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Demelza- Elizabeth's Powerful Obstacle (Pt2 10 Truths On Elizabeth's Astonishments and Humiliations )



'....and they were both aware, while not knowing that the other was aware, that the reconciliation had come too later to count for what it might.'
Winston Graham's narrative as Elizabeth ends her visit to Ross at Nampara ( ‘Ross Poldark’  internal Book 2 Chapter 8 )  

This is a second post continuing on from the lead one titled '10 Truths On Elizabeth's Astonishments and humiliations Pt1 Bud On The Horizon'. That was an introduction to the exploration of this theme (of astonishments and humiliations) as one that Winston Graham imposed on Elizabeth and which was a theme that ran through all aspects of her life. However, in this series of posts it is explored in respect of Elizabeth's interactions within the Ross and Demelza love story. That first and introductory post explored specifically what the theme was about and why Winston Graham may have chosen to direct it so clearly, repeatedly and consistently against Elizabeth within her life experiences generally. It ended off with the first of ten significant scenes which contributed to this narrative against Elizabeth where in that particular scene her lack of influence on Ross to cause him, in respect of the newly on the scene Demelza, to "..send her home.." and also her behaviour which caused Ross to end up fighting with extra strength and passion to do the very opposite, is a bit of an ironic jibe at Elizabeth. That was only as the narrative was kicking  off at that early stage. Of course it all meant that Demelza was somewhat of a bud on the horizon who from that, and given her humble beginnings, would later blossom and become a powerful and successful obstacle to Elizabeth in her quest for Ross's romantic interest and in her quest to have the greater priority and influence over Ross than Demelza did.

This post now covers the second key scene for this theme of Elizabeth’s and the period after the two year time jump in the first book when Demelza had come of age. This is where Elizabeth would experience that Demelza as that bud that was previously just on the horizon, was now in her clear view and had blossomed enough to become an obstacle to her intentions with Ross following the collapse of her marriage to Francis. The scene in focus is the iconic 'Bluebell Scene'. It is actually a landmark milestone in Graham's narrative of astonishment and humiliation for Elizabeth because as well as a significant turning point for Ross and Demelza it is the first shock for Elizabeth that she felt in the moment with this narrative. This was to the extent that it caused her to literally flee the scene. For this reason and because of the many issues it throws up, it is addressed here in this post at some great length while the other key scenes for her theme will be addressed in later posts.

2. A Day too late


‘I cant come here again, she thought. After all this time, and now it's too late. Too late for me to come here.' 
Winston Graham's narrative of Elizabeth's personal thought upon realising there was something romantic between Ross and his servant girl -Demelza ( ‘Ross Poldark’  internal Book 2 Chapter 8 )   `

A Provocative Visit For A Front Row Seat To Ross Moving On


It is significant that it was Elizabeth that happened to speak to Ross about Demelza's fate with him just a day after he met her for the first time at Redruth fair in 1783, and that she advised Ross to "send her back" to her father. On that occasion it was Ross who visited Trenwith. So, it can hardly be a coincidence that Winston Graham then chose for Elizabeth to visit Nampara to see Ross three years later in 1787 on 31st May  and that this would also be the day after yet another key event marking another new beginning in the relationship between Ross with Demelza. That event was that Ross had slept with Demelza just the night before this 'Bluebell Scene'. Again it was surely another stark, deliberate and meaningful choice that Winston Graham would insert Elizabeth into their love story at this early stage. This is especially as this was her first visit to Nampara for the first time in the story and from her conversation with Ross then, it is apparent that she hardly visited him there after she married Francis, if at all. So it seems that for her astonishment and humiliation Winston Graham was determined to place Elizabeth in this scene both as part of Ross's journey, not just of moving on from her, but of him doing so with someone else. In doing so he gave Elizabeth a front row seat to this that proved to be excruciating for her and which would not be rectified for her in due course with later developments. 

