A/N: Set between the end of Episode 2 and Start of Episode 3, Demelza Sometimes forgets to eat...
Disclaimer: I do not own anything used here, all rights go to the BBC and Winston Graham
Ross woke up suddenly when he heard his bedroom door slam open, he laid there for a few mintues more thinking it may have been the wind blowing the door open. He heared someone tumble in. No definatly not the wind. Ross got up from his bed.
'Demelza?, What do you want?' he asked when he saw Demelza slowly walking into the middle of the room. She did't look well, that was for certain. 'Demelza?' he asked again taking hold of her hand, which was sweaty, he had a bad feeling.
'Ross, is that you?' she asked steadying herself
'Demelza, its me, its Ross , Whats wrong?' he asked panicking now
'I Feel dizzy' she replied rocking her head before she feel to the floor.
'Demelza!' Ross cried. He got onto the floor himself and cradled her in his arms.
'Demelza have you eaten anything today?' he asked thinking it may be food poising or something like that.
'I sometimes forget' she replied resting her head on his chest. Ross sighed to himself this was the reason she was sick, she probably hadn't eaten for days to get like this. Bloody Prudie he thought.
'Can you stand?' he asked she nodded her head still againest his chest. Ross took her hand and help her stand up.
'Come on now, we need to get you downstairs, you need food' he told her. Demelza nodded her head again, although Ross wasnt sure whether she was hearing him or not.
He helped her walk a few steps, before she stumbled so Ross pick her up in his arms like a child and carried her down the stairs.
Once in the kitchen he placed her down in his high backed chair to prevent her from falling backwards in it. Her face was still shiny with sweat and she was shivering.
His first thought was to find some food, he found some bread and some leftover stew from lunch. He poured the stew into a pot and placed it over the fire warming it up, He found a cloth and damped it with some water from the wash bowl, he then walked back to Demelza and knelt on the floor.
He held the cloth and proceeded to hold the cloth over her forehead and face. after a while he could smell the stew warming up so he got up from where he was kneeling and walked over to the fire. he landled a few spoonfuls into a bowl and filled a tankard with water.
He pulled another chair from the table and placed it as close as he could get to Demelza.
'Demelza?, can you eat?, you need to eat' he said and gave he the spoon. He watched her stuggle to fill the spoon with stew, her hands still shaking, so he took it from her. He scooted himself to the end of the chair and filled the spoon with stew, he then feed her the stew, at first in little bits and then whole spoonfuls. He could feel her becoming more responsive and she started opening her mouth wider to accept the food. At one point she tried to take the spoon of him but he stopped her and continued his misson.
Once all the stew in then bowl had gone, Ross picked up the tankard and helped Demelza drink it.
'How do you feel Demelza?' he asked she looked into his eyes.
'Better' she whispered so quietly he barely heard her.
'Okay, right lets get you upstairs, somewhere warm' he said more to himself then her when he noticed her shivering still. Demelza raised herself from the chair and went to walk before Ross stopped her and picked her up once more, this time in a bridal like style. Demelza fussed in his arms intill she realised he wasnt going to put her down intill they got to her bed.
She braced herself for the feeling of the cold air when he took her back to bed only to realise they werent going outside, instead Ross was climbing the stairs.
Ross had decided downstairs that he would take Demelza to his room, after all it was warm and dry and he could keep an eye on her better, thats what he told himself anyway. Once in his room, He pulled the covers back and placed Demelza in the bed and pulled the covers over her. He then walked over to the desk and rummaged through the draws. Once found some ribbon he went to Demelza and pulled her Curly copper hair into a bunch and wrapped it in ribbon trying to keep her hair back and out of her face. 'Ross, I tied' Demelza mumbled
'Its okay go to sleep' he whispered back and helped her lay down.
He paced up and down the room a while before going back down stairs. He took the pot of stew away from the fire, picked up a spoon and the jug of water and carried it back upstairs. He may have filled her stomach a little but she would still need food at regular intervals to get her strength up.
Ross stayed up for the rest of the night, waking Demelza up every now and then and feeding her more the stew intill he was satisfied she had eaten enough for now. He knew it was dawn and he would have to get up in a while but he was quite tied so he got into bed, sitting upright he pulled Demleza into his arms and then closed his eyes.
Ross woke up a few hours later to an empty bed. He got up, stretched and put on some clothes before he walked down the stairs, He could't hear anything not like he was expecting Prudie or Jud to be awake at this early hour. He walked into the kitchen and to his suprise saw Demelza sitting in his chair eating a bowl of porridge. He smiled to himself and was pleased that Demelza was eating on her own accord.
He pulled a chair out and sat next to Demelza, who went to get up from her chair.
'Sit' he said and got up to get himself some porridge.
They ate in silence, in till Ross Spoke.
'Today you will take it easy, you need to build your strengh up, let Prudie do some work for a change, I would like you to join me for a walk into town' he told her 'A Slow one mind' he said
'Also, I won't be having you not eating, or forgeting to eat for now on, you will eat all your meals with me' he told her
'But I have chores' Demelza said
'Then you will cut them short, I am the Master of Nampara and I wish you to eat with me' he said and gave her a cute smile. 'I don't want to see you like I did last night, you scared me' he said swallowing
Demelza smiled and pushed her bowl away from her.
'Thank you sir' she said she took both of the bowls and got up to wash them.
'Get your cloak and meet me outside' He said and walked out of the kitchen with a bigger grin on his face this time.
Demelza finished the bowl and ran to the barn to get her cloak. She then waited for Ross outside. He was quite a while so she decided she would pick some flowers while she was waiting.
Moments later Ross walked out of Nampara and walked towards her.
'For you' She said when he approached and gave him the blue cornflower she was holding. 'Thanking you for taking care of me' she whispered embarrassed. Ross smiled, he took the cornflower and placed it in her curly hair.
He then offered his arm to her, and they started their walk across the field.