Katherine took the package with a hurried, “Oh, no. I don’t mind at all. I’m heading right by there anyway. Goodnight, Captain!”
She rushed away, leaving a bewildered Captain Braddock to wonder what had gotten into the girl.
Katherine stopped just outside the door to collect her thoughts before going home. As she walked past the large shop window, she peeked in and saw the captain sit down at the desk and open the folder again, looking older and sadder than she had ever seen.
Oh, poor Captain Braddock! she thought, then hurried on to drop the order by the post office and get home to finish the last of the washing up before bed.
27 The Harborside in Danger
Katherine woke the next morning with her mind all awhirl. She rushed through her preparations for the day, trying not to let her thoughts run away with her.
“Why, Katherine, what’s the matter?” asked Mr. James as she opened the door to let him in.
“I’m not sure… that is, I’m not sure if I can tell you—that is, if it would be right to tell you. I don’t even know what it means yet.”
Mr. James pulled out a chair for her and took a seat opposite. “Just tell me whatever you think appropriate that will help relieve your mind—off the record, of course.”
“Of course.” Katherine said, taking a moment to collect the thoughts that had run circles around her mind since the night before.
“It’s about the captain.” She began, then stopped. “You see, I came across…no, that’s not exactly true. I saw something—a paper—on the captain’s desk. He had hidden it away quickly when I came in, but he looked so sad and grave afterwards, that I wanted to know what was wrong.” She blushed, then took a breath, forcing herself to make a full confession. “So I sneaked a look at the papers on his desk while he was out of the room.”
Her voice dropped away into silence, and she hung her head while she said these last words. Her “nosing around” seemed so much worse when stated out loud.
Mr. James leaned forward. “And you think from what you saw that there is some reason for concern?”
“Yes.” Katherine said, simply, struggling to know how to describe her fear without betraying the captain’s trust even further by repeating details she had no right to know. “I’m not exactly sure what the paper means, but if it means anything like it seems to, I fear that the captain—that the Harborside itself—is in great danger, and I…” tears brimmed in Katherine’s eyes. “I just don’t know what to do to help.”
“That is a dilemma.” Said Mr. James soberly, reaching across the table to offer Katherine his napkin as two big tears escaped from her sorrowful blue eyes. “I won’t try to pry. I agree with you that it would not be right to tell others what you saw on a paper the captain didn’t want you to see, but I feel I should make certain: No one is in physical danger?”
“No.”
“And there’s nothing criminal involved?”
“Of course not.” Katherine looked up in indignation.
“Well then,” the reporter leaned back in his chair and studied her tearful face. “The only other question I have is, have you prayed and asked God what He wants you to do about it?”
Katherine’s look softened and she managed a weak sort of smile. “That’s just what Miss Harriet would say.”
Mr. James grinned and said with a wink, “Where do you think I got it from?”
Katherine laughed in spite of herself, then sobered again, saying, “I did pray… but I’m still not sure what God wants me to do. All the other times I’ve asked God about decisions, there has been something specific I was asking about, and I’m not sure how to tell how He’s leading when there aren’t clear options to choose between.”
“Yes, that can seem more difficult. But wait. God will make it clear in due time what you should do. You keep praying, and I’ll pray too.”
“Thank you.” Katherine said, and stood, wiping her eyes one last time on the napkin before wadding it up in her hand. “I do feel a little better just having talked it out.”
“I’m happy to have been of service.”
Katherine turned to walk away, but Mr. James called her back.
“It occurs to me—and I ‘m not fishing for you to tell me what the trouble is—but if it were to happen to be financial, I believe Mr. Patten handles the Harborside’s accounts at the bank. He probably wouldn’t be authorized to tell you anything specific about the Harborside’s financial situation, but he may be able to explain what the paper meant, if you can think how to ask in a general sort of way.”
A light dawned in Katherine’s eyes as he spoke. “That’s it!” she said, then caught herself and said, “At least, if the problem happened to be financial.”
“And there is another person you could talk to, one who knows all about it already.”
“Who is that?”
“Captain Braddock.”
Katherine sighed deeply. “I know. I’m planning to talk to him, but not just yet. I will, though… once I have a better idea of what’s really going on.”
The truth was, Katherine dreaded having to confess to the captain what she had done. She couldn’t bear the thought of damaging the bond they had formed, and yet, the damage had already been done—he just didn’t know about it yet.
* * * *
When Mr. Patten came in later that morning, Katherine found herself struggling to keep her questions in until the right moment. She tried to be calm as she took his order and tried equally hard not to be irritated with the young couple who came in at just the moment Katherine was going to speak. She greeted them cheerily and showed them to a table.
As she prepared Mr. Patten’s tea and pasty, she heard the bell over the door again, and wondered if she would ever get a chance to talk with the elderly banker.
Oh, Lord, she silently prayed before leaving the kitchen again. If You want me to talk to Mr. Patten, please make a way. She took a deep breath, picked up the tray, and walked through the curtained doorway.
