True Love

Does He Love Me

Demelza rode Mollie hard she had to get away from Nampara. Ross with Alyse burned into her eyes. She decided to head toward London. Thinking she could lose herself in the crowds. At the crossroad she turned right. About fifteen minutes she passed the coach coming from London she realized this would pass by Nampara therefore it should wipe out any indication which way she took, if anyone tried to follow her. She was going to miss her brothers but there was no way she could stay there, if it weren't Alyse, it would be someone else.  One thing she knew he would never choose her; she remembered the conversation he had with Joshua which made her leave the first time.
It was late in the day, and she had to find shelter for the night and some food. Garrick had tried to follow her, but Mollie was going to fast for him. She thought it would be better for him to be back on the farm anyway. About an hour before sunset, she came upon a farm and took a chance to see if she could spend the night there. She had a work dress on so maybe she could barter for some food. Demelza knocked at the door and an older man named Harry answered, he invited her in noticing how beautiful and shapely she was, Harry's wife had passed away not long ago, and he had two strapping boys that needed to be fed and clothed. He thought about how he had not been with a woman since his wife died, this wench looked like a tasty young morsel. Demelza noticed how he was leering at her and shrank back thinking how she needed to protect herself from him.
Joshua heard Ross's door open and then saw Alyse coming out of his room. She sauntered down the steps like she owned the place. Joshua asked what she was doing there, she smirked at him and said, "what does a man and woman do in a bedroom."  Jenny and Mrs. Carter came out of the kitchen and heard this, Jenny yelled, "-Alyse get out and don't come back. Mr. Ross would never lie with you of his own free will." Alyse said, "who are you to kick me out?" Joshua said, "she can stay until I get my sons responses to my questions. If it truly was his idea, I may let you stay, but I do not think what you are telling is the whole story." Alyse started to worry, Ross had already told her he know he did nothing with her and it was she who climbed into his bed. At least the outsider would not be here for him to chose as a partner!
Ross passed the coach, then he came to the crossroads, he could not find any tracks. Thinking about this he turned and went back to the coach catching up he said, "did you pass a woman on a horse going the opposite way."  The driver told him he did and that the poor horse wouldn't be alive long if she kept riding him like that. He told Ross that she was on the road to London. Ross spurred Darkie on he just hoped he was in time before harm befall her. He knew a few unscrupulous men that lived along that road. Darkie being a stallion was much faster than Mollie, but Demelza had a good head start plus the time he had to chase down the coach. He thought Alyse better pray I find her before someone hurts her.
Demelza asks Mister Harry if she could feed and water her horse. He was all sugar telling her to also bed him down and she can sleep in the house. Telling her all she had to do was cook dinner for him and his boys. Demelza decided she would feed and water Mollie, let her rest and then get out of there, the man gave her the shivers and she did not want to spend the night there. She was just finishing and getting ready to leave when the old man came out. He yelled, "what are you doing, me boys and I are hungry?"  She said, "I am sorry I forgot my family is expecting me back."  He came over pretending to look over the horse. "This is a nice Horse you have; you steal her?" Demelza said, "no she is mine."  Harry grabbed her by the hair and said, "where did someone like you get a horse like that?" He straightened his back and said, "she be mine now." He started pulling her to the house. Demelza struggled she brought her food down on his instep and then raised her knee into his groin. Harry sputtered and yelled, "Tom, Harry come here and help me with this whore."  Sneering he told her, "After I finish with you, I will let my boys have a turn with you." Demelza dug her nails into his hand holding her, when he went to slap her, she grabbed his arm and bite him as hard as she could. His boys snatched her by her wrist and ankles they lifted her off ground and started walking to the house. Demelza was struggling making it hard for the men to hold on to her. The old man punched her in the face, she went numb.
None of the three men saw the man that came up on horseback with his gun drawn. He shot it in the air and pulled the second one out of his belt. The old man said what do you want. Ross said, "put my fathers ward down." Tom Harry said, "I know you and your father has no ward." Ross said, "I will not tell you again but her down now." The old man thought to himself he is one man against three what can he do. He signaled for the boys to put her down. When she was laying on the ground Ross got off his horse and grabbed his shot gun. He went over and checked on the girl and said, "who punched her."  The old man snickered and told him, "Me. She is ours now, we will share her with you if you want, but you will not be taking her." Ross saw red and yelled, "My father and I will have the law on you if you touch one hair on her head." The old man said, "well see that may be a problem; maybe we have to kill you to keep you quit then." Ross said, "you can try."  Tom was trying to get his fathers attention he had seen Ross fight and knew they were out of his league. Ross pointed the pistol and said, "who do I shoot first."  The old man said, "you aren't going to shoot anyone, you are trespassing." Ross laughed and said, "where are these signs of yours. I may have to stop at the magistrates and inform them of how you have treated my intended." Demelza woke up and saw Ross standing pointing a gun. She went to get up, Ross took her under the arm and assisted her. He then handed her the pistols while he pointed the shot gun at them. He told her, "Go get Mollie."  Demelza ran to the barn and brought Mollie out beside Darkie. They mounted their horse's all the while aiming a gun at the three men. Old man Harry said, "I do not see a ring on her finger, so as far as I know she be fair game. I lost my wife, and she came here wanting us to take her in." Ross said, "at the end of the week there will be an announcement, it will be your word against a gentleman's on how you were treating her if she was of her own free she would not have been punched!" Ross and Demelza rode off. Old man Harry thought I will get even with you and the bitch if it is the last thing I do!
