(A/N: Hello! I'm only letting you know that if you want, I have decided to have background music for each chapter in this story you can listen to. None of these are my songs, just some classical music to get my readers into the mood. For this chapter I used Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37: ll. Largo. watch?v=2romy9t85t4 For the record I don't know much about music. This is just something extra to have. Thank you.)

Chapter One

Sylvia Briarwood

Sitting there with my hands upon my lap, my mother looked over to me with such sadness. In her hand she held a paper with a wax seal on it. It had been opened by her and judging by her expression, it wasn't good news.

"My dear daughter, I am so terribly sorry…" My mother spoke as she gently handed me the letter.

It was from Charles Poldark.

~ "Dear Mrs. Briarwood, ~

There is no way to say this easily and I am truly sorry for what pain this will cause.

I am writing this letter with great sorrow to inform your daughter that my nephew has passed on in the war. There was a terrible fight and he had fallen in battle. Nothing quiet upsets me more than to cause any of my great friends' stress, however I do know she and Ross had been very close.

With my brother passing away, I have had such hope that his only son would come back. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Please let Sylvia know she is still welcome to come over any time she wishes and so are you. I know Francis and Verity miss her much.

I know it must be hard with your husband away, so please take care.

Sincerely,

~ Charles Poldark" ~

My heart broke that day. I never knew such feelings were there until it was too late. Now Ross will never know my love for him. Never.

Mother and I were invited over to Trenwith. I couldn't really guess anything else besides the celebration was for Francis and Elizabeth. He had been courting Elizabeth for some time now after Ross's death. It is not proper for me to judge anything, but I do have to say she moved on too fast from Ross. I wasn't even his, yet I still hurt.

I don't even remember how long it has been since I found out the death of Ross Poldark. Time itself seemed to vanish that day along with him. How long ago had he passed on before I even was told?

I snapped out of my thoughts when mother had lightly tapped my cheek to get my attention.

"Dear, we have arrived." She said.

As I got out of the carriage, I looked up at the sky. It was almost dusk out, so the sky was slowly turning into those beautiful colors.

Mother wrapped her arm around mine and guided me to the door. It wasn't long after that we were greeted with the doorman.

I smiled my proper and polite smile to him as we walked inside. Everyone had already been seated at the table when we arrived. The men all stood when we arrived. Things never change.

"There you two ladies are! We were thinkin' you weren't going to arrive." Charles boomed out loud.

"Dear you are looking as beautiful as ever." Francis said to me as he came over and kissed my hand.

Of course, I look beautiful. I'm wearing makeup that is supposed to make me look it. I'm wearing every accessory I can with my hair pinned back and draped down. I'm wearing a new dress that is light pink with light gold ribbons and dark pink flowers designed into the dress. White mesh surrounded my neck and chest. This dress had been fitted to my body so men can see what trophy of a woman I am.

"Thank you, Francis." I replied with a slight curtsy.

It had been a while since I celebrated anything, so I was a bit nervous. It was known to people that I had been sick mentally. I was diagnosed with some sort of melancholia. Of course, the doctors don't know what to do. Some want to bleed me and some wish to operate on me to see if there was something to easily fix since I am not a man, and this was a male sickness. Apparently, women don't have such thoughts of feelings.

Another doctor told me it was just grief and it would end sometime depending on if I let it. They know nothing. It was so hard to be happy. Most of my life I would have this sad feeling out of nowhere, but now I'm just constantly sad.

Francis was holding up a glass. "I would like to start the feast off by telling my closest friends and family that Elizabeth has agreed to marry me."

Everyone started to clap, and Elizabeth smiled shyly.

"A toast to the couple." Charles stood up with his glass. "May your days and nights together be cherished. To hoping I may get a grandson as well."

People laughed and I chuckled a bit. I had to behave or else I would have to hear it later from my mother.

The feast was in progress as we all heard someone knock at the entrance door.

I looked that way to see who showed up as Verity spoke.

"Was that the door?"

"Expecting someone, my dear?" Mrs. Chynoweth asked which caused Verity to blush.

"Don't encourage her! She's too valuable here to be thinking of gentlemen callers!" Charles exclaimed.

Mrs. Tabb, the housekeeper, comes into the great hall, looking pale and wide eyed. Before she was able to speak, a man in a red military uniform made his way around her.

