Chapter 6:

Felicity ran across the small patch of land that separated her house from her parents'. She threw open the kitchen door and came to a halt near the cutting board where both Nan and Rose were working. "Rose, do you know where my Mother may be?" Felicity asked, slightly out of breath.

"Aye. She's in the upstairs parlor. She said she was expecting you," Rose replied, smiling. Felicity returned the smile and ran off to see her mother.

"Felicity Davidson, gentlewoman do not—" Nan started before Rose placed a black hand over the young girl's mouth.

"Nan, there are sometimes that running may be allowed for a gentlewoman. I remember your own mother running down the store to tell your father that she was pregnant with Felicity as fast as her legs could carry her," Rose said, smiling at Nan's face.

"Mother? Running…impossible. Mother is a true gentlewoman," Nan said.

"And so's your sister."

Felicity nearly broke the door as she threw it opened. "Mother, Mother? Are you here? Rose said you were!"

Martha Merriman entered the parlor from her room at the sound of her eldest daughter's voice. "Felicity, you were nearly loud enough to wake the dead. What is the matter, child?" she asked.

"It hasn't come, Mother, 'tis my time and it's not here!" Felicity said, closing the door. "There was nothing, all week. I'm past. 'Tis the second month as well."

Mrs. Merriman hugged her daughter. "Oh, Lissie, I'm so happy for you and Ben. We'll have to find you a midwife. Do you remember who delivered Elizabeth?" she asked.

"Aye," Felicity said, still smiling. She placed her hands on her stomach. "I'm going to be a mother! I can't believe it!" She then dropped into the nearby rocker as reality hit her. "I'm going to be a mother."

"Oh, Lissie, you'll be a wonderful mother. I think you proved that back when you were ten and I was terribly ill. You took wonderful care of your siblings then and over the course of the years since. You've come a long way, Felicity. You're now managing your own household and you will be a fine mother."

"I don't know what to do. Are there mothering lessons, like the gentlewoman classes I took with Miss Manderly."

"I'm sorry, but there are no such classes. You'll have to learn the way other woman have learned."

"How?"

"By having your own child," Mrs. Merriman said, pushing a loose strand of her daughter's copper hair from Felicity's face. "I was absolutely terrified when I had you. I had no clue about how to raise a child and there you were, so small and defenseless. Luckily, I had your father and Rose."

"Luckily, I'll have Ben and you," Felicity said, hugging her mother. "Grandmother," she teased.

"I could get used to that title," Mrs. Merriman smiled as the door banged open again.

"I'm going to be an aunt?" Polly said from the doorway. "Felicity is going to have a child and I'm going to be Aunt Polly! I have to go tell Rebecca!" With that, Felicity's littlest sister was gone.

"Don't worry, Rose will stop her. Contain the news for the time being," Martha said. "Now, why don't you go tell the father-to-be. Keep tradition as well. I ran when I was pregnant with you."

"I believe I can do that," Felicity said, hugging her mother. With a quick stop to hug Polly, Felicity was out of the Merriman household in a blink of an eye.

"Felicity is going to be raising a child? Poor soul!" Nan said.

"Nan…"


Felicity did indeed run all the way to her father's store, though by now, no one cared. It was just part of a usual day in Williamsburg to see Felicity Davidson running somewhere or the other. Which meant also that the girl had exciting news as well. Felicity reached inside and tried to search out her husband, but didn't see him upfront. "Father," she called out. "Where's Ben?"

Edward chuckled and called Felicity into the backroom. "He's out running a task for me. We both need a new apprentice and are waiting for William to turn the right age. Now, what do you need to tell Ben and did you run here?"

"Aye, I ran. Mother said I could," Felicity said, smiling.

"Your mother said you could run here?"

"She said I had to keep tradition." Hopefully, her father would get the hint.

He did. She watched as his face broke out into a large smile. "Oh, Lissie, really?" Felicity nodded and her father scooped her up into a hug. "Grandfather. I think I could get used to that term. I'm certain your mother is already accustomed to being called Grandmother."

"She is, Father. I cannot wait to tell Ben!"

"Well, once he returns I will dismiss him at once and send him looking for you," Edward promised. He kissed his daughter's forehead. "Now, go. I believe there is someone else you wish to share the good news with?"

"Indeed," Felicity said. "Elizabeth will be so excited!"

"I am," her friend's voice drifted from the doorway. "I'm sorry to eavesdrop but Annabelle needs cinnamon. She's entertaining friends of hers from England and sent me to get the cinnamon."

"I'll get it for you, Elizabeth. I'll leave you two to celebrate."

"Annabelle is entertaining guests? From England? Someone came to see her?"

"No, apparently they came here to Williamsburg shortly after my brother-in-law died. I remember Patrice Rockwood; she and Annabelle were quite close."

"And now Annabelle is sending her little sister, who has a child of her own to raise, to do her errands. Typical Bananabelle," Felicity said.

"Tis strange to hear you call her that again," Elizabeth said. "We haven't called my sister that nickname in years. But never mind that, you are going to have a child of your own! Does Ben know yet?"

"No, not yet. I was waiting to be absolutely sure before I told him. I just received confirmation today," Felicity explained. "I'm excited and scared at the same time. Were you?"

"Of course I was. I wish there were some book somewhere where childrearing was explained, but there isn't any."

"I wish there were classes, but there aren't."

