Chapter 12:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Polly said, hugging her sister. Felicity laughed and hugged her back.

"I guess you like the dress?" she asked.

"I love the dress, Lissie!" Polly replied, holding it against her. She twirled around a few times, admiring how the skirts fanned out. "I shall be the belle of the ball!"

"Aye, you will be. I do believe you also will be saving a dance for me?" Ben asked from his seat in the corner.

Polly ran over to him. "Of course I shall," she replied, hugging him as well. "Oh, I cannot wait for the ball."

"That is easy to tell," Nan said, rolling her eyes a bit.

"Nan," Martha warned her daughter. "Polly, 'tis time for bed and I think Felicity and Ben will be heading back to their house now."

"Aye, it is getting late. I shall come over tomorrow to help with Christmas dinner preparations because I daresay we shall have no time before Lady Palinger's ball," Felicity replied, hugging her mother. She and Ben wished everyone a good night before they headed home.


"Your sister made the dress as a surprise for you to wear at the ball?" Polly's friend, Rebecca, asked. Polly nodded as they walked towards Miss Manderly's for a special dance lesson before Lady Palinger's ball so that the girls wouldn't be too nervous the next night.

"Oh, Polly, you are so fortunate." Her other friend, Susan, sighed. "I wish I had an older sister who would make a dress for me."

"Well, I certainly cannot wait until tomorrow to see it," Rebecca hinted. Polly shook her head.

"I wish I could, but today is when Mother, Rose, Nan and Felicity will be planning Christmas dinner. Mother said that since I have reached the age for gentlewoman lessons, I shall help them prepare as well. She is calling it 'homework' for Miss Manderly's class. As if finishing our samplers wasn't enough 'homework'!"

Rebecca and Susan giggled. "'Our' samplers?" Susan asked. "Polly, my sampler has been finish for a few weeks now. I believe Rebecca, you have also finished yours as well?"

"Aye, a week after you."

"Are you two telling me that I am the only one who hasn't finished her sampler?" Polly asked. Her two friends looked at each other before replying:

"Aye!" Polly groaned, causing her friends to break out of giggles into full laughter.

"It isn't humorous! I shall be working hard on it all day tomorrow before the ball rather than practicing my dancing! It is supposed to be a Christmas present for Miss Manderly and I won't have time on Christmas to finish it!"

"Polly, calm down," Rebecca said, squeezing Polly's hand. "Our next lesson isn't for three days after Christmas. You will have time."

"Thank you," Polly replied. She then turned serious and stopped walking. Susan and Rebecca, not used to this side of their friend, stopped as well. "May I ask you two for an important favor?"

"No, Polly, I am not finishing your sampler," Susan replied.

Rebecca nudged her friend. "Susan, I do not think she is joking with us. I do believe she is serious about this favor."

"Aye, I am sorry. Tell me the favor and I will grant it."

"As will I," Rebecca said. "You can trust us, Polly."

"I know." Polly dropped her voice and motioned for the two to get closer. "I know we are planning on enjoying ourselves tomorrow night, but I need you two to help me keep an eye on someone at the ball. I suspect Lady Annabelle Andrews is plotting to steal Ben from my husband and may do something at the ball."

"Lady Annabelle Andrews? Polly, are you certain?"

"I am not entirely certain, but I have such a strong feeling about it. My sister's best friend, Elizabeth, has been talking with Felicity in hushed tones and I often hear Annabelle's name mention in their conversations. Elizabeth is Lady Andrews' sister, so if she suspects something 'tis not just me."

"Aye, I will help you protect your sister," Susan replied. Rebecca agreed as well.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Rebecca replied. "If Lady Andrews is planning on hurting your sister, she will regret crossing the three of us."


Lady Rockwell closed her parlor door so that the slaves wouldn't overhear the conversation. She was a bit paranoid because she had heard them talking about hers and Annabelle's plan to separate Ben and Felicity Davidson. She came down hard on them, even though they swore over and over that they hadn't told anybody, but she needed to put some fear into her slaves. She just hoped, for everybody's sake, that they hadn't been blabbing about town. She turned to Lady Andrews and sighed. "I am afraid we need to be careful of what my slaves hear," she warned. "They swear they haven't told anyone anything, but I trust the whole lot of them as much as anyone in power trusts their help."

"I understand completely," Annabelle replied. "I am also very careful in what I tell Rachel, though she has proven herself quite loyal to me."

"Aye, I wish all slaves could be as loyal as Rachel is. I also wish they would be as meek and quite as she as well." Annabelle nodded. "Do you have any suspicions that someone knows?"

"I don't believe anyone knows, but I have reason to doubt my sister is completely ignorant. She suspects something is afoot."

"What makes you believe that?" Patrice replied, sitting down.

"Elizabeth was upset all through out dinner yesterday. Our parents and her husband questioned her about it, but she insisted she was fine. I noticed the evil looks she kept sending in my direction," Annabelle explained. "Later, she coldly told me that a Lord Freeman had been there earlier to call on me."

