The Essential Reads

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 46 "Once and Now" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret and Mr. Bell head to Helstone for the first time since Margaret and her family left. The countryside makes her feel nostalgic for the past and hurts her a little to see all of the familiar trees. When the arrive, they make their way to the inn where they are staying and they are soon greeted by the matron, who immediately recognises Margaret and asks after her family. News hadn’t come to Helstone that her father had passed away too. The matron tells them a little about the new parson, a teetotaler who doesn’t want the farm workers to drink either. From her window, Margaret can see the parsonage, her former home. After a quick lunch, she and Mr. Bell set out on a walk. Mr. Bell suggests going by the vicarage, but Margaret wants to do that last. Helstone has changed, the cottage that she drew with Mr. Lennox had been pulled down and replaced, many trees in the area felled, and Margaret feels like time has slipped away from her. Margaret asks to go and see Susan, a girl she used to tutor. The walk is long, but they go slowly for Mr. Bell’s sake. When they arrive, they find only Susan’s mother. Susan has gone to school. Margaret asks about another villager, but the woman replies that they have fallen out, because the other woman stole and boiled her cat to protect her from a gipsy. Margaret asks more questions about this and is shocked that the pagan ways of life still persist there. Following this, Margaret goes to the school to visit Susan, where they meet the New Vicar’s wife. She confuses Mr. Bell for the vicar, and they have to explain again. Margaret talks with some of her old acquaintances and then the vicar’s wife invites Margaret and Mr. Bell to see the parsonage house, and the renovations that they have made. The house has been entirely changed except for one room, Mr. Hale’s old study. They have added a large window where the vicar can see the towns people sneaking off of to the pub. Margaret and Mr. Bell then go back to the pub. This trip to Helstone is not what Margaret wanted from it, everything is changed, and it causes Margaret to reflect deeply and sadly on life. During the night Margaret confesses her lie to Mr. Bell, and asks him, if ever he has an opportunity to do so, to tell Mr Thornton about it. Following this Margaret goes to bed but spends most of the night awake and reflecting. In the morning she feels much better. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 45 "Not All A Dream" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mr Bell has some dreams of his past when he first visited Mr. Hale in Helstone, walking through the woods and over babbling brooks. His dream was very life-like and he finds himself struggling to believe where he is and that his friends are gone. Mr. Bell struggles to follow all of Mr Lennox’s story, but it seems that more or less, all hope of saving Frederick are lost. When he sees how distraught Margaret is, he decides to stop, and just tells Margaret how much better Fred’s life will be in Spain than in England. Margaret, in a minute or to recovers herself and thanks Mr. Lennox. Mr. Bell, after this, says that he is going to go, but suggests to Margaret that they go and visit Helstone together before he has to go back to Oxford. Margaret is overjoyed with this idea, though she knows it will be a challenging visit. He says that they would be back by Friday, and following the conversation, they go upstairs to ask Mrs. Shaw how she would feel about this trip. Mrs. Shaw is unsure at first, but eventually consents to Mr. Bell’s proposal. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 44 "Ease Not Peace" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret now away from Milton, hast the time to reflect over the past 2 months. Nothing has changed in London since she left. Margaret does not feel at home in London, but she is grateful to her aunt and cousin. Edith is eager to get well so that she can take care of Margaret. When Edith is well and her family start to go on engagements for the London Season, leaving Margaret, ill, at home where she can think about the past. Edith tells her that they will have a dinner party at home as soon as Henry Lennox returns. Her days are very simple; breakfast, meetings to talk about whose homes they are going to visit, letter writing, and looking forward to Dixon’s return. Margaret is missing hearing about Milton, and its peoples and Dixon’s letters are sadly very business-like. One day, Mr. Bell is announced. Margaret immediately jumps into action to greet him. He says that Henry Lennox was in the train with him, and asks about his person. Margaret says that she used to like him. He then says that he doesn’t know what to think of him. Margaret then asks if he has come from Milton. He says that he has, and that Mr. Thornton has proved himself to be a good friend to Margaret. Mr. Thornton is apparently well. Tea is finally prepared, and at the same moment, Mr. Henry Lennox walks through the door, shocking both himself and Margaret. They are both pleased that Mr. Bell is there. After the initial shyness is over, Margaret asks him about Frederick. Margaret tells Mr. Bell about Frederick’s situation, easing Mr. Lennox’s mind about talking openly about Frederick. Mr. Bell didn’t know that Fred had been in the UK and is shocked. He then adds that someone asked him about Frederick not long ago but does not say who and Margaret dares not to ask. Mr. Lennox suggests that the three of them meet the following morning to discuss Frederick’s case. Mr Bell and Lennox stay until the Edith, and her husband come home, and then leave together, badly trying to make conversation. Mr. Bell is not too fond of the lawyer.