Letters to Lissie

by Katy Rose15

After waiting for two years, Ben is finally able to fight in the war for independence, leaving behind a worried and smitten Felicity. As the years go by, they keep in touch through letters, sharing their hopes, dreams, and fears, growing up together though apart. They had always been close. Could a close friendship lead to something deeper?

21. Chapter 21

Wow, what was that, like two months?! Sorry sorry! This was a bit of a harder chapter to get just right, and when I was almost done with it, I accidentally deleted like half of it and had to rewrite it, and then there were the holidays and their preparations, and- ok, enough excuses. Go ahead and read. :)

Chapter 20

The rest of April and May flew by. Felicity went back to Williamsburg soon after the funeral. When she got home, she for once couldn't be happier to see her own siblings, especially her own William. She would barely let go of him all that evening until he finally pried her off of him. There were also now two slaves in the home in Yorktown. There was a man named Joseph to help Ben with the store, and a woman named Rebecca to help Felicity run the household. Felicity immediately took a liking to them. Wedding things were still in the making, as well as Elizabeth's baby. Elizabeth herself was feeling slightly better; she wasn't getting sick anymore, though everyday tasks still were occasionally a challenge for her. In the midst of all her own tasks, Felicity helped her out whenever she could. One sunny day, she went over to help her with the spring cleaning. "You're such a dear," said Elizabeth as the two beat the rugs outside. "I've been meaning to clean the house for weeks now, but I haven't had the energy, thanks to this one." She put her hand on her growing belly. "That's understandable," said Felicity. "Babies wear you out, born or not. Or so I hear."

"Pregnancy is not exactly a picnic," said Elizabeth. "And neither is labor and delivery, I hear." Felicity read the hint of worry on her friend's face. "I'm sure you'll be fine," she tried to assure her. "I'm sure all the horror stories of delivery are overrated."

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?" said Elizabeth. Then she sighed. "Well, there's nothing that can be done now. I'm in for it whether I like it or not. And soon." Felicity smiled. "I wish more than anything I could be here when it comes," she said. "Think it's possible to postpone the wedding for another two months or so?" Elizabeth laughed. "You are not postponing that wedding," she said. "It's been a long time in coming as it is."

"Only six months," said Felicity. "Not even."

"I didn't mean just the actual engagement," said Elizabeth. "Just in general." Felicity just smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well, don't worry, I don't want to postpone it either," she said. "It can't come fast enough as it is."

"You're getting excited, I take it?" asked Elizabeth. Felicity nodded. "Very," she answered. "I'm having trouble believing that it's really going to happen."

"It won't dawn on you that you're really married until you find yourself putting things away like his underwear," said Elizabeth matter-of-factly. Felicity let out a small laugh. "I'm serious," said Elizabeth. "That's when the romantic aspect starts to go away, and the whole having-to-take-care-of-each-other aspect kicks in."

"When you find yourself putting away his underwear?"giggled Felicity. Elizabeth shrugged. "Well, there is the cooking and cleaning as well," she said.

"I hope I'll know I'm married before then," said Felicity.

"Oh, you will," said Elizabeth. "Unless you're too elated to." Felicity raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Will I really be that elated?" she asked. "Tis just a wedding."

"Yes, you will be," said Elizabeth. "Besides, tis much more than just a wedding. Your lives are joining, for goodness' sake! You know what they say: 'And two shall become one'. In…more ways than one." Felicity just smiled and nudged her shoulder.
"Oh, by the way," Elizabeth added. "I'm very sorry about his brother." Felicity's smile fell. "I'll tell him," she said. Then she sighed. "I had never seen him so upset."

"I imagine," agreed Elizabeth. "He had good reason to be."

"That was the first time I had ever seen him in tears," said Felicity. "And hopefully the last."

"You mean he actually cried?" asked Elizabeth.

"His brother died, Lizzy," said Felicity. "I think that's a good reason to cry."

"Well, yes, of course," said Elizabeth quickly. "I just can't imagine Ben crying, is all. He's always been so…not emotional."

"And he was for a while," said Felicity. "Until one night when he just broke down. And only to me, no one else."

"That makes you very special, then," said Elizabeth. "There's something endearing about a man crying. It shows that he has a soft side as well." Then she sighed. "And then there's Caleb, who I don't even think has tear ducts." Felicity laughed. "Give it a few months," she said. "Some men cry when their wife has a baby."

"Hopefully out of joy and not out of something else," said Elizabeth a little nervously.

"Oh, Lizzy," Felicity chided. "You and that baby are going to be just fine. All you have to worry about is if Caleb will be. I've heard that many husbands are nervous wrecks when their wives are in labor. I overheard Mrs. Fitchett once say that Mr. Fitchett passed out when their first son was born."

"Oh dear," murmured Elizabeth.

"But you shouldn't have to worry," said Felicity. "Mr. Fitchett has always been a bit neurotic, and Caleb is pretty level-headed. You'll be fine. And speaking of husbands…" she sighed and stood up straight. "I should be getting home. My mother and I have to finish that stupid gown."

"Stupid?" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Lissie, tis your wedding gown!"

"I know," said Felicity. "And already it's beautiful, and I can't wait to actually wear it. I'm just sick of making it. Truthfully, I'm sick of all this wedding planning. At this point, I just want to be married."

"'Twill all be worth it next month," said Elizabeth. "You just wait until the ceremony."

"I know, I know," said Felicity. "But for right now, I've really got to be going."

"Goodbye," said Elizabeth. "And thank you for your help."

"I'll try to come back tomorrow and help with the curtains," said Felicity. "Goodbye!"

The days flew by, and everyday seemed to be busier than the previous one. "I wish we were already married," Felicity thought one day as she helped her mother clean the house. "So we could stop planning this wedding!" Honestly, she reasoned as she tried to reach a high shelf in Ben's room, it wasn't really that big of a deal. It wouldn't affect their actual marriage if they had a big, extravagant wedding or were married on the front porch with Mr. Merriman as the only witness. Though if she was being honest, she would have to admit that she would rather have the extravagant wedding- without all the planning. Unable to reach the shelf, she stood on an old trunk to try to reach it. Bad idea. The top didn't break, but it caved under her weight, and she stumbled and fell. "Ow," she muttered to herself. "Really?" She stood up and straightened her dress, relieved that she didn't fall wrong and sprain anything. Frowning, she looked at the trunk and opened it to try to pop the lid back in place. She undid the latch. There were a few spare blankets inside, but nothing really of importance. She fixed the top and was closing it when something caught her eye. She opened it and saw a corner of parchment sticking out from underneath the blankets. She took them out, and underneath found many old pieces of parchment, particularly a stack bound together with a brown ribbon. Next to it, something that looked like a journal. Though she knew it was rude, her curiosity got the better of her, and she started to look through them. They were Ben's, she knew that much. She came across enlistment papers, letters from old friends, a few notes from Diana (that showed how old some of the papers were). She couldn't help but laugh a little at these, a reminder of his (somewhat awkward) teenage years. There were some from his parents, a few from Faith, and even some from her own parents. She then got to the thick stack. She untied the ribbon. The penmanship was large and blotchy, obviously that of a child. She read the date: November 28th, 1777. "Dear Ben," the letter started. "I hope this letter finds you well. I'm not just saying that for formality, either. Nothing really happens around here. Annabelle Cole is to be married in February. Finally, she gets her St. Valentine's Day wedding! If I ever get married (and I'm not saying I will), I would rather have my wedding in the summer…" With a small gasp, she realized that the letter was her own. It was the first letter she wrote him while he was away. She was only twelve, and he was barely eighteen. "Oh my goodness," she murmured, then she laughed. "Oh my goodness!" She was surprised he had kept them. She continued reading. She laughed at her twelve-year-old opinions and the brevity of her writing. Short, sweet, and to the point. Very blunt. She remembered how proud she was of that letter; why, she could still remember sitting at the dining room table, trying to craft it just so. She moved on to the next one…

She must have spent half an hour just reading her old letters. She laughed at the older ones, then grew serious as they became more recent. She noticed how they matured through the years, in her penmanship as well as her attitude. She went from complaining about lazy David to moaning about her heart break with Charles Frederick to expressing fear about the British. The last one she wrote when she was sixteen, about three years ago. That was when Williamsburg was under seemingly constant fire. The writing became blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to brush them away, but she couldn't. She remembered that dark time all too well, the only time she had genuinely feared for her life at times. She remembered sleepless nights waiting for Father to come home, petrified that he wouldn't. She could remember taking little Polly in her arms and trying to soothe her as they heard gunshots and cannons not too far away. She remembered seeing both of her parents cry for the first time. She had never seen them cry since. She could still hear the gunshots, the cannon, the stiff march of soldiers, the cries of the wounded and dying. She could still see the smoke, the fire, the crippled, the bloody corpses. Worst of all, she remembered not getting a response to that letter and thinking she would never see Ben again. She had imagined him maimed and dead somewhere on some Godforsaken battlefield, and though now he was safe and sound, the thought still made her cry even harder. She put the letter down and wiped her eyes. That had been her childhood, at least the latter part of it. In those letters, she herself had witnessed how she had gone from a girl to a young woman, shaped by the events of the war. She looked over at the book next to her. She picked it up, expecting it to be full of writing and first hand accounts of his days in the army. She was surprised when she found drawings instead. She thumbed through the pages. There were many inside, all beautiful and drawn in great detail. Some were lighthearted, such as scenes of men sitting around a fire laughing, a dance in a barn, the woods in the fall, a beautiful native woman, and the British surrender. Others were rather gruesome, such as men starving and freezing in the winter, women weeping over their lost husbands, and scenes of a dark hospital lit only by a few lanterns with many injured and sick. Eyes were hollow, many missing limbs, many of them moments away from death. She saw a dark figure in the corner, a menacing grin on its face. Immediately, she knew who it was. She cringed. Then in the opposite corner, she saw a woman, an aura of light surrounding her. She was tending to the sick, seeming to keep the dark figure back. Felicity could guess who that was, too. Another scene showed a man branded, and yet another showed a battlefield, the bloody corpses of soldiers littering the ground, some literally on top of each other. A massive pile of death, with weary living soldiers having no strength to do anything with them. The dark figure appeared off to the side in the woods. She cringed again at the horror, then noticed something at the top of the page. The clouds were parted, and a large hand was shown descending from them, engulfed in light. She immediately knew what it represented, and it gave her a feeling of comfort. She brushed her hand across it. "God Almighty," she murmured. It was as if she was looking through his very eyes. Love and hate. Crime and punishment. Honor. Martyrdom. Suffering. Heaven and hell. Life and death. She closed her eyes and inhaled. He certainly saw the world in a much deeper way than most people did. He saw things that were not tangible, the beautiful and ugly things that could not be seen. No wonder he was such a troubled soul. "Felicity?" she then heard her mother call, pulling her out of her trance. She opened her eyes. "Anon!" she called back. She put the letters back in order and tied the ribbon around them and put them back in the trunk, then picked up the book of drawings. She looked at it for a second, then kissed it and laid it in the trunk with the letters.

Soon it was mid June, and the wedding was under a week away. The days became even more and more hectic. Mrs. Merriman was panicking over things such as if they would have enough food to feed everybody, and Mr. Merriman was going over multiple sums in his head. Meanwhile, Felicity was worrying over things such as flowers and if her dress would fit all right and what if her corset would be laced too tight and she fainted in the middle of the ceremony? It didn't dawn on her how close the actual wedding was until Ben came back to Williamsburg for what seemed like the hundredth time, though he hadn't been back since his brother's untimely death. And when he went back to Yorktown, Felicity would go with him as his wife. "Remember," she chided her siblings (mainly Polly). "He just recently lost his brother pretty suddenly, so don't be too hard on him."

"I'm not hard on him," said Polly.

"Besides," put in William. "He's going to have to get used to it if he's going to marry you."

"Oh, hush," said Felicity as Nan and Polly giggled. Rose smiled as she set the table. "Miss Felicity will make Mr. Davidson a fine wife," she said. "And he a fine husband." Felicity smiled. It was hard to think of Ben as Mr. Davidson…and even harder to think of herself as Mrs. Davidson, which she would be in under a week. That certainly put things into perspective. Just then, the front door opened. They all heard their Father's voice, as well as Ben's. Finally! "Ben!" exclaimed Polly, running into the foyer and into Ben's arms. Felicity and Nan ran after her to make sure that she wouldn't suffocate him or anything, and William walked behind them. "Oh, Ben, you're finally here!" chirped Polly happily, throwing herself around his waist.

"Hello to you too, Polly," said Ben with a laugh. "Isn't this a fine welcome! I swear, you've grown since I last saw you." Polly looked up at him and smiled. "Mrs. Fitchett says I'll soon be as tall as William," she said proudly. William frowned. "You will not," he said. "Mrs. Fitchett doesn't know what she's talking about." Being only twelve, William hadn't had his big growth spurt yet, which he was rather embarrassed about. "Maybe you will be," said Ben. "Though he will be taller then as well."

"Polly, mind your manners," scolded Felicity, pulling her youngest sister off of her fiancé. "You don't want to squeeze him to death."

"I don't mind," said Ben. "Besides, I remember someone else who wouldn't let go of me without so much as a hello when I came home a few years ago." Felicity blushed a little. "Those were extenuating circumstances," she said.

"Not so extenuating," he said with a smile. "How are you, Felicity?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she answered. "And you?"

"Not too bad," he replied. She must have looked skeptical because he said, "Really, Felicity, I'm fine." Nan could tell what they were indirectly talking about. "I'm sorry about your brother," she said quietly.

"Me too," said William.

"Why? What happened?" asked Polly cluelessly. Felicity raised her eyebrows as if to say, "Polly! Don't you remember?" William made a slashing motion across his throat, and Nan stepped backwards on his foot. "Ohhhh!" said Polly upon remembering. "I'm sorry too." Ben smiled sadly. "Thank you," he said. They were all silent for a second. Then Mr. Merriman broke it by saying, "Well, Ben, I bet you're hungry after traveling. Why don't you go wash up and come back down for supper?"

"Yes sir," said Ben. "Thank you sir." Everyone dispersed to do their own things. Felicity sighed. She had barely gotten to say hello to him, and she had some things she wanted to talk to him about. But with seven people in the house, it was unlikely they would have any time to themselves. "Oh well," she thought. She had just turned to go back into the dining room when she felt his shoulder bump into hers. She looked over at him. He gave a small smile and squeezed her hand for a split second, his own private way of saying hello. She smiled back, and then he was gone.

A couple more days went by, and finally all the last minute details were falling into place. Food was being baked, gowns hemmed, flowers were being arranged, and the house was being cleaned and decorated. Last minute details at the church were being sorted out, and while Felicity was busy with gowns and flowers and making sure this, that, and the other thing fit all right, Ben was kept busy by making sure that this was settled and contacting people and counting up costs in his head. Traditionally, the father of the bride paid for the wedding, and while Mr. Merriman was doing that, Ben wanted to contribute some. It was his wedding, after all. His and Felicity's. The house was cleaned and the beds aired out for guests. Since he was the bridegroom, Mrs. Merriman tried to insist that he have one of the spare rooms, but he said he was fine in the stable loft as always. He liked it up there; it was his room. His own little corner of the Merrimans' house. He had spent many nights up there, thinking things as silly as wondering what was for breakfast the next morning to acknowledging the grim fact that after the next morning, he may never see the Merrimans ever again. That had been a scary fact for an eighteen-year-old to think of. As he lay in bed that night, he thought back more recently, back to December when he asked in that room the most important and serious question he would ever ask. That led him back a few weeks prior to that, to one of the most awkward but serious conversations of any young man's life…

…It was an early December evening. Christmas was coming, and everyone was preparing for it. Meanwhile, Nan was still recovering from her fever at home. She was still bedridden for the most part, but the danger was past. Ben and Mr. Merriman were at the store, closing up for the night. They worked in silence. That was the nice thing about Mr. Merriman; he didn't have to say something at all times, nor did he try to create mundane conversation. That was just how Ben liked it. At one point, however, he did remark, "It's getting cold out there." Ben nodded. "Christmas will be here soon," he said. Then he added, "I'm glad Nan is feeling better. That would have been awful to be sick on Christmas, or even worse."

