This is Masterpiece.

McNEIL: Mistress Poldark.

What a happy coincidence.

Previously on "Poldark."

DEMELZA: I cannot give myself to any man except my husband.

ROSS: Demelza!

I'm not content to be second best.

Do what you will.

Go and live with her if you wish.

ELIZABETH: He tried to stop this marriage but offered nothing in return.

He's left me with only one possible choice.

GEORGE: I've been thinking about our domestic arrangements.

I have a fancy to live somewhere else.

"Poldark," season finale, tonight on Masterpiece.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Tis a miracle.

A mine that do actually pay?

Not just pay-- yields riches.

Your gamble has paid off.

Our gamble.

There's soldiers in the village.

Looking for men to enlist.

And we thought war couldn't touch us here.

(sounds of war echo quietly) He plays beautifully by himself.

Yet it's a lonely thing, to be an only child.

Oh!

Must it go?

I think Geoffrey Charles will miss it.

But my dear, this is where I'd hoped that my gift to you...

Which?

A portrait of us both, painted by the celebrated John Opie.

You spoil me.

(chuckles) (knock at door) Would you excuse me, my dear?

PAUL: What'll be goin' on here?

Hop it!

This be private land!

Since when?

Since Mr. Warleggan be master here!

He can't do that!

This is open land!

No longer!

Mr. Warleggan'll have 'ee hanged if he sees thee here again!

Is that wise?

A man who owns land has the right to enclose it.

But to use force needlessly is to court enemies.

Are you becoming squeamish?

I merely question the virtue of provoking one's neighbors, great or small.

(coins clinking) Demelza?

Give me your hand.

(coins clinking) Cast your mind back a 12 month.

(coins clinking) How many times did we think all was lost?

You'd surely not wish to be back there again?

Would I not, Ross?

(watch ticking) Drink?

Regularly.

Wine?

Canary.

Appetite?

Voracious.

Urine?

Unusually sweet.

So Dr. Choake informs me.

And his diagnosis?

Oh, a fever.

Then the gout.

Then a wasting disease.

Then a tuberculous infection.

Have you anything to add?

Only that I believe him to be utterly mistaken.

This is the sugar sickness.

The symptoms are unmistakable.

What must I do?

Give up most of the things you eat and drink.

Wine, especially.

And that'll cure me, will it?

No.

But it may prolong your life.

But will my life be worth living?

It hardly sounds like it!

Dr. Enys.

Hm?

You and I did not part as friends, so I'm all the more obliged to you for coming.

But I feel it only fair to tell you that Caroline will shortly be engaged to Lord Coniston, eldest son of Earl Windermere.

I congratulate Miss Penvenen.

I do hope this information will not now distress you.

Not in the least, sir.

I bid you good day.

Are you quite clear, Dr. Enys, what you're signing up for?

The duration of the war?

Which you assure me will be long, desperate, and bloody.

I may not return to these shores for years, or indeed at all.

Where do I sign?

Dear Poldark, as you are a trustee of Francis's estate, perhaps you might shed light on certain recent transactions which appear troubling... ROSS: "Dear Warleggan, as you are not a trustee of Francis's estate, I do not consider the business in any way concerns you."

Dear Poldark, it may have escaped your notice that Elizabeth and I are now married.

In attending to Francis's estate, I am merely trying to take the burden off her.

She has been unwell and would prefer to meet you at Trenwith-- if you could trouble yourself to attend.

(door opens) GEORGE: We need not take much of your time, provided you can supply sufficient explanation.

Where's Elizabeth?

Resting.

We can complete the business without her.

I think not.

She is co-trustee in his estate.

I shall do nothing without her presence.

She has signed a power of attorney so that I may act on her behalf.

At her request, since she wants nothing more to do with you.

Shall we get on?

TANKARD: The half-share in Wheal Grace, held on behalf of Mrs. Warleggan's son Geoffrey Charles, disposed of at the beginning of the year... What of it?

We're not satisfied that the transaction was legal.

It was legal.

Mrs. Poldark... Mrs. Warleggan received £600 on behalf of her son for a half-share in a worthless mine.

And who was so foolish as to pay her that sum?

I was.

In January, Elizabeth was in dire straits.

Having persuaded Francis to sink his last £600 into the mine, I felt duty bound to give it back to Elizabeth.

