Notes and Disclaimer: Has anyone else noticed they are giving a way American Girl happy meal toys at McDo (This is slang I picked up in France) right now? They are books and PAPER DOLLS! Maybe this says something about how old I am, but when I was little I played with paper dolls ALL THE TIME, haha. I normally wouldn't support McDonald's, but if they are supporting reading and AG, I'm all about it, everyone go buy a happy meal! Felicity and her stories are property of Pleasant Company "find your inner star!" (I'm pretty sure they own that catch phrase too.)

More Than This

An American Girl: Felicity Fanfiction

By: DaggerQuill

Chapter Four

Over the next few months the Merriman household fell into a comfortable routine.

After breakfast, Father and Ben would go to work in the store. William would get his books and head to grammar school, complaining every morning, while Felicity reminded him, every morning, that when she was his age she would have given anything to be allowed to go to school. Nan and Felicity spent their mornings at lessons with Miss Manderly. Miss Manderley never failed to comment on how improved Felicity has been since her return from New York, which always annoyed Nan, who was much better at activities in lessons, and actually enjoyed them.

But before breakfast Ben and Felicity went riding.

When Felicity arrived at the barn Ben would be waiting and together they would feed and water the horses, saddle Penny and Patriot, and ride out into the approaching dawn.

They spent each sunrise discussing whatever they happened to be thinking, sharing stories, debating philosophies, expressing their frustrations, or simply talking about how they spent their days, everything without formality or hesitation. Other days they would ride together in a comfortable silence, enjoying each others company.

It was the consistency of it that Felicity truly treasured. The fact that Ben would be the first person she saw, every morning; the knowledge that her first words of the day would be with him and his with her. Even though she knew it was silly she felt both honored and humbled by a feeling that he had chosen her to begin his days with.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Felicity, would you mind coming to the store and helping Ben and I this afternoon?" Mr. Merriman asked his daughter one day during supper.

"We received a huge shipment in this morning, but we've been so busy, we haven't had anytime to put any of it away." Ben explained, "We could really use your help."

"Warm weather makes people want to shop, I've noticed." Mr. Merriman joked.

Of course she immediately agreed. Mr. Merriman shook his head at his daughter's willingness, but Ben knew that Felicity loved working in her father's store, and that she would much rather spend the afternoon working with her father there than at home doing chores with her mother.

As soon as they reopened the store, people began arriving and all three of them went to assist to various customers. A few hours later, Widow Reed was the only person in the store, talking with Mr. Merriman at the counter; Felicity had gone to the back to rearrange the store room. Ben was standing on a ladder near the door stocking bags of flour, when two young men entered the store.

They were nearly identical at first glance. They both had brown hair and were dressed similarly, very nicely, with silk stockings and shoes with silver buckles. They both looked slightly disheveled and had unmistakable British accents.

"Are we really going to do this?" One of them asked as they walked trough the door. As Ben watched them retreat to a corner of the store he noticed that the man who spoke was slightly shorter, his hair was lighter and curlier, and that his eyes were brown.

"She's here! I can see her through that door." The taller, blue eyed man said excitedly.

"That's even better!" The first one said tipping his hat to Widow Reed as she walked out the door with a smile that Ben found a little too charming. "Mr. Edward Merriman?" He asked striding to toward the counter.

"Yes, can I help you, mister…?"

"My name is Nathaniel Stratton, and this is my dear friend Mr. Andrew Lockwood. We have come to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Ben was so surprised he dropped the bag of flour he was holding, it landed on the floor with a thump that split the seams of the bag, freeing the white powder to float up and make Ben cough.

When the cloud that had surrounded him cleared, he saw Felicity calmly grinning, standing in the doorway to the storeroom with one boy hanging off each hand.

Mr. Stratton fell to his knees "You must understand," he said, "we both penned letters asking for her hand on the same day."

"After much quarreling," Mr. Lockwood continued between the loud sloppy kisses he was trailing up Felicity's arm, "we decided to come here and let Miss Merriman decide for herself."

"If you wish, lovely Felicity, we shall duel, and the survivor will be the winner of your heart!" said Mr. Stratton

"This may be the best solution, for we both have declared that the one who is not chosen shall take his own life out of despair!" Mr. Lockwood declared.

"Oh my!" Felicity cried. Her small grin seeming far to composed for such a bizarre situation. "I surely do not want either of you dead! So then, I suppose I'll have to marry both of you."

"What a wonderful plan!" Mr. Stratton exclaimed.

"Oh, Miss Merriman, we knew you would have the perfect solution! Nathaniel, she can live with you on the weekends and with me on the weekdays."

