Warleggan (39 page)

Ross continued to tap with his gloves: `What is obvious to you, George, and what is obvious to me are two very different things. As co-trustee with Elizabeth of Geoffrey
Charles's affairs, it was my duty to do the best I could for him and for such pr
operty as Francis left him. In
January of this year I sold his half share in Wheal' Grace for £600. That was more
-
far more
-
than the best I could do. Had the stock come on the open market, he would not have had fifty pounds for
it. No
nor ten neither! You wouldn't have given me ten for my half share. The mine was finished. I thought so with the rest. By hook and by crook we kept her working through the summer. After an accident she closed, but we reopened her. And now we have struck tin. Tin where we were
looking for copper. But tin in
such abundance that it stre
tches out whichever way we go.
Well, so now I deem the profit legitimately mine.
I don't consider it belongs to
Elizabeth or Geoffrey Charles or to Mr. Chynoweth or to you. And if ever you, had hopes of jockeying me into dunking
otherwise, you'd best give 'em
up for they will not benefit you.'

Tankard coughed and blew on his fingers
and looked at George. George said:

`Since you've put your case so plainly, we can hardly do less. We shall contest the legality of the sale.'

'On what grounds?'

`Y
ou will get that information in
due course.'

`I shall be waiting to receive
it.'

`In any case, you will not come out of the litigation with

a savoury character.
A
man who cheats his ward.'

Up to now,' said Ross,
`I have offered you no violence.
I don't want to spoil your vulgar new furnishings.'

`You would not,' said George. 'I have three servants within
call.
’

'Never stir
without them,'
said Ross.

George flushed. `Go back to your scullery maid,' he said

Unlike Julia, Jeremy seldom prospered in his mother's absence, and Demelza returned to find
him with a
stomach upset.
Dwight said Jeremy had
a mild colic, and mixed a sedative draught. When he had done and they went downstairs, Demelza

‘
You will stay to dinner? Ross has gone to Trenwith but will be back soon.'

`To Trenwith?'

'Yes. He is a whatever-they-call-it for Francis's estate and must visit them on some business matter.'

`Oh. I see. Thank you, I'll stay,
for I wanted
to see you bot
h sometime this week. I wanted you to be the first t
o to know my plans. I have put in for a post, as surgeon in the Navy.'

'Oh.' Demelza stared at
him
troubled:' `Is it final? Have you quite decided?'

`Yes, it will be for the best. I have a friend at the Admiralty, Sir Ralph
Slessor, who has promised his
influence.. There's no trouble, of course, in getting
a ship;
but one wishes, a good
one.’

`This is the second time you've threatened to, leave us, and
this time.
Are you certain sure you are acting for the best?'

`Well,
I cannot settle here. I've
tried but it is, useless. This
war is unsettling for one thing. I'm in a backwater. It is the wrong place for a young man. There's so much experience to be gained elsewhere.'

`Does it mean you, must leave us
altogether for a term of years,
like, going to prison; or shall you be able to come
out when you are tired of it?'

`It will be for a term, but I've yet to hear how long. They're equipping the old ships as fast as they can. press men t
o serve in them, but it is slow
work They say hardly more than forty thousand have been added since; the war began.'

She went to the window and narrowed her eyes at the slanting sun. Sun fell and made luminous patches on her hair. 'And Caroline? Have you heard nothing from her?'

`After Christmas she's marrying
Lord Coniston, whoever
he may be. Her uncle told me last week.'

She knew now the final causes of his flight, for in a sense
a
flight it was.

'I'm that sorry
-
especially for the way it happened. It grieves me that, much when I think-'

`Well' it grieves me no longer. I am thankful for the escape.

. Oh, I loved Caroline
-
still do.' He turned his eyes away from her. `But we were not for each other.'

`Here is Ross now. 'Tis peculiar that I can tell Darkie's hooves
from that of other horses.
Dwight, did you not go to see Caroline and explain? Did you not see her in London? I am unhappy to
feel that this came
about, whether for good or bad, because of what you did to save Ross.'

'No, I think she sensed it long before that, and in that respect I am to blame-
‘

It was not often that Demelza cried out, but, she did so when Ross, leaving his mare to find her own way to the stables, came stooping into the parlour.

He had lost his coat entirely except for one cuff which hung round his wrist. His shirt was split up the back, and he had used his neckerchief to tie up his head. There was blood oozing through the improvised bandage.

`You have an aptitude,' he said to Dwight,' 'for being in the right place at the right times.' Then he sat in a chair and so put himself on a level to be examined.

`You fell?' said Demelza. `Have you broken any, bones? How d
id it No, but you did not fall
Ross, who did this? Y
ou've been fighting at Trenwith
! Oh, your head is so
cut ! Dwight, I'll get water.’