Knowing she would not accept the money as a gift, I devised a strategy to do so without her knowing.

GEORGE: But circumstances have since changed.

What you took from Elizabeth and her son...

Purchased.

Is now worth more than what you gave for it.

Should you now not return the half-share of this successful mine into the custody of the child's trustees?

In other words, you.

As his adoptive father, naturally I would manage his affairs.

Last January, had the Wheal Grace stock come onto the market, it would not have fetched ten pounds.

The mine was finished.

We kept her going through winter, and with our bare hands, we reopened her after a catastrophic rock fall.

We risked everything we had, George.

And against all odds, we struck tin.

So now I deem the profit mine.

Not Elizabeth's, not Geoffrey Charles's, and most especially not yours.

So unless you have anything else to add... Oh, only that you may wish to consider how poorly this reflects on you.

A man who cheats his young ward?

Up to now, I have offered no violence.

But if you persist... You would not dare lay a finger on me.

Because your army of servants will protect you?

Go back to your scullery maid.

Kemp!

Harry!

Triggs!

In here now!

Get this man out of my house!

Your house?!

Your house?!

This is Geoffrey Charles's house!

(grunting) Ah... A mild colic.

I'll mix him a sedative.

PRUDIE: Come to old Prudie, Master Jeremy.

Go on.

See what she has for you now.

You'll stay until Ross returns?

Of course.

I have some news.

I've applied for a post as a surgeon in the Navy.

I expect to leave any day.

Oh, but Dwight...

I must gain more experience, and the war will surely supply that.

And besides, I've had news of Caroline.

She's to be married.

To a Lord Coniston.

I'm that sorry.

I'm not.

It was the spur I needed to put her behind me.

We're too dissimilar.

Judas!

What happened?

It's a scratch.

And nothing compared to what I gave Ross.

I hope he will have learned his lesson.

DEMELZA: I can scarce believe we're losing Dwight.

Nor I.

It makes me wonder if I should go.

Why?

Because your dearest friend is running away, so must you?

Because I'm a soldier.

And if my regiment requires me... Obviously the thought of leaving you and Jeremy...

It wouldn't be the first time you've considered such a thing.

How was Elizabeth?

She avoided me.

As you've avoided her.

What would you have me do?

I'd have you be honest, Ross.

To her, to me, to yourself.

Am I not honest?

Where am I not honest now?

Go to war, Ross.

Play at soldiers.

Or stay home and save all of Cornwall.

What it is to be married to such a great man.

♪ ♪ PASCOE: Rejoin your regiment?

Just as your mine begins to prosper and your family's secure?

It's because we're secure that I'd consider going.

Obviously I'd need to put my affairs in order first.

Beginning with George.

He's contesting the sale of my nephew's shares in Wheal Grace.

The deal was entirely legal.

But that may not deter him.

He has the funds to finance a lawsuit and to drag it out for years.

I've had my fill of court.

But what could be his purpose?

To get his hands on Grace the way he did Leisure.

Especially now she prospers.

Which reminds me: my mystery benefactor.

Yes?

I wish to repay him.

So tell me his name.

Well, as to that, I don't recall ever mentioning a "he" at all.

Caroline Penvenen?

Dwight must have told her about our business.

Is that not astonishing?

I dare say she's taken a fancy to you.

I'm a married man.

And that would make all the difference?

Oh, Demelza, it was one night.

How long will it take you to forgive me?

I don't know, Ross.

How long would it take you to forgive me?

That's hardly the same.

You would never do a thing which required my forgiveness.

Are you sure?

When?

Werry House.

After the ball, Captain McNeil came to my room.

How could he dare?

Because I invited him.

After your antics with Elizabeth, I decided I might have a turn myself.

A turn?

How far did...?

Oh, kisses, caresses.

And then I sent him away.

Oh good God, Demelza, was that not enough?

I tell you, I do not admire you for this.

It does you no credit.

Nor me neither!

And what "credit" did your night with Elizabeth do me?

That's entirely different!

How is it different?

I take no pride in my visit to her.

It was the outcome of a devotion, which on my side lasted ten years!

Not some tawdry little passion worked up over a glass of port with some opportunist soldier who took what was on offer.

That is precisely not what was on offer!

I did not permit him.

How do I know what you permitted?

You're right, Ross.

How do you know?

