Kissing the Rod: A Novel. (Vol. 1 of 3)

In the heart of Victorian London, a venerable bill‑broking house at 48 Bullion Lane stands as a silent witness to the city’s restless pulse. Generations of financiers have passed through its modest doors, from the reckless speculators of the South‑Sea bubble to the polished directors of the Bank of England, each leaving a faint imprint on the marble stairwell. The firm’s reputation for safety and discretion draws an eclectic mix of parliamentarians, steam‑ship captains, and dashing society men, all waiting for a glimpse of the power hidden behind the ledger books.

At the centre of this bustling micro‑cosm is the young Robert Streightley, whose daring appetite for profit threatens to upend the cautious wisdom of his aging father. Permission is grudgingly granted, and in the shadow of his father’s gout‑ridden decline, Robert’s bold schemes begin to reshape the business. As the city’s elite queue for his counsel, the stage is set for a clash of ambition, tradition, and the relentless drive of a new generation eager to seize fortune.