Poldark 2.07

Previously: Stuff.

In Tru-mouth, soldiers wander through the streets, and McNeil and the Excise Man, Vercoe, discuss the events in France (what’s up, King Louis’ head?) while they observe Trencrom, who is prooooooobably planning his next smuggling run. They are hoping to catch him off guard.

Two men walk into the yard at Nampara with a mule while D is sawing a log, and she glares and then yells for Garrick to run them off. They protest that they are there at the request of Trencrom to pick up the stuff. D storms into the house, but also calls off Garrick (who is rather long-lived dog at this point…)

Deep in the mine, Ross confers with Zacky over some ore. Ross thinks there’s more tin than copper, and asks if there’s a chance of there being more copper further down. Zacky shrugs and is like, well, maybe. And they are both frustrated that they haven’t hit the Trevorgie lode from either direction as of yet. “Yet Mark Daniel swore,” sighs Ross. “Mark Daniel swore,” agrees Zacky.

In the library in Nampara, Trencrom’s men open the cache and D’s like, he’s left that shit here for weeks, and that’s taking advantage and D does not like people taking advantage of her.

Ross rides to Trenwith, and Elizabeth asks if it’s true that his note was paid off, and asks if it was maybe the same person who bought her shares in Wheal Grace? “Who knows?” Ross asks, unconvincingly. Elizabeth allows that she is a little disappointed, since she has no interest in Grace, that means that Ross doesn’t have a reason to come visit her anymore. Ross assures her that he’ll always have reason to call, if she wishes it. “I wish it.”

In Sawle, Enys is greeted with enthusiasm by Charlie, who is happy about life, since Rosina has agreed to marry him. Enys is there to check on Charlie’s kiddos, and Charlie says that they have Enys to thank for the engagement (which Rosina’s father seems less than enthused by) because he fixed Rosina’s knee and also is helping the kiddos and Charlie is doing REALLY well in his profession as a sailmaker, guys.

Trencrom’s men put the library back to rights, and tell D that they will not be bothering her anymore, and she’s like, yeah, till the next time you DO bother me. Also try not to make a fuss when you leave and bring the gaugers down on us. A commotion is heard from the kitchen, and everyone freaks, and D sends them out another door. She rearranges her face into an innocent expression, but it’s Jud and Prudie arguing in the kitchen. D goes to break them up (while Garrick barks and barks and barks) and trips and falls on top of the pair, just as Ross comes in and remarks, “The noble art of Cornish wrestling.” Jud has a message for Ross, that’s why he’s there. They found Mark Daniels in France, a message has already been sent to him, so when Trencrom makes the next smuggling run tomorrow, they can meet up with Mark.

D doesn’t like the idea of Ross joining a smuggling run, but there really isn’t much else to do. D reminds them that there is an informer about, but Jud thinks maybe they shook the informer, since there’s been no trouble the past couple of runs. Jud also says that’s it’s not him, and does D think he could be such a man? “Course not. Informers be sharp and witsy.” “Exactly,” Jud agrees.

Enys returns home to find a candle burning and Caro waiting for him. They mack on each other, and she fills him in – her uncle wants her to go with him to London on the 3rd, so they need to elope on the 2nd. It’s handy, though, because that way she can have her trunks packed and have all of her shoes with her, rather than escaping through the window with a bundle, romantic as that sounds. Enys smiles but doesn’t say anything, and Caro’s like, what, don’t you want to marry me?

Enys does, and openly marrying her would make him deliriously happy, but running away and eloping… that makes him look like a fortune hunter – “Which we both know you are not!” but it LOOKS bad. Why can’t they go to Ray, tell him what they’re doing? Caro says that Ray will be furious if they go in secret. Yeah, says Enys, and denounce us in the strongest possible terms! “But only to himself. In a year he will calm down and there will be nothing to prevent a reconciliation.” Enys sees the point, but he hates it. Also his previous history isn’t great, what with Keren and all. He feels that her death is on his conscience, and ALSO Caro is giving up her fortune for him. Caro’s like hold up, dude, I am not giving it up, I am deferring it. And even if I were, it would be worth it to be Mrs. Doctor Enys. “Do you doubt me?” “Not your intent. But you may find the reality less romantic than you imagine.”

