over on top of him, for when the clamour had subsided, the worst moment
was past. For two reasons Elizabeth exerted herself to prevent a recurrence of
it. First, George almost owned the things they stood in. Second, on personal
grounds, she did not want to lose his friendship. Admiration such as he brought
was rare enough in the life she led. She knew it was her due, and the knowledge
made it all the harder to be without.
Chapter Five
Bodmin at the time of the summer assizes of 1790
was a town with three thousand inhabitants and twenty-nine public houses.
A historian passing through two centuries before
had noted the unhealthiness of the situation, the houses in the-mile-long main
street being, he-pointed out, so shut off from sun by the hill behind that no
light could have entrance to their stairs nor open air in their rooms. When it
rained, he added, all the filth of the outbuildings and stables was washed down
through these houses into the street; and, further, the main water supply ran
openly through the churchyard, which was the ordinary place of burial for town
and parish.
The intervening years had not changed the
situation, but there was nothing so far as Ross could see in the hard-bitten
look of the inhabitants to suggest they suffered any unusual apprehensions from
sickness or, pestilence. Indeed in the previous summer, while cholera raged in
the districts around, the town had escaped.
He presented himself at the gaol on Thursday the
second of September, and Demelza followed on the Saturday. He had been opposed
to her being at the trial at all, but she had insisted so vehemently that for
once he gave way. He reserved a room for her at the George and Crown, and a
place for her on the midday coach, but unknown-to him she had been making
extra arrangements of her own. Bailey's Flyer began its long run from the west
country at Falmouth, and when she met it at Truro at eleven, forty-five Verity
was travelling in it.
They greeted each other like old lovers, kissing
with a depth of affection that trouble brought to the surface, each aware of
the other's love for Ross and of a uniting purpose.
" Verity! Oh, I'm that glad to see you;
it's been an age and no one to talk to as I talk to you." Demelza wanted
to board the stage at once, but Verity knew they had a quarter of an hour's
wait, so steered her cousin-in-law into the inn. They sat in a comer by the
door and talked in earnest confidential tones. Verity thought Demelza looked
years older than at their last meeting, and thinner and paler, but somehow it
all suited her dark hair and brows and wayward eyes.
"I wish I could write like you,"
Demelza said. "Letters that tell something. I can't write, no more'n
Prudie Paynter, and never shall. It is there, - there in my mind, but when I
pick up the quill it all puffs away like steam out of the spout of a
kettle"
Verity said: "But tell me now, who is to be
for Ross's defence, and what witnesses will be called in his favour? I am so
ignorant of these things. How is the jury chosen? Is it of freemen and will
they look on such a crime indulgently? And the judge "
DemeLza tried to satisfy her from the
information she had. She was surprised to find Verity as unlearned in the law
as herself. They struggled with-its complexities together.
Verity said "Andrew would have come, but he
is at sea. I should have been happier with him to lean on. But perhaps it's for
the best.... You don't know, I suppose, if Francis will be at the
assizes?"
"No.... No, I don't think so. But there
will be a great many there. We're lucky, so they say, to have accommodation,
because there's an election this coming week - between Unwin Trevaunance and
Michael Chenhalls on the Basset side, and Sir Henry Corrant and Hugh Dagge on
the Boscoigne. There'll be a big fuss about that"
You're well informed, Is that Unwin Trevaunance,
Sir John's brother?"
"Yes. We-I-have got to know Sir John a
slight bit. Of course Ross have known him for years-but he happened
was past. For two reasons Elizabeth exerted herself to prevent a recurrence of
it. First, George almost owned the things they stood in. Second, on personal
grounds, she did not want to lose his friendship. Admiration such as he brought
was rare enough in the life she led. She knew it was her due, and the knowledge
made it all the harder to be without.
Chapter Five
Bodmin at the time of the summer assizes of 1790
was a town with three thousand inhabitants and twenty-nine public houses.
A historian passing through two centuries before
had noted the unhealthiness of the situation, the houses in the-mile-long main
street being, he-pointed out, so shut off from sun by the hill behind that no
light could have entrance to their stairs nor open air in their rooms. When it
rained, he added, all the filth of the outbuildings and stables was washed down
through these houses into the street; and, further, the main water supply ran
openly through the churchyard, which was the ordinary place of burial for town
and parish.
The intervening years had not changed the
situation, but there was nothing so far as Ross could see in the hard-bitten
look of the inhabitants to suggest they suffered any unusual apprehensions from
sickness or, pestilence. Indeed in the previous summer, while cholera raged in
the districts around, the town had escaped.
He presented himself at the gaol on Thursday the
second of September, and Demelza followed on the Saturday. He had been opposed
to her being at the trial at all, but she had insisted so vehemently that for
once he gave way. He reserved a room for her at the George and Crown, and a
place for her on the midday coach, but unknown-to him she had been making
extra arrangements of her own. Bailey's Flyer began its long run from the west
country at Falmouth, and when she met it at Truro at eleven, forty-five Verity
was travelling in it.
They greeted each other like old lovers, kissing
with a depth of affection that trouble brought to the surface, each aware of
the other's love for Ross and of a uniting purpose.
" Verity! Oh, I'm that glad to see you;
it's been an age and no one to talk to as I talk to you." Demelza wanted
to board the stage at once, but Verity knew they had a quarter of an hour's
wait, so steered her cousin-in-law into the inn. They sat in a comer by the
door and talked in earnest confidential tones. Verity thought Demelza looked
years older than at their last meeting, and thinner and paler, but somehow it
all suited her dark hair and brows and wayward eyes.
"I wish I could write like you,"
Demelza said. "Letters that tell something. I can't write, no more'n
Prudie Paynter, and never shall. It is there, - there in my mind, but when I
pick up the quill it all puffs away like steam out of the spout of a
kettle"
Verity said: "But tell me now, who is to be
for Ross's defence, and what witnesses will be called in his favour? I am so
ignorant of these things. How is the jury chosen? Is it of freemen and will
they look on such a crime indulgently? And the judge "
DemeLza tried to satisfy her from the
information she had. She was surprised to find Verity as unlearned in the law
as herself. They struggled with-its complexities together.
Verity said "Andrew would have come, but he
is at sea. I should have been happier with him to lean on. But perhaps it's for
the best.... You don't know, I suppose, if Francis will be at the
assizes?"
"No.... No, I don't think so. But there
will be a great many there. We're lucky, so they say, to have accommodation,
because there's an election this coming week - between Unwin Trevaunance and
Michael Chenhalls on the Basset side, and Sir Henry Corrant and Hugh Dagge on
the Boscoigne. There'll be a big fuss about that"
You're well informed, Is that Unwin Trevaunance,
Sir John's brother?"
"Yes. We-I-have got to know Sir John a
slight bit. Of course Ross have known him for years-but he happened
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