Husband. There was that topic again.
He was a pleasant looking young man, somewhat thin, with dark hair that he was constantly pushing back when it fell over his eyes. When he smiled he had the most adorable dimple on one cheek and a direct way of looking at one as if he was already taking the next photograph.
“Some information, if you please,” I explained. “I will be happy to pay for your time. I would like very much to know how the photographs are made.” I saw the natural hesitance that I often encounter when obtaining information. I introduced myself.
“Lucy Penworth mentioned that you had submitted some photographs to the Times newspaper and thought you might be able to provide some assistance.”
That of course, required the explanation that Lucy was no longer with the Times but was now working for another organization. I didn’t go into detail on that one as it was quite obvious that the work of the Agency was kept quitelow profile, as Sir Avery had explained it.
As the day grew later in the afternoon, Davey’s customers were fewer, and he was more than happy to explain the process.
“The film is on a spool inside the camera, rather than using glass plates for one image at a time,” he began. “It’s quite the innovation that allows me to take several photographs before the film is developed. That usually requires sending the camera to the factory, however I develop my own film,” he continued.
He had his own location for that, in the back room of his sister’s flat to develop the film and produce the photographs.
“The emulsion on the film produces a negative image. My sister says it stinks the place up like rotten eggs.” He laughed at that. “Then when light is shown through the negative onto photo paper it creates an image. Ye can’t see it until ye wash it through a chemical bath that causes the image to appear, then a second chemical bath fixes the image. Hang it to dry and there’s yer photograph. On a good day around holiday, I will have maybe a couple dozen photos hung up to dry and get to the customers.”
At the price I had overheard quoted, actually quite reasonable, that might provide a decent income.
And there was someone by the name of Eastman in the United States who was developing a box camera with different apertures. That of course required an additional explanation.
“It would allow me to set the lens for the proper lighting, particularly out here on the street. This camera is limited to strong daytime light.”
That caught my attention.
“So, it wouldn’t be successful to take nighttime photos?” I asked.
He shook his head. “The image you wanted to photograph wouldn’t show up. It’s the light on the person that the film picks up. But if you had a glass plate camera, it could be possible to take photographs at night with just a small amount of light.
As in the photograph taken of Amelia Mainwaring at Hyde Park for instance?
Or the photograph taken of Catherine Thorpe in that coach in the light from a street lamp that had given her such a ghostly appearance.
I then showed him the two photographs that had obviously been taken at night.
“These photographs were definitely made with glass plate; very clear, and the detail is…” he hesitated. “Both young women look as if…”
I tucked them away before he could speculate further. I had the answer I was looking for.
“I’ve never known a lady to ask how the photographs are made,” he commented. “They don’t ask questions, they simply want the photo.” He looked at me again with that direct blue gaze.
“You said that Lucy Penworth gave you my name?” he said then.
I could see the wheels of thought turning in his head like one of those perpetual motion machines that Alex Sinclair was working with that he hoped might generate information.
Davey grinned. “She wrote an article for the newspaper about a woman who helped solve the murder of the young woman in the glass box!”
I had read that article as well, quite good actually. That same article had also mentioned Brodie and his inquiry business as well has his former association with the MP.
“It also mentioned that you’re the author of those adventure novels with that woman…!”
Clever young man.
“Are you on an investigation now?” he asked, quite excited.
I thanked him for the information, without specifically replying to his question, quite aware that Brodie thought discretion was advisable when on a case so as not to jeopardize or endanger anyone.
However, I did purchase the photos of Templeton that I thought would amuse her, along with the extra coin for his time and information.
