* * * *

Later that morning, Sally and Katherine were working to clear and set several tables in preparation for the lunch rush. Looking over at Mrs. James, who was sitting with her husband at his usual table by the window, Sally suddenly nudged Katherine and asked in a low voice,

“D’you suppose she dresses to match the tearoom, or did she decorate the tearoom the way she dresses?”

Katherine chuckled, noticing how her employer’s floral skirt coordinated with the flowers on the tables. “Maybe some of both. I suppose it’s partly just her personality coming through.” They finished laying out the silverware and pushed the cart to the next table.

As they cleared the dishes, Katherine asked, “Did you know her mother?”

“Yes, we called her Gran, though she wasn’t our gran any more than Auntie H. was our aunt. We used to stay with her sometimes in the summer.”

“Then you saw her flower garden?”

“Oh, yes. It was just a little space, but she had it jam-packed with plants. She sure loved her flowers, Gran did.”

“I’ve always wondered if that’s why your aunt surrounds herself with flowers. Perhaps they remind her of her mother.”

Sally looked over at Mrs. James, her dark eyes widening. “I never thought of that. I suppose they do.”

Just then, the bell over the door gave a violent ring, and Rosie blew in, letting in a gust of chilly wind from the blustery outdoors. She stood for a moment, holding her hat protectively with one hand, before banging the door closed with the other.

Sally leaned over to Katherine and whispered, “What an entrance. Does she ever just walk through a doorway like normal people?”

Katherine shook her head, and the two stifled a giggle. Nudging Sally with her elbow, she started to move the cart to the kitchen. “Come on, Let’s get this cart unloaded.”

Looking over her shoulder, Katherine saw Mrs. James still engrossed in conversation with her husband. The nagging something rose in her heart again, and she turned back to the cart, trying to push away the little prick of pain she couldn’t quite identify.

* * * *

“Well, girls, I think it’s safe to say that the lunch rush is well and truly over. You’ve both worked so hard today, and I know you’ll want to visit awhile with Captain Braddock, so why don’t you both take the rest of the afternoon off?”

Sally broke into a smile brighter than any Katherine had seen so far. “Truly?” she asked.

“Truly, darling Sally.” Mrs. James responded, wrapping her niece in a big hug. “By the way,” she added, “I thought you handled your tables quite well today.”

A pink blush spread over Sally’s face as she ducked her head and said, “Katherine helped me figure out what to say, and it helped a lot.”

“I’ll say!” Katherine was happy to be able to add her own sincere praise. “Mrs. Penelope has quite taken to you. She told me today that she’s becoming very fond of ‘that dear girl who brings the scones.”

Another wave of pink spread over Sally’s face.

“Well, Dearies, let’s not stand here all day. You’ve got the rest of the afternoon to go off adventuring, although I do wish it weren’t quite so stormy out.”

“That’s all right.” Katherine took a paper from her apron pocket. “Stormy days are the best kind for an adventure to the Harborside. Let me just double-check my list and we’ll get going.”

* * * *

Before long, the two young ladies had bundled up in coats, scarves, and hats and ventured out into the blustering wind and rain that swept in off the harbor.

“This way.” Katherine said, leading Sally down Main Street.

The tall Victorian brick of the downtown blocks sheltered them from the wind and rain, but strong gusts still whipped down the side streets, ambushing them at each street corner, tugging at their scarves and jackets.

Katherine paused at the corner of First Street and almost had to shout over the noise of the storm as she pointed to the long flight of stairs that connected Harborhaven’s downtown to the neighborhood of Cliffton above.

“That’s where I used to live, up there. I’ll take you sometime.”

Sally nodded, pulling her jacket tighter as they crossed the street and trudged onwards.

Soon, they reached the last historic block of downtown Harborhaven, and Katherine led Sally down the length of the rectangular brick warehouse.

“This whole thing used to belong to the Harborside.” Katherine said, “But now it’s just the shop at the far end. We’re almost there.”

“Good.” Sally said, “I think my jacket’s nearly soaked through.”

* * * *

The two hurried into the shop and Katherine quickly closed the door against the wind and rain. Sally looked up. “Do all the shops here have a bell?”

Katherine chuckled. “Yes, but this bell’s special.”

Sally frowned. “How?”

“This bell has a story. I’ll tell you about it later, though. Let’s get these jackets off and go find the captain.”

The two helped each other peel off their dripping coats and scarves, and Katherine hung them up on the coatrack.

“Captain,” she called out, “Where are you? I’ve brought Sally with me.”

There was a creak overhead, and a deep muffled voice. “He must be upstairs,” Katherine said, leading the way to the spiral staircase in the corner. Turning at the bottom of the stairs, she saw Sally, still gazing around the room, trying to take it all in.

“Katherine, come on up, and bring yer friend with you.”

Sally’s eyes grew even wider as she reached the top of the staircase. They stood in an octagonal room with large round windows all around, and a big sea chest at the base of every window. Katherine turned to watch her friend’s reaction, and chuckled at her wide eyes and stammered surprise.