"John did not say anything about Felicity to Elizabeth, did he?"

"I cannot say. Bitsy stalked off afterwards and remained in her room all night. I was unable to discuss it further with her this morning as well because Mother and Catherine were in the room. If Bitsy already suspects and I cannot arouse suspicion in those two as well."

"Do you have ideas of what Elizabeth suspects?"

"I believe she suspects that I will use Lord Freeman to make Ben jealous," Annabelle stated quite firmly. "I do not believe she suspects our true intention."

"I hope she didn't reveal Felicity's true marital status," Patrice said.

"I do not believe she did. After all, if she did, why would Lord Freeman wish to speak with me at the ball? He is still in the dark and wishes to continue with the plan to woo Felicity, whom he believes an unmarried maid not a married woman who is pregnant with her first child."

"I hope all goes well," Patrice said, holding her friend's hand. "You deserve to be happy."

"I know." Annabelle smiled. She turned the conversation to little things about the ball the next day and how things were going to work out for her and Ben after the holidays. She never noticed how introspective Patrice Rockwell had become, which was quite unusual for her friend.


However, Roger did notice his wife's behavior. As they prepared for bed that night, he asked her what was wrong. "I was having tea with Anna today and we were discussing her plan to marry Ben, when I told her she deserved to be happy."

"Patrice, darling, I know you care about Anna and didn't lie about her happiness, but what has you feeling so sad?"

"I am not sad, but I am feeling a bit guilty. I will stand by Anna no matter what happens, but as I said that statement I realized something very important."

"Oh?"

"She deserves happiness, but I do not believe Benjamin Davidson is the one who will bring it to her. I believe she is blinded by her feelings for her first love and the fact he is unattainable. I think she would be happier if she were married to your cousin."

"John? Annabelle loves the social world, he detests it!"

"Aye, but they do say opposites attract. I think they are a good, solid match. I wish I could get Anna to see the same," Patrice replied, sitting on their bed. Roger sat down next to her.

"I believe you will have to let Annabelle realize these things in her own time. I am certain that you will stand by her no matter what happens."

"Aye. Good night, Roger."

"Good night, Patrice."


Elizabeth rushed into the Merriman household, startling Nan. She almost dropped the pan she was holding. "Elizabeth, you scared me!" she said. "Gentlewomen do not…"

"Nan, not now, please. Where is your sister?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Where is your sister? I know you know of whom I talking about!"

"She is inside with Mother and Rose, writing out a list of items Polly needs to pick up from Father's store."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, rushing from the kitchen to the parlor. Rose and Mrs. Merriman watched as Felicity wrote down the food items they rattled off while Polly stood in a corner looking like she would rather be somewhere else but in that room. The four women looked at her, a bit surprised. "Hello. May I borrow Lissie for a bit?" she asked.

"Certain," Martha replied, taking the list from Felicity. "Is everything alright, Elizabeth?"

"Everything is fine," Elizabeth replied, pulling her friend from the room. She dragged her out of the kitchen (stopping only to get Felicity's cloak) and back into the Davidson household next door. Felicity hardly regained her bearings when Elizabeth whirled on her friend. "We need to talk."

"I thought as much considering how you dragged me over here. What do we need to talk about?"

"My sister. I know Annabelle's plan to separate you and Ben," Elizabeth said.

"How? Did you two have some sisterly bonding and she told you everything?"

"Of course not. I figured it out on my own. I believe you now are an acquaintance of a Lord John Freeman of Essex?"

"Aye, he came to the store the other day and we had a pleasant conversation…Annabelle was the 'friend' who thought he and I would make a handsome couple!"

"Aye. She was obviously hoping that you would realize John was your perfect husband whilst Ben realized Annabelle was his perfect wife!"

"I must admit, I am impressed with Annabelle's creativity," Felicity said. "That is a grand plan with one flaw—Ben and I are each other's perfect spouse. I feel bad now, Lord Freeman must be extremely embarrassed at having flirted with a married woman though it isn't his fault, 'tis Annabelle's."

"He knows it is my sister's fault. He came calling yesterday, but she was out and we talked together. He was quite angry with her. In fact, he was absolutely furious as well as embarrassed. Lord Freeman's visit has given me an idea of mine own."

"Oh? Do tell, for I am quite intrigued."

"I am calling on him after this and I believe he may help us chase Annabelle from Ben's path for good as well as put her in her place."

"Sounds interesting," Felicity said. "Do continue…"


A/N: Happy 4th of July (a bit early, but oh well)! I hope everyone has a lovely barbecue/party to celebrate and that you have a lot of fireworks. My neighborhood is going to be filled with the rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air, even though it is illegal to do so in the state of NY. I'll be in PA from Sunday to Monday, so if I don't respond until Tuesday to your review, you know why! --Mac