Katherine wheeled around, startled out of her thoughts by the shrill cry of a voice raised to a pitch unusual for even the excitable Rosie.
The large woman sat with ruffled hair, frantically dabbing at her extravagant hat with a napkin. Sally stood frozen, as if caught between fear and indignation. Mrs. James was out of the kitchen in a flash, a kitchen towel and soothing tone at the ready.
“Now, what’s the matter, Rosie? Has your hat met with an accident of some kind?”
“Accident! You call dumping an entire pitcher of water all over it an accident?”
“An entire pitcher? Let me see.” Mrs. James examined the hat, then said, “Well, now, it doesn’t look as bad as all that. I do believe it will be right as rain once it has a chance to dry a little. Would you like me to take it and set it somewhere safe while you finish your tea?”
“No.” Rosie glared at Sally, who had retreated a step or two from the table. “That girl would probably just dump another pitcher on it when I wasn’t looking.”
Mrs. James’ tone held an edge of firmness as she replied. “Now, Rosie. I know you’re upset about your hat, but if it’s just water, it will dry out all right. See? It’s beginning to look better all ready.”
Rosie rose angrily to her feet. “No. It’s ruined for sure. just like this establishment will be, if you persist in employing such incompetent staff. I know you’re soft-hearted, Miz Harriet, but I never knew you were such a fool.”
At this, Sally burst forward, fists clenched, eyes flashing. “Now you just shut it! Here’s the kindest woman you’ll ever meet, and you go sayin’ nasty things about her just because I spilled a little water on your ugly old hat.”
For one terrible moment, Katherine thought the two might break out into a physical fight, but Mrs. James stepped up to Sally and laid a firm but gentle hand on her arm.
“Thank you, Sally, dear, but that’s all we’ll have of that.” She turned and looked Sally directly in the eyes. “Go back to the kitchen now. I’ll be along presently.”
Sally clumped off to the kitchen, pausing to throw one last smoldering glare at Rosie before disappearing behind the curtain.
Feeling vindicated, Rosie stood a little straighter and opened her mouth to speak, but Mrs. James turned to her with an icy calmness Katherine had never seen before.
“As for you, Rosie. I’ll thank you not to come around here insulting my staff and causing a scene. I think it’s time for you to go home.” Then, with a polite smile, she handed Rosie her purse and said, “Tea’s on us today.”
Rosie frowned, grabbed her purse, smashed the offended hat onto her head, opened her mouth and shut it again several times in a way that reminded Katherine of a perplexed fish, then stomped out the door, huffing and puffing as she went.
Silence reigned in the tearoom till Mrs. James, turning to address the roomful of stunned customers, smoothed her apron and said lightly, “Ever so sorry about the interruption. Please, carry on.” Then, nodding to Katherine, Mrs. James walked calmly into the kitchen.
A spontaneous applause broke out as soon as she was out of sight, and Katherine couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one happy to see Rosie get taken down a peg or two.
* * * *
“That was magnificent. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Katherine overheard one man say as she passed by his table a few minutes later.
“Such restraint!” said the woman sitting across from him. “I would have slapped the old busybody.” Then, stopping Katherine, she said in a softer tone, “Your young friend will be all right, won’t she? That horrid woman was so rude.”
“I’m sure she will be fine,” Katherine said, “Thank you for asking, though.”
* * * *
Sally kept to the kitchen the rest of the day, and Katherine didn’t see much of her until closing. It touched her deeply to hear table after table of guests ask after Sally, even though she had only been working at the shop for a short while. Stories of “the incident” as the locals had begun to call it, circulated quickly through the town, as any bit of gossip did.
But instead of painting Rosie as the victim, Sally was dubbed the sweet, ill-used girl who had the pluck to stand up to her assailant. She was the underdog, suddenly “one of us,” instantly made part of Harborhaven once and for all. And just as instantly, Rosie became the official villain of Harborhaven. Mrs. James, however, earned a place as the town hero, an object of majestic awe to be whispered about in corners and beamed upon when present.
It took an effort to keep cheerful and professional, to focus on what needed to be done, when all Katherine wanted to do was run back to the kitchen and see how Sally fared. Finally, she saw the last customers out and flipped the sign to “Come Again Soon.”
Letting out a deep sigh she had been holding in all afternoon, she went to the kitchen door and gingerly peeked around the curtain.
“Hullo.” Sally's voice was quiet as she ran water into the sink to begin the washing-up.
“Hi.” Katherine slipped on a dishwashing apron and joined the younger woman at the sink. “Where’s Mrs. James?”
“She stepped out for a bit to get dinner ready at home.”
“Oh.” Katherine couldn't decide how to broach the question she most wanted to ask.
“We’ve had a good talk, she and I.” Sally ventured, as if reading Katherine’s thoughts.
“That’s good.” Katherine felt a wave of relief wash over her heart. She smiled. “I’ll wash, you dry.”
Sally smiled and reached for a dishtowel. “I knew it was wrong how I acted, but I felt I couldn’t stop myself.”
“I know. I’ve felt that way about Rosie myself.”
“You have?” Sally’s eyes grew wide. “What did you do?”
“I prayed.” Katherine said simply, easing a teapot into the soapy water.
“And…did it help?”
“Yeah. It did,” Katherine nodded. “I didn’t pour a pot of tea all over her, so I guess it worked all right.”
