Margaret Hale in North and South grew up in Helstone, aka New Forest in Southern Hampshire, south of London. New Forest is indeed a magical spot likened to a setting in a Tennyson poem, perhaps English Idylls (1842) with poems including "Audley Court" and "The Gardener's Daughter."  Known for its rare birds and ponies, it is now the site of a National Park. (CG)

Here is where Frederick Hale takes refuge. 

To avoid court martial in England in Gaskell's North and South (1855), naval officer Frederick Hale takes refuge in Cadiz. He was part in a mutiny against a cruel British naval officer before the novel opens.  After staying briefly in South America, he moves to Cadiz, Spain and takes a job with a Mr. Barbour, a British merchant, and he falls in love with his Anglo-Spanish daughter, Dolores. Margaret writes to Frederick without Rev. Hale's knowledge to tell her brother their mother is dying; Frederick returns with great peril to his life.

Margaret Hale's brother takes refuge here after being caught in a mutiny against a cruel officer in the British navy. 

In North and South, Margaret Hale's older brother named Frederick takes refuge in Cadiz after living briefly in South America following a mutiny on a British naval ship. Frederick joins in the mutiny while serving under a very brual officer in the British navy. In Cadiz, Fred finds work for a Mr. Barbour, a British merchant, and becomes engaged to his Anglo-Spanish daughter Dolores. Frederick comes to Milton at Margaret's request to pay his respects to his dying mother. He risks his safety to do so.

Freserick Hale takes refuge in Cadiz in North and South, returning to England to see his dying mother and taking a great risk for his life. (CG)