"I wish Felicity would have sent us word sooner," said Mr. Merriman. "Nan looked like death when we finally came back. And we wouldn't have if you hadn't written to us."

"Felicity didn't want to worry you," said Ben. "She figured you had enough on your hands as it was. And I think she wanted to prove that she could do it all by herself."

"'Twas sweet of her to try," said Mr. Merriman. "But in a time like that, we can't have her trying to be a heroine." Ben bit his lip, then said, "I don't think she was trying to be a heroine. I think she was just trying to get her sister well. She never left her side, until I made her let me take over for a while. And truthfully, I admire her for that. For everything." Mr. Merriman looked at him. "And what is everything, may one ask?" he asked.

"Everything," said Ben without thinking. "Her compassion, her bravery, her independence, her grace. Her kindness. Her effortless beauty. Her selflessness. Even her temper! She has such a loving, carefree spirit. I can't help but admire her." He then blushed slightly, realizing what all he had just said. Mr. Merriman was silent a moment, which made Ben a bit nervous. Finally, he said, "'Admire' is a bit of a relative term, you know."

"Aye sir," said Ben quietly.

"And when you say you admire her," Mr. Merriman went on. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I-I don't know," Ben stammered.

"Don't hide behind that," said Mr. Merriman. "I know you know. Though to be fair, I suppose that's a bit of a rhetorical question." Ben frowned. "Sir?"

"Don't play coy," Mr. Merriman said sternly. "I'm not blind. I've seen the looks you two have exchanged. I don't know what happened right before she left for France, but I do know that after she did, you changed. Your head was always in the clouds, and you never wanted to talk about her. And when she came back, you were fine. I'm wary of leaving the two of you alone together, and now here you are saying that she is beautiful and compassionate and graceful. And don't try to deny it, I even know that you've kissed her on several occasions." Ben turned beet red. "Now," Mr. Merriman went on. "I will ask you again, and I expect a definite answer: what do you mean when you say that you admire her?" Ben took a deep breath. "I mean," he said as steadily as he could muster. "That I love her." Silence again. Then, "You love her."

"Yes sir."

Mr. Merriman sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "And does she know this?" he asked.

"Yes," Ben answered. "I've told her."

"And how did she reply?" This was getting really uncomfortable really fast. "She…she said she loved me," said Ben. Now Mr. Merriman laughed. "Benjamin," he said. "Do you have any idea what on earth you're doing?" Ben smiled a little. "Not really," he replied.

"Well, you're getting yourself into the snake pit," said Mr. Merriman. "And once you're in, it's extremely hard to get out."

"I…I don't really want to get out," said Ben. "Sir." Mr. Merriman closed his eyes. "Ben, I've always liked and trusted you," he said. "For the most part. But to be honest, you can be a bit impulsive, as can she. I don't think you know what you're getting into, and I will not sit back and watch you or my daughter get hurt."

"She won't," said Ben. "Nor will I. I know this now."

"What do you mean 'now'?" asked Mr. Merriman.

"I was wary of the same thing a while ago," said Ben. "I was trying to not get too attached to her for fear of being hurt. But I couldn't help it. And after thinking this over a lot, and I do mean a lot, I've realized that it won't happen. I love her with every part of my heart and soul, and I know she loves me with all of hers." Even more silence. Then Mr. Merriman said, "All right, so the two of you love each other honestly and truthfully."

"Yes sir," said Ben.

"Is there anything she can do wrong, in your eyes?" asked Mr. Merriman. Ben looked at him uncertainly. "Is that a trick question?" he asked. Mr. Merriman frowned. "Don't try to be funny," he scolded. "Answer me honestly." Ben thought. "Well," he said. "She isn't always the best seamstress in the world, nor cook, nor really anything relating to the domestic arts, but she has gotten better. And I don't really care that much about her mending job anyway." Mr. Merriman's eyes narrowed. "Answer me this," he said. "If what you say is true, and if you really love her, then what are your intentions towards her?" Ben took a deep breath. "With your permission, sir," he said calmly. "I…I intend to marry her. If she will have me. Sir." An excruciating silence filled the empty store. Centuries passed. Or maybe it was only seconds. Ben really couldn't tell; his heart was pounding too hard. Finally, Mr. Merriman said, "Marry."

"Yes sir," whispered Ben. Mr. Merriman looked at him dead seriously. "That's an awfully big proposition," he said. "Marriage is not to be taken lightly."

"I know, sir."

"Do you think you are ready for that responsibility?"

"I do."

"Tis a very serious matter," said Mr. Merriman. "If you are married to her, you are eternally bound to her."

"I love her too much not to be."

"But what if she doesn't?" asked Mr. Merriman. "Just because you are completely serious doesn't mean she is."

"Then I suppose I will find out at some point or another," said Ben. Mr. Merriman sighed again and closed his eyes. "Very well," he finally said. Ben did a double take. "Sir?" Mr. Merriman opened his eyes. "Very well," he repeated. "You have my permission to ask her to marry you." Ben felt his heart skip a beat. He could only stand there speechless for a moment. "Well?" said Mr. Merriman. "Are you not pleased?"

"No, no, I am," Ben said quickly. "Very much so. I…I just don't know what to say." Mr. Merriman shuffled some papers and looked up at him. "But you have to ask her," he said. "You two have to agree on this together. And if she says no, then I certainly am not going to make her, and neither are you. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes sir," said Ben. "Tis more than fair. And thank you, sir." Mr. Merriman sighed. "I must be losing my mind," he said. Then he smiled a little. "Oh, Benjamin, what on earth have you gotten yourself into now?" Ben smiled back. "I'm not quite sure," he said. "But I think I am about to find out."

"You had better be sure about this," said Mr. Merriman. "I won't have you deciding something so serious on a whim."

"I am more serious about this than I have ever been about anything," said Ben.

"Hmm," said Mr. Merriman. "I'm holding you to that." Then he laughed. "Well, get on with you! This store is not about to close itself, and you have more important matters at stake here!"

That had been six months ago. And here they were, six months later, days away from the fateful day itself. If someone told Ben a year ago that he would be married in a year, he would have laughed and said they were crazy. "Oh well," he now thought as he blew out the candle and rolled over on his other side. "I suppose crazier things have happened."

A couple of more days went by, and before anyone knew it, it was the night before the wedding. It was, Felicity concluded, a day as hectic and stressful as Christmas Eve. Rose seemed to be sticking something or other in the oven every minute, and Mrs. Merriman spent all day cleaning the house and preparing for guests. Throughout the whole week or so, the bride and groom barely saw each other, much less spoke to each other. By that night, all the work was done, and Mr. and Mrs. Davidson were there as well. All anyone could do now was wait. Felicity's finished wedding gown and veil hung in her clothes press. The dress was white silk with lace sleeves and lace draped over the skirt, and at the hem was a band of light blue, like Elizabeth had suggested. The veil had been her mother's. It was about the length of her hair and was also lace, held on by a comb of pearls. For her feet, she had simple, delicate white satin slippers. They were slightly small, but not to the point where they were unbearable and would cause her to faint in Ben's arms in the middle of her vows. The whole ensemble was simple yet elegant. "I'm not a show," she had firmly stated. "Our wedding day is going to be about our marriage, not my gown or the food or how much money was spent." Right now, she was sitting in the window seat in her room, feeling mellow for the first time in ages. Tonight, at least right now, her mind wasn't on the wedding. She was sitting there reading over Ben's old letters from the war and holding his signal whistle close to her heart. That time seemed so long ago, an eternity ago. He seemed so young, his eighteen-year-old self. Why, he was even younger than she was now! She reread all of his tales of the war, some funny and lighthearted and others very serious. He didn't express many emotions, just the bare facts with some of his own opinions thrown in. She noticed a change in them, much like she had noticed in her own letters. A maturity, the transition from a boy to a young man. A weariness seemed to set in him as the years went on, one of which she saw firsthand when he finally came home. If only she would have known to anticipate it. She then heard a knock. She looked up and saw Ben standing in the doorway. He grinned. "Decided to be antisocial tonight, did you?" he teased. She grinned back. "I just don't feel up to sitting through more boring wedding talk," she said.

"I hear you," he agreed, coming in and sitting next to her. "So what are you doing?"

"Just going through some old letters," she said. "Your letters from the war." He looked at her hand. "My old signal whistle!" he said. "You still have it!"

"Of course," she said. "Ever since you gave it to me."

"And my letters," he said, picking one up and scanning it. "You kept them all these years." He then laughed a little. "I remember that."

"What?" she asked, looking over.

"Here," he said. "Daniel's sister Clara. I remember that Christmas and accidentally getting caught under the mistletoe with her." Felicity looked at him and grinned. "Accidentally, you say?" she teased. "And was what followed an accident?" He shrugged. "Can't mess with tradition," he said. "Besides, a soldier needs something remotely exciting in his life."

"As if battle wasn't enough?" she asked.

"A good kind of exciting," he said. Then he smiled. "What, are we jealous?"

"No," Felicity replied pretend-coolly. "We are not."

"Good," said Ben. "Because you have no reason to be."

"That's good to know," said Felicity. He picked up another one and started reading it. "So what have you been up to?" she asked. "Besides sitting through boring conversation?"

"Just enjoying my last night of freedom," he replied, not looking up. Her face fell a little. "That's…that's not really how you feel, is it?" she asked.

"Mm-hm," he answered casually. Then, realizing what he had said, his eyes widened, and he looked up and over at her. "I mean…no?" Felicity just frowned and rolled her eyes. He gave a sheepish smile and turned back to the letter. His face fell. "I remember that too," he said softly. "When Matthew died."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. He shook his head. "'Twas a long time ago," he said. Then he looked at her. "I still have all of your letters too, you know."

"I know you do," she said without thinking. He gave her a funny look. "I found them in your room not too long ago," she admitted. "I was cleaning up there, and I just stumbled upon them in that trunk. And the next thing I knew, I was reading them."

"Well, they are your letters," he reasoned. "I sometimes think they were what got me through the war."

"Those immature, childish letters with the terrible penmanship," she said. "Written by that childish little girl."

"That little girl grew up well beyond her years," he said. "I could almost see you grow up by your writing. It changed from your griping about household chores and that David fellow to your first few sweethearts and French lessons to your fear about the war as it got closer and closer. Frivolous to serious."

"I didn't notice until I went back and read them," she said.

"Of course you wouldn't," he agreed. "You don't see yourself change unless you have something physical from your past to show that you did." Then he smiled. "And your penmanship got much better." She smiled back. "Thank you," she said. They were quiet for a moment as he read another. Then she shyly said, "I…I found something else up there with the letters."

"What?" he asked.

"It looked like a journal," she said. "But when I opened it- I'm sorry, I know that was invading your privacy, but my curiosity got the better of me- there were drawings inside." Ben closed his eyes and groaned. "Ugh," he said. "I wish you hadn't."

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I couldn't help it. I wouldn't have if I knew they weren't for my eyes."
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Yes, you would have," he said with a small smile. "You're too curious not to."

"I would not have!" she protested. "I have more respect for you than that."

"Mm-hm," he said skeptically. She frowned. "Ben-" He held up his hand. "It's all right," he said. "So anyway, you found my old drawings, and…?"

"Well," she said. "They were very good, for starters. I had no idea you could draw."

"That's because I never let anyone see them," he said. "You know how some people journal their feelings or something noteworthy that happened?" She nodded. "I've always drawn it out," he said. "I'm not so good with words, and it's easier to say it in a drawing."

"And they were drawn from life?" she asked. He nodded. "Or at least from my memory," he said. "Like the Indian woman. Or the hospital. I couldn't exactly take a pencil and sketch it out right then and there."

"I never heard of a person who got his emotions out by drawing," she remarked.

"Well, now you have," he said simply.

"Anyway," she said. "It gave me a pretty good glimpse into what all you had seen."

"I'm sorry you had to," he said.

"No, no," she said. "I think I needed to." Then she asked, "Have you ever sat down and drawn a person from life?"

"No," he said. "Not with them right there like the fancy French artists do."

"Well," she said. "You certainly have a gift for it. You see people, the world, things that cannot be seen."

"I see you," he said. She smiled. "And?" she asked.

"You would have looked at them whether you knew you could or you couldn't."

She rolled her eyes. They were quiet for a moment. Then she bit her lip and asked shyly, "In seriousness, though, would…would you ever draw me?" He looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "If I could get you to sit still that long," he joked. She frowned. "I'm serious," she said. His countenance became serious again. "Well," he said softly. "With you willing, then yes, I would someday." She smiled. Both were quiet again, gazing out the window into the summer night. "Look!" Felicity suddenly exclaimed as a shooting star zipped across the night sky. It lasted a second, then was gone. "Did you see it?"

"Aye," he answered. "That was a pretty one." He paused, then added, "My mother used to say that every shooting star you saw was a soul going to Heaven."

"I like that," she said softly. He nodded. "Me too," he agreed. "Though if that were true, I would have seen thousands during the war as well as the night William died."

"Well, perhaps they were on the other side of the world," she reasoned. "And perhaps a Spaniard or someone saw William's star. Who knows? We could have just seen a Russian or Greek soul for all we know." He looked at her and smiled. "I love how you reason," he said. She smiled back. Then she asked, "So are we supposed to make a wish now?"

"I think that's how it works," he said. "Though the only thing I wish I know will never come true." She looked at him curiously. "To have William there in the church tomorrow morning," he explained. "My William, not your William."

"Well, perhaps he will be," she said. "Though we won't be able to see him, he could still be there."

"That would be wonderful," he said softly. "I never imagined I would get married without my brother by my side." He paused, then added, "Well, in all honesty, I never imagined I would get married, period."

"And both ended up happening," she said. "Who would have guessed."

"I wish the brother part hadn't," he said. He was quiet, then added, "There wasn't even any glory in it. No nobility. You always hear about brave martyrs in history, dying for some noble cause. But what about the millions of people who died from sickness or old age? Are they remembered so fondly?"

"They are by those who loved them," she answered.

"Oh, for a while," he said. "Until they are gone as well. Then who is there to remember them? People throughout the generations will always remember the soldiers who died for our independence. Perhaps not personally, but they will always be honored. Or the early Christians. Or all the soldiers in all of the previous wars. Or all of the old saints. But everyday people who were unfortunate enough to get some horrible fever and die? What honor do they get? None, because there is no glory in illness. It's noble to die for, not die of."

"Why does it matter?" she asked. "Most people die of, but does that make them more important than those who die for?"

"No," he said. "But in William's case, I don't know, if he had to die, I wish it had been for something, not of something. At least at his age. Perhaps it would have been easier to bear."

"Well, I don't think death is easy to bear at all, no matter the circumstances," she said. "But, you having been a soldier and seeing far too much of it, maybe you're right." He nodded. "And," she continued. "Even if his name won't go down in the ages, that doesn't mean you and your family and everyone else who knew him will love and miss him any less. Love doesn't die."

"I know," he said. "But I still wish he hadn't."

"Naturally," she agreed. "I wish he hadn't either." Then she added, "You know, I think you've seen more death and suffering than anyone I know. And unfairly so."

"At least it wasn't my own," he said. "Besides, I think I'm finally getting my piece of Heaven after it."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Well, you, of course," he said, as if it were the simplest answer in the world. She smiled a little and slipped her hand in his. Then growing serious, she asked, "Do you think we know what we're doing?"

