True Love

What Next

Demelza slept off an on for two days. Dwight said it is best if she sleeps, it helps her heal. When she wakes give her plenty of water and broth. Ross went to the mine with Dwight while Joshua sat beside her. When Demelza woke, he offered water and some broth. She pushed him away! Joshua sighed, "Demelza, I had nothing in with what Ross did. I didn't condone what he did. You took off before I had a chance to show my displeasure. If I had my choice of a wife for him I would pick you. You are so much like your Aunt Grace"! Demelza turned her head to her Uncle. I can't stay here loving him and him treating me as something that.. what does Elizabeth have over him, I know she is beautiful but she has no morals and she treats people like they are not worthy to say her name. I can't stand to see him throwing himself at her! I am tired I want to go back to sleep".  Joshua nodded and tucked her in and sat in his chair and thought what she said.
When Dwight and Ross came back from the mine they knocked on Demelza's door. Joshua got up opened it and told Dwight she had woken and had little broth with some water but that was it. Dwight said, "I want to be examine her if you will excuse me?" Once the door was shut Ross said, "I don't like her her in there alone with him!" Joshua turned and answered a little more hotly then he should. "It is not up to you. You chose not to have an attachment to her, so leave her alone. She doesn't need someone playing on her feelings. I would prefer George to court her at this moment then you!" Ross was dumbfounded, his father shook his head and walked away from Ross.
Jenny came past Ross and looked at  Ross, "Mr. Ross can I ask you what hold Mistress Poldark has on you because from I can see it is your cousin, Warleggan and you hold her on a pedestal that others can ever obtain. It hurts people to see you attached to her and not find a life you could have full of love and children if your own!" "Jenny, your father is a dear friend of mine, as such I do not want to admonish you, so please stay out of the personnel affairs of your employers!" Jenny nodded and turned away.
Dwight had aroused Demelza from sleep. "She told him, "I am sorry I did not come to work you, but I knew I could not because of Ross." Dwight said, "you love him don't you?" Demelza said "beyond anything, that is why it is so hard to see him pine over his cousin's wife. I know now that he will never think of me other than a glorified servant. I could not stay after what he did to me." "What did he do" Dwight asked? Demelza tilted her head down, "he told me he wanted to court me, then he told Mr. Joshoa it was all a trick to keep me away from men or men away from me. What really hurts is the way he pines after her, they met in the cave and had relations even though she was engaged. She chases Ross on her day of the wedding she made advances and he accepted them. I cannot stand it." "Demelza, may I offer some advice? Try to forget Ross, treat him as you would any other man, try to find joy and friendship elsewhere. I for one would love to have your friendship." Demelza said, "thank you I would like that."
Ross was sitting outside Demelza's door when Dwight came out. Ross asked Dwight, "how is she?" "Depressed,"said Dwight. "Did you really try to trick her to believe you were interested in her? Playing on her feelings for you, what were you thinking of?" Ross said, "I was trying to save her virtue," "Is it yours to protect, she is well capable of protecting herself then a man known to have loose morals?" "What do you mean by that," Rose whispered yelled? "Did you or did you not have relations with Elizabeth? On the day of her wedding, she was throwing herself at you. You obviously don't care for your cousin. If any other woman of wanted to treat her husband and offer herself to you, you would of dismiss her with no further contact but because it was Elisabeth, she gets a free pass. Leave Demelza alone she doesn't need yours nor Elizabeth drama."
Ross went in to sit with Demelza. He asked her how she was feeling. She said, "I am fine you really don't need to sit in here." "I don't mind we can sit and talk awhile if you like," said Ross. Demelza hesitated and then said, "Ross I really don't want to talk, you have plenty of friends to talk to, go talk to them because I am not one. Now I am tired so if you don't mind close the door when you go out," Ross said, "look Demelza I know you are angry..." "Ross for me to be angry would mean that I care, after being out there for the past month I realized I can take care of myself and if that means I am not a lady then so be it. Now please I am tired please leave." Ross got up and went to the door, "I know you don't mean it we'll talk tomorrow," he left the room. Demelza sighed she thought to herself that wasn't as hard as I thought and rolled over and went to sleep.
Jenny came in with a bowl of broth and a fresh pitcher of cold water but Demelza was still sleeping so she left it on the bedside table. Garrick looked at his Mistress whined and put his head back down. Going through the dining room Dwight asked Jenny how Demelza is doing. "She is still sleeping." Dwight said "tomorrow we need to get her up for a while, maybe Jenny can get the tub in there so she can have a soak. It may help her feel better, if she gets tired then she can take a nap but I want her up for as much possible then we can what she can stand tomorrow."  Joshoa spoke up and told Jenny they have the rooms upstairs were done; he told her tomorrow Jim and a couple farm hands could move the furniture up from Demelza's room. He said then they can move the furniture from my room to the other down besides the new parlor on the bottom floor. Ross's belongings go to the master's room. He also told Jenny tomorrow I will show you how to tub works upstairs and the chamber pot.
