[Fade back to Margaret on the train gazing out the window.]

Mrs. Hale:   [Coughing] We'll be on the streets.....in a strange place.

Margaret Hale:   Mama, I told you, we'll stay at a hotel until we find a house.  It won't take long.

Mrs. Hale:   Perhaps Dixon and I could stay on the coast while you look.

Dixon:   Yes!...as the missis is so delicate.

Mr. Hale:   No, Maria. Your place is with us.  It will not take us long to find a house.  My old college friend, Mr. Bell, has agreed to help.  He's already organised a list of potential pupils. There'll be plenty of teaching for me. [unhappy looks from Maria Hale and Dixon]

Mrs. Hale:  There will be no people there like us in Milton.   How can there be?

Margaret:   We will manage, Mother.  It's not another planet.

[Train arrives at the station with a screech of brakes, crowds passing in the twilight.]

Conductor:  Outwood, Milton! Outwood Milton.  All change.  All change for stations north!

Mrs. Hale:   [Weeping] Why have we come here, Dixon?  It's going to be awful.  I know it is!

Dixon:   Shh....  [ soothing Mrs. Hale]

Conductor:   Outwood, Milton!

Margaret:   Dixon. Take care and find a porter.  [Opening the train door]   We have arrived.

Conductor:   All change!   [Mouth whistle blows.]

Girl:   I see him!

[The Hales and Dixon leave the train, Maria holding her handkerchief over her mouth and nose.]

Dixon:   [Motioning to a man]   Porter!  Take these, please.   [Another mouth whistle blown, and the train chuggs away as they leave the station platform going down stairs.]

[Outside their hotel building the next day]

Margaret:   We'll find a house faster if we go separately.

Mr. Hale:    Are you sure?

Margaret Hale:    Of course.

[Margaret walking along looking at the paper in her hand as she travels down a busy street past some shop windows.   She stops, looks up, and surveys the street around her.   It is crowded with carts, boxes and crates from the vendors of the street market.]

Peddler:   Eggs, fresh-laid eggs this mornin'!

Barrow Men:   Fresh fruits.  Fresh fruits! Fruits and vegetables!

[Margaret navigates around all the carts and merchandise in the street. A woman plucks a fresh-killed chicken.]

Man:    Hello, how are you?

Another Man:    All right.   [Chickens squawking. Margaret's handkerchief is at her nose as she passes the crates of chickens to pause at a doorway.  Then she starts up the steps to the door, which is open, looking back at the busy marketplace as she goes in.]

Landlord:   The living room's quite spacious, as you can see.

Williams:  The property's not for me.   I'm making inquiries on behalf of one of me master's business acquaintances.  [Meanwhile, Margaret is downstairs in the same house looking around.]   The man is still living as a clergyman.  Or rather a former clergyman.  He's used to living simply.  I don't think he's ever been a man of great property or fortune.

[Margaret has made it to the staircase and begins to climb up.  She can hear the two men speaking now.]

Williams:    ...A matter of conscience, I believe.

Landlord:   Ah, conscience.  That never put bread on the table. South, eh?

Williams:    Mm-hm.

Landlord:   A little, er ... indiscretion took place, maybe?

Williams:  Well, they do say the Devil makes work for idle hands, don't they? Maybe his hands weren't so idle. [Both men chuckle]

[Margaret has reached the top of the steps and overhears the two men speaking.]

Landlord:   Well, he'll certainly find things...quite different up north.

Williams:   Oh, aye. Oh, aye.

Landlord:   I'll make good the repairs, but the decoration's good enough. Hey, what a business, eh? For a man to uproot his wife and child to come all the way to Milton. Conscience or no conscience, that's strange behavior.

[Margaret enters the room]

Williams:   Excuse me, madam, can I help you?

Margaret:    My name is Margaret Hale.  Who are you?

Williams:    I'm Williams, Mr. Thornton's overseer.  He asked me to look out properties for your father.

Margaret:    How much is the rent for the year?

Williams:    These are details Mr. Thornton will discuss with your father.  There's no need to concern yourself in money matters, ma'am.

Margaret:    I've no idea who your Mr. Thornton is.  I thank him for his trouble, but my father and I are sharing the task of securing a property.   [The men are looking a little uncomfortable.]   I have spent two days viewing what Milton has to offer, so I have a fairly good idea of price.

Williams:    Mr. Thornton thinks this will do very well for your father.

Margaret:   Where IS Mr. Thornton?

Williams:   Excuse me?

Margaret:   Take me to see this Mr. Thornton.  If he won't deal with me, I'll have to deal with HIM.  

[They leave as the landlord looks on with his mouth open.]