“Then I’ll be stayin’ put, for sure,” he replied with a wink. “What kind of scones are they?” he called out as Katherine disappeared into the kitchen again.

“Cheddar,” Katherine called back, swirling hot water around the teapot to warm it, just like Captain Braddock had taught her to do. “They’re Mr. James’ favorite, and he’s always been our first customer of the day, so they’ve always been baked first. Then, we put in Mrs. Penelope’s fluffy round scones, although she has been branching out a bit now that she eats with Mr. Patten every day.”

“Think the two of them’ll ever follow in yer employer’s footsteps?”

“Possibly. I hope so, anyway. They’re such a sweet couple, and both being older, I think it’s just so wonderful for them to have each other.”

Captain Braddock eyed her closely as she brought the tea tray to the table. “Yer not feelin’ left out, now are you?”

“No,” Katherine replied, taking her seat across from the captain. “Not yet, anyway. I’m sure I will eventually, but for the moment, I’m just happy for Miss Harriet. Besides, I haven’t had any time to feel left out yet.” She lifted the dainty Royal Albert teapot and poured a dark liquid into the matching cups.

“This the new blend?” Captain Braddock asked, as Katherine handed him his cup and saucer.

“Yes. I thought you might like to try it out with me.”

“I can taste the Assam...” He took another sip. “And there’s the Ceylon. I wouldn’t have thought to blend the two, but this is quite good.”

“Good thing you listened to me, then,” Katherine said with a teasing grin. She tasted her own tea. “You’re right. It is good.” Holding out a plate, she added, “Scone?”

Captain Braddock picked a golden-brown triangle and plunked it down on his plate, saying thoughtfully, “You know, the newlyweds have presented the town with quite a dilemma.”

“How so?”

“Well, here we all are, used to saying ‘Miss Harriet’, and she’s gone and become ‘Mrs. James.’ Even you aren’t calling her by her proper name yet.”

“That’s true. I know she isn’t thinking of changing the shop’s name, but the rest of us do need to figure out what to call her.”

“How do the customers handle it?”

“Oh, they mostly still call her ‘Miss Harriet.’ Rosie calls her ‘Miz Harriet’—when she remembers to.” Katherine shook her head over this latest piece of presumption by their gossipy regular with a penchant for tabloids and flamboyant hats.

Captain Braddock chuckled. “That doesn’t seem to fit at all.”

“I agree. It would be easier if everyone called her just ‘Harriet,’ but people can’t seem to do it. Even I don’t call her that. So, Mrs. James it must be, I suppose. But it’s going to be a difficult habit to change.”

“Sure will. There may be lots of changes in the next little while. You just keep yer feet settled on yer own path, and don’t get too attached to life as it has been.”

Katherine frowned and cupped her tea in her hands to warm them. “What do you mean?”

“Only that things are bound to be different in lots of ways, now that Miss Harriet—Mrs. James, that is, has a husband to go home to at the end of the day.”

“I suppose we probably won’t be able to linger over the washing up like we used to…” Katherine’s voice trailed off. The nightly ritual of dishwashing had been a highlight of Katherine’s time at Miss Harriet’s. The two would discuss just about everything; the day, the customers, the books they were reading. It was a relaxing end to a busy day, and Katherine knew it just wouldn’t be the same without her dear friend to talk to.

Captain Braddock’s brows furrowed as he watched the change in her expression. “Now, here I am pourin’ doom and gloom on yer day, and yer mornin’s barely begun! Fine company I am!” He reached across the table and patted her hand. “Don’t you worry, Missy. You’ll be just fine, so long as you keep yer focus right.”

Katherine gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I know." She sighed. There’s just so much going on right now—” A genteel chime sounded from behind the curtained doorway, and Kathrine grinned. “Such as the morning baking. I’ll just get that next batch into the oven.”

She hurried into the kitchen with a full heart and busy mind, determined to follow the captain’s advice and stay focused on the tasks at hand, not wanting to think about how things might be about to change.

