Sally grinned. “I guess that did work.”

The two giggled, then Sally grew serious again.

“May I ask you a question?—No strings attached, I promise.”

“Sure.”

“Do you, I mean…” she paused, as if searching for the right words. “All that about prayer and church and the Bible. You both talk about it all the time, but… is it… is it real?”

A broad smile broke out on Katherine’s face. “Yes, Sally, it’s real. It’s the realest thing that ever was, and it can be real for you too, if you want it to be.

Sally shook her head. “No, I’m not religious… I never was.”

“Neither am I.” Katherine said, handing Sally another cup.

“What?” Sally raised her eyebrows.

“Religion is all about what I can do to appease God or to get what I want from Him. That’s not what Christianity is about at all.”

“It isn’t?” Sally’s brows bunched together into a puzzled frown.

“Not at all. The Bible says that it's by grace we are saved, through faith. I can't ever be or do enough good to earn salvation, but the gift of salvation makes me want to do good because I love God, who loves me and who forgave my sin. So you see, I don’t do the things I do or live the way I live because I’m religious, I do them because I’m forgiven.”

Sally looked at Katherine for a long while, then began drying the cup in her hand. “Forgiven…” she said to herself.

Lord, help her see. Katherine prayed as the two worked on in silence. Finally, Sally looked up and said, I think there’s a cake plate yet,” and went out into the tearoom to get it.

As she returned, Katherine said,

“Sally… can I ask you a question—no strings attached?”

“Sure.”

“Was that jampot yesterday entirely accidental?”

Sally’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she replied slowly, “Well… maybe not entirely.”

7 An Apprentice

“D’you think she’ll show?” Sally’s eyes were wide as she asked the question Katherine herself had pondered all morning.

“I don’t know. Rosie’s been coming here every day for so long—I honestly can't imagine what she would do all day without Miss Harriet’s.” Katherine placed a cup and saucer on the table they were setting.

Sally’s face darkened, her shoulders trembling as she drew in a long breath.

Katherine put her hand on the girl’s arm. “Sally, if she does come today, I don’t think she’ll say a word to you. In fact, she’ll probably ignore the fact that you exist, just to spare her own ego.”

“Katherine’s right, you know. It’s her way.” Mrs. James came through the kitchen doorway carrying a baking tray full of scones for the counter display. “She won’t want to admit she’s had her pride wounded. She’ll likely just sit somewhere prominent doing her best to look like an innocent victim. It’s not right, but there it is.” She set the tray down and leaned forward over the counter, fixing her eyes on the two young ladies. “Our job is to be kind, whatever she might say or do. Kind, you hear?” There was a rare note of firmness in her voice that startled Katherine.

“Yes’m.” Sally blurted, almost involuntarily, as Katherine nodded in silence.

The older woman straightened up again and took a breath. “Now that’s settled, let’s get on with our morning. Sounds like a stormy walk for you, Katherine. That wind’s been howling in off the harbor all night, and the rain’s been pouring.”

“Don’t worry. I bundled up extra this morning,” Katherine grinned. “But it would be nice to have something warm to keep my fingers from getting too cold as I walk.”

Mrs. James chuckled. “I may have just the thing. I’ll be right back.”

Katherine walked over to where Sally was busily setting tables and got to work while she waited.

“Does Auntie H. always send you off with a snack?”

“Usually.” Katherine chuckled. “Auntie H…it’s funny to hear her called that.”

Sally blushed, “My mum would be horrified. She always insisted we call her Aunt Harriet, in all capitals, like, but my brother and I, we always called her Auntie H. between the two of us.” She laid down a butter knife and turned towards the cart as she continued. “Then when mum got sick, and then… when she was gone… we just sort of kept calling her Auntie H. since there was no one to care.”

“Are you and your brother close still?” 

“No. He’s gone too.” As Sally returned to the table with a handful of napkins, Katherine could see her eyes shimmering with tears. For a moment, she thought Sally was going to tell her more, but instead, she turned with an abrupt, “I’d better get on with this.” and moved the cart to the other side of the room.

“Here we are, Dearie. Just the thing for a cold morning.” Mrs. James held out a small bundle wrapped in a napkin.

Katherine gently lifted a corner of the napkin and peeked inside at the half-circle pocket of pastry, sealed along the edge with a fancy braid, its hot filling sending up trails of fragrant steam.

“You have the pasties done early today! Could you spare one more for the captain? He likes your pasties—though don’t tell him I told you.” Katherine winked.

“Of course. I’d be glad to send him one.”

“Who’s the captain?” Sally asked as Mrs. James walked back into the kitchen.

“He’s the owner of the Harborside—you know, the shop I work at on the days I’m not here.”

“Oh.” Sally adjusted a fork before moving on to the next table. Looking up with a frown, she asked, “Why doesn’t he like people to know he likes pasties?”

Katherine chuckled. “I suppose it’s because he likes people to think he’s a gruff old curmudgeon, but he’s actually very nice once you get to know him.”

Sally raised her eyebrows. “That’s strange.”

“It sounds stranger than it is,” Katherine said with a grin. “Actually, I think you’d like him, and the Harborside. Maybe we can talk your 'Auntie H.' into sending you over to fetch the tea order sometime this week.”

Sally’s eyes lit up. “I’d like that!”

“I know that look.” Mrs. James returned from the kitchen with a small tin, which she handed to Katherine. “For the captain, with my compliments… I happened to make extra this morning.” Turning to Sally, she smiled and asked, “Now, what is it you two were just planning?”

“Katherine was telling me about the Harborside. Can I go see it?”

“I thought she and I might fetch the tea order tomorrow,” Katherine interjected.