Dwight asked, "how this all works I would love to see it." Joshoa then took Ross and Dwight up and showed them how the water comes when pull the string which puts water into the bucket that you then heat on the fire. You put this gadget into the hole in the tub. Put the water in and when you are done, you take the gadget out and it drains into the underground cavern. Same for the chamber pot except there is no gadget once you are done you pour the water down and it sends it to the same underground cavern." Ross after looking at the rooms asked, "why are you placing me in the master room I could be in the one across from Demelza?" Joshoa said, "I assumed that once you are married you would want to be in the room furthest from guest and children, also if Demelza is still here she would not want to be in a room close to you and your wife," Ross nodded "I see your reasoning" Ross said "would it not be better to leave the furniture in the master bedroom then. It may be more beneficial to purchase furniture for your room since those room will need furniture to replace them?'  Joshoa said "the room that Demelza is in is going to be incorporated into the kitchen, so Demelza can take her furniture with her. I can how ever see that your furniture should stay in your old room. I guess I could purchase furniture for my room downstairs. So, tomorrow we just move Demelza's furniture to her new room. They then finish the kitchen and new dining area."
Dwight said, "it sounds like this will be the grandest house in the area.  Joshoa said, "I would like to keep this as quiet as possible. In May, I am planning a welcome home soirée for Ross and make Demelza's debut to society. I could also introduce at that time as another doctor for the area." Ross said, "I do not need a welcome home party." "Allow me to do this it would give me immense pleasure, especially how things were before you left." Ross said, "If you must." "Do you think Demelza will be up to it, a month would be the beginning of May and a Month and half would be toward the end. I was thinking May 21st which would be a month and a half, "Joshoa told Dwight? "I would think she should be healed enough to enjoy the evening; it is her ribs that I am most concerned about. I do not know if any of the broken ones will affect her lungs, but she should be fine." he replied. Ross thought to himself I should have killed her father!
Ross said, "what of her brothers are they at home her youngest is what four, do they have any other family caring for them since their mother is dead." Joshoa thought for a moment, "we should see if they are being taken care of if nothing else, we could bring the little ones here and give the older one's positions in the mines or boat yards." Ross and his father agreed they would go tomorrow and see how the children was faring." Joshua said he would get Jack and Ned to help move the furniture. Jenny told Joshoa that she would clean the rooms before the furniture was moved in.  She asked if he wanted her to clean the others room that were finished once the kitchen was finished, they would combine the dining room with the new room making the dining room large enough that it would be where he would get a larger table and chairs. Ross saw the accounts and he knew his father had the money to do the finishing of the house and he agree they needed some more furniture.
Ross suggested after they stopped in Illogun to check on the children and then they could go to Falmouth to see what they have as far as furniture and maybe stop in Bodmin? Joshoa said he was willing, and it would be nice to have Ross with him. Dwight said if he didn't get bogged down with patients, he would stay with Demelza, he suggested that he could also help Jim with the moving of the furniture. Ross said that is what I am afraid of. Dwight and Joshoa just smirked.
After Jenny cleared and cleaned the dishes and dining room, she checked on Demelza.  Seeing she was awake she heated her broth. She sat beside Demelza and told her all that was decided at the dining table. "Jenny please tell Mister Joshoa I want to go with him to see the boys". Jenny told her "Oh Mistress I could not, you are not well enough." Demelza cried "Please PLEASE" Jenny nodded and went to find her Master.
Going into the parlor Jenny said, "Mister Joshoa, I was telling Demelza of your aplans for tomorrow and she is requesting to go with you." All three men looked at Jenny like she ha said something in a foreign language. Joshoa got up and said I will go talk to her.  Dwight said if you would allow me to let me after all her health is my concern. Dwight went in to see Demelza. Demelza spoke up as soon as he came in "Dwight you must see I have to go with them, I was like a second mother to those boys please I will not overdo it." Dwight told her "Demelza you must know that you are in no shape to see them, you face is still swollen, are you not afraid they will be scared of you?" "They have seen far worse on both my mother and me. Please Dwight I must go," Demelza implored! Dwight told her he would speak to Joshoa and left the room.
Going out he finds Joshoa and Ross waiting for Dwight. "She made some strong points, and the younger boys may be more receptive if she was there.  It might do her some good, if only you had a carriage.  Ross said would Uncle Charles allow us to use his. "Your uncle sold that, I could contact Sir Ray Pendevon, I will just have Jim go to Turro tomorrow and rent one and bring it back.  I will order us one after May." Dwight said, "may I go with you; Ross and I can drive it and Demelza and you will be inside." Joshoa told Jenny who was standing for this conversation to tell Jim his plans, he told Ross to seek out Jud and see if he would be willing to drive the coach. Jenny, he said, "Please tell Demelza and attend her in the morning to go with us." Jenny left to tell Demelza, Ross went to employ Jud and Dwight went to the gate house to get some sleep.