‘She’s well. She has a live-in companion now, so I’m able to spend more time at the mines.’ Talek noticed his friend’s smile slip. ‘You do not want my company?’
‘If it is as sullen as it is now, then no, I do not.’
‘Take care. I could take offence.’
Henry laughed and slapped him on the back. ‘I know you will not.’
The two men, brought together by a joint inheritance, had learnt to work together and a solid friendship had slowly developed. Would they have become friends if it was not for the mines they jointly owned? Probably not. The mines had brought them together in a partnership that neither was willing to give up. Learning to work together had been difficult. Henry had two years of experience running the business before Talek and Amelia inherited their share. Talek and Henry’s share were equal at forty per cent each, however, Amelia also had a small share of twenty per cent and as she always looked to her brother for guidance, her smaller share gave Talek the authority he required when decisions were agreed. Henry came to accept this far easier than Talek would have done if the balance of power had been tilted in the other direction, this was partly due, Talek believed, because he had worked hard to understand the business, quickly gaining more knowledge about clay production than Henry. Despite this, it was Henry’s early acceptance that made Talek warm to him in a way that Henry’s poorly planned, grand schemes for more profit, could not.
‘You have come to know me too well. Little offends me these days,’ replied Talek.
‘Apart from being accused of murder.’ Henry sat on a chair opposite him. He crossed his legs and cradled the ledger in his lap. His eyebrows lifted to await his friend’s reply.
‘She angered me. I had all but forgotten the incident.’
Henry chuckled. ‘I drop in to spend a pleasant afternoon with you and Amelia, and I am forced to listen to you venting your anger about what had happened at Hel Tor.’
‘I was not angry.’
‘You were affronted.’
Talek considered the word and grudgingly agreed. ‘Yes. I was affronted, but I think I had every right to be.’
‘I don’t know why you let her bother you. It’s not as if you will ever see her again.’
Something in Talek’s expression made Henry sit up. ‘Have you seen her again?’
‘She’s Amelia’s new companion.’
‘She is living with you!’ Henry burst out laughing again. ‘This explains everything.’
Talek felt a headache coming on. ‘There is nothing to explain.’
‘You are hiding here.’
‘I’m nothiding. Now that Amelia has company I can be on site more often.’ It was time to refocus Henry. ‘The contracts with Morgrave and Shelby Potteries are up for renewal, but Caradon Potteries wants exclusivity.’
Henry sobered. ‘Caradon is the biggest pottery in Staffordshire. So your trip was worth it.’
Talek nodded. ‘They will be sending a representative before they confirm the contract.’
‘I will see to that.’
‘They are the biggest producer of ceramics, Henry.’
‘So why do I hear concern in your voice?’
‘I’m concerned about the exclusivity.’
‘And if you don’t grant it?’
‘They will go elsewhere. Cornwall is littered with other companies who would be only too happy to sell their clay to them.’
‘Then we have no choice, but to accept. They are one of the biggest potteries, Talek. We cannot let this opportunity go.’
Talek had thought of little else, when his mind was not on Grace. He reluctantly nodded.
Henry slapped his own thigh. ‘This will be a good deal, Talek. We need to ensure a good price. Can you imagine how much money the clay from both our pits will bring in?’
