this time,” laughed Felicity. “Where’s Father?”
“In his counting room,” said Ben. “What’s happened?”
“Oh, nothing!” said Felicity airily. “Only the very finest thing ever in the world!”
“And what might that be?” laughed Ben.
But Felicity did not answer him, because she saw her father coming. “Father! Look!” she cried as she ran toward him, waving the invitation. “Elizabeth and Annabelle and I have been invited to the Palace!”
“To the Palace?” Mr. Merriman exclaimed. He opened the invitation and held it near the candlelight. Ben climbed down the ladder and came to take a look, too.
“May I go, Father? Elizabeth says it will be almost like a ball!” said Felicity, placing her hand on his arm. “Oh, please say I can go!”
“Well, I…” her father began.
“Lissie!” Ben burst out before Mr. Merriman could finish. “How can you even consider it? How could you possibly go to the Governor’s Palace? How could you smile at the governor and drink his punch as if you’re the best of friends? How could you?”
“I’m not angry at the governor,” Felicity said hotly.
“You should be!” said Ben. “You know Governor Dunmore represents the king here in Virginia. You know the king and the governor have treated us colonists badly!”
“Well,” said Felicity. “I suppose so, but…”
Ben didn’t listen. “If you go to this dance lesson, you’ll be surrounded by Loyalists,” he said. “You’ll be dancing with children of the very same people who have snubbed us and refused to shop at your father’s store ever since we stopped selling tea.” Ben shook his head. “Don’t you see, Lissie? You can’t go. You can’t.”
Felicity felt plunged in gloom. She understood everything Ben was saying, but she still wanted to go to the dance lesson. She looked at her father. “Is it wrong for me to go to the Palace, Father?” she asked.
Mr. Merriman looked down into Felicity’s sad face. “Lissie, my dear,” he said. “I think it is wrong when adults’ arguments make children unhappy. The invitation is kind. The governor and his lady are parents, just as I am. They want their children to be happy, especially at Christmastide. Christmas is not the time for anger. It is the time for friendliness and good spirit and merriment, too.”
“So you say she should go, sir?” asked Ben. He sounded surprised.
“Indeed, yes. I do think Felicity should go to the Governor’s Palace,” answered Mr. Merriman. “And she should dance with the governor’s children and their friends. Because if our children can dance together, then perhaps we adults can settle our differences without fighting.”
Felicity smiled at her father. “Oh, thank you, Father,” she said. “I did so hope you would say I could go.”
Mr. Merriman smiled, too. “Christmas is the time our hopes for peace and happiness should come true,” he said.
Felicity looked at Ben. She hoped Father had made him think that it was right for her to go to the dance lesson. But Ben was frowning. Felicity knew she had disappointed him. “Ben,” she began, “It’s Christmas…”
Ben turned sharply and walked away, out of the candlelight.
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