Patriots: Boston

Chapter Five Listening at the Door

After about an hour of galloping home, I finally made it to the stable to unsaddle Agnes and feed her. I walked up to the door of our store. It was locked, so I knocked.
I heard Dolly shouting, "I want to get it, Ma! Please!"
"No! I want to!" Billy shouted.
"Neither of you are going to! And lower your voices!" My mother scolded. "Zebulun, why don't you get it."
I saw Zeb pull back the curtain from a window to make sure I wasn't a red coat. Then he opened the door for me.
"Liza!" He hugged me, surprisingly.
I hugged back awkwardly, "It's nice to see you too, Zeb."
"You took so long! Your father was about to go look for you! We were afraid something happened! Are you ok?" He asked hysterically.
"Yikes, I'm ok," I said pulling away, "I met one of Edes's apprentices, tripped and fell in the snow at Hancock's, and had some hot milk at Doctor Warren's,  but I went as fast as I could at all of the others. I'm sorry I'm late. Is there still food for me to eat?" I asked.
  "We've waited for you," he said leading me by the hand into the kitchen/dining room.
  Why was he so hands on and concerned about me? Normally he'd be trying to be my father right now!
  "Elizabeth! You're here just in time!" Father Ignatius said good-naturedly.
  "Thank you all for waiting," I said.
  "It was no problem," he said.
  "It was too a problem! I'm starving!" Billy whined.
  "I'm dreadfully sorry," I said.
  "You better be, young lady! Do you know how much you put us through? I was worried sick! You can not ride around town late at night!" My mother shouted.
  "Ma, it's 7 o'clock! It's not late and I'm fine! I got all of the letters delivered and home at a reasonable hour. I'm sorry for worrying you and for yelling right now, and I'll be quiet now," I said, calming down.
  "You got them all delivered?" My father asked.
  "Yes, with no trouble," I said.
  "Alright, let's have God bless the meal and eat," Father Ignatius said.
  "Good idea, Father," my father said.
  Father Ignatius began his blessing and we said our normal prayer and started eating. The meal was rather small, just some potatoes and a roll, because our supply was being cut off more and more. Because of this, there was becoming less and less food for us to sell, and once we sold it that was it. No one wanted our things, so business was slow and we hardly had any ourselves, but all in all we had food and we were thankful for it.
"Aileen?" my father asked my mother.
"Yes, John?" She answered. "I can't believe you let Liza go out for so long doing something so ridiculous!"
   "Yes, I'm sorry about that, but is the room ready?" My father asked.
   "You're not serious, John!" Father Ignatius said, quite surprised.
   "Papa, what was in those letters?" I asked.
   "Liza, don't speak unless you're spoken to," my mother said sternly.
  "Ma?" Eleanor asked timidly. "May I please be excused?"
  "Yes, dear," my mother said half heartedly.
  As Eleanor ran away, Constance, and Dolly immediately followed her. Then Dolly saw that Billy wasn't following. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along with her. Then little Therese ran after them. Now it was just the boys, my mother, my father, Father Ignatius, baby Ben, and me.
"John Byers! I can't believe you would still host a meeting of the Sons at your own store right after today's incident with the soldier! They'll shoot you there on the spot if they find out!" Father Ignatius said in disbelief.
"I committed to it long before they suspected anything! I can't just back out now!" My father explained.
"Papa, I'm sorry to talk out of turn here, but is that what was in those letters?" I asked.
"I told them to take the secret tunnel entrance to the cellar from the pub next door to get to the meeting," my father explained. "We'll meet in the cellar, not upstairs."
"There's a secret tunnel entrance from the pub?!" Isaac asked excitedly.
"I should not have just said that in front of you, Isaac North," my father joked, shaking his head.
"You're not allowed to use it," Zeb said tersely. "You shouldn't even be in that pub."
"Ok, Father," Isaac joked to Zeb.
That may be one of his most used jokes, but it adds to even more confusion in the house, with the number of "fathers."
"Anyway," my father said sternly to get everyone back on track, "Zebulun, please go set up the food at the table in the cellar. Isaac, it's cold and dark down down there, so light some candles and lanterns so that we can see each other. Do not burn down the house! Liza, you start on the dishes with your mother. Father, why don't you tell the children to get ready for bed and read them a few bible stories as part of their bedtime prayers."
"Alright John, but are you positive your meeting is completely secret?" Father Ignatius asked.
"I'm positive," he said confidently. "Now, everyone to your work."
   I began to pick up plates and walked into the kitchen. My mother followed.
  "You know you are not allowed to go anywhere near that meeting of your father's tonight," she said.
  "I know. It's not ladylike," I said as I took the soap from the cupboard and grabbed the pail of water from the corner.
  "Also, Miss Cadwell did not give me a report on your lesson today? Did it go well?" She asked.