If you trust me not and I trust you not, then what is the point in this marriage at all?

I entirely agree.

What is the point?

DEMELZA: Right, let's get gone.

JUD: At this time of night?

Welcome, ma'am.

We expect the confinement any day.

Oh, Verity!

This is a turn-about!

Andrew insisted I was not to be left unattended.

But that she should be the one to come?

(door opens) Ross, I came to tell you... Ross?

You surely don't intend... Am I not a soldier?

With a family, a prosperous mine, a settled life...

But perhaps that's the problem.

You're so blessed, you have nothing to fight for.

What does Demelza say?

Does she even know?

She will know soon enough, whenever she returns.

Dwight, I must tell you, my mysterious benefactor is Caroline.

But how... why would she...?

I can only apologize if I spoke too freely of your business affairs.

I can only express my gratitude that you did.

I owe you both more than I can say.

Together you've saved me, and in return...

I can assure you, I have no regrets.

And nor, it appears, does Caroline.

And now we may be brothers-in-arms.

My... my posting is through.

HMS Travail.

I leave for Plymouth tomorrow.

Godspeed.

And good luck.

She's growing used to me.

Am I not the luckiest of women?

The most deserving.

And you?

Well, Lord knows what I deserve.

How is Ross?

At war with himself and the idea of George at Trenwith.

I too struggle with the idea of my family home in the hands of a Warleggan.

But Elizabeth has made her choice.

(groans) (panting): It's nothing.

A slight cramp.

It's been happening since last night.

It may not be nothing.

(nervous chuckling) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Captain Poldark, what a treat!

Yet I see no flags out for your visit.

They put the flags out when I leave.

Tell me all the news of Cornwall.

(baby fussing quietly) My dear Elizabeth, this news has made me the happiest of men.

CAROLINE: So what brings you to London?

A need to see justice done.

My mine has begun to prosper.

It was your loan which enabled me to keep it open till we struck tin.

My loan?

There's no point denying it.

So now you stand accused of willfully saving three people from the worst disaster bankruptcy can bring.

And what is my sentence?

To bear the brunt of my eternal gratitude.

And to shortly take receipt of repayment in full.

So instead of thanking me, you should be congratulating me on my shrewd business sense.

I believe congratulations of another sort are due.

Your engagement to Lord Coniston?

Arthur has made me several offers of marriage which I have so far declined.

May I ask why?

The usual capriciousness of my sex.

And presumably you do not love him.

As you say, I do not love him.

In fact, it's probable you still love Dwight Enys.

Since you left, he has been unable to settle.

Oh, and he has no idea I'm here, and had he known, he would certainly have forbidden me.

But I thought you should know that he's joined the Navy.

(fiddle playing, rowdy chatter) Why have you come here?

To ask you why you left Cornwall.

And why you refused Dwight a second chance, after he explained what happened on the night of the ambush.

Did you not see him in the weeks before we were due to elope?

He behaved as if he were contemplating something shameful.

Deserting his beloved patients in the middle of the night for the fleshpots of Bath.

Could you not have returned to Cornwall?

Defied your uncle?

Lived in a cottage, dined on sprats?

In asking Dwight to leave Cornwall, I was expecting too much of him.

Since I've left Cornwall, I've realized I was asking too much of myself.

So, in effect, your love could not surmount the obstacles.

In effect, it could not.

Why do I not believe you?

What has he done?

Are you most troubled by the thing itself?

Or something more?

It's the thing itself.

No, no, 'tis more.

'Tis the running away from it, hiding from what has passed, the refusal to look it in the face and stand the consequence.

But isn't that what you are doing?

Even now?

What would you have me do?

Oh, Demelza, I cannot instruct you.

I do not even know the deed.

But reason cannot guide you.

Only the heart.

And sometimes, what the heart dictates makes no sense at all, yet it must be followed.

Did ye miss I?

Miss ye?

Y'black worm!

Leavin' I alone to fend off villains and footpads!

Fat lot o' use you are!

You lizzardy louse!

Where be the maid?

Left us at Bargus Crossroads.

Bound for where?

Nowhere that'll do 'er any good.

(indistinct chatter) Excuse me.

Ross?

(laughs) Are you a figment of my imagination?

I hope not!

I'm here to see my Colonel, thought I'd look you up.

I'm astonished!

