Bananabelle Davidson

A Sequel to Very Funny Elizabeth by Valerie Tripp

Chapter One:

Elizabeth Confirms a Dreadful Ambition

Annabelle Cole was a girl of much moping ever since her betrothal to Lord Harry Lacey had been broken. At first it hadn't bothered her. But after she had had time to think it over and ponder it for a while, she had discovered that she'd missed out on the chance of a lifetime. And although she'd never admit it, she even missed Harry, for she'd grown quite attached to him and his meekness.

Whenever she received an invitation to a ball addressed to "Annabelle Cole," she'd sigh and complain how it could've read "Lady Annabelle Lacey." Whenever Annabelle passed a fine house, she'd sigh and complain about how her house should have been much finer. Whenever Mrs. Cole tried to cheer Annabelle up by taking her to the milliner's shop to be fitted for a brand new gown, a rare, expensive treat, Annabelle would grunt at all of the available fabrics, flip open to a page of the latest London fashions in the shop log, and sigh. She'd then say how such gowns could have been hers, adorned with lace, silk bows, pearls, and maybe even jewels.

And of course, the sensitive subject of "Sir Harry Lacey" would often arouse at Miss Manderly's lessons when Annabelle, her fair younger sister, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's spirited friend, Felicity, had tea, when they danced, when they practiced writing, when they embroidered, when they sang, and even as they ate delicacies like Queen Cakes or current tarts.

Annabelle moped all of the time. It drove Felicity and Elizabeth absolutely crazy.

But one day, the three girls stopped by Felicity's father's shop after their lessons. Felicity and Elizabeth again noticed that Annabelle was extremely flamboyant and delighted whenever she was around Benjamin Davidson, Felicity's father's apprentice.

Felicity's father was Mr. Merriman, owner of one of the finest shops in all of the thirteen colonies. Ben came from a wealthy family in Yorktown, and was indeed very handsome. Naturally whenever Annabelle thought of Ben, or talked about him, or even when she saw Ben walking through the crowded streets of Williamsburg making a delivery, she became very silly and excited.

"Poor Ben," Annabelle said to herself one afternoon, as she watched Ben sweeping the front steps of Mr. Merriman's shop. She would often sit in her bed chamber, for her windows afforded the best view of Mr. Merriman's store. Every day at two o'clock she could count on Ben coming out to perform his duty of sweeping the shop's front steps and front walk for a good half hour.

Annabelle continued. "I bet he misses his wealth, luxury, and family back in Yorktown. I am sure he'd love to settle down with a pretty, wealthy, smart, talented wife,...yes, a wife,...a wife,...A WIFE!"

That's when Annabelle got an "amazing" idea. Why shouldn't she become Benjamin Davidson's bride? Surely, her father could get Ben's parents' address through Mr. Merriman, and certainly they could write to Ben's family and arrange a marriage to take place between the two of them in six months time when Ben had fulfilled his contract. How could it appear imprudent? After all, Sir Harry Lacey had proposed to Annabelle in a similar manner. Upon further reflection, Annabelle decided that she couldn't lose a moment!

Annabelle gallivanted out of her bed chamber and into the hallway as spirited as a wild horse, clapping her hands and squealing with delight. Just as she was turning the corner to the balcony that lead to the staircase, Annabelle crashed straight into Elizabeth. With a loud "thud," they both bounced a few feet off of each other, and hit the ground.

"Goodness, Annabelle, what on earth has made you so wild all of a sudden?" Elizabeth asked, completely taken off guard. This sprightly, lively girl was far different than the dull, depressed Annabelle that Elizabeth had lately remembered.

"Forgive me, Bitsy. I've just had an amazing notion, surely from Heaven itself, which will change my life!" Annabelle confidently exclaimed, as she rubbed the soreness of her accident out of her head with a large smile.

"Oh, surely you are not thinking of writing to Harry Lacey!" Elizabeth gasped. This was indeed an improper idea.

"Goodness, no! Don't be so ridiculous. I was just thinking that perhaps father could arrange a marriage between Benjamin Davidson and I! Annabelle Davidson. Oooh, how beautifully perfect it sounds!" squealed Annabelle.

The two Cole girls sat there on the balcony, still in the same positions they had acquired from their previous collision. Annabelle happily dreamed on and on, completely ignorant of the fact that she was still sitting on the floor.

Elizabeth was completely shocked. Utterly speechless. Too focused on what she'd just learned to care that she was still sitting on the floor and that her lace cap had flown off of her head and was now resting on the ground nearly two feet away. Elizabeth had always known that Annabelle fancied Ben, but never did she once think that she would take it as far or as seriously as marriage!

"Now excuse me, Bitsy. I must speak with father right away!" Annabelle said, finally awoken out of her daydream. Annabelle pulled herself up and gingerly scooted across the floor trying to avoid stepping on Elizabeth and the many folds of her taffeta dress. She absentmindedly plucked Elizabeth's lacy cap off of the ground with her right hand, dusted it off with her left, carefully pinned it back on to Elizabeth's head, and dotingly patted and fluffed it back into place before turning to scurry down the staircase.

Elizabeth had just stared straight ahead contemplating Annabelle's wish. Surely mother and father will object to such a match, Elizabeth thought.

As Elizabeth continued to sit on the ground in a concentrated daze, Annabelle ran back up the stairs behind Elizabeth after thinking back and remembering that she'd accidently pinned Elizabeth's cap on upside down. She quickly unpinned it, flipped it, repinned it, patted Elizabeth's head, and swiftly continued on her way without saying a word.