"In regards to what?" he asked.

"You know," she said. "Tomorrow. The day after tomorrow. Fifty years from then."

"Oh," he said. "Well, to be frank, no, I don't think we know what we're doing. But I know that it's the right thing to do. And that's why I trust it."

"Marriage vows aren't to be taken lightly, you know," she reminded him.

"I know," he said. "And I won't take them lightly tomorrow. Nor will I ever, even after I'm gone."

"Oh, don't even say the words!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to think about life without you, even if I knew that you were safe in Heaven and that I would join you one day!"

"Heaven is here," he said softly. "Where you are. Without you, there is no Heaven, just Purgatory." She just looked at him a second, then said, "Benjamin Davidson, I think that is the most beautiful thing you have ever said." He nodded. "I know," he said. "Good ol' Romeo? He really knew what he was talking about." She smiled as he stood up. "Well," he said. "I'm going to bed. We've got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

"I think I'll do the same," she said. "Good night."

"Good night," he said, gently kissing her hand. She felt him press something hard into her palm. She glanced at it as he left. It was a folded piece of parchment. She unfolded it and tucked her feet under her skirts. It was a note written his handwriting. She started to read it:

My dearest Felicity,

Thank you. For what, you're probably asking? For everything. Thank you. Thank you for being my first friend when I came to Williamsburg. Thank you for bringing out my confidence. Thank you for talking some sense into me when I tried to do something rash or stupid, and for assuring me that something wasn't rash or stupid when I thought it was. For always being there to console me when I needed it, especially when William passed away unexpectedly. For teaching me that it's all right to cry, and for teaching me to be happy again. Honestly, if it weren't for you, I may have tried to take my life. But you, Lissie, your love saved me. And your love is all I need to keep me going even if I lose everything else. Thank you.

I could go on a long, sentimental rant about how agreeing to that apprenticeship was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me because it led me to you, but I won't (though it is true). That would turn this into a love letter, and I'm not trying to write one of those. I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for me, whether you realize it or not. And even if I don't say it very often, I love you, Lissie. Never forget that. I'm not perfect, and neither are you. In this lifetime, you and I will argue and get on each other's last nerve. There will be days when I will be irritable and snap at you (though I'll try not to), and I know that you will have those days too. I may not always remember our anniversary or your birthday, and I won't always be young and handsome (I don't fully believe the latter, but apparently everyone else does). My hair will be gray one of these days. And by the same token, I know that you won't always be young and beautiful, although I'll always think the beautiful part. In spite of all this, I will always love you, this I promise you. And I'll never let go of that promise. I love you, Felicity. I love you. I love you, and I will as long as I live- and even beyond that. I suppose I just turned this into a love letter, didn't I? Oh well. I doubt I'm going to get a chance to tell you all of this before the wedding anyway.

Always, (I think I've used 'love' one too many times)

Ben

She smiled as she read his signature line. In all the letters they had exchanged over the years, this was the first one that could be considered a love letter (even if he said it wasn't one). Or a combination of a thank you note and a love letter. Short, sweet, and to the point- very much his style of doing…well, everything. She rose from her seat in the window and placed it with the rest of his letters, paused, then picked all of them up and placed them in her trunk as well as the rest of the drawer's contents. They deserved a place of honor in Yorktown now. Satisfied, she closed the drawer that had once been a coffin, and with it, the rocky past. The past that had greatly contributed to the present, and that would forever be a part of their future.

Felicity had trouble falling asleep that night. Partly out of excitement, and partly out of nerves. Her mind was all over the place. This was her last night at home. In her room. In this bed with Nan. As Felicity Merriman. So many lasts, but so many firsts starting the next day. It was exciting and scary at the same time. Eventually, she did fall asleep, for some reason dreaming it was Polly getting married instead of her.

She awoke the next morning to someone hopping on the bed and gently shaking her. "Lissie!" she heard a voice whisper excitedly. "Wake up, Lissie!" Felicity cracked one eye open and saw Polly above her. "Mhmmm," she groaned sleepily and buried her head under the pillow. Polly shook her harder. "Lissie!" she said. "Get up! Tis your wedding day!"

"I know," Felicity mumbled. "Five more minutes."

"Can't," said William. "There's no time."

"Of course there is," said Felicity.

"Not much," said Nan. "At least not for leisure. Do you realize that in a mere three hours, you'll be married?" Felicity opened her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked.

"Eight thirty," answered William. "The ceremony starts in two and a half hours." Now she sat upright in bed. "Eight thirty?!" she exclaimed. "Why did you let me sleep in so late?"

"You're the bride," said Nan. "You deserve a little extra rest. Besides, Ben has only been up an hour, and he always gets up at the crack of dawn."

"Hmm," said Felicity, getting out of bed. Then she frowned. "Is it really raining?"

"Perhaps it will lighten up?" Polly offered.

"Still," said Felicity. "Rain is not the best omen."

"Well, forget omens," said William. "If I were you, I'd get downstairs before breakfast is gone."

"I'm up," said Felicity. "And I think breakfast won't be gone anytime soon. There are only two extra people in the house."

After her siblings had left, Felicity closed the door behind them and dressed in an old work dress for the time being. She splashed some water on her face and ran a comb through her hair, then tied it back. She didn't look wonderful, but she wasn't getting married in her current attire, so who cared? She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. "Today is the first day of the rest of my life," she thought. Then she shook her head. There was no time for sentimentality, she told herself. There was work to be done.

There was more than two extra people. She went down the stairs after she had finished. "Mother?" she called. "Do you need any help with breakfast?" There was no answer, but she heard a commotion of voices coming from the dining room. She figured that was her best shot. "Mother?" she asked again, coming in. She was met by a bustling group of women. "The bride is awake!" said Mrs. Davidson.

"Here, dear, have something to eat," said Mrs. Merriman.

"Good gracious, Felicity, you aren't getting married in that, are you?" asked Elizabeth.

"And you must do something about your hair, Lissie," said Nan. "It looks less than perfect right now."

"Your wedding gown is starched and ironed, isn't it?" asked Faith.

"No…yes…yes…I don't know!" cried the poor bride.

"Well, at least have something to eat," said her mother. Felicity sat down, yet she couldn't even eat without feeling that her every move was being carefully scrutinized. "Eat, Felicity, eat!" Nan urged. "You haven't much time!"

"But not too fast," said Polly. "You don't want to get sick all over him when you say your vows."

"But not too slow," said Elizabeth. "You only have two hours!"

"Only?" Felicity asked. "I think that's plenty of time, Elizabeth." Everyone laughed. "Oh, Felicity dear," said Faith. "How naïve you are about weddings! There is much work to be done in the next two hours."

"But tis just a wedding!" Felicity pointed out. "And not even a big one!"

"Well, regardless," said Mrs. Davidson. "It is your wedding. It's one of the most important days of your life, both of yours."

"So therefore," said Nan. "Hurry up and finish!"

"Tis all right, Lissie," said Mother reassuringly. "You've got time."

After breakfast, the rest of the morning went by in a blur. Through it all, Felicity never once saw her bridegroom, but they weren't supposed to see each other anyway. She had a bath and washed her hair, which was then set in rags to give it a looser, softer curl. When it had dried, the rags were taken out, and her hair fell in soft auburn curls just past her shoulders. She put on her chemise and petticoats, then came the torture of the infamous corset. She gripped the bedpost as Elizabeth fastened it. "Loosen it a bit, Lizzy!" she gasped as it dug into her sides.

"Not too loose," said Elizabeth. "You want it to accentuate your figure." But she went ahead and loosened it anyway. "These things are awful during pregnancy," she went on. "I feel restricted enough as it is, and corsets don't help at all!"

"How far along are you?" asked Faith.

"Seven months," Elizabeth answered. "I'm due at the end of August."

"Is it your first?" Faith asked. Elizabeth nodded. "I'm getting a little nervous," she admitted.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Faith assured her. "Tis really not as horrific as some people say."

"It will be interesting to see Lissie and Ben have a baby," remarked Polly. "I wonder who it would look like?" Everyone laughed as the bride turned pink. "Well, I think we have some time to think about those things," she said simply.

"Perhaps not," mused Elizabeth. "You never know when one will come."

"I swear, Elizabeth," said Felicity. "Ever since you've been pregnant, all you've been able to think about is babies and…what causes them!"

"Well, tis on my mind a lot," Elizabeth admitted. "The baby part."

"Perhaps we can change the subject?" suggested Mother gently. As if on cue, the door opened, and William stuck his head in. "Ma-" he started to say, but was immediately pushed out by Nan as Elizabeth stood spread-eagle in front of Felicity. "No boys allowed!" Nan snapped. "And haven't you heard of knocking?"

"Sorry," he said, not really paying attention to her. "Ma, have you seen my good breeches?"

"They're not in your room?" asked Mrs. Merriman. William shook his head. "I laid them out last night, too," he said.

"Try the stable," suggested Ben, coming from down the hallway. "Polly may have taken them." Polly let out a cry of protest, and William went to go see if his suspicions were correct. Faith did a small gasp. "Why aren't you dressed?" she asked her brother. Ben looked down at his everyday clothes. "I am," he said slowly, as if to make sure that he wasn't going mad. Faith wrinkled her nose. "You aren't getting married in that, are you?" she asked. "Good gracious, your hair is still damp!"

"Relax, Faith," he said. "It dries quickly. And we have an hour yet."

"Exactly! And you have yet to get ready!"

"I can get ready in five minutes!"

"Well, don't," she said. "You have to look especially nice today, which can't be done in five minutes."

"How about ten?" he asked.

"Oh, just leave!" she exclaimed. "We're very busy in here, and you need to get busy!"

"All right, all right, I'm going," he said. "Women!" Faith shut the door and sighed. "I have to hand it to you, Felicity," she said. "You're a brave soul for being willing to spend the rest of your life with him." Everyone laughed. "I don't mind," said Felicity. "Even if he can be a tad clueless, his heart is in the right place."

"And that's all that matters," said Mother.

"Besides," added Nan as Felicity slid the cloud of white silk over her head. "If anything, Ben is the brave soul for being willing to spend the rest of his life with Lissie."

"Oh, I think they will complement each other wonderfully," said Mrs. Davidson.

"I hope," said Felicity as her mother buttoned up the back of the dress. Elizabeth twisted her auburn curls up simply yet elegantly, then tucked a few tiny white flowers in for decoration. Nan handed her her white satin slippers. They were slightly too small, but Felicity figured that if that was her biggest problem, she was doing all right. Then Elizabeth fastened the veil in her hair, and everyone smiled. "You look lovely, Felicity," said Faith.

"Ben is simply going to die when he sees you," said Elizabeth.

"Well, let's hope he doesn't die," said Felicity. "It takes two to make a marriage, and last I checked, that's why we're all here." Everyone laughed. Then Mother said, "Well, I should go make sure William is getting ready."

"I should go dress Alexandra," said Faith. "And John too, for that matter." Nan looked at Polly. "Let's go sort through the flowers," she said. "If we have time, perhaps we can make a small wreath for Lissie." All the women filed out of the room. Mrs. Merriman was the last one. She turned and smiled at her daughter. "Not much longer," she said.

"No," Felicity agreed. "Not much indeed."

"How are you feeling?" asked Mother. Felicity smiled sadly. "In all honesty," she said. "I'm terrified." Her mother frowned. "Of what?" she asked.

"I can't say for sure," Felicity answered. "It's not being married, and I don't think it's the actual ceremony…I don't know what it is. I'm being silly."

"No, you're not," said Mother. "This is probably the biggest change you will ever go through, and change can be scary. Especially one that will alter your life forever."

"That makes me feel better," said Felicity sarcastically.

"Tis also one of the happiest changes you will go through," added Mrs. Merriman. "Especially in your case."

"Why my case?" asked Felicity.

"Well, think about it," said Mother. "What is your main motive for getting married?" Felicity thought. "Because I don't want to die an old spinster?" she guessed. Mrs. Merriman smiled and shook her head. "Because you love him," she said. "You two are getting married because you love each other. Am I wrong?" Her daughter turned pink. "Oh, Lissie," Mother laughed. "Tis hardly any secret. And that is why you should be getting married. Not for money, not because your father and I want you to, and not just so you won't die an old spinster. Because you love him and are willing to share your life with him." Felicity nodded. "I still don't want to leave home, though," she said. "And I don't like to think that Father is giving me away, no matter how wonderful the man is." Mrs. Merriman shook her head. "No one is 'giving you away'," she said. "I don't like that expression. You are our daughter and you always will be, even with a different last name. And by the same token, I don't like to think that your father is giving Ben authority over you."

"What do you mean?" asked Felicity.

"I mean," said Mother. "That while we won't have authority over you anymore, I don't think that means that Ben suddenly has it. You are an adult now; you are responsible for yourself, as is he for himself. And if anything, given your personalities, I think if anyone would have the authority in the house, it would be you." Felicity smiled. "I want to be a good wife," she said. "And I'm just afraid of letting him down."

"Well," said Mother. "And as long as you love him and remain faithful to him, you will be a good wife. Even if you burn his dinner on multiple occasions." Both laughed a little. Then Mother said, "Do you have any idea how proud we are of you?"

"Because of my getting married?" asked Felicity. Mrs. Merriman shook her head. "Because of everything you've done," she said. "Of the beautiful, graceful young lady you've become. You've brought your father and me more joy than you can fathom. Well, and a few gray hairs, but mostly joy. Ever since the day we found out we were expecting you. I think that's why I named you Felicity. Because it means intense happiness."

"Ben once said that I was his," said Felicity. "His intense happiness, I mean. The night he…asked me to marry him." She sighed. "That seems like forever ago."

"It does," Mrs. Merriman agreed. Then she smiled. "Well, you, my dear, should finish getting ready. The time is drawing near." Felicity nodded. "Mother?" she said as Mrs. Merriman was leaving. She turned back around. "Yes dear?"

"Just…thank you," said Felicity. "For everything over the years." Mother just smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Lissie," she said. Then she left the bride to her thoughts.

Meanwhile, another significant member of the wedding party was in his room, lost in his own thoughts. Ben sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. As far as his appearance went, he was ready. He was dressed in his finest: white shirt, black vest, black waistcoat and breeches. His hair was dry and combed, and his face clean-shaven. Mentally, he needed a few moments. "Well," he thought. "This is really it." The day that would forever alter his life, and truth be told, that scared him a little. Maybe he was getting cold feet, though he wasn't sure why. Then there was a knock at his door. "Come in," he said, expecting it to be his mother or sister wanting to make sure his collar was straight or something. Instead, it was his father. He smiled when he saw him. "What are you doing up here?" he asked.

"Your mother wanted me to make sure you were dressed and ready," said Mr. Davidson. He smiled as he studied his son. "And I see that you are. You look nice."

"Thank you," said Ben.

"How are you feeling?" Mr. Davidson asked.

"I feel fine," Ben answered. Then he added, "Well, a little nervous." His father nodded. "That's natural," he said. "Tis a big step in any person's life."

"They say that life as I know it is ending," said Ben.

"Well, it is," agreed Mr. Davidson. "In a good way, though. In a very good way." Ben nodded. After a moment, he said, "I'm not sure what I'm nervous about, though. It's not the marriage itself, and while maybe it's the ceremony to an extent, I don't think that's the majority of it."

"Why the ceremony?" asked his father.

"Because I hate being the center of attention," Ben said. "I don't like people watching me, waiting for me to mess up."

"No one is wanting you to mess up," said Mr. Davidson. "The congregation is full of people who love you and Felicity and are wishing both of you nothing but joy. And as far as people watching you, I assure you that when you see Felicity for the first time, you will immediately forget about everyone else in the room."

"Well, maybe," said Ben. "I don't know, I think the majority of it isn't being afraid of messing up in the wedding as much as it is messing up in life itself."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Davidson asked.

