It was difficult to convey precisely what Alex had done without going into detail, and for his own sake Ciel refused to do that. He figured it was apparent enough that he was not pleased and that it needn't be said anyways. Sebastian helped it along with a small quip of his own, and with that the weight of his disappointment seemed to sink in to the elderly woman. She gave him the usual excuses from one of his employees, she was getting old and work was hard. Sympathy however was not something Ciel was known for, and he found it rather difficult to feel sorry for the woman. Simply put everyone grew old, everyone eventually lost their ability to be proficient at their job. If he felt sorry for every person who did he'd incessantly be feeling sorry for someone. "Skill does not always guarantee someone will be capable at their job," he pointed out, admonishing Ms. Baker with a stare. "The most skilled man in the world is useless if he can't do his job properly. Frankly I don't know what you saw in Alex myself, he was awkward and near embarrassing when it came to taking measurements. Have you even let him practice before sending him here?"

Ciel let out a soft sigh, rubbing at his forehead. If he were to fire this woman now he'd be without a tailor, and sans that he would have to rely on Sebastian for his clothing. While not a bad choice he should be branching out his influence, if he did everything in house then he'd have no pull anywhere. "No... Have him return here tonight to finish his job. But you are to accompany him and supervise what he does. I feel that with his master nearby he won't be quite as... Inclined to act like a lout. If he can prove to me that he's got some level of professionalism in him I'll keep you for your business and we can forget this matter." He was not becoming sympathetic to the woman's pleas, and he certainly could find another tailor if need be. Why then, he wondered, did he want to continue this business? After a moment of reflection he thought he found his answer. Sickeningly enough he wanted to see Alex again. As much as he loathed to admit it he was... Curious, about the other boy. Damn him and his ostentatious behavior, everything he'd done had been precisely to make this happen... And it had worked. Ciel hoped that so long he hid it behind a facade of good will he might avoid being found out.

"That is a reasonable agreement, yes? Until I am confident in his ability to operate on his own I'd like you to accompany him. If it costs you a fair bit to travel... I will raise your salary to make the trips." That ought to settle that mess, at least for the time being. If Alex failed to impress then they would be finished, simple as that. No more teases, and no more confusing thoughts, he'd cut the issue off there and be done with it. Lifting himself out of his seat the young earl flashed Ms. Baker a deceptively sweet smile, folding his hands behind his back. "Don't make me regret giving you a second chance. There's a reason you've been employed by me for so long, and I'd like for our partnership to continue. But only if I can be assured that your apprentice is capable of carrying on your work." With that he excused himself, stepping over to the door and opening it up, but taking pause as he stood in the threshold. "Sebastian will escort you out, [i]politely[/i], and I will see you this evening. Until then have a pleasant afternoon." Leaving the door open behind him Ciel stepped into the corridor, making a straight line to his office, a hard line on his lips. This was absurd, to think he was indulging Alex's behavior. Yet undeniably that bastard had done something to make him want this, and he had to see where it would go.