0:04 okay i'm back to read the next chapter in
0:05 in
0:08 meet felicity
0:10 and this chapter is chapter two called penny
0:15 late afternoon sunshine slanted through
0:16 the window
0:18 onto felicity's back
0:20 felicity squirmed
0:22 she had a terrible itch and didn't know
0:24 how to scratch it
0:26 she couldn't reach it with her left hand
0:29 her right hand was inky because she was
0:31 practicing her script
0:34 she jiggled her shoulders up and down
0:36 she held her breath and rubbed her sides
0:37 with her elbows
0:39 she leaned back and wiggled her
0:42 shoulders against her chin
0:45 felicity my dear exclaimed her mother
0:48 why are you twitching and fidgeting so
0:51 i have the most awful itch mother said felicity
0:52 felicity
0:54 i think my stays
0:56 are laced too tight today
0:58 there's so much pinching
1:01 and uncomfortable
1:04 felicity pulled at her
1:07 stays which were laced up her back
1:10 like a tight vest
1:13 mrs merriman shook her head and laughed
1:15 you think your stays are laced too tight
1:16 every day
1:19 but you do grow so fast maybe you are
1:21 right come here my child and i will
1:24 loosen them for you
1:26 thank you mother said felicity she
1:28 sighed with relief as her mother
1:30 loosened the laces
1:32 i've told you many times lizzy your
1:34 stays will not pinch you if you sit up straight
1:35 straight
1:37 said mrs merriman
1:39 and they will not be uncomfortable if
1:42 you moved gracefully instead of
1:44 galloping about
1:46 she straightened felicity's cap
1:48 there now pretty one
1:50 you are all
1:53 you you are set to rights
1:55 fetch me your paper so that i may see
1:58 your handwriting practice
2:00 felicity blushed as she handed her
2:01 mother the paper
2:04 i haven't quite finished mother she said
2:07 so i see said mrs merriman
2:10 the first few letters were very fine
2:12 but you lost your patience when you got
2:14 to the letter h
2:17 the rest of the letters go trip-trotton
2:19 all over the page and then turn into
2:21 sketches of horses
2:23 she put the paper down and looked
2:25 felicity in the eye lissy
2:26 lissy
2:28 what am i going to do with you
2:32 you must learn to finish what you begin
2:34 if you spend half as much time on your
2:37 letters as you do daydreaming of horses
2:39 you'd have the finest hand in
2:41 williamsburg she sighed
2:43 go along to the well now fetch some
2:45 water and scrub your hand
2:48 mind you get that ink off
2:50 yes mother said felicity she turned to
2:52 go but stopped at the door
2:54 mother she asked
2:57 may i help ben make a delivery
3:00 oh yes my lively girl laughed her mother
3:02 i know very well there's no use trying
3:04 to keep you inside when your mind is
3:07 already out and away
3:09 thank you mother said felicity as she
3:11 threw out the door
3:12 flew out the door
3:16 lucy your hat she her called her mother
3:19 but she was too late felicity was all ready
3:20 ready
3:22 halfway to the well
3:25 felicity's hand was still a little wet
3:27 and a little inky when she rushed down
3:29 the street to her father's store
3:32 and just as she got there she saw ben
3:34 come out
3:36 he stopped and looked up the street
3:38 toward the silversmith's shop
3:41 then down the street toward the church
3:44 as if he were not sure which way to go
3:47 ben do you know the way to mrs fitchett's
3:49 fitchett's
3:51 house felicity asked
3:53 ben shrugged
3:54 i'll find it
3:57 ben's shyness didn't stop felicity come
3:59 on she said i'll show you
4:00 ben shrugged again
4:02 as you wish he said
4:04 then he was quiet
4:07 felicity didn't mind it was so lovely to
4:10 be outside and this was just the kind of
4:12 afternoon she loved best
4:15 she could see a few leaves that had
4:17 turned bright gold
4:20 they were like small banners announcing
4:22 the summer's heat was ending and the
4:25 fall's weather was on its way
4:27 felicity was supposed to be leaving ben
4:30 but ben took such long strides felicity
4:33 had to trot to keep up with him
4:35 finally she lifted that little hems on
4:37 her petticoats so that she could take
4:39 long strides too
4:41 it felt wonderful to be able to stretch
4:43 her legs
4:48 said felicity
4:51 gowns and petticoats are so bothersome
4:54 i'm forever stepping on my hem and
4:58 tripping unless i take little baby steps
4:59 small steps are supposed to look ladylike
5:01 ladylike
5:03 but i can't get anywhere
5:05 tis a terrible bother
5:08 in breeches your legs are free you can
5:12 straddle horses jump over fences
5:14 run as fast as you wish you can do anything
5:16 anything
