Felicity: Revolutionary Romance

Chapter 5

Within two weeks, it was the year 1774 and within two months more, the Intolerable Acts had been established through the Thirteen Colonies. Felicity was released from her lessons with Miss Manderly no earlier than half-an-hour to help her mother, who was expecting another baby. Ben was feeling sorry for those patriots who would never again know the careless freedom of their days before Boston Tea Party created all of this trouble.

In after years when she thought of those last days of December, 1773, Felicity could never quite remember details. Time and events were telescoped, jumbled together like a nightmare that had no reality or reason. Till the day she died there would be blank spots in her memories of those days, replaced with ones where she displayed a strong sense of character. Especially vague were her recollections of the time between her and Benjamin.

The Intolerable Acts as they were called, brought distrust and indignation from the colonials, with loads of British soldiers arriving at the harbor every day and taking up room and board in the homes of unsympathetic hosts. Some who defied these laws and justified the Boston Tea Party were arrested and sent to prison, waiting to face either execution or life-long sentences.

Martha found Felicity in her room looking lonely and bored. With a heart of sympathy beating smoothly, she sat down beside her on the bed.

"What is wrong, dear?"

"Nothing seems to matter anymore. I don't know if this war will change us for better or worse....let alone my new baby brother or sister."

"I think you need a trip to help take your mind off of things. How about Grandfather's plantation?"

"What would I even do there?" Felicity asked insecurely. "I know Grandfather has plenty of horses to ride, but I might get bored after a while."

"Well, how about Boston then? I'm sure there are lots of things you can do there with your father, your Uncle George, Aunt Charlotte and cousin Charles. Perhaps you can show us all that the Merrimans will not tolerate these Intolerable Acts."

"My spirit fights for freedom," Felicity announced in a brave tone. "So I should do the same."

With the help of Rose, who was accompanying them, Felicity packed up and they were off on a long day's journey to Boston, Massachusetts. As the carriage carried them northward, Felicity thought that Boston couldn't possibly be so boring as Lexington and Concorde had been and, in spite of her distaste for the British occupation, she looked forward with some curiosity toward seeing how the town had fared since her last visit, in the winter of 1772 before the war began.

At this time of the Intolerable Acts, Boston was a beehive of British activity, with soldiers patrolling the streets, looking for any sign of infractions that violated the king's law. As far as she could see, Felicity could tell that the civilians weren't too happy with their presence, but all intention of speaking her mind out was met with a stop when they came across the three story house which lay on the left side at the middle of a cobblestone street. It was late afternoon and the sun was going down. Tom left the carriage and knocked on the door three times. When the door opened it's warm glow from the heat of the candles filling the room, Felicity could make out the trio of relatives from her father's family standing there by the front stoop.

Charlotte Merriman was born Charlotte Carlotta Hamilton fifty years before. She was thin, rosy-cheeked and black-haired and always a little breathless from too tightly laced stays. She was able to walk more than two blocks despite cramming her feet into too small slippers. She had a heart which fluttered at any excitement and she pampered it shamelessly, fainting at any provocation. Everyone knew that her swoons were generally mere ladylike pretenses but they loved her enough to refrain from saying so. Everyone loved her, spoiled her like a child and refused to take her seriously — everyone except a few of her neighbors.