Elizabeth's Worst Luck: A Timing That Played Her For A Fool


Three years after her marriage to Francis when some two years ago Winston Graham wrote of Elizabeth sighing happily after Geoffrey Charles's Christening thinking that life was good, Elizabeth was now at Nampara having experienced the slow collapse of her marriage thereafter. For context, beside seeking Ross's help to steer Francis away from the gambling he seemed trapped in order to salvage his business, it seems that Elizabeth's other intention was also to seek Ross's attention for herself. His romantic attention! Based on Graham's narrative at the end of the scene Elizabeth had hoped for some sort of reconciliation with Ross. Since they were friends at that point it could only be that she sought a reconciliation to take them beyond being friends. This may not necessarily have extended to an affair that was sexual in nature but as Winston Graham conveyed in the saga at other times, an emotional one was just as significant. And so of all the days; three and a half years into her marriage with Francis and now unhappy in it, for Elizabeth to decide to reach out to Ross with this mission, this was the worst. 

Elizabeth's timing in finally visiting Ross at Nampara was the worst for more than one reason. As discussed in the last post where Winston Graham added his wicked twists of fate against George as if in reprimand for his disapproval of his behaviour, it looked like he did the same for Elizabeth in this scene. It is part for what adds to the astonishment and humiliation. It was the worst luck because over that three and half year period Ross had gone on a journey which was set out in this earlier post of 'Moving on from Elizabeth' where step by step he was healing from his heartbreak from Elizabeth's first defection away from him to Francis. What added to the bad timing for Elizabeth was that as well as this visit being just the day after Demelza's seduction of Ross, it was after a change of philosophy in Ross which this seduction had triggered. This undoubtedly played a role and was an obstacle (thanks to Demelza!) in making the kind of reconciliation Elizabeth was seeking with Ross, less likely. Where Elizabeth had been less interested when happy with Francis and now was interested, unfortunately having previously been desperate or at least vulnerable to falling for such a reconciliation (addressed later below), now when Elizabeth was keen for a romantic reconciliation, Ross was less inclined for this and in fact did not pursue it in the scene. 

A Storyline Of Elizabeth Outfoxed But Demelza's Timing And Impact 


Indeed Winston Graham was accurate when he described that Demelza was "the engaging and vital character Demelza, who by now was intent on altering the shape of the story." She certainly played that role and altered what could have happened for Ross and Elizabeth had she not done what she had done the night before. This change of philosophy for Ross as covered in the post subtitled 'Foiling Elizabeth- Saving Ross' included a recognition that he was living like a monk without love while newly acknowledging that 'Loving was a recreation' and he should seek this out. It was not only that, because the bad luck for Elizabeth was that this new philosophy that Demelza induced in Ross did not include seeking this recreational loving from Elizabeth. In fact it triggered and inspired Ross's thoughts to cut off his feelings of any romantic duty towards Elizabeth or any kind of romantic aspirations with her. While Graham conveyed that Elizabeth was apparently seeking exactly that from Ross, he wrote Ross's thoughts just the night before in the first edition of the first book when Ross was considering sleeping with Demelza were that 'He owed no one anything; certainly not Elizabeth; no fidelity of thought or body. She was nothing any longer to him.'  Also, this was on the basis that unlike when he slept with with Margaret to help him get over Elizabeth or to salve his pain over her, he had considered that this was not the case with his decision to sleep with Demelza. For him that was based on a fair desire' for her.

The Bluebell Scene -Elizabeth's Humiliating Astonishment of Ross Elevating Demelza


'This is Demelza of whom you've heard me speak,' Ross said. 'This is Mistress Elizabeth Poldark.' Two women, he thought. Made of the same substance? Earthenware and porcelain.' 