"That gives you one extra day each week!"

"Hmm," Mr. Lockwood pondered. "'Tis true. We shall simply rotate each week, with exceptions for certain special occasions.'

"On second thought," Mr. Stratton said to Mr. Lockwood after a moment of thought. "She is entirely altered since I last saw her. Look at her in such a simple dress, hair sticking out of a mob cap. Suddenly, she looks like a shopkeeper's daughter!"

Ben could not believe what he was hearing. First they barged into his store with an absurd proposal, and now they had the audacity to insult her! He climbed down the ladder, not taking is eyes off Felicity.

"I agree." Mr. Lockwood continued. "Think of the gossip that will spread from the haste of our journey, my family does not need that kind of disgrace. I must think of my brother, and his lovely new fiancée."

Felicity's face, which until this moment had displayed an expression of pure amusement, fell in shock for one moment then, became reanimated with a gasp and a brilliant smile.

"I knew it!" She giggled.

"I'm sure you will want to read the first hand account." Mr. Lockwood smiled, rolling his eyes as he handed Felicity a thick letter.

Mr. Stratton turned to Felicity's father, "Please excuse our little joke, Mr. Merriman. I'm sure Miss Merriman understands we meant no offence, we hope you can do the same." He held out his hand which Mr. Merriman, though still bewildered, lightly shook. As Mr. Stratton pulled his back, Felicity, still immersed in her letter, handed him a piece of rock candy from the jar near her, and helped her self to one as well. "Thank you, Felicity." He added sounding pleased.

"Our true business involves the recent engagement of my elder brother, Henry, to Miss Elizabeth Cole. We are headed to North Carolina to prepare my family's plantation where they will inherit and live come fall." Mr. Lockwood explained.

"Our secondary task brings us here today." Mr. Stratton continued, "Miss Cole insists that Miss Felicity be present at the wedding. Of course your entire family is invited, however it is understood that it is a long distance for you to travel. So, with your permission, we have been sent to escort Miss Felicity to New York. We have letters from Lord Harry Lacey, Andrew's esteemed father Mr. David Lockwood and Mr. Cole speaking on our behalf."

"We assure you, Mr. Merriman, despite our childish mischief we are truly fond of your daughter and promise to keep her safe. After the wedding my brother and Miss Cole will be traveling to the plantation, and they will see Miss Felicity safely home."

"Oh, Father!" Felicity begged, "You must say yes! And I must see Annabelle too!"

Ben wondered if he'd fallen off the ladder along with the flour bags, and hit is head.

"Why?" Mr. Merriman asked.

"Oh!" Mr. Stratton laughed "I assure you don't really want to. Her, um, condition has done absolutely nothing to improve her moods."

"She's a nightmare. Half the reason we came to help with the house was in hopes that when we returned it would all be over."

"Can you imagine how much fun it could be to tease a gigantic, even grumpier Bannabelle?"

"Felicity," Mr. Lockwood warned his tone serious, "if you did, she really might kill you."

"I am beyond determined. Father, please?"

"I shall have to speak with your mother on the matter. You gentlemen are staying the night in town, I assume?"

"You can come for dinner, and stay with us!" Felicity offered excitedly.

"Our sincerest apologies Mr. Merriman, but we are far behind schedule," Mr. Lockwood cut her off, giving Mr. Stratton a poorly hidden dirty look, "and we must be on our way at once."

"But if you would have us, we would be honored to stay a night with you, in a fortnight on our return journey."

"Of course we will have you," Mr. Merriman said with a bow. "We shall see you in a fortnight."

"Oh, I must walk with you to the end of town!" She said latching onto one arm of each boy and sweeping them out of the store.

"Well." said Mr. Merriman with an amused grin as he watched them huddle together as they walked down Duke of Gloucester.

"She didn't finish restocking the store room." Ben said in a flat voice, his mind still reeling.

"Is that what you are concerned about? I didn't know it was possible for anyone to be more surprised than I was with what those boys proposed, but I'm not the one with a bag of flour to clean up." Mr. Merriman laughed raising his eyebrows at his apprentice.

"You're not going to let her go with them, are you?"

"After she returned she spoke of them often. She also spoke of the fact that she found no worthy prospects in New York, so there really is nothing for you to worry about, Ben."

Ben didn't know why Mr. Merriman would say such a thing, he could feel his cheeks redden at the idea "'Tis not what I meant, I was only thinking…"

"They were close friends, and I think they are to be trusted, but I shall read these letters, and of course I need to speak with Mrs. Merriman." He concluded, handing Ben the broom which he took numbly, vaguely aware that he was wishing for Felicity to return.

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