Poldark 2.08

Previously: that thing happened and then D was all of us and punched Ross out.

Demelza sings as dawn breaks over the still mine. Ross sits in his office in the mine, sporting a bruise over one eye, and remembering the bodies being brought out of the mine and D comforting him before he betrayed all of human decency. Henshawe comes in and tells Ross that people from another mine are here to ask if they were selling their equipment. Ross sighs that no one wasted any time, and they’ve been offered a fair price. Henshawe adds that the other miners are decent men who know it could happen to the best of us. “The best of us would have bought timbers.” “The men knew the risks.” “Did their wives? Their children?” Henshawe says it’s the business, and Ross says no longer. They close the door to the lower levels of the mine.

D is in bed, still in her nightgown, singing to Jeremy, when Prudie comes in and asks if D is going to come down for breakfast. D, without looking, says that she and Jeremy will be taking their breakfast in bed from now on, and Prudie’s like, but the chores, though! D smiles down at Jeremy and tells Prudie that she’s mistook. “This is a more genteel way of doing things. Master Jeremy and I are gentlefolks, after all.” Jeremy giggles while Prudie flounces down.

Ross rides glumly along the cliff, and who should he find but the person he wants least to see is in the way – George. George pretends to offer condolences, but really wants to brag about his engagement. “So in the grand scheme of things, you appear to be in disarray, and I appear to have won.” “As you say, George, you appear to have won.”

Elizabeth stands in the yard, waiting, and then glumly goes inside to pour a glass of wine. Aggie eyes her, and asks when she expects “him.” Elizabeth spills the wine and tries to be all cool and calm and is like, who. “My nephew is not the most subtle of men. Nor the most discreet.” Elizabeth is like, I don’t know what you mean. Aggie snaps that Elizabeth needn’t pretend that we prefer a Warleggan under this roof to a Poldark! “Of course I feel for his kitchen maid, we have much to thank her for. But one must acknowledge the prior claim.” Aggie assumes he’ll be back when he’s put his house in order.

Prudie and Jud, in the kitchen, arguing about all the stuff they have to do now that D is on strike. Jud’s like, it ain’t right, and his tirade gets interrupted when Ross comes in and asks where D is. Abed, he’s told. “Is she unwell?” “Must be.” Prudie puts down something that is allegedly food, and Ross is like, what is that. Prudie asks what it looks like, and Ross is like, I…don’t know? “Hence the inquiry.” See, it’s been so long since Prudie had to bake that she’s “mislaid all [her] skillage.” Ross pokes it dubiously. “Perhaps you could mislay this and bring me something edible.” He goes up stairs.

He knocks on the bedroom door, and opens it. D is in bed, all but sharpening her teeth. “Oh, you’re still here. Is Trenwith not yet in readiness? Would you like me to help you pack?” Ross says that he thought she should know that they are selling the mining equipment. “Do you ever suppose that she seriously meant to marry George?” Or maybe it was a ploy to get Ross to declare himself. (Remember that D doesn’t know how it went down, all she knows is that he had sex with her.) Ross says he doesn’t know what Elizabeth intended, and D shrugs – E got what she wanted (ouch). Ross says that he never claimed to be perfect, and D – still sitting in bed, still without a fuck to give, asks if she ever asked for that, but she does remember that they did both promise to forsake all others. Ross is like, I know I betrayed your trust – “Forfeit.” “And that your pride is wounded…” “Pride. MY pride.” D says that she can’t quite believe that she looked up to him, respected him, revered him as her master long before as her husband. “For it did seem to me, unschooled as I was, that you were not like other men. A kind of nobility. Not of birth, but of character. And I was so proud to think that such a one had married me. And now to discover that you are so much less than other men, to have fallen so low from so far. ‘Tis not my pride that’s wounded, Ross. It’s my pride in you.” He can’t even look at her after that set down, and leaves. She never raised her voice or moved from the bed.

   

Elizabeth still watched the drive, and Ross still does not come.

