stool. This was handed to Drake, who took it, and they set off, over the creaky wooden bridge and up the may-lined lane out of the valley, Ross and Demelza watched them go.
Ross said: 'Is this another of your matrimonial experiments?'
Demelza narrowed her eyes. 'That little limp stays with her in sp ite of al l Dwight has been able to do. She's a nice girl,'
‘ A more flagrant contrivance I never saw.'
'Oh, no it was not! I don't think so ... Since they both happened to be here at the same time ...'
'At your invitation.'
'Ross, Drake needs a wife. I don't want to see him dry up in his youth from disappointment and loneliness. I want to see him - in joy again, as he used to be. He's my favourite brother.’
Ross poured himself another cup of tea. The teapot just filled his cup with its last dregs. 'There's something in what you say. But have a care: matchmakers often burn their fingers.'
‘ I shall do no more. It is just - putting them together once or twice - that's all.'
Ross swallowed his second cup. 'Does Drake ever mention Geoffrey Charles when you see him?
'He mentioned him today. Why?'
"He'll see a big change in Geoffrey Charles if he comes home this summer. I took him out when I was in London. I didn't tell you, did I, I took him to Vauxhall. It seemed a suitable thing to do.'
'George would not like it.'
'George can rot. We listened to music and, avoiding the harlots, sipped a glass of wine in the gardens; then we went into the Rotunda to admire the statuary. I took him back at seven. He has changed. He is very - grown up. Next term, he tells me, he will have Lord Aberconway as his fag.'
'Well, that is what happens to boys, isn't it. They grow up very sudden. There's nothing you can do about it, But I'm sorry if it isn't a good change.'
'Well, I'm not saying he's disagreeable now - far from it! - he's very good company. It's just that these years at Harrow have turned him into a worldly-wise young ma n. Do you know more than anythi ng what I felt as he walked beside me? That his father had been born over again. I knew Francis from childhood, of course, but it is in his teens that I remember him most vividly. Geoffrey Charles has become the living repeat of his father. And as I liked Francis -most of the time - so I like Geoffrey Charles. He's witty - lively -perhaps a little unstable at the moment - but good company for all that.'
'But not good company for Drake.'
'I don't think it will work between them any longer.'
II
On the way up the lane and then across the moorland towards Gtam-bler nothing was yet working between Drake and Rosina. Rosina was wearing a yellow bonnet and a faded but clean yellow muslin dress with a white frilled hem, from under which small black boots appeared regularly as she strode beside her tall companion. Her limp was hardly noticeable on level ground. With the stool over his shoulder Drake was trying to pace himself to her speed. He was wearing green barragan trousers and a coarse shirt open at the throat, with a green neckerchief.
The silence had lasted such a long time that at last he forced himself to break it,
'Going too fast for you, am I?'
'No, no, tis just right.’
'You've only to say.'
That ended conversation for a time.
Then, after moistening her lips experimentally once or twice, she said: 'I go over most once a week now. Tis easier for Mistress Poldark if I d'go there to work than she sending it over. Mending and patching I do for her an' all.' 'I never seen my sister make much sewing,' Drake said, 'No. She d'say she's not handy with a needle. But she have the ideas. Oft when I go there she have the idea and I make it up just as she want,' 'Who learned you?'
'Mostly myself.' Rosina pushed a strand of hair out of her mouth. 'Being laid up so long, see, you start to work with your hands. Then I borrowe d a book on it from Mrs Odgers.’
'You can read?'
'Yes. Mother would bring home laundry from Trenwith, and often twas wrapped in news paper. Mind, I
Ross said: 'Is this another of your matrimonial experiments?'
Demelza narrowed her eyes. 'That little limp stays with her in sp ite of al l Dwight has been able to do. She's a nice girl,'
‘ A more flagrant contrivance I never saw.'
'Oh, no it was not! I don't think so ... Since they both happened to be here at the same time ...'
'At your invitation.'
'Ross, Drake needs a wife. I don't want to see him dry up in his youth from disappointment and loneliness. I want to see him - in joy again, as he used to be. He's my favourite brother.’
Ross poured himself another cup of tea. The teapot just filled his cup with its last dregs. 'There's something in what you say. But have a care: matchmakers often burn their fingers.'
‘ I shall do no more. It is just - putting them together once or twice - that's all.'
Ross swallowed his second cup. 'Does Drake ever mention Geoffrey Charles when you see him?
'He mentioned him today. Why?'
"He'll see a big change in Geoffrey Charles if he comes home this summer. I took him out when I was in London. I didn't tell you, did I, I took him to Vauxhall. It seemed a suitable thing to do.'
'George would not like it.'
'George can rot. We listened to music and, avoiding the harlots, sipped a glass of wine in the gardens; then we went into the Rotunda to admire the statuary. I took him back at seven. He has changed. He is very - grown up. Next term, he tells me, he will have Lord Aberconway as his fag.'
'Well, that is what happens to boys, isn't it. They grow up very sudden. There's nothing you can do about it, But I'm sorry if it isn't a good change.'
'Well, I'm not saying he's disagreeable now - far from it! - he's very good company. It's just that these years at Harrow have turned him into a worldly-wise young ma n. Do you know more than anythi ng what I felt as he walked beside me? That his father had been born over again. I knew Francis from childhood, of course, but it is in his teens that I remember him most vividly. Geoffrey Charles has become the living repeat of his father. And as I liked Francis -most of the time - so I like Geoffrey Charles. He's witty - lively -perhaps a little unstable at the moment - but good company for all that.'
'But not good company for Drake.'
'I don't think it will work between them any longer.'
II
On the way up the lane and then across the moorland towards Gtam-bler nothing was yet working between Drake and Rosina. Rosina was wearing a yellow bonnet and a faded but clean yellow muslin dress with a white frilled hem, from under which small black boots appeared regularly as she strode beside her tall companion. Her limp was hardly noticeable on level ground. With the stool over his shoulder Drake was trying to pace himself to her speed. He was wearing green barragan trousers and a coarse shirt open at the throat, with a green neckerchief.
The silence had lasted such a long time that at last he forced himself to break it,
'Going too fast for you, am I?'
'No, no, tis just right.’
'You've only to say.'
That ended conversation for a time.
Then, after moistening her lips experimentally once or twice, she said: 'I go over most once a week now. Tis easier for Mistress Poldark if I d'go there to work than she sending it over. Mending and patching I do for her an' all.' 'I never seen my sister make much sewing,' Drake said, 'No. She d'say she's not handy with a needle. But she have the ideas. Oft when I go there she have the idea and I make it up just as she want,' 'Who learned you?'
'Mostly myself.' Rosina pushed a strand of hair out of her mouth. 'Being laid up so long, see, you start to work with your hands. Then I borrowe d a book on it from Mrs Odgers.’
'You can read?'
'Yes. Mother would bring home laundry from Trenwith, and often twas wrapped in news paper. Mind, I
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