To begin with, having spoken of not having visited Nampara to see him before, there is no doubt that Elizabeth personally felt astonishment and humiliation in this scene, partly in the timing of her visit. Having heard rumours of Ross and his kitchen maid Graham would show in his writing that on this rare and random visit that Elizabeth's worst fears were gradually being confirmed. This is as her antennae was up in the first instance when she arrived and noticed feminine touches to Ross lounge's that were not Prudie's. Adding further salt to the wound Graham ensured that without warning Elizabeth would have the awkwardness of a face to face with Ross's new woman, or rather his new woman to be, soon to be his wife. Even the average reader will have felt the awkward unease from the three way confrontation. But the worst of the indignity for Elizabeth, and perhaps being the very thing that presented as a rejection of her and her hopes of a romantic reconciliation with Ross, was him introducing Demelza to Elizabeth and the way that this was done because of it's significance which Elizabeth picked up on. 

Two Women: The Astonishment of Putting Demelza on a level With Elizabeth


Ross introducing Elizabeth and Demelza might seem insignificant, but two years before Ross had overheard Polly Choake and Mrs Teague gossiping that he was sleeping with Demelza and he was annoyed as if the idea was almost an insult to him and diminished him. Having previously thought in respect of Ruth Teague and when putting her up against Elizabeth that 'To continue to flirt with a plain little pleasant schoolgirl was out of the question.', Ross back then had also been concerned for Elizabeth to know the rumours about him and Demelza were not true. It had been as if Demelza was not good enough for him before then and more specifically that she could not measure up against Elizabeth. So back then the thought of Demelza even being his mistress would not be entertained by Ross. Now in this 'Bluebell Scene' this was no longer the case because Ross had had that change of philosophy that was curtesy for Demelza and meant that Ross was now acting as if Demelza was very much not out of the question even against Elizabeth and in front of her. 

Adaption Tinkering To Ross's Mindset


The most recent adaption was unfaithful to this new philosophy of Ross's including his mindset being that Demelza was no longer out of the question for him. Instead they chose to depict Ross as if he was still ashamed or bemused by such an idea and that he felt like he had betrayed Elizabeth in some way. In the adaptation scene he was shown being quite short and almost monosyllabic with Demelza and as if he was keen for her to leave the room quickly. But Ross's mindset as well as behaviour in the real story in the books differed crucially from how the last adaption presented this iconic milestone 'bluebell scene'. Firstly Ross's attitude was now that he owed nothing to Elizabeth and in the scene from the book he did not present as being ashamed. Secondly, as well as having become his best friend over a period of time and respecting her for that alone, Demelza was now desirable to Ross which negated any shame he previously felt about being associated with her.
Graham had written in the extended text that Demelza had ignited a 'raging desire' for her in Ross and that Ross '...tried to remember her as a thin little trailing across the fields with Garrick behind her. But it was no use at all. The urchin was gone forever.' He had elevated Demelza profile beyond that to think of her '..with her flowering maidenhood'  and as '....a woman.' (Ross Poldark' First edition: Internal Book 2 Chapter 6) This perhaps explains why in the real story Ross treated Demelza as if she was a woman of equal worth and value as Elizabeth was. But if Elizabeth could never have imagined this, neither did Demelza who seeming to know her place (as one unlike a Keren Daniels might have considered in that time period),  quickly turned to leave the room when she interrupted their visit. But in a significant and meaningful act it was Ross that stopped Demelza in her tracks from leaving and made a point of introducing the women, just as written in the extract heading the last section. 

Astonishment: Ross's Behaving Like The Rumours Of Demelza Were True


Members of the gentry would not in those days introduce their servants to visiting gentry in the way that Ross did of Demelza in this book scene. There was the class distinction and the idea that house help were so far below them and were barely to be seen and noticed. So it was not expected that they would be introduced to posh visitors as if they were also someone of importance that the visiting gentry would care to be introduced to. That means that Ross doing just that had significant meaning which Elizabeth would also have recognised. Ross's action was such a pointed action for these reasons, but one must not forget that it was even more so against the backdrop of the long running rumours of him and Demelza. Therefore Ross was practically confirming these rumours of him and Demelza as being true, to the woman that before hand he had previously been concerned to ensure did not think this. Certainly his action would not have gone any way to giving the impression that the rumours were not true because it suggested a closer relationship than master and servant. 

