Poldark (OV)

Ross throws himself into repairing Nampara and his relationship with Demelza but Elizabeth’s pregnancy hangs over the couple. Caroline’s dying uncle, Ray, wishes for her future to be secured by marriage, unaware she is secretly engaged to Dwight Enys. At Nampara, Demelza’s brother Drake requests Demelza return to their dying father and, at Trenwith, George reveals to Cary his plan to separate Geoffrey Charles from Elizabeth ahead of his heir’s arrival. Following the opening of the Warleggan Bank, he employs Morwenna Chynoweth, Elizabeth’s cousin, as a governess for the boy. Geoffrey Charles and Ross bond over their hatred of George.
Demelza visits her dying father, finding her brothers have taken up Methodism before journeying to an isolated chapel where Dwight and Caroline are wed in secret. Elizabeth decides to mask her early labour by pretending to fall down Trenwith’s stairs and Dwight is forced to abandon Caroline on their wedding night to attend Elizabeth where we learn she will give birth that night.
Elizabeth’s son is born and Caroline manages to show Ray her wedding ring before he and Demelza’s father pass away. Dwight returns to his ship and Ross meets George at the Warleggan bank, giving the terms for which he will remove himself from George’s life forever. Meanwhile, Demelza’s brothers encounter Morwenna and Geoffrey Charles on their way to Nampara and Drake falls for Morwenna… Ross gives the brothers work and land to live on and Demelza reveals to Ross that she is pregnant again.

As Elizabeth’s ambivalence to Valentine grows, George courts Sir Francis Basset for the vacant magistracy position and Ross is reintroduced to Tholly Tregirls, an old friend of his father’s and a ne’er-do-well who has returned to area. Verity returns to Trenwith, awaiting word from her husband Andrew, whose ship is on route to Lisbon and Elizabeth feels the sting of Morwenna and Geoffrey Charles’ connection. After Valentine is christened, having seen Morwenna as they pass, Drake suggests the church to Sam as a place for the Methodists to worship. George informs Verity and Caroline of a recent naval battle and, distraught, they inform Demelza and Ross.
The Carnes disobey Ross by crossing Trenwith land and Drake gives Morwenna winter primroses. Ross learns that Andrew’s ship is missing and Dwight’s has been lost in combat so he puts out word along the coast, seeking information for a reward. Sam’s flock provoke George and George has Odgers ban them from church. Ross, Demelza, Verity and Caroline attend Basset’s gathering, where several French nobles are staying, to learn of the vessels’ fates.
Drake shows Morwenna and Geoffrey Charles a holy well of fresh water by the beach and Reverend Halse offers Ross the magistracy role but Ross refuses and it is given to George. Caroline discovers that Andrew is safe but Ross tells Demelza he fears the worst for Dwight. Later, Tholly arrives with information and Ross sails for France with him as Dwight faces execution and Verity leaves for Lisbon, for good.

Ross and Tholly meet their contact Jacques Clisson in France and Sam leads a large congregation of Methodists in song outside the church walls. Despite George’s promise to be generous to his tenants to further his ambition of becoming a burgess, he revokes the Methodist’s property lease. Clisson drives a hard bargain with Ross for his information and George leads Caroline to expect the worst regarding Dwight.

Ross is ordered to leave Roscoff under threat of execution and Morwenna and Drake share a moment of intimacy on the beach. The Methodists petition Elizabeth to give them the meeting house back and Geoffrey Charles reveals to Drake that Morwenna is fond of him. Ross decides he cannot abandon his mission and sends Tholly home alone and Elizabeth tells George of the Methodists’ visit but unites with him on learning of their connection to the Poldarks. The Warleggans move to their house in Truro and Demelza, angered by Ross’ decision to linger in France, gifts Sam’s flock a storehouse on Nampara land.

Ross escapes France with Clisson’s list, finding Dwight’s name upon it. In Truro, George turns crooked to court Lord Godolphin’s favour and Elizabeth is so disturbed she begins taking an opiate. Ross informs Demelza and Caroline but he isn’t optimistic, knowing the prison’s condition is bad. Meanwhile, Dwight tends to a lieutenant named Hugh Armitage and George’s actions earn him an invitation to the Godolphin’s ball. George wallows in victory but Elizabeth can only pretend to share in his exhilaration.

