Jeremy Poldark (26 page)

"I wasn't well educated ---'

"No more was I. Look." 'He thumped the
flat of his hand on the mantelshelf. "Look, If you ask me, do I want more
children, I'll say, no. We're nearly paupers, the world's awry, and we've lost
Julia. Correct? That's a theoretical case. But, if you say you're having
another child,, do I dislike the prospect, I'd say, yes, for all these reasons
I still dislike the prospect; but a prospect is not a child, and a child can be
welcomed for all that D'you understand what I mean?"

No," she said.

He stared at his tobacco. jar on the shelf, his
first protest exhausted, his mind leaping forward to what this news entailed.
And all the memories of Julia it revived. The storm at her birth, the two
christening parties, the drunken Paynters that day Demelza was out, the high
hopes, the love - and the storm at her death. It had come in a cycle, had
conformed to a pattern, like a Greek tragedy prepared by a cynic. It was to
happen again. History had to repeat itself in the early stages whatever the
later might bring.

He glanced down at her. What did it mean for
her? Weeks of discomfort, agony at the end, then months of unremitting care.
All that had gone to Julia and much more; yet it had all been lost. What right
had he to claim a monopoly of grief? ... He'd never done that, and yet ...

He said more gently: " I've noticed no
stoutness so far."

She said : " By April I shall look like Mr.
Trencrom.

It was the first time they had laughed together
for a long time; but her laughter, was still dangerously near tears, his a not
quite voluntary surrender of his irritation.

He put his hand on her shoulder, trying to
express something' that he couldn't yet say. Strange, the meaning of contacts
His firm clasp of this arm was entirely permissible, familiar, pleasurable,
the touch of a known and loved person, however exasperating. His clasp of
another arm at Christmas had had electricity in the touch. Was it because he
loved Elizabeth more - or because he knew her less?

Demelza said: "If you-still care what is
going to happen to us, then you must have more care in what you undertake."

I shall have care in everything I undertake
believe me. I've every possible intention of keeping on the right side of the law.
"He released her shoulder. " Or at any rate the blind side.... Thank
God at least that we have a capable physician ' in the neighbourhood."

I'd still rather have Mrs. Zacky," said
Demelza.

The next day Ross was up before dawn and spent
the morning at the mine, arranging with Zacky Martin about the redeployment of
the men who had been tunnelling towards Wheal Trevorgie. He spent longer than
he need have done at the workings and went down to see how things were below
grass:- He felt as if the acquisitive hand of the Warleggans was already over
Wheal Leisure. He had not slept well during the night, his brain being active
with all the developments of yesterday.

As to Demelza's news, he could not yet evaluate
his own feelings, but reflection didn't dissipate the sense of insult that he
had been kept in the dark so long. To him it looked like a wilful
misunderstanding of his views - or at least a painful lack of trust in his good
sense. Soon after noon he walked back with Zacky, who, was slipping home for a
snack before returning for the change of cores. At last there was some sign of
a lift in the weather; the vast burden of cloud which had hung about, so long
was thinning, splitting up, and drifting away before a northeasterly breeze.
The contours of the land were unequivocal, demarcating the colder lighter sky.

"Tis a pity we've stopped that
working," said Zacky. " I feel we was driving towards rich stuff. But
maybe it is no more'n an old wives' dream:"

“Where d'you estimate we had got to?"

Zacky stopped and rasped his chin.
"Twouldn't be hard to take proper measurings, but it is hard to be sure
without, sur. Just to be guessing, I'd say near on that clump of trees."

Ross scanned the distance from where, the
buildings of Wheal Leisure littered one skyline to where the broken wall and
chimney of Wheal Grace stood on the rising ground near Mellin.

"About halfway?"

" I reckon. There's no map, I b'lieve, of
the old Trevorgie workings."

" No accurate one. But I went down with my
cousin seven years ago and they were pretty extensive in this direction. That
air adit is the only sign, but I believe several were filled up. My father worked
the newer, Wheal Grace, part towards the southwest. You were never in Wheal
Grace?"

"I wasn't in these here parts till I was
twenty, and then I went straight on Grambler. Of course, I've often thought
twould injure no one to have a closer look at Trevorgie from that end. That's
if you could get by with the foul air."

It was none too bad when we went down. But we
didn't go far. What we saw was all exhausted, tin ground, and poor at that. Of
course, Mark Daniel ..."

“Mark Daniel?" said Zacky cautiously.

