Unsatisfied Love (A Poldark Fanfiction).

Anne - Who Knows.

Ross' face hardens. He blinks for a moment then looks away towards Francis, and forces a smile. "I'm very glad for you, and...and Elizabeth. I hope you have many happy years together." Francis says nothing, but only returns a weak smile. 

Ross touches his scar again and turns away from us all. The guests are all unsure of what happened, me included. Feeling the tension in the room, I turn to Verity, who is white.

"What's going on? Why didn't Francis thank Ross for his well-wishing?" I look at Ross who is staring into space, then back to Verity who shakes her head gently, as if to go unnoticed by the people around her.

"I can't tell you now", she says simply, as footsteps are heard clearly on the stairs outside the Hall. Louisa Benson catches my eye, but I just shrug when she gives me a quizzical expression. From across the room, Francis scowls at me, but I nudge Verity again.

"Why?"

"Anne!" Verity says, unusually sharp. "Not now."

Outside in the hallway, the footsteps get louder. Ross' head pricks up as Elizabeth walks back into the room, her mother's coat over her forearm. She does a double-take and gasps, almost dropping the coat. Ross stands in her way, and doesn't make an attempt to move. Instead, he scowls just as Francis had done.

"Ross?" Elizabeth breathes, almost a whisper. Verity shuffles in her seat. I know my sister too well – she will want to help Elizabeth, yet she is too glued to the drama to even move. Francis takes a step towards Elizabeth as if to reach out to her, but as soon as he approaches, Ross moves.

"Elizabeth", Ross says with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He backs away from her as if she has the pox, and walks into the hallway. "I'll see myself out."

That evening, I sit on the edge of Verity's bed as she plaits her hair and tucks it under a nightcap. She turns down the oil-lamp on her bedside table and sighs. She knows what's coming.

"Why was Ross so..." I start, but she interrupts me. She shakes her head and frowns.

"Ross and Elizabeth were...well, betrothed a few years ago. Father took back the engagement when Ross went to war, and instead Elizabeth was promised to Francis." I gasp, and tuck my legs up so that she crawls onto the bed next to me. She shrugs.

 "Now that Ross is back, who knows what will happen? I just hope he and Francis don't lose their temper with each other...they're awfully good friends, y'know. More like brothers than cousins."

"Yes", I sigh, as Verity pulls the covers over her. She tugs at the bed sheet that I am sitting on, and I get up, astounded by the news. "I hope so too."