The next morning the children, Ross and I were all in the parlour. I watched happily as Henry and Rebekah Grace tried to include Isaac and Emily in their game.

"This just came from Tegothnan." Demelza handed the correspondence to Ross then came to join us. Prudie followed in quickly enough.

"I wondered how long it would take." Ross commented "Lord Falmouth invites us to visit before his nephew returns to sea. Of course that's merely the pretext. His real motive..."

"Is what?" I ask

"We'll soon see." Ross left the parlour for the study.

"And lieutenant Armitage. Do he have another motive?" Purdue questions

"Oh shush, you." I laugh. My eye catches the confused look   from my eldest son but he quickly brushes it off and goes back to playing with his siblings.

---------

Ross, Rebekah Grace, Henry and I take a walk while Isaac and Emily are sleeping. On our journey we see George's carriage roll by.

"There he goes. Cornwall's hope for democracy." Ross comments as it goes on by

"Are you content? That he speaks for Cornwall while you stay home and lough your fields?" I counter

"Entirely content. I like to be out of doors. The climate at Westminster would not agree with me." I don't speak just look off into the distance.

--------

I had a letter from Elizabeth of all people asking to come to Trenwith. Upon my arrival she was waiting for me in the drawing room.

"Aunt Abigail!" Geoffrey Charles tackled me into a hug.

"Nephew, oh the joy. When did you return?" I ask parting from him.

"This morning, I was going to come and see you but Mama, told me she had asked fro you presence ." He chimed "Though I still hope to come see my cousins and Uncle Ross, of course."

"Of course."

"Geoffrey Charles, would you please give your Aunt and I a moment." Elizabeth requested.

"Yes, Mama." he left the two of us alone and closed the door.

"To say I was surprised by your urgent correspondence would be an understatement." I commented taking a seat.

"Abigail, I did not ask you here to fight. On the country I asked you here on behalf of Morwenna." she poured out two cups of tea with milk in both. I added sugar and took a sip.

"What do you care about our cousin, the way you shipped her off." I grumble

"It is to that matter, I wish to talk. I'm told you visit her often and was there at the birth of John Conan." I nodded "What can you tell me?"

"Oh, your showing concern now? Have you become human again with George away?" she scowled and I sighed "The reverend is a brute, and overweight disgusting pig not to mention the most ungodly man and you married her off to him." I answer

"In her own words 'he's a monster' not to mention Rowella was smart enough to report that she's over heard him practically thrilled at the prospect of our cousin not surviving the birth. Dwight also mentions that he had repeated had to tell him that 'Wenna must be left alone in such respects only for the request to fall upon deaf ears. He's killing her Elizabeth." she put down her cup in shock.

"I had no idea." she breathed

"Why would you, you sold her off to him or at least agreed upon it. That you leave her to the pig. And yes I know he's a man of the cloth but he's a disgrace to it, an absolute disgrace." I fire at her and she hold her stomach.

"Okay. I understand." she breathes then looks up at me "What can we do?"

"We can't do anything. George has seen to that., it's not like there is reason to end the marriage and the faith would never allow it. I do my best by being a welcoming face when I can and Rowella is there. But apart from that...she's all alone, with that poor baby being related to that thing. We're helpless." My nose screeches up in disgust.

---------

Back home I tried to move my focus, by shifting it into picking out a dress.

"Prudie, Demelza! What do we think for Tregothnan, the pink or the blue?" I call from the bedroom holding the two in front of me.

"It's only a small gathering. No need to get flagged up." I look back surprised by Ross who is putting on his coat on. Demelza and Prudie are behind him. "I have some business to attend to." he left and the two came in.

"Might as well wear a sack cloth. It will have the same effect on some folk." Prudie joked. I looked back at the empty space he left.

"I think the pink one. It brings out your complexion and eyes

-3rd Person-

Demelza had left to got to see Drake, the clasp on Abigail's necklace needed fixing. She passed by the church and on happen glance stopped seeing Ross with Elizabeth. From where she stood she did not hear the conversation, not that she needed to, seeing Ross shower Elizabeth in kiss including on the lips made her blood boil. 

She was fuming all the way to Drakes and back to Nampara. Upon her entering she pulled Prudie away from the children.

"We need to talk." Prudie nodded and the two sat as far as they could from the children. "I was on my way to Drakes and I was passing the church, when I saw something." she began

"What?"

"mister Ross in the church with Mistress Elizabeth. There just beyond the doorway but still in complete view. Prudie, he kissed her. He kissed Elizabeth."

"The little..." Prudie stopped herself

"Abigail will be furious when i tell her." Demelza sighs

"You can't tell her now, no not now. As she's heading off to a party, she'll be the death of him. A fit of rage and then where will they be." she gestured over to the four Poldark siblings "Father dead and Mother soon to follow because of it. No you don't say anything yet."

"She has to know."

"She does, but not when he's here or with sharp objects.  And not the children. It's about timing and not inducing death. We will find the... decent moment to broach it with her." Prudie assured the apprehensive friend.