AN: Thanks for reading and your reviews. I tried to upload this before I went away last week but I had the timing out issue.

Chapter 4

Part 2

"A new dress," Ross handed Demelza a parcel, they were in the kitchen at Nampara.

She wiped her flour covered hands down her apron and took the brown wrapped parcel with a frown. "A dress for me. What be I needin' a new dress for? I got a fine one on now."

"For the wedding. I can not have my bride to be wearing her only dress for the occasion." He replied with a smile and she couldn't help but grin back.

"Oh, thank 'ee Sur," she blushed and gathered the parcel to her chest.

Hardly supressing a smile he added. "Go try it on….in the bedroom….no one will disturb you there…..I have to go down to the mine, I promised Henshaw." He looked regretful and she guessed it was perhaps he wanted to help her, except she knew that if he was 'helping' her that would not be all that they were doing up there and in the middle of the day no less.

It had been like that ever since he had brought her home that night, more than three weeks past now. She didn't really understand why he took it upon himself to offer marriage and yet she saw and knew they could not go sneaking about forever. One day Prudie and Jud would get wise to the fact that Demelza didn't sleep in her bed anymore. As it was she was still up before the lark and they never crawled out of theirs until at least an hour past the cock crowing on a good day. But still this new event looming scared her, thrilled her too if she was honest, but in a frightening all-encompassing way that she could not put into words and yet held an overflowing joy for. Prudie could not understand what cheered her so, having nothing which made her own life happy except perhaps the rum or brandy belonging to the Master.

She scurried up the stairs as soon as he had taken his leave which had included a sneaky kiss in the hallway, leaving her wanting for the night when she could share his bed without fear of being sprung. Upstairs she laid the outfit upon the bed, she now had more clothes than she had ever owned, she felt rich and yet in the eyes of many was still poor.

Dressed, she twirled around the room, pretending to be a grand lady like Mistress Elizabeth Poldark, then she flopped back on the bed and lay there staring up at the white ceiling and picturing herself for one silly moment as Mistress of Trenwith with Ross by her side. Demelza laughed then for her foolish thoughts, Trenwith belonged to Charles Poldark and then Francis and Geoffrey Charles, never Ross and certainly not her. Who was she to be getting airs above her station? She shook her head despairingly as she sat up and peeped out the window.

Jud and Prudie were on their way back she noted, so she scrambled up, now in a hurry to remove the dress, lest they spot her in it. She made it down to the kitchen in time before they stepped into the room and even had the notion to stir the dinner cooking over the fire.

"'Ee's in fine spirts and there's no doubt." Prude remarked to Jud with a nod in the direction of Demelza.

"Can't a girl be joyful in what she does," Demelza replied, her mood too good to be spoiled by these two scallywags.

"All 'ee does is chores, what be joyful ab'ut that?" Remarked Jud, who sat down with a thud on a chair at the kitchen table. He did look rather weary but Demelza guessed it was not work he had been toiling at the day.

"There is something to be joyful about in everything," Demelza firmly told them batting Prudie's hand away with the spoon when she went to taste the supper.

Jud made an in incomprehensible sound which disagreed with the young maid's observations on life. "Wait 'til your bones are as old as we."

"Then I'll still be working Jud." Demelza firmly replied setting to the finishing touches of dinner.

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"You are quiet, what's wrong?" Ros' voice cut through the silence of the night, the moon cut through the unclosed curtains and filled the room with a shaft of light.

Demelza turned her head on the pillow from where her eyes had been studying the ceiling. "How do 'ee know I was awake? I made no noise."

Propping himself on an elbow and looking down at her he explained. "Your eyes are open for one thing, and you usually sleep on your side."

"I be thinking…"

He made a guttural sound of mild amusement for that had been obvious she guessed. "Nervous?" He guessed. She nodded. "Don't be, there is nothing to fear."

"'Tis fine for 'ee to say that. Will there be others at the church?"

"Well the banns were read, but I, or rather we, haven't invited anyone, so chances are slim." He said in a reassuring tone, however Demelza was worried her father would be at the church in the morning to stop her marriage to Ross Poldark.

"What about witnesses…. We don't even have those."

"I will talk to Jud and Prudie in the morning. No doubt a few hours away from hard labour will hearten them," he replied dryly and smiled at her in a way in which she could not help but smile back.

"Now come here, let me take your mind of the morrow." With that he pulled her closer to him as an invitation and she snuggled closer, intercepting his lips and thoroughly kissing him back. His hand caressed her shoulder and moved lower until she gasped with pleasure, fear of the day ahead was now the last thing on her mind.

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Demelza was nervous nonetheless the next day when she stood in the kitchen dressed in her new outfit with Ross beside her and Prudie and Jud staring with their mouths agape as if they were about to catch flies.

"I said grab your straw bonnet Prudie and spruce yourselves up a bit, we are going to the church. Demelza and I are to be married and you sorry pair, will witness it."

"Her?" Prudie managed to choke out.

"She?" Jud asked with a look of utter disbelief on his face.

"Yes! Now!" Ross insisted. Demelza smiled amused at the carrying on, at least it took her mind of the butterflies which were dancing around in her stomach like they were on the flowers in the meadow.

And that was how their journey to the church had begun, she had ridden on Darkie in front of the Master and at the church Prudie thrust a small bouquet of handpicked windflowers into her hands. "A girl has to carry some flowers, 'tis only right," she mumbled with a look of annoyance.

And so Demelza found herself standing with Ross at the front of Sawle church, the pews empty behind them save for Prudie and Jud as they promised to love and cherish each other forever.