Unsatisfied Love (A Poldark Fanfiction).

Anne - "Help Him!"

Ross, Francis and I walk down to the colliery, our feet crunching on the gravel and slate of the make-shift path the miners have made. We head down a slope until the mine comes into view. There are at least fifty miners going about their work as we watch from the small hill overlooking the quarry.

"It's to create at least one hundred jobs", Francis informs us as he leads the way to the miners. "Imagine the yield! Slate and coal, and who knows what else? Imagine if we find diamonds." Ross chuckles.

"Not this close to the surface. You'll have to go deep down for diamonds", he corrects. I glance at Francis who looks put-out, yet he shakes it off with a smile.

"Then we'll have to use explosives to delve deeper, cousin. Wouldn't that be a sight?" He keeps talking absent-mindedly as we reach the quarry and head to the make-shift office at the corner of the colliery. Ross and I look at each other and supress a laugh. Francis can get awfully carried away when he talks about his new favourite project, the mine.

We meet a portly man, covered in head to toe in black dust. I take a step away from him so not to get any on my blue dress, but it is to no use. The hems are already coated in whatever dust and ash line the rocky floor. I sigh.

 "Good morning, Mister Poldark", the man smiled. "Here to see the mine, I trust?" He is not from around here – he sounds Northern, almost Scottish. He has a kind, round face, and a thick beard that I presume is white under all the dust.

 He takes Ross' hand and gives it a firm shake, then tips his ruined hat to me. "Forgive me, I'm awfully bad at remembering names?"

"My cousin, Ross Poldark", my brother answers, "and this is my younger sister, Anne." I give the man a gentle smile as he nods at me.

"Ah, I see! Lovely to meet you both – my name is Hugh. I live only a few minutes away with my wife. Her name is Anne, too", he smiles at me. "Anyway, we mustn't dawdle. Mister Poldark, Sir, you wanted to see the progress, I believe?"

"That's right." Hugh and Francis begin to walk through the quarry, miners stopping to shake Francis' hand, or wishing him a good day. I turn to Ross, who gives me a sly smirk.

"I suppose we're going down the mine, too."

It is cold down in the mine, and I regret not bringing my shawl. Francis notices and takes off his heavy coat, then wraps it around my shoulders.

The mine is lit with blazing torches that hang in brackets on the wall. It is not bright enough, and occasionally we stumble over the rail tracks in the floor. Ross laughs when Francis trips, holding onto the wall for support. I hold in my giggle, but Francis still notices and gives us a scowl.

"This mine must go on for miles", my brother asks Hugh. Somewhere in the darkness, we hear a rattling, and Francis pulls me out of the way as a speeding cart comes around the corner, just in time. I give him a grateful smile, and he squeezes my hand protectively.

"Oh, yes, Sir. Carter – one of the younger lads – got lost the other day. We reckon he must have fallen into the water, but...we aren't so sure, Sir." I gasp, and the cold air from the mine hurts the back of my throat.

"You mean – he's dead?" I feel for Francis' hand again, and he holds it tight. My hands have gone clammy in his, and he pats me on the shoulder with his free hand. I love my brother, however much pokes fun at me, or plays jokes on Verity and I. Francis would do anything for his sisters, I know.

"There...there is a possibility", Hugh answers with a sigh. He steps over a piece of broken track as we go ever deeper. "Watch the rail, my lady." I feel the heat radiate from Ross behind me, as he lets out a long sigh.

"You mustn't lose hope," he says sharply. "He could simply be finding his way back as we speak!" In the darkness, the tension rises. We all hope that Hugh will agree with Ross, yet he gives out another sigh. 

Francis lets go of my hand and inspects a shimmering rock within the wall. We all stop as he traces the outline with his finger and beams.

"Ah yes, that's iron ore, Sir. We've found plenty of it already." Hugh informs as Francis keeps close to the wall, his fingers trailing. "Sir, uh...please, I wouldn't go that far if I were you." Hugh starts after Francis, but my brother doesn't listen.

 "Sir, there is insufficient lighting – I...I, Sir, please!" But despite Hugh's warnings, Francis ventures even further and stumbles on a rock.

There is a splash as my brother falls into an underground lake. Ross and Hugh rush forward, pushing me out of the way. I scream Francis' name, but he is already under the water. Ross removes his jacket and boots and is about to lurch into the lake when Hugh grabs his arm.

"Mister Poldark, no! It's too dangerous! We don't know how deep the water is, and..." but I interrupt.

"We can't just let him drown!" I scream, as I rush to the edge of the water. Ross pulls me back so that I too don't fall in. "Ross, please! Help him!" From somewhere in the lake, the splashes get wilder, and Ross has no other choice. 

He leaps into the water and there is a tense few seconds where we see nothing on the surface but a few bubbles.

Suddenly, without warning, Francis' head breaks the water, and he gasps sharply for breath. He splutters, and Hugh helps to pull him out as Ross resurfaces.

 My brother lies on the cold ground and coughs, his breathing ragged and sharp. I help him to his feet as Ross puts his jacket and shoes back on, and hug my brother tightly.

"Don't you ever do that again", I tell him, relief flooding my body.