"is the doctor still upstairs?" "As I believe, sir." "I just be going up if there be anything." "No, no, no, no." "There can be no doubt, ma'am, he is much recovered." "Oh, not to mention his appetite." "Are you not a magnificent recovery?" "It's been so long." "There were times..." "Nature cannot be hurried, ma'am." "Festina lente, as they say." "The next thing is to bring you back to health." "Oh, I am well enough, just a simple chill." "I cannot think why my husband would summon you." "If it please, ma'am, it is time Master Valentine was abed." " Yes." " So good nights be said." "There." "Come, young sir." "Walk to the door." " Good night." " Good night." "He's growing into a splendid young gentleman." "And as for you, ma'am, 'tis time for a rest." " Doctor." " Ma'am?" "No, nothing." "Good night, Doctor." "Dr Behenna, how do you find my wife?" "Her condition causes me no concern." "'Tis but a summer chill." "I am relieved to hear it." "However, it is not of that I wish to talk." "Sit, please." "This is personal and what I have to say is confidential." "Everything between doctor and patient is confidential." " This must be more so." " l don't follow you." "I mean that only you and I will know of this conversation." "If it comes to another's ears, I'll know I've not spoken." "If you wish to speak, Mr Warleggan, you may do so." "I can offer you no greater assurance than I have already done." "So be it." "You attended my wife at the birth of our son." "Because of my wife's fall, he was an eight-month child, am I right?" "You are." "You have seen many premature infants?" "Yes, a considerable number." "And those born prematurely are physically different from those born in the full time?" "There are differences - weight, chiefly." "Seldom the same loud cry." "Nails." "An eight-month child has no nails." "That's not correct." "They're small and soft." "The skin is wrinkled and red." "So is that of many born full-term." " l'm told they have no hair." " Sometimes they do." "Which leads me to my final question, Dr Behenna." "Was my son a premature child?" "On many physical questions it's not easy to say yes or no." "It's now 18 months since the child was born." "But you must remember the baby you delivered." " Did he have hard nails?" " l believe so but..." " And hair?" " A little dark hair, as I recall." "And the skin was wrinkled." "I saw it and remember only slight wrinkling." "I cannot say." " So, you will not tell me." " l cannot tell you!" "Had you asked me at the time..." "You remember the day the child arrived?" "Yes." "In the evening, as I recall." "And there was nothing that appeared strange." "It did not occur to me to wonder." "To pronounce on the mere matter of a month?" "In view of your wife's fall, I was only too happy to deliver her of a live child." "Hardly a mere matter to me, that month." "Indeed." "And yet I cannot say after all this time." "You have heard, of course, that Dr Enys is back." "I understand he will soon be riding his rounds." "Really?" "It was my information he was still ailing." " Some people think well of him." " As a doctor?" "As a doctor." "That is their concern and not mine." "Mr Warleggan, much as I should like to help you, you must realise that an ill-considered reply to so profound a question could impugn the honour of a virtuous woman and your wife has not... I await your reply." " Sir, I cannot make one." " You're saying?" "I am saying that to make reply I would need a certainty of mind, sir, which I do not possess." "Oh, George!" "I didn't hear..." " Why did you not speak?" " l had nothing to say." "Mary says that Valentine was asking for you at bedtime." " For me?" "Are you sure?" " Oh, my dear." "Why do you never see him now?" "He misses you so much." "Perhaps tomorrow." "I saw Behenna downstairs." " l trust he did not bore you." " On the contrary." "Oh, forgive me." "That was unkind." "For all that he is unimaginative, he is a loyal friend." "Hardly a testimonial." "Would you rather have him as your doctor?" " Who?" " Dwight Enys." "Oh!" "That wedding invitation." "We must reply." " Would you?" " As my doctor?" "Of course not." "Although he supported you when Valentine was so ill?" "We shall always be grateful but as for him being my doctor..." " Why not?" " l know you don't like him." "Nevertheless, we should go to the wedding." "Half the county will be there and Caroline will expect it." "Dwight is quite the hero since his rescue." "No doubt his rescuer will