Emmaline watched as the young man returned with a pair of books. Both were heavy crude things bound with coarse twine and wrapped in simply cured leather. The sour faced old engineer grabbed the nearer of the two and pulled it open.

"Never mind wrenches right now Neil," Gunter told the apprentice, some of the earlier animus had left his voice. Not so much because he wasn't irritated with Neil but because he lions share of his attention had been transfered to the book. The parchment fluttered as he leafed through it, turning the hand written pages to reveal columns of figures, maps, schematics of pumps and other records. Gunter picked up a pair of glasses and peered through them.

"Mine closed by order of Master Engineer Grimwold... ah that drunken old sot... on the basis that the yield of ore was no longer profitable and frequent cave ins," Gunter read, following his place with a stubby fingertip.

"Steady decrease in yield over the past decade before closing, looks like they replaced beams shortly before they closed it, several exploratory tunnels dug, probably when they got desperate to find new veins of ore," Gunter looked up from his work.

"I have to say Herr Von Banstuf, Grimwold was a drunk but he knew his business, based on this I cannot imagine that reopening the mine is profitable."

"But would it be safe Master Gunter?" Otto pressed. Gunter blew out a long breath, clearly viewing the whole business as a waste of time.

"If it isn't safe Otto perhaps..." Emmaline began uncertainly. There was an art to being negative, it encouraged the mark to be decisive so long as one wasn't to emphatic.

"And surely ten thousand marks a year isn't worth..." Otto turned and gave her a patronizing smile.

"Marguerite dear, why dont you wait outside while the men talk," he told her gently but firmly. Emmaline blanked her face as though slightly offended and then turned and stepped outside into the chilly afternoon. A slight smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. This was almost too easy.