When the meal was over it was time to leave so after collecting her designs together, Ruby put on her outdoor clothes and Mr Chatsworth hailed a cab to take them to the shop. The outside of it was very grand and when they entered Ruby saw that the inside was even more salubrious. Tall glass cases were spaced around the walls with lights directed on them to strategically show off the glittering jewels inside to their best effect. Along one wall was a highly polished dark-wood counter and the floor was covered in a thick, wall-to-wall carpet in a warm red colour that complemented the pale-gold damask walls.

Mr Chatsworth ushered Ruby and Mr Pembroke ahead of him to one of two doors set into the wall behind the counter, and Ruby was taken aback to find herself in an enormous workshop where a number of people were leaning over machines busily working. This, she realised, was where her designs were turned into reality and a proud lump formed in her throat. Since living with Hermione, she had closely studied all the different processes that went into making one single piece of jewellery and here in this room she could see them all taking place.

‘This is my enameller, Robert,’ Mr Chatsworth said proudly as he stopped at one of the machines where a man was carefully laying colourful powdered glass substances on to the precious metal and fusing it with heat. The man glanced up, nodded politely and they moved on. ‘And Marianne here is doing what is known as damascening, it’s a delicate process where incisions are cut into the metal and threads of gold or silver wire are introduced into the cut for embellishment. Over there is Cyril, he’s working at a mandril, which is a curved metal or wooden block where, for instance, a bangle can be hammered into shape – not as easy as it looks, I assure you.’ He chuckled and moved on and Ruby was so intrigued she felt she could have stayed there forever watching and learning.

Eventually, she and Mr Pembroke were led back into the shop where a very smart assistant was serving a lady who was sitting on a gilt chair examining a number of pieces laid out on a black velvet cloth on a small table in front of her. Mr Chatsworth took them through another door into his office and once they had taken off their hats and coats, they sat down at his magnificent rosewood desk to study her designs again.

‘How would you feel about trying your hand at designing other things?’ Mr Pembroke asked. ‘For instance, salt cellars and sugar sifters are very popular amongst my clients at the moment, and the solid silver ones fetch a very good price. Also, silver cutlery?’

‘I could certainly try,’ Ruby said eagerly – she always liked a challenge.