"I mean," said Ben. "That I want to be a good husband to her, and I'm afraid that I won't be."

"You will be a good husband," said his father. "As long as you love and respect her."

"But what if I don't at times?" asked Ben. "What if I just say the wedding vows, but don't truly mean them?" Mr. Davidson smiled. "You're different, you know," he said. Ben frowned. "How so?" he asked.

"Well, most men on their wedding day get cold feet thinking about the lifelong commitment," said Mr. Davidson. "They think the wedding is just for formality, and they're more than ready to get to bed and get straight to the physical part of the relationship. And here you are, worrying whether or not you will be a good husband to her and if you will really mean your vows with every part of your heart and soul. How many men do you think give those a second thought? Most just say them and are done."

"So…what does that make me?" Ben asked.

"A person who these things mean something to," said Mr. Davidson. "A very loving, gentle person with other people's best interests in mind."

"Oh," said Ben. Then, "Is that good?"

"Very," his father replied. "You have a good heart, Ben, and good instincts. And you know what? If you're worried that you won't be a good husband, chances are that you will be a wonderful one."

"I hope you're right," said Ben.

"Of course," Mr. Davidson went on. "You two will have your arguments from time to time. Every couple does. But always make sure to resolve your arguments by the time the sun goes down that day… one way or another." Ben narrowed his eyes. "What exactly do you mean by that?" he asked. Mr. Davidson cleared his throat. "Well," he said. "She will probably rather talk things out to resolve them, and you will probably rather resolve them in a different way. A more…physical, uh, romantic way." Ben must have had a surprised look on his face because his father laughed and said, "Don't act so surprised. Men aren't very good with words anyway."

"I…suppose?" Ben said.

"And," his father continued. "As far as those things are concerned-"

"I think I have a pretty good idea about how it works," Ben interrupted.

"Well, perhaps the…mechanics of it," said Mr. Davidson. He lowered his voice. "It will be very sensual, especially the first time. And be very, very gentle with her because neither of you know what you're doing yet. Don't rush her either. If she isn't ready tonight or tomorrow night or even the night after that, don't push it. A man can be instant on, instant off, just like that. But a woman takes a bit longer to get in that mood. If she isn't ready, nothing happens. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," said Ben.

"Good," said Mr. Davidson. "Because you aren't the one who will have to carry around the potential result for nine months."

"I'll remember that."

"Good," said Mr. Davidson. "Because for you, the physical relationship will be one of the most important aspects of marriage. That's just the way men are. It will be important for your wife as well, but for her, the most important aspect will be knowing that she can share her heart with you and that you'll listen to her. By listening to her and sharing her joys and sorrows, no matter how little and trivial they may seem, you show her that you truly love and care for her, not how much you kiss her or touch her or how much you…are intimate with her."

"So it's not really getting everything you want when you want it," Ben concluded.

"That's right," said Mr. Davidson. "Just be sensitive to her. I cannot stress to you enough how important it is for you to cherish your wife." He then smiled. "You have a wonderful bride, Ben. We're very thankful for Felicity. For a multitude of reasons. You're a very lucky man to have her as your wife." Ben smiled back. "I believe I am," he agreed.

"So," said his father. "Do you feel ready to marry her?" Ben inhaled. "I do," he said. Mr. Davidson patted his shoulder. "Save that for another half hour or so," he said. Then he added, "I love you, son." Ben looked at him, surprised. That was the first time he had ever said that to him. He smiled. "I love you too," he said. Mr. Davidson smiled back and turned to leave. Just as he was in the doorway, he turned back around. "Oh," he said. "I almost forgot." He dug in his pocket and pulled out a gold cross on a thin gold chain. He pressed it into his son's palm. "On the night he died," he said. "William asked me to give you this on your wedding day. He said you needed it more than he did." Ben looked down at it. It was the cross his brother used to wear every day. He thought back to their last conversation, when William asked him if he believed in God and he said he didn't know anymore. "Thank you," he murmured, more to his brother than his father. Mr. Davidson left, and Ben fastened the cross around his neck and tucked it into his shirt. A calm overcame him, as if William was right there with him. He closed his eyes, fell to his knees, folded his hands, and prayed. He prayed for forgiveness from God, for scoffing at Him and doubting Him. He prayed in thanks for everything good in his life, for friends and family and his Felicity and for his life itself. He prayed for guidance for his marriage, that he would always be a good husband to Felicity and that he would always be able to comfort her when she needed it, to be sensitive to her and to put her above himself. He prayed that they would always remain faithful to each other and would not be tempted into infidelity, and he prayed that he and she would have a long, happy life together in which they would live in love and would always cherish each other, no matter where life took them. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Meanwhile, Felicity was still lost in her thoughts when her own father came in her room. He smiled when he saw her. "Do I look all right?" she asked.

"You look lovely, my dear," he said. "I remember when your mother wore that veil." Felicity reached up and touched her veil. "She wanted me to have it," she said. "She said that I can give it to my daughter one day."

"It looks as lovely on you as it did on her," he said. He then nodded at the window. "Look. It stopped raining." She followed his gaze and smiled. "That's good," she said. "Look! There's even a rainbow!"

"That's a good sign," he said. "'Twill bring you luck on your wedding day." He then shook his head. "My, oh my, Lissie," he said. "How did we come to this day so quickly? It seems I just held you in my arms for the first time."

"And yet I felt like this day couldn't come fast enough," she said. "Or at all."

"You know, I've thought about this day since you were born," he said. "I've dreaded walking you down that aisle, and now it is upon us."

"Dreaded?" she asked. He smiled a sad smile. "No father wants to let his daughter go," he said. "But he knows there comes a time where he has to. And that day is upon us now." Both were quiet a moment. It was then that Felicity realized that her father was the one who was probably having the hardest time coping with her growing up and getting married. After all, he had been the first man who had loved her. And now all of his duties as a father were being taken over by Ben as a husband. No wonder he felt especially melancholy. "Are you at least somewhat glad it's Ben?" she asked.

"I don't think I would have promised you to anyone else, Lissie," he said. She smiled. "Well," he went on. "No time for sentimentality. Shall we be going?" Felicity sighed and turned back to the mirror. Her last look at Miss Felicity Merriman. When she returned, she would be Mrs. Benjamin Davidson. She would be married. She and Ben wouldn't be boy and girl again, or even sweethearts, but rather husband and wife. Partners in the winding road of life. Everything that was hers would become his, and everything that was his would become hers. He would provide for her, and she in turn would care for him. He would be her most trusted confidante, and she would be his. They would share in each other's joys and sorrows, their strengths and their weaknesses. Both would be expected to care for one another in sickness and in health, and to comfort one another when needed. To love and cherish one another. Never again would she need her mother's chastising, her father's care, or her siblings' cheer. Never again would she cry in her mother's lap, be held in her father's arms, giggle with Nan under the covers until dawn, tease William, nor teach Polly to ride a horse. But she would have Ben, her Ben, and his love and protection. He would be a husband, a lover, and most importantly, a friend, all in one. And that was all she needed. "Aye," she finally said. "We shall."

The church had never looked lovelier, not even at Christmas. Sunlight streamed through the windows, giving it a soft, morning glow. All too soon, the organ started to play "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and the next thing Felicity knew, it was her turn to walk down the aisle. Her father glanced at her as the congregation rose, and she nodded. "All right," she whispered, tightening her grip on his arm. With that, the two began the happiest and most bittersweet walk they would ever take. Felicity walked slowly and quietly, but with a faint, sweet smile upon her young face. She couldn't see it, but everyone couldn't help but notice a calm and graceful aura about her. She saw her friends and family smile at her as well as his. "She is like an angel," she heard someone whisper, and she held her head a little higher. She tried to keep her eyes fixated on Ben's back. Oh, he was handsome, even though she couldn't see his face! The morning sunshine hit him perfectly, and she realized that he was the sunshine. The warmth and light that had parted the cold, dreary clouds. His friend Daniel stood to his right, playing the role of best man, and Nan stood to the left as the maid of honor. Felicity felt a tug on her heart. She knew that Ben's brother was originally supposed to be the best man. She then pushed the thought away. He was watching from Heaven, she told herself. He's here, he's just not here. The music swelled as they reached the altar and she took her place next to her bridegroom. He turned to see her, and a gentle smile lit up his face. "You look beautiful," he whispered. The music stopped before she had time to reply, so she just smiled in response. Ben turned back towards the Reverend, and Mr. Merriman took Felicity's left hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze and took a deep breath. Here went nothing. Reverend Ullfers gave a small smile, then began the wedding ceremony. "Dearly beloved," he started. "We are gathered here, in the sight of God, to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted by God Himself, signifying unto us the mystical union that it betwixt Christ and His church…which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence, and first miracle he wrought in Cana of Galilee…and is commended by Saint Paul to be honorable among all men, and therefore is not to be enterprised, nor taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God…duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained." He then went on to explain the purpose of marriage, which I shall spare you, dear reader, for sake of time and interest. Felicity tried hard to listen to his every word, to not let her mind daydream as it had before during so many other church services. This one, she realized, was a bit more important. Then he said, "Therefore, if any man can show any just cause why they may not be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter hold his peace." No objections were made; then again, it is rare when any are. The Reverend continued, "I require and charge ye both, as ye shalt answer at the dreadful Day of Judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined in matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured that so many are coupled otherwise than God's Word doth allow are not joined together by God, neither is their matrimony lawful." Neither bride nor groom made a sound. He then turned to Ben. "Benjamin Davidson," he continued. "Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will," Ben answered solemnly, making an eternal promise to himself, Felicity, and God. Reverend Ullfers then turned to the bride. "Felicity Merriman," he said. "Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will," she answered from the purest part of her heart, though she wasn't too keen on the "obey" part. Luckily for her, Ben was a pretty easygoing person.

"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?" asked the Reverend. By way of formal response, Mr. Merriman took his daughter's right hand and placed it in the Reverend's, who then in turn placed Ben's right hand on top of it. "I, Benjamin Davidson," Reverend Ullfers said.

"I, Benjamin Davidson," Ben repeated, looking right at his bride, his eyes filled with that deep, unreadable gaze that still puzzled her.

"Take thee, Felicity Merriman…"

"Take thee, Felicity Merriman…"

"To be my wedded wife…"

"To be my wedded wife…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"To love and to cherish…"

"To love and to cherish…"

"Till death do us part…"

"Till death do us part…"

"According to God's holy law…"

"According to God's holy law…"

"And thereto I give thee my troth."

"And thereto I give thee my troth." It was now Felicity's turn. Reverend Ullfers placed her right hand on top of Ben's and said, "I, Felicity Merriman…"

"I, Felicity Merriman," she repeated, her eyes serious but loving as they locked with Ben's, making her final, eternal promise to him.

"Take thee, Benjamin Davidson…"

"Take thee, Benjamin Davidson…"

"To be my wedded husband…"

"To be my wedded husband…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"To love, cherish, and obey…"

"To love, cherish, and obey…"

"Till death do us part…"

"Till death do us part…"

"According to God's holy law…"

"According to God's holy law…"

"And thereto I give thee my troth."

"And thereto I give thee my troth." She gave a small smile as she finished her recitations. Her part was sealed. Reverend Ullfers then looked to Daniel for the ring. Daniel felt around in his pockets, and then got a worried look on his face as he realized that he didn't have it. He looked to William, who felt around in his own pockets, then shook his head. The congregation started nervously giggling, as did the bride and groom, though more out of "oh no" than finding the situation humorous. William then got a look of remembrance on his face, and he ran down the aisle and out of the sanctuary. He returned a moment later with the ring in hand. By now, everyone was downright laughing as he returned to the altar. He grinned and handed it to Daniel. "One of us accidentally set it down on the table out front," he whispered. The congregation applauded, and William took a bow as Daniel gave the ring to Reverend Ullfers, who was also laughing as well as Ben and Felicity. Once everyone had settled down, he placed the ring on the book. "Bless, O Lord, this ring," he went on, his voice serious once more to put everyone else back in a holy and sacred mood. "And grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other and abide in thy peace and favor and live together until their lives end, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen." Ben took the ring and slid it on Felicity's fourth finger, then clutched her hand as he repeated his final recitations. His hands were cold, she noticed. "With this ring, I thee wed," said the Reverend.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Ben repeated, his countenance serious, though never tearing his eyes away from Felicity. She could tell that he was genuinely speaking to her, not just repeating.

"With my body, I thee honor…"

"With my body, I thee honor…"

"And all of my worldly goods with thee I share…"

"And all of my worldly goods with thee I share…"

"In the name of the Father…"

"In the name of the Father…"

"And of the Son…"

"And of the Son…"

"And of the Holy Ghost…"

"And of the Holy Ghost…"

"Amen."

"Amen," Ben finished with a deep breath, sealing his vow once and for all. He squeezed her hand, and then he and Felicity knelt at the steps of the altar. "Let us pray," said the Reverend. Everyone bowed their heads. "O eternal God," he prayed. "Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life, send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name, that living faithfully together they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received as a token and pledge, and ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

"Amen," everyone echoed. Reverend Ullfers joined the young couple's hands and said, "Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." Felicity felt her heart start to pound at his words and at what he was about to say. He let go of their hands. "For as much as Benjamin Davidson and Felicity Merriman have consented together in holy wedlock," he continued. "And have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring and by joining of hands, I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." Then, bowing his head and crossing himself, he finished, "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you. The Lord mercifully with His favor look upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come, ye may have life everlasting. Amen."

"Amen," echoed the congregation. And they were married. Both rose to their feet and turned to each other. Ben looked at her for a split second, then started to lean in. Remembering himself, he looked at Reverend Ullfers, who smiled and nodded. And so, though it wasn't in the book but usually ended up happening anyway, the bride and groom shared their first kiss as husband and wife. Ben held her close to him, and as their lips met, Felicity barely noticed the applause of the congregation. All she could concentrate on was his hand gently resting on the back of her head, her own hand on his shoulder, and his lips as they kissed hers again and again. Passionately but gently, which was something that only he could do. The kiss of her husband. They drew away as the organ started to play, and all either one of them could do was smile at each other. And so, vows said, the ring in place, and kiss having been kissed, began the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Davidson.

The rest of the church service went by in a bit of a blur. Special readings were read and hymns were sung, but all Felicity could think of was the fact that she and Ben were finally joined in holy wedlock. The reception back home afterwards, however, was anything but a blur. The afternoon consisted of lots of eating, dancing, and of course, congratulations. When they got back to the house, the first ones there were the Merrimans and the Davidsons. The house was already plenty full of activity. Both Mrs. Merriman and Mrs. Davidson were running back and forth, making sure all of the last minute preparations were in order for when everyone else arrived, both fathers were in the parlor with their wives running back and forth between them and the kitchen, and Nan and Polly were busy playing with little Alexandra while her parents stood in the foyer discussing whatever. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they walked through the door. Faith was the first to see them, and she smiled. "And there they are!" she said. "Our lovely couple!"

"The star-crossed lovers," contributed John with a grin. "Our Romeo and Juliet." Faith gently swatted her husband's arm. "You hush," she scolded. "They are not star-crossed." Then she smiled again and crossed to hug and kiss both her brother and sister-in-law. "Nor are they merely lovers anymore! May I be the first to say congratulations!"

"The first of many, I imagine," said Ben with a grin, warmly receiving his sister. "And thank you." She kissed his cheek, then proceeded to hug and kiss his new wife. "And oh, Felicity dear!" she said. "Oh goodness, I really don't know what to say! Except that I've always wanted a sister, and now I have a better one than I could have ever wished for!" She hugged her even more tightly. "And welcome, dear."

"Faith, love," said John. "Let the poor girl breathe!"

"It's all right," said Felicity with a laugh. "I want to be hugged plenty of times today."

