‘Come on, Philip. This is exquisite – you know how good you are. Umm? What’s all this mulishness about? All this grand isolation? Why not come and meet some of the other Guild members. They’re a lively bunch – you could learn from them and at the same time teach them a thing or two, no doubt. Come and join us, eh?’

Margaret wondered if it was the dashing man she had seen in the strange hat. She heard Philip Tallis’s patient voice.

‘I’ve told you – I prefer to work alone. And I’ve my daughter to care for.’

‘Bring young Daisy along with you – she’s a talented little thing. She could learn a lot from it. You can’t go on moping for ever, man. It’d take you out of yourself. You could do some teaching at the jewellery school – I’m sure we could arrange a session or two for you.’

‘I’m not moping.’ There was a flinty determination to his voice now. ‘I just prefer to do things the way I do them, that’s all.’

‘All right – have it your way!’ The man laughed. ‘Hide your light under a bushel if that’s what you want. You always were a stubborn creature.’

Margaret was burning with curiosity but she was afraid that someone would emerge from any one of the house doors and see her eavesdropping. She hurried away down the stairs.

Caleb Turner leaned over the desk. In front of him, laid in careful lines, were the photographs of Herr von Titz’s seven daughters. They were plump, double-chinned girls in high, lacy collars, their hair taken back in complicated arrangements, heads sprigged all over with ribbons, except for one who had a rose pinned over her ear.

Caleb’s usually impassive face was pulled into a frown.

‘What the hell’m I s’posed to do with these?’ he said woefully, scratching his head. ‘They all look the flaming same!’

Margaret had only seen Daisy in passing during the past week. Sometimes the girl seemed to retreat from her and become distant, as if she was frightened of having something that would once more be snatched away. But that afternoon, she called at the door after school, wrapped in a grey wool coat. Even at her young age, Margaret thought, Daisy managed to look stylish.

‘D’you want to come today?’ she asked as they stood in the dark hall. Margaret could see the gleam of Daisy’s big eyes looking up at her. ‘Pa says I can teach you something if you like.’