Everything There is a Reason

No Two Women the Same

Ross
Ross rose in the morning, he didn't sleep all the night with her gone. He noticed it was raining out and he wondered if Demelza had made it to her fathers. If she was walking that distance she should have left at sunrise to get there before dusk. He shook his head it was her decision to leave and she did seduce him, then came his conscience, yes but you kissed her first and you are ten years her senior, you should have sent her to her room! He realized this thinking would not help with what he had done. It was in the past. Going downstairs he realized there was no aroma's coming from the kitchen such as fresh made bread or even a good smelling breakfast. Ross sat at his table and Prudie brought in the most disgusting looking mush. He questioned "what is that"? She said "porridge". He raised an eyebrow. She shrugged her shoulders,  thinking it is his own fault he used and then left that child a go!
Ross called "Prudie" and  said "is there no toast or coffee". She said, "ee know I don't knows how to make ee coffee and ee finished the bread yesterday" Ross groaned threw his napkin on the table and left for the mine.
Demelza
Demelza made her way back to her fathers after noon tea she was starving but she was more concerned for Garrick. She was soaked through and look like she was through a fight she was so disheveled. When her stepmother saw her she pulled her in and said "child what has happened to ee". Demelza responded "nothin". At that time her father entered and said "don't go mollycoddling her". Once her father was out of the room Demelza said "do you have anything I can feed my dog,  I can go without but I won't let him starve". Her stepmother retrieved a bone with a little meat she was going to make stew with and told Demelza "to feed him quick before her father came back". She gave the bone and some water to Garrett and left him loose she knew he would come back. When she entered her stepmother made her wash and change her clothes. When she came down her father said "you will help this fine woman with the household chores and in her shop. You will do this for room and board are we clear". Her stepmother gave her a sympathetic look and turned away. Demelza thought did I think I was going to be treasured. She was told to be ready for church at six in the morning then she was to come home and have breakfast ready, do laundry and clean the house and prepare the tea. When that was done by ten o'clock she was to be at the shop to help her stepmother. At five o'clock she was to return home get the laundry in and cook the evening meal, clean the dishes, do the baking and clean the kitchen, and the parlor. Everyone was in bed well before she went out to spend time with Garrett giving him most of her meal. She ate hers with him and wondered how Nampara was managing without her.
Ross
Ross went to his Uncles for dinner. Francis was not home, he was told that he had been spending more and more of his time in Turro. Ross mentioned that his cook had left his employment, it did not surprise him when Elizabeth gave him a sultry smile. When he was leaving, Elizabeth walked him out and said "Ross would it be permissible for me to visit you tomorrow morning"? Ross indicated it would and kissed her wrist. Ross was thinking that Elizabeth was coming to tell him she was leaving Francis. That is what he had wanted for so long. When he went into Nampara he realized how dark and gloomy it looked no fresh tablecloths, no flowers and it looked like it had not been cleaned in ages instead of just a few days. Well there was nothing for it tonight Jud and Prudie was no doubt drunk out of there minds.
Ross woke the next morning to find nobody about. He made himself some coffee but there hadn't been any baked goods including bread since Demelza left he felt a tinge in his chest at the thought of the girl he had used so selfishly. Elizabeth arrived and Ross led her in. She looked around and said "Ross where are your servants". He said "I told you Demelza had left, Jud and Prudie you know" Elizabeth said "you should get rid of those two and I am glade you sent that dreadful girl away there was entirely to much gossip about you two" Ross bristles at that but thought better of correcting her.
She said as you know Francis is spending most of his time in Turro with a certain Margaret. Ross I am so lonely I want, no I need male companionship. I have never stopped loving you"! She look at him cunningly. Ross said "leave Francis we could live here and have a life". Elizabeth gasped " I couldn't the scandal alone, and I couldn't take Geoffrey Charles from Twenwith it is his birthright". She got up and went to Ross looking up under her lashes she put her hands on his chest, she licked her lips and invited him to kiss her. They kissed, he picked her up and took her to his room he thought of having her for so long that he took her her hard and fast. When he was sated. Elizabeth started dressing "I have to leave but if you could meet again next week we can renew our old friendship, oh and ask your servants to please clean a little before I come" Ross laid there thinking of the difference between his time with Demelza and Elizabeth. Demelza was eager and a willing partner she left Ross know she enjoyed his passion. While Elizabeth laid there just waiting for it to be over, maybe he was expecting to much from Elizabeth, after all he had longed for her for seven years. Ross got up and went to the mine.
Demelza
Demelza's stepmother noticed her losing weight and thought it was because she gave most of her meals to her dog. About a month later she started throwing up. Being in the matronly way herself she sat Demelza down at the shop. She told Demelza that although her religion looks  unkindly on fornication, she understands desires of the flesh. She said "Demelza, I are you with child"? Demelza hung her hair and cried.  Nellie held her and patted her back she told her she would help her tell her father, she then asked her who the father was. Demelza told the story of how her father came and demanded she come home because of the sin her and Captain Poldark was committing but there wasn't any sin. Then he came home that night and he was in such a fowl mood and she loved him so much she just wanted to show him she was a woman that could love him! The next day his old love came around and he was so ashamed of what they did he couldn't even look at her. Then he called her in his study and was going to tell her how he felt and she couldn't take it so she told him she was going home. "I didn't think I could get with a child the first time". Nellie said "even though he won't marry ee, he will have to support the babe". Demelza yelled "no, please never tell anyone who the father is, this is my child. I won't have it be looked down on from his people. Please promise me Nellie" Nellie nodded not knowing how her husband is going to react to his daughter.
Ross and Elizabeth met twice more at Nampara, he was starting to dread their time together, it felt wrong and he did not enjoy her affections. When they talked it was always about what she wanted for her and Geoffrey Charles. How bad a husband Francis was. She was never the sweet girl he remembered. That afternoon he had Jinny in doing some work for him. When they came down the steps him fixing his waistcoat, Elizabeth putting on her gloves there was no denying what had just happened. Elizabeth smirked at her and told her to continue with her job. Then kissed Ross goodby saying she will let him know when they can meet again. Ross not wanting to discuss what Jenny saw left for the mine.