Tommy giggled and pulled down the zipper, releasing the collar which had been zipped up till it nearly reached his eyes. “It’s me, Cap’n!” he said with the best salute he could muster with so much fluff about his person.
The Captain chuckled in spite of himself and said, “I thought it must have been a grownup, in such a fine coat.”
“It’s new!” said Tommy proudly.
“I can see that.”
“Mom bought it for me yesterday at the store. It was on sale. She said it’ll fit me for two whole years!”
Katherine and the captain both stifled smiles and listened to the boy’s tale, told in all seriousness, of the shopping trip and his coat. After a while, Tommy’s mother came to fetch him, and the Captain slipped a candy into the little boy’s hand.
On his way out, Tommy turned and cried, “See ya tonight Cap’n!”
Katherine shot a glance at the captain’s face. She couldn’t tell whether he were amused or worried, but she was sure that he hadn’t actually told Tommy he would go to the party. Seizing the opportunity to capitalize on Tommy’s influence, Katherine turned to the Captain as the little boy’s happy face disappeared from the window.
“Are you coming to the party tonight?”
Captain Braddock shook his head fiercely and bent to check the fire.
Katherine tried again. “You know, Miss Harriet has been baking all week, and last night she made this special kind of cake that they only have on Guy Fawkes Day. She gave me some to try and—” Captain Braddock whirled around with thunder in his face and said in a restrained tone,
“I ain’t goin’ and that’s final. Now, get about yer work.”
Flinging the poker back onto its stand, he went into his office and began to agitatedly sort the papers on his desk. He didn’t even look up when Katherine walked quietly through to get to the storeroom door.
She was glad to have the excuse to be out of sight for awhile. The captain’s reaction had stung: Katherine hadn’t expected such a strong rejection.
Perhaps whatever he was doing in that room has put him out of sorts, she thought, remembering how sad his face had looked in that brief second before he saw her. I do wish I could have asked him what was up there. She knew it would not have been the right time, though.
Katherine unpacked slowly, dreading going back into the shop. She had begun the morning with such bright hopes for the day, and now she felt as if there were a heavy weight pulling her down. Finally, unable to find any more excuses to linger, and feeling chilled from spending such a long time in the only slightly heated brick storeroom, she walked towards the steps. Pausing with her hand on the knob, she listened for some clue of the captain’s mood, but hearing nothing, she took a deep breath and opened the door.
The captain looked up as she came in and, with a nod at a brown teapot on his desk, said, “I figured you’d be a bit cold after bein’ down there so long, so I made a pot of tea.”
“Thank you.” Katherine said shyly, pleasantly surprised by this softening of the captain’s earlier manner. As she returned the clipboard to the wall, the captain said,
“Why don’t you pick a couple tea bowls from the shelves and I’ll have a cup with you.”
Katherine looked puzzled, “Tea bowls? Is that what those are?” She had noticed the clay bowls interspersed with the ships and nautical artifacts and wondered about their significance.
“Yes. That’s how tea was originally served, in bowls. In fact, those are very old, so be careful carrying them.”
Katherine went into the shop, took two bowls down, and went back to the table. The captain poured the tea out and handed her a bowl. Then he motioned for her to sit in the chair by the stove.
“We have tea cups, of course,” he continued, “but the bowls warm yer hands better.”
“It was a bit cold down there. I’ll have to remember to bring some gloves next week.” Katherine sipped her tea, then asked, “How come the storage room can be colder than the shopfront, when there’s tea in both places?”
The captain leaned against the end of the counter. “The packing materials provide a bit of insulation.” He explained. “In the old days, of course, tea came in crates full of hay, which insulated very well. Now it’s packing foam and bubble wrap.” He looked down into his tea bowl thoughtfully before taking another sip.
“What kind of tea is this?” she asked, her hands curled around the warm tea bowl.
“Assam,” the captain replied, somewhat absentmindedly.
“From India,” Katherine murmured, taking a sip and staring dreamily into the fire.
Captain Braddock stared at her in surprise. She certainly was picking things up quickly. Perhaps he should begin teaching her more about the teas, teaching her what he had been taught at the Harborside in his youth. She did seem to have an aptitude for it.
She’s not a Braddock, he thought, but she’s willing to learn, and bright… Maybe I should.
The rest of the morning ran smoothly, and soon it was mid-afternoon. Katherine had been busy filling up some jars and had just put the lid on the last one when Captain Braddock walked into the room.
“Are you finished there?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. I just filled the last jar.”
“Good. Why don’t you take off a little early today?”
Katherine looked up, holding her breath, unsure whether to take this as a favor or a punishment.
A slow smile spread over the captain’s face. “You’ll want time to get all prettied up for your party tonight.”
Katherine let out the breath she had been holding and smiled. The sun had come out again.
16 The Celebration
Evening came, and with it the party guests. Outside, the rain poured down in large drops, and darkness descended even sooner than normal for early November. The biting cold and soaking downpours did not deter the townspeople, however. Soon the umbrella stands overflowed, and the cozy tea shop abounded with cheerful people, all of whom seemed happy to have a reason to celebrate on such a dreary day.
