Read Gunpowder Green for Free Online Page B

office, tea tray in hand. “Thought you might like to try a cup of this new Japanese Sencha. It’s first flush, you know, and really quite rare,” he said as he set the lacquer tray down on her desk.
    Theodosia nodded expectantly. Any time you were able to get the first picking of a tea, you were in for a special treat. The new, young shoots were always so tender and flavorful.
    Drayton perched on the overstuffed chair across from her desk, the one they’d dubbed “the tuffet,” and fussed with the tetsubin, or traditional iron teapot. Moments earlier, he’d used a bamboo whisk to whip the powdered green tea, along with a dollop of hot water, into a gentle froth. Then he’d poured more hot water over the mixture, water that had been heated until it was just this side of boiling.
    Now Drayton poured a small amount of the bright green tea into two teacups. Like the tea, the teacups were Japanese, tiny ceramic cups with a decorative crackle glaze that held about two ounces.
    Savoring the heavenly aroma, Theodosia took a sip and let the tea work its way across her tongue. It was full-bodied and fresh, with a soothing aftertaste. Green tea was usually an acquired taste, although once a tea drinker became captivated by it, green tea soon found a place in his tea-drinking lexicon. It was a tea rich in fluoride and was reputed to boost the immune system. In a pinch, green tea could also be used on a compress to soothe insect bites or bee stings.
    â€œSplendid,” exclaimed Theodosia. “How much of this tea did we order?”
    Drayton favored her with a lopsided grin. “Just the one tin. It’s priced sky high, a lot more than most of our customers are used to paying. What say we keep it for our own private little stash?”
    â€œOkay by me,” agreed Theodosia. “Now, what’s up with this mystery tea?” Drayton had worked out the concept on his own, distributed posters up and down Church Street and in many of the bed-and-breakfasts. But, so far, no one at the tea shop had been privy to his exact agenda.
    Drayton whipped out his black notebook and balanced his reading glasses on the tip of his nose. “Twelve customers have signed up so far, and we have room for, oh, maybe ten more. We’ll begin with caviar on toast points and serve Indian chai with a twist of lemon in oversized martini glasses. Then, as the program proceeds, we shall . . .” He glanced up to find a look of delight on Theodosia’s face. “Oh,” he said. “You like?”
    â€œI like it very much,” she replied. “What else?”
    Drayton snapped his notebook shut. “No, all I really wanted was to gauge your initial reaction. And I’m extremely heartened by what I just saw. Now you’ll have to wait until Saturday night to find out the rest.”
    â€œDrayton!” Theodosia protested with a laugh. “That’s not fair!”
    He shrugged. “I guess that’s why they call it a mystery tea.”
    â€œBut it sounds so charming,” she argued. “At least the snippet you shared with me is. And you certainly can’t do it . . . I mean, you shouldn’t do it all by yourself. You’ll need help.”
    Drayton shook his head firmly as a Cheshire cat grin creased his face. “Nice try,” he told her. “Now I’ve got to get back out there and give Haley a hand.” He took a final sip of tea and set his teacup back down. “Oh, and Theodosia, can you figure out what to do with the leftovers from yesterday? They’re absolutely jamming the refrigerator, and I’m going to need space for my . . .” He dropped his voice. “. . . mystery goodies.”
    After he had gone, Theodosia leaned back in her chair, a wry smile playing at her lips. All right, Drayton, she thought, I’ll go along with your little game. We’ll just wait and see what excitement you’ve cooked up for Saturday