InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Can I have four beers?"

Harry Fisher (social_climber) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-04-27 17:31:00

Entry tags:

harry_fisher, meeting

A Visit To A Client
Subject: A Visit To A Client
Where: The London Streets and Lord Mountford-Miles' city residence
Who: Harry Fisher
Open to: Lord Eward, whoever else Harry might meet and converse with on the way

Harry enjoyed mornings. True, he had been delayed at Marguerite York's home for several hours and had missed the early morning rush of tradesmen, market-stall owners, cart-drivers, pickpockets and burglars heading home, but the streets were still busy enough. One or two even gave him a nod as he walked past, and he returned it, placing each of those who greeted him in the social map in his head. Fred Jenkins, gambler; Robert Ewing, debtor; Sarah Bristol, two-penny girl...
And then he filed it all away and walked on, hands in his pockets, enjoying this walk through the cobbled and dirt-track streets.It wasn't more than twenty minutes walk, once he'd crossed one of the Ramsgate Bridge, and with his thoughts on the prospects of another job, and the pretty young widow he had danced with the night before. Lyttelton, that was her name. Pretty thing. He'd have to arrange to bump into her again at some point. And there he was, at the door of Eward's house. He lifted his hand to knock, and then had second thoughts. Why bother the staff from tending their master's delicate head? He could let himself in. And he did, moving through the garden of the house, finding himself an open window that led into the scullery, climbing through, and then calmly walking through the kitchens and servant's quarters tell he found himself in a rich, over-decorated hallway.

"Eward!" He called, "You drunk, where are you?"

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lord_eward
2008-04-27 05:42 pm UTC (link)

Eward didn't usually get sick, so mornings after a heavy night drinking were simply remembered by a pounding head rather than leaving a mess for his servants to clean. Tangled up in the bedsheets in his room, Eward was very naked and all too sober for Harry's visit but it wasn't like the notorious Lord was going to move and make himself respectable. The woman he had slept with the night before had been promptly escorted out at six that morning so the poor man could catch up on sleep, he was so exhausted and she didn't seem to know the words 'Can't', 'Drunk' or 'Wait a minute'. It was with bleary eyes and a hoarse throat that Eward attempted a reply to his friend who was making such a noise around the halls. He hoped his sisters didn't hear him.

"I am in my room!" he yelled back, though stopped abruptly as his head squeezed in protest at the volume. "You know where it is. Be quiet."

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social_climber
2008-04-27 06:17 pm UTC (link)

Harry rolled his eyes as the weary, worst for wear voice echoed down to him, and he climbed the stairs, familiar with this route now, stopping a servant on the way, "Bring his Lordship and I a bottle of something up, won't you?" He said, and the poor maid nodded before running off.

He made it to Eward's room, deciding it was best not to knock, although the idea had appealed to him, before pushing the door open. "Looks like someone spent far too long in the Ambassador's wine cellar?" He said, moving into the room. "Don't you realise half the day is already gone?"

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lord_eward
2008-04-27 06:25 pm UTC (link)

Eward blinked at Harry as he entered, lying on his stomach with red eyes, sheets dangerously low on his back and his black hair stuck up on end. Oh so graceful were the upper classes of England! "I did not... go in his cellar. I got his servant girl to do it for me," Eward said in strong protest, rolling over and placing a hand on his head to block the light filtering from the curtains. He couldn't remember anything past toppling into bed with the girl Harry'd sent to him, but everything before was clear as day.

"Sod it. What time is it?" he asked, sitting up with difficulty. He could feel all the blood rushing through his body and it was not a pleasant experience. "I am positively famished, is it lunchtime?"

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social_climber
2008-04-28 05:03 pm UTC (link)

Harry's eyes rolled again, and he moved to the window, pulling the curtains closed, "Near enough. Near enough." He said, moving them towards the bed, grabbing a chair from the desk and setting it at an angle to Eward's bed, settling down and putting his feet up on the mattress.

"Oh? And what did you go for her in return?" He asks, and then decided against it. "Actually, I don't want to know." He says, as there is a knock at the door, and the maid opens it, peering into the dark room, a bottle and two glasses in hand. "Good girl." Harry says, beckoning her in and handing over a coin in return. "His Lordship feels a little worse for wear. Will you bring his some breakfast, miss?" He says, and the girl nods, heading out again quickly. "Want a glass?" harry asks, pouring his own, "Best hangover cure around."

