“Reading people… but how do you know, what do you look for?”
“Little things… At first, I just paid attention to the Dailies, like Mr. James and Mrs. Penelope.” Katherine handed Sally a plate to dry. “I thought about what they ordered, what their personalities were like, what kinds of things they liked or disliked, and then as I learned about the different teas, I just had a hunch they would like a certain kind.”
“So I need to learn about the different teas.” Sally frowned. She finished drying the plate and set it on a shelf in the cupboard.
“That would be a start. But you don’t have to study them, just notice things as you make different kinds of tea for people. Notice how each tea smells, whether or not people tend to put milk or sugar in it, what kinds of people really enjoy it. It’s mostly a matter of observation.”
“Well, you must be good at observing, because that tea really opened Rosie up.”
“Really?”
“Yes. She came in looking sad, like she has been, and so I brought out the tea and said that you thought she would like it, and to be sure to put honey in it.”
“And?” Katherine handed Sally a pink floral teacup before sliding its matching saucer into the dish water.
“She looked like she didn’t know what to do at first.” Sally reached for the saucer and looked down with a blush as she dried it. “I suppose she isn’t used to me being nice to her.”
“Maybe not.” Katherine bent her head to catch her friends’ eye. “But I’m proud of you for being kind to her today.”
A soft smile came across Sally’s face.
“What happened next?”
“I went over after a while and asked if she liked the tea. She actually smiled at me, Katherine!”
“Wow. I haven’t seen her smile at anyone in weeks.”
“I know. Well, later on, when she asked for her check, I said it was on the house today.”
“And what did she say?”
“She gave me a sort of sideways look—suspicious, like—and asked why.”
Katherine chuckled. “That sounds more like Rosie. What did you tell her?”
“I just said I had noticed her looking sad of late, and hoped to cheer her up.”
“And how did she react to that?”
“Her eyes got all swimmy and she said, ‘thank you’ and started rummaging in her bag for a hankie. I went off for a bit, but when she stood to leave, I went over and said, ‘Have a good day, Rosie.’ And she smiled again a little.”
“That’s certainly progress.”
“Yes. The only problem is, I can’t give her free tea and scones every day. So what should I do next?”
“I think it was more your gentleness that won the day, rather than the tea itself. Just keep being kind, and God will show you what’s next.”
Sally suddenly giggled. “You sounded exactly like Auntie H. when you said that.”
“Why, thank you! Must be the dish soap. It makes you wiser.”
“Is that so? Well, in that case, I’ll wash, you dry.” She gave Katherine a playful push and tossed the dish towel at her.
“I guess I should have seen that coming,” Katherine said with a rueful smile.
* * * *
When the dishes were done and everything prepped for the next day, Katherine took the box of papers over to the Braddock’s house. She paused on the doorstep and looked up at the sky.
The stormy clouds that had drenched Harborhaven all day had blown off somewhere else, and the clear sky glimmered with stars. Even the gleam of the porchlight couldn’t blot them out, and Katherine stood gazing, not quite ready to pull herself away from the scene.
She let the peacefulness of the crisp night seep into her. It had been awhile since she had taken time to be still like this, just staring up at the stars, breathing out soft puffs of cloud into the frigid night air.
She thought of that evening on the wharf when she asked God to help her get the rest of the Harborside block back. Looking down at the box in her arms, which was just beginning to feel heavy, she closed her eyes and prayed again.
Lord, so much is happening. You have brought the owner’s executor here at exactly this time to make this offer. Please help us find the information we need, and please help the trust to have enough money to buy backthe warehouses.
Opening her eyes, she climbed the steps to the front door of the Braddock’s Victorian mansion and rang the bell.
“Katherine, come in. Jeremiah’s napping, but I’d enjoy some company. Did you bring more papers to sort?” Serena ushered her into the hall which always struck Katherine with a sense of grandeur. A wide wooden staircase spiraled up to the left of the door, reminding Katherine of the Harborside’s much smaller staircase.
She stopped and looked up through the middle of the staircase as Serena continued down the hall toward the small sitting room. She had seen this house from the outside all her life, and always wanted to see what the inside looked like. Although she had been in the stately old mansion many times now, she hadn’t stopped to really look around until this moment. Oh, how she wanted to explore!
“Coming?” Serena asked, an amused smile crinkling up the corners of her eyes.
