A Stand for Independence. Valerie Tripp

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      Springtime Promises

       CHAPTER 1

      elicity opened the kitchen window as wide as it would go and leaned toward the sunshine. The wind still had a whisper of winter in it. But the sun shone strong with the promise of springtime, and the sky was a clean, clear blue.

      It was spring cleaning day at the Merrimans’. Felicity was in the kitchen scrubbing the big silver chocolate pot in a tub of sudsy water. Her sister, Nan, and her brother, William, were helping her. That is, William was supposed to be helping. He was supposed to wash the wooden stirrer that went with the chocolate pot. Instead, William was using the stirrer as if it were a drumstick. He was happily hitting the water to make it splash up out of the tub.

      Outside the kitchen window, Felicity could see Mother and Rose, the Merrimans’ house servant, airing mattresses from all the beds in the household. They leaned the mattresses against the kitchen garden fence to freshen them in the bright spring sunshine.

      Felicity spoke to her mother through the open window. “Mother,” she said, “since Grandfather will be here with us on my birthday this year, do you think we might have a little party?”

      Mrs. Merriman smiled at Felicity. “What sort of party?” she asked.

      “Well,” said Felicity as she thought, “it would be a small party. Just our family and Ben. It would be a celebration—a celebration of all of us being together and of spring.” Felicity talked faster as her ideas poured out. “We could decorate the parlor with flowers. Grandfather loves flowers. I am sure tulips and daffodils will be blooming in my garden by then. We could use my favorite plates and our best chocolate cups. Oh! And we could have a fancy cake on the glass pyramid and—”

      “Tarts!” interrupted Nan.

      “Tarts and tarts and tarts!” added William.

      “Yes, indeed,” agreed Felicity. “Peach, blackberry, and raspberry tarts.”

      Mother laughed. “Lissie,” she said, “you are always ahead of yourself. Your thoughts run off and away like wild ponies! You know ’tis days till Grandfather comes and weeks till your birthday.” She helped Rose lift and turn one of the mattresses. “It’s hard to believe you will be ten this year, Lissie,” she said, “though you do grow fast as a weed. Perhaps that’s what comes of being born in the spring.”

      “I like having a birthday in the spring,” said Felicity. “Everything is blossoming and growing. The whole world is starting life new.”

      “Aye,” agreed Mrs. Merriman. “The springtime suits you. You were born sooner than I expected. You couldn’t wait to be born and start life new, as you say.” She laughed. “You have been impatient and in a hurry ever since! Grandfather will be amazed to see how tall you’ve grown.”

      “Me, too,” William said stoutly. “I’m taller, too!”

      “Oh, much taller!” said Felicity. “We have lots of changes to show Grandfather. He hasn’t even met Ben yet!” Ben was the apprentice in Mr. Merriman’s store.

      A small frown crossed Mrs. Merriman’s face. Felicity realized her mother was afraid Ben might speak out in front of Grandfather. Ben did not think the colonies should belong to the King of England anymore. But Grandfather was a strict Loyalist. He would not take kindly to anyone who criticized the king!

      Felicity looked down at the silver chocolate pot. She gently rubbed it dry. “Do you think Grandfather will be angry that we don’t drink tea anymore?” she asked her mother. To protest the tax the king had set on tea, Mr. Merriman had stopped selling tea in his store, and the Merrimans had stopped drinking tea at home. “Will Grandfather mind drinking hot chocolate instead?”

      Mrs. Merriman shook off her troubled look. “No one would mind chocolate poured from such a shiny pot!” she said cheerfully. “Now take off your wet apron. ’Tis time for you to go to your lessons at Miss Manderly’s. Don’t forget to stop at the house and fetch your hat. This spring sun will burn your nose quite pink!”

      “Yes, Mother,” said Felicity. She unpinned her apron and handed it to her mother. Then she skipped up to the house to tidy herself for lessons.