Hello everyone! Happy to present you this tenth chapter (ten, already!). I am very thrilled to see that more and more people are following this story. Your reviews are very welcomed.

Chapter Ten: Married at last

Ross was looking out from the window of his room. Even though the night had fallen several hours since he was unable to move, admiring the moon whose light was shining down upon his estate. Tomorrow was a big day, even bigger than the day he had left England to go and fight in Northern America, but his time his excitement was stronger than his worry. Tomorrow, he would become another man. A new one. Thinking about it, Ross pensively looked to his right, seeing his outfit for the following day perfectly folded on the armchair nearby.

Finally, he heard someone knocking at the front door and, hurrying, reached it before Prudie was even able to leave the kitchen. He felt his heart race as he recognized the person standing in front of him.

"Dwight!" he exclaimed before greeting his friend with a joyful embrace. "I was starting to worry."

"So sorry about that," said Dwight as his friend invited him to come in. "My carriage was very much delayed, and one of my fellow travellers needed my help."

"Really? An emergency?"

"Nothing to worry about. Just a coughing fit. I rapidly assumed he was very tired and about to go ill, therefore the sea breeze will definitely help him during his rest. I am very sorry to have missed the wedding repetition though."

Ross silently nodded. He was more than thrilled to receive one of the best friends here. Doctor Dwight Enys had saved his life, but he was also the most honest, humble and caring man he knew, someone who understood him very well. They had shared a regular correspondence, knowing that Dwight had some affairs to settle in London. But now he was back in Cornwall and determined to stay. At least, Ross hoped he would.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" he asked to Dwight.

"I would take a glass of wine, if you have some."

Ross was not surprised by his friend's choice. He rose from his chair and came back a few minutes later, a large bottle in his right hand and two glasses in his left one. Prudie entered and took Dwight's possessions, taking them upstairs where a bed had been made up ready for the occasion.

"I have to thank you for your hospitality," declared Dwight as Ross poured some wine into his glass.

"It is nothing, really. How could I get married without having you as my best man?"

Dwight laughed. "You know I feel honoured to receive this role. I assume Francis is also proud."

"He is. I made him my best man too because of the help he gave me these last months, with the mine, my estate, and also for helping me court my future wife."

"I cannot wait to meet her. I am curious to see if the endless praises you wrote about her are justified or not."

"They are, my friend, or I would not have proposed to her."

Dwight smiled to him and took a sip of his drink. Ross seemed definitely spellbound to this ingénue called Demelza Carne. But he knew him very well, and knew he had been disappointed in the past. He wanted to be sure this young lady would be the perfect one for a man as tempered and unpredictable as Captain Ross Poldark.

George had done everything in his power to arrive just in time. Not too early, not too late. He did not want to wait in the church with his uncle without being certain that the Carnes were there. Being alone in presence of Ross Poldark was something he wanted to avoid, particularly after the night he and Francis had come to his house to take Demelza back to her father's.

As he entered the church situated near Trenwith, George felt relieved to see that he would not be alone. On the future bride's side, the Smeatons and the Penvenens were already there. George greeted all of them and also Drake Carne. Samuel Carne was waiting in the first row, next to Ray Penvenen. Therefore, George assumed that Sir Penvenen and Samuel had both been chosen as Demelza's first men, knowing that Drake was still minor according to the law. He was certain Demelza would have chosen her younger brother for this task too. She loved them so deeply.

George's gaze finally went in the direction of Ross's side. He crossed the aisle to greet Francis and his wife. Elizabeth was sitting next to Verity and Agatha. She was as pale as ice. Francis explained that his father was not strong enough to attend to the wedding, and George tried to give him some comfort. Next to Francis was standing a man George had never seen. He was tall, blond and had very clear eyes. Deciding to be polite, he greeted the stranger with a bow. The man did the same in silence.

Then, George managed to look in Ross's direction. He could see he was anxious, his hands clasped in front of him. Ross moved first towards George's direction, shaking his hand.

"George, thank you for coming," he said loudly.

"The pleasure is all mine."

I am doing this for Demelza, Ross. Only for her.

He then joined his uncle who had taken a seat next to Miss Penvenen. She politely smiled to him, but George could tell she was upset by something. Probably by the fact that her best friend was marrying a man who did not deserve her at all. More than everything, George hoped this would work. If Ross would do something wrong to his future wife, he would do anything in his power to annihilate him.

