The Miller's Dance (26 page)

It was midnight before Ross went upstairs, eyes pricking with sleep, and he was surprised when there was a tap on the door as he was pulling at his neck cloth.

Verity edged herself into the room, a half-smile of apology on her face,
I
have only come for ten minutes, Ross. You must be dropping.'

'Not dropping. But I thought you were abed.'

She said:
I
know you'll be off early in the morning...'

He looked around. 'This chair...'

'No, you sit there. I noticed you limping again. I'll sit on the bed.' Which she did.
I
am so delighted about Demelza!'

'Yes... So is she.'

'You must not be anxious, Ross. This is what I came to tell you. I wish I could have had at least two more children. For some reason it was not to be. You're so lucky!'

'I'll esteem myself that at Christmas. But of course another child will give her great joy ...' He paused and smiled. 'Tidings of great joy, eh?... I suppose that is it, isn't it-even in so minor a form. Women feel like that.'

'And you'll feel like that too.'

'Not that some of my present children do not raise other emotions than joy in me from time to time!'

'Tell me more about Clowance's attachment And Jeremy.'

They talked for a while. Then Ross said: 'And your young Andrew? You said he was not at sea but was away for the night. Something in your voice. And .his father's look. Do you have problems too?'

'Well, yes.'

‘I
s it just that, from worrying over the safety of one Andrew you now turn to worrying over the other?'

'No. Not quite. Though of course I'm concerned for that too. But it is when he is ashore I worry about him most'

'Where is he tonight?'

'Cardew, I suppose.'

‘
With the Warleggans?
’

'There or at theirnouse in Truro.'

'Is that to be regretted so much? Naturally I would
not want to go, but Jeremy and Cl
owance have been there and have come to no hurt. Valentine invited them.'

‘I
t is Valentine he is friendly with.'

Ross took his neck cloth off and folded it, put it on the table beside his chair.

I
did not know you ever saw any of them - not since Elizabeth's death.'

I
didn't. We didn't. I have never cared for George, and Geoffrey Charles being still away... But about a year ago Valentine called here when Andrew was home, and a friendship grew up. Since then they have been meeting whenever it has happened that they have both been at home.'

I
don't think I have seen Valentine for about five years. He was at Jonathan Chynoweth's funeral. Well, is it so wrong they should like each other? They are almost of an age.'

'Andrew is about a year the elder. But Valentine's is the influence... Even before he met Valentine Andrew was too fond of drink. Perhaps we are especially careful, nervous, because of his father's history. Andrew senior, because of what it did to him, looks on drink as he would the Devil; so we have little liquor in the house; but Andrew junior often comes in tipsy. It is the cause of great trouble between them ... Being in the Packet Service since he was seventeen has meant of course discipline while he was at sea, and I used to urge his father to ignore it, saying everyone, every sailor -
almost every
sailor-drank heavily when they came ashore.'

Verity stopped, seemed uncertain how to go on.

'And it has increased, this drinking, since he met Valentine?'

'Oh yes. But not that only. Va
lentine, although he is constantl
y complaining about being kept short of money, has in fact an enormous allowance; far more than Andrew can hope to keep up with. They go together to the cockfights in Truro, wagering... Do you know the Norway Inn?'

'At Devoran? Yes.'

'They meet there, five or six young men, to play cards and dice. They are all well-to-do except Andrew. He is already deep in debt.'

Ross rubbed his eyes. 'Surely it is just the usual thing -
youth, with too much exuberance. You know, I expect, that twice I had to bail out Geoffrey Charles.'

'No, I didn't know. I hope you're right, Ross. Perhaps you think I am being too - concerned about such a small thing?'

'No. It is not all that small. Whom is he in debt to?'

'Moneylenders chiefly.'

'Oh. That's always more difficult.'

Verity slid off the bed. 'I'm keeping you too long now. But I so seldom have a chance of talking to you, Ross. We are separated only by eighteen miles and yet-Of course you are so often away. I do not know how Demelza can stand it.'

'She shall stand it less in future. I have promised her. And you. If you want to see me send only a note. Is it a quesdon of wanting to settle his debts now? I could help.'

