Not long after I decided to pay a visit to Wheal Leisure, the mine my father owned. Some time during the war the fragile mining economy of Cornwall had collapsed. Few mines were still open and were struggling greatly. It even drove a man to his suicide.
I awoke early to the smell of bread baking and fresh raspberries. I gathered my clothing and put it on, carrying my vest and jacket with me. "Good Morning, Sir" Demelza smiled and sat a plate down in front of me with fruits and a few fish. I sat down and looked up at her. Plopping a raspberry in my mouth "Morning" I said as I chewed. "I'm going to clear the left field today, then I'll repair the gate in the paddock" she smiled as she continued tending to the pastries.
"I'm going to the mine, I hope to open it once again to provide for the townspeople and those who get terrible wages at Granger" I continued eating as Demelza turned back around. "You're different from all the others" she smiled as she looked at me "you care about them, they aren't just scum that work to hard and get paid too little" I smiled and nodded "one of my many faults" I laughed slightly. "Oh, Sir, anything but" she turned back to kneading the bread she was preparing.
I slowly made my way down the rotting wooden ladder with a lit lantern in hand. I moved slowly through the long rocky tunnel looking for any signs of copper. As I made it to the end of one of the tunnels I noticed a streak of shimmery metallic substance. I smiled and ran my fingers over it. "Ross?!" I heard my name being called from above. "Down here!" My voice echoed off the stone walls. Soon, my cousin was climbing down the ladder. "What brings you by?" I asked holding the lamp close to my face so I could see through the thick darkness. "Oh just wanted to see if it was true" he looked around "and apparently it is" I looked at him questioningly "you're considering opening the mine once again, am I correct?" Francis followed behind me as I ducked through one of the tunnels. "Perhaps" I looked back for a moment then continued on.
Later in my study I looked carefully over the map that I had been given when I claimed my inheritance. I looked over the tunnel I had found promising, the mine had shut down before they had fully discovered what was deep in the rock.
The next afternoon I visited with my banker to discuss the reopening of Wheal Leisure. He informed me that there were several investors willing to contribute capital for promising mines.
The major amounts of stress I was under took its toll, I barely ate anything for weeks, working constantly for days at a time, not moving from my desk. I had grown thin and my eyes began to darken and hollowed. Demelza did her best to force me to eat yet, I upheld the thick Poldark stubbornness that ran through my veins.
Once the mine was running stably I began to worry less, at least for a short while, but I was constantly in need of capital for more supplies. When the time for auction came I couldn't sleep for days on end, worried about getting fair prices to keep the mine scraping by.
The next afternoon I coldly sat down at the local inn, the local mine and smelting owners gathering around me. "Wheal Leisure, 45 tons..." The booming voice came from the table in the front of the room. "Seven pounds, twenty five pence a ton" I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. It wasn't as low as I had predicted, but not as high as market price.
I rested somewhat easily that night, the miners who I cared so dearly for would be payed a decent wage. They could provide for their families, put food in their bellies. These thoughts began to lead me to thoughts of my future, would I find a wife? have children? I quickly dismissed these thoughts, having little intention at the moment.
