The Black Moon Read Online Free PDF Page A

passion, had brought the m closer in some ways than they had ever been before, all defences down. Yet it had been a slightly feverish warmth - and still was - as if their relationship were recovering from a near-mortal wound and they were trying to reassure themselves. The quieter levels of absolute trust which had existed before had not yet been regained.
    And tempering their delight and relief at the success of the mine was the knowl edge: of the alien presence at Trenwith House only four miles away. Often they would forget it; then it would recur like an undulant pain, so that temporarily they wer e at a distance from each other again. The birth and christening of Valentine Warleggan was the latest thorn in the flesh. Neither said what was uppermost in their m inds; it could never be uttered by anyone. But Caroline P envenen had written to Demelza.
    `Such disappointment not, to see, you there, though to tell the truth I had hardly expected it, owing, the deep a nd abiding love Ross and George have for each other. I do not remember ever having been inside Trenwith before, it's a fine house. The brat is dark, but I think favours Elizabeth a well formed and quite handsome child, as children go. (I never really care for them. until they are about three years old. Dwight will have to arrange it for me. somehow l) A big assemblage for the Christening - I did not know there were so many Warleggans, and one or two of the older ones a small matter unsavoury. Also as much of the near-by county as would turn out on a cold day.' She had gone into details of those present,
    `Uncle Ray not able to go with me, alas too weak. He misses Dwight's ministrations. The last letter from Dwight was two weeks gone, aboard the Travail; but that itself was two weeks old when received, so in knowledge of his whereabouts I am already a month out of date. I fume at this like a love-lorn maiden in a tower, feeling it the worse for the knowledge that but for me he would not be in the Navy at all. I wish someone would stop this war ...'
    Although the letter had been written in all friendship, Ross would have been glad not to
    have received it. It lit the scene and revived memories of the house and the people he knew, so well. The one person Caroline did not mention in the letter was Elizabeth herself. She did not of course know half' the story, but clearly she knew, enough to exerci se tact in a letter to Demelza. He could not and would not have gone to the christening had they been invited; but it irked him more than he had ever thought probable that he was debarred from the family home, from calling on, old Agatha, from seeing his nephew, from viewing the renovations and repairs that were taking place. He had seen enough; when he made his last uninvited call at Christmas to know that the house was already changing its character, was taking on an alien personality.
    As he passed the window of the parlour he glanced in and saw his wife seated in conversation with two strange young men.
     
    He turned at, once and went into them,
    Jeremy wriggled off her kn ee and ran to him crying Papa! Papal! He picked him up and hugged him and set him down while the two young men stood awkwardly, not quite sure what to do with their hands. Demelza was wearing the bodice of fin e white poplin she had made out of two of Ro ss's shirts and decorated with lace from an old shawl; a cream linen skirt,: a green apron; a bunch of keys dangled from her waist. They had not yet found the opportunity to replenish her wardrobe,
    `Do you remember my brothers, Ross?' Demelza said. `This is Samuel, the second oldest, and Drake, the youngest. They have walked over from Illuggan to see us.'
    A hesitation. `Well,' said Ross. `It has been a long time.' They shook hands, but guardedly, without warmth.
    `Six year,'' said Sam. 'Or thereabout. Since I were here, that is. Drake hasn't been afore. Dr ake was too young to come then. `Tis a tidy stroll for a little one even now,' said