George lists off the invited guests to wedding – including Ray Penvenen and “Oh, his niece! Caroline!”

Speaking of the blonde devil (I kid, Caro, I adore you) she gets the invite and remarks to a friend with no BAFTA card and thus no lines, that she’s surprised to see Elizabeth marrying George, since she was sure Elizabeth’s interests lie elsewhere. “But plainly, a lady may not always have what her heart desires.” She looks sad, and we see Enys, inspecting some other organ.

Down in the library, there’s a bed made up for Ross, and a letter on it. He reads it, then goes into the kitchen where D is. He tells her that he’ll be out late the next night, as he has to go to Truro. “Why don’t you just say it, Ross? ‘I’m going to Elizabeth.’” Well, because the letter wasn’t from her. D’s like, sure. Ross puts the letter down in front of D and tells her it’s from a Richard Tonkin who’s been released from debtor’s prison and he’s asked to see Ross. Ross is pretty sure he’s going to ask for a loan (like he did for Harry Blewitt when Carnmore collapsed), but, of course, they have no money to spare. D’s like, that’s sad. Ross will miss Sir Hugh’s party. Ross says that that is the least of his concerns, and tries to say that he would NEVER deliberately do anything to hurt Demelza. She should know that.

D’s like, WHAT THE FUCK EVER, DO I KNOW THAT ROSSBERT. DO I. Or does he inflict pain by accident. He says that at the time, there was no thought of D (not helping) or of the pain he might cause, and it was beyond his control (Dammit Valmont) and D’s like, what now. With no thought of yours, “And you and her helpless to resist.” “In a way, yes.” (Well, yes, in one way.) “Perhaps I might have hoped from some understanding, knowing you as I do.” (WHAT) “Knowing me to be kind, and simple, and giving?” She stands up and looms over him and asks if he’d just prefer she throw herself off a cliff so he can be free to do whatever it is he wants to do? “I don’t blame you for your anger, but how does it serve us now?”

   

Well. Okay, I’ve been hearing that a LOT the past two weeks. Don’t EVER ask that.

D loses it. “SERVE US? HOW DO YOU SERVE US?” and smashes the vase of flowers and leaves before she actually throttles him. No jury, D. No jury in the world. Prudie runs in and asks what happened, and Ross just leaves and tells her to clean it up. Just like Ross, expecting women to do the labor to clean up a mess his actions caused.

George blathers on about no expense being spared, because a man only gets married once or whatever, when a note comes from Elizabeth, which George is like, it’s a minor detail about trimmings or whatever. But it’s not – she’s asking for a postponement of the wedding. George is not pleased.

George naturally rides to Trenwith to discuss this development, and claims that he can make neither heads nor tails of her letter. Well, George, I think she wants a postponement. Of the wedding. I’m just guessing. Elizabeth explains that her position is thus: she feels like she’s been rash and the haste seems unseemly. George is like, you tell me this now, a week before the wedding when everyone has gotten their invitations? Elizabeth: Uh, we agreed this would be private, did we not? “A few of my closest friends.” Elizabeth is like, look I promised to marry you and I will, but just not in haste! George asks if this has anything to do with Ross, and Elizabeth of the NO POKER FACE AT ALL is like why would you ask? “Is it?” “NO.” George asks if Ross has been there, and Elizabeth admits that Ross has called, and George is like I FUCKING KNEW IT. E tries again that it’s been so soon since Francis died and…

“I want to be indulgent both before and after our wedding. It’s a bitter disappointment to me…” but he will allow it, as long as she names a date right then and there. She’s shocked that he’d pull this, but he wants a date, a month from then, that he knows she will be his bride. “What do you imagine will happen in the meantime?” Elizabeth says she does not know, looking at the gate. George asks if he can rely on her, and she sighs. “Very well. A month from today.”

We then flashback to the bit of the scene from the night before the PBS cut out, the part where she says that Ross would not dare, and he says that he would, and so would she. Then the part where she starts participating, and then it’s here, now, and Elizabeth is in bed, thinking.