"Well, I believe you shall, my dear Miss Merriman," said John. His wife raised her eyebrows, and he quickly corrected himself. "Oh! I beg your pardon, Mrs. Davidson." Felicity smiled. "Tis quite all right, Mr. Winchell," she said. "'Twill take quite a bit of getting used to, even for me." John smiled back. "We are family now, Miss- excuse me-Mrs. Davidson. My name is John; you needn't call me Mr. Winchell."

"John," she repeated. "Very well, John, but by the same token, my name is Felicity. You needn't call me Mrs. Davidson."

"He's trying to help you adjust to it," said Ben.

"Well then, Felicity," said John. "I don't believe we've formally met."

"We did briefly," she said. "At the funeral a few months ago." Everyone's face grew solemn. "That's right," said John quietly. "I remember."

"Tis such a shame he couldn't see this joyous occasion," remarked Faith sadly.

"Indeed," Felicity agreed.

"I felt he was there," said Ben softly. He spoke as if from a far away place. "I could have sworn I felt his presence. 'Twas as if he was right next to me." They were all quiet for a moment. Then John said, "Well, enough of this dreary talk. Today is a happy occasion. After all, 'Venus smiles not in a house of tears'."

"Oh, enough of your Romeo and Juliet references!" Faith groaned. Her husband grinned. "What?" he asked. "It seems fitting."

"No," said Faith. "Romeo and Juliet was a Shakespearean tragedy, and this is not. This is a beautiful occasion with a beautiful couple who deserves beautiful wishes."

"Thank you kindly, Faith," said Felicity.

"Well, whatever you want to call it," said John, now shaking his brother-in-law's hand. "Congratulations to the both of you!"

"Thank you," said Ben with a smile. "Seems I was just saying that to you two."

"'Twas nearly six years ago," said Faith. "Well, five and a half."

"They certainly went fast," remarked John.

"It seems like an eternity ago," said Ben. He looked at his bride. "I was your age, Lissie."

"So I would have been about fourteen," said Felicity. "My goodness, that seems forever ago! I must say, I'm rather glad those days are over." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Thank goodness," said Faith. "The worst of the war hadn't even hit yet."

"Let's not talk about it," said Ben. "It's over now. By the way, are any of the parents around?" John smiled. "I believe they are in the parlor," he said. "And are waiting anxiously for you two."

"Here," said Faith, taking Felicity's hand. "I'll take you to them." Before either one of them could say a word, she led them to the parlor. She poked her head in and smiled. "Mother," she said. "Father, Mr. and Mrs. Merriman-" Felicity heard all the chatter stop.

"Yes, dear?" asked Mrs. Davidson, her hands full of china that had yet to be set.

"I have a few people I think you might like to see," Faith said, stepping away from her brother and sister-in-law. Felicity's hand resting on Ben's arm, the two somewhat shyly stepped into the parlor. Everyone smiled when they saw the bride and groom. Mr. Merriman and Mr. Davidson stood up, and Mrs. Merriman and Mrs. Davidson set down whatever they had been doing, as if their children were a lord and his lady entering the room. And on that day, they were, in a way. Before anyone said a word, Ben and Felicity dipped into a bow and curtsy out of respect for their parents. As they rose, Felicity smiled and let go of Ben's arm, then ran into her mother's arms. Mrs. Merriman laughed as she embraced her daughter. "Oh, Lissie," she said. "My pretty, pretty Lissie!" She kissed her daughter's cheeks, then held her at arm's length. "Let me look at you, dear." Felicity stood up straight, and her mother smiled even wider. "I declare," she said. "You look even prettier than you did a few hours ago!"

"Perhaps because I'm even happier than I was a few hours ago," said Felicity contently.

"You looked lovely up there," said Mrs. Davidson, who now hugged her as well. "Simply lovely, and so calm and poised!" She kissed her cheek as Mrs. Merriman had done. "I'm glad to call you my daughter-in-law. My beautiful, elegant daughter-in-law."

"Thank you," said Felicity, smiling even wider. Her own mother stroked her hair lovingly, and Mrs. Davidson looked at her son and smiled. "And of course…" she said, now hugging him tightly. "Oh, darling, my darling! Oh, how do you feel?"

"I feel fine," said Ben with a laugh, hugging her back. "Wonderful, even. Happy."

"Oh, my goodness," she murmured, her face now lying against his chest. "Our Benjamin; handsome and all grown up and married!" Her voice was thick.

"Mother," he said. "If you're crying…" Now she laughed. "I'm sorry, dear," she said. "I can't help it. You remember your sister's wedding."

"Oh God," groaned Ben in remembrance, though he was laughing with everyone else. His mother smiled again, then kissed him over and over. "Ich liebe, liebe, liebe dich," she said, which translated as "I love, love, love you".

"That's two more 'liebe's than usual," he remarked. She laughed and kissed him again. "That's one for you," she said. "One for your wife, and one for the both of you. You are, after all, two halves of one soul now."

"All right, Katja, let's not go overboard," said Mr. Davidson. He then smiled and hugged both his son and new daughter-in-law. "But congratulations, nonetheless. I'm proud of you, son."

"Thank you," said Ben. His father looked at Felicity. "And of you too, Miss Felicity," he said. "I don't know how you did it, but somehow you changed his mind about all of this. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome," Felicity laughed. "It wasn't easy, I assure you." Everyone laughed again. "Oh, I don't think it was that hard," said Ben.

"Yes," she said. "It was. And 'twas well worth it." He smiled. "I'm glad," he said softly. Then Mr. Merriman, who had been standing off to the side, crossed over to where his daughter was standing. "Well, Lissie," he said. She turned around, and a gentle smile lit up her face as she threw her arms around him. He smiled and stroked her hair lovingly. "No more little girl," he said.

"No," she said. "No more Felicity Merriman either." He let go of her. "Tis all right," he said. "This is how it's supposed to be, even if your mother and I don't want you to be a grown up woman…with a husband."

"Father-" she started to say, but he smiled and shook his head. "I'm proud of you, dear Lissie," he said. "And congratulations." He then turned to his now son-in-law and donned a stern countenance. "And as for you," he said. Felicity couldn't help but notice the look of nervousness on her husband's face, and she bit her lip to suppress a giggle. "Yes sir?" he asked. The frown on Father's face was replaced by a smile. "Congratulations to you as well," he said, shaking Ben's hand. Ben smiled back. "Thank you, sir," he said. Father looked at his hand, then said, "Oh, for Heaven's sake, Benjamin, I am your father-in-law now!" And he hugged him as well. Ben looked a bit surprised, but returned his embrace. "Thank you," he murmured.

"For what?" asked Mr. Merriman, letting him go. Ben looked over at Felicity, who was smiling. "Everything," he said. "For everything over the years. For today."

"You are more than welcome," said Father. "And in regards to today-" he also looked over at his daughter, then back at Ben. "I wouldn't have promised her to any other man, you know." It was then that all the children came in. "Lissie!" Polly squealed when she saw them. "Lissie! Ben!" She ran to her sister and threw her arms around her waist. "Hello to you too, Polly," Felicity laughed. "My goodness, you're acting as if you haven't seen us in years!"

"I'm just happy," said Polly. "You're married, Lissie, you're married!"

"I am married," said Felicity. "As of an hour ago."

"I know," giggled Polly. "The service was rather boring, but the ceremony itself was so lovely, and you looked so pretty, and Ben looked so handsome, and oh! Ben, you're married too!" She proceeded to hug him as well. He laughed and lifted her up, then settled her on his hip. "Aye, I am," he said. "To your sister, I might add."

"I know," said Polly again. "That might take some getting used to."

"Indeed," Felicity agreed. "For all of us."

"Well, what do you think, Polly?" asked Ben. "Think you can live with the fact that I am your brother-in-law now?" Polly smiled. "Yes," she said, hugging him again. "I'm glad it's you."

"So am I," he agreed. "So am I." He set her down as Nan handed little Alexandra to Faith and smiled at Felicity. "Well, Lissie," she said. "Who saw this day coming?"

"Oh Nan," laughed Felicity. "I think we all knew it would come at some point or another."

"Yes," said Nan. "But it always just seemed like a dream." Then she hugged her and added, "But congratulations. Tis good to see both of you so happy again." Then she grinned. "All right, let me see the ring." Felicity smiled in response and held out her hand. Nan studied her fourth hand, which now had her wedding ring as well as her engagement ring. "Oh," she sighed. "Tis lovely!" She gently fingered the tiny ivy and flowers that were cut into the slim gold band. "It is, isn't it?" said Felicity.

"Ahem," William cleared his throat. "And who sacrificed his dignity to save it?" Everyone laughed. "Thank you, William," said Ben, shaking the boy's hand. "You're a good lad, and I don't know what we would have done without you." William grinned. "Well," he said. "It's certainly nice to be appreciated." Felicity smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "You are very much appreciated, Will," she said. He scrunched up his face at her kiss, making everyone laugh again. Then he said, "Well, congratulations to the both of you."

"Thank you," said both Ben and Felicity. Then Mother said, "Oh dear, we still have to take the food out of the oven!"

"And set the table!" added Mrs. Davidson. "Excuse us."

"Nan," said Father. "Why don't you take the children outside? We should give the bride and groom a little time to themselves before all of the guests start arriving." He smiled at the young couple.

"Very well," Nan agreed. Soon everyone had dispersed, leaving Ben and Felicity to themselves for a bit. He looked at her lovingly and took her hand. "Tis official now," he said.

"Indeed it is," she agreed, bringing his hand to her cheek. "Do you feel any different?"

"No, not really," he answered. "Do you?"

"A little," she said. "I'm not sure how, though." He took her in his arms. "You're going through more change than I am," he said. Then he smiled a little. "I must confess, I feel rather bad about taking you away from your family and friends. We easily could have stayed here in Williamsburg."

"You had your plans all set before we were engaged," she said, looking up at him. "And don't feel bad; I don't mind leaving. Well, naturally tis a bit bittersweet, but that comes with the territory of weddings. Besides-" she smiled. "I'll have you, and that's all I really need. This is how it's supposed to work. The wife now submits to the husband's authority and joins in on his life." He frowned and shook his head. "I don't like to think that way," he said. "This is our life, not mine with you thrown in. You and I are in this together." She smiled again and lay her head on his shoulder. "It seems almost too good to be true," she said.

"What does?" he asked.

"All of this," she answered. "You." She felt his arms tighten around her, pulling her even closer. After a moment, he said, "You know, these are some of the happiest days of our lives, and we often barely notice because we get too caught up in the little details." She lifted her head to look at him again. "Well, then let's not get caught up in the little details," she concluded. "Today is about you, me, and our marriage, not how much it costed or the food or what we're wearing."

"I agree," he said. "Although…" he smiled again. "Your gown is lovely."

She smiled back, "Thank you," she said. "And you look especially handsome today also."

"Thank you," he said. "But I think most eyes were on you."

"Not necessarily," she said. "You have just as important role as I do, if not more so."

"Not more so," he said, tenderly kissing her forehead. Then there was a knock at the door. He sighed and let go of her. "I forgot. Guests."

"Do we have to let them in?" she asked with a small grimace.

"Too late to elope now," he said. Then he smiled. "Remember, we should enjoy today."

"You're right," she said. "I'll go deal with all of the rest of our friends and family." She smiled again and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "I'll talk to you later…whenever that may be." And she went to go greet an ecstatic Elizabeth.

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly. Both bride and bridegroom were congratulated multiple times as well as hugged and kissed. At dinner, a variety of speeches were made. The women's were long and sentimental, and the men's were short, sweet, and to the point. Mrs. Fitchett's went from gushing about how she had watched Felicity grow from a spunky, spirited little girl into a beautiful, graceful young lady and how she always knew that she would one day have the lads "flocking about" to describing a time when she had to hide a stash of money from British officers in the fireplace and Mr. Fitchett came home and lit a fire. Of course, both mothers and both fathers had a few words to say as well as siblings and close friends. Some were humorous, some were serious, and some were humorous and serious. Elizabeth gave a long, sentimental one that, to put it bluntly, probably could have been turned into a book. She chronicled every detail of the "story of their love" starting with the story about Penny and the breeches, then about their friendship as well as Annabelle's fancy for him, then when he left for war leaving Felicity worried sick (since she had developed a bit of a fancy for him as well), then describing when she gave up hope that he was coming home, then the coldness between them when he did come, then France, and then their engagement, finally ending right down to the present moment, which included a bit about how Felicity currently was trying not to giggle and how Ben was turning beet red. This made everyone laugh. "And so," she concluded with a smile. "After all of this, they finally have realized that tis better to be together than apart, and here they before us, newly married. And I could not be happier for them. Thank you." She sat down as everyone applauded. Then Daniel stood up and cleared his throat. "I'm not very good at these types of things," he began. "So I will try to make this short for all of our sakes, especially after Mrs. McClellan's lovely odyssey she just shared." More laughter, and he smiled. "Anyway," he continued. "My name is Daniel Thomas. Ben and I were close friends back in the army, and miraculously stayed close these past few years. Those days in the army, I think we became closer than close. All of us did. We all developed a sense of protection over each other, and if something happened to one of us, we were all devastated." His face became solemn. "'Twas a scary time," he went on. "All around miserable. It was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, sometimes no shelter, no food, thin, torn clothes, and death everywhere one looked. Yet in spite of it all, never did I hear this man complain, at least not seriously so, nor did he show any sign of weakness or fear. Not even when he was injured and at death's door himself. He was a brave, strong man, and I've always admired him for that." Felicity looked at her husband and gently caressed his hand under the table. "Thankfully," said Daniel. "Death didn't let him through the threshold, and we remained in contact long after our soldiering days were over. Then a few weeks ago, I received a letter from him. I figured 'twas nothing out of the ordinary, just another letter on how things were. At first, it was the usual: how are you, I hope you're in good health, that sort of thing. Then as I read on, he mentioned the fact that he was getting married, which filled me with surprise and joy. I know he had always found it tiresome and frivolous, which is why the news came as a happy surprise. I read on, and he said that his brother had passed away, which killed that joy. Then he asked me to play the role of the best man, which brought that joy right back. Well, naturally (and obviously!) I said yes; how could I not? So long story short-" he looked at his friend. "Though I wish it could be your brother instead of me, I'm honored to take his place today, and honored to be a part of this joyous occasion. I think you both are very lucky to have each other, and though you've probably heard this a hundred times already and will a hundred times more, I wish you both nothing but the best, wherever life takes you." Everyone applauded, and he smiled a smile of relief and sat back down. "Thank you," said Ben softly.

"What, that?" asked Daniel. "'Twas nothing."

"Not just that," said Ben. "But for…well, everything."

"Well, then you are more than welcome," replied Daniel. "And congratulations." He then leaned across Ben to look at Felicity and smiled again."And to you too, Miss Felicity." She smiled back. "Thank you kindly, Mr. Thomas," she said. "And thank you for a sweet and short speech!"

"You're welcome," he said with a laugh. "And thank you as well."

"Whatever for?"

"For your letters," he replied with a grin."They provided us all much needed entertainment during the war, much more than our mothers or sisters could offer. By the way, you obviously didn't end up an old spinster, and I have to agree: mending is quite tedious." Felicity looked at Ben. "You read them out loud?" she asked anxiously.

"Well, why not?" he said. "We all found them interesting. Besides, I'm sure you read mine out loud to everyone as well."

