Craftsman Primrose entered, now wearing the mustard-gold jacket of a craftsman, along with a woman wearing a long red skirt with a silk trim matching her ruby Guild jacket. They noticed the girls and smiled warmly.

“Ah, here you are!” said Craftsman Primrose. “Good to see you’ve met some other apprentices, Frances. May I introduce Master Amelia White.”

The young woman had a relaxed look about her – blonde hair half tied back with strands loose around her face, cheeks pinched with pink, jacket unbuttoned.

She smiled and approached them, shaking Prue’s hand first.

“You have an excellent mentor. Craftsman Primrose is an absolute marvel at design and construction.” She spoke briskly.

“I’m apprenticed to Master Sollentude,” said Cora, stepping forward. “I’m Cora Duval.”

“Ah, of course, you must be Larkin’s sister,” said Master White. “A tough act to follow.”

“I think I’ll manage,” said Cora with a tightened smile.

“Fighting talk, Apprentice Duval,” said Master White. “Excellent.” She turned to Craftsman Primrose. “Now you must meet my new apprentice. I found Agapantha in your home city, Gawthorpe, although she’s originally from Medlock. I persuaded her parents that with her remarkable mathematical flair I just had to give her a try at the Guild.”

Master White smiled at Agapatha, and Craftsman Primrose shook Cora and Agapantha’s hands and said he was very pleased to meet them.

“Right, let’s get you settled in,” said Craftsman Primrose. “We can get all the paperwork signed in the morning. We must stick to the protocol. The Sovereign Chancellery is very particular about form-filling and secrecy, that’s why the Guild is—” he stopped himself. “Best you find out for yourselves tomorrow. Over to you, Mrs Luckhurst.”

Lavender clapped her hands together. “Leave your cases there and we’ll get you fed, then I’ll show you to your rooms. The other apprentices have all eaten, I’m afraid, but I’ve set some food aside for you. Will you be staying, Craftsman Primrose? Master White?” She threw them a knowing glance.

“We’ll be off, thank you, Mrs Luckhurst. We have lots to prepare for our first day of teaching tomorrow.”

Master White turned to the apprentices. “Meet us here at eight a.m. sharp and we’ll show you to the Guild. Then the hard work begins.”

“But…” said Prue.

“Yes, Apprentice Haywood?”

“But I thought we were at the Guild?”

Craftsman Primrose exchanged a grin with Master White. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Craftsman Primrose and Master White left through the front door, and the three new apprentices followed Lavender towards one of the rooms coming off the hallway. “That Primrose and White have such a flame for each other – warms my heart, it does,” she said.