She flew into the kitchen
, and in a moment Jane Gimlett
was flying too
-
for unguents and towels. When Demelza got back, Ross had already begun his explanation.

‘Nor was the
least thought of it in my mind. But it's no
good
!
Every time I see him
-
and seeing him in Francis's old home; it has been almost as much my home as this;
and his 'airs.
Then when
he said that, I could stand it
no, longer and suddenly the respectable little scene broke up. My, but it did me a wo
rld of good ! And his parlour -
'

'Good!". said Demelza.

`And his parlour is
in
ruin. We batted to and fro
across the room for three
or four
minutes, with that squint-eyed
attorney crouching in a
corner and Mr. Chynoweth under the table. George is getting s
oft, I'll swear it; it is this
city life or his wedding or something; I have never beaten him
so easy before. But then three of his flunkeys
came bursting in
-
Ach! what are you doing, man?'

`Putting some stitches in your head. You don't want to be scarred this side as well.'

`And then
three of his men came in and set on me. It was weighted, the other way then, but two of them were puny fellows and had no real stomach for the thing. I threw one of them through the window. Then at the last they got me and threw me out after him. So I wh
istled for Darkie and she came
trotting round. Even then I rode over their new flower beds. This eyetooth is loose; should it come out?'

'No, leave it. The gum tis bruised; but the, tooth is unbroken.'

`And where
was Elizabeth during this?' Demelza asked quietly.

'I didn't see her. She was unwell or unwilling. You'd not believe the difference they have made to the place, with Turkey rugs and brocade curtains and new pieces of furniture., Already it's ceasing to be the home of
the Poldarks and becoming the
home of the new rich Warleggans. I was impressed.'

'But what was it
started it?' said Demelza. `How did you come to blows
when 'twas to have been just a business meeting and a signing of papers?'

Ross lifted his
good eyebrow. `He made an offensive remark.'

`What did he say?'

'Nothing I
should wish to repeat to you.'

'Was it about me?' she asked, scenting as much from the expression of his face and thinking instantly of the Bodrugan

'It was about nobodv I have any connection with.'

'Why then did; you take offence over it?'

'Because I chose to,'

They stared at each other, and presently he laughed at her expression. It was as if the fight had done him the good that he claimed. She found herself warming to his attitude of mind,
When dinner was over and Dwight had gone, Ross told her what had passed at the meeting earlier. She was indignant and incredulous,

"I don't know if Elizabeth is party to such a manoeuvre,' he said, `but I must see Pascoe this week to know if the sale was watertight'

`Not this week,'' she said, looking at his head.

`Well, as soon as possible. George is marked too
-
that's some consolation. Until I see Pascoe, I shall not know what there is to be met?

`I'm glad at least that you do not intend to return the shar
e
to Geoffrey Charles!

'Well, I do
not believe Elizabeth will have
neglected Geoffrey Charles in any marriage settlement she has been able to arrange. He is the last person. If I see him short of money when he co
mes of age, I shall give him a
share then. But not until then. I'm not having George with a finger in this
pie!’

'I hope this new quarrel will not make things worse betwixt you and George.'

`I wouldn't wish it to improve them.'

'We live too close now for feuds, Ross. You may meet any time, accidental, about other, business. Or he may attempt reprisal
. Remember Jud. It will not do
for you to be out at night alone'

`Violent solutions seem to be the only ones that come natural to me at present. I'm very sorry, Demelza. It is an uncivilised attitude. But at least I can have no room
for complaint if
someone fires back.'

She did not reply, and he grimaced as he changed his position.

`You know the big parlour,' he said. `They have a set of new chairs in there of fine polished-well, mahogany I suppose it would be, with delicate carved backs and satin-covered seats. I am not one with an expert eye for furniture, but they seemed to me as good a sort of work as any I've seen.'

'Oh, yes,' said Demelza.

`A great many things had been done to the room
-
some good, some bad. They have blue damask curtains with
a
broad gold fr
inge, and the new Turkey-carpet
is very thick, in
weft
with human figures. There were some considerable number of china ornaments on the mantelshelf-very rare no doubt but these I did not care for. And they have a great candelabrum of
cut-glass suspended from the ceiling. And before the door, to shut off the draught, a Chinese screen.

`You seem to have taken in a very fair number of changes.'

`I was kept waiting ten minutes, which naturally put me in a good mood to begin. One does not realise until one has seen it the variety of things money can buy these days.' H
e looked around, man seeing his
own house afresh. `We're poverty-stricken here, aren't we?'

`Yes, I believe so.'