"She most certainly did," contributed Elizabeth. "And who knew that you would be the unsuspecting man to marry her who didn't know what he was in for?" Everyone laughed. "There," said Ben. "So we're even." Felicity smiled. "So we are," she agreed. She looked over at Daniel. "And you're welcome." He smiled back, then glanced at Ben and did that impish, quirky thing with his eyebrows again that said, "She's definitely a keeper." Ben just smiled and nudged his shoulder. Then William said, "All right, I have a speech too." The table fell silent. "First of all," he began. "I'd just like to mention what a long time in coming all of this has been, much like Elizabeth has already mentioned. We could all tell they liked each other; they just didn't want to admit it to anyone, even themselves. I'm not sure why they didn't just come out and say it. It certainly would have made the past two years much simpler. And had yours truly not pushed it along slightly in a fit of boredom, who knows if we would all be gathered here today?" Felicity bit her lip to suppress a giggle, remembering that evening William saved them from an even more heated argument by instigating that first accidental-then-on-purpose kiss. "Anyway," he continued. "They were fine for a while, then something happened right before my sister went to France of which I have no details about. I'm guessing another disagreement. Then she came back and they were fine again, and a month later, on Christmas Eve, they were engaged to be married. And here we are, almost exactly six months later celebrating the wedding itself. So I guess the old saying is true: all's well that ends well. And as for that Jean Luc fellow who wanted to take her back to France, well, he can go and shove-"

"All right, I think you've said quite enough," interrupted Mr. Merriman. He then looked at his daughter and son-in-law and smiled. "Though to sum up William's speech, all of us are very happy for the both of you, and congratulations." He raised his glass of wine. "A toast to the bride and bridegroom," he said. "May your life together always be full of health, love, and joy."

"To the bride and groom!" everyone else echoed.

"Here, here!" contributed Polly, who loved making toasts. The glasses clinked, and Ben whispered to Felicity, "I feel like we've just been crowned a king and queen being called that."

"I do too," she said. "I like it, though."

"So do I," he agreed with a smile. "So do I."

Afterwards, there were wedding presents to be opened. They received the usual type of things such as silverware and linens and china, but Felicity's favorite was from her own parents. It was a Bible. "Every budding family needs one to have around," said Mrs. Merriman. "Especially through trying times." Felicity opened it, and on the inside cover in her mother's handwriting, it read:

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Davidson
June 22nd, 1784
"Those whom God hath joined
together, let no man put
asunder"

"It's lovely," said Ben softly. "Thank you." For some reason, Felicity felt tears well up in her eyes for (surprisingly) the first time that day. She said nothing, but just hugged her mother. "Thank you," she whispered, trying her hardest not to cry. Not just for the Bible, but also for everything her mother had done. For her love and care through all the years.

"You're more than welcome," said Mother softly, stroking her hair. "You're more than welcome." She then smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek. "There now. Don't cry, love. Tis a happy day." Felicity wiped her eyes and smiled. "I know," she said. "And I am."

"Then why are you crying?" inquired Polly.

"People cry at weddings," Ben explained. "It comes with the territory."

"You're not crying," she pointed out.

"Women cry at weddings," he rephrased. "Men just shake hands."

"Oh," she said. "Well then-" she took his hand and shook it. "Congratulations, sir." She then dragged Ben off somewhere, and Felicity and her mother just laughed. "You may not get him back, you know," Mother said. It was then that Mr. and Mrs. Fitchett came over to them. Mrs. Fitchett smiled when she saw them. "Ah, my dear Miss Felicity," she said. Felicity politely curtsied. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Fitchett," she said. "Mr. Fitchett." Mrs. Fitchett waved her hand. "Oh, worry not about politeness, child!" she said, now hugging her. "My goodness, our lovely Miss Merriman is no longer Miss Merriman! This day certainly came upon us quickly; why, it seems just yesterday you were a little child running around your father's store! Doesn't it, Roger?"

"It does indeed," her husband agreed with a smile. Mrs. Fitchett turned to Mother. "Oh Martha," she swooned. "You and Edward must be so proud. Your firstborn, such a pretty young maid and married, no less!" Mrs. Merriman smiled. "We are very proud," she said. "Of both of them."

"Yes, of course," Mrs. Fitchett agreed. "The bridegroom as well. Of course, I don't know Benjamin nearly as well, but he's always seemed like a very kind, amiable lad. Handsome too." She winked at Felicity, who grinned. Mr. Fitchett just sighed. "You and young men," he joked.

"I meant for Miss Felicity," said his wife.

"He is all of those things," Felicity agreed. "He is quiet, but he has a good heart. And…yes, he has a nice physique." Mother smiled and shook her head. "Young lovers," she said.

"Oh, Martha," chided Mrs. Fitchett. "Don't you remember what that felt like? To be young and in love?" Mrs. Merriman smiled even wider. "Indeed I do," she said softly. "Tis one of the most wonderful feelings in the world, especially on one's wedding day."

"Which is what your daughter is feeling now, I'm sure," said Mrs. Fitchett. She smiled at the bride again. "Congratulations, my dear."

"Thank you," said Felicity. "And thank you for being here."

"But of course!" said Mrs. Fitchett. "We would be here even if you were getting married in London!" Then Mrs. Wentworth came over as well. She hugged Mother when she saw her. "Oh Martha!" she exclaimed. "Tis so good to see you again, and especially on such a happy occasion!" Mrs. Merriman smiled again. "You as well," she said. Mrs. Wentworth looked at Felicity. "My, oh my," she said. "And how can this beautiful, beautiful bride be your little Lissie?" Mrs. Merriman stroked her daughter's hair. "I'm wondering that myself," she said.

"I must say, Miss Felicity," said Mrs. Wentworth. "You looked so graceful, so elegant and poised this morning. I could hardly believe it was the same little girl whose stockings used to sit in a heap at her ankles!" All of them laughed. "Thank you," said Felicity.

"Congratulations, dear," said Mrs. Wentworth. "I daresay your grandfather would be proud of you today." Felicity's face fell a little. "Well, I'm not so sure," she said slowly. Mrs. Wentworth frowned. "Why not?"

"He and Mr. Davidson…weren't exactly the best of friends," Felicity explained. "They didn't exactly see eye to eye on certain things."

"Oh, pshaw," said Mrs. Fitchett. "That is ancient history now. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Grandfather would have been very, very proud of you today," said Mrs. Merriman. "Despite his and Ben's differences. I think they would have gotten along rather well had it not been for the growing tensions between the colonies and England."

"Men," scoffed Mrs. Wentworth. "Letting other peoples' problems get in the way of their relationships."

"Tis almost a blessing he passed before the war really started," said Mrs. Fitchett. "It would have been hard on his old soul."

"It is indeed," Mother agreed. "A blessing in disguise."

"Well, you got your wish, Felicity," said Mrs. Wentworth. "You married for love, and even if he may not be the wealthiest man in the world, I don't think you could have made a finer choice." Felicity smiled. "I think so too," she said.

"Speaking of which," said Mrs. Fitchett. "Did you hear about Mr. Alberson and Miss Williams?" And she launched into another gossip of which Felicity tuned out of. Then Elizabeth came by. "Lissie!" she exclaimed happily.

"Lizzy!" Felicity exclaimed, relieved to finally be able to talk with her best friend. The two hugged each other tightly, and then Felicity said, "Oh my goodness, did I hurt you?"

"I'm not breakable, silly!" Elizabeth laughed. "I'm so glad I can finally talk to you! Oh Lissie, can you believe it? You and Ben are married!"

"I know!" Felicity said. "And no, I almost can't believe it!"

"It was such a beautiful wedding," said Elizabeth. "And you looked so beautiful, and he looked at you so lovingly, oh Lissie! I wanted to cry!"

"I was so afraid I would!" said Felicity. "Or that I would trip or laugh or faint!"

"Well, you looked very calm and collected," Elizabeth assured her. "Neither one of you looked nervous…except when they couldn't find the ring. Then that just turned out to be funny."

"Comic relief," said Felicity. "It didn't ruin anything, and it made the whole thing even more enjoyable. We'll always look back on that and laugh."

"Everyone needs some quirky wedding story to tell their children," said Elizabeth. "Remember at ours when one of Caleb's cousins sang at the reception? And she couldn't sing to save her life?"

"I remember," Felicity laughed. "Even Annabelle sang better!" Elizabeth smiled sadly. "I miss her," she said. "I miss the days when you and I used to tease her in front of Ben."

"Me too," Felicity agreed. "If she knew about this, do you think she would be happy for us or want to kill us?"

"I imagine she would be happy for you two," said Elizabeth. "I'm going to write to them when the baby comes." Felicity looked at her apprehensively. "Are you sure that's such a good idea?" she asked. "They weren't too terribly pleased with you when they left."

"It's been a few years now," Elizabeth reasoned. "The war is over."

"But there may always be resentments between the old sides," said Felicity.

"Just the same," said Elizabeth. "It is their grandchild, and they have a right to know."

"That's true," said Felicity. "They are your parents. That much will never change."

"Indeed," Elizabeth agreed. Then she smiled again. "Well, things are happier now. I am content with Caleb, expecting a baby, and now you are married as well!" She hugged her again. "And thank you."

"For what?" asked Felicity.

"For being my first friend when we moved here," said Elizabeth. "For teaching me to stand up to Annabelle during her teenager years. For helping me through Caleb and my family, and taking me in until we were married."

"Lizzy, you're my best friend," said Felicity. "Of course I would do all of that for you. I'd stay by your side when the baby comes too, if I was around."

"I know you would," said Elizabeth. "You'll come back and visit, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Felicity promised. "Even if I have to drag Ben by his hair." Elizabeth laughed. "He looks so handsome today," she remarked. "More so than usual. And when he kissed you after the prayer, oh Lissie! 'Twas the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"The first and only time he will do so in front of people," said Felicity. "Which is fine with me."

"Well, congratulations," said Elizabeth. "You two make such a beautiful couple!" Felicity laughed again. "Thank you, Elizabeth," she said. "And…thank you too. For being my friend all these years. Oh, and for the lovely china." Elizabeth smiled again and hugged her. "You are most welcome," she said. "And I'm glad you like the china." The music started to play again, the lively Virginia Reel. The two girls looked at each other and grinned. "Let's join in," Felicity suggested. "For old times' sake." And so they did.

Dancing and socializing commenced throughout the rest of the afternoon. There were many waltzes as well as fast and lively reels, all of which Felicity enjoyed immensely. The house was filled with laughter and a carefree spirit, much like any other wedding. Every now and then, Felicity would be caught up in conversation with an old friend, as would Ben. A while later, she joined him as he talked with a few old friends from the war. One was Daniel, she knew that much. The other was missing an arm, and she recalled from his letters that it was Luke. He had a woman with him who was holding a small boy's hand and held an even smaller boy on her hip. That would be Matthew's once sweetheart Rebecca, and the little boy was Matthew's son that he had never seen but who Luke had taken in as his own. The other, she assumed, was Luke and Rebecca's child. Felicity quietly slipped next to Ben. "…I asked him for it, but he still-" he went on with whatever he was saying, then turned and smiled at her. "Oh! Lissie, I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there."

"Am I interrupting?" she asked.

"Not at all," he assured her. He turned back. "Felicity," he said. "Luke and Rebecca and their children, Andrew and Peter. You remember me talking about them. Luke, Rebecca, my…" he paused and looked at Felicity. "My wife, Felicity," he said. "That feels funny to say." Felicity curtsied. "How do you do?" she asked politely.

"Very well, thank you," answered Rebecca. Luke grinned. "Ah, the infamous Miss Merriman," he said. "We've heard much about you over the years."

"So I've heard," she said, looking at Ben. "And I am no longer Miss Merriman, sir."

"No indeed," said Luke. "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Davidson." She smiled. "It's all right," she said. "I haven't completely wrapped my head around it yet." She tried very hard not to notice the place where an arm should have been. "And I've heard some things about you as well."

"Like what, may one ask?"asked Luke.

"Oh, just little things," she said with a grin. "And I have about Daniel as well. By the way, how is your dear sister Clara, Daniel?" Daniel looked at Ben and narrowed his eyes. "Just what all have you been telling her, Davidson?" he asked. Ben just smiled. "I may have told her about a certain Christmas," he said simply. Now Daniel grinned. "Oh dear," he said. "Was she jealous?"

"Not at all," answered Felicity. "I have no reason to be."

"And that was years ago," said Ben.

"I suppose you told her about this as well," said Luke, gesturing to himself and Rebecca. Ben's face grew solemn. "I did," he said quietly. Rebecca squeezed Andrew's hand. "You know then?" she asked. Felicity nodded. "I do," she replied. "I'm very sorry."

"Tis all right," said Rebecca. Andrew tugged on his mother's sleeve. "What's all right, Mama?" he asked.

"Nothing dear," she assured him. "Simply about your father's and my marriage." She then said, "These two are getting tired. I'm going to put them down for a bit." She looked at her husband. "I'll see you in a bit." He nodded, and she turned to Ben and Felicity. "It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Davidson," she said. "Mrs. Davidson. And congratulations."

"Thank you," said Ben. "It was nice to meet you too." Once she was out of earshot, Luke said, "She's still hurting."

"Because of Matthew?" asked Daniel. Luke nodded. "It pains her to look at Andrew sometimes," he said. "He looks an awful lot like Matthew."

"Does he know that he is his real father?" asked Ben.

"No," said Luke. "Rebecca wants to tell him when he gets older, but I don't know if she can. It may hurt her too much." He then sighed. "She really loved Matthew," he said. "She and I get along and like each other well enough, but she really loved him. She's woken up in the middle of the night calling his name before."

"How does that make you feel?" asked Daniel.

"Sad," Luke replied. "For her sake. Sometimes I feel like I was doing her a favor by marrying her. So she wouldn't have to be on her own and with a child. Her father cast her out when they discovered she was pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I do care about her, and she cares about me, but her real love was him. Perhaps without Andrew she could have moved on, but he is a daily reminder of his father without knowing it. With that, she couldn't move on, at least not really." No one said a word for a moment. Then Felicity said quietly, "I think that was a very kind, noble thing of you to do." Luke smiled sadly. "Thank you, Miss Felicity," he said.

"I don't think I could do it," said Daniel. Ben pulled Felicity close to him. "That would be awful," he said. "To lose someone you love that much and even have a child with. I couldn't do it, at least not without some level of insanity."

"Let's hope neither one of us ever has to," said Felicity.

"I couldn't go through it," agreed Daniel. "Anytime I would look at that baby, I would think of the woman I lost."

"Let's stop talking about it," Luke suggested. "Today is a happy day."

"After all," said Ben. "It's like my brother-in-law says: 'Venus smiles not in a house of tears'." Faith happened to walk by with Alexandra asleep on her shoulder. "Don't you start!" she groaned. Ben grinned at her, then turned back to his friends. Then he said, "Daniel, how would you know what it would feel like to lose your wife? Or equivalent of such? You're not married, or even in love." Daniel smiled. "Well," he said. "I'm not married, but I will be soon." Ben's and Luke's eyes widened. "Really?" asked Luke.

"Guess I should have mentioned that in my last letter," said Daniel.

"It may have been nice since we were on the topic of marriage," said Ben. "But that doesn't matter. So who is the lucky girl? Do we know her?" Daniel grinned a bit sheepishly. "You may have met her once or twice," he said.

"Who is she?" Luke persisted.

"Ben," said Daniel in a small voice. "You're going to have my head brought in on a silver platter."

"Oh, it can't be that bad," said Ben. Then he paused, and his eyes widened. He looked at Daniel. "Unless…" Daniel gave a small nod.

"You-you didn't-how-?" Ben stammered. "What?"

"I'm sorry," said Daniel. "I waited the standard three months before going after her!" Now Ben laughed. "Daniel Thomas," he said. "You son of a-"

"Watch it," said Luke. "We're in the company of a lady."

"Are you upset?" asked Daniel.

"No, I'm not upset," Ben laughed. "I've long since moved on."

"What?" asked Felicity. "Why should you be upset?" Ben looked at her and grinned. "It's Diana, Lissie," he said. "He's going to marry Diana." Felicity's eyes now widened as well. "Oh! Oh my," she said, and then she began to laugh as well. "Oh Daniel, really?" Daniel smiled and nodded. "Ironic, isn't it?" he asked. "The famous Diana. The heartbreaker."