They went on. They were only a few hundred yards
from the house Mark had built. In one part the roof had already fallen in. It
seemed tactless to mention his name just here, - so close to where he had
killed his little faithless moonflower wife.

"I don't know if Paul ever told you,"
Ross said, " but the day before Mark escaped to France he hid down Grace.,
Before he left I happened to see him and he told me there as a lot of rich
stuff in the mine."

" .. Paul never told me. But I can add two
an' two, like. Did he say where the ore was to?"

No.... At least, I fancy he mentioned the east
face."

"That's Trevorgie. That's sense - for your
father'd never have abandoned a rich lode. Anything might've happened when
Trevorgie was worked."

"Yes,?', said Ross; staring at the chimney
of Wheal Grace. They, separated just beyond Reath Cottage and Ross went up to
the old mine building. There was very little loft. Abandoned for twenty years,
the bits of machinery had long since been carried away, and nature had licked
over the scars. Ross; sat down and put his chin in his hand.

It was pleasant enough; sitting here among the
whispering grass, and he scarcely moved for half an hour. There was some
community of spirit between the man and the scene., Strange ideas were milling
in his head, at least two of them having taken shape from his conversation with
Mr. Trencrom. All of them derived from the events of yesterday and all of them
were moving him to one end. At length he got up and walked slowly, half
aimlessly, back to Reath Cottage, pushed open the door and went in. It was
dark, as it always would be except in the mornings; Mark had built it facing
the wrong way. People wouldn't pass the place after dusk; they said Keren still
hung there sometimes with her broken little face out of the window. The earth
floor was covered with brambles and gorse, and rank white grass, predatory and
unhealthy, sprouted among the stones. An old stool stood in the corner, some
faggots lay by the fireplace. He went out into the open again, deriding himself
for being glad to go.

From here you looked straight across the
declivity to the Gatehouse. Every time Dwight Enys rode out on his doctoring
this derelict cottage would stare and watch him leave. No wonder Enys still
showed the scars of that time; he could not very well forget it. Ross began to
walk over towards the Gatehouse. As he got near he saw Dwight at the door, and
his horse was standing ready saddled. Dwight saw him and smiled and came to
meet him.

"Hope this is not a professional visit? No?
You come so seldom that I was a little anxious."

Ross said: "The courtesies can only be
squeezed out of me like drops from a reluctant lemon. But now and then it's
convenient to be agreeable for a change."

Dwight laughed. Be careful you don't over-praise
yourself. I suppose you're not responsible for my astonishing windfall, are
you? Mention of the lemon came very easy to your lips"

"Just at the moment I'm praying for
windfalls, not bestowing 'em.. What has come your way?"

"Those sacks. They're full of oranges. They
came this morning, twelve in all, delivered on three mules by a surly fellow
who would scarcely open his mouth all the way from Falmouth. I'm
astonished."

"So should I be."'

"Oh, they're not for me. They're for sick
people in Sawle; I guess that much. I've been trying to remember how many I
have mentioned this need to. You were one of them."

"Sorry. You must look among your rich
friends, Dwight"

“I didn't know I had any," Dwight replied,
knowing all the time he had one. "There must be close on a hundred dozen
oranges here, Enough at least to check the scurvy if intelligently used. I
have sent Bone off to borrow two old mine mules from the Nanfans. I'm waiting
for him to return before I set off on my round. We must distribute some of the
fruit this afternoon."

Ross glanced at his animated face. It was easy to
see how Enys felt about this: to be fighting an enemy unarmed and then suddenly
to find the weapons put into one's hand

He said; " I came to ask you if by chance
you receive any periodicals from London? The Sherborne Mercury is a little
restricted in its news."

"Nothing except Medical Facts and Observations
edited by Dr. Simmons. That's sent to me monthly. I have seen a London paper
sometimes at the Pascoes'."

"With the trial over my head for six months
and then the business of settling back into normal life, I've had little
attention for general events. What do you think of developments in
Europe?"

Dwight found the query a little surprising, for
he usually regarded Ross as much better informed than himself. "In France,
do you mean? Have you read Reflections on the French Revolution?"

" No."

"Nor I. But it has had an immense sale-as
of course you know. I understand Burke argues that the revolutionaries, are
really the enemies of liberty while doing everything in its name."

"It's not unlikely. There's strong feeling
over-here about the whole business; but for myself, while going into no
extravagant praise of the revolutionaries, I can't help but nurse some sympathy
for their original aims.".

Dwight looked at Ross. " I know. There were
many such to begin, but they have been steadily forfeiting such sympathy."