'No, I would not let you. You have told me about your mines. Anyhow, we are not badly off. Andrew senior came out of his active service with a nest egg, and of course he still works from time to time. It is a question if we settle this debt whether young Andrew will not simply run into another.'

'Well, tell me if I can help in any other way. Could I talk to him? Would that be of use?'

I
don't know. But thank you, Ross.'

‘I’ll
come over any time you ask.'

Verity ruffled her hair. 'You haven't seen Valentine for some years, you say. He is not at all like his father.'

'He was not when last I saw him,' Ross said drily.

'He's very good-looking. Very debonair - as of course Geoffrey Charles was at his age. But otherwise there is no similarity. Geoffrey Charles's elegance and sophistication were of a young man going through a phase. One - enjoyed it. Valentine's is something darker, I think more twisted. He is strung up, nervous, yet in command of his nerves. When he comes here he looks at me very much - and treats me very much as a woman.'

'Who would not?'

'But I mean one of his age! He looked at me as if he would wish - as if he would wish ...'

Ross made a gesture of understanding. 'Not at all like his father, as you say.'

'... He seems to resent George. Of course it is not uncommon for a son to wish to be free of his parents at that age. But Valentine sometimes speaks as if he is in a stranglehold! I do not believe George is anything but generous to him.'

'Well, I would not personally relish being at George's beck and call.'

'Oh, yow would not, no! But Valentine.. .'Verity walked to the door and put her fingers on the latch. 'Do you know, in those early days, Ross, when Elizabeth some
ti
mes would come over to see me and bring Valentine with her; d'you know, I used to think - when Valentine was abo
ut eight or nine years of age -I
used to think he was like you ...'

There was a pause. Ross crossed his legs the other way.

'This ankle is trying at rimes.'

Verity said: it was one of those strange coincidences, without reason, without purpose. I just thought the colouring, the hair, the eyes, the set of the head ... But now ... now there is a different impression - equally stupid, if you know what I mean.'

'Of course I don't know what you mean.'

'Now he is not at all like you. He is far too
narrow
a young man to be like you. His eyes are close together, his way of walking, with his thin shanks, his
agreeableness
which ' doesn't quite ring true ...'

She had flushed.

'So?
’

'No, I know you will think me equally stupid, but he reminds me of your father.'

His eyes were lidded, their expression not to be guessed by any movement of the face.

'Nothing you say is stupid to me, Verity
. But it would
have to be so described by a genealogist.'

'Of course.' She was anxious to agree. 'But sometimes I have a superstitious feeling that blood is not all. Valentine was born in Trenwith, where the Poldarks have lived for two and a half centuries. It was a strange birth, premature, under a total eclipse - the black moon as they called it -Aunt Agatha as a dominant influence in the house. I know of course he has no Poldark blood — but do you not ever feel that spiritual influences, psychical influences, can have a profound effect upon a child?'

Ross said: 'You remember my father better than I do, Verity. In some ways, that is. Being a year or so older and at a distance of a few miles, you could take a more detached view. And of course I was absent for the last few years of his life.'

'Your father,' Verity said, 'was always of a kindness to me. But he had a wilful wildness, a rebellious disposition in a way quite different from yours. You are against authority when it seems to be - to be imposing its unfair will upon the rights of others. His wildness seemed to be for the pleasure of provocation.'

'And you think it is in that way that Valentine seems to bear some resemblance to him? Surely many young men...'

'Not in the same way. Or so it appears to me. He'd lend anyone a smiling hand on the way to perdition.'

'Well; that's a good recommend for your sister-in-law's son!'

There was a long silence.

Verity said: 'While your mother was alive your father's wildness lay in abeyance — like a wildness soothed. When she died so young...'

'He was always
hard
with me,' said Ross reflectively, it took some perception - which as a boy I lacked - to realize that he was at all fond of me. I remember when I was twelve I caught pneumonia. The surgeon - it was the one before Choake - Ellis, was it? - he said I was going to
the
. I remember hearing my father shouting quite hysterically at Prudie, swearing she had given me unaired sheets to lie in. I remember thinking: "Lord help us, he
likes
me!"'