She turns to her side, and there’s a fade on Ross, in his cot in the library, and he rolls over and it fades in on D, alone in their bed. Three incredibly unhappy people.

  

In the morning, Ross is getting ready to leave, and D tells him to give her best to Elizabeth. Ross says that he told her, he’s not going to Trenwith. “No, Ross, to Truro. That’s right.” Ross leaves, and Prudie comes in and announces that there’s a servant from Sir Hugh’s house to ask if they’ll be attending the party. D forgot to reply, and starts to tell Prudie that they regret to decline, but Captain Poldark has been called away. Prudie moves off, and D says, “Although, Mistress Demelza will be delighted to attended.”

At Trenwith, Elizabeth and Aggie hear hoofbeats approaching, and Elizabeth is like, FUCKING FINALLY, and Aggie counsels her that she is to approach with resolve – it’s not an easy thing she wants, and it is up to Elizabeth to dictate the terms. Footsteps approach the door, and Elizabeth looks anxiously as she waits… and it’s Verity. She’d heard about the postponement and she knew at once what was behind it. Elizabeth faints. Aggie is disgusted with everyone.

Ross finds Enys walking along the cliff, and Enys is like, bro, where did you get the black eye? The rockfall? “Must have been.” Enys has been summoned to Trenwith (to treat Mama Chenoweth, he expects) and asks how Demelza is bearing up.

  

Enys doesn’t know all of Ross’ goings on, either, and Ross is like… what? “After the disaster? She was a godsend that day, and I know I’m preaching to the converted, but you married a remarkable woman.” Ross doesn’t have an answer to that, and instead tells Enys that he’s on his way to meet Richard Tonkins who probably wants a loan. Enys asks if Ross would like to have dinner later, and Ross agrees.

George pouts on a cliff.

Enys was called to see Elizabeth, who has taken to her bed. He tells Verity that she has a “delicate disposition” and just needs some rest. Verity tells him that the wedding has been posted – “What, indefinitely?” – for a month. Enys gives her some powders and says he’ll come by tomorrow.

Sir Hugh is delighted to see Demelza, that she’s entrusted himself to his care and left her husband by the fireside. She says that this is not an evening for firesides. “Or husbands.” Sir Hugh escorts her in himself and says that she’s been put into the Red Room for the night.

In Truro, Ross walks through the market, and meets with Tomkins, where he reminds Ross that he was able to loan another one of the Carnewell dudes 200 pounds. Ross says that he wishes he could do the same for Tomkins, and Tomkins is like, no dude. Blewitt was saved from debtor’s prison and started a boat building business, and when Tomkins was released from debtor’s prison, he became Blewitt’s partner, and it’s small but strong and growing, and something something capital and Ross is like, I’mma let you finish but I have no money. Tomkins stops and laughs and is like, bro, no.

D is shown to her room, and it’s beautiful. It’s also stocked with port, which D pours herself a glass of, and then she hears McNeil’s voice from the yard. He’s just arrived, and she sits down, slams her port, and starts working on hair and makeup.

Ross is flipping through the papers on Tomkins’ business, and is shocked that they tripled the investment in six months. Tomkins is like, yeah, it was modest, but with the war with France, demands have gone way up. Ross: “You have the makings for first rate business.” “And you, too, sir, if you choose.”

D descends down to the party in a gorgeous red gown that she must have gotten on credit, but whatever, Ross deserves to get the bill. The party goes silent at her entrance, and Margaret, Truro’s busiest prostitute and now multi-time widow, is there as well. George is also there with Tankard (How does Tankard rate an invite? Forreal) and Tankard’s like, hold up, she’s was a SCULLERY maid? What the fuck. George is like, yeah, I’m serious. “Then you should find her all the more eager to serve.” George is bored and wants entertainment, and hopes to get it by getting Tankard to debauch D. “Come, I’ll introduce you.”

