Читать книгу A Stand for Independence - Valerie Tripp - Страница 6

orning after morning, the spring days burst into beauty like blossoming flowers. Morning after morning, Felicity worked hard to prepare her garden for Grandfather’s inspection. He was due to arrive any day now. Felicity wanted her garden to look perfect for him.

Grandfather had taught Felicity many things about gardening. He believed gardens should be orderly, well kept, and useful as well as beautiful. That is why Felicity had vegetables and herbs growing in tidy rows next to her flowers.

Felicity loved to feel the rich, dark earth so cool and heavy in her hands. It smelled of sun and rain. The little seedlings pushed up out of the earth, first as a soft green fuzz and then as slender, budding stems. Each flower was different. Each was determined to stand up and offer its face to the sun. But weeds wanted to grow, too. There was one weed in particular that was especially stubborn. No matter how many times Felicity dug out its tough green stem, the spiky weed came back.

“I think you had better let that weed grow,” said Ben. He was leaning over the garden fence, grinning at Felicity. “You can’t seem to discourage it.”

Felicity grinned back at Ben. “I don’t truly mind it,” she said. “Indeed, I rather like it. ’Tis so stubborn. But I know Grandfather would not approve. And I want Grandfather to think my garden is in fine order.”

“Well,” said Ben. “Things that grow have a will of their own. ’Tis hard indeed to stop them.” He stuck the stem of the weed in his buttonhole. Suddenly, Ben stood up straight. He called out, “Good day, Isaac!”

Isaac was a free black just a little older than Ben. He and his family did laundry work at their home on the edge of town. Several times a month, Isaac came to the Merrimans’ house to pick up laundry to be washed or to return clean laundry.

Isaac came toward Felicity and Ben. He set down the laundry basket. “Good day to you,” he said with a smile. “Felicity, your garden is fine indeed!”

“Thank you, Isaac,” said Felicity.

“Isaac,” said Ben earnestly. “You are a drummer with the militia, aren’t you?”

“Aye,” answered Isaac. “That I am.”

“Will you teach me how to play beats on your drum?” asked Ben.

“Me, too?” asked Felicity.

“Very well,” said Isaac. “I don’t have my drum with me now. But I can give you both a quick lesson anyway.” He picked up two sticks from the ground and held them as if they were drumsticks.

“The drums are very important to the militia,” Isaac explained. “They tell the soldiers what to do. Different drumbeats mean different things. This beat tells everyone to wake up.” Isaac beat a loud, insistent beat on the garden fence. Rat tat TAT! Rat tat TAT! “And this beat tells the men to come quickly and line up with their guns.” Isaac played a louder beat. Brrrrump pum pumpety! Brrrrump pum pumpety! “And this beat is my favorite. It’s called ‘roast beef.’ It means dinner is ready.” Isaac beat a lively roll. Pumpety pumpety pumpety pum!

Isaac gave Ben the sticks, and Ben tried playing the beats. Then Felicity had a turn. “You do well, Felicity,” Isaac smiled.

Ben glanced at Felicity. Then he said to Isaac in a low voice, “I made a delivery to the Raleigh Tavern yesterday morning. I heard a rumor that Governor Dunmore has the key to the Magazine, where all the colonists’ gunpowder is stored. They say the governor wants to have his marines take all the gunpowder away.”

Felicity spoke up, “But if the governor’s men took our gunpowder, that would be stealing. Why would the governor do such a thing?”

“The governor is afraid,” Isaac said gravely. “He knows the colony’s militia is practicing more often. He is afraid the colonists will use the gunpowder in the Magazine to fight against him and the British soldiers. He fears the time is coming when the colonists will fight for their independence.”

“But the governor isn’t a thief,” insisted Felicity. “He wouldn’t steal.”

Isaac said softly, “A frightened man may do anything.”

Ben sighed. “Lissie, things have changed a great deal since you went dancing at the Governor’s Palace in January,” he said. “The king has sent more and more British troops here. It looks as if the British are getting ready to fight. Relations between Loyalists and Patriots have grown much worse. Many people are beginning to distrust the governor because he is the king’s representative here.”