'Poor Ross.'

'No, no. Perhaps all that gave me a stronger instinct to

survive. I think really he was much more vulnerable than we give him credit for. After Mother's death he was rabid. For women, I mean.' 'Yes, I know.'

I
wonder sometimes now if that was partly to counteract the hurt, the loneliness. At the time, of course... Fortunately he made most of his assignations at a distance. Only the disorderly ones came to stay.'

Verity made a face. 'No doubt with Jud and Tholly Tregirls dancing attendance.'

'With Jud and Tholly, as you say, dancing attendance. Tholly usually brought a woman of his own. Jud, with Prudie breathing down his neck, had to be content with getting drunk... Perhaps my own respectability has been a move against all that.'

'Respectability? Oh yes, in a way. But not many would have agreed with that description of you twenty years ago! Or ten. As you surely know.'

'Well, now I am a tabby cat, warming himself by the fire, full of conformity.'

‘I
f you are beginning to talk nonsense it is a sign I have outstayed my welcome. Good night, my dear.'

He got up and kissed her. 'Really, though ... are you suggesting
that
among other ill features Valentine has picked up through being born in a Poldark house under a black moon, is a similarity with my father in his preoccupation with women?'

She pushed him a little away. 'Now you make it sound as stupid as it no doubt is! All I can say to you is that when Valentine called that first time and sat and talked and eyed me and eyed Janet when she brought in the tea, and the way his bright tense looks impressed themselves on me, I had an uncanny feeling of being taken back thirty-five years and seeing your father smiling at me across the table - just as he did more than once in those distant days. It was a strange experience. I felt cold.'

3

I

Ross and Demelza supped with the Enyses.

Ross said: 'Yes, I know I deserve all the obloquy for staying away so long but it was a desperate situation. You've no notion. It was not only for Canning's blue eyes that I remained...'

'The obloquy,' said Caroline, 'is o
f your own imagining. It's just
that we prefer you here.'

'All this political manoeuvring.. .Of itself it is embarrassing enough but it would, I believe, have found its own level - nave stabilized itself - had there been a stabilizing influence at the centre,
I
.e. the Regent. But the Prince was in a dire state and has been all through the negotiations: heavy with drink or laudanum, bursting into tears when asked for some grave decision, almost in convulsions of fear over the letters he has been receiving.'

'Letters from whom?'

'Oh, anonymous. Or signed "
Vox Populf.
Or "An Enemy of the damned Royal Family". Threatening the same fate as Spencer Perceval if Bellingham died. And then, when he was executed, promising revenge. It's true, of course, that there have been many placards in the north of England offering a hundred guineas for the Regent's head. Some even in the south. It cannot make for an easy mind. But many feared he was going the way of his father.' Ross looked at Dw
ight.
We discussed that possibility once before, you remember. At
the
Duchess of Gordon's ball.'

I
remember,' Dwight said, 'and the painful choices open if in fact the country had two insane monarchs on its hands.'

'Princess Charlotte,' said Caroline, 'a minor, with Uncle William as second Regent. Or would he be third?'

'Has there been talk of an election?' Dwight asked.

'Parliament will be dissolved later this month.'

'And are you quite determined not to seek re-election?'

Ross said:
I
'm quite determined not to stir from this county again while Demelza is as she is.'

Demelza smiled slightl
y. 'You see. He is wavering.'

Ross smiled back at her. 'She knows my dilemmas.'

'Make us free of them,' said Caroline.

'They would be tedious. And there would be much retracing of old ground.'

if we cannot bear it we'll serve you notice.'

Silence fell for a few moments. Demelza stirred at a movement of her child.

Ross said: 'Every sensible instinct informs me that I have been a member of parliament long enough. I am not an effective member of the Cham
ber. Sometimes I have been of
use behind the scenes, and sometimes, though rarely, I have been useful in committee. But in the main my justification has been in these commissions overseas. I have felt that they have been of value. But now they are finished. I am getting increasingly lame for the most active work; in any event I have done my share, and I promised myself and I promised Demelza that there should be an end to it. There is no altering that and no wish to alter it.'

