[Vincent Spaulding]

This would not do. It was a clear morning - far more than it had any right to be. There'd been some fundraiser, some high-toned and fancy to-do that anyone who was anyone should attend. For him, personally, such things were long drawn-out bore-fests, full of hangers-on and wannabes, social climbers and leeches, and so few of his own station and birthright. But he had been invited and it was important to keep showing one's face in society, ahead of the right people seeing him. If only the alcohol on offer last night had been a little less vengeful the following morning.

It had been some time since the wretched Albron woman had come to his door asking all manner of impertinent questions but it had been on his mind. Ordinarily, such things would have been settled mostly by way of a damn good thrashing for the sheer bloody nerve of it all. Perks of being amongst the lords and betters, eh?

But, no, Vincent conceded, the woman was connected. She'd been spotted visiting the Ministry of Magic, and at the gala last night, he'd been speaking to some minor functionary at the Ministry - Spade? Spud? The little peoples' names didn't matter much to him - about various things, and one of the matters of conversation that came up were the comings and doings of this female. Apparently there'd been some kind of commotion; a visit to Azkaban had been laid on for her to speak to a prisoner there.

Ah, yes, the prisoner. He had been well compensated as per the agreement. Such a shame that he had to break the agreement over a little indiscretion like that, but alas, Vincent did not make the rules. He snapped his fingers. "Pokey. Take a note."

Pokey appeared seemingly from nowhere, a rumpled little wodge of paper in his hands. "Pokey is ready to take down master's words." There was almost a ghoulish enthusiasm; Pokey knew that if he were taking down notes for master, someone was going to be in trouble and for once it wouldn't be him receiving master's wrath.

"Send a note to the wretch in Azkaban - Mulciber's man, I believe - thanking him for his brave and noble sacrifice, but that the payments to his family in return are now null and void for his indiscretion in telling Miss Albron about the arrangement."

Pokey nodded, "Pokey will get the note sent right away." And he scuttled off.

Vincent poured himself a large measure of whiskey and toasted to a petty victory. Miss Albron might learn the value of knowing her place, and others would learn the price of indiscretion.

[Vincent Spaulding]

It was rather interesting, he'd had word from Audish for a meet. Seems the chap had some more business for him to take care of. He had to admire old Aurelius, rather shrewd little side job he'd lined up for himself, and he'd needed someone to take care of making it all look legit. Wouldn't want the important business to go awry for want of a good lawyer.

Still, they'd have to meet in a place he'd rather not. Revolution was far from the sort of venue he personally would have preferred to meet in. They had such awful taste in scotch. But even he had to admit it provided rather wonderful cover for questionable dealings.

And the quidditch world cup would mean absolutely no-one would be paying them any attention. He wondered what old Audish had managed to rustle up from wherever it was - probably some old rich witch that he'd charmed into something. Personally, Vincent couldn't quite imagine it, but perhaps it was because he saw behind the facade, and for him he couldn't quite see the appeal.

But it brought work, and all business was good business. Keeping his income diverse was always a good practice and to be perfectly honest, the more streams of questionable income, the better - it made it easier to hide.