True Love

Searching

After the wedding one of Basset servants heard about the beauty that was there by the name of Demelza Carnes. Tom Carnes
had worked at the Bassett mine for most of his life on and off again. When word got back to him, he knew just where his daughter was. He was going to get her back. It was her duty to serve him now that her mother was no longer alive. Tom Carne walked into Namoaraq late in the evening a week after Demelza left. Ross and Joshua had been out looking for her since she left only coming home to get supplies then sleep and go back out to look, they checked off the map where they had looked figuring, they could go over it again until they found her. Joshua and Ross rode in together. They came into the yard and Jim came out of the house. He told them there was a man in the parlor that wanted to see them, and he did not look to be of good nature.
Ross went in first and then Joshua both Father and Son were tall well-muscled men, so it did not surprise them when the man stood up and took his hat off to show respect. Joshua said, "what can we do for you?" The man said, "my name is Tom Carne and I have come for me daughter!" Joshua said, "your daughter is not here!" Tom said, "I was told that me daughter attended a wedding at Twenwith, and she had be liven here with you!" I know Demelza brought her here to her sisters to get her away from me, but she be mine and I will have her home." Ross got in front of his Father; "she is not here. If you took her and hurt her, we will see you hanged!" Carne started laughing "so she buggered off, did she? What did ee do to her to make her run? She never ran from me; her Mam took her; the bitch, and I need her at home to care for her brothers and the home." Joshua said "she was given to me to become my ward. She will not be going back to you." "Well, I will sell her to you for five guineas." Joshua said, "let me get some witnesses." Carne told him "Now wait a minute I needs her to come home to take care of the boys her Mam should never have taken her away knowin she was dying. She knew someone was going to have to make me meals and keep the house. Joshua said, "your daughter can pick where she wants to work, I do not think she will be coming home." Tom Carne said "we in Illugon do not take kindly to two men that have your reputation taken in a young girl. I will be back in month to get me daughter." With that Tom Carne left starting the long track back to Illugon. He was heading through the woods and thought he smelled wood burning he started walking toward it when a big black dog came at him, he thought better then to go to the shack if the dogs Master was anything like the dog, he would be lucky to escape with his life.
Demelza and Garrick lived off the land it was now a month since she left Nampara. Garrick kept her in fresh meat, and she had plenty of drinking water. One early morning she heard Garrick growling she followed him out and peeked through the thicket it was her father and uncles. She stayed hidden and Garrick chased them away. After she was sure they were gone she gathered her items and got on Mollie, with Garrick by her side she went in the opposite direction. She lost a lot of weight she came out to a clearing and realized she was by Swale Church. She got off Mollie, tied her, and went to see her aunt's grave. She was coming back out when her father jumped out from behind the tree with his two brothers. Her Father said "looky here boys it be me s daughter." She went to run, and he grabbed her by her hair and knocked her down. She went to get up and he kicked her in the ribs and said "stay down girl. Now you have brought shame on me family and that you will be punished for. Liven in sun with those two libertines. Your Mam told me all about them. I guess I will just have to make sure there ain't no unwanted babes from them there Poldark's" and he commenced on beating her. The Martin boys were on their way home when they heard the commotion, they ran back to Nampara and told them there were three men beating what looked like a woman. Ross and Joshoa got on their horses and galloped to see if they could help the woman. Jim and the Martin boys went to help, the youngest to get the Daniels and their father.
What Joshua and Ross saw made them blood turn cold there was Tom Carne beating a poor girl while two others stood and watched it was not until Joshua shoot the pistol and they moved away that they saw Garrick tied to a tree and the flaming red hair of Demelza. Ross jumped off his horse and went after Tom Carne. Joshua held the two brothers off with the gun and the Daniels and the Martins came upon them. Joshua told them to get the constable and then he told another to get Doctor Enys. They took the rope off Garrick who growled and would not let anyone near Demelza. Ross picked her up and carried her back to Nampara not knowing how bad her injuries were to put Could not put her on a horse. Dwight got there before Ross and when he saw the shape of Demelza he felt himself go faint. Her face was one big bruise, bruises marks around her ribs and stomach, her back. Joshua came up following with the Carne brothers tied together. Dwight was not a violent man, but he could have killed the lot of them. Tom Carne laughed and said, "they won't be getting Poldark bastard from her." Joshes pulled on the rope making the men fall. "You did this because you were afraid, she was pregnant" said Dwight "Ross to take her to her room." When Jenny saw her, she shrieked and said, "what did they do to the mistress."
The constable came Ross, Joshua, the Martins, the Daniels, and Jim, all gave him their accounts, he asked if he could see the victim. Ross knocked at the door and told Dwight the Constable wanted to see Demelza. Dwight said he could see her, but she would not be able to talk so Ross let him in. After seeing the shape Demelza was in the constable told them he was going to take them to Turro goal and a hearing hopefully tomorrow.
It was hours before Dwight came out, he got himself a whisky. Garrick was laying by the bedroom door and would not move. Joshua said, "how is she?' Dwight said "they did a job on her. I suppose he gave her that burn scare on her shoulder." Joshua nodded "yes." Ross said, "this all my fault for trying to keep men away until she was older." Joshua did not say anything because of Ross's actions he had lost Demelza trust. Jenny sat beside Demelza's side. Ross came in and told her he would sit with her. Garrick came barreling into the room and laid beside her bed.
Ross held Demelza's hands and wished she would give him another chance, he thought about why he wanted that agreement in the first place it was because he was jealous of the other men vying for her attentions.
While Ross was holding her hand and contemplating, Joshua came into the room "I have failed again" he said. Ross said, "what are you talking about Father?" He said "I failed your mother by not taking care of you, I failed her sister by not taking care of Demelza"