Ross pours over the plans for Wheal Grace, and D asks how long he’ll be gone. Two days, depending on the weather. He’ll take Henshawe and Paul with him, as well. Paul wants to see his brother, and Henshawe knows Grace so well that he’ll be able to ask the smart detailed questions. D asks if this is really their last chance, and Ross confirms – they only have two weeks of coal left, and then the pumping engine will stop. In the yard, they kiss goodbye, and Ross rides off. Prudie says quietly to D that she shouldn’t worry, because Jud is on the case. “Well that does make all the difference.”

In Tru-Mouth, Ross and Henshawe walk as Ross bemoans their idiocy in not looking for Mark sooner, as opposed to crashing around randomly. Henshawe’s like, well, we didn’t, and they almost literally run into George, exiting the Red Lion. Ross says nothing but shoulders past him. George really does have a punchable face, doesn’t he?

Enys is adorable with a small child, who belongs to the Versoe the Excise Man. The kiddo has been sick, and the father says he, himself, has been in good health, though up at all hours chasing down the smugglers. Enys remarks that he takes his duties to heart, and the guy is like, yeah, if I don’t, who will? But I expect my patience will be rewarded. “I reckon it is coming. You can be sure of that.” Enys looks concerned.

Tru-Mouth, Ross, Paul, and Henshawe board the ship and they are off.

Chez Warleggan: George tells Tankard (who gets named after a MUG, I ask you) to go to Trenwith to report of the execution of King Louis, what the response from London is, and to “Warn Mistress Poldark of potential unrest.” Tankard: Won’t she be scared, though? “It may well.”

Sure enough, it does – Elizabeth is grateful for the warning, but wonders if he had no other suggestions or assistance to offer? Tankard smoothly says that he thinks that George would have thought that it would be an impertinence to do so. Elizabeth is like, that seems fake, but okay. He leaves, and she tells Aggie that she’ll have the doors and windows locked, and Aggie’s like, fuck that, bring me a pistol! I’ll stop anyone in their tracks. “I don’t doubt that, aunt, with or without a firearm.” Elizabeth writes to Ross, asking for “Advice.”

Prudie tells the footman that Ross will see the message when he gets home, and picks up Jeremy (who is a walking giggling little boy now), and Enys comes by. D asks if it’s urgent, and Enys is like, ummmmmm, and D sends Prudie to get some tea. Once the door is shut, D fills Enys is in on the plan to meet Mark, and that Ross will come home when Trencrom makes the drop in Nampara Cove. Enys says that it feels like a lifetime since she kept Mark from killing him, which Enys feels he would have deserved.

But the real reason he came is to tell D and Ross that he’s leaving. “To be with Caroline?” D is THRILLED because she is the purest shipper of us all. Enys tells her that they must do it in secret, so they’re leaving on Friday. “I’m happy for your sake, but for ours?” He’ll be missed. Enys wants her to tell Ross that he’s sorry that they’re leaving like this, and that he owes Ross and D pretty much everything. D’s like, look, you’re marrying for love, and that is wonderful. “Worry about us and our ailments until Friday. Then build your new life as if we’d never been.”

Meanwhile, in France, Ross and his boys disembark and go to the pub they’ve arranged to meet Mark at. They’re spending the ore before they’ve found it, making plans that Grace could employ the villages of Sawle and Grambler, and drink to that. “To Mark!” “In him we trust.”

Enys is packing, and finds something cloth-like from Rosina.

Caro waits in Nampara’s parlor, and D is surprised to see her. But Caro says that she realized that she’d never paid a call, and that was rude. D: And soon you’ll be in Bath. Caro is mildly surprised that D knows, “And here I am thinking that he might have changed his mind.” Men are so changeable. D doesn’t think so. “And is that your experience with husbands? I mean, generally to be relied upon?” D smiles ruefully, doesn’t answer, and offers tea.