also be there, receiving plaudits for an expedition which cost more lives than it saved." "What is that?" "A birthday present for Geoffrey Charles." "I had not forgotten." "You may include these buttons from me." "Oh, George!" "Let me see." "Oh!" "They're beautiful, George." "How good of you to remember." "Sometimes it seems that other men's sons receive more than one's own." "As for this, you may reply any way you wish." "Excuse me." " Oh, Demelza!" " Caroline!" "Oh, we've got so much to thank you both for." "Who talks of thanks?" "You're our dearest friends." " Congratulations." " Ross." "A shade different from France." "Though no more comfortable in this coat." "It sits splendidly on you, Ross." "Oh, excuse me." "Elizabeth!" "How beautiful you look." "And such a lovely service." " Thank you." " l think I should cry at weddings..." " Lady Basset." " ..but somehow never can." "One couldn't cry with such a vision to admire." "Sir Francis!" "It is being reminded, dear Francis, that one feels the need to weep." "Oh, Ross, I do hope they'll be happy, they deserve it so." "For pity's sake, can you not stand upright and lift your head?" "Hello!" "How are you?" "It's nice to see you." "Captain Poldark!" "What a great pleasure to see you." "I had hoped you'd be here." "You haven't met Lieutenant Armitage." "My wife." "Mrs Poldark." "I am under a great obligation to your husband." "I am very happy it turned out so well." "Do you know my uncle?" "Lord Falmouth." "And his sister Mrs Gower." "Sir, may I present Mrs Ross Poldark, Captain Poldark." "Your husband has been much in the news." "I have yet to congratulate him on his exploit." "I only hope all these congratulations will not go to his head and send him off on another." "And when is the baby due to arrive, Morwenna?" "Not for another five months." "Take better care of yourself, you're looking very pale." "We are expecting my youngest sister tomorrow." " Rowella?" " She's to help me in the house." " Goodbye." "Bye." " Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Bye, Mrs Enys." "Good luck!" "I liked Hugh Armitage." "He seemed a really spirited young man." "So he is." "Why have you said so little of him before?" "What more should I have said?" "He spoke most gratefully of you." "Then his gratitude was misplaced." "I went to France to help Dwight." "Armitage made his own escape and joined up with us afterwards." "And he is related to Lord Falmouth." "Apparently through his mother." "Why?" "Is it important?" "It seems that the Falmouths and the Bassets don't care for each other much." "Falmouth openly considers Basset an upstart." "Yet Hugh seemed friendly enough with the Bassets at the wedding." "A feud doesn't touch everybody." "Anyway, he's a naval officer and no doubt will be off soon." "We're to dine with the Bassets next month." " Oh, what did you do to Drake?" " Gave him a scolding of course." "Disappearing like that, worrying us all." "He's no longer a child." "I realised that when talking to him." "Morwenna's wedding near sent him out of his mind." "I've, er, I've asked him to call here in the morning." "Why?" "Perhaps you'd care to be here when he comes." "What are you about, Ross?" "Tomorrow morning, I said." "Thank you, George, for giving me such a happy day." "Did you notice how Lord Falmouth avoided us?" "That's hardly fair since we spent most of the day talking to the Bassets." "My lord of Truro." "Well, he may be due for an unpleasant surprise soon." "What do you mean?" "There are fewer people pleased with his stewardship than he thinks." "Much of the criticism stems from Francis Basset." "He does not intend to challenge Falmouth's position?" "There is a by-election approaching." "Falmouth has always told the burgesses who to vote for." "How does that affect Francis?" "Well, of late, he has acquired more property in the town and since his bank is flourishing, I think at the next election he may put up his own nominee." " Are you involved?" " Basset has hinted I may be included." "I've heard nothing of this." "I do not always trouble you with my thoughts." "But why?" "That's what I'm here for." "Sometimes it is best to keep one's feelings to oneself." "What troubles you now?" "I cannot sleep." "My mind will not be still." "Osborne?" "Osborne." "Yes." "When my sister arrives tomorrow, please, for my sake, you will treat her gently?" "Well, why should I not?" "You have a tendency towards impatience and you are not always tolerant of