North & South discussion

For comments on chapters 21-25.

I'm only at chapter 22, but I am concerned for Jemima. It looks like she has inadvertently ruined her chance at a happy marriage. I sympathize with her repugnance to her father's meddling. Clearly, Jemima hates feeling manipulated.

I'm curious how and when Mr. Bellingham will be reintroduced into the story. I'm getting feelings that Mr Bradshaw's new political ventures will somehow be involved in that end.

I wonder why Mr. Bellingham has a different name and whether this will be explained later on.

I admired Ruth´s answer to his "marriage proposal", but wondered why she broke down afterwards and cried she would never see him again.

There is a mention in one place about how his name change was related to some acquisition of property or some such thing. I wonder if he needed a clean slate after having done some tainted business.

He's a man who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. No moral qualms. It's all about him, no one else really counts.

I guess a part of Ruth still loves him. Even though she recognizes that she couldn't happily live with him because his character is so contrary to hers.

What is it with the explosion of feelings and love from Mr. Bellingham towards Ruth? How is it that he suddenly loves her so much as to ask her to merry him...after what, six-seven years? Why does he want her so much this time? Is it possible that he had some feelings for her back then? But he ruins it all with threats of ruining her reputation further. Gah! Chapter 24 was so tense and emotional. I was on edge till the very end of it. I wonder what will happen.

It is strange. Bellingham for the most part appears wholly self-absorbed. He doesn't even know what love is; he never does anything without thought for his own benefit.
But something about Ruth really attracts him. Besides her physical beauty, he may very well be attracted to those qualities in her that he lacks: purity, humility, selflessness.
Whatever constitutes "love" in his book, he apparently feels for Ruth. I'm guessing that seeing her again brought all the same feelings back to him. He can't think of anyone for long if they're not right in front of him.
Of course, it's only a matter of what he wants. She's appealing, he wants her. Trying to blackmail her into it just shows how empty his 'love' really is.