The visitor Bethiah had the following day was far more pleasant than Mr. Osborn. It was all she could do when she answered the knock on the door to stop herself from hugging her lifelong friend where the neighbors might see and think too much of it. Even if they were engaged, such a display would have all the older ladies scowling at her. Once the door was shut again, however, she did throw her arms around him. She was slightly embarrassed by her excitement, but she hadn't heard from him in months.

"I take it you never received any of my letters either?" Levi Finley asked, returning her embrace tightly. "None of the few I wrote my father made it to him this winter."

Bethiah released him and shook her head. "I haven't heard from you since the British came into the city. I wasn't certain if the letters had been taken, something had befallen you, or you'd found yourself a better wife."

"I believe it was at least in part due to my known stake in a specific privateer and my father's healthy career in making smuggled goods appear perfectly legal. He and I have concluded that likely someone, perhaps within the British military, was able to stop any letters from particular senders from getting into the city."

"My father and I had gone to my aunt Maggie's the moment the British drew close," Bethiah told him. "I sent you word. Did that not reach you then?"

Levi shook his head. "It did not. I was worried all winter about you being trapped with the British army. I'm thankful to hear you were not."

"Your father was still able to supply us well and for a respectable price all winter," Bethiah assured him. "He was quite efficient at moving goods out of the city."

Levi chuckled. "Smuggling is something of a specialty of his."

She laughed and motioned to the table. "Come and sit. Most of our other furniture was taken to be used as fuel, but we managed to keep a few chairs. I suppose the soldiers didn't wish to sit on the floor if they could avoid it."

Levi removed his rather new-looking blue jacket and hung it over the back of the chair before seating himself across the small table from Bethiah.

"I know what it is like to lose most of your furniture to the British army," he said. "Nearly all we had in Boston was taken while we were staying with my father during the siege. We were fortunate to be allowed to leave the city with what we did bring with us."

"You're fortunate you were able to spend the siege so far from it," Bethiah told him. "It was not pleasant to have the British army encamped so close by, attempting to control access to the city. Multiple times over the winter we found British soldiers hiding in my aunt's barn while in the process of fleeing their army service. Then, because Washington's army was also in the area, we heard fighting from time to time, and our army also attempted to control who was entering and leaving the city. It was all rather tiring to endure."

Levi reached across the table and took her hand. "I'm certain it was not enjoyable in the least. Had I been able to send word or receive it from you, I would have invited you and your father to Boston."

She smiled. "I did attempt to write to you and ask if we could stay with you, but it didn't reach you, of course. Aunt Maggie also didn't want to be left alone in her home, being a widow and my cousin having left her to join Washington's army."

"We would have welcomed her, as well."

She gave him a stern look. "That would have made your life far too difficult. Hiding things from my father may have been possible, but Aunt Maggie is a nosy gossip. Now, tell me, how has Boston fared? Has the city recovered from its occupation?"

"Not entirely," he answered with a sigh. "There is much rebuilding still to be done and many have lost their sources of income. There has still been quite a demand for smuggled goods, however. The non-importation agreements still stand, but consuming British goods – even tea – is perfectly accepted if the source is a rebellious one. Even British smugglers are acting against their laws to help us acquire what there will likely forever be a demand for. Americans are truly English at their deepest core. Goods from all the dominions of Great Britain will never be unwanted."

"Then your business has not suffered since I spoke to you last," she observed with a smile.

His smile was almost mischievous. "It has flourished more than I could have expected. The smuggling has been quite helpful, though the honest trading has declined somewhat. What has truly helped us is the privateer. I had not expected to earn back our investment in it with its first two returns to Boston. We earned nearly half our investment back with the sale of the oil from its first catch, and the rest from the sale of the second prize. And that is considering our portion is only twenty-five percent."

Bethiah grinned. "You seem to be bragging to me."

He looked away and chuckled. "That was not my intent. You asked about the business, and this is what I am most proud of. So many other merchants in Boston and elsewhere have ownership of privateers outfitted for any of the thirteen colonies against British trade and that of its allies. The ocean is surely teeming with them now. I'm not certain the Scot is the most successful of them, but it has certainly made the greatest impression."

"Because it was stolen from the British Royal Navy and is hunting the ships the British Royal Navy is intended to protect?" Bethiah asked.

He grinned. "Indeed. Though, it has made me certain the army will arrest us if they ever occupy Boston again, or any other city where they may discover us. I'm certain they have discovered that I, at least, am the merchant backer of the endeavor on record. That's why I believe they may have stopped my mail to this city."

"Does that concern you?"

Levi shook his head. "I will worry if they do return to possess Boston. Until then I won't concern myself."

Bethiah suddenly realized Jasper had not joined them. She had expected that wherever he was, he would be following Levi shortly, but he would normally have joined them by now. "Where is Jasper?"

"Home in Boston," Levi replied. "I didn't want him to suffer my father again. The time we spent with him during the British occupation of Boston was terrible enough for both of us and we agreed that, so long as I was only visiting for a few days, he wouldn't travel with me here again. A week or more and he will, but I hope to travel to see my father as infrequently as possible in the future."

"What explanation did you give your father about him not traveling with you? Wouldn't he think it strange for you not to have your manservant with you?"

Levi shrugged. "I told him he was ill and I was too eager to visit to wait for him to improve, and the doctor said it was not likely to be a mortal illness. In truth, he's overseeing our business interests, though with the constant appearance that it's per my instructions." He made a disgusted face.

Bethiah nodded. "I can understand, I think. Your father is not pleased that you freed him?"

"He doesn't know."

She was startled. "You haven't told him still? I assumed he knew from the time you did it and claimed you hired him to continue working for you."

Levi shook his head. "It seemed unimportant, though I considered it many times while we lived with him for a year. Jasper doesn't want him to be told."

"Why is that?"

"To avoid more difficulties with my father. As long as I can stand in my father's way, I will. We believe the only reason my father wasn't more cruel to him while we stayed with him during the British occupation of Boston is because he believes Jasper is my slave and therefore I can legally protect him by standing between him and my father. If my father knows he is a freeman, even under the guise of being my employee, my father would likely bar him from the house or treat him even worse."

Bethiah was no less confused. "Why do you need to please your father if you are earning enough income from your various business ventures to live successfully in Boston?"

Levi looked away, toward the window, then at the tabletop and his hands. "He and I will always be connected by the family business. If I don't act as his agent in Boston while I am also working for myself, I'm certain he will make my life as difficult as he can. Also, if I don't maintain as amicable a relationship with him as possible I won't be able to visit you. His house is where I stay, as we both know staying here with you and your father before we marry would look poorly, even if we know the truth of our relationship."

"Let's marry now, then."

Levi seemed surprised by her abruptness. "Now?" he repeated.

She nodded. "I know the war rather delayed things, with you needing to reestablish yourself in Boston and now with Philadelphia, where we planned to wed, being in such a state. I don't require anything grand or expensive, and I would prefer it if we could simply have the wedding so whatever further events of the war take place between here and Boston won't delay it any further. Were we to wed now, you would have less reason to visit your father." She squeezed his hand. "We'll explain to anyone who asks that the war swayed us, that our choices were to wait eternally for a better time or to simply make the most of the moment."

Levi finally nodded, then smiled at her. "Very well. I shall make the arrangements first thing tomorrow morning."