"Who is Diana?" asked Luke. The other three started laughing again. "Diana," Ben explained. "Was an old…sweetheart, I guess you can say, that I met back up with during the war. She was a nurse in the hospital when I was injured, and she took care of me until the British surrendered. And over the course of those few days, I had a bit of an…infatuation…with her. Unfortunately, she didn't return my feelings, which is why she has been christened as 'the heartbreaker'."

"Infatuation?" exclaimed Felicity. "You told me she shattered your soul into a million pieces!"

"Shh," he hushed, turning red. Luke and Daniel laughed. "Now are you jealous, Miss Felicity?" asked Luke.

"No," said Felicity. "Because while he loved her at one point, I am now his wife. I know he loves me, and I love him." Luke looked at Ben, who was very red now. "Is that true?" he asked. "You actually loved her, this Diana?"

"I did," Ben confessed. "But it wasn't the real one. I think that God knows who the other half of our soul is, and while we may love others throughout our lives, He shows us that other half in due time. And once we meet that one, we never love another again." They were all quiet for a moment. Then Daniel said, "That was actually really beautiful."

"So to put it simply," Ben went on. "'I have forgot that name and that name's woe'." Faith walked by again. "Really!" she exclaimed. "Isn't there another play you can quote?" He grinned at her again, then turned back to Daniel. "So how did it come about?" he asked.

"Lots and lots of persistence," he said. "See, as it turned out, she was living in Richmond with a wealthy aunt. About three months after the war had ended, we ran into each other again. She found me rude and uncouth and callow, but I wouldn't leave her alone. So she finally agreed to actually be seen with me. She wouldn't warm up until I realized that it was that beard that was repelling her. So I shaved it off, and things went uphill from there."

"I noticed that," said Ben. "Thank goodness, too. It looked awful." Daniel narrowed his eyes. "You don't look wonderful with facial hair either," he retorted.

"But I never let it get as bad as yours," said Ben. "Now pray continue."

"Anyway," Daniel went on. "After years and years of asking and asking…I finally said yes."

"Ugh!" Luke groaned. Daniel grinned. "Fine, she said yes," he said. "We have no plans yet, but we are at least engaged." Ben smiled and shook his hand. "Well, congratulations, Daniel," he said. "I'm happy for both of you."

"You sure you're not mad?" Daniel asked.

"Of course I'm not mad," said Ben. "You're meant to be with her, and I'm meant to be with Felicity, and her friend Elizabeth is meant to be with her husband Caleb, and Luke is meant to be with Rebecca, and my sister-"

"You've made your point," Luke interrupted.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way," Ben concluded.

"Well, thank you," said Daniel. "And congratulations to both of you as well…you old married couple." Felicity smiled. "I've never been so happy to be called anything," she said.

"Neither have I," Ben agreed.

"Oh no," groaned Luke. "You see Daniel? This is what marriage does to you." They all laughed again.

Eventually, Ben and Felicity became separated, and she found it nearly impossible to find him again. It wasn't for a good hour and a half until she finally did. She had been talking with Elizabeth again when he made his way towards her. She smiled when she saw him. "There you are!" she said. "I haven't seen you in over an hour."

"I know," he said. "I've been too caught up in mundane conversation. And some interesting ones."

"Me too," she said. Then she added to Elizabeth, "Not that this has been mundane."

"Oh, I know," said Elizabeth. "And I understand. All of the adults swooning about old times and how fast time flies can get rather dull." Then she smiled. "And congratulations, Ben. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you yet."

"Thank you, Elizabeth," he replied. The music started to play again, and he looked at his wife. "Well," he said. "Even though I have two left feet, I think should be able to at least have one dance to myself with the bride."

"Is that an invitation?" she asked. He smiled and bowed. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Davidson?" he asked. She smiled back and curtsied. "I would be honored, Mr. Davidson," she replied. She then looked at Elizabeth. "Would you care to join us?" she asked. "With Caleb, of course?"

"If you don't mind," said Elizabeth. "I think I'll sit this one out. I'm feeling a bit tired."

"Of course," said Felicity understandingly. She turned back to her husband. "Shall we?"

"We shall," he answered, taking her hand. Once they had joined the other couples, he lay her hand on his shoulder and took her other one, then lay his own hand on her waist. Slowly, the two began to waltz across the floor in time to the music. As the music picked up, they went faster and faster until they were gliding. Surprisingly, neither one of them missed a single step. In those few moments, Felicity forgot about everything and everyone around them. It was just herself and Ben, and they were flying. Slowly, he twirled her, he lifted her, he dipped her, like something out of a ballet. He had a very gentle grace about him, one that made her see an angel again instead of a shopkeeper. Finally, he gently dipped her one last time and held her a split second after the music had ended, never tearing his eyes from hers. The spell was broken when suddenly there was applause. Startled, they looked up. Unbeknownst to them, everyone had stopped what they had been doing and had watched the newlyweds dance their pas de deux. Felicity smiled and stood up, then curtsied, pulling Ben into a bow alongside of her. As everyone continued to applaud, she whispered, "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"Army," he whispered. "Barn dances. I learned a lot of womanly things you used to hate, actually." She smiled, and they stood up again. "Well, 'twas lovely," she said. "Very lovely."

The afternoon wore on and eventually turned into early evening. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye, something neither was particularly willing to do. "You'll write, won't you Lissie?" asked Elizabeth as the two said their goodbyes.

"You know I will," Felicity replied. "As long as you do."

"I will," Elizabeth promised. "Especially when this baby comes." Felicity smiled sadly. "I wish more than anything I would be here for his birth," she said. "Or hers."

"I do too," Elizabeth agreed. "Have you any idea when you'll be back?"

"I'm not sure," said Felicity. "Perhaps Christmas?"

"Well, hopefully tis sooner rather than later," said Elizabeth. She then hugged her. "Oh Lissie, I'm going to miss you so much!"

"I'll miss you too," said Felicity, hugging her back. "Good luck with the baby; I'll be thinking about you in August."

"Thank you," said Elizabeth, then she lowered her voice. "And I'll be thinking about you tonight. And if or when you start feeling sick in the morning, let me know, hm?" Felicity laughed. "We'll have to wait and see," she said. The two friends let go of each other. "Goodbye, Lissie," said Elizabeth with a sad smile. "God bless you and Ben."

"You as well," said Felicity. "And Caleb, and the baby." She hugged her one last time. "Goodbye," she said, trying hard not to cry. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," said Elizabeth. "Now you should go find your husband; if you don't, you and I are going to be here a while, and you two need to get there by nightfall. And congratulations again!"

"Thank you," said Felicity. "Goodbye, Lizzy." They hugged once more, and she then went to say goodbye to her family.

This task was even worse. Polly clung to her skirt and begged her not to go, which nearly made her cry again, and even William willingly hugged both her and Ben goodbye. Nan was especially hard to say goodbye to. "You're really leaving me as the oldest sister," she said.

"I'm sorry," said Felicity. "I'm sure you'll do well, though."

"I'm not worried about that so much," said Nan. "'Twill just be strange not having you two around. Especially you. I'm going to miss you talking in your sleep."

"And I'm going to miss you taking all the covers at night," said Felicity. Nan smiled. Then she said, "Oh! By the way, Polly and I made this for you." She presented her with a small wreath of flowers. "I don't know what you would do with it, but we thought perhaps it could be a little piece of the old house in the new house." Felicity smiled back. "Tis beautiful," she said. "Thank you." She then hugged her sister tightly. "Take care of the children, will you?"

"I will," Nan promised. "Enjoy Yorktown."

"You say that as if it is merely a vacation," Felicity remarked.

"I wish," said Nan. "I love you, Lissie."

"I love you too," said Felicity, now seriously crying.

"Stop it, Lissie," said Nan. "Now you're making me cry." Felicity laughed and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. Nan looked to Ben, whom Polly was still attached to. Felicity found it rather humorous how just a year ago, Polly still referred to him as Mr. Davidson, and now she wouldn't let go of his hand. Nan sighed. "Well, Ben," she said. "I suppose this is goodbye again."

"I suppose it is," he agreed.

"I'm sorry I didn't like you when I was little," she said. He smiled a little. "Oh, you didn't, did you?" he asked.

"No," she said. "And I'm sorry being standoffish to you sometimes. And I'm sorry for forgetting about you sometimes when you were away. And for the few times I've gotten you into trouble."

"Like when?" he asked.

"Oh, I can't think of a specific time," she said. "But I know I have."

"Well, you're forgiven," he said with a laugh. "I'll miss you, Nan." She nodded stiffly, then admitted, "Oh, all right, I'll miss you too." And she too hugged him. "And congratulations."

"Thank you," he said. "And thank you for what you've done." She looked at him curiously. "What's that?"

"For talking some sense into me," he said softly. "After I had acted so stupid." She understood what he was talking about. "I now wish I hadn't," she said, her voice thick with tears. "Then maybe you wouldn't be taking her away!" Ben hugged her closer. "I'm sorry," he said. "I feel bad about that too." He held her at arm's length. "But Yorktown isn't too terribly far away. Tis better than France, is it not? And we'll still visit."

"I know," she said, wiping her eyes. "It will just be strange not having you two around."

"Very," agreed William.

"We'll all get used to it," said Mrs. Merriman, hugging and kissing Felicity, then Ben. "Everything is falling into place as it should." She then looked at her daughter. "Don't forget to write, Lissie," she said. "I didn't give you all that parchment and ink for nothing."

"I won't," Felicity laughed. "I'll write as soon as we get there." She paused, then added, "Well, maybe next week."

"Whenever you can," said Mother. "I imagine you'll have your hands full for a while, learning to run a household on your own."

"I'll help her whenever she needs it," offered Mrs. Davidson. "Or if she just needs some company."

"Thank you," said Felicity, hugging her as well. "I'm sure I will in the near future." Mrs. Davidson smiled. "I hope you'll like Yorktown," she said. "Tis not a bad place to settle down and raise a family."

"I'm sure I'll love it," said Felicity. "Once I get used to it." Her mother-in-law patted her shoulder, then looked at her son. "So," she said. "Sunday dinner?"

"Sunday dinner," he agreed with a smile, then looked at Felicity. "If that's all right with you." She nodded. "It sounds lovely," she said. Mr. Merriman and Mr. Davidson then came over. "All right, everything is set and ready to go," said Mr. Davidson.

"Carriage is ready when you are," added Mr. Merriman.

"Oh, I could have packed it up!" said Ben. "I'm sorry."

"Nonsense," said Mr. Merriman. "You have to get your goodbyes out of the way."

"Though you might want to hurry a little," added Mr. Davidson. "If you want to make it by nightfall." Felicity turned back to her parents and hugged them one last time. "Thank you," she said. "For today and everything over the years. And I love you both very very much."

"We love you too, Lissie," said Father. "Just as much." Mother smiled and hugged Ben as well. "And you too," she said.

"Thank you," he said softly. "And thank you both for everything over the years…and for making me genuinely feel like a part of your family."

"You are most welcome," said Mother. "And you've always been a part of our family. Only now it's official." Father shook his hand one more time. "You're a good man, Ben Davidson," he said. "And-" he lowered his voice. "Keep an eye on her for me, will you? She can be a bit of a handful."

"So I've noticed," said Ben with a grin. "And I will." Then he turned to Felicity. "We should get going," he said. She nodded. "You're probably right." Everyone hugged and kissed them one last time. "We'll see you in a couple of days," said Mrs. Davidson. "Be careful, will you?"

"And stop for the night if it gets too dark," added Mrs. Merriman.

"We will," Felicity promised. "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye," said Mother. "I love you."

"I love you too," said Felicity. Ben helped her into the carriage. Then Polly came running up. "Wait!" she called. She placed Felicity's old doll Susanna in her lap. "So you won't feel homesick." Felicity smiled and kissed her forehead. "Polly," she said. "You are the darlingest darling you could possibly be." Polly smiled sadly. "I love you, Lissie," she said.

"I love you too," said Felicity again. "Goodbye." She blew a few kisses, and then, both of them waving goodbye, they were off. Felicity felt bittersweet as Williamsburg became smaller and smaller behind them. She was leaving her childhood behind, but her adult life awaited in the new house ahead. And she was excited to see what it had in store for her.

It was dusk when they reached Yorktown, nearly nightfall. They were rather quiet for most of the trip, both too lost in their thoughts to say much. When they arrived, Joseph was outside, waiting to stable the horses. Naturally, he congratulated them as well. Ben kept tradition and carried Felicity over the threshold, then set her down once inside. "I'm going to go help him with the trunks and such," he said. "Will you be all right by yourself for a few minutes?"

"Absolutely," she said. "I'll be upstairs."

"All right," he agreed. "I'll be up in a bit." He went back outside, and she went upstairs to the bedroom. A few candles lit up the room, and the bed was neatly uncovered. The windows were latched for the night, and the curtains were drawn. Rebecca had also set a bowl of freshly cut flowers on the dressing table. Felicity smiled and set the wreath Polly and Nan had made next to it as well as Susanna. Then she sat down and took off her shoes and stockings, then looked at herself in the mirror. Mrs. Benjamin Davidson. And to think, she had woken up that morning still Felicity Merriman! As she looked at herself, she could have sworn she looked slightly different than she did that morning. Not older, but more like a woman instead of a girl. She unfastened the veil and removed the flowers in her hair, then started to take it down. Her auburn curls cascaded down slightly past her shoulders. With her fingers, she combed it out a little so that it didn't look quite so unruly. It was then that Ben and Joseph came up with the trunks. "There," said Ben as they set them down. "That's the last of it."

"Do you need anything else, sir?" asked Joseph. Ben shook his head. "No, that's fine," he said. "Felicity and I will unpack them tomorrow."

"Yes sir," said Joseph. "Good night, sir. Ma'am."

"Good night," both Ben and Felicity said. Ben closed the door behind him, then turned to Felicity. "Do you think twenty-four is too young to be called 'sir'?" he asked.

"Not if nineteen isn't too young to be called 'ma'am'," she answered. "Besides, you're the master of the house now."

"And you the lady," he said.

"That certainly puts things into perspective," she remarked.

"It does indeed," he agreed, wrapping his arms around her. He looked in the mirror with her and smiled. "Look at that," he said softly.

"At what?" she asked.

"That beautiful, beautiful girl," he said. "The smartest, kindest, most beautiful one anyone will ever know." She turned to face him. "You needn't flatter me, you know," she said.

"I'm not flattering you," he said. "I am merely stating my opinion." She smiled shyly and leaned in to kiss him. He responded lightly at first, then with a bit more fervor. As they kissed, he lifted her from the chair and into his arms. She tightened her grip around his neck. "Benjamin," she whispered with a laugh. "What are you doing?" He said nothing, but just smiled and sat down on the bed, her in his lap. She smiled back and took his hand, locking her fingers with his and kissing them. Then he said, "Home at last."

"Home at last," she agreed. He was quiet for a moment. Then he remarked, "It hasn't really felt like home yet. More just like a house I go to at the end of the day."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "Maybe because I haven't had anyone to share it with yet."

"You do now," she pointed out. He smiled. "I do," he agreed. "And because of that, I believe we can make this house a home."

"With me burning your supper a time or two," she said. "And the sound of children's feet running through the halls. The sounds of laughter and tears and of joy and sorrow and of love. Where our children will grow up and you and I will grow old together. That's what makes a house a home, not how big or small it is, nor how much money was spent on it."

