CHAPTER 1
September 1778
Benjamin Davidson had grown fond and accustomed to the constant chatter of Felicity Merriman, who helped him run her father's store. Since the beginning of the war two years ago, Felicity's father left to assist the troops. Felicity and Ben had been taking care of the store together. Even before working together, the two had been great friends, going back to when Felicity was nine, Ben was sixteen. Felicity could chatter on about anything from horses, music, men, her annoying little sister Nan, (a favorite topic that would send her on a rant that rivaled Ben's rants on the Tories) gardens, her friend Elizabeth and all of her flirtations, and apple butter. Ben liked that fact that Felicity could make any day no matter how dull, exciting by telling a dramatic account of how some young lad looked at Elizabeth in a funny way. Today her chatter had shifted to the war.
"I know this is just awful for me to say," she sighed as she began to sweep the store, part of the closing ritual that had to be done each day. "You'll think that I am dreadful, you will hate me forever."
"Nothing you could say would make me hate you forever," Ben mumbled. He was on top of a ladder, restocking shelves.
"I'm tired of the war," Felicity muttered. "I understand independence Ben, I really do, and I am all for the Patriot cause, but it's taking all the eligible men away, and with the war going on, I don't even get a new gown. I haven't had a new gown in over a year, this one is so old and tight, I hate it."
Felicity's gown was rather tight and ragged, but Ben was not going to stoop into agreeing with her.
"Tis a fine gown," he replied as he carefully climbed down the ladder. "George Washington's army appreciates your sacrifices for the cause." He rolled as eyes as Felicity helped herself to a bit of rock candy.
"Oh Ben, I know I sound like a horrible, ungrateful, person. I have had two years of the war. I miss Father and Penny."
Penny was Felicity's beloved horse that she let her father ride while delivering supplies to the troops. Once in a while Father and Penny would stop home for a day or two for new supplies, and then be off again. Felicity and her Father had had a special relationship, and now in her last years before she would belong to a husband, he had been taken away from her."
"So after missing the new gown and all of the men, you miss your father and the horse too," Ben teased. "Quit eating the rock candy! Messes up our books."
"Because a few pieces of candy makes a big difference," Felicity retorted and went back to her sweeping.
"I just feel so inadequate as a gentlewoman," Felicity moaned. "Why I am going to have to worry about courting gentlemen pretty soon. "Nan is lucky, she is three years younger than me. By the time she is eligible the war will be over, and there will be more eligible men. Annabelle Cole married at sixteen, which is only three years older than me, and Elizabeth. " Felicity saw the reflection of her ugly, ill-fitting, gray work dress in the window. She felt like a scullery maid, and she was the daughter of the owner of one of the finest shops in Williamsburg! Felicity wasn't one to spend too much time devoted to pinning for the latest fashions, but a thirteen-year old girl did deserve a new dress once in a while. She remembered back to when she was nine, and she had been invited to a dancing lesson at the Governor's Palace. Her mother had made her a beautiful new gown out of gorgeous blue silk. That gown had been the first Felicity had ever wanted, and she had worn it a few other times with a different stomacher, before it was passed on to Nan. That dance lesson was a world ago, before the war, before beautiful silk grew scarce, and cost a fortune. Mother always said because of the war, she didn't have the time to make many new gowns, but Felicity knew it was because of the price of new material.
"What happened to Elizabeth?" Ben asked. Elizabeth Cole was Felicity's best friend. She came from a Loyalist family, and they were extremely wealthy. Elizabeth had new gowns.
"You must keep it a secret," Felicity whispered for dramatic effect.
"I'm good at keeping your secrets Lissie," Ben replied. And he was, the two had kept secrets many a time. Everything from when Felicity was sneaking out of the house to visit Penny, or when Ben broke his apprenticeship with Mr. Merriman to join the Patriot Army. Then there were times when Felicity helped Ben keep his nights at the local tavern a secret from her mother.
"She's been kissed. Felicity said dramatically.
"I doubt she's been kissed," Ben replied.
"She says it's true," said Felicity. "She had been invited to some Christmas party, and they snuck off for a kiss. Her and Joseph Dunham."
"Dunham?" Ben snorted. "He's a Loyalist, is he not?"
"Aye," Felicity replied. "He's dashingly handsome though, much handsomer than Bananabelle's old husband from England. His family is wealthy too. She isn't even marrying age and she will have a husband, and I shall die an old maid."
"I doubt that," Ben replied.
"I wish I were a boy, then I could pick whatever girl I wanted, I wouldn't have to wait for some boy to take interest in me," Felicity went on.
"No, you would have to ask the girl's father first," Ben replied. "Now that is something to worry about."
"Do you ever think about getting married?" Felicity asked.
"No," he replied. "I'm an apprentice, I cannot get married until after my apprenticeship, which is up soon, but then I'm going into the army." Ben's dream was to fight in the battle for independence, and his apprenticeship would be up in just over a month. Which was another bitter reason for Felicity to resent the war, for now it would take away one of her good old friends, possibly for good.
"After the war will you get married?" Felicity asked again, she began to untie her apron.
"I would like to," Ben said. They were silent for a while, before Felicity piped up again.
"Ben I need to ask you a favor."
"Need to borrow my breeches again?" Ben teased.
"Funny. I want you to kiss me," Felicity said in utter seriousness.
"Kiss you?" Ben shrieked. "Lissie have you gone mad?"
"No," Felicity replied, cheeks growing hot. "I just want to know what it feels like. I love her to pieces, but I am envious of Elizabeth."
"Lissie, as pretty as you are, you will not have to worry about kissing for a while," Ben replied. If your father ever found out, he would be furious, your honor."
"The shop is closed, no one would see. I just was curious what it was like," Felicity said solemnly. "Tis not fair."
"Oh Lissie, you said yourself the good, wealthy, eligible guys are all gone to the war," Ben said half jokingly.
"Everything has gone to the war, Father has gone to the war, Penny has gone to the war, and you will go too! I hate the war!" Felicity said bitterly. She hastily grabbed her bonnet so she could go home for the night.
"Felicity you do not mean that!" Ben snapped. "Men are dying everyday so you can live in a country that is free, and governed by ourselves. The war will lay the foundation for a whole new future as Americans, and you are upset over not having a new gown!"
"I believe a girl has a right to be upset over missing her father, and dear friend," Felicity said with tearing eyes. Ben Davidson could never stand to see Felicity saddened or upset. He had had friends of who had gone to fight, his cousin had been killed as well. He could understand her pain. Maybe it was the way she hung her head as she got ready to leave, maybe it was the way her red tendrils always peeped out from under her cap, or maybe it was her spunkiness, but he could never tell her no.
"Felicity Merriman you are the most irresistible girl I know," Ben sighed. He went over to her, bent down, for he was much taller than she was, and kissed her. He meant it to be a quick peck, but it lasted a second longer. Felicity stared at him dumbfounded. "There," he said. "Tis not all what it's cracked up to be."
Felicity was hiding a grin, and she was doing a bad job of it.
"Thank you Ben," she whispered.
"Tis a secret," Ben reminded her, slightly embarrassed that he had let it go a wee bit longer than intended.
"I am sorry to say that I cannot tell you if you were a good kisser, because I have none to compare to," Felicity said. "Did I do all right?"
"It was all right," he mumbled, now red in the face, he was sweating! It must have been all right, for what was supposed to be a platonic, playful, brotherly peck, barely a kiss, but that was definitely a kiss.