Read Online Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Winston Graham
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noises of the inn and street a man was
shouting.. He had a loud voice and a bell.
"The town crier," said Verity.
Demelza had just taken off her riding habit, but
she went to the window, which was at floor level, and knelt and peered through
the lace curtains.
I can't hear what he's saying."
" No it is to do with the election."
Through the mirror Verity looked at Demelza's
crouched figure which had some of the alertness of a young animal - the cream
satin underskirt, the little decollete bodice of Ghent lace. Three years ago
she had lent Demelza her first dainty underclothes. Demelza was a quick
learner. Verity's lips moved in an affectionate smile.
The crier was not coming their, way, but in a
temporary lull in the local noises they caught some disconnected words;
"Oyez ! Oyez ! Hear ye, hear ye ... by the sheriffs precept ... Notice of
election .. The mayor and aldermen of the borough of Bodmin . Speaker of the
House of Commons, does command, issue and proclaim on Tuesday, the seventh day
of September, in the year of our Lord . "
"Does that mean the election is to be
Tuesday? I thought it was Thursday," Demelza said.
"The notices will be posted now. We can see
them tomorrow."
"Verity..:'
"Yes?
"You are tired tonight?"
"I shall be well enough in the
morning."
"You will not mind if I go out by myself
for a little?" "Tonight? Oh no, my dear! It would be the height of
folly! You'd never get along the pavements.
You'd be in grave danger."
Demelza went across to the things she had
unpacked, considered them in the failing light. "I should keep to the
main streets."
"You don't realise what it is like in
Falmouth, even on a normal Saturday night, it's impossible to venture without
escort. Here, when there is free drinking, and the town's crowded with
sightseers . .
"I am no lent-lily to snap off at the first
touch."
"No, my dear, but it would be madness, I
assure you. You don't realise ..." Verity watched the other girl's face.
" If you're resolved, then I must come with you."
“That you cannot.. You've helped me so often,
Verity, but in this you cannot help me. It is--just something . between Ross
and me.. .”
" Between . . . Did Ross ask you to do
this?"
Demelza wrestled with her conscience.' She knew
the mischief which had come from her white lies before. But also the good!
"Yes," she said.
" In that case But are you sure he meant
you to go out alone? I can scarcely believe that he could ever have agreed to "
" I am a miner's daughter," Demelza
said. "I was not brought up gentle. Gentleness - is that the right word? -
came upon me when I was half grown. I have Ross to thank for that. And you.,
But it don't alter me underneath. I still have two marks on my back where
Father used the belt. There's naught a few drunks could do but what I couldn't
give them back. 'Tis all a matter of being in the mood."
Verity watched her cousin's face a minute
longer. There was a strength of line belying the soft feminine expression of
mouth and eye.
“Very well, my dear." Verity made a gesture
of resignation. "I am not happy about it, but you are your own mistress
now."
Chapter Six
There was no moon to light the town that night,
but every shop, tavern and house contributed its share to the yellow flicker of
the streets. In accordance with custom both parties in the election were
offering free drinks to their supporters, and there were already numbers of
people stumbling as they walked, or sitting in a lazy stupor in alcoves or
against a handy wall.
When Demelza came out she turned down the hill
and in a few minutes was in the main thoroughfare, which this afternoon she
had thought the narrowest and most crowded in the world. The shops and inns and
houses, tight squeezed, had along their frontages a succession of slated
porticoes reaching into the roadway on stone posts and forming an unbroken way
down both sides of the street. The space left for traffic was little more than
wide enough for one coach, and, since in the
shouting.. He had a loud voice and a bell.
"The town crier," said Verity.
Demelza had just taken off her riding habit, but
she went to the window, which was at floor level, and knelt and peered through
the lace curtains.
I can't hear what he's saying."
" No it is to do with the election."
Through the mirror Verity looked at Demelza's
crouched figure which had some of the alertness of a young animal - the cream
satin underskirt, the little decollete bodice of Ghent lace. Three years ago
she had lent Demelza her first dainty underclothes. Demelza was a quick
learner. Verity's lips moved in an affectionate smile.
The crier was not coming their, way, but in a
temporary lull in the local noises they caught some disconnected words;
"Oyez ! Oyez ! Hear ye, hear ye ... by the sheriffs precept ... Notice of
election .. The mayor and aldermen of the borough of Bodmin . Speaker of the
House of Commons, does command, issue and proclaim on Tuesday, the seventh day
of September, in the year of our Lord . "
"Does that mean the election is to be
Tuesday? I thought it was Thursday," Demelza said.
"The notices will be posted now. We can see
them tomorrow."
"Verity..:'
"Yes?
"You are tired tonight?"
"I shall be well enough in the
morning."
"You will not mind if I go out by myself
for a little?" "Tonight? Oh no, my dear! It would be the height of
folly! You'd never get along the pavements.
You'd be in grave danger."
Demelza went across to the things she had
unpacked, considered them in the failing light. "I should keep to the
main streets."
"You don't realise what it is like in
Falmouth, even on a normal Saturday night, it's impossible to venture without
escort. Here, when there is free drinking, and the town's crowded with
sightseers . .
"I am no lent-lily to snap off at the first
touch."
"No, my dear, but it would be madness, I
assure you. You don't realise ..." Verity watched the other girl's face.
" If you're resolved, then I must come with you."
“That you cannot.. You've helped me so often,
Verity, but in this you cannot help me. It is--just something . between Ross
and me.. .”
" Between . . . Did Ross ask you to do
this?"
Demelza wrestled with her conscience.' She knew
the mischief which had come from her white lies before. But also the good!
"Yes," she said.
" In that case But are you sure he meant
you to go out alone? I can scarcely believe that he could ever have agreed to "
" I am a miner's daughter," Demelza
said. "I was not brought up gentle. Gentleness - is that the right word? -
came upon me when I was half grown. I have Ross to thank for that. And you.,
But it don't alter me underneath. I still have two marks on my back where
Father used the belt. There's naught a few drunks could do but what I couldn't
give them back. 'Tis all a matter of being in the mood."
Verity watched her cousin's face a minute
longer. There was a strength of line belying the soft feminine expression of
mouth and eye.
“Very well, my dear." Verity made a gesture
of resignation. "I am not happy about it, but you are your own mistress
now."
Chapter Six
There was no moon to light the town that night,
but every shop, tavern and house contributed its share to the yellow flicker of
the streets. In accordance with custom both parties in the election were
offering free drinks to their supporters, and there were already numbers of
people stumbling as they walked, or sitting in a lazy stupor in alcoves or
against a handy wall.
When Demelza came out she turned down the hill
and in a few minutes was in the main thoroughfare, which this afternoon she
had thought the narrowest and most crowded in the world. The shops and inns and
houses, tight squeezed, had along their frontages a succession of slated
porticoes reaching into the roadway on stone posts and forming an unbroken way
down both sides of the street. The space left for traffic was little more than
wide enough for one coach, and, since in the
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