Caroline passed a sweetmeat to Demelza.

'Kyou,' said Demelza, and sucked thoughtfully, her dark eyes reflecting some light from the evening window.

Ross said:
I
told Falmouth last year that I should not be standing for
his
borough again. And that was my wish men and is still. It is only in this last visit to Westminster that I have again had qualms of conscience about the unfinished business.'

'Which means?'

'Since Perceval died I have realized all over again how tenuous is our will to continue to make war. The Prince is a broken reed, more concerned about his debts and his mistresses than the effort to defeat Napoleon... It is the same crisis that came up when the Prince was made Regent. It has never altogether gone away. I gather that during July he did in fact invite Grey and Granville to form a government, but their terms regarding the composition of his household were
too high, so it came to nothing. Nevertheless, the risk is
always there.'

'So you think you might serve another term?' said Caroline^

'No. But I could have wished to leave it all at a better time.'

'Well, there is nothing to stop you from changing your mind and carrying on.'

There was a pattering of feet in the corridor and the cries of little girls. Caroline frowned, but not with much rancour.

'Do you ever wish?' she said to Demelza, 'that you could harness your children to a horse whim or some other useful machine so that their energies should not be altogether wasted?'

'Frequentl
y,' said Demelza..

Dwight said: if you didn't stand this
time in the Bos
cawen interest you could do
so in the Basset. De Dunstan
ville would find you a seat'

Ross took a sip of tea, which had just been served. 'Unfortunately, my views and Francis's are totally opposed on the subject of rotten boroughs 11 could hardly accept his patronage and then advocate the abolition of the parliamentary seats he controls!'

'That is what you do for Lord Falmouth.'

'Yes. But in the first place I stood in his interest to serve his ends—or his father's ends—which were to get rid of George Warleggan. At least twice since I have offered to resign, and he has refused; so one can assume, I conject, that he found some advantage in the situation - though it has clearly not been a material one. And just as clearly, because of this, I have never felt muzzled or constrained in what I did or said. If I took a Basset seat I should feel constrained. Indeed, de Dunstanville feels more strongly against the need for reform than the Boscawens do. Our friendship, his and mine, was clouded three years ago when there was so much agitation in the country and I supported Colman Rashleigh and the others.'

I
remember,' said Caroline. 'Dwight was very hot for your cause.'

'Still am,' said Dwight, 'Though no doubt any change will have to wait for the end of the war, like so many other things -especially those of advantage to the North.'

'Not only to the North,' Ross said. 'When one thinks that any four of our Cornish boroughs - take, say, four of the rottenest: East Looe, St Michael, Bossiney and St Mawes -that any such four return as many members to Parliament as
the
cities of London and Westminster together
and
the whole county of Middlesex, which have something like a million inhabitants between them and contribute about a sixth of the total revenue of the country ... well, it turns representation of the people into a sorry farce.'

'Francis de Dunstanville, bless his
little
heart,' said Card-line, 'would argue that representation of the people is best carried out by those educated for the task, that government by the mob would end in the loss of more civil and religious liberties than we have at present, and that bare-faced impudence joined to ignorance always outweighs and triumphs over modest truth.' She
turned swiftl
y to Demelza: 'Save me. Spare me from the crushing retorts of my husband and my best friend. You know how tender I am when severity is shown me, so easily bruised. Pray think of some other subject to bring up quickly before they have drawn breath.'

'But this is such an interesting subject,' Demeiza said,
I
am listening to Ross making up his mind!

Eventually Ross said: 'My mind and my wish is
not
to stand again, and that is how it will be. It's only among friends that I admit to taking a backward glance.'

Caroline said: 'And when is Clowance's wedding to be?'

'Oh ...' Demelza exchanged a glance with Ross. 'In October sometime. We haven't fixed a date yet - or they haven't. But I should think Saturday the twenty-fourth.'

'And you? Will you be about eight months by then?'

'A
little
less if your, husband is to be believed.'

it will be a Christmas present, then!'

'I'm
arranging for the mistl
etoe,' said Ross.