Felicity shook her head. She said, “I am sure…”

“Nothing is sure, when trust is gone,” said Ben.

Felicity hoped Ben wouldn’t say anything in front of Grandfather about people distrusting the governor. Grandfather would be terribly displeased.

The very next afternoon, Felicity floated home from lessons humming the minuet Miss Manderly had played on Annabelle’s guitar that day. She danced into the stable yard, then stopped. Marcus, Father’s manservant, was unharnessing a horse from a dusty riding chair. She knew that riding chair. It belonged to Grandfather!

“Grandfather!” Felicity shouted happily as she ran into the parlor. There he was, standing with Father, brushing the dust off his coat.

Grandfather made Felicity an elegant bow. “Good day,” he said formally. “Do I have the honor of addressing Miss Felicity Merriman? The young lady who attended a dance lesson at the royal Governor’s Palace?”

“Oh, Grandfather!” laughed Felicity as she hugged him. “I am so glad you are here. I must tell you all about the dance at the Palace. ’Twas very fine! And there’s a new colt at the Wythes’, and you must see my garden, and…”

“Did you plant the herbs and vegetables near the kitchen as I told you, and the sweet-smelling flowers nearest the house?” Grandfather asked.

“Aye!” said Felicity. “Everything is growing nicely, but there is one weed that is so stubborn it will not go away.”

“Stubborn, you say?” said Grandfather. “Let’s go have a look at it. Perhaps I know its name and how to tame it.”

“Now, Father,” said Mrs. Merriman as she carried in a pitcher of cool water to drink. “You just arrived. Are you not hot and tired?”

“Aye!” said Grandfather with a smile. “So the garden is the very place for me. No place is more refreshing than a garden, eh, Felicity?”

Felicity nodded happily and took his hand.

“And,” said Grandfather, “there’s someone outside Felicity must meet.”

“Oh, very well,” laughed Mrs. Merriman. “Go along with you!” She and Mr. Merriman smiled as Felicity and Grandfather hurried out into the sunshine.

Grandfather was a tall, spare gentleman who stood very straight. He wore no wig, but instead tied his white hair back in a queue. His soft gray eyes were usually full of gentle good humor.

Felicity skipped next to Grandfather, wondering whom she was to meet. Just as they reached the garden gate, William ran up to her and pulled her by the hand. “Come, Lissie! See what Grandfather has brought us!” he cried. “Look!”

In a far corner of the garden, Felicity saw Nan holding what looked like a lapful of soft white fluff. Suddenly, the fluff bleated! Felicity hurried toward Nan. She knelt and looked into the small, sweet face of a lamb.

“Ohhhh,” sighed Felicity. “Ohhhh! What a dear! Oh, Grandfather! I’ve never seen such a love!” The lamb looked at Felicity with big, gentle eyes. Felicity patted the lamb’s soft fleece. “Is the lamb ours?” Felicity asked. “May we care for her?”

“Well,” said Grandfather slowly. “I believe it is a good thing for children to have animals to care for. It reminds them that they are not the only living creatures on the earth. But taking care of an animal is a big responsibility. Do you think I can trust you to raise this lamb properly?”

“Oh, yes!” said Nan, William, and Felicity all at once.

Grandfather smiled. “Very well then,” he said. “If you do a good job, the lamb may stay here. But if I see that you are irresponsible, I shall take the lamb back to my farm. Is that fair?”

“Yes!” said Nan and William.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” said Felicity. Nan put the lamb in Felicity’s lap. Then she and William ran off to tell Mother and Father about Grandfather’s gift.

Grandfather sat down on the bench next to Felicity. “I know this little lamb won’t replace your Penny,” he said. “But perhaps she can be a comfort to you.”

Felicity smiled at Grandfather. She hugged the lamb gently. “Thank you, Grandfather,” she said again. “Thank you.”

Nan and William came back, dragging Mother and Father with them.

“See the lamb, Mother?” said Nan. “See how little she is?”

“What will you call your new pet?” asked Mother.

Felicity laughed as the lamb stood on its shaky legs and wobbled right into the middle of some flowers. “I think we should call the lamb Posie,” Felicity said, “because that will remind us of where she will be if we don’t keep an eye on her!”