Katherine looked over at the boy and discovered that Tommy’s eyes actually could get wider.

“The same jars?” he asked, voice hushed with wonder. He looked down at his hands, then held up the rag. “With this?”

The old man chuckled and reached out to muss the boy’s hair. “No, my rags wore out and had to be replaced. But the jars are the same, and some of the dust, too, no doubt.” He winked at Katherine, who had fetched two rags and joined them by the shelves.

Lifting the Anne from an upper shelf, she reverently handed the model ship to the captain, along with a rag. He smiled and nodded, and Katherine enjoyed the moment of mutual understanding. With another glance at the boy, he began the careful, painstaking process of giving the ship a full “swabbing,” as they called it.

Katherine picked up a jar and started dusting. She sensed a story coming, and her heart quickened its pace in anticipation.

“Well, now” Captain Braddock began, eyes still focused on the minutia of the rigging as he cleaned off the dust. “Have I ever told either of you about how the very first Captain Braddock came to own the Anne?”

They both shook their heads, and a thrill ran through Katherine. Lifting a tea bowl off the shelf, she turned to watch the captain as she slowly wiped it clean.

“Well, it all started when Jeremiah Braddock and his young wife Anne came over from England. He wasn’t a captain then, you see, just the son of a shipwright, looking for a fresh start in the shipyards of New England.

"It was a lengthy voyage, and Jeremiah spent his days up on deck, talking to the crew. He’d grown up building ships, you see, but never had a chance to sail aboard one. By the time land was in sight, Jeremiah had talked the crew into letting him help with the different jobs aboard ship.

"Between his knowledge of the ship’s construction and the hours he’d spent watching, listening, and working alongside the sailors, he’d built up a considerable understanding of both ship and crew.

“When they arrived in America, he began looking for work. He started off doing what he knew, working for a large shipyard in Baltimore, but he never forgot those days aboard ship. His wife always said she could tell then he’d been smitten with life aboard ship, and admitted she used to pray every night when they first arrived that he’d not leave her alone in the strange new land and go off to sea.”

Captain Braddock tipped the Anne carefully and worked his rag around the tiny deck fittings. Tommy scooted close and inspected the ship as the captain continued.

“He was a quick one, Jeremiah was, and soaked up learning like a sponge. Whenever he had opportunity, he talked to the wealthy merchants who came to see the progress he was making on their ships, and as he rose from one position to another, he soon began to build friendships with the merchants.

“One day, he heard a couple of the merchants talking about a new ship, the Rainbow, that had made the trip to China in record time. It intrigued Jeremiah, and he asked the men all sorts of questions about the ship’s design. The owner of the shipyard found Jeremiah later on and told him one of the men had commissioned the yard to build a ship faster than the Rainbow, and that the man also told him he wanted Jeremiah to design it.

“Jeremiah was dumbfounded. He’d designed a few of the smaller sailing ships on his own, and drawn up plans for several big vessels, but he had never been able to build any of his larger designs. However, since hearing about the Rainbow’s slim hull and large sail area, he’d already begun designing a similar ship in his mind.

"He told the owner that he would take on the job, but only if the shipyard would increase his pay. He and Anne had a little one on the way by then, you see.

“The owner agreed, and Jeremiah got to work. Anne used to tell her children of the long hours Jeremiah spent at the kitchen table late into the night, candle burning, pencil in hand, working away at the plans for the ship that was to be faster than the Rainbow.

“One day, when the ship was nearly finished, Jeremiah got called into the head man’s office again. He told Jeremiah that he had bad news, that the man who commissioned the ship had pulled out of the deal, went bankrupt, in fact, and left them high and dry with a ship they probably couldn’t sell, the design being new and untested.

“Jeremiah, though shocked at the news, sat a moment then asked, ‘Sir, what if I could bring this company the same amount of money the man would have paid you for the ship. Would you let me have her?’ The man was speechless, and just sorta stared at him for a while. Finally, he asked what Jeremiah had in mind.

“‘A voyage.’ Jeremiah said. ‘I’ll take her on a merchant run and bring back more than enough cargo to pay for the ship.’ The man sat back in his chair and studied Jeremiah’s face. ‘You’ll need a captain and crew.’