Well, it need not be quite so much so any longer. What do you say to coming in with me, when I go
to see
Harris Pascoe, and we could buy a few new things for the house.'

He watched her as he spoke, but as always when the conversation took a personal turn she seemed to draw in from the natural response.

`It is just as you say, R
oss. I'll come with you if you want
me to.?

'Yes. I want you to.'

`T
he interest on our debts is due
next month?

`The
south lode is twenty-five feet wide and still increasing. Ou
r profit last month was £580. For a month
only. If this goes on, we shall have no debts at all.'

Demelza got up, began collecting together
the building bricks that Jeremy had left in a corner. `I still can
hardly believe it.'

`Nor
I. I shake
myself twice daily. Don't do that, not just now. I saw the look in your eyes when I come in with a bloody head. I believe you still care for me.'`

It was the first challenge, the first direct approach.

`Of course I still care for you, Ross. What a thing to say.
’

`Then listen to
me, please. Tell me what, you think we
should buy. Women know better
than men what are the first
essentials. We need so much that I should not know where
to begin.'

She came over to him. 'Suppose I made out a list and you
take it in.'

`That was not what I suggested.!

'Well, there is
so m
uch to see to in the mornings.
And
Jeremy
..’

'That was not what you promised' 'Well, there's only Darkie,'

`We've shared her before. We can buy a horse for you to return on if you dislike the proximity.'

She smiled, trying to release her hand: `There are many things we need more badly than a horse.
Let
me fetch pen and
paper.’

'And you'll come with me to get them?' 'Yes, Ross, I said I would. If you want me to
.’

A fortnight
passed before Ross's head was clear of its plaster, and then
they went in together. He went
first to see Harris Pascoe, before any purchases or extravagances were
begun
Pascoe said:
'Th—
they haven't a leg to stand on. The investment was legally transfe
rred. I do
not believe a civil court would waste time even on hearing their case, but if they did, there could
be only one verdict -
in your favour.'

'It may be George was making an idle threat. I thought that, but I came to you for reassurance.'

`You have it. I am sorry this quarrel has broken out afresh, though. With Warleggan your
close neighbour on both sides
-. I don't b-believe feuds of
t
his sort ever profited anyone,'

'What do you mean, a neighbour on both sides?'

'I was speaking figuratively. Mr. Coke has sold his holding in Wheal Leisure to the Warleggans.'

`It is what I expected, but I don't welcome it all the same.
Wheal Leisure
is on Treneglos property, but the workings enter my land underground
'I should not be astonished if the Warleggans soon gain a controlling part'

`Well, George may organise his
days
as he thinks best. I shall seek no brush with hum so long as he seeks none with me'

R
oss got up. Demelza was waiting
for him in the room outside. He had often promised himself the pleasure of taking her out to spend money as she pleased, but the promise had gone sour with keeping
.’

'Oh,'
he said, turning from the window; "very soon I shall be able to clear off my debt to the man who saved my skin last Christmas. It's an agree
able thought. You should give
me h
is name now, so that when I do
pay him I shall be able to thank him in a suitable fashion.'

Mr. Pascoe stroked his pen along the line of his cheek,

'th
e matter is one of confidence, as you know
.’

`Which you are now entitled to break. D'you realise what
he did?
-
but of course you do
’

`Yes, I do--'

'Withou
t his timely help I should be in
a debtor's prison with
probably
little hope of release. The
mine
would have closed.
My wife and son would be paupers. It's no longer a question
of confidence, Harris: It's one of common gratitude.
’

'Oh, yes, I agree. B-but it does not absolve me
.’

'I contend that it does. I owe him virtually everything
and, would wish to tell him so. What is his name?' Pascoe wav
ered. `I will write and ask his
permission.? 'Nonsense. It was not you then?'

`It was not I. I said so at the time. I only wish my position
would have allowed me
?
’

Does he live in Truro?'

'No. In fact.’

'In fact what?'

`Well.
In fact it was not a man at all.'

'What?' Ross stared, thunderstruck. 'What do you mean?
’

That it was a woman? A child?'

'A woman'

Who? Your daughter?'

'Oh
Dear me, I feel that I have already----?
’

‘T
here cannot be many
heiresses of my acquaintance -
in,
fact I ca
n think of none -
I know no one, not one single
woman with fourteen hundred pounds to put down for me.
The
t
hing's
impossible! You're jok
ing, Harris[ Tell me you're
joking.'

The banker looked upset. `I feel I have already been guilty
of a breach of confidence. Only the fact that you will soon be
able, to pay the capital back. . . . It was Caroline Penvenn
en
.
’

`Caroline!
' Ross swallowed and stared. After a moment he
said:
'Oh, but I don't believe that.
'

`It's the truth.'