It was opening night in the West End. Demelza didn't know why she was so nervous. She was not the one going to perform in front of a thousand people. Ross stared at her a couple of times. Why was he not nervous as well?

They had traveled from Cornwall a few weeks ago. They'd stayed with Clowance a fortnight and then continued their journey to London with her and her husband Edward to celebrate Bella's 25th birthday with her.

At her young age, she was a talented and famous singer and actress. She had performed several times in the country's capital and headed a couple of plays in Paris, all with great success. Tonight it would be special though. It was not only a simple play. It was the first play in a new theater. The theater was the property of Bella Poldark.

'Are you ready my love?' Ross asked. - 'We should get going…'

'We still have time Ross. It's not like our seats are going to be taken.' She jested.

Ross sat, a newspaper in his hands, while Demelza finished getting ready. He still eyed her from time to time.

'Can you believe how much she's grown?' Demelza asked distracted while platting her coppery hair. 'I still see her like a little girl singing tunes barefooted all over the house…'

Ross smiled behind the paper.

'And to think that now she owns her own theater. She can host whatever play she wants there and she can give people work, and help others… I'm that proud of her Ross.'

'Me too, and relieved. That she won't be so light-headed with her suitors anymore. At least not like Clowance…'

'Ross!'

'I'm joking. Although not even you can say that you liked that Carrington fellow.'

Demelza made a face at him and he laughed. But she agreed with him internally.

'I'm ready.' She said after a little while.

Ross left the newspaper on the little table beside him and rose to put his coat. Demelza was adjusting her cloak when he stood next to her, took her hand and kissed it.

'You look lovely my dear.'

Demelza blushed. She always did when he complimented her, no matter how commonly it happened between them.

Ross and Demelza arrived just ten minutes before the show started. Clowance and Edward were already there. Henry and a few school friends were seated in the first rows. He waved to them when he saw his parents on the balcony. Caroline and Dwight sat next to them.

Bella surprised them all. She hadn't told anyone in her family what her play was about.

It was the story of an urchin girl who is rescued along with her dog from an abusive father by a handsome miner who had just come back from the war.

Bella played the role of the urchin then transformed to kitchen maid then to lady of the house. It was an immediate hit and the public loved her. They laughed every time she say 'Judas!'. Cried when they lost their first born and clapped when she sang the familiar Cornish songs.

Demelza was red from hair to toes. She felt like everyone was watching her. Although no one did except for her husband. He had entwined his hand with hers at the beginning and didn't let go until the very end. He kissed the back of her hand in the wedding scene and tightened it when the couple on stage mourned the loss of their child.

After a dinner with a few guests at Bella's they returned to their lodgings in silence.

'Judas!' Was the first thing Demelza said when they were alone in the bedroom. Ross let out a laugh.

'I thought I was going to burn with embarrassment.'

'Thank God she changed our names.' Said Ross – 'Did you not like it?'

'Oh… I don't know.'

'Everyone else seemed to enjoy it. They were saying it's going to become a classic.'

He was already halfway naked and was removing his boots.

'Well, the story is not about everyone else. It's strange to see one's life through the eyes of others… Thank goodness we didn't tell them all the details of our lives…'

'Yes. There were some key characters missing...' He said already from under the blankets. 'I guess it's your fault.'

'My fault!? What's my fault?' She finished removing the pins from her hair and went to sit on her side of the bed and started to work on her corset.

'That she is so talented and so… artistic.'

It was not the first time Ross said so. Every time Bella's passion was the subject, he always said that she'd got that from Demelza.

'Oh. I don't think that's entirely accurate.'

'How so?'

Demelza shifted her body to glance at him and stood to remove her skirt and upper bodice. She got into bed with only her undergarments.

'Hugh used to sing and play music to her when she was a babe.' She said adjusting her pillow.

'Oh.' – was all he said for a while. Demelza looked at him but added nothing. She gave up with the pillow and went to put her head in her husband shoulder. Ross stretched his arm to welcome her in an embrace.

'Do you think of him?' He asked after a few minutes.

Demelza spread her body lazily against his. Then she propped her chin on his chest to look at him. He was serious. She smiled. First, it was a coy smile then it grew and turned into a laugh. Ross couldn't help but smile back at her. She kissed him then.

'I haven't thought of him in years.' She said to him after. 'But tonight, I remembered him. He would be so proud of Bella…'

'Maybe you should tell her about him. She could write another play with him in it… Aw!'

Demelza pinched him on the side of his chest and quieted his complaint with her lips. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

'He seems like a dream, a dream from long ago… like he hadn't been real at all…'

'It was more like a nightmare to me… and he was very real for us. God. Those months, it was the worst time of my life… to think he had you… '

She kissed his face while he was talking. 'Ross?' – she whispered from under his chin.

'mmmhh?'

'Why are we talking about Hugh? Do you still doubt me?' She was the serious now.

'No my love.'

'Then, if 'tis not too much trouble for 'ee sur,' she said with the accent that Bella used at the beginning of the play, her old accent – 'could 'ee please sur stop talkin' an' kiss I?'

Ross laughed and shook his head. He turned his body carrying Demelza with him so she ended up laying underneath him, her legs around his thighs.

'You know, I almost stood up and shouted to the poor man to warn him when he took the young brat to his house…' He said and complied with his wife wishes.