Love in Cornwall

Chapter Thirty Two - Dearest

"Morwenna." she turned around and I embraced her "How are you? How is the babe?" pulling away she looked down

"I don't know. Mama never spoke of such things. I did not know what to expect, what the...obligations of marriage would be." A wave of concern and protectiveness for my cousin washed over me.

"Is he unkind?"

"He's a monster." Morwenna declared

"Cousin, why not tell me last? I would have done something, anything to help you. My heart weeps at your pain." she shook her head

"There is nothing you can do...this is my fate." she broke away from me and walked away.

"Aha, you've escaped. Excellent." my thoughts of my cousin were interrupted by Ross "Can we go home?" I hummed in agreement and took his arm

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After feeding and putting the children to bed, I was the first one in mine. Ross joined me shortly after.

"Lieutenant Armitage was most attentive today." I comment to my husband.

"To whom?" he wondered

"Your wife. Maybe overly attentive. Did you not notice?" I ask with a coy smile

"I must confess I did not. In a gathering you are the apple of eden to all men in your vicinity." he answered and I looked down.

"Perhaps it was imagined." I mumbled

"Perhaps. Eventually there will be one man who is not besotted with you." It wasn't that his words about others that hurt me so, but something else. I shook my head of the thought and turned over to sleep.

-------

I told Demelza that I saw Morwenna yesterday and that she was with child, admittedly I kept that news from her from the last visit I paid upon my cousin She in turn would relay it back to Drake. Ross was preparing to go to town when I broached the subject of Trenwith.

"Did Dwight tell you he was called to Trenwith?" I asked

"No. Why would he?" Ross wondered not turning around from what he was doing.

"The child has rickets. Valentine. It's said that he may end up lame." The question of my unlucky nephew I often buried at the back of my mind, the timing of Elizabeth pregnancy was a question mark. Yet it felt like I was the only one ever to realise and vaguely  acknowledge it

"Surely that's no concern of ours." he replied

"Of course not, Ross." and just like that the thought was there and buried. One of the many things Ross and I shared in common, the harsh truth and burying it as deep as we could muster.

"I'm away to see Pascoe. I'll be back before supper." he told me then left. I watched him leave then turned back into the empty room.

"Yes Ross." I mumbled the brushed the though away to tend upon my own children

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That Saturday we were invited to Ross and I alongside Caroline and Dwight were invited to the Bassets. The four of us entered the large house to Ross' complaining.

"I can think of 100 more useful things I could be doing." Ross commented

"For shame , Ross you're becoming a misanthrope." Caroline countered as I  removed my gloves and my cloak.

"I sympathise. I'm no lover of company these days. With the exception of my wife's." Dwight added as I handed my belonging over

"Sometimes Ross do make no exception." I lightly jest

"Well if I have my way..." i cut him off

"Which you frequently do."

"...this will be our last excursion for the foreseeable future." Sir Basset and his wife came out to welcome us and guide us inside. I linked my arm with Ross' as we followed on.

"Now we have a addition to our party. He got wind of your invitation and insisted in joining us. Who can guess at his motives?" Sir Francis chuckled "His Uncle and I cannot abide each other. Our ways of doing business are wholly at odds. but I have a certain fondness for his nephew." Ross and I shared a look of questionable recognition.

"So I trust you'll forgive me for inflicting him upon you." the doors to the dining room opened and turned around was...

"Armitage!" Ross chuckled as I smiled at his presence "Are we never to be rid of you?" Lieutenant Armitage exited from the gathering.

"You'll be sorry you ever saved me." he jested

"I regret the venture daily." the two shook hands

"I'm sure Dwight does. Now he's my prisoner instead of the republic's." Caroline joked greeting the young man.

"And from that there can be no release." Dwight greeted his fellow soldier. The three of them went ahead of me and Mr Armitage joined me upon entering.

"If you knew the pains I took to get myself invited today." he told me.

"Why did you so?" I wondered with a small chuckle

"Can you not guess." he replied and the feeling was most unexpected. my stomach was a flutter and my heart felt alight in anticipation.