‘It has been my privilege to voyage to the United States, where I was able to make a number of photographic reproductions of Mr Tiffany and the work of his staff. I break no confidences in showing you elements of the work itself, which is, of course, already recorded in the company’s catalogue. However, I have also been able to photograph some of Mr Tiffany’s workshops, to see the creation of these extraordinary pieces being carried out . . .’

She went on to say that while she had developed the photographs to as large a size as possible without losing the best production of colour, nothing could of course match the reality of the original objects. However, her audience might want to move a little closer in order to catch the best of them. After due amounts of shuffling had taken place, she began to hold the photographs up one by one and talk about them.

Margaret was lost in whatever she was saying. Before her eyes moved a display of beauty which, even in the soft gaslight, brought her hand to her racing heart. She had to remind herself not to sit with her mouth gaping open. Miss Hoyland showed them pictures of stained-glass windows of exquisite colours, portraying landscapes and patterns, trees whose every leaf and flowers whose every petal had been wrought in coloured glass; a peacock, its tail aflame; lampshades of coloured glass, patterned with the iridescent bodies and wings of dragonflies; a shade fashioned as a trailing glory of wisteria, like cascades of blue drops of water. And jewellery: brooches of butterflies and snail shells, fine gold necklaces like webs set with stones, more glass, bright, singing colours of flowers . . . By the time Miss Hoyland was drawing to a close, Margaret felt half drunk on the beauty of it.

There were a few pictures of the workshop, a woman bent over a bench. Margaret watched, fascinated. Imagine doing such a thing – making these astonishing designs!

‘This is one of the glass-cutting departments,’ Miss Hoyland was saying. Margaret felt her attention sharpen even more as she went on. ‘What many people do not realize is that much of the creative vision and skill behind most of these pieces is the work of one woman – Miss Clara Driscoll. In this workshop she oversees a good many young women who implement her designs – such as the Butterfly lamp and the Wisteria lamp that we have seen. And last year’s exquisite Peony shade.’

She held up another astonishing picture of lush pinks and greens. What must they look like when you really see them? Margaret thought, exchanging a delighted smile with Philip Tallis. She drank in Miss Hoyland’s words.