The Four Swans Read Online Free PDF

himself thin and drawn and grey at the temples and seemingly devoid of muscle and flesh within his clothes.
    They moved on again and, spoke for a while with the Reverend Osborne and Mrs Whitworth. Ossie as usual was dressed in the extremity of fashion, and his bride of last July had got a new outfit of a snuff brown, which did not suit her because it made her dark skin look darker. For the most part she kept her: eyes down and did not speak; but when addressed: she looked up and smiled and answered politely, and it was really not at all possible from her expression to perceive the misery and revulsion that was burning in her heart, nor the nausea caused by the cellular stirrings of an embryonic Ossie in her womb.
    Presently George moved away from them and drew Elizabeth towards a corner where Sir Francis and Lady Basset were talking. So the-pleasant conversazione of the wedding reception went on. ‘Two hundred people, the cream of the society of mid-Cornwall, squires, merchants, bankers, soldiers, fox-hunters, the titled and the landed, the untitled and the moneyed, the seekers and the sought. In the melee Demelza became separated from Ross, and seeing Mr and Mrs Ralph-Allen Daniell, went to speak to them. They greeted her like an old friend which, considering they had only met her once, was gratifying, and, considering that on that occasion Ross had refused to oblige Mr Daniell by accepting a magistracy, even more pleasing. Standing near them was a sturdy, quietly dressed, reserved man in his late thirties, and presently Mr Daniell said `My Lord, may I present to you Mrs Demelza Poldark, Captain Ross Poldark’s’ wife: the Viscount Falmouth.’
    They bowed to each other. Lord Falmouth said : `Your husband has been very much in the news, ma’am. I have yet to have the pleasure of congratulating him on his exploit.’
    `I am only hoping, sir,’ Demelza said, `that all these congratulations will not go to his head and induce him to embark on another.’ Falmouth smiled, a very contained smile, carefully poured out, like a half measure of some valuable liquid and not to be wasted.
    ‘It is a change to find a wife so concerned to keep her husband at home. But we may yet have need of him and others like him.’ `Then,’ Demelza said; `I b’lieve neither of us will be lacking.” They looked at each other very straightly.
    Lord Falmouth said : `You must come and visit us sometime,’ and passed on
    The Poldarks were staying the night with - Harris Pascoe, the banker, and over a late supper in his house in Pydar Street Demelza said
    `I”m not, sure that I’ve done good for you with Lord Falmouth, Ross,’ and told of the interchange.
    `It’s of no moment whether you’ pleased or, displeased him,’ Ross said. ‘We do not need his patronage.’
    `Oh, but that is his way,’ said Pascoe. `You should have known his uncle, the second Viscount. He had no appearance but was arrogant withal. This one is more easy to treat with:’
    `He and I fought in the same war,’ said Ross, `but did not meet. He being in the King’s Own and a rank superior to me. I confess I do not take greatly to his, manner but I’m glad if you made a good
    impression on him.’
    `I do not at all think I made a good impression,’ said Demelza. Pascoe said: `I suppose you know that Hugh Armitage is a cousin of the Falmouths? His mother is a Boscawen.’
    `Who?’ Ross said.
    `Hugh Armitage. You should know Lieutenant Armitage. You rescued him from Quimper gaol.’
    `The devil ! No, I don’t know. I suppose. we spoke little on the way across.’
    `It should make the family feel somewhat in your debt.’
    `I don’t really see why. We didn’t at all set out to rescue him. He was one of the lucky few who made use of our entry to escape.’ `Nevertheless you brought him home.’
    `Yes … we brought him homeAnd useful enough in navigation he was on the way…’ `Then we are in each other’s debt,’ said Demelza.
    `Did you speak with the Whitworths?’