other people's mistakes." "Rowella is not yet 16 and her first time away from home." "I shall treat her firmly but with forbearance as befits a master in his own home." "How beautiful the bride looked today." "She'll be a handful I'll warrant with that mettlesome look." "They say Dr Enys is still weakened from his imprisonment." "And Caroline remembered me." "Although we have met only twice." "God... let them be happy." "Drake..." "Oh, Drake." ""To be sold by auction" ""on Wednesday 9th October at the King's Arms in Chasewater," ""that blacksmith shop, house and land in the parish of St Ann's" ""consisting of house of four rooms, brew house, bake house, barn, one anvil, one pair bellows, hammers," ""tongs, two dozen new horseshoes, stable." ""Six acres, including one and a half of winter wheat," ""two and a half ploughed, six sheep." " "Debts f21 ." - l don't see..." "Since returning from France, you've said you'd like to move away." "This is - six miles away." "It's nearer the Warleggans but St Ann's is the most important coastal village" " and trade is improving." " Ross, does this..." " Well?" " l have two pound and two shillin'." "I could buy the horseshoes but naught else." "I intend to buy it for you, if you want it." "In France you almost died attempting to save my life." " l don't like being in debt." " Did she put you up to this?" " It's the first she's heard of it." " It's a big property." "Drake Carne, blacksmith." "Does that not appeal?" "I don't know what to say." "Well, you are only 20, it may be too much for you to tackle." "It will not be too much, Cap'n Poldark." " Good." " Oh, Ross!" "Thank you!" "Can we ride over and see it?" "Today, this minute?" "Why not?" "I'm glad she hasn't got 20 brothers." " Oh." " Good ride." "He says little but I know what he feels." "It'll need work." "I'll work." "Whoa." "Oh, Rowella, my dear." "What a joy to see you." "Hello, Wenna." "I've missed you all so much." "Dear Mama and Garlander." "You must tell me all the news." "You'll never know how much I've missed you." "Oh, my dear, we will have such fun." "You will meet Osborne at tea and Cousin Elizabeth is also coming to welcome you." "Moral and religious decay, there are your worst enemies." "All this talk of Armageddon, Morwenna, is put about by fools and gossips." "A decay of willpower, an unwillingness to observe one's proper place in society, these should be of more moment to us." "I remember..." "Nevertheless, matters in France are on the point of collapse." "Morwenna simply remarked that these fears are unsettling." "There I must disagree with you." "Moral rectitude cannot be shaken." "Proceed with righteousness and your enemies must fall." "I'm afraid it's time I was leaving." "I'm so glad you're here." "You'll be a great help to your sister." " l shall write to your mother." " Thank you, Mrs Warleggan." "You must call me Elizabeth, we are related." "There, Rowella." "Names are important in establishing a true relationship between people." "With regard to myself, for example, to my face you may call me Mr Whitworth whereas in public, you should refer to me as "Vicar", for it is of my cloth you speak and not the mere man." "How clever of you, Osborne, to express it so neatly." "Don't come out, there's a chill wind for this time of the year." "Osborne, give my love to your two little girls." "Indeed I will and do give my regards to George." "Well?" "Do you think you will like it here?" "Thank you, sister, I shall be near you." "You must not be afraid of Osborne." "He's not at all like Papa, is he?" "No." "No, he's not." " When?" " Not ten minutes since." " l thought you should know." " l shall summon Dr Behenna." "Er, I took the liberty already, sir." "Of all the careless damned actions." "In fairness to Tom Harry, sir, we laid so many extra traps, things being as they have, to tread on one unexpected, well, it might happen to anyone." " And the ankle is broken?" " Smashed, more like." "Well, you shall take over as head keeper, understand?" "Until he's fit enough to return." "Yes, sir." "I shall expect the same standards of vigilance." "Don't ee worry, sir." "These eyes are younger than Tom's." "And this fist has done as much good work in its time." "Very well." "Oh, Rowse?" "Sir?" "You were employed at Trenwith before I married the mistress?" "Aye, sir, I was." "Can you recall who else worked within the household?" "Well, now, there were, er, George Tabb." "Him and his wife stayed till the