(D has a beauty patch on her face and on her boob and they are SO DISTRACTING)

George walks over to D, and asks if Ross is there – no, he’s been called away, and D asks where Elizabeth is. “She has family matters to attend to.” “Mmmm, I expect so.” George introduces Tankard, who is VERY shy and doesn’t know a soul, and perhaps D will take pity on him? She might do so, and asks if he dances. Before he can answer, though, McNeil shows up and asks if he could escort D into supper. She agrees, as she is hungry, and he smarms that he makes it his policy to indulge such… it’s so gross, you guys. “Pray excuse me, sir. You may reclaim me presently.” She leaves.

Verity asks to speak with Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is all, I’m just not up to a serious conversation right now. Verity says that she TOTALLY understands, that she’s sure Elizabeth is just wondering how she can have agreed to marry George when her heart is committed elsewhere. Elizabeth nods, “But more than that…” Verity’s like NO THERE IS NO MORE THAN THAT. He would want you to marry George! He would! “And who could say better than I? As his sister…” she’s talking about Francis. And that she is sure that Elizabeth would have Francis’ blessing. “And yours?” Elizabeth asks tearfully. “And mine.”

D dances energetically with McNeil, and when the dance is done, she laughs that she’s so dizzy she could faint. McNeil smarms that it’s lucky he has someone to catch her. Also, sadness: he has to rejoin his regiment in the morning. He wonders, as a special favor tonight, would she call him Malcolm? And in return, he would expect to call her Demelza? He says it’s very pretty, and wonders what it means. She tells him that her mother said it means “thy sweetness” in Cornish. “I would rather it meant my sweetness.” I NEED A SHOWER. D looks vaguely uncomfortable and says that it’s rather close in there, and he offers to take her out to the garden. After a moment, she takes his arm and they leave. Under George and Tankard’s watchful eyes.

Ross arrives at Enys’ for supper, and fills Enys in on what Tonkins had to offer – either the 200 pound debt repaid in full, or a share in their successful business. Enys is like, that’s great! What are you gonna do? Ross admits that he’s got half a mind to follow Enys’ lead and enlist. Enys is like, bro. BRO. You have so much to stay here for! And Ross is like…..yeah. “But?” “When are our choices ever straightforward?”

D and McNeil walk, and he asks if she’s cold, and needs a wrap. She didn’t bring one. He says he knows a better way to warm her. Eventually he ends up kissing her, and she’s sort of like, well, this is worth trying, maybe? Kind of? He pulls away and says, “I’ve been wanting to do that since I met you.” She merely says that they should return to the party. Then he asks her if she’d give him “something to hope for” so he could come see her later that night? For sex. He means for sex. She doesn’t answer, and he asks, which room is hers. After a pause, she says that she isn’t well-acquainted with the house, but Sir Hugh called it the Red Room? He says he knows it. “Thank you, my sweetness. Thank you.” Autoclave? I need an autoclave.

Enys tells Ross that he seems distracted. Ross admits that as far as D does, well, “Attachments are difficult.” Enys tells Ross that Elizabeth has postponed the wedding. “She has?” “Clearly the thought of marrying George Warleggan was more than she can stand.”

Elizabeth is still in bed, thinking.

The party has wound down, and D goes to her room. She almost bolts the door, then doesn’t, and sits on the bed. After a second, she gets up to bolt the door, but before she can, it opens and McNeil slips in. She asks if anyone saw him, and he says that he’s pretty sure he knows how to conduct an ambush. UGH. She is clearly apprehensive and rethinking the whole thing, but he doesn’t care. He starts kissing her neck, and she ducks away, and asks if she’ll never see him again, and he’s like, you could, and you can write to me. He starts kissing her again, and she’s SO over this plan, and she asks him if he’d kind, and he’s like, of course. Then she hopes he will understand why she lead him to believe that she was into this whole idea of sleeping with him. She tells him that Ross betrayed her, and that she was thinking she would get back at him by doing the same. McNeil is like, I AM HERE TO HELP and she finally gets it out that she does not want to sleep with anyone but Ross. “I wish it were not the case, but I am bound to him-” McNeil is like, your delicacy is charming, but think of me and my blue balls! I’ve been looking forward to this! “Your duty now is not to your husband, but to me.” He starts manhandling her towards the bed, and she says stop, and struggles, until she gets enough leverage and shoves him away. He stares at her for a second. “I like a woman who knows her own mind. I thought you were such a one. My mistake.” The FUCK. He leaves, and D crumples to bed. “Ross, I hate you.”

