils her with new clothes, but she is mostly excluded from the social engagements of the family. Margaret never interacts with members of the lower class and even the servants are hidden. Bell comes for a visit, and they meet with Lennox about his unsuccessful search for witnesses to support Frederick. Bell and Lennox have a private conversation where Lennox questions Richard’s decision to leave Helstone. He says the bishop offered Richard an alternative to leaving: “[T]hese country clergymen live such isolated lives-isolated, I mean, from all intercourse with men of equal cultivation with themselves” (517). Richard disagrees defending his friend’s choice, claiming Lennox does not know him at all.

Bell has a dream about Mr. and Maria as newlyweds. He thinks often of Helstone. Margaret and Bell meet with Lennox to close the case on Frederick. They conclude he is safe and happy in Spain. Bell invites Margaret to visit Helstone with him and Aunt Shaw agrees she can go.