end." "George Tabb?" "Long-faced and shifty-looking?" "That be him." "Would he remember the people who called at Trenwith before I married the mistress?" " Depends how much you pays him." " l want facts, not lies." "If it be goings-on inside you want, he'd be the man to ask." " Do you know where to find him?" " Horse keeper he be, and porter down at the Fighting Cocks Inn." "I wish to speak to him, in private." "I shall meet him out riding." "Can you arrange it?" " Whatever you say, sir." " That will be all." "Thank you." " Good night." " Good night, sir." "I went to bid Morwenna's sister welcome." "I haven't seen the child since she was eight." "A quiet creature but I expect she'll settle." "is anything wrong?" "Tom Harry has had an accident." "With typical intelligence, he walked onto his own trap." " Oh, how horrible." " Sid Rowse bought me the news." "He also made mention of an old servant of yours " "George Tabb." "Tabb?" "Why should he mention him?" "It seems he wants to talk to me." "What about?" " Old times." " Old times?" "But George..." "Did we agree a date when the Bassets should come and dine?" "Not knowing your commitments, I said I would write." "Why?" "Events, it would seem, have a way of overtaking one if one is not careful." "The talk in London is all of France." "News has it that the days of the Directory are over and with it, the whole Republic." "Nor should we be surprised." "Well, in 1790 you ladies could buy a hat in Paris - a good one, mind you - for 14 livres, now, five years later, the same object will cost you nigh on 600." "They are themselves to blame." "A country should not wage war without a sound financial basis." "This young general, er, Bonaparte, has he not now been put in charge of the French army in Italy?" "Indeed, yes!" "There's a whole group of young generals, of whom Hoche is by far the most gifted." "It's hard to believe the dynamic of the revolution is altogether dead." "This Bonaparte cleared the streets of Paris with grapeshot, killing hundreds of his own people." "What is your view of the French, Lieutenant Armitage?" "Although nine months in France, Mrs Enys, I saw no more than in the first few days, when I was moved from prison to prison." " And you, Dr Enys?" " Unfortunately, Lady Basset." "Once inside Baton you could have been in purgatory for all you saw of France." "I, for one, regret it very much." "If our young men could not bring us hats from Paris they should at least have brought us news of them." "Be content they did not, Mrs Enys, because a hat designed by a revolutionary and costing 600 livres would surely not be an object of beauty to an English eye." "I'm relieved to hear it." "My uncle speculated that in dining with a Whig I might hear talk favourable only to the revolution." "Lord Falmouth should have known better." "A true Whig is as patriotic as any man." " Quite so, I..." " Though some may have applauded the principles of this revolution, few now support its excesses." "Your uncle need have no fear of what you will hear in this house." "Whereas it seems the wind has dropped, the sky cleared and we'd all be the better for a walk in the garden." "Mrs Poldark?" "Ah, I'm sure you'll enjoy the garden." " Shall we?" " Yes indeed." "Poldark, may I deprive you of your exercise and ask you to remain behind?" "There's something I wish to discuss." "Sir, if you wish me to apologise I will gladly do so." "Oh, never." "Never." " The fault was mine for being so touchy." " Thank you." "The gardens are beautiful." " Oh." " Forgive me." " Since my imprisonment my eyes..." " The light is very bright." "Dazzling." "Will you return to the navy, Lieutenant Armitage?" "When the surgeons are finished with me." "They say the trouble came from reading and writing in semi-darkness." "Oh." "Were you able to write home?" "Caroline received only one letter from Dwight in a year." "No, no, no, I was writing for my own satisfaction." " Poetry." " Poetry?" " l've never met a poet before." " It's not to be taken seriously." "Verse would be a more modest estimate." "Captain Poldark has conferred two great favours upon me." " Oh?" " My liberty and the opportunity of meeting his wife." "I am not skilled in such courtesies... I was not trying to be courteous..." "but truthful." "When may I see you again?" "And Ross, of course." "Oh, I..." "Perhaps I may call on you both?" "You are but a few miles away." "I think we should join the others." "They will wonder what has become