CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Polly would need medical attention as soon as she woke up, Andy had to stay the night at the Merriman house. Andy charged by the hour, and was making a pretty penny to stay up through the night, He sat out in the parlor, watching the very early stages of sunrise. It wouldn't have been so bad except for Felicity and Ben over on the sofa. She had fallen asleep in his arms, and he eventually had fallen asleep as well, still holding her. He thought they were a couple of silly mush buckets. A short while later, their sleep was disturbed by Mr. Merriman.
"Felicity," he called. "I need to see you in my office." There was a cold sternness to his voice. Felicity couldn't imagine why he needed to see her. The only reason she could think of was that Nan must have squealed about the necklace. Could Father really be concerned with that trivial fodder right now?
Father kept his back to Felicity, another sign telling her whatever it was it wasn't good, because he couldn't even look at her. She also noticed that he had been into the Scotch, she could even smell it on him, across the room.
"I arranged to have Penny sold to a horse auctioneer first thing this morning," he announced. "She will be auctioned on Tuesday. I am sorry Felicity."
"What!" Felicity shrieked. "It is not Penny's fault what happened to Polly. Polly could have fallen off any horse, even Old Bess."
"Yes, but I'm afraid that I can never look at Penny again after what happened to my daughter. I can't with a clear mind feed and stable that horse, with the constant reminder," Mr. Merriman began to explain but he was interrupted by Felicity.
"I'm your daughter too!" Felicity shouted. "I love Penny! I worked so hard to tame that horse Father! You can't do this to me."
"I was going to have her sent to the glue factory," Mr. Merriman replied. He went over to the bottle of Scotch that sat on his desk, and poured himself another glass. "But out of respect for you, I decided to have her auctioned, rather than killed." He took a long sip, drinking all of the glass's contents.
Felicity had lost Nan, possibly Polly, and now her beloved horse all in one day. It was too much torture for anyone to endure, and she wouldn't wish it on anybody, not Annabelle, not Jiggy Nye, not even Nan. Felicity wasn't sure about where her engagement with Ben stood. He had been so sweet to her all night, but perhaps he was just feeling sorry for her, and did not want her for a wife anymore. But this wasn't exactly the time to worry about that.
"Father please," Felicity begged. "I will do anything, but please don't sell Penny. Selling Penny is like selling a piece of me away with her." She had dropped down to her knees in front of her father, who still had his back towards her.
"Well Polly has lost a piece of herself as well, probably much more," Mr. Merriman said bitterly.
"Andy said that she could still be fine, she could be okay," Felicity pressed.
"Felicity I have told you once, and I am not going to tell you again. I do not want that horse around anymore." He finally turned to face her. His face was as hard, and expressionless, as a stone. "Get up," he commanded. He stepped over her, and went to pour himself another glass of Scotch. This time Felicity snatched the glass up, and started to chug it, but her father grabbed it away.
"Oh no you don't," he growled. "Don't think that I didn't hear from the townspeople about your little stint at the Raleigh Tavern. I just let it slide because Ben had come back and all."
"Daddy," Felicity whined. "Please, let me support Penny myself. Don't sell her."
Mr. Merriman raised his hand as if he were going to slap her, Felicity prepared to take the blow. He stopped in midair, and put his hands down on the desk.
"Get out now," he commanded.
Felicity fled the room in tears.
"What on earth did that man do to you?" Andy asked.
"We have to do something," Felicity said to Ben and Andy. "Father is selling Penny to an auctioneer in the morning. She's going to auction on Tuesday. He's getting rid of her!"
"He shouldn't punish the horse," Andy said. "He should be disciplining that brat of a daughter of his for riding off on the horse in the first place."
"I have money," Ben said. "But it's in Yorktown. There is a lot of action going on over there right now. The earliest I could make it back if I left this morning would be tomorrow afternoon, and that's if I don't get held up. Horse auctions usually take place in the morning."
"Don't go to Yorktown Ben," Felicity said. "It's too dangerous."
"Well maybe I can speak to your Father," Ben offered. "Perhaps he would work out a deal with me."
"Ben don't waste your money on me," Felicity said. "You'll need it."
Ben would not take no for an answer. He knocked on the door of Mr. Merriman's office.
"Who is it?" He bellowed.
"It's Ben sir," Ben replied.
"Come in," he replied gruffly.
"I'm sure glad that I'm the one not going in there" Andy remarked as Ben entered the office.
"What do you want/" Mr. Merriman barked, he was pouring himself some more Scotch. "Want some?"
"Yes please," Ben replied. "Sir I was wondering if you would wait on selling Felicity's horse. I would like to purchase Penny, and I could have the money to you by Tuesday night or Wednesday."
Mr. Merriman took a long gulp of Scotch and broke out laughing.
"For a man who wants to start a business, buy a house, get married, and start a family, you sure would be squandering your money away!"
"Well I am going to need a horse," Ben replied.
"You can get a plenty fine workhorse for quite a bit cheaper than what Penny will sell for."
"I don't want a workhouse," answered Ben as he downed his drink. "I want to buy Penny."
"I'm sorry Ben, but Penny is being sold this morning. I cannot let you waste your money on such foolery. Tis not your fault lad. You grew up wealthy, and probably don't have much sense when it comes to the dollar."
"I understand money just fine Mr. Merriman," Ben shot back. "Buying Penny would make my Felicity happy, and if it makes her happy I do not see that money as wasted."
Mr. Merriman erupted into more laughter.
What is wrong with him? Ben thought. How can he laugh at a time like this? He must be drunk.
"If I bought my wife everything that would make her happy I would be a penniless man," Mr. Merriman snorted. "You have no sense when it comes to women. Perhaps I shouldn't let you marry my daughter."
Ben turned to leave. He was not going to hear nonsense from some drunk and depressed man.
"I'm sorry Lissie," he said as he entered the parlor. "Your Father is not going to change his mind."
Felicity's one dancing ray of hope had been dimmed just like that.
"Thank you for at least trying," she said.
Ben held Felicity close, and stroked her hair.
"If only I could have gotten him to stall the auction, or have somebody else attend the auction, buy the horse, and I could pay them off later. Brady would do it, but he is not going to have enough money to win Penny in the first place. What about Elizabeth and her husband?"
"I thought of them," Felicity replied. "But they just built that huge house, and bought two workhorses, and Joseph has some big new investments. I am pretty sure they wouldn't have enough spare money to win a horse as fine as Penny in an auction."
"We'll come up with something," Ben promised. He took her hand and kissed it. He noticed that she was still wearing the ring.
Felicity caught Ben glancing at the ring, and it gave her a fantastic idea.
"Jewelry," she muttered. "I have nice jewelry."
"Felicity, don't sell your ring," Ben said. "Number one, I only placed a deposit on it, the jeweler still technically owns it, and number two, I still love you, and I want to marry you. I take back everything I said earlier."
Felicity let out a little squeal of delight and she hugged Ben close.
"Good," she said. "You will be happy to know that I am going to sell the necklace that Andy gave me. And then I will give you the money, and you can go bid on Penny for me."
Earlier, Felicity had hated that stupid, foolish, necklace with an intense passion, and had almost thrown the wretched thing away. It had cost her all of that heartache earlier, and now it was finally going to repay her.