We walked slowly back to the house.
" Come on. Lets tell everyone," I said with a smile. We walked into the kitchen and it was empty. I could hear voices in another room.
" There is company. We can tell them at dinner," Ben said and I nodded. He walked back outside and I smiled.
" Mother," I called. I ran down the hall to the parlour and saw lots of people.
" My Alicia, haven't you grown. You were a baby when I saw you last," a woman said looking at me.
" Alicia, you remember your aunts, uncles and cousins. Don't you," Mother said.
" Of course, I'm just not very good with names. It's nice to see you," I said. " Lissie. Can I speak to you for a minute?" Felicity jumped up eagerly and hurried out of the room. I closed the door and we walked upstairs to our bedchamber.
" Did we know they were coming," I asked.
" No, they just arrived. So Nan is staying in here tonight," she said.
" Why couldn't they have came tomorrow," I mumbled, sitting on my bed.
" Does it make a difference," Lissie asked.
" No, I just wanted to tell everyone something and I can't say it in front of people I don't know," I said.
" Tell what," Lissie asked. I looked at her and smiled. " Did Ben ask you to marry him?" I nodded and she hugged me.
" Now don't tell anyone. You are the first to know," I said and she nodded.
" When will you tell Mother and Father," she asked.
" Dinner. Better sooner rather than later. Now we should probably go back to the parlour," I said. Lissie nodded and we both got up.
Every chair in the dining room was taken, Felicity was on one side on me and William on the other. Ben was at the other end of the table.
" It is nearly your birthday Felicity. Isn't it," our Grandmother asked.
" Yes, I'm going to be eleven" Felicity replied.
" And I'm five," William said and we laughed.
" And messy," I said, wiping his mouth.
" And Alicia, you are near sixteen," Grandmother said.
" Not until August," Mother said.
" She should be getting married soon," Aunt Abigail said.
" She is still young," Father said and I nodded. I glanced at Ben who smiled at me.
" She should at least be courting Edward," Aunt Jane said.
" She is," Felicity said.
" Really," Grandmother said, surprised. My hands tightened around my knife and fork.
" Can't be true. That red hair is dreadful," Aunt Jane said.
" Ben doesn't think so," Nan said. She spoke without realising what she had said and what she was about to get me into.
" Ben, who is Ben," Aunt Abigail asked.
" Him." William pointed at Ben who was staring at his lap.
" He is my apprentice," Father said. Polly cried upstairs and I stood up.
" I'll get Polly Mother," I said before I walked out of the dining room.
I took Polly in my arms and she smiled at me. I smelled her and groaned. I changed her quickly then walked with her until she slept. I put her back in the crib and walked back to the dining room. My siblings and cousins were standing by the door.
" They're arguing," Betty said.
" About you," Joshua added.
" And Ben," William said. I looked at Lissie.
" They don't think an apprentice is able to support you," she said.
" Did you say anything," I asked.
" No," she said and I nodded before I walked into the room. Ben walked over to me and took my hand. I pushed it off and walked towards the adults.
" Quiet," I shouted. " Why are you arguing. It's my life and my choice. And that's why I'm going to marry Ben. I don't care if you like it or not. Mother and Father approve. Why can't you." I ran out of the house and into the barn. I climbed up the ladder and his myself with lots of hay.
" Alicia. Alicia, come down," Mother called. " You have been up there two hours everyone is away to bed." I crawled to the ladder and looked down.
" Can't I sleep up here," I asked.
" No," Mother said. She walked to the other side of the barn and sat on a stool. " You shouldn't think about what they said. It will only upset you more."
" I know. Why are people so quick to judge," I asked.
" It is human nature. Now why don't you come down and you can have some ginger cake," Mother said. I nodded and climbed down. I brushed the hay off my dress then we went inside. Mother poured me some milk and gave me a plate with a piece of cake. She sat beside me and smiled.
" When people are angry they don't realise what they are saying. Do you know what you said earlier," Mother asked.
" No," I said with a smile.
" You said that you were going to marry Ben," she said, and I looked at her.
" I did, didn't I," I said. " He asked me earlier. I was going to say at dinner." Mother smiled and hugged me.
" I should have known. You were smiling all afternoon," she said. The hall clock chimed and Mother stood up. " Now go to bed, it is late."
" Yes Mother, good night," I said. I stood up and went up to my bedchamber. I changed into my nightgown and then got into bed and went to sleep.