Well, I'm ravenous.

When do we dine?

Does Ross know you're here?

Is Ross my keeper?

Why have you come?

I thought 'twas to tell you that I hate you.

That you've marred my faith, you've broke my marriage.

That I envy you, the passion which you roused that Ross could not withstand.

That I pity you because you could never make up your mind.

Now I wonder, what do any of it matter?

What you did-- Ross did-- cannot be undone.

And you both must live with that.

But I need not.

What will you do?

I'll take my son and I'll go back to my father's house.

You would leave Ross?

I will no longer be ruled by what he did.

You're welcome to him.

Is Demelza well?

I couldn't say.

I've been in London.

What on earth took you there?

Caroline.

I went to thank her for the loan.

And to congratulate her on her engagement.

Which I was unable to do since it turns out there's no such event.

I don't understand...

I also made mention of her uncle's ill health, which may account for her decision to visit him.

Whether there's another purpose... What?

So Caroline's... Where is she?

Standing just behind you.

(gunshot) (grunts) (breathing heavily) Did you fire that gun?

Judas, you might've killed me!

What do you mean by firing without checkin' there's folk about?

Orders, missus.

Shoot all folks a-strayin'.

Now be off before I fire again!

Believe me, I do not lightly meddle in other people's affairs.

That's been Demelza's way, and often I've chided her for it.

But lately, I've come around to her way of thinking.

She would say that if two people love each other, then the obstacles which keep them apart must be substantial, else they lack the courage of their conviction.

I think she would also say that life holds very few things which are genuinely worth having.

And if you possess them, then nothing else matters.

And if you don't possess them, then everything else is worthless.

To gamble on the unknown?

Is not all life a gamble?

And does the gambler always come off worst?

I suspect that those who suffer most are the ones who ignore their heart's desires and spend the rest of their lives regretting it.

Now no doubt you hate me.

And now no doubt I hate you.

Captain Ross Poldark, of His Majesty's 62nd Regiment of Foot.

Fences, my ivers!

Never needed 'em in my day.

World's gone to pot!

'Tis a cryin' disgrace.

'Tis.

What happened?

It's just a scratch, 'tis all.

That luggard Tom Harry.

He never shot at thee?

On the path by Trenwith.

On Warleggan's orders.

I'll give him orders!

Nay, Jud.

I want no more feudin' between our families.

Tell no one of this, least of all Ross.

Let me bind it for ye, maid.

I can manage.

Say nothing.

Have you really captured me, Dr. Enys?

You understand, this changes nothing.

It changes everything!

Caroline, I'm going to war.

It'd be foolish to pretend there's no risk.

If the worst should happen... Why would you speak of such things?

Because I must.

Because you are enlisting in a venture every bit as fraught as my own now, and you must know what you're putting your name to.

I am putting my name aside and taking that of the man that I love.

How long do we have?

I sail on the morning tide.

So these are our last few hours?

They are.

Where is your room?

JUD: He've closed off our land!

(men shouting in agreement) Give'd thee a twaggin'!

An' old Prudie!

He try'd to murder I!

Have Cap'n Ross hang!

And now he's gone and shot the mistress!

(shouting in disgust) We'll should set a ring around Trenwith and burn it to the ground!

(shouting in agreement) Who's with me?!

(shouting in agreement) Why didn't you stop him?

PRUDIE: Stop him?

Why, 'twas I that told him to go!

George Warleggan do think he can throw his weight around and tramp common folk beneath his boot.

But fire at thee?

'Tis too much!

Oh Prudie, what've you done?

GEORGE: I think in January, we'll settle in town.

Of course, my prime concern is for you.

(door opens) What do you want?

To tell you to bar your doors.

There's unrest in the village.

They may march on Trenwith.

You expect me to believe this?

I've no love of you, George, nor you, Elizabeth, but for the sake of Geoffrey Charles and Agatha, I urge you.

A mob would be ill-advised to trespass here.

They would be breaking the law and I would see to it that they hang.

If they didn't string you up first.

Is that a threat?

It's a plea for him to come to his senses.

Did Ross send you?

How could he?

He'll be on his way to France now.

My informers tell me he's rejoined his regiment.

Oh, surely he hasn't snuck away without telling you?

But perhaps having tasted defeat at home, he's gone to vent his rage on a different enemy.

Defeat?