The waiting was endless. When would the future bride arrive? Elizabeth could not contain her animosity. Her eyes were locked on Ross. He seemed very tense. What would happen if she did not come?

Suddenly, the main door was opened, and the whole assembly stood up, looking at the entrance as two violinists who were seated in a corner of the room started to play slow music, Elizabeth saw Miss Demelza enter, her hand gripping her father's arm. Even if it pained Elizabeth to admit it, she was stunning. Her dress was long but simple with lace sleeves. She was wearing a lovely golden necklace in which a gemstone was shining down the point between her collar bones. Her long ginger hair hair was plunging down her back, but the top of her head was composed in two large braids, decorated with three different kind of flowers: blue, red, and white. She was looking at her feet, her cheeks as red as her hair, and Elizabeth noted the shy look in her eyes. She also noticed the amazement of the others. Everyone was looking at her. Elizabeth saw Miss Penvenen approach George to whisper: "She is splendid". And George whispering back: "Indeed, she is."

Then, Elizabeth looked at Ross, and felt the pain blocking her heart as she watched his smile grow. He was looking at Demelza as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. He seemed incapable of looking anywhere else.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Verity softly asked her. "You look pale."

"I am fine. I just had an unsettled night."

Verity remained silent, and Elizabeth tried her best to avoid her questioning glance.

Demelza's heart was racing. She was incapable of looking at the others, knowing that everyone was staring at her. She felt relieved to feel her father's arm against her. Even if he was silent, he was still here. He was supporting her in her choice. He was now leading her to the man who would soon be her life partner. She felt her vision blur as tears grew in her eyes. This was the most beautiful moment in her life. It was like a dream. And she had to see every part of it.

Lift your head, Demelza!

She quickly managed to do it as she felt Caroline's look. At her greatest surprise, her friend seemed as touched as she was. There was no more blame in her eyes, as if she had finally understood that she had made the right choice. She was marrying the man she had fallen in love with. It was silly. It was crazy. But she was still doing it. Demelza also shared a glance with George. He had a smile of admiration on his lips, and gave her a slow bow. It helped her to relax, and she smiled at him in response.

Then, and only after that, did she manage to look at the man she loved. His eyes were full of amazement, and a true smile was now on his face. God, he was breathtakingly handsome when he smiled. With his fine red coat and his hair slightly tousled, he looked like a dream. Demelza wished this moment would never end. The way they were looking at each other, the way he was looking at her, the music, the church, the colours, everything was perfect. She wanted it to last forever.

As her father and she reached the altar, she felt her father's arm pull away from her grip. She heard Thomas's deep voice whispering in her ear: "No matter if this is wrong or right. I will always be here for you, my child. I love you more than anything. Never doubt it."

"Thank you," she answered in a whisper before giving him a slight kiss on the cheek. She tried so hard not to cry, but the task was far more difficult than what she had imagined.

Thomas stepped backwards and she then stood right in front of Ross. They were still sharing a strong smile. He was as embarrassed as she was, but it did not matter at all. They were doing this together.

I love you, Ross Poldark.

I love you.

The priest started his speech, forcing them to focus on something else.

Come on...!

Ross hated to wait. Plus, he hated to wait in front of so many people. Standing still was definitely not his thing. He could feel Dwight's look. His friend knew him perfectly, and Ross saw him trying to contain his laughter.

"Ross Poldark," the priest said.

Ross stood straight as he heard his name. He slowly turned to look at Demelza.

"Will you take Demelza to be your wife, you partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow and for ever? Will you trust her and honor her, laugh with and cry with her? Will you be devoted through good and bad times, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Ross answered loudly, glad to see Demelza's stirred smile.

Then the priest asked the same thing to Demelza.

"I will," she said with composure.

The priest called out for the rings, and Francis quickly joined them at the altar to give them to him. They both shared their vows with honesty and simplicity as they slowly put the rings on each other's finger.

"I now pronounce you man and wife."

Ross's heart exploded. He had waited for this moment for so long, and now Demelza was his wife. He wanted to kiss her so much, to honor her with the best way a husband had to honor his wife. She was his redemption. She had saved him without even knowing it.

"You may kiss the bride," the priest whispered as the assembly started to applause.

No problem.

Ross slowly approached her head and gave Demelza a tender kiss. It was not as long as he had hoped, only because his inner-voice was yelling at him to contain his desire. He would give her the kiss she deserved, but not in front of everyone. Plus, now that she was a Poldark, he had plenty of time to do so.

