Chapter II

The next few days, Felicity was not out in the pasture. Ben passed the tannery several times a day, but there was no sign of the girl. During that time, he paid special attention to anyone who mentioned the tanner and its inhabitants, but he discovered little.

Not much was known of the owner. His name was Jiggy Nye, and nothing Ben heard of him was good. He'd been married once, but since losing his wife had become a drunkard and a gambler. Because of this, his money went to drink rather than his trade, and business was poor. No one brought him deliveries because no one trusted him to pay for what he asked for.

Ben heard nothing of Felicity. He wondered if people even knew she was there.

His answer came one night at dinner with Mr. Merriman. He asked how Ben was getting along, and if the streets were easier to navigate than before. Ben assured him that he was learning fast, and his route often took him by the tannery. He was curious as to the man named Jiggy Nye, and what his story was.

Mr. Merriman frowned. "Ah, that's a sad tale, indeed. Mr. Nye was once revered for his knowledge of horses, but since his wife passed, he's become a changed man. It must be a hard life, suddenly being left all alone."

"He has a little girl," Ben remarked quietly.

"That can't be. His wife and two daughters died of the fever. It's just Mr. Nye in that tannery."

"I saw her. Her name is Felicity and he keeps her tied to a post in the pasture."

"Perhaps you were mistaken. It must have been one of the neighbour's daughters playing a game." Mr. Merriman changed topics suddenly. "Did you copy the storehouse inventory like I asked?"

"Yes , sir. But, sir, I did see her!"

"That's enough, Ben. Those are serious accusations to be putting against any man. I know you find his trade offensive, but that is no reason to tell tales. I thought better of you."

Ben lowered his eyes and said nothing more, but his head was spinning. It became even more urgent that he see Felicity again. He knew what he had seen, and he knew she was not playing any foolish games.

This time, she was there; small, downcast, and dirty as he remembered. He'd also remembered that Jiggy Nye refused her food, so he had started to carry his lunch in his pocket on the chance that he would find her. Today there was an apple and a few pieces of bread.

Ben anxiously crept around the side rather than going by way of the pasture gate. He stayed concealed behind a coppice of oak until he determined that there were no signs of Jiggy Nye at the house.

"Felicity!" he whispered as loud as he dared.

Her head shot up, and her wide eyes searched frantically until they rested on Ben. "You came back!"

"Is it all right for me to come closer? Will he see me?"

Her gaze drifted back to the house. "He doesn't see well."

Ben planted himself beside her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to get you in trouble last time."

"Mr. Nye doesn't like strangers," she frowned.

"I'll be careful this time and run away before he sees. Why do you call him Mr. Nye?" Ben asked. "Isn't he your father?"

"After Mama died, he hit me when I called him Papa. He said he's Mr. Nye to me."

Ben nodded, though he could not fathom why a man would be angry to be called Papa. "May I untie you?"

She shook her head with vehemence. Ben tried to explain that he would replace the rope before he left, but she was terrorised from prior consequences. As she devoured the bread and apple Ben provided, he tried not to stare too hard at the bruises that covered her arms and legs.

"Do those hurt?" he asked.

She nodded. Using the back of her hand to wipe apple juices from her mouth resulted in dirt streaks across her face. "I'm thirsty," she put almost like a question.

"Oh! I forgot!" Ben scurried away without warning. He went back to Mr. Merriman's for something to hold water in. It took him some time to find a tin cup from the storehouse and fill it from the river, even though he ran the whole way.

When he returned, Felicity was sniffling, and making more of a mess by wiping falling tears with her dirty hands.

Ben took care not to spill a single drop of water as he knelt beside her, setting the cup out of the way. She flinched when his hand touched her shoulder, and he quickly drew it back. "Felicity, what's wrong?"

"I… I thought you weren't coming back," she whimpered.

"I will always come back!" He took her hand in his own and she did not flinch this time. He began to clean it with the end of his shirt. Soon he had her face and arms clean, and he was rewarded with her amused giggle as her cheeks appeared from beneath the dirt.

Later, Ben was scolded for being careless with his clothes, and arriving at Mr. Merriman's with a soiled shirt, but he didn't mind. He'd made Felicity smile and that was enough.

Author's Note: Isn't little Ben the sweetest? I rather love him. And poor little Lissie too, of course. Mr. Merriman is being a total Alice's-Not-in-Wonderland-Dad right now. Poor Ben! I believe you!