Bone came in sight. They waited till he reached
them. Will Nanfan could lend them the mules and would send them over early in the
afternoon. Ross turned to walk back. He had not told Dwight one of the things
he had come to speak of, but the impulse had died when he got to the Gatehouse.
Dwight would guess soon enough and he wouldn't be wanted until May.

The sun was shining brilliantly by the time
Dwight turned in at the gates of Killewarren, and the wind was rattling the
withered leaves on the young oak trees. The gravel in front of the house was
strewn with fir twigs which had been nibbled, off by the squirrels in the upper
branches. He knocked at the door and asked if Miss Penvenen were at home, and
was admitted to a small room off the hall. Presently the maid came back and
said Miss Penvenen would see him.

She was in the usual living room, but was in a
black riding habit over the shoulders of which her tawny hair fell to its full
length like an escaping flame. She was standing by the fireplace when he came
in, eating from a plate of sandwiches, and there was a wineglass on the
mantelshelf. She laughed when she saw him.

Good day, Mr. Apothecary. Whom have you come to
blood? My uncle's in Redruth and is not expected home till four."

Dwight said : "My call's on you, Miss
Penvenen. I'm sorry if it's inconvenient, but I'll not keep you long." '

She glanced at the clock. "I can give you five
minutes, or as long as it takes to eat these sandwiches. This good east wind
won't last forever, and I've had a merry morning. Up at dawn and we picked up a
fox on his drag. He was a beauty and ran straight as a die to beyond
Ponsanooth. I was second at the kill, and it was lively country. Around twelve
we drew Killevreth Wood and found another, but my horse went lame just as he
went away; so. I'm back here for a brief refreshment while they saddle
Thresher. D'you ever hunt, Mr. Sober Face?"

Dwight said: "Did you arrange for a
consignment of oranges to be delivered to my house today?" She looked at
him widely.

" Oranges? You did say oranges? If I made
you a present at all it would be a better instrument for removing fishbones.
You hurt my lips with your fingers, d'you remember?"

"Yes," he said, "I
remember."

They stared at each other then. He was just near
enough to detect that faint, unfamiliar scent she used; the mannish clothes
made her look more womanly.

“So it was you," he said. " I thought
it could be no one else." ;

" Indeed?"

" I'm very grateful. They'll
be-life-giving.”

" You don't suppose I am interested in the
fate of a few fishwives, do you? Heavens, what nonsense!" "Then why
did you do it?"

She looked him over, seemed about to deny it,
then suddenly changed her mind. "Just to make a mock of you."

He flushed. An expensive form of mockery, isn't
it?"

She finished her wine. " I don't like to be
under an obligation---especially to a man-especially to you. You wouldn't take
my money-threw it back in my face." "I don't want your money”

" So I reasoned your, conscience wouldn't
let you be too proud to accept a present for your poor starving fisherfolk. Nor
has it. It's you who are under the obligation now.”

I'm very obliged-for the condescension."

" You amuse me very much," she said.

" I like you very much too."

For the first time he, saw a faint flush on her
cheeks. " Don't be impertinent."

" Wasn't it impertinence you said you
admired? I forget.” “You forget a great deal.”

"I shall not forget this generous gift,
however hard you try to disguise it

She turned away from him as the door opened and
Unwin Trevaunance came in.

" Oh, there you are! Lord, I looked
everywhere.- You could at least ..." He stopped short when he saw Dwight.

" Did you get him" she asked.

"No.. . He ran short and the, scent was
confused. What was the matter?"'

" Firefly went lame.. It's his pastern
again, so I came home. I shall be ready for off in half a minute."

“I've, had nothing to eat since breakfast. I'm
ravenous."

“Put something in your pocket. If we dally about
we may lose the hunt. Oh.... Do you know Dr. Enys?”

Unwin inclined his lion's head. He didn't look
too pleased to have been deserted in the field, and to come all the way home to
find Caroline in earnest conversation with a flushed but good-looking young
man, who might be only a country physician of some sort but had an air of his
own.

“I don't think I've had that pleasure."

"Pleasure is quite the word," said Caroline,
buttoning her coat. "He's most skilful in curing dogs of distressing convulsions.
Horace has not been troubled near so bad since he took that mixture you
prescribed, Dr. Enys. He has a little spot on his ear now, which you might look
to after we've gone."

Dwight refused to be provoked. "For twelve
bags of oranges he shall have the best attention I can give him, ma'am."

Unwin looked irritated. He began to take some
things from the table and Caroline wrapped them in a napkin for him.