“Oh, thank you!” she said delightedly, “I had been hoping you would let me sit there. It does seem like just the right place to read, and I have a book I brought today that I’m just dying to get to!” The captain chuckled as she hurried out into the shop and fetched the old volume of Dickens out of her bag. Then, he turned back to his work.
Silence reigned over the little shop while the wind blew outside, rattling the windows in the captain’s office and whirling the fallen leaves down the street. Katherine finished the passage about the Gunpowder Plot, and, remembering her newly-bestowed responsibility, she checked the thermometer before curling up in the chair again and turning back to the beginning of the book.
A little while later, the captain came in to check the fire. Katherine laid her book on the little table with a contented sigh and leaned forward to watch what the captain was doing. He poked at the fire, expertly gathering the coals together and adding another small log on top. He looked up at Katherine.
“Well, is it as good as you expected?” he asked, nodding towards the book.
“Oh, yes. It’s very interesting. It’s a history book by Charles Dickens.”
“Oh, and what part of history are you reading about?”
Katherine began to explain to him about Guy Fawkes and his plan to blow up the parliament building with the government and the king inside. He listened with interest, then gave the fire one last prod before closing the stove door and standing up.
“That does sound like an interesting plan. It’s probably good he didn’t get away with it,” he said, moving towards his office again. Stopping in the doorway, he turned and said thoughtfully, “I can see why they celebrate. It’s not quite like our Independence Day, but I can see why they made it a holiday.” He went back to his desk, leaving Katherine to pick up her book, secretly feeling she had made some progress with the captain.
15 Guy Fawkes Day at the Harborside
November 5th dawned as grey and drizzly as ever, but Katherine woke with sunshine in her heart. She had been looking forward to this day ever since Miss Harriet had mentioned her idea of throwing the town a Guy Fawkes Day celebration.
When she had gone to bed the night before, Miss Harriet still bustled energetically about in the kitchen, trying to work quietly. Sitting up and stretching, Katherine wondered if Miss Harriet had gotten any rest.
By the time Katherine was dressed, she had already begun to hear the comforting sounds of someone working in the kitchen. As she pulled her sweater off a hanger and grabbed her shoes, she noticed a delicious aroma beginning to waft through the front door of the little apartment.
A little thrill ran through her heart when she thought about the evening and helping to host a whole town—but there was no time for daydreaming, she reminded herself, because today was Thursday, and she needed to get off to the Harborside. She picked up her coat and scarf from the chair she had dropped them on the night before and opened the door.
The dark drizzle of the outside world made the cozily lit interior of the shop seem to glow with color. Miss Harriet had brought in fresh bunches of leafy branches to add to the orange and yellow chrysanthemums on the tables, and air was filled with such a delicious mixture of baking smells, Katherine couldn’t resist popping into the kitchen on her way by, secretly hoping for something to snack on as she walked.
“Good morning, Dearie!” Miss Harriet said, cheerful as ever, though, from the looks of all the baked goods cooling on racks around the kitchen, Katherine was sure her employer had not slept much, if at all.
“Good morning!” Katherine replied. “You’ve sure been busy! I should have stayed up longer to help you.”
Miss Harriet shook her head with a smile and bustled over to the oven to put in another tray of what looked like some sort of brown cake. “Nonsense. I knew you would need your rest, especially since you’re working all day and then helping with the party in the evening. You’re bound to be exhausted by the end. I’m glad you got your rest.”
“But you’re working all day and then running the party, and I’m sure you hardly rested at all!”
“Ah, but I’m not working with Captain Braddock all day, now, am I?” she winked at Katherine as she closed the oven door and set the timer. “Now, I know you’re just off, but how about something to take along with you?”
Katherine’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes please!”
Miss Harriet cut a big slice of one of the brown cakes cooling on the counter and deftly wrapped it in a napkin. She handed it to Katherine. “It’s still piping hot, mind, so give it about half a block before you try to eat it.”
“Thank you, Miss Harriet! What is it?”
“Parkin. It’s a treacle cake we used to only have on Guy Fawkes Day.”
“It smells delicious.” Said Katherine, then looking around at all the sheet pans full of cake, remarked, “Looks like you’ll have enough for the whole town!”
Miss Harriet laughed. “Almost. I’ve one or two batches left to whip up, and I should finish just in time to get Mr. James his morning tea. He’s coming early to put up some fairy lights before we open.”
Just then there was a rap at the door.
“I’ll let him in on my way out. Thank you for the cake!” Katherine buttoned her jacket with one hand, while holding the slice of cake in her other as she hurried towards the door. Mr. James was waiting outside, a roll of lights under his arm and a hand on his hat to keep the wind from blowing it away. Katherine unlocked the door and let him in.
“Good morning, Katherine. Is your illustrious employer around?”
Katherine grinned. “Try the kitchen. She’s been in there baking for at least an hour already.”
Mr. James held the door open for Katherine and noticed the napkin-wrapped bundle in her hand. “I see she’s favored you with a sample! I might try my hand at procuring one of my own before I begin.”
Katherine waved goodbye and walked briskly through the whirling leaves that played around her ankles. Her long coat was instantly covered with tiny droplets of rain, and she pulled her scarf up around her head as she walked. She always thought this made her look like an old grandmother from a fairy tale, but it did keep her ears warm when she forgot to wear a hat.
About halfway down the block, she unwrapped a corner of the steaming cake and broke off a chunk. As the took her first bite of the moist, springy morsel, she reveled in the warm comfort of ginger and spices. It seemed like the perfect thing to eat in November. She was glad of the napkin, for it was a bit sticky to eat.
She broke off another bite and looked down at the last chunk of cake in her hand, contemplating whether to save it for the captain. Deciding that he probably wouldn’t eat it, she finished it off as she stepped onto the sidewalk at the beginning of the Harborside block.
“Good morning!” Katherine cheerily called out as she walked in the door. The fire in the stove had already been lit, and the room was cozy with the electric globes shining and both oil lamps lit.
Katherine traded her jacket and scarf for the stiff canvas apron and walked into the office. Grabbing the clipboard from the nail on the wall, she looked around the empty office and began to wonder where the captain could be.
She heard a noise in the shop, and walked in, expecting to see a customer at the door, but instead, she saw the captain coming down the last few steps of the spiral staircase in the corner. Her eyes alight with curiosity, she was about to ask the captain about the staircase when the bell over the door really did ring and in bounced little Tommy, in a balloon-like green jacket which was several sizes too big and obviously brand new.
Captain Braddock sent her a glance that said, don’t ask, and then turned to Tommy with the usual mock-gravity in his voice.
“Well, then. Who might you be?”
