Jeremy Poldark (27 page)

“You'd better attend to him this morning
then," said Caroline, indicating Horace, who was snuffling round and round
in his basket to find the most comfortable spot. "Next week we shall be
gone"

"Gone?"-said Unwin, looking at her.
"Gone where?"

Oh, didn't I tell you? Dear Unwin; I'm so sorry.
Uncle William said I should go back there in February. After all, I've been in
these parts since September, and the hunting's so much better in
Oxfordshire."

" You certainly did not. I - " Unwin
stared at Dwight, plainly wishing him in Hades.

"Do you intend to be away long, Miss
Penvenen?" Dwight asked.

"It will depend what entertainment there
is. Usually there's plenty. But don't worry: I've ordered more oranges for you
next week also."

Oranges, oranges?" Trevaunance said
impatiently. "Come, Caroline, I hope I can persuade you to a delayed
departure - but in the meantime we should make the most of this lovely day
while it's here." He went to the door and opened it for her.

"No, no, you cannot come, my sweet,"
said Caroline in a honeyed voice to Horace, who had slipped out of his basket
like lightning. "You would be frightened by all the bigger doggies. You
shall stay at home with the nice doctor who'll cure your ear and your fits and
maybe take away any bones you swallow. There, there." She put the dog into
Dwight's arms and smiled at him. Their eyes were on a level, and, out of
perversity and knowing herself doubly safe in Unwin's presence, she allowed the
full challenge, of her interest in him to show. There were tiny specks of amber
on the pupils; the long lashes, so often narrowed, were for one second wide to
show the grey-green depths.'

Then she laughed. " Good-bye, Dwight. May I
call you Dwight? It's a quaint name. One thinks of someone shy and a little
unprogressive. Your mother must have thought of something different, mustn't
she? Who was right? I don't at all know. Perhaps we shall meet again
someday."

" I shall look forward.. to it," said
Dwight..

She went out, leaving him with the struggling
dog. Unwin glanced at him with an unfriendly assessing eye as he followed.
Dwight heard them going down the passage, heard him speaking and her laughter
before their footsteps died away.

Ross's idea would not let him alone. For a long
time he did not speak of it to anyone, not even Demelza, whose eager brain
might have been useful in helping him to a decision. But the consequence would
be such that he felt he could not decently expect anyone else to take a share
of the responsibility. Besides, Demelza, for all her acuteness, was a woman
and would probably be swayed by considerations that hadn't any business to be
brought in

He spent a great deal more time than hitherto
reading the Sherborne Mercury and other news sheets which he borrowed and
bought where, he could. He also read Pryce's book, Mineralogia Cornubiensis,
and several other treatises on. the history and practice of mining, before
making any overt move.

Henshawe was the first man to approach - straight,
canny, the best judge in the district, and as close as a clam.

One day in early March, after an hour's talk in
the library of Nampara, during which old samples were thumbed and old maps
pored over, Henshawe and Ross, with candles in their hats and some tackle over
their shoulders, walked casually up the hill to the weather-beaten stone
chimney of Wheal Grace; and no more was seen of, them for three hours. When
they returned to the house, muddy and tired, Demelza, who had been anxious for
the last ninety minutes, restrained an impulse to scold them and gave them tea
laced with brandy, scanning their faces for unspoken comment. It was queer, she
thought, that people should find Ross hard to read. She couldn't tell what he
was thinking-any more than you could tell what a lot of those smiling-faced
people were really thinking behind their smile-but she could usually tell what
he was feeling; and she knew now that he was not displeased with the outcome of
the afternoon's business,

When Henshawe had gone
he was more cheerful than he had been for a long time, much more like his old
self. She realised more clearly than she had. ever done before the need that
Ross had for some continuing activity of mind and body. He was, essentially a
person who wanted to be planning and moving ahead, and however agreeable he
might find the life of a country gentleman under its most favourable
conditions, in poverty and frustration the life. was intolerable. Further, the
unseen, but oppressive influence of the Warleggans was something which sooner
or later must produce an explosion. If this business that was now afoot
provided some sort of a safety valve, she was thankful for it.

There were more hours spent in the draughty old:
library the next day and the next. One evening Zacky Martin was called in, and
after that he seemed to be there most of the time. Later Ross and Henshawe rode
to Camborne, and another-time to Redruth, to discuss certain problems with
certain people. But no strangers called-at Nampara. On the twenty-third of
March, which was a Wednesday, Ross rode into Truro and called on Harris Pascoe
to tell him he had decided to sell half his holding in Wheal Leisure.

