Rowland, The Senators Son

Chapter 8 Token

Pulling up to Alexia's warehouse it surprised Rowland at the elegance of the space; It was a four story building of brick construction. Half of the ground floor looked to have been converted into a gallery show room, as he entered through double glass doors he was greeted by a young man in his mid-20s wearing a suit of dark blue with a scarlet red tie and a pale blue shirt.

At his neck, sat neatly under the knot of his tie hung a gold medallion fashioned to look like a wax seal that sported the same symbol contained on the token Rowland currently held in his hand.

The young man smiled "This way please Mr Jeffers, Miss Kingstone is waiting for you in the workshop." they proceeded towards another pair of doors. Above the doors that led to the workshop was a sign that read 'Creation commences in the dreams of Men, dream often'.

He showed Rowland to an area that looked to have several functions there was a long stainless steel workbench along one wall full of tools and equipment all neatly organised.

On the other side of the room was a jeweller's bench, again stacked high with tools all neatly arranged. Beside it, a drafting bench, pictures of upcoming work attached. In the far corner a comfortable-looking lounge suite and coffee table situated beside a small kitchenette.

In the middle of the room, several large wooden blocks and metal anvils along with a large rack containing a couple of hundred hammers and mandrels of various shapes and sizes. All highly polished and gleaming.

For a workshop, the space was light, airy, organised and very well kept.

Alexia was engrossed in her work and sat on a stool hammering at a piece of metal; there was a rhythmic thud, thud, thud as hammer met metal. The sound held a soothing, meditative quality. She was entrancing to watch, each strike precise.

As if knowing she was being observed she halted mid hammer fall rotating on the stool and looked up at Rowland with a smile.

"Well Mr Jeffers, thank you for your punctuality," acknowledging his presence as she rose from the chair returning the hammer to its designated position on the rack, it had looked so big in her small hand but she had wheeled it with ease.

Alexia was dressed in tight blue jeans and a button up blue work shirt strained across her ample chest, old work boots hiding her beautiful toes; she had removed a heavy leather apron and laid it over the work stool when he had arrived. Her hair was styled up into a messy bun held in place with two metal spikes. Her only makeup was a soft red gloss on her beautiful lips.

Directing him to sit on the lounge "Would you like something to drink, coffee, tea or something stronger perhaps?" she asked.

"A coffee would be lovely," he replied.

Rowland returned her smile and walked to sit on the long couch.

"Jhans, Long black, triple shot, two sugars for Mr Jeffers and my usual please," Alexia noticed Rowland's puzzled look, "A good hostess will always know the preference of her guests."

Jhans disappeared only to emerge a couple of moments later, placing the beverages onto the coffee table. "Thank you Jhans please lock the gallery door and I will see you upstairs."

Left alone, Alexia collected her cup and sipped on the cafe latte. "Well, Mr Jeffers I have been thinking about what I wanted to create for you, and since you paid such a high price in honour of your father, I hope you will allow me a little indulgence."

"I thought you had already agreed to call me Rowland" he softly rebuked "truth be told, I am not sure I could deny you any request."

Alexia smiled "Good, I intend to create a set of six pieces, one for each of the Jeffers men."