Poldark: Saving Ross and Demelza

My Love

Rain had began to fall rapidly and the wind had picked up brewing a tempestuous storm, much like that of Demelza's emotions.
"Demelza!" Ross bellowed into the darkness of the woods, drowned out by the downpour.

" Demelza please!" He rode on, Darkie obediently changing pace as Ross flitted in and out of the trees.
He had followed almost in an instant behind her, yet with the rage and heartbreak he had saw in her eyes, he had no idea what rash decision she might make, and for that reason had no idea what direction she had taken.
Would she have returned to Nampara, to Jeremy? or perhaps to the consolation of Caroline or Verity, despite the distance? Ross even contemplated her return to her father's house at Illugan.
His heart sank at the consequences of  his rash actions. His selfishness and past embitterment had clouded his judgment and now his wife was wandering through vast terrain during an ever increasing thunderous storm, unchaperoned in the depth of the night, open to the elements. What a grand husband he had been. Whatever did she see in him, he did not know.
She had rode off to Trenwith he thought to himself,  after he had made it very clear , fiercely even- to not travel after him,   oddly he found himself smiling , when has that ever stopped her before. Damn her stubbornness! But why had she came to Trenwith? to stop him, to reason more with him? He now felt further pangs of guilt creeping into his soul, because she would never give up fighting for them.  Unlike he,who had given into the fight in his heart; of which however he was seeing clearly she had come out shining brighter that the faithful witness of the skies. How could he have been so blinded, why did he not he listen to his wife, and save them this heartache?

" Demelza!" "Where are you?!" Ross was growing ever worrisome for his young wife. After all, sheets of rain were now bellowing down making visibility almost impossible  . There would be night travellers and highway men lurking closer to the towns , but what if they got lost in this wilderness and storm ? Ross' mind wandered to hellish ordeals that could be facing his wife, knowing it was all his doing.
He travelled along the dirt road, until he came to the stone marking directing to Sawle in one direction and Truro in the other.  He stared out to the cliffs and listened to the clashing sound of the sea beating at the sand wave after wave. As his eyes traced the contures of the cliffs he spotted a familiar red auburn glint, slowly venturing down  onto the sandy path towards the beach. His heart skipped in relief that he had found her  but angered at her impetuousness,  to aim for the beach in these conditions!
He kicked Darkie into speed.
As he approached the top of the cliff the wind lifted at his cloak furiously, despite the weather shielding his appearance from her knowledge , he dismounted Darkie to walk and carefully guided the horse down the same pathway demelza had gone down,  the sandy soil was muddying under his tread . He kept focused on her and  listened, the strings of his heart pulled as in the breaks of the thunder and rain he heard her broken yelping cries.
............................
Demelza had no idea that Ross had travelled after her. She was broken, irrevocably detached from her present realities. Watching the man she adored embraced in the arms of his first ideal, she felt like a sword had seared her through. Anger, hatred , betrayal, unrequited love.  These were the distresses that ached through her body. She rode on incensed , Demelza felt the rain pour down on  her bare arms and face, she felt as if she and the storm were one , for that is exactly how she felt inside, full of venom and sadness.
No doubt, she thought, the further action would now be done, he would have nothing to lose, Ross and Elizabeth could have each other by her turning away she had almost blessed the union! She laughed and cried aloud at the cynicism.
Demelza dismounted and  left the horse tied,
"I hate 'ee Ross! I hate Elizabeth!" She shouted to the storm,
"What more could I av done , I am but a scullery maid ey?" She now whispered to herself. Then the tears and the sadness overcame her she walked dangerously across the watery rocks as the waves crashed in tide just below her feet a few rocks below. She was being reckless, but hadn't he been so?  She could easily step off into the unknown and end her pain, she contemplated this deliriously. But the face of Julia entered her mind , she had been taken , and then she had had Jeremy,  she would not take herself from her child. Logic and reason began returning to her,
Demelza turned to return off the rocks to the sand ,
"DEMELZA!" Startling towards her was Ross, but before she had a chance to say she was in no mood to talk to him, her footing slipped on a Waterdrenched mossy rock as a further wave crashed into the bay , she  tried to regain her balance but it was to no avail she locked eyes with Ross knowing her impending doom, she looked fixedly at him as she fell into the blackened waters as she heard Ross shouting after her
"NO!! MY LOVE!!"
Demelza felt the blackness overtake her beneath the waters. The weight not only of the crashing waves but mainly of her corsetted dress dragging her to a watery end. She did not have the strength,  and only half the want to try and survive. Her last thoughts were of her children , beautiful Jeremy, wondering what man he would become, of Julia perhaps she could be reunited with?
Then, the notion that she hoped Ross and Elizabeth would be happy not wishing ill will, and the irony that she would be dying in near enough the same way Francis had.
Demelza felt her life ebbing and her final thought was of the day she had met Ross, how he had saved her from the dog fight, he had showed her kindness and the care she saw in his face, at the time she had questioned, but since adored. His face so handsome and full of love on so many occasions in their life, that is how she wanted her final thought to be, of Ross looking at her with love.
She closed her eyes.

.

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