The
banker took off his spectacles and looked at him cautiously before commenting.

"I think it a wise move. There is a stage
at which one has to f-face facts ,and cut one's losses. Of course, in a sense,
it, is not a loss but a sizeable profit; and that's satisfactory. All the same,
you have my sincerest sympathy; I know how much this venture has, meant to you.
I suppose you want to repay half the debt you contracted with Pearce. Very
sensible indeed."

Ross
frowned at the brand-new, clock above the counter. That's the only new face I
see about. Is that Mr. Tresize or Mr. Spry?",

Pascoe smiled. " The change isn't yet quite
complete. But I'm sure you'll like my new partners when you meet them. Now
t-tell me: what do you want for your shares in Wheal Leisure?"

"'Twenty pounds a share."

The banker whistled; "Will anyone pay that?
It's a very high price. And you know how cautious, people are about investing
these days:

" Not in a profitable concern."

"No. Perhaps you're right. Well, I can let
it be known they're in the market" Harris Pascoe looked up at his client
again, remembering an incident not so long ago. " I s-suppose you have no
objections whom the shares go to?"

Ross
picked up a pen and ran his fingers slowly along I the feather. " Beggars
can't be choosers, can they?"

No-o."

"
Except as to price. Naturally I don't' want it known that I'm eager to sell or
someone may start making lower offers."

"It's
a change of front for you, Captain Poldark. But I think, you're wise."

Soon
afterwards the first "run" was made into Nampara Cove.

In the late afternoon of a quiet damp day Jud
Paynter, of all people, came rolling down the combe on his bowlegs with a
letter from Mr. Trencrom, touching his fringe to Ross in the old way, whistling
almost noiselessly between his front teeth and glancing in an inquisitive
hangdog fashion about the house where he had spent many years of his life.

Ross
read the note and said " That's convenient. Does Mr. Trencrom expect a
reply?"

Not bi word' o' pen. I'll tell 'im tes all
fitty. 'E depend pon me, do Mr. Trencrom these days. His right-arm man, I
reckon. Couldn' do without me. Proper job I got now."

You've the knack with a cutter," Ross
agreed. But then, you were always one for sailing near the wind, weren't you,
Jud?"

Wind or no, it d'make no difference," said
Jud, blinking. He was never quite comfortable in Ross's presence, faintly
defiant, faintly resentful, wanting to be cocky and familiar but never
gathering the courage. As long as he lived he would never forgive Ross for
turning him out of the house, but his resentment was always nearer indignation
than spite.

Some such thought as this crossed Ross's mind,
and he said: " I haven't thanked you for your peculiar testimony at the
assize court. I don't know what you intended to say when you first went into
the box, but in the end no one knew whether you were for me; or against me, and
even the judge was arguing. It's no mean feat to confuse the law."

Nature had not designed Jud's face for the
expression of pleasure, but the way he wiped his nose on the back of his hand
suggested he was gratified.

" Aw . . . I always d'say to Prudie, when a
,man's in trouble, then he d'know his neighbours. I won't disknowledge twas a
tryin' time to be stood up afore this, judge just like as if had been the
'ardened lawbreaker. But I've mind of you since: you was a little tacker no
biggerer than pot high, so what was there to do else?

"What puzzles me is how you came in that
position. - There's rumour about that you were paid money to swear against me.
That isn't true, of course?"

Never no word of it l Tedn true, tedn right,
tedn proper l There's nasty lying tongues about tryin' to make grief betwixt
us. Don't ee believe a word of un. If the truth be told.

Jud paused, sucking his teeth. "If the
truth be told," Ross prompted.

" If the truth be told, tes all on account
o' my good nature. Don't like to say no, see. People d'come an' asks me one
thing an' I say ais and naw just to be easy, like. They get very friendly along
of you, an' a drop o' gin; an' afore you can spit they've congled up some
notions you never thought 'pon, not in your wildest dreams. That's how tis, as
sure as me mother was married. Then when tes time for the court o' law, what's
to do? Only to act like you was put in wi' the bread an' took out with the
cakes, like. That's the truth if I go around land to-mower."

Ross looked down at the shifty' bulldog face. He
didn't believe a word of it, but he laughed.

Go tell your new master, that I'm ready to draw
my curtains."