Trenwith, there’s no response from Ross, and Elizabeth is getting peevish. “It’s not like him to be so remiss. I wonder what could have detained him.”

D climbs the cliffs and looks worriedly out to sea.

Ross and the boys are singing, much to everyone else’s merriment. A scruffy man approaches, and it’s Mark. Paul hugs him joyfully.

Enys gets a note from Caro telling him to meet in the morning. There’a complication.

In the pub, Mark has been working on remembering where he saw the ore. Happily, Ross was smart enough to bring the plans. Mark traces where we walked the night he escaped, and in the middle, he asks, “You gave her a headstone, like I asked?” Ross assures him that they did. “Keren Daniel, Wife of Mark. Age 22. Just like you asked.” Mark muses that she was just a child, and it was Enys he should have killed. Mark goes back to where he wandered, and Ross and Henshawe exchange a look. Mark says that he’d wager there was a mint of money down there, and Ross rubs his face.

In the morning, heading to the ship, Henshawe’s like, yeah, the location he gave, we went there first. Ross is disgusted that they didn’t go find him sooner and that this trip has been a waste. “To pin everything on the ramblings of a man crazed by grief and rage, what was I thinking?” And that experienced miners really wouldn’t have worked a mine and not found anything. “It’s the old story. The drowning man and the straw.”

Elsewhere, Caro and Enys are discussing this again – she’s very anxious, and worries that Enys is have second and third thoughts. He assures her that he is not. He loves her. She worries that he’ll be pining for his Cornish life and his Cornish Rosina in six months. He says no, they’ll leave that night.

George tells Tankard to remind Elizabeth to keep her safety measures in place, because he’s heard of some tinners who intend to prospect for tin on her land under stannary law.

Elizabeth is appalled that tinners would be prospecting on her land, and Tankard’s like, hey, george-y poo is worried these peasants may rise up, emboldened by their French counterparts. Elizabeth tells him to thank George for his concern, and Aggie snorts that if George is ACTUALLY concerned, why does he not show up himself? “Male of the species – inadequate at best. Better to rely on one’s own resources.” And Aggie brandishes her pistol.

At Nampara, D says that she’s going into Sawle to see if they’ve heard anything, and that Prudie is to keep Jeremy from his nap so he sleeps through the night (that’ll be fun). Before she can leave, Elizabeth rides in, demanding to speak to Ross. D tells her that he’s from home, and Elizabeth is like, what about MY NOTE THOUGH. The note is still in Prudie’s pocket, not that it would have mattered, but she says that she did put it into Ross’ hand. “Oh, then I expect he was too busy to reply.” “Yes, I expect he was,” says D, coldly.

D rides into Sawle, and everyone nods at her respectfully. Children run up to her, and she doles out some potatoes. Rosina also runs over, but falls as her knee fails on her. Inside her house, Rosina says she feels like before Enys’ mended it, and her father offers to have Charlie go for him. Rosina says no, Charlie is sick and has been told to stay in bed, so D says that she will go.

Enys is packing (Super inefficiently, and I am appalled), when D arrives. He tells her that he can’t go, as they need to leave that night. D’s like, okay then, you go, and I’ll tend to her – maybe we’ll call Dr. Choake? Enys at first nods then says no, he can’t allow that. He’ll make it work.

Aboard ship, Ross is feeling OLD. He always thought this was a temporary setback, but now he’s feeling the weight of his bad decisions. He left a profitable investment to open a played out mine, and Francis’ money, too. “I didn’t just gamble with money, I gambled with the happiness and security of my workers. And my wife and child.” He intends to tend his field and live a quiet life from then on.

Enys arrives to fix Rosina’s knee, and Rosina’s father says that they were going to send Charlie, but he’s sick, and Enys’ absently asks what’s the matter with him? Well, he should know, since he was the one who told him to stay abed and not help with the run that night, right? Enys does the miracle on Rosina’s knee, and is about to tell them what to do if it happens again, when Jacka says well, we’ll just call for you. OBVIOUSLY.

