Summary: The year 1783, the war has just been lost and Cornwall is in a state of disaster. Families are grieving over lost ones. For the Ravenwood family times have never been harder. With the family's affluent rates falling steadily and no man at t...
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Chapter Three, Re-starting an Old Life
Once Ross had gotten Jud and Prudie started on their chores around the house and outside in the garden he left off to visit his father's grave to pay his respects. Once he'd calmed his rapidly beating heart some what- that had started to try and beat a hole through his chest the moment he saw the grave. Ross mounted his horse once again and rode off to where his tenants lived, to not into see what can be done for them, but to let them know he was alive as they were very dear friends of his, but especially to see his beloved Kerenza.
As Ross came around the corner on his horse, he saw that things had deteriorated here just as much as they had at his home Nampara. The roofs had holes in them in all, if not most of the small cottages, the people looked worn and starving and their clothes had seen to many repairs on some of them. "Can it be?" Zacky Martin said to the othe a around him as Ross rode calmly up to him, before he dismounted. "Isn'ta ghost." Zacky exclaimed happily as he ran up to his long time friend. "See for yourself." Ross said as he embraced the man.
"We 'ears you took a bullet!" Another man exclaimed. "Dodged a few." Ross States as he embraced the man that had spoken. "And got a title." Mark said with a tinge of proudness in his voice as he too shared an embrace with Ross. "Cap'n Poldark!" The young Jim Carter said as he saluted Ross. "An' the war?" He asked. "An education, Jim." Ross said blandly. Before anyone else could say anything they heard the sound of running feat behind them slapping on the gravel path.
"Ross!" Kerenza breathed once she caught sight of him. "Kerenza!" whispered Ross quietly, as he moved forward to embrace her. Unlike the others who'd he embraced, Ross held Kerenza closer to him, lovingly. As he kissed her lovingly on the forehead closing his eyes as he revealed in her scent and in having her close again. He didn't care that she was in weather stained dress or that the shawl around her shoulders wash starting to become thread-bare, all he cared about was that she was close to him once more.
He pulled back slightly and chastely kissed her on the lips. "How have you been?" Ross asked concerned as they finally pulled back. "As well as can be expected with Mama and Papa dead. But Zacky treats me as one of his own and everyone here has been so kind to me Ross, it is more than I dared hoped when Mama told us she had to sell us. It wasn't like the rumours that are going around Ross. Mama tried everything she could, but the more she sold off the more the Warleggan's increased the debut." Kerenza sighed wipping away her tears that were a mix of sorrow, happiness and frustration. "I am so glad that you are mostly alright. When they said you were dead I did not believe it. For I knew in my heart that you were alive."
"I never doubted you for a second my love. And I know your mother would try everything she could, she loved both you and your sister very dearly." Ross said as he kissed her lips once more, they weren't as soft as he remembered but he did not care he just relished in the feeling of having her in his arms again for the first time in two years. "What of your sister? Have you had no word from her?" Rose asked, he immediately regretted it as her beautiful grey-blue eyes filled with unshed tears. "Oh, Ross! It is horrible! She is not treated well there. She is neglected and beaten by Tom Carne, while his six sons do nothing. We meet up when we can and I have seen the scars on her back." Kerenza said tearfully.
