north?’
`I’m sure Ross would be pleased.’
`And you?’
`Of course … But we do not have an estate, nor even a mansion.’
`Nor I. My father’s family come from Dorset. We have a manor house hidden in the steep small hills near Shaftesbury. Do you travel up country much?’
`I have never been out of Cornwall.!
‘Your husband should bring you. You should not hide your light either of you.’
Twice it seemed Lieutenant Armitage had included Ross in his remarks as an afterthought.
They began to climb the hill, wending a way along a part-overgrown path through holly, laurel and chestnut. The others were now out of sight, though their voices could be heard.
Demelza said: `Shall you return to the Navy soon?’
‘Not immediate. I cannot yet see at distances. The surgeons say it is a matter of time for my eyes to right themselves, but it has been brought on by trying to read and, write in semi-darkness.’
`I’m sorry.’
`Also my uncle would like me to stay at Tregothnan for the time being. Since his wife died his sister, my aunt, has taken over the management of the house, but he lacks company and has become morose.’
Demelza paused and looked back towards the house. It might have been a great square mosque; guarded by its four pavilions: A group of deer bounded across a patch of sunlight falling through the trees. She said: `Were you able to write letters home? Dwight was not. At least Caroline only received one in near a year.’
‘No … I was writing for my own satisfaction. But paper was so short that every scrap was covered both ways, horizontal and vertical, and in a tiny script that sometimes now I cannot read.’
`Writing?
`Poetry. Or perhaps verse would be a more modest estimate.’ Demelza blinked. `I’ve never met a poet before.’
He flushed. `It is not to be taken serious. But you asked. At the time - it helped to keep me sane.’
`And shall you do more of it?’
‘Oh, yes. It becomes, in however small a way, a part of one’s life.
They began to climb again, and presently came out on the terrace from which they were to observe the sunset, but still ahead of the others who had stopped somewhere on the way. The terrace was brick floored, with two stone lions guarding the steps up; to it, and as its centre piece a small Grecian temple with a, statue of Bacchus stared towards the .sea,
The sun was already flaring behind a ridge of cloud. It was as if someone had opened a furnace door and the red-hot glow was showing behind unburnt coal. Cliffs jutted black and jagged into a porcelain sea. Seagulls whirled like scimitars, silently cutting the afternoon air.
Hugh Armitage said : `Captain Poldark has now conferred, two great favours on me.’
`Oh?’
`My liberty, and the opportunity of meeting his wife.’
Demelza said : `I’m not skilled in such courtesies, Lieutenant, but thank you. Is it not…’
`What were, you going to say?’
‘I was going to say, is it not wrong to mention such different matters in the same breath? As if …’ She stopped again. The others were now mounting the steps behind them.
`I was not trying to be courteous,’ he said. `Only truthful.’
`When may I see you again?’
`I will ask Ross when he can invite you.’ `Pray do.’
`Ho, there said General Macarmick, coming up the steps, like a sun himself, his round jovial face inflamed by the sunset. `Ho, there!
So you were here before us!’
III
Sir Francis Basset had to take almost three steps to Ross’s two. He said `I have two farms in hand -the one of about three hundred acres, the other a bare fifty. The land is not good - there is much thin soil and, spar stone; and overall it is not worth more than twelve shillings an acre. Does yours exceed that?’
`No. Nine to ten, I would guess, when it is worked.’
`I intend to try some experimental crops-turnips, cabbage, artificial grass - things not yet known in this part of the country, so that the farmers in the neighbourhood may
`I’m sure Ross would be pleased.’
`And you?’
`Of course … But we do not have an estate, nor even a mansion.’
`Nor I. My father’s family come from Dorset. We have a manor house hidden in the steep small hills near Shaftesbury. Do you travel up country much?’
`I have never been out of Cornwall.!
‘Your husband should bring you. You should not hide your light either of you.’
Twice it seemed Lieutenant Armitage had included Ross in his remarks as an afterthought.
They began to climb the hill, wending a way along a part-overgrown path through holly, laurel and chestnut. The others were now out of sight, though their voices could be heard.
Demelza said: `Shall you return to the Navy soon?’
‘Not immediate. I cannot yet see at distances. The surgeons say it is a matter of time for my eyes to right themselves, but it has been brought on by trying to read and, write in semi-darkness.’
`I’m sorry.’
`Also my uncle would like me to stay at Tregothnan for the time being. Since his wife died his sister, my aunt, has taken over the management of the house, but he lacks company and has become morose.’
Demelza paused and looked back towards the house. It might have been a great square mosque; guarded by its four pavilions: A group of deer bounded across a patch of sunlight falling through the trees. She said: `Were you able to write letters home? Dwight was not. At least Caroline only received one in near a year.’
‘No … I was writing for my own satisfaction. But paper was so short that every scrap was covered both ways, horizontal and vertical, and in a tiny script that sometimes now I cannot read.’
`Writing?
`Poetry. Or perhaps verse would be a more modest estimate.’ Demelza blinked. `I’ve never met a poet before.’
He flushed. `It is not to be taken serious. But you asked. At the time - it helped to keep me sane.’
`And shall you do more of it?’
‘Oh, yes. It becomes, in however small a way, a part of one’s life.
They began to climb again, and presently came out on the terrace from which they were to observe the sunset, but still ahead of the others who had stopped somewhere on the way. The terrace was brick floored, with two stone lions guarding the steps up; to it, and as its centre piece a small Grecian temple with a, statue of Bacchus stared towards the .sea,
The sun was already flaring behind a ridge of cloud. It was as if someone had opened a furnace door and the red-hot glow was showing behind unburnt coal. Cliffs jutted black and jagged into a porcelain sea. Seagulls whirled like scimitars, silently cutting the afternoon air.
Hugh Armitage said : `Captain Poldark has now conferred, two great favours on me.’
`Oh?’
`My liberty, and the opportunity of meeting his wife.’
Demelza said : `I’m not skilled in such courtesies, Lieutenant, but thank you. Is it not…’
`What were, you going to say?’
‘I was going to say, is it not wrong to mention such different matters in the same breath? As if …’ She stopped again. The others were now mounting the steps behind them.
`I was not trying to be courteous,’ he said. `Only truthful.’
`When may I see you again?’
`I will ask Ross when he can invite you.’ `Pray do.’
`Ho, there said General Macarmick, coming up the steps, like a sun himself, his round jovial face inflamed by the sunset. `Ho, there!
So you were here before us!’
III
Sir Francis Basset had to take almost three steps to Ross’s two. He said `I have two farms in hand -the one of about three hundred acres, the other a bare fifty. The land is not good - there is much thin soil and, spar stone; and overall it is not worth more than twelve shillings an acre. Does yours exceed that?’
`No. Nine to ten, I would guess, when it is worked.’
`I intend to try some experimental crops-turnips, cabbage, artificial grass - things not yet known in this part of the country, so that the farmers in the neighbourhood may
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