In addition this introduction scenario and the messages it sent to Elizabeth was definitely one that fed into the narrative of astonishment. That was not just because of the shocking or surprising nature of what it implied, but also because it was essentially a manifestation of Ross breaking away from Elizabeth's hold over him. Ross's act showed a striking turnaround for him as it showed that him seeming 'available' only for Elizabeth was no longer important to him. Neither did it matter that he had previously wanted her respect for not being with another woman that was so seemingly inferior to her (like Ruth Teague or Demelza beforehand) and his behaviour could be taken as an acknowledgment that actually Demelza was just as good. It was also a manifestation of Ross positioning himself as someone who was indeed emotionally cutting certain emotional ties from Elizabeth that had held him back and kept him single. Now as he has moved on somewhat he no longer minded that she knew or just suspected that he might have something with another woman and further that this might be his servant. That was probably the added punch of both astonishment and humiliation for Elizabeth. Ross was not ashamed and Elizabeth probably expected him to be so and to feel so short changed by the idea of having Demelza instead of her.

Front Row Seat To Elizabeth's Shock


If there was any doubt Graham conveyed Elizabeth's personal feelings of astonishment and humiliation in the moment to readers by sharing her internal reaction. It confirmed that she really did recognise the significance of Ross's act in introducing Demelza to her in the way that he did. This is by writing that immediately after he did this, Elizabeth's first thought was 'Oh God, so theirs is something between them.' That was representative of her genuine astonishment and as Elizabeth lamented to herself that 'After all this time, and now it is too late. Too late for me to come here.' There is that additional layer of frustration in this narrative for her that by virtue of her timing she had just missed out on something for herself since she had left her visit so long. That being the case Elizabeth probably presumed that at one point much earlier the rumours may not have been true, but over all the time that had passed, at some point they had become true and fate had been cruel by inserting Demelza as an obstacle just in the knick of time to sabotage her plan for a romantic reconnection with Ross. The reader would know that it was worse and that in all that time the rumours had not been true and as Demelza perceived that Elizabeth was just '..a day too late'.  Hence this was more wicked twisting of Elizabeth’s fate from Graham for readers to mull over. 

A Blow To Elizabeth's Status And Sense of Self


'... he had always had something in common with this world....That he had married a miner's daughter had confirmed the union not created it."
Narrative of Ross being drawn to a world with the common folk  ('The Angry Tide' Internal book 1 Chapter 8)

In the book Ross's more relaxed demeanour and his apparent non availableness to Elizabeth and his familiarity to his servant girl being something he did not hide was likely an additional  devastating blow to Elizabeth's sense of self in the scene. This and the idea that this may explain some of her later behaviour will be picked in upcoming posts covering this theme as the story develops. What is significant and supports the notion of Ross making a choice between Elizabeth and Demelza was him comparing the woman against each other as if to size them up as potential women for him and what they would bring to the table. Indeed adding to Elizabeth's humiliation narrative Graham shared Ross's thought 'Two women, he thought. Made of the same substance?'  This would not be quite the humiliation for Demelza in theory. Her being compared against such a woman who was so far above her was coup and indicates how far she had come in Ross’s estimations to be even considered and brought up to Elizabeth's pedestal. That she could then potentially be an obstacle should not have been envisaged. However the idea of Elizabeth as a lady of the gentry being considered and compared against a servant girl would have been considered an insult to Elizabeth had Ross said his thoughts out loud. This is especially because he had not suggested that earthenware was abhorrent or lesser than porcelain. In fact at other times in the story Ross compared the women and features that acknowledged their different stations, yet it made no difference to his love and appreciation of his Demelza as his then wife. Ross was shown at times to turn his own nose up at some of the refinements of taste and nature of his class. Graham conveyed that often Ross felt he had more in common with the lower class and in ‘The Angry Tide' implied that it has therefore made sense that he happened to marry a miner's daughter. So Ross was not under valuing Demelza in referring to her representing earthenware against porcelain since refined looking things against substance were not always more appealing to him.

