“Happy New Year, Miss Harriet!”

“Happy New Year, Dearie. What is all this?”

“Well, you’ve cooked for me so often, I wanted to surprise you with breakfast for a change.” She chuckled as she added, “Don’t worry: I’ve been practicing.”

Miss Harriet smiled and hugged her friend. “I can tell! Well, this is a good start to the new year! It all looks and smells delicious!”

“The table’s all set and everything. I wanted to give us plenty of time to eat before we have to leave for church.”

“Good idea.” Miss Harriet said, as Katherine led the way to the table.

* * **

At church that morning, everyone seemed just as jolly as they had been at Christmas, only quite a bit more tired-looking. When the service was over, Katherine and Miss Harriet made their way to the back of the church, where Captain Braddock had again slipped into the very last row.

“Happy New Year, Captain!” Miss Harriet said.

“And a Happy New Year to you too, ma’am. And to you, Katherine.”

“Thank you. It’s been a happy year so far.”

“Glad to hear it.” The captain said heartily. “Well, if you’ll both excuse me, I have my lunch to get to. I’ll see you Tuesday, Katherine.”

The captain limped off towards the parking lot, while Miss Harriet and Katherine exchanged smiles.

“I’m so glad he came again!” Katherine said, once the captain was out of earshot.

“Me too. If you achieve nothing else in life, Dearie, you’ve made that crusty old curmudgeon step foot in a church again, and that’s quite a feat.”

As they walked out into the parking lot, Katherine suddenly tugged on Miss Harriet’s sleeve and said, “Look! It’s Mr. James.”

“Why, yes, it is.” She said, smiling broadly at the reporter as he strode towards them.

“Happy New Year, both of you! Bright and chipper as ever, I see.”

“That’s a nice thing to hear after staying up late to see the New Year in! And, you know, Katherine was up before the birds this morning, making me the most delicious breakfast.”

“I’m glad to hear it. You deserve a little pampering now and then. Good thinking, Katherine.”

He winked at Katherine, and then turned back to Miss Harriet again. “I wanted to see if you would like to come for a stroll with me. There’s something I want to ask you about.”

Miss Harriet hesitated, and before she could reply, Mr. James continued, “Of course, it is quite cold this morning. If you would prefer, perhaps you could join me at my table in the morning for tea and scones? My treat. I happen to know that you have excellent staff available to take your place for a while, and I also happen to know that said staff is also willing to do so, right, Katherine?”

“Very willing.” Katherine replied, with an encouraging smile.

Miss Harriet still looked unsure. “Well, I suppose so… that is…” she stopped abruptly and let out a breath. “I’m sorry to sound so ungracious. What I mean to say is yes, thank you. Tea and scones at the shop would be lovely.” She smiled at Mr. James, whose face turned instantly from anxiety to jubilation.

“Good. Tomorrow morning, then.”

“Tomorrow morning.”

* * * *

When Katherine came downstairs the next morning, she found Miss Harriet surrounded by bowls and baking sheets and racks full of baked goods.

“You’ve been busy. What time did you get here?” Katherine asked, putting the big brass kettle on to boil.

“Oh, I don’t know, perhaps since four.” Miss Harriet said distractedly.

“Four?” Katherine exclaimed, “Why ever did you come that early?”

“I was so flustered, I couldn’t sleep.”

“And so you came here to calm your nerves by baking?”

“Well, yes. I suppose you could say that.”

Miss Harriet put one last pan of scones in the oven and turned around. Katherine looked admiringly at her friend. Despite the lack of sleep and the smear of flour across one cheek, Miss Harriet looked polished and put together. The frigid winter morning had prompted her to change her light floral skirt for plain thick wool, but she had paired it with a floral blouse and a long-sleeved cardigan of the same shade as the gloves Mr. James had given her. Katherine silently wondered if she had done that deliberately.

“And are your nerves calmed now? Or should I call in an emergency order for more flour, eggs, and milk?”

Miss Harriet laughed and wiped her floury hands on her apron. “I think it’s safe now, although I don’t exactly feel calm. Whatever can he have to talk to me about?”

“Many things, I would imagine. Talking to Mr. James isn’t an unheard-of occurrence for you. Why are you so worked up about it?”

“It’s the way he said he wanted to talk to me. One minute I’m convinced he’s about to, well…” Miss Harriet broke off with a blush.

“Proclaim his undying affection?” Katherine suggested helpfully.

“Something like that, and then the next minute I’m convinced that it’s just something mundane and ordinary and I’m making a fool of myself over nothing.”

Katherine turned from the sink with a bowl in her hand.

“First of all, you’re not making a fool of yourself.” Katherine paused, looking around the kitchen at all the dishes and cooling pastries. “Ok… well, maybe just a little.”

Miss Harriet looked around too, and they both laughed. Miss Harriet picked up a stack of mixing bowls and handed it to Katherine, who put them in the sink to soak.

“I can see why you’re nervous. But think of it this way: if he is about to say something that will change things between the two of you, so much the better! And if not, you won’t walk away from this breakfast date—”

“Meeting.” Miss Harriet interjected.