"Indeed," he said. "And between you and me, I think we'll make it a good one." She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he held her even closer. "And it all starts right now," she murmured. "With just you and me and no one to bother us." He looked down at her, understanding that she was talking about more than the house. He pressed his lips to hers again, and as he did, he started to lie back, bringing her with him. Once they had drawn apart, she took his hand again and pressed it to her cheek. He reached over and brushed a stray curl out of her face. "Your eyes are sparkling," he remarked. She smiled. "Are they?" she asked. He nodded. "Like emeralds. A thousand sparkling emeralds." He then smiled a little. "I used to wish sometimes that my eyes were blue," he said. "Or at least a different color than boring brown. I know it's silly of me, but brown hair and brown eyes is the most common, boring combination one can have."

"I don't think so," she said. "I think your eyes are beautiful. They make one wonder what you're thinking." She paused, then added quietly, "They see things, things that aren't physical. They've seen love and hate, war and peace, Heaven and Hell."

"They see you," he said. She smiled again. "And?" she asked. "They know that I would have looked at your drawings whether I knew I could or I couldn't?" He shook his head. "No," he said. "They see an angel next to me. Her light skin, her soft, beautiful auburn hair, her full lips, the freckles dotting her fair cheeks." He smiled. "Sommer Sprossen."

"Sommer Sprossen," she repeated. "That is German, isn't it?"

"Aye."

"How do you know it?" she inquired.

"My mother," he answered. "She came from Bavaria when she was eight years old."

"So that's her accent," she realized. "She is German. Which would make you half German."

"Yes, I guess it would," he said.

"How did I not know that?" she asked.

"Well, you never asked," he pointed out.

"I guess I never had reason to," she said. "And you never mentioned it. Except for pointing out my- what are they called? Sommer Sprossen?"

"Aye, Sommer Sprossen," he said. "Meine Liebe hat Sommer Sprossen." She smiled. "I don't know what you said," she said. "But I do like how it sounds."

"I said, 'My love has freckles'," he translated.

"Yes, she does," she said. Then she asked, "Will you teach it to me someday?"

"If you want," he said. "Though I think French is more ladylike." She frowned. "I don't care," she said. "Tis a lovely language, but I'd rather not be reminded of the French. They are surprisingly rude and catty."

"All right," he said with a laugh. "German it is." She smiled again and lay her head against his chest. After a moment, he asked, "Are you homesick yet?" She shook her head. "No," she said. "I have you, and that's all I need." He smiled again and kissed her forehead. "I'll make this your home," he said. "Our home."

"We both will," she said. "This is the home you and I are meant to share. Even if it takes a while to feel like it." He nodded again. Then he said, "I'm half afraid that I'm dreaming. That I'm only dreaming that you're here next to me, and that I'll wake up tomorrow in the stable loft and you still in France."

"You're not dreaming," she said. "I'm right here, darling, and I always will be." He looked at her lovingly. "Till death do us part," he said.

"Let's not talk about that," she said. "I don't want to have to think about life without you, especially since I thought for the longest time that I would have to."

"I promised you I would come home, didn't I?" he said. "And I kept my word."

"I know," she said. "But you almost didn't."

"But I did," he pointed out. "I'm safe now, and with you, and I'll never leave you ever again."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"And promise not to worry me like that again?" she asked.

"I'll try my best," he said.

"Good," she said. "Because I don't want to live without you like Rebecca has to without Matthew. Even though she has Luke."

"Tis tragic," he agreed. "Especially since he left her with a son who doesn't even know he existed."

"That war," she said. "Messed up everything."

"Not everything, my pretty Lissie," he said. "It built character. It taught lessons. It taught me to appreciate what I have, and it made me a stronger person, as well as you. It taught me to love you, even though I was reluctant to."

"Are you still?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I'm glad to say that I surrendered to it. I'm much happier because of it, and I haven't been truly happy since I was about seventeen. Maybe eighteen, to an extent."

"I'm glad," she said. "Because I love you. More than I can say. Which is why I can't imagine losing you like Rebecca did with Matthew as well as all the other women who lost their lovers or husbands."

"God help those unfortunate lads and lasses," he said softly. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you, either." Then he said, "That's not us, though. You and I are safe and together now, and that's all that matters."

"Thank Providence," she said. "For bringing you back to me, alive and intact, though I would still love you even if you had lost that arm. Even if you had lost everything but your life itself."

"Even if-" he said, then lowered his voice. "I couldn't really…be very intimate with you? Or at all?"

"Even then," she said. "But I have faith that you can?" He smiled again and pulled her closer, then kissed her amorously upon her mouth. She kissed him back, not thinking about anything else in the world. His lips were still so soft, his touch so gentle as his hand tenderly ran through her hair. He drew away and took her hand again, then pressed it to his cheek. "Your hands are cold," he remarked.

"They usually are," she said.

"But," he said. "Thou still hast pretty hands, as cold as they may be." She smiled. "And do not say that thine are rough and ugly," she said. "For they are perfect, simply because they are thine." He smiled back. "Do I wrong my hand too much?" he asked.

"Aye, good pilgrim," she said. "Thou dost." He laughed a little and kissed her hand. She buried her face in his shirt, feeling contented as he held her. The two were quiet a moment. Then he asked quietly, "Are you nervous?" She looked up at him, immediately understanding what he was implying. Desire started to stir in her heart as she looked into his eyes, his beautiful, haunting eyes. His face was illuminated by the candlelight, giving him that angelic appearance again. "No," she whispered. "I'm not." He knelt down and took off his socks and shoes. "If you're not ready…" he started to say. She didn't answer, but rather slid his waistcoat off. "Kiss me again, Benjamin," she whispered. He knew what she meant, and he whispered, "God help us, Lissie. I can't say no even if I wanted to." He gingerly touched her face, then began to kiss her again. His kisses became more and more passionate as he started to gently touch her in places he had never touched on anyone. The desire began to intensify within both of them even more as his hand oh so gently brushed over her breast, and her heart started to pound as he slowly and seemingly a bit unsure of himself began to undress her. She didn't flinch once, and as he slid her dress off, she began to unbutton his vest, then his shirt. Once her petticoats and chemise (and the awful corset) were on the chair, he helped her undress himself, and finally he (somewhat shyly) took off his breeches. Both lay there a moment, neither saying a word. She was a bit shy at first, seeing the most intimate parts of him and letting him see her. But he took her hand and placed it on his stomach, giving her a feeling that all was well. The candlelight still gave him that heavenly aura, even more so than before. Looking at him, she started to understand why all of the old painters of the Renaissance portrayed their subjects completely naked; there was an undeniable beauty about the human body in its simplest form. So she saw in Ben right now; he was absolutely beautiful, even if men weren't supposed to be. She tenderly touched his bare chest, her fingers lightly tracing along his muscles, then along a small scar above the right breast. He held her hand there, and she leaned over and kissed his shoulder. He pulled her closer to him so that their bodies were touching, which gave her a tingling sensation as those certain areas came in contact. His skin was so warm against hers, his breathing steady. She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against him. He smelled nice, like pine and cinnamon and leather and soap and something altogether male. She kissed his chest once more, and he then lay on top of her as lightly and gently as remotely possible. His body was a bit tense as he kissed her again and stroked her hair lovingly. When the pain came, she involuntarily let out a small gasp and tightened her grip on him. He looked apprehensive. "Am I hurting you?" he asked. She shook her head. "No," she assured him. "I'm fine." He tried again, as gently as he could. As he did so, she felt an overwhelming sensation sweep over her, one unlike anything she had ever felt before. He must have felt similarly because he reached out and gripped the bedpost as if to steady himself, then let his hand fall again. She looked into his eyes. They still had that deep, haunted look about them, still desperately trying to tell her something. The look he had given her in the stable before she left for France. The look he had given her in church on Christmas Eve. The look he had given her that morning as they were married. And finally, she understood. It was so simple, she didn't know how she had missed it before. It was something raw, something pure. Something so complicated yet so simple. It was love. Pure, undeniable love. She held his face in her hands and tenderly brushed a stray piece of hair away from his face. She could feel his heart pounding, and his breathing was very heavy. "Darling, you're trembling," she murmured. He smiled a little. "I'll be all right," he whispered. He kissed her again, and she kissed his forehead. He lay his head on her breast and closed his eyes, and she stroked his dark hair lovingly. As she looked at him, she saw more than his body. She saw more than a husband. She saw more than him. She saw a broken soul, made whole again by love. He was her soul, and she was his. Without saying a word, they shared their hearts with one another, their hurts over the years as well as their joys. She could almost feel his pain and suffering that had once plagued him, and she could feel the joy he now felt as he returned to love. After he made love to her, he held her and stroked her own curls. He kissed her again. "I love you," he murmured against her mouth. "So very very much."

"I love you too," she whispered, sitting up a little. His fingers brushed against her jaw. He kissed her even more fervently on her lips, then on her cheeks, her neck, her chest. A tingling pleasure went through her, and she closed her eyes in a state of bliss. His passion started to overtake him, and he began to caress the whole of her body, meanwhile still kissing her. He then made love to her again, and this time both were a bit more responsive. She let him touch and kiss her more without shying away, and he did likewise. His body was less tense this time, and he was more pliable in her arms, as was she. As they were making love, she felt a sense of timelessness come over her. While it was a new experience for them, it was nothing new to the world. So many couples over the generations had done the exact same thing they were doing now. The clothes may have been different, the society may have been different, even the language may have been different, but the feelings were the same, the gestures were the same, the passion was the same. They could have been any couple throughout the centuries. A pharaoh and his queen in the ancient days of Egypt, or simple peasants living in the Middle Ages, or even Romeo and Juliet themselves. Obviously, they were none of these, but just a normal shopkeeper and his newlywed wife in Yorktown, Virginia, in the year 1784 AD. Benjamin and Felicity Davidson, another couple somewhere in time blessed with the beautiful gift of love and intimacy as so many couples before them had been. It was the world's way of going on. After a while, he lay next to her, still holding her tightly. In the dying light, she saw that awful scar on his arm. Somehow, though, it didn't look nearly as horrific as it once had. She gingerly touched it, and he winced. She pulled her hand back. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Nay, tis all right," he answered. "It just acts up from time to time." She gently touched it again, her fingers as light and gentle as birds. He smiled when she did, then brushed her cheek. She noticed his face. "Are you tired?" she asked.

"A little," he admitted. She turned over and blew out the remaining candle, then pulled the curtains around them. She turned back to him again, and he wrapped his arms around her once more. She lay her head against his chest. A shiver went up her spine as their bodies touched again. He looked at her. "Are you cold?" he asked.

"Tis just a chill," she said. Just the same, he pulled the covers over them and held her even closer. It was then quiet, so quiet that she thought for a minute that he had fallen asleep. Then out of the darkness, he asked, "What are you feeling right now?" She thought a moment, then answered, "Peace…happiness. A feeling of being loved."

"Thou art very much loved," he said, tenderly kissing her forehead.

"What about you?" she asked. "What do you feel?"

"I can't put it into words," he said. "Tis too strong." She just smiled and closed her eyes. Just as she was nearly asleep, she murmured, "Thank you," against his skin.

"For what?" he asked.

"For this day," she said. "For this house and this new life together. For right now." He kissed her once more. "You are welcome, my darling," he whispered. With that, she gingerly kissed his chest and fell asleep, lulled by his steady breathing and his hand gently rubbing her back.

She slept wonderfully that night. She awoke the next morning to Ben's gentle kiss upon her cheek. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. Early morning sunlight streamed in through the bed curtains. She heard birds chirping outside. She opened her eyes all the way, and the first thing she saw was Ben. He must have just woken up himself, for his head was still on the pillow. He had kicked the covers off and was lying on his stomach, one arm draped over her. She smiled a little. "Is it morning already?" she asked. He smiled back. "Indeed it is," he replied. He rolled over to face her and took her hand. "Morning comes too quickly," she said. "Night is better."

"'Night's candles are burnt out'," he quoted. "Tis time to start the new day. We must put it to good use."

"Can't we stay in bed all day and still put it to good use?" she asked. He smiled again. "I wish we could," he said. "But I've taken off enough work as it is."

"Would one more day kill you?" she asked in a small, hopeful voice. He thought a moment, then said, "Ah, dear Lissie, you'll be the death of our financial matters." He crawled back under the covers and pulled her close again. "But," he continued. "I'd much rather be poor with you than the wealthiest man in the world without you." She closed her eyes again and lay her head under his chin, feeling very much at peace. "Hold me all day," she murmured against his chest. "Just like this."

"I will," he whispered. "And all night." She felt his hand rubbing circles on the small of her back, and she gently kissed his chest again. "I genuinely thought I dreamed this," he said after a while. "I was so afraid that I would wake up freezing in the middle of some army camp with Matthew or Daniel next to me snoring up a storm instead of here with you."

"Well, you're not dreaming," she said. "We are together now, and I am all yours. I love you, and I will forevermore." He nodded. "I love you too," he said. Then he added, "'Twas almost exactly six months ago that I asked you to marry me."

"It was, wasn't it?" she said. "It seems forever ago."

"Aye," he agreed. "Do you remember it?" She smiled. "Of course I do," she said. "It was Christmas Eve." Then she asked, "Were you nervous?" He thought, then answered, "Oddly enough, no, I wasn't." Then he added, "I wish I could say these past six months have been the best of my life like many people say about the duration of their engagement, but they really weren't."

"Because of William?"

"Primarily." Then he sighed. "But they were better than the previous six months." She thought a moment, then said, "Oh. France."

"They were torture," he said. "I felt horrible about what I had said to you; I couldn't get that hurt look out of my mind. I hurt you unnecessarily, and I thought there was no way you would forgive me when- or if -you got home."

"It would have been stupid of me not to," she said. "I couldn't get you out of my head the whole time I was in France, no matter how hard I tried. And believe me, I did."

"I did too," he said. "Unsuccessfully, obviously."

"Thankfully," she said. He smiled and rested his head on top of hers. Then he murmured, "How long I've waited."

"For what, love?" she asked.

"For this," he said. "To be able to hold you, and to kiss you, and to just show you that I love you. For you to be mine, and to be yours."

"I'm completely yours," she said softly. "And you can hold me and kiss me to your soul's content." He smiled and hugged her again. After a while, he said softly, "You are beautiful, you know." She looked up at him, and he did down at her, then brushed a stray curl out of her face. "And no, I'm not trying to flatter you. You are beautiful."

"As are you," she said. "Even if men are only supposed to be handsome, you have something more than that." She reached up and stroked his hair. Then she remarked, "You never did grow it out again."

"No," he said. "I guess I didn't."

"I like it better like this," she said. "It makes you look more grown up."

"You can thank your sister-in-law," he said. She smiled. "Tis hard to believe," she remarked. "I have inlaws now." She looked at him again. "I have a husband now." He nodded. "You do indeed, Miss Felicity," he said. "One who loves you very much."

"And one whom I love very much," she replied. He leaned down to press his lips to hers again. As his tongue gently brushed against hers, she felt the same feeling from the night before stir in her heart again. She began to kiss him more fervently, and as she did so, he gently began to caress her again. "Please," she whispered against his mouth. "Just once more." He pulled away for a minute and looked at her. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Please," she murmured. He smiled a little. "Once more," he agreed. They began to kiss again, and soon she was in her beloved's arms again, feeling warm and at peace and home. After he had made love to her, he continued to hold her, tenderly kissing her over and over again. She glanced over at her wedding dress lying on the chair. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever worn. The girl in her wondered if she would ever wear something so lovely again, but the woman in her didn't care, so long as she woke up every morning with Ben Davidson by her side. She thought back to their conversation moments before. All of their past arguments and their heartbreaks, none of it mattered anymore. Even the war didn't matter anymore. The war had crippled everyone in their own way, but it had made them stronger too. It had made their love stronger, in a roundabout way. Both their past and their future were important. The future was just ahead, and the past would always be in their hearts as well as in all of the letters they had exchanged, especially in Ben's letters. His letters to Lissie.

End of Part 2