"Jeremiah’s heart lifted at that. ‘I’ll find a crew,' he said, 'and train them how to sail her, as that other man had asked me to do. If I can’t find a good captain for her, I’ll command her myself.’ Seeing the man’s face grow doubtful, he said, ‘and if I don’t recoup yer losses, you can fire me on the spot.’

“And so Jeremiah set off on his first true adventure at sea. He christened the ship the Anne, after his wife, and somehow managed to find a crew. He commanded the ship himself, but hired an experienced sailor as his first mate, a friend of his whom he could trust. And then—”

All three jumped at the ring of the bell over the shop door.

“Tommy, time to go.” A tall woman with a rather passive face appeared in the doorway, hand still on the antique doorhandle as she stood, obviously in a hurry.

“Aw…Cap’n was just about to tell me the rest of the story. Can’t I stay?” Tommy’s tone was high and whiny, and Katherine noticed Captain Braddock frown.

“Now, young man. That’s no way to speak to yer mother. She’s let you stay this long, for which we should be grateful.” He gently nudged the boy to his feet. “I’ll tell you the rest tomorrow, never fear.”

Tommy looked up into the Captain’s face, torn between anticipation and petulance. “Yes, Sir, Cap’n.” Then with a half smile at Katherine, he said, “See you tomorrow.” And with a hurried thanks directed toward the captain, Tommy’s mother propelled him through the doorway and shut the door firmly behind her.

Katherine picked up the rag and jar Tommy had left on the floor. “You know, I’ve never heard that story either. Will you tell me the rest of it?”

A twinkle appeared in Captain Braddock’s eyes. “But then Tommy would be disappointed I told it without him. You’ll just have to wait, Missy.” He winked, and Katherine couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I think I'll have just as hard a time waiting as Tommy will.”

“Ah, but it’ll be worth it, now, won’t it?”

She gave a mock frown. “It had better be.”

* * * *

It was a chilly night as Katherine walked home. She walked down the wharf that stretched along the harbor through the length of what used to be the downtown merchant blocks.

Looking up into the crisp black of the clear sky, with countless stars shimmering softly, she prayed, Lord, You made all those stars, and placed them each where they should be.

A warm joy welled up inside her as she stopped to gaze up at the sky, elbows propped on the rough wood of the weather-beaten railing.

And You placed me just where I should be, too. Thank You, Lord. Thank You for bringing me out of my bitterness and pain. Thank You for giving me the Harborside and Miss Harriet’s. Thank You for the captain and Mrs. James. Oh, and thank you for Tommy. I haven’t seen the captain so happy since Serena’s visit. Thank You for giving him a new purpose and someone so precious to invest in.

She reluctantly pushed herself off the railing and began walking again. Sally’s face came before her mind’s eye.

Lord, I don’t know how to help her. I want to, but…I just don’t know how. Please open the door a little further. And help my jealousy and fears not to ruin any opportunities to share Your truth with her.

With a deep sigh, she looked up. She was just passing the end of the brick block that used to belong to the Harborside.

And Lord, is it even possible that the captain could gain back the Harborside’s whole building one day?

11 Forgiven

Sunday dawned with unexpected blue skies and morning sunlight warmer than Katherine would have thought possible for mid-October. After rummaging through her church clothes, she put on her favorite navy dress, layering a soft cardigan with the luxurious silvery scarf Mrs. James had given her for Christmas her first year back in Harborhaven.

After arranging the scarf, she surveyed the results in the long mirror next to the coatrack by the door. She loved how graceful the long dress made her feel, and couldn’t resist a twirl as she reached for her jacket and purse. She knew how childish she must have appeared, but looking down at the soft, flowing hem that swung just above her church shoes, she decided that there were some things she would never outgrow.

She checked her watch as she came down the stairs and into the soft gold light which bathed the tearoom. Ten minutes.

She crossed the room and ducked into the kitchen to put the kettle on, then looked in the refrigerator to see what leftovers remained from the day before. With a triumphant smile, she took out a tray of pasties and set it on the counter. Hopping up onto a small step they kept stashed in one corner of the kitchen, she reached for the picnic basket on top of the cupboards.

By the time the big kettle began to sing, she had the pasties wrapped in wax paper and stowed away in the basket, along with two apples, some of Sally’s scones, and a couple tiny jars of cream and jam. She found room in the refrigerator for the basket and turned her attention to the teapot.