Demelza and Ross rode in silence it was after sunset and Demelza's face was hurting in the worst way and she was cold. Ross was wondering if they should stop and rest, but he was afraid the Harry's were following behind them, so he kept going. Ross thought I must tell her about Alyse. He said, "Demelza about Alyse nothing happened. I came home about an hour before. I was playing cards all night, but I was not drunk. She was not in my room when I came home. She must of came later and crawled into my bed. She has been chasing a man of means to help her go to a higher station!" Demelza looked at him side eyed, "it is no concern of mine who you bed," she said. Ross laughed, "is it not though did you not hear me tell Mr. Harry you are my betroth." Demelza gasped, "you never?" Ross laughed, "yes, I did because if I did not, he would claim you consented to be his wife. Did you consent?" Demelza shook her head back and forth vigorously, "no never he was a foul man, told me once he would used me so would his boys." Ross said then, "we have no choice but to announce our engagement." Demelza said, "I will not participate in you pretending that we are to be married?"  Ross stopped his horse, "Demelza you will be sixteen in two weeks, we will be married" Demelza stopped her horse and glared at Ross, "I will only marry for love, and I will not marry a man whose heart belongs to another!" Ross got off his horse and pulled Demelza off hers to. He kissed her passionately and soon she was responding to him. He left her go then said, "I don't believe it will be unpleasant for either of us. Now get back on your horse so we can go home." Demelza got on her horse and said, "My father loved another and he never treated his wife right I will not make the same mistake," she spurred Mollie on. Ross caught up to her and said, "We'll see, if you want, I can take you back to the Harry's." Ross snickered and rode ahead of her, all the while Demelza seethed.
The made it back to Nampara around one o'clock in the morning all the rooms were lite. Jim came out taking the horses. He said, "I am glad you found her sir." They walked into the parlor and Joshua jumped up when he noticed Demelza's face. Ross stated, "old man Harry, he was laying claim to her, he was opposing your claim of being her guardian, I am afraid I told them I have secured her hand in marriage. If we do not wed, they may contest your right to her. Joshua smirked at his son; he knew this was his way of marrying the girl, to keep any others from courting her. Joshua said we will discuss it in the morning, right now I want to know what happened?" Ross said, "Alyse climbed in my bed sometime after I got home this morning. Joshua said were you drunk?" Ross said, "on the contrary I hardly drank last night?" I found her when I heard Demelza squeal this morning." Demelza said, "I did not squeal." During there discussion Mary, Jenny, Jim, Anne, and Alyse came into the room. Ross said, "Alyse threatened me with telling everyone I bed her. I might have bed her before going to America but not since I have been home, and I was not the only one! She would lie with whomever if the coins where provided." Mary gasp, Jim went to slap his sister, but Jenny pulled him back. Alyse started to deny it, when Anne spoke up. "Momma she has been doing this for years since she was sixteen, she wanted me to go with her."  Alyse said, "shut up you little traitor" and nudged her. Then Anne added, "Momma didn't you ever wonder where she got money for her fancy clothes." Mary looked at her daughter and said, "you shame your family?" Demelza spoke up, "I think I will go to bed this is not my concern." Alyse said, "you ruined it I know I could have gotten him to marry me, after Lady Elizabeth broke his heart! You know he will always love her you are nothing to him." Demelza looked at her with tears in her eyes, "you don't have to tell me, I know I will never hold his heart." Once she said this, she bolted up the stairs. Joshua said, "you will leave this house and not step foot on any of my estate. I am sorry Mary, if you and the rest of your family wish to remain employed here you may but she is not on our property or in Mellon. Alyse cried, "where am I to go then without my family!" Jim spoke up, "You should have thought of that before you started whoring yourself out. Jenny and I will stay here!" Mary said, "can she spend the night at the gatehouse? I will tell you Anne and my answer tomorrow sir." Joshua nodded, "just make sure she stays away from this house, and she is gone in the morning." Ross was worried about Demelza. "He looked at Alyse and said, "you are wrong, I would never have married you! As for having my whole heart, Demelza has held it since I first saw her!" Joshua asked, "Jenny can you please check on your Mistress?" Jenny nodded and went upstairs
Jenny knocked at Demelza's door. Demelza said, "Come in!" When she saw Jenny she said, "I am sorry I did not mean to cause trouble for Jim's family." Jenny laughed, "It was going to come out sooner or later I knew she has been doing it for years. I am sorry Mary and Jim got hurt but it is good because now Anne will have a chance to be something she can be proud of. Alyse would have taken her into that life if given a chance." Demelza just shrugged, "why does everyone seem to hate my, Edna and now Alyse what did I do to them?" Jenny said, "you are the most beautiful woman in Cornwall, your goodness shines through, they knew they could never compete with you, not even Elizabeth if truth be told. Joshua see's Mistress Grace in you, she was kind, loving, giving and beautiful. Do you know that Mister Joshua and his brother Charles both vied for her attention? That is when the brothers feud started Charles could accept defeat." Demelza sighed, "I just wish Ross would love me like he loves Elizabeth!" "I think he does Mister Ross, does not know how to speak his feelings but I can see he cares very much for you, Jenny retorted. Demelza giggled then sobered, "No Jenny, he may like me, but he doesn't love me like he!" Demelza laid in her bed a long time before she went to sleep thinking about what Jenny said."