In fact on this first run, because of Demelza's
anxiety and because of her condition, Ross observed all the, prohibitions,
though it went against the grain to do so. As dusk was falling, he had the
candles lighted and the curtains drawn, and they sat reading together until
they heard the first clink of horses hooves by the stream. Then Demelza got up
and played on the spinet, and hummed and sang a little. Later they had supper,
and presently the horses began to pass again, though this time it seemed their
hooves were heavier on the ground. Occasionally a gruff voice could be heard
and a footstep or the chink of metal

In spite of all the precautions Demelza's heart
thumped alarmingly; and as soon as supper was over she went back to the spinet
and drowned the noises outside.. The Gimletts had been given sufficient
information to guess the rest, so they sat-quietly in the kitchen and did not
stir from the house. Once or twice Ross lifted his head from his book and
glanced at Demelza. Once or twice his thoughts wandered to the informers, and
he asked himself if the whole operation would go through without mishap. Mr.
Trencrom had assured him that every effort would be made to keep the landing
secret and that only twenty riders would be used as against a larger number usually.
Watchers would be posted all along the Cliffs and valley so that decent warning
might be given of any gaugers about But many must know of the run. If there was
an informer, he must know that the cutter had been gone some days and was due
back: Did he know where?

At ten the sounds began to taper off, and by
eleven all was peace again. At midnight they went to bed, but both slept
restlessly, imagining from time to time they heard noises around the house: No
caller, however, came to disturb them, and just before dawn Ross got up and
went down to the cove.

A restless white fog moved over the land, and he
thought it lucky it had not come down to impede progress last night Great care
had been taken to remove any signs of the operations. Above high-water mark the
sand had-been rolled or scraped with flat boards so that no one could tell the
amount of disturbance there had been. Horse tracks all the way down to the cove
in the soft ground could not be so easily hid, but a day's rain would wash them
away. It smelt, like rain. The undergrowth had been crushed down in places. A
curlew was crying in the colourless dawn light.

He walked across to the cave where the dinghy
was kept. It was a buoyant little craft he had bought in St. Ann's just before
last year's collapse to replace the one in which Mark Daniel had made his
escape. As he bent over it a footstep sounded on the dry seaweed behind him,
and he turned swiftly to find that Demelza had followed him. Her face looked
small, detached, like a sculpture, framed in its dark hair on the pedestal' of
her dark cloak.

He said. "You shouldn't have come out so
soon. The air is chill."

" I like it. I feel I've, been behind those
drawn curtains for a week."

"Our visitors have been very careful.
Nothing scarcely to show. I think they have moved this boat -they or someone
else. When I left it on. Thursday it was farther up the cave."

Was it, Ross?" Why do I not tell him that I
was out in it myself yesterday, that for the first time I managed without
Gimlett and caught eight mackerel and a dab? Because I know he would stop me
and I don't want to be stopped. Ross could not have been more thoughtful for
her, but sometimes all the restrictions and prohibitions oppressed her and made
her feel caged and constricted. The Gimletts were faithful watchdogs; too
faithful. Oh, she was comforted and warmed by Ross's consideration - yet he had
not altogether convinced her. It seemed to her that on the night of their
return home after the trial, he had spoken from his heart. Since knowing there
was actually a child on the way he had spoken out of a confusion of feeling and
a kindness of disposition. It might be she was wrong, but that was how it
seemed to her.

"It's good to feel last night is
over," she said.

"It's good to feel we're that much better
off."

I'm still afraid. Promise you'll not go on with
it a minute longer than we really need."

" Well, I've no real fancy for
commercialising our little cove. Are you well or ill this morning that you're
up so early?"

"Well if other things are well. The brume
is lifting, look"

The shallow fog was smoking in the widening
light, as if someone had lit a bonfire for a-mile or so upon the sea.. Out of
the darker mist the sun already threw premonitory beams; and across the
swept-clean upper sky a single smear of cloud was lit a brilliant cadmium
yellow. They watched the, fog grow luminous along its higher reaches; then
familiar landmarks began to jut out with startling clearness, like stage scenery
unveiled. The sea licked quietly at the sand, uncommunicative, saying nothing
of the night

Ross stirred. "Did you know Ruth Treneglos
was safely delivered of a baby daughter early yesterday?"

"No! At last. Are they well?"

" Well except in temper. I hear they're
monstrously disappointed it's a girl after all this delay. They say old Horace
is so furious at not having a grandson that he's refused to speak to John
since."

Poor Ruth !"

I should save your pity for the baby, who may
deserve it."

" Who told you, Ross?"

" Dwight. He was not there, of course, but
is almost on their doorstep."

Full dawn had crept round them hardly noticed so
that suddenly, instead of being unobserved figures discussing the night, they
had become the observed, focused by the absence of darkness, conspicuous under
the rose-flushed sky. With a; common instinct they drew back into the mouth of
the cave.