I am so, so sorry! >< *hates essays*

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lord_eward
2008-04-28 05:30 pm UTC (link)

Eward noticed the white sheet, which had covered his modesty until now, was threatening to fall off his body completely and he promtply tugged it back up as Harry walked to the window. Not that he was ashamed of his body, and not that Harry hadn't seen him worse than this but the room was quite nippy and he thought it best to warm himself.

When the maid entered he was ready to dismiss her but then Harry spoke to her and he realised his friend had actually asked for the bottle to be brought. He gave Harry a dark yet amused look, his mouth drawing up at the corners. "To get drunk again is your cure? That is overkill, my friend... but I will take it right now, as nothing else appeals to me! The breakfast sounds nice, too. What are you here for, anyway?"

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social_climber
2008-04-28 05:45 pm UTC (link)

"Some of us know our limits, Eward. And some of us know them and choose to ignore them." He adds, pouring a generous measure for the other and holding it out to him. "A glass or two will take you up, and then you won't have to hide away in the night like a cripple." He explains, setting the glass down.

"I was sent for by your staff, who tried to wake you, but said you slept sounder than the dead. I have come to drag you out of this den of debauchery and take you to confession." Harry teases, face, however, blank as he studies the wine in his glass, "But as you are in an unfit state, you will have to confess your sins to me. Did you find anything of interest last night?"

thankeees!

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lord_eward
2008-04-28 05:52 pm UTC (link)

Eward let out a blast of laughter, hearty and loud, and enough to make his headache scold him once more. He winced, but took a sip from the glass humming at the flavour. His mouth was dry as a bone. "So you mean to say you are as holy as a man of God?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he peered at his friend. "Well I suppose, if I do need to confess, you are as close to a priest as I am going to get. And that is saying something."

Settling down as if he were a storyteller ready to recite a tale to a child, he swirled the liquid around in his glass, studying it closely. "You mean something besides that bit of scrumpet you sent me in the carriage? I did, in fact. One of the chamber rooms. I found a dagger with a pure silver handle, recently washed with a suspicious stain on the side. Several papers with warrants for random people's arrest, that was in an assistant's office. Oh - and the Ambassador's personal accounts, I believe." Eward's eyes lit up though he did not look at Harry, a typical sign that he had done something he shouldn't have. "He is spending far too much money than he can afford. Or he is, now, since I changed one or two figures..."

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social_climber
2008-04-28 06:44 pm UTC (link)

"As holy as most of them around here, Eward." Harry said with a smirk, taking another swallow. "But I'm sure I can absolve you somehow." He grinned, dipping a finger in his wine and flicking it at Eward. "In the name of the son, father, and a fairly decent vintage."

"I don't suppose you've brought that dagger to show me, Eward?" Harry asked, still looking down at his glass, not showing his interest. "And arrest warrants? No doubt there are several hundred of those things in that building. I wonder what names have been added to it since last I saw them." He paused, glancing up, clearly hoping Eward would elaborate.

"Is it his own money, do you think? Or his country's?" He asks, swirling his glass before taking another mouthful, "Now now, Eward. You shouldn't do thinks like that." He chastised mildly. "Are you going to admit it? Or only after he has been guillotined?"

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lord_eward
2008-04-28 07:15 pm UTC (link)

With a snigger Eward nodded as if he were basking in the glory of the holy divinity. "Ah, Vintage - please forgive me for I have sinned!" he chuckled, before taking another gulp of the fine wine. He licked his lips as if he was trying to think of either witty things to retort or lies which he could cover up.

"No - why would I bring a dagger home? The only sword I need is covered up at the moment by my bed covers, and you be glad of it! As for the list, there may have been... a few additions, yes..." he said with a guilty look in his eye. "A few messages here and there. He is probably too dense to realise..."

With a rather cheeky snigger Eward hid his childish grin behind his glass. "Why on earth should I admit that I altered the Ambassador's accounts? I would be sentenced long before him! Slimy little rat. It is jealousy, and not his country's honour, that he is going after the rich. Greed, desire and selfish want... actually I'm beginning to understand him..."

In his youth Eward had known greed. He had also known jealousy, so much so that people had believed him to try and kill his brothers. It was never proved and the said people had promptly been disposed of. "Still doesn't mean he's not a pompous bastard that I cannot stand."