Read The Loving Cup for Free Online

'at the admiration and respect he inspires in the soldiers who oppose him - our soldiers particularly. But that does not — or should not — remove the necessity to bring him down. While he exists as Emperor of France there can be no peace, no security, no hope of a lasting settlement that will leave other nations free.'
    'I believe his Russian defeat has been a salutary lesson to him,' said George. 'He will be more amenable now. If Castlereagh has his wits about him we can achieve a peace with honour without the necessity of more fighting.'
    'Do you intend to return to your regiment soon?' Harriet asked.
    'As soon as possible,' said Geoffrey Charles, with a tight little smile, if you have been so long on the hunt you want to be in at the kill.'
    After a pause: 'And Amadora?'
    'Will come back to Spain with me. But all that is weeks ahead.'
    'Those are miserable poor old hacks you are riding. Do their knees not knock together as they carry you?... Let me lend you something with better blood. As you observe, we are not lacking. Are we, George?'
    'No, ’ said George. .
    'Thank you, ma'am; you're very kind. We hired them from the Greenbank stables. But I am sure we can manage ...'
    'Why should you ? A man shall take them back tomorrow. You may borrow two better mounts for the duration of your stay.'
    'T'ank you ,' said Amadora, beaming. 'We have in Spain also good horses too.'
    'I know. Don't I know! Anyway, my nags are eating their heads off at this time of year. It would be an obligement if you took 'em off my hands.'
    'Sawle Church and churchyard,' said George, 'is in a very bad state. You would think that Ross Poldark would make some effort to support it, financially and otherwise; but no. It is not a question of Christian doctrine, it is a question of social obligation. When I was at Trenwith - and indeed when your father was at Trenwith - we accepted a trust, a responsibility. No longer so. When I was last over there your mother's grave was vastly overgrown and-'
    'And my father's?'
    The question was sharp. When a woman marries twice and then dies, shall she be buried with her first husband, even though her second husband pays for and supervises the funeral? It was a sore point with Geoffrey Charles that his father had been buried in the family vault, his mother given quite a separate entombment thirty yards away.
    George, choosing not to pick up the challenge, said: 'And your father's, of course. I could wish that you might settle at Trenwith, so that there was again a patron to oversee the benefice. At present the Nampara Poldarks totally neglect it. And Odgers - their nominee, incidentally - is now so far gone in senility that by rights he should be removed.'
    'As bad as that?'
    ‘I 'm told when he goes up for his sermon now his wife ties one of his legs to the pulpit so that he can't wander away until he has read his piece.'
    'Reminds me of my bachelor uncle,' said Harriet. 'When he went to church he always took his tame jackal to sit beside him in his pew and wake him when the sermon was over. Misfortunately the jackal would go to sleep too and its snore was much to be wondered at. Sometimes the preacher could scarcely go on.'
    'I did not know you could tame a jackal,' said Geoffrey Charles.
    'Tame pretty near anything if you have the patience. I once had a bear cub but he died ... My cousin owns a snake.' She lifted a dark eyebrow at George and gave her low husky laugh. 'So you see, George, how much more trying my little friends might be.'
    ‘I am well used to your little friends by now,' said George. ' 'Mrs Poldark, will you take tea ?'
    It was a sign for them to move, and after refusing further refreshment they took leave of George, wh o pleaded pressure of work, an d followed Harriet, Ursula, and the two hounds back to the stables. There Harriet insisted on lending Geoffrey Charles a horse called Bargrave - 'we bought him in a sale; your cousin Ross bid against us, but we got him; he has good quarters and makes