A grain ship is raided by starving villagers and George sentences the peasants harshly. Demelza gives birth to a daughter, Clowance, and George decides to host a Christmas party to court the gentry. Drake arrives at Trenwith with toads for Geoffrey Charles and flowers for Morwenna and Caroline learns that the admiralty are arranging the release of the British officers but Ross is not convinced. He laments the loss of Wheal Leisure to George, seeing miners broken by the terms of their labour.
Morwenna and Geoffrey Charles are to spend Christmas in Truro and Drake and Morwenna almost kiss before Geoffrey Charles interrupts. Demelza cautions Morwenna against a relationship with Drake while, in Quimper, Armitage assists Dwight in treating prisoners. Ross decides to fetch Agatha to the christening party and finds his aunt neglected. The only distinguished family to arrive at George’s party are the Whitworths so George arranges to have Osborne Whitworth marry Morwenna, allying the Warleggans with the Boscawens through the marriage.
Ross hatches a plan to bring grain from overseas and George commits fifty guineas to Caroline’s request of aid for the poor. Ross oversees the corn smuggled and distributed to the villagers and Tom Harry tells George. Morwenna rejects Osborne and is sent back to Trenwith before George discovers he has been made a fool of and donated to the legal distribution of corn so, in spite, he closes Wheal Leisure. Ross employs thirty of the miners and Morwenna and Drake and reunited on Hendrawna beach.

With the French Royalists preparing an invasion, Caroline is optimistic for Dwight’s release. Ross, on the other-hand, suspects the Royalist’s invasion may place Dwight in greater danger and forms a rescue party of his own, including Tholly, Zacky and Henshawe. Meanwhile, George plans to attend Lord Falmouth’s gathering in order to further his plans of being considered for Parliament and manipulates his new acquaintance, Osborne Whitworth, into securing an invitation. When he learns that Ross is also being considered for Parliament, George decides he must find a way to discredit Ross at all costs.

Agatha warns Morwenna to cut off her relationship with Drake before George discovers it and punishes one or both of them. Heartbroken, Drake joins Ross’ rescue expedition as a stowaway. Meanwhile, Demelza takes time out from running the mine in Ross’ absence to accompany Caroline to Falmouth’s gathering, hoping to keep news of Ross’ expedition a secret from her.

While Ross and his gang (Drake among them) infiltrate the French prison at Quimper, George learns of Ross’ mission and uses it to discredit him as reckless. Ross locates Dwight but during the escape Henshawe is shot and killed. Caroline, unaware of Ross’ mission, learns at Tregothnan that the Royalist invasion has failed and assumes all hope for Dwight is lost. The One and All returns and Demelza greets the heroes, meeting Lieutenant Hugh Armitage among them. George learns Armitage is Lord Falmouth’s nephew and that Ross has thwarted him again.

Ross gifts some of Nampara’s land to the peasants as a means to provide for themselves but the Poldarks learn that it is their friend, Dr Enys who needs immediate care, suffering now from post-traumatic stress disorder following his internment in France. To Caroline’s chagrin Ross fetches Armitage to help council Dwight.

In reaction to Ross’ rescue of Hugh Armitage, George desperately needs to secure a connection to the nobility and so plans to force Morwenna’s marriage to Osborne. However, her resilience leads George to become suspicious and he has Tom Harry follow her. Drake delights Geoffrey Charles and Morwenna and further infuriates George by secretly reintroducing toads to Trenwith’s pond. Geoffrey Charles gives Drake his bible as a gift and naively reveals Morwenna is to be wed. Drake confronts Morwenna and she agrees to marry him instead. Morwenna returns to Trenwith to tell George and Elizabeth that she will refuse Ossie’s offer of marriage.

George learns of Morwenna’s connection to Drake and that Drake is the one responsible for polluting the pond with toads. Out of spite, George has Drake arrested for the theft of Geoffrey Charles’ valuable bible, a crime for which Drake will hang. Ross tries to bargain with George, but resorts to threatening to rouse the village against Trenwith again. Instead, George offers Morwenna the chance to save Drake’s life by forcing her to marry Osborne.