'Old Meggy Dawes always insisted on rowan berries. In fact,' said Demelza,
I
shall be not a small amount embarrassed at Clowance's wedding lest some onlooker mistakes me for the bride.' The others laughed.

it's a well-established Cornish custom,' said Dwight.

'Seriously,
’
said Demelza,
I
wish I was further away from my children - my grown-up children - while this is happening to me. They are both being engagingly sweet about it; but I would better prefer them to go off to some retreat until it is over. I shall not endure to have either of them
near
the house while I am in labour.'

'Well, at least by then Clowance will have a home of her own. And Jeremy, I am sure, is not above taking a hint. Still seriously,' Caroline added, 'is it going well between Clowance and Stephen?' There had already been a sharing of confidences.

Ross said: 'He's working hard, both at the mill and on the cottage. I confess I would like the young man if he did not wish to become my son-in-law.'

Demelza said: 'There seems just too little
ease
between
them
- at least when they are in company. There doesn't seem enough companionship. They are deeply in love but it is a prickly love. There is much of that about, of course; I see it in many couples all through their married lives. An edginess. I never understand it. But
before
marriage it is less frequent. I wonder if marriage will help to cure it for Stephen and Clowance or if, in time, when th
e passion is burning less brightl
y, they will find each other intolerable. I wake at nights and think about it'

Caroline said: 'My dear, you can only live one life, and that's your own. Leave them be.'

'That's what I tell her,' said Ross. 'But it does not prevent me from feeling the same.'

Demelza said:
I
know how you blame us about Edward Petty-Fitzmaurice...'

'Nonsense. Forget that I ever spoke reprovingly. It was not so meant... As I grow older I think we must all learn to become fatalists about our children. Errors of omission are always easier to forgive oneself than errors of commission.

You have done less than normal to direct your children's lives. So you bear
less
responsibility,
less
blame if things go wrong... Was it the Spartans who relinquished charge of their children at an early age? Possibly that is the best solution of all.'

The long evening light was dying.

Caroline said: 'Shall you be at the races next week?'

'Where, at Truro? I fancy not,' .

I
think I shall go. If I can persuade Dwight to take me. It will be interesting to see what they make of it.'

'Jeremy is going,' said Demelza. 'One of the younger Boscawens is making up a party.'

'Oh?
’
said Ross. 'I didn't know. Where did he meet him?'

I
think it was at Caerhays.-'

Myners came in. 'Dr Enys, sir. There is a messenger from Place House. Mr Pope is sick again, and his wife has sent for you. Do you wish to go, sir? Shall I have your horse saddled?'

Dwight rose. Over the years, from the gentle young physician Demelza had first known, he had become lean-faced, rather austere. The time in the French prisoner-of-war camp still left its indelible mark, it seems we cannot eat together without my being called out. Believe me, there are many evenings when Caroline and I are beautifully undisturbed.'

'Take a brandy before you go,' said Caroline; 'it will be more sustaining than tea; and if I know the Popes' hospitality, you are not likely to be offered anything supportive there.'

So presently the three were left alone, and Dwight's horse crunched over the pebbles down the drive and out into the darkling twilight.

II

The Truro races were held on the last Tuesday in September. It was a new venture. This year the Bodmin autumn meeting, normally held in the first week of the month, had been cancelled because of litigation pending over the land on which the races were held, so some worthy citizens of Truro, not to be denied their sport, had decided to hold a scratch meeting three weeks later. A piece of flat land had been rented from a farmer near Penair, temporary fences set up, a course marked out, two s
tands erected. Most of the com
petitors who would have appeared at Bodmin had agreed to come to Truro.

Driving rain throughout the previous week was enough to damp anyone's ardour, and the constant traffic of preparation turned all the lanes into liquid mud, but when the day came a mass of vehicles of all sorts and condition were to be observed struggling up the various hills towards the venue.

The morning weather looked like turning the day into a disaster. A pall of cloud, the colour of coal and sulphur, loured over the scene, threatening torrential rainfall if not thunder. Althou
gh there was little wind, the
clouds kept sidling around and breaking and filling like
j
warships shifting their ground to take better aim. Now and then a spot as big as a six-shilling piece would fall, splitting and spreading into a drying star.