of us." "You know, of course, Mr William Hick, the new mayor of Truro?" " Not personally." " You should." "I could effect an introduction for you." "But is he not Lord Falmouth's man?" "Mr Hick is ambitious." "He allows himself to take a broad view." "Not that I doubt his protestations of loyalty but there is a difference between wishing a man well and allowing him to ride roughshod over you." "Hick is a sensitive man." "Sir Francis, I've been aware of a certain subtlety in your conversation." " Could we not come to the point?" " Hm." "Voting in the parliamentary borough of Truro rests with 25 aldermen and capital burgesses, most of whom are heartily sick of always being told by Lord Falmouth" " who should represent them in London." " Go on." "Well, quite simply, in this by-election we propose to put up a nomination of our own." "You are suggesting something in the nature of a palace revolution?" "I am assisted in my thinking by Mr Hick." "How convenient." "And your nominee, if elected, would be expected to vote in Parliament as directed by you?" "No, but there may be occasions when we wish to strike our own line." " Against Pitt?" " No, mainly I support Pitt." "But we believe that only we know what is right for Cornwall and should be allowed a voice accordingly." " l wish you well." " And I you." " Me?" " You will allow me, I trust, to put your name forward as candidate for the seat?" "Do you fancy yourself as the wife of a Member of Parliament?" "That's no concern at the moment, all I'm asking is why you're turning it down." " But your answer is not definite?" " It's freezing." "Prudie, build up the fire." "But there's naught amiss with the fire." "Are you sure refusal would be the right course?" " How could it be anything else?" " It offers great opportunities." " For self advancement?" " For exercising influence." "Could he do that?" "If I could call my soul my own." " Hasn't Basset said..." " l place no weight on that." "I don't fancy being elected just because the burgesses resent Falmouth." "Ross is right, there's little to choose between them." "Both will plant a foot on your neck." " That's not what he's saying." " He ought to be." "Basset is one of the most enlightened gentry." " But only for his own ends, it's obvious." " Caroline!" "I put the broth by the fire." "I agree." "If I turn this invitation down... lt would be for the wrong reasons!" "Ain't nobody 'ere got ears no more?" "is it because you don't want to offend Lord Falmouth?" "No, but I would owe Basset and he could drive a hard bargain." "I think it would be a mistake." "Then let me put your name forward." " You go instead of me." " No." "No, he's not strong enough." "Besides, I haven't brought him to matrimony to lose him immediately to Westminster." " Prudie, where's that broth?" " l told ee." " Ah." " l thought you'd lost your stomach." " Children asleep?" " Faster than two birds." "Thank you, Prudie." "I'm sorry. I shouted at you." "And I at you." "Dwight?" "You're worried about him." "I knew there was more than a joke in your words." "Ohh..." "His recovery is taking so long." "The slightest effort leaves him breathless." " But your marriage." " What marriage?" "Oh." "That was a cruel thing to say, I shouldn't have said it." "We knew it would take time." "We love each other, I know that." "Well, that's more important than the other, so they say." "An old maid's tale put about by those who never had either." "Anyway, you're a fine one to console me." "What do you mean?" "If you and I walked into a room full of men, they would first look at me but soon be clustered around you." "What nonsense!" "Whatever put that into your mind?" "Hugh Armitage." "Hugh?" "Whatever made you think...?" "Oh, Caroline." "Anyway...we shall probably never see each other again." "I wish you'd change your mind, Sam." "Come and work with me here." "Nothing'd please me more than to see the Carne brothers as partners." " l prayed on that." " What was the answer?" "Later, maybe." "Who's to say in a year or more, when you're established, you might not be wedded?" "Would you want me then?" " Those thoughts are all over." " For Morwenna maybe." " There'll be others." " l said no, didn't I?" "!" "It would be bad enough if she had passed away and I should never see her the more." "But to think of her wedded to that man chills the heart in me." "No, there'll be no wife for me while he and she be together." "I prays for you, Drake." "And have done ever since