5:18 ben didn't answer but he shifted the
5:21 sack of oats to his other shoulder
5:24 now felicity could see his face
5:26 it's very tiresome to be a girl
5:29 sometimes felicity went on there are so
5:32 many things a young lady must not do
5:35 i'm told the same things over and over again
5:36 again
5:39 don't talk too loud don't walk too fast
5:42 don't fidget don't dirty your hands
5:44 don't be impatient
5:47 felicity side it's very hard
5:49 you're lucky to be a lad
5:52 and you can do whatever you like ben
5:54 shook his head i can't do whatever i
5:57 like i'm an apprentice
6:00 oh said felicity
6:02 they walked in silence for a while then
6:05 felicity asked are you happy here in williamsburg
6:07 williamsburg
6:09 happy enough said ben
6:11 i imagine you miss your family and
6:14 friends back in yorktown said felicity
6:17 and i'm sure they miss you too
6:20 if i loved someone i could never let him
6:22 go away from me
6:25 i would be too miserable and lonely
6:27 she glanced over at ben
6:29 maybe he was lonely
6:32 you'll be happier here when you have some
6:33 some
6:36 friends she said
6:38 i said ben
6:39 then he hid his face
6:42 behind the sack of oats again
6:44 felicity and ben made their way along
6:46 the dusty wide main street of williamsburg
6:47 williamsburg
6:49 it was not very busy this afternoon
6:52 the city was just beginning to waken up
6:54 after the hot sleepy summer
6:56 mrs vobe was welcoming
6:59 some guests to her tavern
7:02 the milliner had opened the windows of
7:04 her shop to catch
7:06 the first fall breezes
7:09 here and here and there
7:11 speaking out from behind a hedge
7:14 or a fence felicity saw yellow flowers
7:17 nodding their heads to welcome autumn
7:19 after they delivered the oats to mrs
7:22 fitchett's stable ben said
7:24 i can find my way to the tannery and
7:26 home from here
7:29 felicity kept right on walking
7:32 mr and i has a new horse and i have a
7:34 curiosity to see it she said
7:37 felicity half expected ben to tell her
7:39 to run along home
7:41 but he didn't say anything
7:44 sometimes i'm glad he's so quiet thought felicity
7:46 felicity she
7:47 she
7:49 she grinned to herself
7:51 jiggy nice tannery was on the far edge
7:53 of the town
7:54 out where the neat
7:57 the neat fence yards grew ragged and
8:00 pasture stretched off into the woods
8:02 felicity could smell the tannery of vats
8:05 before she could see the tumbled down
8:06 tannery shed
8:08 the vats were huge kettles full of
8:12 yellow brown ooze made of foul smelling
8:14 fish or from sour beer
8:18 mr nye sarked soaked animal hides
8:20 in them to make leather
8:23 whoosh said felicity the smell of the
8:25 tannery is enough to make you
8:27 to make your hair curl
8:31 i said ben the whole business stinks
8:33 suddenly they heard angry shouts and a
8:36 new horse's frightened winnies down
8:37 down
8:39 ye hateful beast
8:41 downey savage
8:43 they heard mr knight yell
8:46 felicity ran to the pasture gate she saw
8:49 mr nye in the pasture trying
8:50 to back the
8:53 tobacco horse between the shafts of a
8:54 wood cart
8:57 the horse was rearing up and winning
9:00 he jerked his head and pawed the air
9:02 with its hooves mr and i was shouting
9:04 and pulling on the rope that was tied
9:07 around the horse's neck
9:09 beat you down i will
9:12 yelled mr nye i'll beat you
9:14 ben caught up with felicity and pulled
9:23 no i want to see the horse said felicity
9:25 she stood behind the open gate and stared
9:26 stared
9:28 the horse was wide-eyed and skinny its
9:31 coat was rough and matted with dirt
9:33 his mane and tail were knotted with burrs
9:34 burrs
9:36 but felicity could see
9:38 that it was a fine animal with long
9:41 strong legs and a proud arch neck
9:44 oh tis a beautiful horse whispered felicity
9:45 felicity beautiful
9:46 beautiful
9:49 mr nye and the horse both seemed to hear
9:52 her at the same time same moment the
9:55 horse calmed and turned toward felicity
9:57 that gave mr knight a chance to tighten
9:59 the rope around his neck
10:01 when the horse felt the rope it went
10:03 wild again
10:07 mr nye was nearly pulled off the ground
10:10 when it reared up on his hind legs
10:13 you beast mr nye shouted he glared at
10:16 ben and barked help me get in here and
10:17 grab this rope
10:19 ben darted into the pen and grabbed the
10:22 rope with mr nye but the horse reared
10:24 and pawed his the air
10:26 more wildly than before
10:28 i'll beat the fire out of you
10:32 shouted mr nye in a rage he raised his
10:34 his whip
10:35 to strike the horse
10:38 no cried felicity