Jacka gets Enys a drink, and Enys is like, hold up, Charlie’s sick? Yeah, see, he was supposed to help out with unloading the ship tonight, but surgeon told him to stay in bed, so he’s not. D and Enys exchange a Look loaded with Meaning. “I said no such thing?” Jacka also looks concerned, and Enys smiles at Rosina. “Your wedding is in a fortnight? OBVIOUSLY, any man would want to guard his health. OBVIOUSLY.” He tells them it’s been a privilege to treat them all, and he and D leave. Outside, Enys says that he’ll go see Charlie, but D needs to go home so she isn’t seen out if there is an ambush planned. He’s sure he can deal with Charlie and get to Killewarren in time. “Ride like the wind to Caroline.”

Speaking of Killewarren, Caro tries to encourage Ray to go to bed, because they have SUCH a long journey in the morning. Ray assures her that he has enough stamina to complete his correspondence – instruction for the steward while they’re away, and she should be sure to marry wisely, so she’ll have a husband to take care of this tedious shit for her. She manages not to roll her eyes.

At Charlie’s house, Enys pounds on the door, and one of the tiny children lets him in. Charlie is in bed, and tries to protest when Enys says he wants to examine Charlie, and then Enys VERY AGGRESSIVELY feels Charlie’s glands. It’s weirdly hot.

On the road back to Nampara, D runs into a soldier, patrolling.

Ray still won’t go to bed, so Caroline does anyway, and kisses him goodbye.

Enys asks why Charlie was faking a fever, and Charlie’s like, dude, no, I totally had a fever. It was horrible! Three hours ago, I was shaking, the whole bit. Enys eyes him narrowly, and says that there’s been an informer for the past two years. Everyone knows that, Charlie says. They find him? “I rather think I have.” Enys asks how Charlie can possibly afford the curtains, or the cabinets. Sailmaking, of course. “Sailmaking? Or selling your friends?” Charlie charges out of bed, and tells Enys to get out. Enys retorts that Charlie should get out before his friends find out that he’s sold them out multiple times. Charlie says that Enys has been feeling up Rosina’s knee, and Enys is like, dude, is there’s an ambush? “I don’t know.” “I think you DO know!” “You’ve no proof.” Except that Enys does – a book that belonged to Vercoe’s son, and is now in Charlie’s house.

D draws the curtains and tells Prudie that she saw a soldier and that the drop is going straight into an ambush, and that Prudie should keep the candles burning and not let anyone in. Prudie asks what she’s going to do, and D is, of course, going down to the cove to try and warn them. Of course, as she says this, two soldiers, including McNeil, enter the room.

On board the ship, the boys get the signal that it’s safe to land.

McNeil tells D that she’s to keep inside, as there’s word the smugglers intend to use her cove that night. Also, where’s Ross. “In St. Ives. Back tomorrow. Can I get you a glass of wine?” No, he’s on duty, sadly. She asks what he could possibly want with Ross? “Nothing, I hope. But seeing as it’s your land, I doubt you could be as innocent as you look.”

Charlie and Enys argue, and the Charlie smashes a chair across Enys’ back.

Caro writes her runaway letter to Ray, and sneaks down the stairs to the carriage.

McNeil tells D that she needs to stay inside, and that he’s leaving a soldier to make sure she does. Charlie and Enys fight and there’s a knife, and Enys basically kicks Charlie in the balls, and rides away at speed.

Ross tells Henshawe to stay aboard until the ship docks at St. Ives.

Enys rides to Nampara, and being the smart man he is, peeks in the window to see D and the soldier. Inside, D is pacing, and the soldier tells her to settle down so she doesn’t tire herself out. D’s like, I’m sure you didn’t just give me orders in my own house!

Enys sneaks in, quietly, overhearing the soldier tell D and Prudie that if the wish to sleep, they’ll do so downstairs so he can keep an eye on them. Enys grabs an lantern and sneaks back out. (Caro is waiting anxiously in the carriage.)

Ross, Paul, and some of the cargo gets on the small boat and heads for shore. Soldiers on land move into position.