this happened." "Pray for Morwenna." "She needs it more than me." "God's life, be it a praying' fest?" "But a wheelwright I wants." "Which be the smith?" "Me, I reckon." "Carne by name." "Surgeon Behenna wants this mended." "Do it, can ee?" " l reckon." " Tomorrow." "He needs it to hold down his patients." " His patients?" " Yes." "When he pulls out their teeth, see!" "What's up with ee?" "Catch flies with your clapbox." "Oh..." "Forgive me, sister." "How be your soul?" "What do you mean, lug?" "Of a sudden I got a deep concern for your salvation." "Dear, I was right - it is a praying' fest!" "Shoot me if I ever seen the equal." "Sister, we have meetings thrice weekly at Reath Cottage, over Tremellan way." "You'd be welcome." "We pray together." "Do you really think you can get me to a praying' fest?" " Stranger things have happened." " Hmph!" "Not to me." "'Mellan, you said?" "Me and my brother have a cottage there." "Leastways he has." "I'm to stay here now." "I'm walkin' that way myself, preacher." "You can walk along with me." " Mind, there's a condition." " What's that?" "That ee don't talk God to me all the way!" "Go on, Sam. I'll see you next week." "God bless you. I'll keep prayin', brother." "Coming, Preacher?" "Oh, chain'll be fixed by the mornin'!" "All right." "I'll confess I'm a little concerned, Vicar." "But not serious?" "No, not serious." " Does it concern the baby?" " Indirectly." "Vicar, it's my duty to speak frankly." "It concerns the question of marital relations with your wife." "Forgive me, I know how embarrassing this is." "The aspects to which you refer are between a man and his maker." " And his wife." " Naturally." "And sometimes they must also concern his medical advisor." "You're a heavy man, Vicar." ""Heayy"?" "Well set, perhaps." "I do justice to my meals but I am not a glutton!" " l fail to see how..." " It's about the baby's health." "Your wife is not strong, Vicar." "Not strong at all." "And so each time..." " Each time..." " Yes, yes, I understand." " Then what is the remedy?" " Remedy?" " What can you do about it?" " l?" "There's nothing I can do." "But you must cease forthwith to have marital relations." " "Forthwith"?" " It is not unknown to you." " Your first wife..." " That was different." "Esther was always so very..." "understanding" "Understanding has nothing to do with it." "This is a medical necessity concerning your wife and child." "If these are closer to your heart..." "Of course they are!" "But I'm a full-blooded man, Doctor!" "Since Esther died, life for me was...was... lt's the common lot of man to be borne with fortitude." "Fortitude." "Oh, no, Dr Behenna." "Don't you talk to me about fortitude." "I have only to look at my own parish to see it expressed, yet I am expected to embrace abstinence." "Great heavens, man!" "I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do." "Follow my instructions or I'll not be responsible for the baby or your wife." "Good day to you, Vicar." "Oh, God." "How can You ask this of me again?" "What do you want?" "How long have you been there?" "A moment, Mr Whitworth, no longer." "I wanted to ask about my sister." " She's well enough." " Seeing you lost in prayer... I was not. I am suffering from an acute headache." "If there's anything, any way in which I can be of help, you have only to ask." "You're most kind." "Should you need me, I will be with the children." " Do you know my name?" " Emma, you said." "Get along, you lug - my other name!" "It's Tregirls." "I've heard talk of Tholly Tregirls." "My father." "A rare, liquorish old devil he be." "Damn him." " It is a virtue to forgive." " l do now." "Despite he deserted us when we was no taller than that grass stalk." "Hey!" "Where do you think you're goin'?" "Where have you brought me?" "This be Warleggan land!" "Be off with ee, Sam Carne, or I'll give ee a coating." "Time's finished when worms could come crawlin' on this land!" "He's with me, Sid Rowse!" "Lay a hand on him and I'll never speak to you again." "Off, the both of you." "The master's comin' this way." "You - don't you come back here again." "You know Sid Rowse well, then?" " He want to wed me." " Will you?" "I say that depend, don't it?" "You still there, George Tabb?" "You wait here now." "Master be ridin' along any moment." "He got some questions to ask ee." "Mind you answer 'em." "That seems to me a very sour view of marriage." "Because I see so many of my friends bound in unions they find tedious