He then pulled her into his arms with enthusiasm, and it made her laugh. He saw a small tear go down her cheek, but she wiped it before he could make a move. He knew she was a sensitive soul, but it did not annoy him at all. On the contrary. They both walked down the aisle to the exit, hand in hand, brightly smiling as the guests threw them rose petals and grains of rice.

They were now Mr and Mrs Poldark of Nampara.

If Ross had been initially tensed at the idea of welcoming everyone back to Nampara after the ceremony, he was too joyful to care about it now. Prudie had asked the help of other miner's wives and daughters to prepare the house and organize the reception. And, as if God had blessed this day, the sun was now high in the sky, and the air was gentle, even if it was the beginning of autumn. Therefore, everyone was outside, wine was plentifully filling the glasses as all the guests were enjoying a copious meal around a large table. It was plain, but the smiles on each face were true. Ross was seated next to Demelza, but both of them were too solicited to be able to start a real conversation. But it did not bother them. As Ross was speaking with one of Thomas's friends who was congratulating him, Demelza felt his hand reach hers under the table. Their hands stayed entwined during the whole meal.

As the afternoon began, Ross felt relieved to see that the weather was so nice. Nobody seemed to be cold. Even if he could see George and his uncle's obvious boredom, he did not even feel outraged. Plus, George seemed to appreciate the time he was spending with Francis and Elizabeth. Nothing could go wrong.

Everyone left the table, but thanks to the ambient warmth, they all stayed outside. Prudie and her friend had decided to arrange the garden with different sorts of candles and garlands. Dwight, Ross, and Jud had woken up very early this morning to be able to install everything. Even though he had already thanked Prudie for her ideas this morning, Ross thought he had to do it again because the result was amazing. He knew Demelza would love it. And she did.

As he was discussing with Captain Henshawe and Dwight, Ross saw Demelza speaking with Miss Penvenen. They both seemed happy, and even shared an embrace. Ross felt relieved to see that his wife had finally found some common ground with her best friend. He knew Caroline did not want her to marry him, and in a sense, he could understand her reasons. The two young women quickly joined the group which composed of Thomas Carne, Francis, Elizabeth, Verity and Ray Penvenen.

Captain Henshawe left them after congratulating Ross, assuring he was needed elsewhere to discuss financial affairs concerning the mine. Knowing that Ross would now earn a solid rent, there was no need to search for a lot of shareholders. Wheal Leisure was saved - at least, they all hoped so.

"My friend," Ross said to Dwight, "I think it is time for me to present you to my wife."

"I thought this moment would never happen. Maybe you think I am now too miserable to be presented to such a lady."

Ross laughed at this cutting remark as they both joined the others. By chance, Demelza was staying further back with Miss Caroline. According to Demelza's smile, they seemed to have fun.

"Excuse my interruption," Ross declared, "but there is someone here I would like you to know."

"Oh, certainly!" Demelza exclaimed as she happily approached Dwight. "You must be Doctor Enys!"

Ross was joyfully surprised. She definitely seemed to know everything about him.

"Indeed," Dwight answered as he took Demelza's hand to give a quick kiss on her knuckles.

"Ross told me a lot about you. If I remember correctly, it is thanks to you that my husband still looks presentable today."

Ross loved it when she called him"my husband". That was something he doubted he would ever get bored with. He laughed a little. Indeed, he had told Demelza the story of his scar.

"I hate to brag, but it is correct. And believe me, the task was far from being easy."

Demelza smiled splendidly, and Ross could tell that Dwight was falling into her charm. She had the capacity to enchant everyone she met.

"Doctor Enys, may I present you my childhood best friend, Miss Caroline Penvenen."

Ross saw Dwight look at Caroline, and something strange seemed to glint into his eyes as the young miss said:

"I thought Doctor Choake was the only physician in the county."

She lifted her head with confidence, and it took a little time for Dwight to answer:

"Indeed, he was. But my friend asked me to stay here and to keep an eye on the workers in his mine."

Dwight gave her a quick bow.

"Well, I hope you will find what you are looking for here. In terms of patients, I mean."

"I thank you."

"Where were you working before you came to Cornwall?" she asked suddenly.

Demelza could tell that something was strange in Caroline's behaviour. When she did not like someone she had just met - and it happened quite often - she did not try to talk with the person. But now, she seemed to try to be as nonchalant as she could, but still showed some interest for this man. It was strange, but amusing.

