His eyes followed the movement of her tongue, dropped to her bodice, then rose to meet her gaze. Glancing down, she realized her nipples were hard points poking through her camisole and dress. Flushing, she looked up again.
“You realize that I have paid my price for the shop storeroom,” he drawled. “Tomorrow, we start anew with an exchange. Investment information for opportunities to illuminate the world of intimacy for you.”
Althea panted, unable to find it in her to consider risks or repercussions. Instead, she worried about the separate rooms. She would not have the strength to turn Evan away if he knocked on her door during the night.
****
Althea slept restlessly, half hoping for a knock at the door, half fearing it. All for naught, as she had no nocturnal visitors. Nevertheless, she leaped out of bed in the morning, ready to investigate her potential competitors and mayhap even possible locations for her shop.
The four gathered for pastries and tea before going their separate ways. Robert and Beth, with a maid trailing them for propriety’s sake given Beth’s unmarried status, planned to stroll the city and sightsee, then visit a forge Robert hoped to partner with.
Althea and Evan began retracing the route Evan had followed the day before. After the first two shops, Evan led her away from the water, showing her the Circus, the Royal Crescent, and the surrounding area where the most affluent residents and visitors stayed. Then they walked down past the Grand Pump Room and Roman Baths to Stall Street again. He first pointed out the construction of row houses underway, then the area beyond Stall Street yet to be built before ushering her into the final apothecary of the morning.
She exclaimed and sniffed and examined the goods in each shop, from candles to tonics to soaps to inks. Back on the street, she’d take a pencil and her notebook from her reticule and scribbled a few notes about the quality and variety of offerings in each shop.
Evan led her to a bakery for a cup of tea and a pastry, which she ignored until after her thoughts on the final store were noted.
Finally, she sat back and sipped her tea. “Thank you. This area is busier than when I was here last year. I had no idea of the growth. I’m even more excited now at the prospect of a store here. I wonder if I can improve on the time to profitability.”
“What do you think of the quality of items sold in these stores versus yours?”
“Two were comparable, the first was a mix. Some items seemed inferior. The inks looked watery, but I’d have to test them on paper to be sure.” She had bought one for that purpose.
“What location would you choose if there was an appropriate space?”
“With the two in the center of town, I think either up near the fancy houses or down here with the newer homes could work. But you mentioned two other locations. I’d want to know where those are before I decided. And probably see them.”
“Right, then. Shall we? I obtained the location of one from the guesthouse manageress. ’Tis a bit north of our rooms but walkable, if you’re willing. My guess is that the other is north and west, past the Royal Crescent, so we can ask up there.”
The next shop was the fanciest, and Althea wandered around for longer than she had in any of the other stores. As she sniffed and fondled and rubbed, she listened to Evan chatting with the lady at the counter. Althea estimated she was in her forties, with dark hair pinstriped with silver pulled back in a bun and a modestly cut midnight blue dress.
Half-listening to Evan’s questions, Althea gleaned that the clerk was actually the proprietress. Her sourcing was not through London. It was direct with more local businesses. And she, like Althea, mixed her own fragrances for soaps and candles. She also shared the location of the last apothecary, indeed in the part of town Evan had guessed. When asked why she did so readily, she waved a hand as Althea approached.
“You’ll find they carry different items than I do.” She kept her sneer from her tone, but a sniff escaped.
Althea could guess that it catered to more of a working-class crowd. Or mayhap tried for upscale but the quality was not as good. Her pulse ticked up in anticipation. She wanted to find out. Having so many similarities with this shopkeeper, Althea was anxious to see if they thought alike regarding competition. That could help her if she planned to compete as well, although she found herself strangely reluctant to interfere with another woman’s business, particularly one she’d liked so much in this first meeting.
Back on the street, Althea bounced on her toes as she walked, trying to rein in her excitement.
Evan grinned at her antics.
She ignored him, flapping her hands before placing one on his proffered arm. “That shop, that owner, is the most like mine. She will be my closest competition.”
“And yet you seem…happy?”
“Lud, did you see the workmanship of her pens? And those inks! I cannot get inks that thick and dark without them looking like shades of black or brown. But hers were rich in color. You should have asked where she found those specifically.”
“Ah, so you were listening.”
“Of course.” She smiled, squeezing his bicep. “You asked excellent questions. How do you know so much about this type of shop?”
“Many businesses share similarities. For Penelope’s bakery, there is still sourcing of raw materials to be done, quality of goods to be assessed, and such. Most shops will have some of the same challenges, and I’ve helped others before.”
“What other businesses have you helped?” She tilted her head to look at him.
“Recently, I’ve focused on women who want financial independence. Many of those are more service businesses. Laundresses and the like.”
“Why?”
