“’Tis always the quiet ones that are the most dangerous. Evan made sense, but I did not see this coming,” David said with a chuckle as he poured tea into three mugs and pushed one toward each of them.
Beth grinned. “Right?”
“I can buy in batches, as I can keep inventory in my workspace. The trick is finding someone with the skills for the finer work who does not already have a full client list.”
David was nodding with a pensive frown as he listened to Robert’s concerns.
“Robert, would you show David a few items that you use regularly, please?” Beth asked. As he bent to extract them from the satchel he’d carried, she turned to David. “Robert typically works in London or at Evan’s home in Cheltenham. So I was thinking someone in that corridor would be ideal. But location is less important than skill and discretion. Penelope told me you brought an apprentice on recently.”
“Yes. Adam has been a godsend. I am planning to spend Christmas at Mansfield House now.”
“How did you find him?”
“I visited a few forges last time I was in London visiting Penelope and Michael. I can give you their direction if you’d like, although”—he smiled at Robert—“I suspect you have your own network there. The smiths I met knew who in Town had someone training, and I visited those shops. I watched the boys work, and then made an offer if I felt the quality warranted it.”
“And Adam accepted?” Beth asked.
“Well, the first few offers were rejected. Many did not wish to come this far north when their whole family is in London. It took me three tries to learn that lesson.” David chuckled.
“Michael was kind enough to loan me a carriage. I took the long way home, stopping in Luton and Cambridge once I had fine-tuned my research process. Adam was in Cambridge.”
“I bet Edward likes that part,” Beth said, grinning, referring to Sophia’s husband, the Earl of Peterborough.
“Ah, those boys and their school rivalry. Yes, his lordship took a strange pride in the fact that Michael’s father-in-law is sourcing his employees from Cambridge rather than Oxford.” He rolled his eyes. “’Twas the city, not the university. Sheesh.”
“Well, I shan’t hold it against him, if he can help me find my apprentice,” Robert commented with a straight face, before they all broke out into laughter.
David picked up the corset hooks and one of the more intricate cuff connectors. “Frankly, I don’t know if Adam has this skill or not, but we can ask him if he knows someone who does.”
“Mayhap without showing him the leather pieces they’re for?” Beth suggested.
“Ah yes, secrecy.”
Robert breathed a sigh of relief. He’d have spoken up if she hadn’t, but he was reassured that she respected his need for privacy and ensured it was top of mind for people they interviewed.
David put his hands flat on the table to push up to standing, but then dropped his shoulders and leaned back in his chair.
“Wait. One smith I spoke to in London said something that might help about an associate’s apprentice. I’m trying to remember what it was.” He frowned, staring at his empty teacup.
“’Twasn’t that the young man’s work was poor?” Beth seemed to be trying to prompt David’s memories and Robert sat back to watch her skills.
“No. I don’t want to misstate it, but I think he recommended avoiding the lad, as he was making strange items in his spare time.”
“With metal taken from the shop?” Beth sounded outraged, making Robert smile.
“Oh no, that is how the smith knew about it. The boy bought the metal fair and square, then made his goods and…there was something about testing…” David shook his head again.
He looked up at Beth and his face flushed, then he turned to Robert. “I think the items were for sexual play.” He glanced back at Beth. “Sorry, dear. It seems like it might be an excellent fit for your friend here, or I’d never have said that.”
She patted his hand. “David, love. You do remember I attended—” She slid a glance at Robert that he couldn’t interpret. “—school with Penelope, don’t you? ’Tis quite all right.”
“Yes, well. Be that as it may, ’tis not something I’d normally say in the company of a good girl such as yourself.”
“Aw.” She wove around the table to hug their host as they all stood.
“David, you are right. That sounds like an excellent starting place. Even if that apprentice does not work, London is the right spot to begin. All things strange seem to herald from there, including me.” Robert smiled and held his hand out.
David shook it, then grabbed a piece of paper to mark the address and the name of the smith who had referred him elsewhere. “Keep me informed of how you do? I should like to come down and meet whoever you find.”
