Sally shook her head as she handed Katherine a saucer, this time remembering to rinse the suds off.

“Well, you know that I grew up here, right?”

“Yes, I think you mentioned it.”

“When I was only nine, we moved away and life changed drastically. I loved my home here, our life here as a family. The new house was in the city. It was dark, dirty, and lonely. We moved because my dad lost his job, and although he found a new job, it didn’t pay nearly what he used to make. My mom ended up working too, to help pay the bills, and even though I knew she had to, I still felt abandoned. From the day we moved, I never felt at home again.”

“Till the Harborside.”

“Right.”

Sally looked up as Katherine paused. “So what did you do?”

“I ran away, to the place that felt like home. Not right then, of course, but when I finished college I came back, expecting everything to be the same.”

Sally’s face clouded. “But it wasn’t.”

Katherine shook her head. “No, and if it weren’t for your aunt, I would have ended up wandering aimlessly, always searching for something that felt like home, but knowing things would never go back the way they were.”

“So what happened? I mean, I know you stayed here, but what happened to make it home?”

“Part of it was your aunt’s kindness, her constant peace and joy. It helped point me to the one thing that could make a difference.”

“And what was that?”

“The old paths.”

Sally’s face wrinkled with confusion. “The what?”

“I suppose it doesn’t make much sense when I put it like that.” She wiped a plate dry as she collected her thoughts.

“Soon after I came here, your aunt and I were sitting in church and the pastor read a verse from Jeremiah. It said, ‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.’

“That phrase, ‘rest for your souls’ stuck with me. That was what I had been looking for all along, a place where my soul would finally feel at rest, like it had in those lovely childhood days at home. Your aunt helped me understand that the ‘old paths’ were simply the things the Bible teaches about having a relationship with God. So, I started praying and reading the Bible and getting to know God.”

“And did it work?”

Katherine couldn’t help but beam. Her heart felt it would overflow with the truth of her answer. “Yes, it did work. It took time, and I had to let go in some areas in my life where I was holding onto bitterness and unforgiveness, but yes, God has given me rest for my soul.” She lifted a stack of cups into a cupboard before continuing. “Of course, life has its ups and downs, and I can’t say my emotions always feel at rest, but whatever comes, whether it’s early mornings or getting caught in a downpour—”

“or Rosie?” Sally interjected.

“Or even Rosie.” Katherine chuckled. “Whatever there is going on in my life, underneath it all, there is a sense of rest, of having Someone I can always go to, a refuge, a home, a family.” She turned to face the younger woman. “Sally, I’ve come to realize that my longings for home, for a place to belong, for people to belong to, those are just the surface of a deeper longing, a longing that home and family can never fill. You will never find true rest from those longings until you get close to God.”

Sally was quiet for a long while, and Katherine began to wonder whether she had said too much, or too little. But she sensed that God had helped her with her words, and while the two worked in silence, Katherine prayed that whatever was going on in Sally’s heart and mind would bring her to the old paths.

8 Adventuring

When Katherine came down the stairs the next morning, she was surprised to see Mr. James sitting at his usual table, with the flowers moved to one side and a fresh pot of tea sending up a fragrant trail of steam.

“Good morning, Katherine! And how are you today?”

“I’m well, thank you.” Katherine smiled as she neared his table. “We haven’t seen you around here much lately.”

Mr. James gave a sheepish grin. “Well, I’ve been doing a bit more writing from home lately. Harriet made a wonderful little office for me out of a gable room that looking out over her garden and the evergreen trees, with the ocean beyond. She has an instinctive understanding of what makes a good writing space. “

“Good thing you married her, then,” Katherine said with a wink.

He chuckled. “Yes, indeed. It certainly is.”

Growing suddenly serious, he motioned for her to sit in the chair across from him. As she settled into her chair, Mr. James leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I wanted to ask you, and I trust you to be completely honest: do you think you will be able to manage this place for a few weeks during our trip this winter?”

Katherine thought for a moment. “Yes,” she said slowly. “I think so. There will be less tourists then, and I have Sally, although…” she let her voice trail off as she glanced at the curtained doorway, where a low murmur punctuated by the sounds of the mixer and the oven door opening and closing told her both ladies were engrossed in the morning baking.

Mr. James nodded. “I understand.” Leaning back in his chair, he looked at Katherine for a moment, eyebrows drawn together in a frown, as if trying to decide how to proceed.

Katherine felt her stomach tighten. What is it now? 

Finally, Mr. James spoke. “Can I tell you something in confidence?”

Katherine nodded, then swallowed and tried not to hold her breath, her stomach suddenly uneasy.

“I’ve inherited a house near my sister in New York.”

Katherine felt her muscles tense with apprehension.

“Now, don’t worry. We’re not moving there. I do intend to keep the place, though. Harriet and I looked it over while we were there on our honeymoon, and she thinks it will be good to have someplace to stay when we visit my sister.”

Katherine took a breath. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order.” She watched Mr. James straighten in his chair, and sensed this wasn’t all.

“That brings me to why I wanted to talk to you.” Leaning forward again, he folded his hands on the table. “I know this place is a lot to handle, and I know Sally is still getting settled, which probably adds to the load somewhat. I’d like to take Harriet to spend a week in New York just before our trip to England, since we fly from there anyway. It’s not for sure yet, but we plan to fly Sally out towards the end of that week, in time for New Year’s Eve, which may mean a day or two of going it on your own here.”

“Just a day or two shouldn’t be too much.” She managed a smile, though her mind was whirling.

The reporter leaned forward and gave her a scrutinizing look. “I don’t doubt your capability—Harriet says you did a stellar job while we were away. But I want you to promise to tell Harriet or me if this place becomes too much of a burden. It is Harriet’s tea shop, after all, and we both view it as her responsibility, not yours. “

Katherine nodded.

“Do you promise to tell us if it becomes overwhelming?”

“Yes. I promise.”

“Good.” Straightening up in his chair, he smiled suddenly. “Now, would you like a cup of tea?”