"We have to do this alone."

"Well, Mother said she had Father and Rose when I was born. You had Phillip, your parents, his parents, and your servants when you gave birth to James. And I'll have Mother, Father, Rose, Ben's parents most likely, and you," Felicity said. "I guess we're not alone in this after all."

"It just feels that way, though."

"Aye, it does. But shouldn't you be the one telling me that?" Felicity teased. "When did our roles reverse?"

"Let me see: You reassuring me while I'm being practical, no are roles are still the same." Elizabeth and Felicity shared a laugh as Mr. Merriman returned with Elizabeth's purchase. "Good day. Felicity, tell Ben I said congratulations."

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Felicity replied. "Good day, Father. I better go home and start dinner."

Edward didn't say anything; he merely wrapped his arms around his daughter again and then let her go. Felicity left the store and then proceeded down the street, off in her own little dream world. She saw herself rocking a beautiful baby girl with her hair and Ben's eyes. Ben stood nearby, just watching them…


"Do watch where you are going! You nearly knocked me down," a haughty British voice interrupted Felicity's daydream. She snapped out of it, praying that it wasn't Annabelle she had just run into. She then remembered that Annabelle was at Elizabeth's house, preparing to entertain guests.

"I apologize. I just received very good news and I'm afraid my head was in the clouds," Felicity said, looking over the woman. She wore a fine dress with an expensive coat over it, her black curls pulled back into a ridiculous hairdo. The woman reminded Felicity of Annabelle and she didn't like it.

"You could've hurt me while I could do no harm to you if you fell backwards," the woman stated.

Felicity was upset; if she had fallen, her unborn child would've been at risk. "I'm afraid I'm in a delicate way," Felicity replied through gritted teeth. The woman understood immediately.

"Well, that explains the good news you just received," the woman replied. "Roger, darling, are you almost done in there? Annabelle is expecting us soon. We mustn't keep Lady Andrews waiting." She directed this at Felicity, to impress her importance.

"You know Lady Annabelle Andrews?" Felicity asked.

"Yes. I believe you've heard of her?"

"Heard of her? I know her myself. I'm friends with her sister, Elizabeth Michaels. I'm Felicity Davidson. My father and husband own Merriman General Store," Felicity said. "I'm afraid I don't recognize you. Are you new in town?"

"Barely. My husband and I arrived near three months ago. I'm Lady Patrice Rockwell, my husband is Lord Roger Rockwell. He and his brother are businessmen."

"I've heard of Arnold Rockwell, Lady Rockwell," Felicity replied. "I'm just surprised I haven't seen you before. Williamsburg isn't that large, unlike London I suppose."

"You are quite right that Williamsburg is nothing like London. And we haven't seen each other before because my husband and I make it a point not to associate with people such as yourselves."

Felicity would've thrown her gentlewoman training to the wind at that moment just to deck the woman. However, Lord Rockwell (Felicity presumed) left the shop and meet up with his wife. He was tall, slightly chubby, with thinning blonde hair and grey eyes. He had the air of someone equal to his wife's personality. "Are we ready to go, Patrice?" he said, completely ignoring Felicity.

"Indeed, darling. Good day, Mrs. Davidson. T'was a pleasure to meet you."

"Good day, Lady Rockwell. The pleasure was all mine. Oh, and do tell Lady Andrews I said 'hello', would you? Thank you." With that, Felicity left the Rockwoods, not noticing the looks shared between the two.


Felicity almost jumped when two arms wrapped around her later as she was preparing dinner. She whipped around and came face to face with her husband. "Ben, you startled me. I didn't hear you come in," she replied, hugging him.

"Daydreaming again?" he asked. He felt his wife nod. He gently pushed away from her to look into her eyes. "Now, I return to the store and your father pushes me out again, telling me I have to go home. He was saying something about my wife having good news to tell me."

"Mayhaps you should sit down for this news," Felicity said, smiling. She pushed him into a nearby chair.

"He said good news, Lissie."

"It is good news. 'Tis also news you may also want to be sitting for." Ben smiled, pulling her onto his lap.

"If so, you must tell me the news while sitting as well."

"Aye, I can do that," Felicity replied. "The good news I ran all the way to the store to tell you only to find out my father had sent you on a job was that I'm pregnant."

Silence reigned in the Davidson kitchen for a few minutes. Felicity swore she could hear every pop and cackle of the fire in the background as well as her own heartbeat. She wasn't sure why Ben hadn't reacted already, unless he wasn't as happy as she thought he would be.

"Are—are you sure?" he finally managed to squeak out, making Felicity smile. She nodded as she felt his grip tighten. "We're going to have a child? We're going to be parents? Lord, we're going to be parents," he sighed.

Now Felicity just burst out laughing. "Yes, we're going to be parents and I believe we'll be very good parents," she replied, in between giggles. "Now, why don't I get up and finish dinner. I'm hungry."

"You ought to be considering there's another being inside you," Ben replied back, kissing her. "I love you and our child."

"I love you, too," she whispered back. Everything was perfect, absolutely perfect.


A/N: You would not believe how fast I wrote this. Inspiration hit and it hit hard! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I felt so happy writing it. I'm going to a Billy Joel concert (for those who aren't also reading "Life is Pandemonium" in Harry Potter and knew that) tonight, so I'll have to report on that next week, won't I?—Mac