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 43 "Margaret's Flittin'" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. Shaw is not impressed with Milton. She is sure that Margaret will never recover until she leaves Milton. Margaret agrees to leave after Wednesday, the day of her father’s funeral. Mr. Bell sends Margaret a letter, apologising for not visiting again before the funeral, but says that Captain Lennox and Mr. Thornton have arrived in Oxford. He says that Margaret should choose what things she would like to keep from her Parent’s estate and says too that Margaret is to inherit his entire estate when he too passes away. Margaret is very emotionally tired from this letter and Mrs. Shaw is cautions of keeping Margaret well rested and takes care of her all night. The following day, Margaret tries to distract herself from thinking about the funeral by going through the whole house picking out articles she should like to keep and ones to send to Mr. Bell. She also picks out a book for Mr. Thornton. Dixon is worried about Margaret exerting herself too, but thankfully, Margaret is very tired from the day and sleeps well for the first time since her father’s passing.The following day, Margaret determines that she will say goodbye to certain peoples in the down, and while Mrs. Shaw is against this idea, she eventually relents, provided that they have a cab. The first stop at the Higgins’ only to find Mary there. She says goodbye to the girl and asks for something of Bessy’s to remember her. Nicholas is at work, so she asks Mary to tell her father to come and visit her that night. The next stop is the Thornton’s. Here, Mrs. Shaw alights too, and they head into the house. Margaret apologises to Mrs. Thornton for her behaviour the last time they saw each other, but she adds that she cannot say what happened. Mrs. Thornton doesn’t fully understand why, but she accepts Margarets apology and forgives her. Soon after this, Mr. Thornton enters, and his mother tells him the reason for Margaret’s visit. He is distraught and refuses to face her before she leaves, only helping Mrs. Shaw into their cab before locking himself in his room for the rest of the day. Margaret is very tired from doing her rounds, but recovers enough after a little rest to be prepared for Higgins’ arrival. Higgins says that he is sorry for her father’s passing, and says that he was an extremely good man. He says that Dixon and Mrs. Shaw wouldn’t let him in to see her. He says that if he wasn’t able to see her before she left, he would have gone to London to see her, but he knows that she would have come to see him. As a parting gift, she gives Mr Higgins her father’s bible, which he graciously accepts. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 42 "Alone! Alone!" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret falls into a state of prostration that does not give way to tears. She only speaks in whispers, and Mr. Bell is perplexed. He knows that he cannot ask her to move to Oxford. He tries to get Margaret to eat something, but she refuses everything, knowing that she would not be able to swallow. Bell writes to Mrs. Shaw, telling her that she needs to come up to Milton to be with Margaret. Mrs Shaw comes to Milton with the goal of bringing Margaret back to London. She is shocked by the city, finding it dirty and so different from what she is used to in the south, but when she arrives, arms open wide to receive Margaret, the girl can finally cry. Mr Bell leaves the women alone and goes to the library where he hears the sound of Mr. Thornton’s voice. Dixon tries to get the man to go, but Bell invites him to come into the study. Bell doesn’t quite know what he wants to say to Thornton, he wants company more than anything, and when he says that he will need to stay in the pub now that Mrs. Shaw has arrived, Thornton invites Bell to stay with him. At the Thornton residence, Fanny is trying on dresses for her wedding. Mrs. Thornton is very bored of this and is very glad when this is interrupted by the entrance of her son and Mr. Bell. Mrs. Thornton asks after Margaret. Bell if frustrated by Margaret’s relations all claiming her, and wishes that he could claim her for himself, as her Godfather. After Mrs. Thornton leaves, Mr. Bell mentions Frederick, saying that he wishes that Frederick could claim her too. This causes Mr. Thornton to ask a lot of questions about this new name, and Mr. Bell explains the situation. Thornton asks if he could maybe have been in Milton after Mrs. Hale’s death, but Bell denies this, suggesting that the man Thornton could have seen at the station could have been Mr. Lennox. It is decided that Mr. Thornton will attend Mr. Hale’s funeral in Oxford too. Bell then brings up his idea that Thornton had romantic feelings for Miss Hale, he denies this, but then changes the subject to work, hoping to not let anything slip to Mr. Bell. Bell brings up the renovations Mr Thornton is making. Thornton is building a new kitchen and dining room for his men to eat in. He wants the men to have access to hot meals. He spoke the idea over with Higgins, and while he was initially against the idea, he soon came around to it. So, Thornton buys the ingredients “wholesale” and then a cook makes the food for the men. Thornton, after an invitation from Higgins and a few others has even eaten with his men at times and really enjoyed the experience. He now eats regularly with them.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.