In Sawle, Ross goes to the pub to drink with Zacky and the rest. Zacky tells Ross that they all were willing to work without the timbers, and they’d make the same choice. “Risky work’s better than none.” And that if the lode of tin wasn’t buried beneath 30 fathoms of rock, they’d all be back down there. “With Ted’s blessing.”

Back at Sir Hugh’s, Hugh and Tankard are both making their way to D’s room, and begin a very loud argument about who is going in there first to bang D. Because they are loud, and because D is too angry to even consider sleeping, she hears them. Tankard says that he was invited, and Hugh says HE was invited. During the ensuing argument about proper etiquette, D gets a disgusted look on her face, and once they flip a coin to see who goes in first, they open the door and the room is empty. The widow is open, and Hugh groups that he’d never known a woman to promise so much a deliver so little.

In the dawn, Ross rides past Wheal Grace, pondering. He turns for home. Elizabeth paces in front of a window, and sees Ross, he pauses, and looks to the house, but for the FIRST TIME ALL SEASON, good sense takes a hold of him and he rides on. Elizabeth manages a look comprised of sadness, disappoint, anger, and resolve.

D walks along the beach, shoes in hand, the skirts of her gown covered in sand and sea. (They’re nice shoes.) Ross rides along the cliff and notices her down there, and sucks it up. He goes down and runs up behind her and calls her name.

  

She turns and tells him it was kind of him to come and meet her, and did he have a good time at Trenwith? “I told you I went to Truro to meet Richard Tomkins!” She’s like, whatever. “Go and live with her if you wish.” D walks along, and the wind billows up her skirts. Ross tells her that the marriage is likely to go through, and D’s like, despite your best efforts, though. “Does she love him, then?” “No she does not.”

Ross says that he can’t blame D for her anger, but if she could just be patient and let this thing play out… “SO I’m supposed to just twiddle my thumbs until you decide whether or not you want me?” “It’s not a question of wanting you! It’s a question of not wanting her!” OH ROSS. “Do you not want her?” “NO! ….I don’t know. Sometimes.” “I’m not content to be second best!” She tells him that his actions have made her feel that way. He eye make up has run in streaks down her face.

“WHY AM I HERE, DEMELZA! Why do you suppose I’m still here?” “I don’t know why you’re here, Ross! Because Elizabeth can’t make up her mind?” “No!” “Because Elizabeth does not want you? Because she knows George is a better bet?” Ross yells that he has good news – Blewitt will repaid the money and they can reopen Grace. D keeps walking.

Elizabeth slams a book down, and Aggie’s like, look, you need to make a fucking decision. You can’t expect Ross to come and save you or whatever. Elizabeth grumbles that Ross has left her with things totally up in the air, and Aggie’s like, yeah. He did that before. Elizabeth: I wanted for him once before for him to come and see me, and I married Francis. Aggie: Yup. Elizabeth yells that Ross came and took what was not rightly his, with no regard for the consequences and tried to stop the marriage with nothing offered in exchange so fuck this. She’s been left with one choice.

Smash cut to Elizabeth and George leaving the church to bells clanging. George looks… honestly happy. Elizabeth looks cold and calm.

In Grace, Ross and the boys open the hatch and estimates it’ll take a few weeks to clear the rubble. They’re back in business.