George learns of a vacant seat in Parliament for a Member of Truro and decides to pursue it. Elizabeth and Agatha prepare for Agatha’s hundredth birthday party much to George’s annoyance, and Caroline prepares for a fake wedding reception to which the great and good are invited, including Lieutenant Armitage and Lord Falmouth. George fails to impress Falmouth and decides instead to ally himself with Sir Francis Basset, who plans to challenge Falmouth’s monopoly in Truro. Hugh Armitage makes his affection for Demelza apparent but Ross dismisses it. Meanwhile, Sam becomes infatuated with Tholly’s daughter, Emma Tregirls.

Morwenna’s sister Rowella arrives at the Whitworth vicarage, having been sent for by Osborne to help the pregnant Morwenna and Basset invites Ross and Demelza to Tehidy. While Hugh Armitage flirts again with Demelza, Basset offers the parliamentary nomination to Ross. George overhears the offer to Ross and storms home in a rage.

George cancels Agatha’s party, revealing her to be 98 not 100 and Agatha takes revenge by telling George that Valentine was a full term baby and might not be his. Agatha, exhausted from the argument with George, dies.

Ross declines Basset’s offer because he believes the political system to be corrupt and so Basset turns to his second choice, George. Demelza is furious with Ross for turning Basset down and ignoring her advice and Ross tells her to look elsewhere for that kind of man. Maybe she will.

Ross is adamant George will lose in the election and determines to get a headstone made for Agatha’s grave, something Trenwith has neglected. George, meanwhile, questions Dwight over Valentine’s legitimacy and, paranoid and jealous, shuts himself to Elizabeth as Rowella begins to seduce Osborne Whitworth and Demelza receives tokens of Hugh’s affection. Sam continues to pine after Emma as Dwight instructs Osborne to forego intercourse with Morwenna. Ross returns from the mine to discover Hugh Armitage at Nampara with Demelza, and this time Hugh’s attention does not go unnoticed.

Cary informs Lord Falmouth that the Warleggans will be opposing Falmouth in the election, which George succeeds in winning. He tells Elizabeth, however, that he will not be taking her to London with him... Osborne spies on Rowella bathing before, drunk and lustful, he rapes Morwenna. Ross visits Agatha’s grave where he finds Elizabeth, who tells him of George’s spite and suspicion over Valentine’s true parentage. Ross advises her to deny it before kissing her farewell, something seen by Prudie. When the Poldarks dine at Tregothnan, Ross is asked by Falmouth to help him oppose George’s ascent and he finds that Demelza has become enamoured with Hugh.

Morwenna receives a pendant of a mother and child from Drake and, once she has, Osborne and Rowella have sex, in secret. At Nampara, Ross confesses he wishes Demelza would look at him the way she did at Hugh but Demelza confesses it may take some time…

Prudie and Tholly spy French sails on the horizon and Cornwall is put on alert. Francis Basset convenes a meeting for Cornwall’s defence, placing Ross in command of a squad of volunteers while Demelza continues to be courted by Hugh, in secret. Emma admits her attraction to Sam but cannot overcome her lack of religious faith, and George learns of Drake’s residence in the smithy on the edge of his land. He orders Tom Harry to force Drake away before being called to Tehidy and rebuked by Basset over his conduct in Westminster.

Morwenna braves escaping the Vicarage to see Drake as Basset commends Ross’ leadership and we sense his regret in making George an MP. Demelza tells Ross that Drake’s smithy has been terrorized, becoming suspicious of Ross’s sudden partiality to Elizabeth when he claims Trenwith isn’t responsible. Meanwhile, Rowella tells Osborne she is pregnant, blackmailing him for money with which to marry the local librarian, Arthur Solway.

Drake is beaten by Tom Harry and left for dead in Trenwith’s pond. While he is treated by Dwight, Prudie reveals Ross and Elizabeth’s kiss to Demelza. Demelza confronts Ross before meeting with Hugh as Ross and his Volunteers are called into action but, to Ross’ dismay, he finds his men defending George’s warehouse while, on Hendrawna Beach, Demelza has an affair with Hugh. The Poldarks return separately to Nampara, the future more uncertain than ever...