2 A Family Business

The sun had already begun its descent into the blue-grey of the harbor as Katherine locked the door of Miss Harriet’s and started out across Harborhaven’s historic downtown blocks. Here and there the sinking sun squeezed its way between the tall masses of elaborate Victorian brick, bathing everything it touched in a vibrant shade of gold.

Katherine stooped and picked up a bright leaf from among many on the sidewalk. The weather may have been mild so far, but the trees certainly knew what season it was.

Autumn always seemed to sneak up on Katherine now. Perhaps it was because she was too busy, too distracted to watch for it. As a child, she would notice each leaf, each change in the temperature from one day to the next, savoring the coming of fall as it unfurled bit by bit before her eyes.

But now—she sighed and twirled the leaf between her fingers. These days, it seemed like the change was nearly over before she even noticed it had begun. Perhaps someday she would have time to savor the seasons again.

Loosening her fingers to let the breeze carry her leaf away, she strode onwards. There was much to do at the Harborside tonight. And then it would be back to Miss Harriet’s to finish the washing up and polish the counter before going to bed. She took a deep breath. Three more days.

* * * *

“Hello there, Katherine. Profitable day?” Captain Braddock met Katherine at the door and helped her off with her jacket.

“Almost too profitable. The lunch rush had people waiting on the sidewalk, there were so many at once. Here’s our restock order.” Katherine fished a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the captain.

“I brought you more of the Don Chong Oolong this morning.”

“I know… it’s the Luncheon Society. Rosie’s forbidden them from asking for a recommendation. Instead, she has the whole tableful of them ordering the same tea, and she’s working her way down the tea list one week at a time.” Katherine pulled the stiff navy apron off its hook by the door and slipped it wearily over her head, then glanced back at Captain Braddock with a weak smile. “She’s calling it, ‘the grand tour’ and insisting we should feature it on the menu—and name it after her, of course.”

“I’m sure she is.” Captain Braddock chuckled a little, but as Katherine peeked at the large jars under the counter to see which needed to be refilled, she glanced up and saw his bushy white eyebrows scrunch together into a look of concern. “That employer of yers oughtta hire someone on to help you when she goes off gallivantin’ like this.”

“It isn’t frivolous gallivanting, she’s on her honeymoon. Besides, we talked about it before the trip, but neither of us could think of anyone suitable.” She shrugged and walked into the back office, the little room she had nicknamed the “Captain’s Quarters.” Reaching up, she took a clipboard from the wall.

“Still. I can’t help thinkin’ it’s too much on you all at once.”

Katherine shrugged again, then glanced up from the clipboard with a little smirk. “You know, Miss Harriet isn’t my only employer.”

Captain Braddock folded his arms and stood tall. “You might have noticed, Missy, just what kind of business we have here?”

“Um… a tea business?” Katherine replied slowly, uncertain where the captain was headed.

“Yes, but this also happens to be a family business. Right from the beginning, when Captain Jeremiah Braddock unloaded his first cargo of tea right into this very room, the Harborside has been a family business. Every generation of Braddocks has grown up, right here, working alongside the rest of the family.” Captain Braddock fell silent, gazing into the storefront.

Katherine knew that look—the look of memories flooding in, and the inevitable wave of sadness close behind. She thought it must be so hard to be the last generation, with only one sister left —and her in a distant land—out of what had been a close-knit bundle of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents all living, working, laughing, and crying together.

With just a hint of emotion in his voice, he turned back to Katherine and fixed her in one of his serious frowns. “We don’t have employees here, Katherine. Never did, never will. We only have family. And don’t you forget it.” With that, he turned and went back into the shop, his characteristic limp making an uneven staccato of footsteps on the time-worn wood of the floorboards.

Katherine stared after him, eyes blurred with tears. She knew Captain Braddock thought of her as belonging to the Harborside, and Katherine herself thought of it as home, but he had never used that momentous word before.