It was late morning and Bethiah was helping Lottie prepare the shop to open when Levi entered the shop area looking rather excited.

"The Scot has returned," he said to her. "I know you enjoy seeing it from upstairs as it comes in."

Bethiah was thankful to hear the ship had returned, as it had been gone some time longer than they had expected. She followed Levi from the shop and up the stairs at the back of the hall, then up to the attic, which was full of neatly-arranged crates, barrels, and sacks of merchandise, most of it provided by Levi's ring of smugglers, but some with honest origins. They moved through the storeroom and to a door set in the wall, which led out onto a small balcony that looked out to the harbor. 

The view afforded by the balcony was splendid. The location of the house nearly across from a road that ran directly to the harbor allowed for a nearly unobstructed view of the harbor itself. Bethiah could see the ships at the docks and larger ones farther out, sitting at anchor. Levi directed her gaze to the largest one, a great ship that seemed to turn all the others into miniatures. She had seen such ships of war outside Philadelphia, and would have been alarmed at first if she hadn't seen the flag of stripes and a pine tree above the ship's stern. Even having seen the Scot before, seeing it again still caused the same feeling of wonder that the ship was one so deeply connected to her family in Boston.

"It's good to see it again," she declared.

"It is," Levi agreed, sounding almost proud. "Isn't it the grandest ship you've ever seen?"

Bethiah smiled. "Oh, I've seen others like it, though none flying a flag we would be happy to see. It truly is grand and wonderful that it's one friendly to us and our cause."

Levi stared wistfully at the ship. "It truly is." He seemed to suddenly recall the business that was associated with the ship's return and turned to her. "I'll need to meet with Captain Dunn and his newest prize master when they come ashore. They only just arrived two hours ago and are likely making their final arrangements before he comes ashore. There is always much to do when in port. The shop will be yours while Jasper and I meet with Captain Dunn and his prize master, of course," Levi told her, turning from the view of the harbor. "I trust you and Lottie to oversee it, as you always do."

"Of course," Bethiah replied. "Though I would enjoy seeing Captain Dunn again."

Levi smiled. "You certainly will see him," he assured her. "The first meeting upon his return is ever the tedious business. I'm certain that does interest you somewhat, but we'll meet with him again before he leaves."

Bethiah nodded. "It does interest me, and I assure you I would not be bored by it. Perhaps you will explain it all to me after, in more detail than you often do. Of course, were I to join you in the meeting I wouldn't know enough of the goings on to truly understand what the conversation is about."

He looked surprised. She had never attended business meetings with Jasper and himself, but they had always explained the dealings with her after, and often valued her opinion on any business matters they were debating. Her work with Ms. Goodwell had shown her what items might prove profitable when it came to materials for garments and accessaries, and this knowledge she passed along to Levi and Jasper. With her assistance the shop was quickly becoming one that could have something for anyone who entered it, not merely the household goods and special finds Levi was more familiar with buying and selling. 

"I will go over everything with you this evening," he promised. "I will show you all the papers and take you to see the prize ship tomorrow, if you're truly interested."

Bethiah smiled at him. "I would enjoy that, as well."

"And forgive me," he went on, "for assuming you wouldn't wish to know the finer details before now. I know you've a mind for business, perhaps even more so than I do. For all my desire to operate my business differently than my father taught me, I still followed his example and didn't involve you as much as I could have, just as he involved my mother in almost nothing regarding the business. I cannot promise not to make the mistake again, but I will make every attempt not to. Don't be afraid to tell me when you wish to be invited to a meeting or be told about something. I would never deny you. I would have involved you much sooner if you had reminded me that I was a fool."

She moved closer and put an arm around his waist. "You are far from a fool. Allowing me to operate the shop for you is more than I would have expected if following your father's example was all you were doing. I would like to be involved in more of the business, but the shop is also a great responsibility and I appreciate that I have it to oversee. Thank you."

He put an arm around her in return. "Thank you for understanding."

As they watched, the great ship's crew began to lower a smaller boat into the water.

"It appears they're coming to shore," Levi observed. "I should gather up Jasper so we can meet the good captain at the coffeehouse."

"I look forward to that, as well," Bethiah assured him. "I think I'll remain here for a few minutes more."

Levi kissed her cheek. "Lock the attic door when you return. I will be a few hours perhaps."

Bethiah patted his arm. "I will."

Levi left her on the balcony to watch the ship's boat row to shore. She could just make out people on some of the other ships waving to those on the boat and calling greetings to them. It was an easy thing to believe the ship and her crew were quite popular among the other mariners of Boston – and perhaps those of all the colonies – for having once been a British navy ship. It gave Bethiah a small sense of pride to be connected to the great ship through her relationship with Levi.

After a few minutes, during which time Levi and Jasper left the house and waved to her from the street before making their way to the coffeehouse, Bethiah returned to the shop. Lottie looked at her with excitement when she entered.

"Has the Scot returned unharmed?" she asked.

Bethiah nodded. "It has. Would you like to see it?"

Lottie grinned. "Oh, I would love to. I've seen it before, of course, but it's such a wonderful sight to behold that I love to see it as often as I can."

