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Felicity.
The very name made his heart beat faster.
"Felicity, Felicity, Felicity..." Ben repeated that name to himself, to put it in his memory. Felicity was the name of his master's oldest daughter. Ben wanted to make sure that he remembered everyone's names by the time he arrived in Williamsburg; he didn't want to look a fool when he arrived. He didn't want to greatly shame himself the first time he would speak in the Merriman household.
The clanking of the carriage wheels against the road often distracted him from his thoughts, as he often tried to keep himself from bumping into the other passengers sitting alongside him. What kept him from strangling the annoying members of his ride was the fact that he was going to Williamsburg – the largest city and the capital of Virginia. He imagined what it would look like, the smells, the people, the sounds. Whatever it would be, it would definitely be different than the one-horse village he was born in. Ben also wondered what the Merriman family would be like – if they were kind, or cruel, jovial or serious. He had only met Mr. Merriman a few times, and even then it wasn't for very long to have a good idea of his personality. Whatever the case, Benjamin Davidson hoped he would be living with a good family for the next six years.
By the time the carriage arrived in Williamsburg, it was twilight, and the streetlamps were beginning to be light. The daily traffic of the day had slowed, but you could still see the baker baking, the fishmonger mongering, and the cobbler cobbling, with their light still aglow in their shops. People still walked to and fro, never minding that a new face was about to enter the city; a new face always came, and so was never great news (unless, of course, it was new governor). Least of all Benjamin Davidson, a humble, hopeful merchant apprentice. He would be the least of their concerns.
The carriage stopped at the station, unloading passengers and their luggage. Ben now stood, waiting for his hosts. He squinted, looking for them. He figured they would all be redheads, a clue he knew from what Mr. Merriman had told him. He heard voices, gradually growing louder, as he search for the Merrimans.
"Ben! Ben Davidson!"
Ben quickly spun around to see who was calling for him. He saw a group of redheads heading towards him, all beaming. He saw a friendly group of people, smiling and laughing even as they searched for him. They finally caught up with him, with the head of the family saying, "Hello Mr. Davidson. I'm Mr. Merriman, and this is my family. Would you give us the honor of coming home with us?"
Ben agreed, and he walked home with the Merrimans, observing them. He asked Mr. Merriman, "How did you know it was me?"
Mr. Merriman chuckled and said, "Well, you were the only young man I saw, and I do have a good memory for remembering faces."
"That is true. The only people with in the carriage were old stuffy people."
Mr. Merriman chuckled again, and replied, "I hope you won't have to relive that terrible arrangement anytime soon."
Benjamin and the Merrimans soon reached the house, all eager to have dinner and rest. As Benjamin entered the house, he noticed that the house looked warm and inviting, as if it had known he was coming all along. The house was full of light, and one could tell it was well lived in. It was homey, but had a touch of subtle elegance.
"This is our humble abode," the older woman said, ushering Benjamin into the house.
"It looks lovely, ma'am," Ben said, tipping his hat towards her.
"Thank you. Don't forget to hang your hat and coat, Mr. Davidson," she replied with a small giggle.
Benjamin was quickly led to the dining room, surrounded by laughter and merriment. "They certainly fit their name very well," Ben thought, hearing his host's conversations as they sat down to eat. The servants helped Mrs. Merriman with serving, placing each dish with care on the table. The family said grace, and ate their evening meal with voraciousness.
"Why don't we introduce ourselves?," Mr. Merriman said, looking at his family.
The family murmured with agreement, and one by one everyone on the table introduced themselves.
"I'm Mr. Merriman, as you already know," Mr. Merriman said with a wink.
"I'm Mrs. Merriman,", the woman next to him said.
Next to her was a young girl around his age, with dark red hair, green eyes and freckles. She looked uncomfortable in her seat, but nonetheless introduced herself. "I'm Felicity, and I'm happy to meet you, Benjamin Davidson." She nodded in his direction and blushed a little, but had a fiery look in her eyes
"I'm Nan," the younger girl next to her said, with great pride in her voice. She sat tall and proud, as contrasted to her more awkward sister. She and Felicity both looked alike, only Nan had brown eyes like her father.
Next came the son, a cheerful looking child with the same coloring. "I'm William," he said, with great excitement. He looked like a cheerful and joyful child, much like his family.
As the family introduced themselves, Benjamin couldn't help but notice that eldest daughter was looking at him intently, as if trying to decipher him. This unnerved him a bit, but kept his composure; he didn't want to give a bad first impression to his hosts, least of all one who would be living with him for quite a while.
As the Merrimans and Benjamin sat down in the parlor after dinner, he talked with the family, learning about them, and them learning about him. He learned that they were, of course, merchants, and also were well off. He also learned that the family had Whig leanings themselves; this of course, did not bother him much, for Ben was a Whig sympathizer himself, from what he knew.
As the night wore on, Ben found himself thinking about his new predicament; he liked the family, and it seemed like he was in good hands. One thing was on his mind though; the girl – the oldest.
Felicity.
As the thought sprang up, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He looked over and saw the very girl he was thinking of, smiling at him coquettishly.
"Hello, Benjamin," Felicity said, peering at him. "How are you this fine evening?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
Felicity sat next to him, tilting her head to the side. "What made you want to become a merchant?," she asked.
"I didn't have much of a choice. My father wanted me to become one, and sought a good friend of his to become my master so I could pick up the family trade."
"I see," she said, still not satisfied. "What are your interests?"
"Well, I like reading, riding horseback, hunting, fishing, running, trapping. I like many things."
"I like reading and riding horseback as well. I also like dancing. Maybe we shall dance together sometime soon?," she teasingly added.
"Maybe we shall Miss Felicity," he chuckled.
"I hope we become good friends. You sound like a most interesting person," Felicity added, emphasizing her words. She got up, looking down at Benjamin. "I must get going to bed. I hope you have a good night's sleep and enjoy your stay here." She put out her hand. Benjamin took it to stand up and shook it, placing another hand around it.
"I most definitely shall, Felicity."
Thus was the beginning of a lasting friendship.