  "I guess," I said.
  "Then why is there a broken stool in the corner of the shop?" She asked suspiciously.
  "It was rickety to begin with and I sat on it," I said apologetically.
  "Oh Liza, what are we going to do with you?" She said shaking her head, jokingly. "By the way, have your friends talked about being betrothed and possibly getting married soon?"
  Uh oh.
  "Ma, you know I don't have any friends besides the boys," I said.
  "There are the girls down the wharf, Charlotte and Lacey, the smith's daughter and the banker's daughter. you should talk to them. They'd be good examples for you," my mother hinted.
  "I'd rather just have the boys, thank you," I said as politely as I could.
  "But you are a girl who should have some girl company. These boys are turning you into a revolutionary," she said, annoyed.
   "You did not have to go through all of these ridiculous lessons and sit in a house all day in Ireland, did you?" I asked.
  "No, my village did not have a teacher like Miss Cadwell and we were too poor to afford one even if there was one. We do have the money now and we are spending it for the good of you girls," she explained.
  "All she's teaching us is to be pretentious snobs, Ma," I complained.
"No, she is teaching you to be ladylike. You need those lessons most of all!"
I decided to keep my mouth shut as I finished washing the dishes. My mother went out into the house part of the building and Isaac burst in through the store entrance.
"I saw Mr. Hancock walking into the pub! He'll be here soon! I wish I was allowed at the meetings! I heard your father say this was a really important meeting! What'd ya say we-"
"Shhh!" I said. "Quieter please! My mother isn't too far away!"
"What'd ya say we listen at the door?" He whispered.
That's sounded fun, but a little risky. Of course, it would get us more updated with the impending revolution, so it was tempting there, but my biggest fear was my mother.
"What about my ma?" I asked.
"Hmm, didn't think about that," he said.
"I guess I know a place where we could hear what they are saying," I said, thinking of the door on our side of the cellar.
"Will your mother know we're there?" He asked.
"Not if we're quiet, and I can volunteer to bring extra drinks or food or something," I suggested.
"Would it be too strange if I came along?" He asked.
"I don't think so," I said as I wondered if it really would look suspicious.
"Great! I'll keep watching out the window for more Sons," he said as he ran off into the store.
I followed him and sat on a stool reading a book that Father Ignatius had given me. It was The Confessions by Saint Augustine, a beautiful book. Then Zeb walked in wearing a very nice coat and his hair brushed cleanly.
"Where are you going?" I asked. "The Sons are meeting in the cellar. You can go in from the house."
"I'm going courting," he said matter of factly.
Isaac and I looked at each other and smirked at the same time.
"Who?" Isaac asked, trying to hold down a laugh.
"Penelope Walters, the goldsmith's daughter," he said dreamily. This was unlike him.
Penelope Walters. I knew who she was. Dark brown flowing hair, bright blue eyes like his own, tall and slender, soft spoken, polite, perfect. Of course he was going with her.
"Where are you taking her?" I asked.
"Dancing at Mr. Anderson's. He's having a party for young apprentices," he said smirking at Isaac.
  "How come I didn't know about this?" He asked, puzzled.
  "Well, I didn't think you were really much for dancing, and who with? Liza?" He laughed.
   Isaac and I looked at each other for a hard moment. It was one of the most awkward moments of my life. Then we both laughed hysterically.
  "Also, I have a date with Penelope and I can't have you messing it up! So, I'm going, you both are not, good night!" He laughed as he walked out the door into the cold and blowing snow.
  "Hmm, to go to the party and embarrass Zeb, or to listen in on the Sons meeting?" Isaac said as he mischievously paced the floor tapping his chin.
  "Both things you should not do, Isaac North!" A little voice said. It was Eleanor.
  "Come on, Ellie. You know I'm only joking!" He laughed.
  Eleanor was not laughing. "I hear noises in the cellar. What are they, Liza?"
  "It must be that darn cat from the pub sneaking in again! I'll take care of it," I said, turning around to walk away.
  "They're not those wanted men?" She asked.
  "Why would you ask that?" I said nervously.
  "What Grandfather scolded Papa about at supper today," she said. "And I just heard Isaac."
  "Ok, I won't lie to you. They are the Sons of Liberty. They're good people who want to do good things! Make good changes, but the bad soldiers want to hurt them, so you need to keep it quiet and not tell anyone about them and that they meet here. Do you understand?" I asked sternly.
  "What happens if someone does find out?" She asked.
  "Horrible things! All of those good men could die!" I said just as seriously.
  "Even Papa?" She asked frightfully.
  "Even Papa," I said gravely. "Do you promise to keep it completely secret?"
  "Yes! I promise," she said seriously.
  "Now, grandfather is probably waiting to read to you. You should go," I said shooing her away.