Her excitement was infectious and Bethiah found herself also grinning. "Go, then. You know the balcony, I'm sure." She handed Lottie the keys to the doors.

"I do," Lottie assured her, taking the keys. "I won't be long, I promise," she said before dashing from the shop and down the hall to the stairs. 

Bethiah assisted one patron while Lottie was looking at the great ship, a middle-aged gentleman in need of two vials of ink and a blank ledger book. She was happy to wrap his parcels and take his payment.

"I look forward to learning what your husband's ship has returned with," he told her, "and to know who purchases the cargo. If there are some fine fabrics I may be inclined to make a bid myself."

Bethiah smiled at him. "You must be a tailor, then. I'm still becoming familiar with the people of Boston. I've seen you visiting the shop, but I haven't met you."

He looked thoughtful. "Please excuse me, you are absolutely correct. I am Mr. Stewart, and I am indeed a tailor."

"It is a pleasure to truly meet you. Perhaps I will be in need of your services in the future. I've brought much clothing from Philadelphia, but cloth does not endure forever."

"That it does not," he agreed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, as well. I look forward to assisting you in the future."

Lottie returned moments after Mr. Stewart had left, still appearing rather excited. "That ship is so grand and wonderful. To think it was once a Royal Navy ship taken from under British noses."

Bethiah grinned. "It really is such a wonderful thing. Levi told me the story of how it happened, that Captain Dunn knew a British officer on the ship who helped to give the ship to him."

"I suppose that is certainly an act of treason," Lottie commented. "I am happy such an officer would see fit to do such a thing."

"I believe we are all committing treason by supporting the rebel cause," Bethiah pointed out. "I believe if we did not, however, the business would not fare so well. We wouldn't have a privateer such as the Scot, and we wouldn't be treated with much respect by the rest of Boston. Certainly Levi would not be. In Philadelphia, any of the merchants thought to be loyal to the British cause were treated quite badly, and even those choosing to be neutral were treated as if they were doing the worst thing possible by not clearly supporting the American cause. I've felt that Boston isn't terribly dissimilar to Philadelphia, and as things began here I don't suppose supporting any other side of the war would be a wise decision from a business perspective."

Lottie nodded. "You are correct, I'm sure. Yet I don't mind. We have declared our independence and will be free from England soon enough. I won't allow myself to think of anything else. My brother is fighting the war, my father died at the battle on Breed's Hill during the British occupation. My mother and I are doing what we can to continue on. I won't marry until this ends as I don't want to lose a husband to the war. Even you, whose husband is a merchant, could lose him if the British were to capture him. His association with the Scot is too well-known."

Bethiah pushed that fear aside. She was determined to ignore the things Lucas Osborn wrote in his letters as those things were certainly only written to frighten her away from Levi and back to Philadelphia and to him. She still did not know why he was so determined to marry her himself, but she was determined to ignore him completely. There was some truth, of course, in his claims that Levi would be considered a traitor and punished if the war were to end in the favor of the British, but she knew that there was no better choice to be made, given their circumstances. "That is something I am very familiar with considering. For now I don't wish to."

Lottie nodded. "I understand. Tell me, were you in Philadelphia for the occupation, or did you leave as I was able to when the army was in Boston?"

"I was very close to the city," Bethiah replied. "My father and I went to stay with an aunt of mine, his sister, just outside Philadelphia. Washington was wintering not far from the city with his army, and there was fighting for food and firewood everywhere around us."

"It must have been a difficult thing to endure," Lottie said. "When the British were here, we were able to stay with a cousin of my mother's. We had already left by the time the war began. My father was concerned for us due to all the violence and rumors of impending war. We had been out of the city three days when it began."

Bethiah sighed. "It was not pleasant in Philadelphia, as I'm certain it wasn't in Boston. Anyone who must live with the British holding their city hostage have much to be concerned by. Many were harmed or even killed. My father, my aunt's family, and I came through well with support from Levi's father, who operates his business in Philadelphia."

"I wish my mother wasn't too afraid to read the papers so I could know better what is happening with the war," Lottie commented. "She is afraid to see news of battles while my brother is fighting."

Bethiah nodded. "I understand her concern. It is certainly a difficult thing to consider, the uncertainty of a child's health. We have the papers here. Please read them if you wish."

Lottie smiled. "Thank you. I hope you don't mind if it takes me some time to read them. My skills with reading are less than some, I know. I taught myself, mostly. My father had strict ideas of what was good for a young girl. Reading was not something he considered fit for me. He said I wouldn't need to read if I had a husband. He made certain I knew mathematics, of course, as numbers are always important, but you knew that from my work here."

"Of course," Bethiah replied. She had always been thankful that her father had considering the skills of reading and writing to be vital to all. "Take whatever time you need. Even now, if you wish."

Lottie grinned. "Thank you, Mrs. Finley. I'm grateful to you."

Bethiah smiled. "You are quite welcome. I haven't read the papers yet today, so you should tell me all the news when you are finished."

"I will," Lottie assured her.