The Tea Merchant
It’s July of 1773, and we’re in Boston. Tensions are mounting between the Sons of Liberty and the colonial government led by Governor Hutchinson. Word of new legislation, the Tea Act, has reached the colonies, and the local merchants are incensed. Parliament has granted a monopoly on the import of tea to the colonies to the East India Company, and the company will choose its own consignees, thereby threatening the livelihood of those not chosen. One such tea merchant is Constance Pruitt. A widow, she is determined to continue running her husband’s tea store, but the odds are stacked against her. First and foremost, she is a woman; secondly, she is having problems sourcing her tea—especially after the Tea Act.
Constance’s family is Loyalist, but she is not, something she endeavours to keep a secret from all but her most trusted friends. Likewise, very few are aware of her sideline as a tea smuggler, but a lady does what she must to survive. Plus, she has attracted the interest of the Company officials, which further complicates her life, as does the nice plot twist involving one of Constance’s beloved lost relatives.
Ms. Bhatnagar does a good job of describing the complex political situation of the time, and in Constance she has created a character who also has to handle the emotional quagmire that came with the events leading up to the famous Boston Tea Party. At times, Ms. Bhatnagar’s educational aspirations lead to a loss of pace, but overall, The Tea Merchant is an interesting read, offering insight into the conflicts that were soon to explode in the American Revolution.