"In London, Miss."

"I see. Then, according the prowess you have accomplished during the War, I know who I will be calling if anything happens to me."

Dwight smiled and lowered his head. Caroline did the same and left to join her uncle. Dwight watched her as she walked away, then rapidly focused as he felt Ross and Demelza's questioning looks.

"I... I..."

He was interrupted by the arrival of Francis and Elizabeth.

"Cousin!" Francis exclaimed. "Sorry to interrupt you, Dwight, but I really wanted to congratulate the newly-weds. Demelza, you have no idea of how glad I am to have you in the family."

"The pleasure is all mine, Francis," Demelza answered.

Ross looked at Elizabeth. She was observing Demelza with a strange look. Was it jealousy? Admiration? He could not tell. She then seemed to feel his look and lifted her eyes. She remained silent as she met his gaze.

I am happy, Elizabeth. And I am without you. Let me go.

As if she was reading his mind, Elizabeth approached Demelza and took her hands.

"My dear, I have to congratulate you as well. You are beautiful. I wish you the best."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. I am happy to know I will see you often from now on!"

Demelza's voice was full of kindness. Ross would not have been surprised if Demelza was reticent to talk to the woman he had once loved. But she was not. She trusted him. She was on top of everyone else. Did she know that her generosity could be her downfall if she gave it to unworthy people? He would never let that happen.

"And... I did not want to make an official speech because it is your day after all, but Elizabeth and I wanted you all to know that... we are expecting a happy event."

Ross felt joy as he lumped with Dwight around the future father. He then saw Demelza embracing Elizabeth and congratulate her. Ross finally approached them.

"I am very happy for you, Elizabeth." He said with an honest smile. He felt that Elizabeth was a little bit disappointed by his reaction, but she thanked him.

Everyone left the reception one by one as the afternoon started to end. Ross and Demelza thanked everyone for coming, and Ross could tell that it pained his wife to say goodbye to her loved ones. Tonight would be her first night at Nampara. Her new home. It was a new life that was waiting for her, something completely new. He understood her fear.

George and his uncle approached the couple as their carriage was waiting on the main road.

"Thank you for this... lovely reception, Ross," George said with pride as his uncle was remaining silent.

Ross tried his best not to give attention to their haughty manners. After all, and despite the strong incomprehension he had about it, they were Demelza's friends.

"I wish you the best, Demelza. You deserve it," George declared as he bowed to her.

He was completely surprised as she suddenly embraced him. He seemed to be caught on the hop, but slowly managed to hug her back. Ross was completely agog. He really wanted to slap George in the face right now.

"Thank you, George," he heard Demelza whisper, "thank you for everything."

She then left him, and George gawked as he straightened his clothes. He silently smiled to Demelza - a true smile - and left with Cary. Ross gave a silent but surprised look to Demelza, but she did not look at him in return. Caroline and her uncle came over to say goodbye, and then it was the turn of Demelza's family. The Carnes were the only ones who still remained. Thomas thanked Ross and warned him to be patient and loyal to his daughter, as Demelza said goodbye to her brothers, embracing them with joy and sadness alike. Drake and Samuel then said goodbye to their new brother-in-law. Thomas approached his daughter and hugged her with emotion. Ross could see that Demelza was trying her best to hold her tears. She looked like a startled young doe.

"I am so proud of you, Demelza," Thomas said. "I wish your mother could be here. I am sure she is proud of you and your stubbornness which led you to marry the man you chose."

Demelza let out a brief sob before embracing her father again. Ross knew Demelza missed her mother. She almost never talked about her. It was still an extremely sensitive subject.

"I love you, Father."

"I love you too, Demelza."

Thomas and his sons then approached their carriage, but before getting inside, Thomas shouted:

"By the way, I hope to see you two in our house in London for Christmas!"

Seeing Demelza's wonder, Ross said:

"We would be delighted to!"

Thomas smiled and entered in the carriage. Demelza and Ross did not move until it completely disappeared. Hearing Demelza's soft sobs, Ross took her in his arms.

"Oh, Ross!" she whispered, "I had no idea this would be so hard."

He smiled. "Are you happy?"

"More than ever."

He slowly kissed her forehead as he added:

"As am I, my love."

I really hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I think the next one will be a little bit more "coarse" than habitually... at least I think it should be.

Special thanks for Hannah who helped me to correct this one too :)