Up on a cliff above the cove, Enys piles up wood and straw, and lights it from the lantern as the boat lands on the beach. McNeil tells Vercoe to wait until they get everything off the boat. The men and Ross begin unloading, while Ted (one of Ross’ miners) asks if they found Mark. Ross says that yes, he remembered things, but nothing of use. Paul notices the fire on the cliff, and Ross immediately gets it, and calls for a relaunch. Vercoe’s like, FUCK THIS.

The boys relaunch the boat, but Ross, stupidly, says that he’ll take his chances at the beach. The soldiers rush down, and there’s a volley of gunfire. D moves to the door, but the soldier won’t let her pass. She tells him that she has a child upstairs and he’ll be scared. He’s like, um, no? You were told to stay put? “You make war on babies now? GET OUT OF MY WAY.” He looks at Prudie and asks if there really is a baby, and she confirms, so he lets D upstairs, but to be quick about it.

Ross charges up the beach, comes face to face with Vercoe, and punches him.

D sneaks out the window and down to the yard. Enys gets knocked out by another soldier. Caro waits.

D meets Ross halfway between the house and the cove, and she fills him in on the soldiers guarding the house. They run.

At Trenwith, Aggie is surprised that there are soldiers about, at this time of night. Elizabeth is still stuck on the fact that Ross never answered her stupid notes. Aggie points out that he does have his own family to protect. “Then I must turn for help elsewhere.”

Once back at the house, Ross sneaks in the side door while D walks into the parlor. The soldier gets all shirty that she never TOLD him there were back stairs. There’s a pounding at the door, and it’s a very angry Vercoe. D tells him that Ross is obviously in St. Ives, like she’s been saying, and he’s like no, I saw him MINUTES ago. McNeil comes in, and asks if everything has been searched. He’s told it has, and he’s like, even the library? Well, D says, that’s usually locked. “No doubt you have a key.”

They come in, and the rug is turned up at the corner. McNeil immediately goes to the trapdoor underneath and pulls it up, telling his men to aim their guns down into it. It’s completely empty. Nothing and no one is in there.

It’s been hours, and Caro is still waiting with Horace. “Are you shivering, my precious? Perhaps we should go inside before you catch a chill.”

Morning, at Nampara, and Enys has been released. He’s going to Caroline, but neither her nor D have any idea where Ross is. Enys assures D that he could never forget them, and rides off.

Jud and Zacky go to Charlie’s house, where his two tiny daughters are sitting, waiting. Jud asks them where their father is, and they don’t know. Jud proclaims that he’ll be counting his days when he (Jud) gets his hands on him (Charlie). Rosina comes in, crushed that the informer was Charlie, and that he appears to have abandoned his kids.

Enys waits at the door to Killewarren, where he is given a letter from Caroline – she’s in London, and she says she’s realized that he’ll never give up his real love, his patients, so she’s making the choice for him.

George comes into Trenwith, where Elizabeth says she’s been waiting for him (“I haven’t!” snaps Aggie). He tells them that there was a smuggling incident, but they have their eyes on a bigger prize – Ross. “I pity anyone who must depend on such a man.”

In the kitchen at Nampara, D and Prudie compare notes – the table had moved and the rug, so Ross must have made it to the library, but where is he? The soldiers who were standing guard outside the house leave.

Jud and Paul grouse at something on the beach, wondering if he was killed, or did he do the job himself? It’s Charlie, of course. Jud is disappointed he didn’t get a chance to pound heads.

Tankard has been waiting for George, and wonders why Elizabeth doesn’t remarry, since a husband would be useful in times like these. “He could. And he will.”

D lights candle, and begins to cry, worrying about Ross’ injured hand, and if he’s bleeding to death somewhere? “Hush, maid, don’t think such a thing.”

He’s not, of course. Ross built a cache in the cache, and hid behind a false wall. As the sun begin to go down, he crawls out, and hears D singing. She’s beside the fire, and turns her head to see him in the door, and throws herself at him in relief.