Disclaimer: Not mine, I wish. Anyway, quite a few of the reviews for my Christmas fic all mentioned they liked the little side note about John drinking tea with Lady Penelope and well that got me to thinking. And well, here we go. Just a little fic that shows how John learned to like Tea. Please, enjoy. AM Jan 2014
High Tea
by AngelMouse5
Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward was browsing the clothing racks at her favourite boutique when a soft, well known voice spoke softly behind her, amusement colouring his tone.
"You know, they don't seem to have that many pink dresses in here My Lady." She turned around, a smile on her face and grinned at the man standing behind her.
"You never know John; they may have something that I haven't seen before. Hello, what a pleasant surprise to see you here."
John Tracy laughed and smiled at her warmly. Suddenly he found himself with an armful of Penelope and he hugged her back. He looked at her and gestured to the shop around them.
"I was on my way back to my hotel from Tracy Industries and I saw you walk in here. I was going to come up and see you tomorrow, but this is a happy co-incidence. "
Penelope smiled and nodded.
"That it is John. Come, you must have tea with me. The Regent near here does a lovely High Tea and it's about time I educated you in the fine English tradition of afternoon tea." She linked her arm through his and smiled at him.
"I would be honoured Mr Lady."
Laughing, Penelope led him along the street, laughing and chatting to him softly about various things until they got to the Regent Hotel in the main street. They walked in and were seated straight away; she was obviously well known here and well respected.
They were seated in a small alcove and soon a tray of delicate, delicious almost lighter than air pastries were placed on the table. A pot of boiling water and tea making implements were left at the table. Thanking the waitress, Penelope began to fix them a pot of tea.
"Now John, the secret of making a good cup of tea is how the pot is brewed. Now, you pour your hot water into a tea pot, ceramic – not metal, that warps the flavour – and that is slightly warmed already. "
John was paying careful attention to her soft instructions and was watching her with a gentle smile as she carefully explained everything. She picked up the tea caddy and opened it, holding it out for him to smell.
"Now, you smell the tea to see that it is nice and fresh, which this is. This is a nice Earl Grey blend, one of my particular favourites. Now what you do is take a scoop of tea, one for each of you, "she took out two scoops and put them in the pot of hot water, "And one for the pot." A third scope went in and she put the lid on the tea pot.
Putting the tea caddy down and closing the lid on it, she then took the pot and swivelled it back and forth a couple of times.
"Why do you do that Penelope?"
Penelope smiled as she watched John place some cakes on their plates for them. She spoke softly as she swivelled the pot one last time.
"It helps stir the flavour and spread it evenly through the water. We then let it steep for a few moments, enhancing the flavour even more."
John nodded, taking it all in eagerly. This time with Penelope was rare indeed and to not be involved in their work, even rarer. John was lapping it all up with eagerness and actually enjoying learning something new.
"Sounds very complex for a cup of tea Lady Penelope." John teased gently, grinning all the while.
"Oh us British take our tea extremely seriously John." Penelope smiled right back at him and then took the tea pot in her dainty hands and began to pour the tea into the dainty china cups. She was extremely elegant and John found himself fascinated by the process.
A few moments later two cups of two were sitting steaming in front of each of them and the tea pot near them. She then picked up the tea cup, the pink roses on it's design matching her nail polish perfectly. If John didn't know better, he would have thought it was deliberate on her part.
"Now, inhale the aroma of the tea John, let its gentle flavour waft through your nose."
John picked the cup up, feeling suddenly rather like the proverbial bull in a china shop suddenly. The contrast in the English and American characteristics when having something as simple as a drink were suddenly more apparent to him more than ever. It was something to think about later on.
John took a delicate sniff of the tea and found its aroma pleasant to the nose. He watched her for a few moments and then after she had taken a sip, he took one as well and found the taste pleasing to his palette. He then sipped it a few more times and found himself enjoying it.
Penelope nibbled on a dainty cake as they sat and talked about mostly inconsequential things while they ate the tea cakes and drank their tea. After about an hour, and a now empty tea pot, they were sitting there, finishing their last cup when John gave her a small smile.
"You know, Grandma likes a cup of tea every now and then, but she doesn't go to these lengths when she brews it. I think I'm going to buy her a nice china tea set to take back home with me, and some different teas."
Penelope smiled.
"Oh John that would be lovely, Josephine would love that. I know for a fact that she has always wanted a Royal Doultan Fine Bone China tea set, she was admiring mine once when your father came to visit me once with her."
John grinned.
"That sounds perfect Penelope. Shall we go tho their store when we leave here then? And then to somewhere to buy her a range of teas, you would know of a place to get some of the best I am assuming."
"And you would assume correctly John. And the manager of the Royal Dolton Store is a friend of mine, so she will take good care of us." John grinned at her, wiping his lips with a napkin.
"That sounds perfect My Lady, shall we go?" Penelope wiped her mouth as well, daintily setting the napkin down on her plate.
"We shall go then." John stood up and helped Lady Penelope to her feet, as any good gentleman would, and taking her arm again, led her towards the door, only stopping to give his credit card to the cashier. Penelope smiled and they walked out onto the street, they had some shopping to do. And she had some more educating to do.