"I want to do what you are doing though!" She said.
  "No you don't," Isaac persuaded her. "We actually are thinking about staying in and discussing Plato tonight."
  "Plato? That's boring! I guess I will go to bed!" Eleanor said as she ran out the door.
  I could tell she was still just standing on the other side.
"You think-" I cut Isaac off and walked over to the door.
"Eleanor, go to bed," I said.
"Eleanor, please help me with Therese!" Father Ignatius called.
"Coming, Grandfather!" She said.
I heard her light little footsteps running away from the door.
"I think what?" I asked Isaac.
"You think our plan to listen in on the meeting will work?" He asked.
"I'm pretty sure," I said, feeling confident. "Help me get some drinks, will you?"
"Sure, but they are in the cellar. Don't they have all the beer they could want?" He asked.
"They don't have special Irish mixed drinks with my Ma's recipes," I said.
"All of the beer and wine is in the cellar where they're meeting though. How will we get it?" He asked.
"I'll sneak down right now," I said. "Have you seen anyone else come in yet?"
"Paul Revere, that's all," he said.
I was honestly a little star struck by the thought of having one of the most important Sons and the best silversmith in Boston in my cellar along with Mr. Hancock, but I couldn't let this side track me. I opened the trap door in the kitchen and climbed down the ladder. Then I shut the trap door and opened the door to the main part of the cellar. My father, Mr. Hancock, and Mr. Revere were all sitting around a table in the dark candle lit room. I tiptoed silently along the wall and the barrels and bottles of beer and wine. I hoped it was dark enough for me to go unnoticed. I grabbed a few bottles and began to walk out of the room. Just then my father saw me.
"Liza, what are you doing? Those better not be for you and Isaac," he said sternly.
"No, they're not for us. I was thinking you and your friends might want some good old Irish drinks. I was planning on using Ma's recipe," I said.
Mr. Revere laughed. I wasn't sure what to think.
"We don't need any of those drinks, Liza. Go upstairs," my father dismissed me.
  Ok, so we're not getting into the meeting by bringing drinks.  I climbed back up and told Isaac. We would just have to listen at the door.
  We watched as more and more Sons walked into the pub.
  "I wish I could be like them," Isaac said quietly. "I really don't want to be a storekeeper. I want to fight. I want to make a difference in the world. I want to be free. I want the colonies to be free."
  "You're only 15, Isaac. You can technically quit your apprenticeship," I said, much to my own surprise. Why do I even put these ideas into his head? He's my best friend. I don't want him to leave our family.
  "It beats being a farmer, and I need the career to support my father, mother, and little sisters. I haven't seen them in so long, even though their farm is right outside of town. They just can't afford to feed me too, and your family has been so good to me, I can't leave. Your family has helped me build such a strong faith, but I feel like I might stray from if if I leave. You all are good for me," he said.
He can't leave. He just can't.
"I'm glad," I said.
We watched as Mr. Edes walked in. He was the last one. Isaac and I walked into the kitchen and opened the trap door. We climbed down the ladder and pressed our ears against the door.
Mr. Hancock began to speak, "As you all know, the tension between the king and the colonies has become greater and greater. I've received word from other Sons of Liberty groups from around the colonies that they want to have a continental congress to get together and discuss the issues and possibly compose the document that will declare our independence."
Isaac and I looked at each other with excitement. A definite declaration sounded amazing and what we needed. We listened at the door for hours hearing words of freedom and revolution and what we would need to win a war. How we both longed to be in on that meeting. Then all of a sudden someone tapped us both on the back and made us jump. I whirled around to see Zeb standing there.
  "Zebulun Morris! What was that for?!" I whispered harshly.
  "What are you two doing? Listening at that door?" He asked jokingly.
  "Yes, but don't tell Mr. Byers!" Isaac said.
  "I won't, I just can't believe how ridiculous you two are. Always wanting to be where the talk of revolution is! Neither of you can really do anything!" Zeb said, almost sympathetically.
  "Need I remind you that I road hours in the cold to call the Sons here?" I asked.
  "And Zeb, you're the one who can be in there but goes dancing with some girl instead! Can't you go dancing with her some other night? They're having a continental congress to declare independence from the king and you missed the discussion!" Isaac scolded.
  "Well, I'm sure Mr. Byers will fill me in. You two better get out of here though before Mrs. Byers finds you and tans your hide!" Zeb joked.
  We climbed back up into the empty kitchen and back into the store.
  "Zebulun! Where have you been?" Mr. Adams shouted jokingly.
  "He's been seeing some girl and taking her dancing," my father teased.
  "Oi, boy! You know that won't win the war!" Mr. Otis laughed.
  "Love is nice though," Zeb said sheepishly.
  We could hear this from the shop, just not as well as the door:
  "About that, Zebulun..." my father said.