Elizabeth then promptly collected herself, and closely followed Annabelle down the gleaming, mahogany staircase. Upon arriving downstairs, Annabelle anxiously knocked on her father's library door. After which, she excitedly walked right through the door without waiting for permission to enter from the other side.

As she walked out of the drawing room and into the hallway, Mrs. Cole noticed Annabelle's unusually happy countenance, as well as her impropriety. She cut off Elizabeth and quickly followed Annabelle through the door, for this was a conversation she knew she'd need to be a part of. Elizabeth followed her mother, but the door was shut right in her face; a signal that the following conversation was important and private.

However, Elizabeth gave in to the strong temptation to lean her ear against the door to eavesdrop. Despite the thickness of the strong wood of the door, Elizabeth could hear everything as clear as a bell.

Elizabeth heard her father say, "Oh good afternoon, Isabella. Annabelle. What seems to be the precise reason for walking in unannounced?"

After Mrs. Cole looked disapprovingly at Annabelle, and Annabelle looked to her mother for an explanation to the door situation, Annabelle realized that she herself had been the one to make the serious mistake of barging into her father's privacy.

"Oh please excuse me, father. I guess I was just so distracted in my head with what I want to say to you that I wasn't thinking clearly. Please accept my apology, it won't ever happen again," Annabelle genuinely expressed.

"See that it doesn't. Obviously you must have something important to say. Otherwise you would never have forgotten a manner so elementary that it goes unspoken. What is it?" Mr. Cole stated sharply.

"Well you see, father, there is something of a very serious and delicate nature that I must discuss with you and mother immediately," Annabelle stated thoughtfully.

"What is it, my love?" Mrs. Cole asked nervously as she walked over to her husband's side.

"Well as you both are well aware, I've just been feeling so discouraged lately ever since I was disregarded by my fiancé," Annabelle exaggerated.

She makes it sound as if Harry did something so terrible, Elizabeth thought to herself. All he did was express his wish to join the army! He told Annabelle that he thought she was a wonderful, pretty girl. He even asked for her permission to follow his dream!

Annabelle persisted. "I must confess the whole situation has left me feeling quite undone. It made me feel so unappreciated and hopeless. But I got to thinking, and there's only one thing that could ever possibly make me happy again," Annabelle said pitifully.

"Oh, what is it, my dear?" Mr. and Mrs. Cole asked with relief. They were tired of Annabelle's constant sulking. If there was something that they could ever do to cheer her up, they would do it in the blink of an eye.

"Well, to be blunt...," Annabelle dragged on dramatically.

"Oh, please dear!" Mr. and Mrs. Cole begged.

After feeling secure that she had her parents in the palm of her hand, Annabelle dropped the act and declared, "I'd like to marry Benjamin Davidson."

Mr. and Mrs. Cole were shocked. Elizabeth gasped. Annabelle was perfectly serious.

This was certainly something that Mr. and Mrs. Cole had not anticipated. Benjamin Davidson? A shop keeper's apprentice! And a patriot! Benjamin Davidson came from only God knows where. And as for his family, what could they possibly be like? Who were they connected with? What was their story? They had never considered Benjamin Davidson to be any sort of priority to their beloved Annabelle.

Just a moment ago, they were perfectly willing to do whatever it took to pull Annabelle out of the dumps, but marriage to a perfect little nobody was another matter entirely. Annabelle and Elizabeth both waited anxiously at length for a response from their Mother or Father.

"Well, dear, he's not exactly the type of young man an elite young girl like yourself would want to marry, now is he?" This was the only way Mr. Cole felt he could put it nicely.

"Father, I want to marry him. I truly always have, even before I'd ever met Lord Harry Lacey. Besides, I know for a fact that Ben comes from a wealthy family in Yorktown. They are not one bit beneath us. Of course, he is a patriot, but that doesn't matter to me at all anymore. I love him. Besides, when we're married, and mark my words, we will be, I can put that ridiculous notion of defying the Great King of England out of his head. If you allow me to marry him, I promise you that we will all be happy. I can finally be myself again. If you told me now that you'd deny me the only thing that could ever make me happy, I would pack all of my things and sail straight back to one of our relative's homes in England and I would never speak to you again. Please, father, accept him! He's perfect! Please write to Ben's father and arrange it. Please," Annabelle pleaded.

After about a minute of thought and concerned expressions exchanged between Mr. and Mrs. Cole, Mr. Cole finally smiled and said, "You do argue several legitimate points, my dear. So, I see no harm in writing to arrange such a happy occasion. But I will be sure to leave out that this is all according to your wish and of your thinking. Most improper." Mr. Cole finally replied.

Mrs. Cole dashed towards Annabelle, and squeezed her into a loving embrace. Annabelle squeezed her mother back as they both began to squeal and jump up and down excitedly. Mr. Cole just sat at his desk shaking his head, laughing, and smiling as he affectionately looked at his wonderful wife and cherished daughter.

Annabelle finally broke out of her mother's hold. "Now, Father, we must write a most charming and eloquent letter. It must convince Mr. and Mrs. Davidson that we are a loving yet sophisticated family. It must communicate our sincerity of the way we feel, but it mustn't be at all overly emotional. What are you just sitting there for? Begin to write, and make haste! We must deliver this letter immediately!" Annabelle declared.

"As you say, my dear," Mr. Cole laughed heartily.

On the other side of the door, things were not so joyous. Elizabeth was quite dumbstruck. She didn't know what to do or how to feel. All she could do was run to the cloak room to fetch her blue cape. She just had to tell Felicity!