10:40 at that the horse took off crossed the
10:51 through the dust
10:53 they had to let go of the ropes and give up
10:54 up
10:56 mr nye waved his arms and yelled at
10:58 felicity get away with you you've
11:01 spooked my horse you bother some chit of
11:02 a girl
11:04 felicity called out you spooked the
11:08 horse yourself you know you did ah
11:11 mr knight snarled
11:13 he turned his red rimmed eyes on ben and growled
11:14 growled
11:16 what are you doing here
11:19 i've brought the bit you ordered from
11:21 master merriman
11:22 ben said
11:25 mr nye held out his hand give it here
11:27 then step step back
11:30 i'm going to wait for payment he said
11:32 get away with you shout out mr and i
11:34 keep your blasted bit that horse won't
11:40 go now before i take my whip to the two
11:42 of you hear me
11:44 ben turned to go but felicity backed
11:45 away slowly
11:48 she couldn't stop watching the beautiful horse
11:49 horse
11:51 it was running back and forth across the pasture
11:52 pasture
11:54 trapped inside the horses
11:57 felicity come along said ben
12:00 felicity turned and followed ben but she
12:02 did not even see the road in front of her
12:03 her
12:06 isn't she beautiful ben felicity said
12:08 isn't she a dream of a horse
12:12 i agreed ben she's a chestnut mare a
12:13 blood horse
12:15 that means she's a thoroughbred doesn't
12:17 it said felicity
12:19 i it means she was trained to be a
12:21 gentleman's mouth said ben
12:23 that horse is not
12:26 bred to drag a work card
12:27 she was never meant to belong to the
12:29 likes of mr nye
12:33 felicity exclaimed she's much too fine
12:35 oh just once i'd love to ride a horse
12:36 like that
12:39 she'd be too fast for you said ben you'd
12:41 never stay on her
12:43 he shook his head grimly besides that
12:46 horse won't trust anyone after the way
12:48 mr nye is treated
12:50 is treating her
12:53 she won't let anyone on her back ever again
12:54 again
12:57 the horse has gone vicious
13:00 felicity heard what bed said ben said
13:02 but she didn't believe it she'd seen
13:04 that look a frantic anger in the horse's
13:07 eyes but felicity
13:10 had seen something else too
13:12 under under the wilderness there was a spirit
13:14 spirit
13:16 not viciousness
13:18 just as under the mud and
13:21 burrs there was a beautiful reddish gold
13:24 coat as bright and as new as a copper penny
13:26 penny
13:28 penny whispered felicity
13:32 what aspen penny said felicity that's
13:34 what i'm going to call that horse she's
13:37 the color of a new copper penny
13:39 it's a good name for her isn't it
13:42 eyes had been because she's an
13:44 independent-minded horse that's for certain
13:45 certain
13:48 call her penny for independence too
13:50 felicity smiled
13:53 from then on she thought of the horse as penny
13:54 penny
13:57 beautiful independent bright shiny
13:59 shining penny
14:01 but by the time felicity and ben walked
14:03 to the middle of town the sun was
14:05 melting on the horizon
14:07 they hurried along to the merriman's house
14:08 house
14:10 felicity merry men exclaimed her mother
14:12 whatever have you been
14:16 wherever have you been all this time ben
14:18 and i stopped out of the tannery said felicity
14:19 felicity
14:21 and oh mother
14:24 i saw the most beautiful horse
14:26 a horse asked mrs merriman
14:27 merriman
14:30 it's cheeky nai's new horse i wager said
14:31 mrs merriman
14:34 ben handed him the harness and the bit
14:37 mr nye didn't buy these things he said
14:39 he can't control the horse enough to
14:40 harness it
14:42 tis a headstrong independent-minded
14:47 horse a bright chestnut mare and fastest fire
14:52 how did jiggy nye come to have such a
14:54 horse as mrs merriman
14:57 no one knows for sure said ben
15:00 mr nye says he won the horse in a bet
15:02 from a man who found its string in the woods
15:03 woods
15:04 he says the man put a notice in the
15:07 newspaper the notice said that whoever
15:09 lost the horse should come and claim it
15:11 but no one ever came
15:15 that's just mr nye's story it though
15:17 it's hard to trust his word
15:19 felicity had never heard ben talk so much
15:20 much
15:23 she was supposed
15:26 she was surprised at all he knew
15:29 it's a pity jiggy's got hold of the
15:32 horse said mr merriman he shook his head
15:35 it will not end well i fear
15:37 felicity could tell by the
15:40 look on her father's face that penny was
15:42 in danger
15:44 she made it she made up her mind to go
15:47 back to the tannery and see penny
15:48 as soon
15:57 okay and that is the end of chapter two