The Beginning Of a Diminishing Elizabeth 


Ross now putting both Elizabeth and Demelza up for comparison further undermined Elizabeth as this apparent dream woman figure and showed the long way that Ross had gone from her. In doing this Ross was essentially exalting Demelza whereby she now was far from being an embarrassment to him but now a contender or an option against Elizabeth. Demelza, the surprising underdog was put by Ross into the arena with Elizabeth and this was the beginning of a narrative that would see Elizabeth diminished against Demelza who would repeatedly be exalted against her as if ironically it were she, Demelza that was was the real ideal woman for him. Indeed, retrospectively readers would find that this is where Winston Graham went with his story as Ross eventually and more consciously realised this over the years and more starkly at the end of 'Warleggan' when Ross disclosed that he had been looking for what Demelza had in Elizabeth and found that this was not there. However at this early stage in the story to him, where other members of the gentry might not have considered it so, Ross thought that Demelza had a good enough profile to be a wife for him.

Indeed there is no doubt that Demelza's status will have made a difference to Elizabeth. It surely would have been different if Ross was making himself unavailable to her for a woman like Maria Agar or even Caroline Penvenan which Elizabeth was prepared to acknowledge openly to Ross was 'lovely'. Elizabeth was never so complimentary of Demelza and likely could not bring herself to due to her pride and prejudice against her, and later her dislike of her too. In those scenarios a character like Elizabeth might have understood or felt less astonishment and humiliation if Ross rejected a chance of some romantic reconciliation with her for those 'great' ladies. But for Demelza? His servant girl? Certainly Winston Graham made the issue of self esteem linger in the room with Demelza. Though she had thoughts that she compared so inferiorly to Elizabeth who she felt was a beautiful lady and she remained always thinking she was the lesser attractive one, any humiliation or self esteem issues Demelza felt in the moment would be salved as her life and love would soar in her narrative arc with Ross thereafter. Demelza would be compensated by Ross choosing to make his wife, announcing he was in love with her six weeks later, the moments of pride in being Ross's wife, bearing his children and of course with Ross's ultimate declaration after ‘having’ Elizabeth, that she was his real and true love, not Elizabeth. 

'Those few bad moments when Elizabeth called were almost forgotten and altogether discarded.'
 Narrative of Demelza's happiness when newly married to Ross  (‘Ross Poldark’  internal Book 3 Chapter 1 )  

In comparison to Demelza this tense bluebell scene confrontation would be a harder and a more long lasting blow for Elizbeth. Elizabeth had reason, by way of ego and the customary praise she would typically receive for her beauty, to believe that she was the far more appealing woman of the two and therefore this would be the foundation to her sense of disbelief. Disbelief and humiliating disappointment also arises for Elizabeth because Ross's action meant Elizabeth's could not proceed with the reconciliation she hoped for. She did not know Ross also considered her visit had given a chance for this but that he turned this down. The reader would and can therefore appreciate this as an additional humiliating factor of Elizabeth being minimised in this scene. This is since Ross's behaviour was a defining moment where he essentially chose Demelza over Elizabeth, or otherwise decided not to pursue a path with Elizabeth. As for Demelza if these head to heads were little battles for a war she would eventually win, then Demelza won this battle and the third internal book included Winston Graham's narrative of Demelza instead revelling in the happiness of being Ross's new wife and being unbothered by the moment with Elizabeth, the great lady, who Ross may have indeed rejected her for, but did not. 

Elizabeth: Psyche of Entitlement


"My friendship with Francis is deep and of long standing, but friendships have a frailty when a woman comes between. So sometimes have marriage vows, however well meant.  I love you, Elizabeth, and that is dangerous."
Ross to Elizabeth 'Ross Poldark' first edition (Internal book 1 Chapter 11 Prt2 - )


To truly understand Elizabeth's astonishment and humiliation one must appreciate that without expectation and entitlement there would be little of this feeling or little sense of outrage that things did not go a certain way. However, Elizabeth's visit and her intentions with Ross were indeed based on an arrogant belief stemming from expectation and entitlement that Ross was there for her for the taking at any time. Readers would come to see in due course that Elizabeth thought this whether Ross was single or married. Winston Graham conveyed this in so many ways in his narrative. For instance when he wrote in 'Jeremy Poldark' (Internal Book 1 Chapter 4) that for Elizabeth, in respect of admiration 'She knew it (admiration) was her due, and the knowledge made it all the harder to be without.' Another obvious indication was her pursuit of ascendancy in Ross's mind as a married man and therefore over even his own wife. 

