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“Oops,” Theodosia said. “I’ll be right out.” Then she noticed the serious look on his face and said, “What?”
“There’s a problem.”
“In the kitchen?”
Drayton shook his head. “In the tea room.”
“What is it?”
Drayton fidgeted with his cuff links. “A guest.”
“A disruptive guest?” Theodosia stood up from her chair and came around the desk. But Drayton had barred the way into the tea room.
“She’s not disruptive yet,” he said. “But I imagine she will be fairly soon.”
“Drayton, you’re talking in riddles. Just give it to me straight. What’s the problem? Who’s out there?”
“Ginny Bell.”
Theodosia clapped a hand to her cheek. “Oh no. Did she come in and specifically ask to see me?”
“I don’t think she’s even aware that you own this place. Somebody brought her as a guest. Innocently, I presume.”
“But I have to go out there. I can’t hide in my office all through lunch. Our customers need to be served and...” She glanced at her watch. “I’m late already.”
Drayton stood aside. “Venture out at your own peril.”
Which is exactly what Theodosia did. She greeted two tables of guests, took orders, and ran them into the kitchen. Then she came back out and approached the table where Ginny Bell was seated.
“Good day,” Theodosia said. “Have you had a chance to look at our menu? As you may have noticed, we’re doing a full complement of honey-flavored entrées and baked goods today.”
At hearing Theodosia’s voice, Ginny Bell looked up abruptly from her menu.
“You!” she cried as recognition dawned on her face. “What are you doing here?” Her eyes blazed with anger; two pink circles insinuated themselves high on her cheeks.
“I own this tea shop,” Theodosia said. She kept her tone low-key and unapologetic.
“If I’d known that, I would have never come here!” Ginny Bell bellowed while the woman she was with cringed in her chair.
Drayton came over to the table immediately.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Yes,” Ginny Bell snapped. “Under no circumstances do I want this woman to wait on me.” She flipped a hand to indicate Theodosia.
“I’ll be happy to take your order,” Drayton said.
“Fine,” Ginny Bell said as Theodosia shrugged and walked away. “But I’d like to get our food as fast as possible so I can eat and leave.”
“That,” Drayton said, eyebrows raised, a touch of chill in his voice, “won’t be a problem.”
27
Aside from Ginny Bell’s snippiness—and quick departure—Friday’s lunch was a cinch. Everyone loved the honey-inspired menu, a few customers lingered and shopped for tins of tea, and a group that came in late ordered a pot of toasty Japanese Bancha tea, much to Drayton’s delight.
“While this tea must be brewed with hot water, the temperature should be considerably less than boiling water,” Drayton said.
“And less steeping time, too?” Theodosia said.