As you see.

His foe is in possession of the field.

Of his ancestral home.

Of the woman he loved.

And in March, the rout will be complete when Elizabeth gives birth to a Warleggan heir.

I look forward to Ross's congratulations.

If he ever returns.

But don't let me keep you from your scullery.

Perhaps you should barricade yourself in yours.

To what purpose?

To save yourself from being lynched.

(men shouting in the distance) Tankard?

Harry?

Triggs?

Kemp?

(shouting) Paul, Jud, don't do this!

Not for me.

I beg 'ee.

Lead 'em home.

There's women and children inside.

If Warleggan have no care for ours, why should we care for his?

Don't do this!

Save yourselves.

They have weapons.

So do we!

And 'tis time to see him taste his own medicine!

(shouting) (men shouting) GEORGE: Be advised, we have firearms and won't hesitate to use them.

Come on, then!

Come on!

Take aim!

DEMELZA: No!

Stop!

These people are your neighbors!

Why do you treat them so?

They are threatening my family and must take the consequences.

Stop this!

(gunshot) (hoof beats approaching) Lost our nerve, have we?

Didn't fancy the battlefields of France?

My servant informed me of one closer to home.

GEORGE: And on which side will you fight, Ross?

For the civilized world?

Or the revolution?

On the side that stands for humanity.

Which would seem to preclude yours.

So what do you intend?

To incite a riot?

Quite your specialty!

These people need no inciting.

They would happily tear you limb from limb.

(shouting in agreement) And with good cause.

But they would pay for it.

JUD: What care us?

'Twould be worth every penny!

I urge you to go home.

Do not give this man reason to see you hang.

You have families, wives, children.

They are worth ten of this sorry excuse for a man!

Go home!

Go home!

Should you not join your comrades?

Have a care, George.

Do you really want to provoke me?

You know I could call them back in an instant.

At any time.

And this is what you came back for?

No.

♪ ♪ (door opens) Caroline?

Oh, my dear niece, how good to see you here.

I'm all amazement!

I am come back to care for you, Uncle.

Ah!

Now tell me what Dr. Enys prescribes?

Here is his list of instructions.

I'm beginning to think I misjudged that young man.

You, of course, don't waste a moment's thought on him, dear, eh?

Not a single one, Uncle.

(thunder rumbling) GEORGE: I trust you know we were never in any actual danger.

Ross thought to scare us, but in the end, he was forced to back down.

I've been thinking of Harrow.

For Geoffrey Charles.

He's still overly attached to his mama-- we must toughen him up.

You mean send him away?

To one of the best schools in the country.

Geoffrey Charles has had you all to himself.

And now he must learn to be a man.

(wind blowing, rain pouring) To be in my family's home and in full possession of... Everything you hold dear?

Not everything.

But many things I hold dear.

You'll get over it.

Demelza?

What are you doing?

I'm taking Jeremy to my father's house.

And from there, who knows?

You're leaving me?

I came back for you.

I chose not to go to war.

(scoffs) 'Tis not my concern what you choose.

Only what I choose.

And why would I choose a man whose heart belong to another?

You are my wife... Raised from the gutter to be a great lady?

I'll never be such a one.

But what do I care?

For I am fierce and proud and steadfast and true, and I'll not settle for second best.

Why would you be?

Because you love Elizabeth!

Because you will always love Elizabeth.

Because you cannot conceal your pain that George now possesses her, body and soul.

Do you deny it?

I do not deny that I loved her.

Long before I set eyes on you, she was my first... perfect, untouchable love.

Whereas I am dull, imperfect, and ordinary.

Not ordinary, but yes, imperfect.

Human.

Real.

What that night with Elizabeth taught me... God knows, there should have been other ways for me to come to my senses.

But my arrogance, my idiocy, has been spectacular.

All I can say is after that night-- because of it-- I came to see that if you take an idealized love and bring it down to the level of an imperfect one... it isn't the imperfect one which suffers.

My true, real, and abiding love is not for her.

It's for you.

She will never come between us again.

(quietly sniffling) AUNT AGATHA: What did you expect when you made a pact with the devil?

(thunder rumbling) I hoped-- still hope-- that George may be more accommodating once his child is born.

He may.

But are you willing to wait that long?

March is not so far away.

Unless it comes sooner.

What?

The child.

Why should it?

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