The additional insult to Elizabeth in this scene and which could have gone some way to feeding her sense of entitlement and expectation further, was Ross's own suggestion to her three years before in the first edition text whereby he suggested as extracted above the last section,  that there was a danger of him being willing to jeopardise his friendship with Francis and her marriage vows for her because of the love he believed he had for her then. Back then that seemed to be Ross alluding to him being susceptible to having an affair with Elizabeth anytime. This was whether it would be emotional, and therefore in spirit alone, or in (sexual) deed too. But now Elizabeth met a Ross Poldark that was in a different place having just the night before concluded that he owed her nothing and instead introducing her as if an equal to the servant girl rumoured to be his plaything and apparently not entertaining a reconciliation with her because of this girl. This was a mortifying scenario for Elizabeth. 


Elizabeth Bolstering The Ross and Demelza Love Story


The extra sting in the tale for Elizabeth is that her appearance at Trenwith a day too late, but more so her departure, likely put the idea of Ross moving forward with Demelza into the air and escalated his decision to do just that. With Ross and Elizabeth parting, Graham reported that '..they were both aware, while not knowing that the other was aware, that the reconciliation had come just too late to count for what it might.' That was a choice Ross made and it provided finality. Though Graham also mentioned that there was a 'hint' of sadness at this for Ross, this is just as there often is at the closure of something where there has been an emotional connection and aspirations for so long. But while Elizabeth fled despondent from the awkward scene, with the closing scene of Demelza arranging Bluebells (which represent everlasting love), at Ross's feet, one can see what Graham's theme was feeding into. There was the closing of one door on Elizabeth and the immediate opening of another door for Ross with Demelza. Of course Graham's insertion of the bluebells, Elizabeth's rejection of Demelza's offer of this to her as a gift, and then these being placed by her at Ross's feet is dripping with symbolism. It is as if they were a gift and an offer of everlasting love to him and a foretelling that this is what would be had between them. With the contrast of how he concluded this scene for Elizabeth there is a strong indication of Winston Graham's mindset on Elizabeth's departure. Elizabeth was not the chosen one and as per the theme when she fled the scene in embarrassment and disappointment, she had suffered a humiliating and astonishing loss and Ross and Demelza had a everything to gain.

It could seem rash but it is probably no coincidence that Ross decided to marry Demelza within two days of this 'Bluebell Scene'. A sad closure may be sad in its own right but it also can be liberating and eventually lead to processing the uncertainty of change and the concept of "what now?" This is especially as years before with Verity, Ross had mused over wanting to find  'the way out'  of his misery. With the night before with Demelza, his new found attraction for her and the apparent closure with Elizabeth, Ross would have likely felt a cleansing and shedding of the emotional baggage or from the hostage mentality to Elizabeth that he had held for some time. So as with the quote by Joseph Campbell, the 'Bluebell scene' was the equivalent of a blaze of fire decision or occurrence by Ross of officially in his mind letting go of any romantic aspirations with Elizabeth. With Demelza's symbolic offering of an ever lasting love and his desire of her, Ross was then ready to accept and follow this fresh new path waiting for him and which was right under his nose as this ‘obvious way out’. 