An audible gasp escaped my throat and I dropped my fork on the table. There was astonishment in the room that greeted him. Francis and Verity were the first ones who stood from their chairs. Each made their way over to him.

"I hope I'm not intruding."

His voice.

"Oh, Ross!" Verity rushes to him first and hugged her cousin. "We'd given up all hope!"

"Stap me, boy, you survived!" Charles called out.

Francis was next to grasp him. They shook hands, both looking into one another's eyes.

"To see you again cousin- we'd quite despaired. Hadn't we, Elizabeth?"

"Yes…" Her voice was so gentle when she replied.

"Elizabeth! I had no idea you'd be here." Ross smiled with admiration.

I stood up from the table, eyes glazed over with tears. Finally, he came back like he promised. I made my way over to him and, with shaky hands reached out to him.

"Sylvia, you're here too? It's good to see you." Ross smiled warmly at me.

I hugged him tightly and I felt his arms wrap around me. It had been years since I've seen him and he smelled the same, acted the same, and looked the same. Only he had a scar on his face from the war.

I pulled away and wiped my tears. "You're horrible for making me cry." O joked to him.

Ross laughed and wiped a stray tear from my face. "I promise to make it up to you later."

"Do tell us, Ross, how we managed to lose the war?" Mrs. Chynoweth intervened in her snooty tone she always had.

Ross politely replied to her. "By choosing the wrong side, Ma'am."

"What will you do with yourself now, Nephew? You'll find Nampara's not fit as you left it."

"Damn me, boy!" Agatha called out. "If we hadn't thought you'd gone to join the Blest Above!"

Ross made his way over to Agatha and kissed her hand with affection. "Great Aunt, I'm glad to see you are still of the Blest Below."

"We had no word from you, so I-" Elizabeth had begun to speak but was interrupted by Verity.

"Sit here, Ross. You must be exhausted." She pulled out a chair for him and guided him to a seat at the other end from the table from Elizabeth and across from me.

"Elizabeth, fetch me my wrap." Mrs. Chynoweth spoke.

"Yes, Mama." She complied and walked out of the room.

"I seemed to have interrupted a party. Is it in honor of the peace of next war?" Ross asked as he got ready to take a bite of food.

I witnessed awkward exchanged at the table and I couldn't help but feel so sad for Ross on what he was about to hear.

"No…the occasion is-" Francis began to say.

"My boy is to be married." Charles said with enthusiasm.

"But that's tremendous! Who is to be-?"

"Elizabeth." Mrs. Chynoweth announced.

There was silence in the room before Ross spoke out with disbelief.

"Elizabeth?"

"My daughter." Mrs. Chynoweth beamed out.

Elizabeth came back with the wrap and knew what was just announced to Ross moments ago.

Ross looked to her with incomprehension.

Unable to stand it anymore, I reached over to Ross. "Ross…"

"Naturally we are delighted that our two ancient and distinguished families will be united." Mrs. Chynoweth spoke, looking over at me with slight disgust.

I moved my hand back to my lap, clenching a fist.

"Did my father suffer much?" Ross changed the subject.

"A pitiful end. Affairs in tatters and next to nothing for you to inherit." Charles replied.

"Not that he ever thought you'd be back to claim it." Agatha spoke up.

"It's a poor Cornwall you've returned to. Taxes sky high, wages in the gutter-" Charles said.

"Mine closures every other week." Francis added.

"Bad as you, Lad! Scarred for life and on its knees!"

"If you want my help at Nampara, you've only to ask." Francis spoke to Ross before Ross shot up to his feet.

"I can't stay. I only called to let you know I've returned. I must trouble you for a horse, Charles."

Charles nods.

"But first- a toast. To Elizabeth and Francis." He held up a glass and everyone followed suit. "May they find happiness together."

Ross walked out of the estate. I made sure to follow him, with my mother calling out for me.

"Ross!"

He turned back to me when he reached his horse.

"I…I can't let you be alone. I'm scared what you will do…"

He smiled a little bit and put a hand on my head. "I'm just going back home. Come over whenever you want, just not today. I'm afraid of what my place looks like and I wish for you to not see it. Besides-" He looks up, over my head. I turned to see my mother waiting at the door. "You have a party to get back to."

I look back at him. "You of all people know I don't want to be here."

"Well, we must do what we have to. We are no longer children." He got up on his horse and gallops away.

"No…we are not." I whisper to myself.