“She said she went to the Harborside, and walked in all lofty like. When the captain came out, she said she was interested in looking at some tea—which she wasn’t, of course—and he asked which kind. She, thinking herself so smart, said she couldn’t remember the name, and that his sister had recommended it. Right off the bat, he looked her over and said the name of a tea.
Since Rosie really hadn’t ever gone into the store for tea before, she couldn’t say it wasn’t the right kind, and had to buy some. As he got the tea from the jar, she asked about his sister, and he just said she was doing all right where she was, like he always does, you know.”
“And what did Rosie do next?”
“What she’s best at, of course. She stuck her nose in a little further. She said, ‘and where is she, exactly?’ trying to sound all innocent. The Captain turned red, and shoved the package of tea into her hand, saying angrily ‘She’s where she is, and it’s none of yer business!’ Well, Rosie just flew out of there fast as she could go, and that’s when Maybelle found her.”
Miss Harriet listened sympathetically to the tale, and waited on the Luncheon Society with the utmost decorum, but as the afternoon wore on, Katherine noticed that the corner of Miss Harriet’s mouth would twitch now and then, as though trying not to laugh.
As soon as the door closed on the last customer of the day, Miss Harriet walked composedly into the kitchen where Katherine had been tidying up, carefully pulled the curtain across the doorway, then burst into laughter.
“Can’t you just see it! Oh, good for the Captain!!” she said, laughing until tears streamed down her face. When she finally recovered, she explained, “Rosie’s a generous old thing, and she can be ever so kind on occasion, but people do tend to allow her to be impertinent, and it will do her no end of good to have been taken down a peg or two.”
At first, Katherine didn’t know what to think of this outburst, being so unlike Miss Harriet’s usual gentle composure. She had to admit it was funny, the thought of Rosie challenging the captain to a battle of wits and losing so decidedly. She began to laugh as well as she pictured the scene, and soon the two were merrily washing the dishes, chuckling now and then as the scene resurfaced in their thoughts.
“I only wish I had been there when it happened.” Katherine said. “It would have been so interesting. I wonder whether Captain Braddock had any idea he had won so substantial a victory against the forces of small-town gossip.”
“It certainly would have been interesting to witness, but I think it’s better we weren’t there.” Miss Harriet said, with a mischievous grin, “This way, we have all the fun of imagining the scene, without any of the responsibility of disapproving of either party’s actions, since we only have it on hearsay what passed between them.”
Katherine looked over at Miss Harriet with a sly grin. “I thought you were always ready to disapprove of the actions of Captain Braddock.”
Miss Harriet pretended to be affronted. “Why, me? Never!” then, becoming more serious, she added, “I do admit that it is sometimes very easy to disapprove of the captain, or at least of his opinions and manners. But then, we can always find fault with others if we’ve a mind to, and I daresay he has about as much to find faulty with me as I do with him.”
A tone of finality had slipped into Miss Harriet’s voice, and Katherine decided to drop the topic. After a moment’s pause, Katherine asked, “Miss Harriet,”
“Yes, Dearie?”
“Do you think Mr. Patten is really as rich as Rosie supposes?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curious, I guess.”
Miss Harriet looked at her for a moment before replying. “Well, I know he’s no billionaire, that’s for sure. It’s natural to assume he would make a decent wage at the bank, and he seems to live quite frugally, so I daresay he’s got a good sum saved up. But, Katherine, something tells me this is no idle question. What are you thinking of?”
Katherine blushed. “Well, he’s about the same age as Mrs. Penelope, isn’t he? And didn’t you say her husband died several years ago? I would say she’s a much better match for Mr. Patten than Rosie, any day.”
“Yes, well. I should not be encouraging you, but I have to say I agree. It would be nice to see Mrs. Penelope well off, but I don’t think she’d ever consider anything of the kind, especially at her time of life.”
Miss Harriet gazed absently into the dish water as she mechanically scrubbed a teacup. “Mind you, she does seem a bit lonely, with her children far away, and no grandchildren coming to visit. It would be nice…” Bringing herself back to reality, she turned to Katherine. “But we mustn’t be such gossips. If we’re not careful, soon we’ll be carrying tabloids around in our handbags like Rosie!”
They both chuckled and resumed their work, but Katherine couldn’t keep from thinking about the little old woman and the quiet banker and how nice it would be for them to have a happy ending.
6 Beginnings at the Harborside
Captain Braddock stood up from his desk and stretched. Looking up at the old clock on the wall, his heart started to beat faster.
It’s almost time, he thought.
Over the last three weeks Katherine had made her weekly pilgrimage to the Harborside, he had watched her carefully. She seemed to be respectful and conscientious, and listened most intently to anything he had to say about the history of the Harborside.
She always had some question or other about the teas on the shelves; why they looked the way they did, how they differed from other kinds, where they had come from—but she hadn’t tried to pry into his personal life like the other townspeople were always trying to do.
To a man as private as the captain, hiring a potentially nosy employee seemed risky, indeed, but Katherine appeared to have her inquisitive nature under control. Besides, he found he liked her curiosity; it made her teachable.
Yes, the captain thought, She’s the right one. She’ll be good for this old place.
The only difficulty was, could he get her to come work for him? He had made some casual inquiries into her working schedule and determined that he could only ask her to come twice a week. To tell the truth, that was just as well, since it was also all he could afford to pay her for. But whether she would be willing to give up two of her days off, he couldn’t quite tell.
Well, he thought as the clock began to chime, There’s nothing for it, but to ask her.
* * *
Katherine walked in the door of the Harborside, full of anticipation. She had been looking forward to this errand all day long. But today the captain seemed distracted.
“Hello, Captain Braddock!” She called out cheerfully as the old man limped in from his office and stepped behind the counter.
“Hello. Is that yer list?” he asked.
She nodded and handed him the piece of paper she had brought from Miss Harriet. To her surprise, he turned and walked over to the sea chest without a single disparaging remark. As she watched him transferring boxes from the chest to a paper bag, she wondered what could be wrong. He seemed different—nervous, almost. That was certainly a change from his usual blustery confidence.
Once the bag was full, the captain labored to his feet and held it out to her. As she reached to take it, he took a deep breath and spoke.