For the reasons covered in 'Marrying Demelza: The Obvious Way Out For Ross (Duty or Desire)' Ross' decision to marry Demelza within two days was not about a duty to her who he could have taken for a mistress. It was a duty to himself and his desire of her and to move out of depression and his black life to a happier one where in the first instance he could experience the act of love as recreation, until fortunately for him it became a feeling of love too rather than just the physical act. Unfortunately while this development was great for Ross and also for Demelza, it was at Elizabeth's expense. In seemingly expediting Ross's decision to marry Demelza by her visit, Elizabeth once again played a role in bolstering the Ross and Demelza love story as she did when she fired up Ross to fight Demelza's father harder and more angrily so that she would not leave with him. Indeed it is hard not to consider the connection and that Graham interweaving Ross's decision to marry Demelza with Elizabeth's visit was him demonstrating his consistency to that grand scheme based on Elizabeth in the role of provocateur bringing Ross closer to Demelza  or expediting this eventuality. Also as a personal affront to Elizabeth, one can imagine how it would have felt as a bit of a jab at her that after hearing rumours of Ross with Demelza for years, that Elizabeth would then hear of their marriage within days or weeks of her visit to him whereby Ross had looked to throw Demelza in her face. The timing may have indeed been an extra sting.

A Disapproving Behaviour To Be Corrected



As has been discussed in the previous introductory post sub titled 'Bud On the Horizon' there is the issue of Winston Graham's using his theme against Elizabeth to address her ill intent or behaviour to be disapproved of. Was there any specific such behaviour in this scene? Perhaps her entitlement to Ross as a married woman and the intention for some kind of unfaithfulness in thought and spirit to this is relevant here. Or that she would seek this against a background where she had let Ross down before; cheating on him while he was at war, failing to make an effort to volunteer an explanation and apologise until he pressed for this, whilst beforehand  expecting him as she told him at her wedding to be happy. One might also consider it opportunistic that Elizabeth only sought Ross out years later after the collapse of her marriage to Francis and did not seriously seem to harbour a deeply felt ongoing ever present desire to be with Ross over those last three and half years, or seem devastated and empty that she was not. 

Other than the idea that Elizabeth seemed to treat Ross as a second option available on demand, her behaviour towards Demelza during the 'bluebell scene' is something Winston Graham could have disapproved of along with many readers. It was not particular pleasant or polite. As each of the two women felt somewhat threatened by the other, Demelza had thoughts of jealous over Elizabeth's status and beauty. She even had juvenile tantrum like thoughts of Elizabeth becoming ugly and losing her teeth. Nevertheless as the story progressed Demelza did not have such thoughts again or carry out acts motivated by a dislike and disrespect against Elizabeth that might so obviously harm her. In the scene she at least put her jealousy to the side and gave Elizabeth respect and kindness offering her the bluebells she had just picked. 

Elizabeth: Openly Rude To Demelza- Winston Graham’s Heroine 


In contrast to Demelza's respect during the scene, and in an act of rudeness, not only did Elizabeth refuse to accept Demelza's kind offer, but she criticised the gift stating that the bluebells would droop and stated that they already were. Whilst this might seem like nothing of substance, Winston Graham who stated that he never reread his books made reference to this refusal and Elizabeth's comment by way of Ross having a recollection of this in 'The Angry Tide' (Internal Book 1 Chapter 3). So Elizabeth's behaviour was of note to both Graham and Ross who it did not go unnoticed to because it was ill-mannered. Neither did it go unnoticed to Demelza who probably included that in the 'bad moments' with Elizabeth. It was an act to diminish Demelza, to  poo poo her gift of flowers and essentially make her feel small.  But there is more to be revealed about a long lasting attitude of prejudice and dislike by Elizabeth against Demelza which laced nearly all her interactions with her and saw her do and plan things knowing it would directly impact Demelza negatively. Elizabeth's behaviour in the 'Bluebell scene' was very likely a preview of behaviour from her that Graham very likely disapproved of in general terms. In that case Graham may have found that Elizabeth's astonishment and humiliation at the end of this scene, along with her failed intention for the visit, were his corrective to her ill intent.

The third post in this series titled 'Elizabeth Observing a New First Lady' covers scenes where Elizabeth to her astonishment would continue to have a front row seat to Demelza's success and blossoming within her new family and in society and this would cause her disappointment in her sense of self and her life.

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