Ross turned around and saw his wife was awake with her face deep in thought. "What's up my love?" Ross asked as he turned and looked at her. "Just thinking," Demelza said sighing as she tried to get comfortable. "Is this about Verity?" Ross asked as he stroked her cheek. "You know I can't say..." Demelza said as she shuffled down uncomfortably. "What have you done Demelza?" Ross asked as he turned on his side and looked at her. "I..." Demelza said as she turned and looked at him. "She's too young to be a nurse maid to Francis and Elizabeth," Demelza whispered. "Have you been meddling?" Ross asked as he looked at her. "No... not really..." Demelza whispered.

"Not really?" Ross asked as he looked at her, "What have you done Demelza?"

Demelza turned over and faced him. "She's too young to be a nurse maid to Francis and a nanny to Geoffrey-Charles, she deserves her chance of happiness."

"Are you telling me what I think your telling me?" Ross asked sighing, a sigh of annoyance.

"What do you think I'm saying?" Demelza asked shifting nervously.

"Francis is going to be furious," Ross said sighing as he stood up.

"Well he should of thought of that," Demelza said as she stood up herself and looked out the window, "he is married and a father himself, why should he stop his sister marrying and having the same... its just not right."

Ross sighed, when his wife was in this mood their was no arguing with her, especially when she was right.

"I know," Ross said seriously, "but it wasn't your place to meddle, it has done more damage than you could possibly know, some things should just be left alone."

Demelza turned and looked at him. "And people told you to not go with your kitchen maid and you didn't listen to them, if you did you wouldn't of had Julia..."

Ross loooked at her. "And you..." Ross whispered.

Demelza looked out the window as she saw Verity, Francis and Elizabeth leave in their coach. "Everyone needs someone Ross, someone to love, someone to confide in, someone to share the fire with, have children with... why should Verity be denied this? If Sam or Drake found a 'irl I wouldn't stand in the way of true love."

Ross looked at her. "Sam and Drake?" Ross asked confused.

"My brothers," Demelza said as she turned and looked at him.

Ross had never heard her mention her brothers before. "I would want my brother to be happy too, if he was still alive," Ross admitted quietly, "but Francis was was brought up differently, my love."

Demelza sighed in annoyance. "I went to see Captain Blamey," Demelza said as she looked at her husband.

"Dear God!" Ross exclaimed, "When? How?"

"A few weeks after Julia was born," Demelza said seriously, "when Verity was with me when I had my pains, she looked so thoughtful, she was never going to have this if she carried on, I made it my action to help her, she is to young to be wasting away like she was..."

"Demelza," Ross said trying to be angry with her, "it wasn't your place."

"No," Demelza said getting cross, "but I love Verity, she 'elped me when I first married you, I love her."

Ross sighed. "I do too, but my God, to meddle like this! What did he say Captain Blamey?"

"He saw her," Demelza said leaving out bits, "he and Verity are going to be together..."

Ross sighed in annoyance. "This is going to go so wrong..." Ross muttered, "Francis will..."

Demelza looked at him. "Judas God, do you think I care what Francis thinks and will do, Verity needs to do this for herself, she's put him first and her father all her life... When Julia gets to her age, if she stopped going off with a suitor, I would personally send her their as I'm sure her brothers and sisters would... love is the most precious gift of all."

Ross sighed as he looked at her. "Leave Francis to me..." Ross whispered as he kissed her neck.