“Yes?” Miss Harriet replied, also hushed.
“I’m sure Mr. Patten is the one who bought Mrs. Penelope that ticket. And he came in so early today… and he keeps looking over at her.”
“Does he?” Miss Harriet said calmly, pouring water from the kettle into a small teapot.
“Would it be wrong of me to suggest he go talk to her? He obviously wants to.”
“Dearie, sometimes we just have to let things take their course. Mr. Patten is a grown man. He’ll speak to Mrs. Penelope when the time is right.”
“Then you think he likes her, too?”
“It’s none of our business.” Miss Harriet put the last of Mr. Patten’s order on a tray and handed it to Katherine, saying, “Now, go out there and be your own charming self, but keep those matchmaking tendencies well in check.”
“Yes, Miss Harriet.” Katherine took Mr. Patten his food and tried to be content to let things “run their course.”
* * * *
The week passed quietly at the Harborside, as well. The day before New Year’s Eve, Captain Braddock looked up at the garland over the window and said,
“Well, now, I suppose it’s about time to take all that down.”
“I suppose so. It will seem so bare without it, though.” Said Katherine, dust rag in hand.
“Tradition is to take it all down on New Year’s Eve.”
“That’s what Miss Harriet does, too. She says it’s a natural transition point, that it just seems right to have a fresh start on New Year’s Day.”
“Aye, that it is. Years back, the Braddocks always insisted that the decorations stay up till January 6. That’s Twelfth Night, you see. You know about Twelfth Night?”
“Yes. It’s a tradition from the Middle Ages, when people would celebrate Christmas for twelve whole days, ending on January 6 with the biggest celebration of all, commemorating the arrival of the wise men, as I recall.”
“Right. I remember it was a big deal when we started taking things down sooner. Great-Grandma Braddock insisted over and over that ‘Christmas isn’t over till Twelfth Night’ and generally raised a fuss. As you might have noticed, we Braddocks don’t adjust well to changes.”
“What was it that made you start taking things down on New Year’s Eve?”
“Practicality, my dear. Plain and simple. The tree got too dry one year, and turned brown. We couldn’t have a brown tree in the Harborside shop window, so we took it down, and the other greenery with it. To keep Great-Grandma happy, though, we always kept the Nativity scene up till Twelfth night. By the time she died, we had sort of settled into it, and that’s what we did every year.” The captain walked over to the tree, limping more heavily than usual.
“Is your leg worse today?” Katherine asked.
“No worse than normal for this time of year. It’s the cold and damp, you see. Doesn’t agree with it.”
“We should take the decorations down today, then, while I’m here. It’s only ten minutes till closing, and I don’t at all mind staying late tonight.”
“Well, perhaps we should at that. I suppose the tradition can bend that far for practicality. I don’t much relish getting up on a ladder to take all that down.”
“Besides,” Katherine said, “the current tradition is based on bending the tradition for practical reasons.” She thought for a moment before continuing cheerfully. “Maybe practicality is the real tradition, after all!”
“I’d have to think long and hard about that one, Missy, but you might have a point, at least in this particular case. Go and fetch the ladder, and I’ll close up shop. Don’t think we’ll have any more customers tonight.”
* * * *
On New Year’s Eve, Miss Harriet closed the shop a little earlier than usual so she and Katherine could take down the Christmas decorations.
“Let’s clear the last of the dishes off the tables first, and put everything away so that the only thing we’ll have left to do after the decorations is the washing up.” Miss Harriet suggested, surveying the room with folded arms, as if planning a military offensive.
“Good idea.” Katherine replied. She brought the cart out from the kitchen, and the two got to work clearing the tables. The task went quickly, and soon they were bringing the Christmas boxes down from Katherine’s apartment.
“My dear, I am so glad I have you to help. Otherwise, I might have been here all night taking this all down!” They both chuckled, and Katherine quipped archly,
“It just doesn’t seem right to be taking the decorations down without Mr. James here.”
To Katherine’s surprise, Miss Harriet sighed and said, “I know. I’m beginning to wonder if I haven’t been wise to make him so much a part of everything we do here.”
Katherine was just opening her mouth to reply, when there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it.” Katherine said, and went to the door while Miss Harriet wheeled the cart towards the kitchen.
“Mr. James!”
“Katherine! Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years to you! May I come in?”
