He was walking behind a younger man, curly haired and with a pleasant smile, not at all richly dressed. So unexceptional, in fact, he would have had a fine appearance for a poisoner. And yet Mauthis, though supposedly in charge of the bank, hurried after with hands clasped, as though he was the junior. Morveer sidled closer, bringing them within earshot.

“… Master Sulfur, I hope you will inform our superiors that everything is under complete control.” Mauthis had, perhaps, the very slightest note of panic in his voice. “Absolute and complete—”

“Of course,” answered the one called Sulfur, offhand. “Though I rarely find our superiors need informing as to how things stand. They are watching. If everything is under complete control, I am sure they will already be satisfied. If not, well…” He smiled wide at Mauthis, and then at Morveer, and Morveer noticed he had different-coloured eyes, one blue, one green. “Good day.” And he strode away and was soon lost in the crowds.

“May I be of assistance?” grated Mauthis. He looked as if he had never laughed in his life. He was running out of time to try it now.

“I certainly hope you may. My name is Reevrom, a merchant of Puranti.” Morveer tittered inwardly at his own joke, as he did whenever he utilised the alias, but his face showed nothing but the warmest bonhomie as he offered his hand.

“Reevrom. I have heard of your house. A privilege to make your acquaintance.” Mauthis disdained to shake it, and kept a carefully inoffensive distance between them. Evidently a cautious man. Just as well, for his sake. The tiny spike on the underside of Morveer’s heavy middle-finger ring was loaded with scorpion venom in a solution of Leopard Flower. The banker would have sat happily through their meeting, then dropped dead within the hour.

“This is my niece,” continued Morveer, not in the least downhearted by his failed attempt. “I have been entrusted with the responsibility of escorting her to an introduction with a potential suitor.” Day looked up from beneath her lashes with perfectly judged shyness. “And this is my associate.” He glanced sideways at Friendly and the man frowned back. “I do him too much credit. My bodyguard, Master Charming. He is not a great conversationalist, but when it comes to bodyguarding, he is… barely adequate in truth. Still, I promised his old mother that I would take him under my—”

“You have come here on a matter of business?” droned Mauthis.

Morveer bowed. “A sizeable deposit.”

“I regret that your associates must remain behind, but if you would care to follow me we would, of course, be happy to accept your deposit and prepare a receipt.”

“Surely my niece—”

“You must understand that, in the interests of security, we can make no exceptions. Your niece will be perfectly comfortable here.”

“Of course, of course you will, my dear. Master Charming! The strong-box!” Friendly handed the metal case over to a bespectacled clerk, left tottering under its weight. “Now wait here, and get up to no mischief!” Morveer gave a heavy sigh as he followed Mauthis into the depths of the building, as though he had insurmountable difficulties securing competent help. “My money will be safe here?”