and restricting." "I don't take a sour view of love." "For the overwhelming love of an Isolde, I'd jettison everything." "Even life." " Ross, look who's here!" " Why, Ross!" "I hoped to see you but feared I'd miss you. I must leave soon." "I wondered who the horse belonged to." "Lieutenant Armitage brought this plant from his uncle's garden." "It's a new rare plant." "It's called..." "What did you say?" "A magnolia." "But not from my uncle's garden." "He had three brought over from the Carolinas." "I persuaded him to part with one as a gift to the wife of the man who saved his nephew from the French." "How has Lord Falmouth been since the Enys wedding?" "As well as can be expected." "Since his wife died his sister runs the house but he lacks friends of his own." "It seems to me he grows more morose by the day." "Hardly pleasant for you." "Will you be staying long?" "In these parts, I mean." "Until I am given a clean bill of health." "It could be a week or a month." "For your sake we must hope it's as soon as possible." "There is something I wish to discuss concerning my uncle." " Uh-huh?" " This feud with the Bassets." "It places me in a most uncertain position." "Sir Francis and his wife have been most kind and treated me with no less hospitality than my uncle." " For that reason I..." " Yes?" "I find myself torn between them." " My first loyalty is to my family." " Of course." "Now with this by-election there is talk of opposition led by Sir Francis against my uncle." "I wondered, have you heard of it?" "Opposition led by Sir Francis Basset?" "To put up their own candidate for election." "I know nothing about it." "George Tabb?" "Mr Warleggan." "I want to ask you some questions." "These questions I'll put to you in confidence." " l expect you to treat them as such." " Sir?" "They're concerned with the period two years ago when you were in the service of Mistress Warleggan, do you understand?" "Who called at Trenwith before I married her?" "What called, sir?" "To see Mistress Elizabeth, you mean?" "There'll be money in it." "Sir?" "Two guineas." "But you'll have to earn them." "Magnolia, he called it." "And rare." "We must cherish it." "Did you see Sir Francis?" "He had his answer at midday." " Who will he ask now?" " There are plenty of other men." "None as good as you." "Are you...disappointed?" "Not for me, that's not what I mean." "But each year as other men grow more content you grow less so." "I just want you to be happy, that's what I mean." "And... you, Demelza?" " Are you happy?" " Of course I'm happy." " Are you angry?" " Angry?" "With Hugh Armitage?" "No." "Does he move you?" "His eyes light up when they look at you." "I know." "Oh, Ross, I..." "You have a wonderful common sense." "I rely on that." "George, why will you not trust me?" "Why will you not tell me what troubles you?" " l have no idea..." " You think I cannot see?" "You imagine things." "No, you speak barely a word to me for days and none at all to your son, a child not two years old!" " What have we done?" " My dear Elizabeth..." "You cannot mean that phrase and behave to us as you do!" "Oh, George... lf you but knew what it costs me to watch you torment yourself like this." " l do not mean to..." " l know you don't." "You are very dear to me." "Then show me!" "You must not blame me for being jealous." "Jealous?" "Of what, for heaven's sake?" "!" "If I were to say Ross Poldark." "Well, is it so strange?" "After all, you were, to say the least, his friend." "That was a long time ago." "Another world." "Once you would defend him against all criticism." " Then my feelings have changed." " Have they?" "Are you accusing me of hypocrisy?" "Or what then?" "Infidelity?" "How can I convince you that Ross means nothing to me in the manner you intend?" " Yet your feelings have changed." " l wouldn't care if I never saw him again!" " l am writing to Sir Francis." " George!" "Accepting an invitation to dine with him next week." " Next week?" "You did not tell me!" " l shall be going alone." "He has a matter of importance to discuss with me, he says." "It may involve our residing part of the year in London." ""..sanctify yourselves, therefore," ""and be holy."" "No, no, there must be more fire in it." "Ah, that's better." "Leviticus 20." ""And if a man shall take his brother's wife," ""it is an unclean thing."" "Yes, yes." "Good, good." ""Nakedness..." "Bare their sin."" "Good, good." ""They...shall be children."" "That is most profound."