At Trenwith, little Geoffy-Chuck stares at the portrait of his father, and Verity says that she’s sad that things between Ross and George are so strained that Ross couldn’t go to the wedding. Aggie’s like, yeah, very sad. She sits with Geoffy-Chuck by the fire, while Verity says that it’s remarkable that Aggie and G-C are all that’s left of the Trenwith Poldarks. Aggie notes that George would lose them if he could. Verity’s all, you won’t see them! They have houses all over the place; they’ll leave you alone. “Elizabeth may come to see her mother…” but basically Aggie is mistress now. Aggie asks if Verity will come see her often, and Verity is like, of course, and we can pretend it’s like 20 years ago, with Francis and Father still alive and Ross riding over every day. It’ll be great. “Ross. Yes. how different it all might have been.”

Ross is back on the beach, shaking his head at the mess he’s made of his life.

Elizabeth is ready for bed, when George comes in. He kisses her shoulder, and she shifts her nightgown so it falls to the floor.

Ross is getting ready for bed himself down in the library, and D brought in Jeremy to say goodnight to his father. Jeremy toddles off, and Ross muses that Jeremy must wonder why his father sleeps in the library. Be real, Ross. Jeremy is three. He doesn’t care. D thinks Ross should tell him, then. “That you don’t wish to have me near you?” “Or that you now find me distasteful after the delicate charms of Elizabeth.”

At Grace, the bell rings, calling the miners to work. Enys is like, I can’t believe you guys almost lost your lives down there. Zacky is unconcerned and happy to get back to work. Henshawe thinks that it’s too bad that D isn’t there to see this new chapter off – she’s always taken an interest before. Ross non-answers, while Enys is back to thinking about enlisting in the Navy. Ross tells him that as the war goes on – and it will go on – the Navy will need all the men it can get.

In London, George and Elizabeth arrive at the Warleggan house, and George tells her that she was born to this life. “I like to think so.” George says that London is full of beauties, but “You will outshine them all.” One of those beauties is Caroline (with Horace as always), who they call on. “Such a privilege to have Lord and Lady Warleggan to tea.” George and Elizabeth exchange a look, and Caroline asks if she gave the honor prematurely? “I’m sure the honor will be forthcoming.” Caroline asks how Enys is doing, and Elizabeth tells her that he is treating her mother. Caroline brightens at the idea of Enys actually moving in “more exalted circles” until Elizabeth says that her mother is his only fee-paying patient. Oh.

Caroline then tells off George for being so secretive about the wedding that she and Ray weren’t able to attend, and George is like, my bride kept me waiting a bit. Caroline nods sagely. Marriage is forever, a lady must be sure she’s choosing wisely. Elizabeth sips her tea.

Down in the mine, Zacky tells Ross that Henshawe has something Ross needs to see. Ross stares at something in disbelief.

In the Warleggan carriage, George says that he’s been thinking about their domestic arrangement. Elizabeth expects that he’ll be happy to return to Cardew, and he says he thought so, but now he’s thinking about living somewhere else.

Up above, Ross and Henshawe are discussing… whatever it is they saw, and Ross is like, what does it MEAN, though! Henshawe says it means he’s breaking the habit of a lifetime and taking a drink. He chokes, and they laugh.

Ross rides home, and bursts on Demelza. And explains that they’d cleared the old lode, and it split, and there’s a LOT of tin down there, is what he’s saying. A LOT. “Henshawe says he’s never seen richer ground!” D looks down at the table, smiles a tiny bit, and Ross asks if she understands. They’ll be able to pay back the loans. “I’m very glad for you.” But it’s for them! They’ll be able to have a good living, and wealth! “After so long, it’s what we’ve hoped for. And now it’s here.” Ross asks if it’s come too late, and she side-eyes him HARD.

In Trenwith, George wants to live in. Geoffy-Chuck seems happy at the idea of his mother being with him, but George and Aggie are still at war. Elizabeth sees Ross just outside the gate, and turns her back on him.

RHG: Oh my god THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR STUPID CHOICES.

That’s really all I have to say.