There is no normal way to say this, is there.

Well, okay, she can say it the weird way.

"...I'm informed you stopped the performance of a play recently," she says, carefully, "and I was wondering why?"

"Miss Sinope, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Well. She's not entirely sure what she was expecting. "Yeah," she says, "fair enough. I kind of figured you wouldn't. --anyway, you were saying about lilies."

"I am curious who told you this. I didn't realize I was the subject of... play-related gossip."

Would he recognize Sal's name? Probably not. It didn't really seem like they knew each other, from what Sal said, or like Simone would have told either of them much about the other. "Someone else who was there."

Did that sound evasive, it probably did.

"Which play?"

"The King in Yellow."

"Ah. --I would recommend not watching that play. It is dull and pretentious and self-satisfied in its rebelliousness."

"I absolutely do not intend to. Or to read it. Or to recommend it to anyone else."

"An excellent decision."

A few minutes of lily discussion later: "I understand you read Tarot cards, Miss Sinope?"

"I... yes. It's not a job I'm thrilled with but, you know, it pays."

Mildly: "I imagine that gives you many connections in the world of the occult."

Pause. "You... could say that, I suppose."

"A lot of scammers and grifters," he says, equally mildly.

"Yes," she agrees. Where is this going.

"It's very interesting," he says, "one runs into the occult community a good deal when dealing in rare books as well. We see the same community from different ends."

"I-- expect we see rather different segments of it." Because she lives in a dockworkers' boarding-house? Because she knows about magic from the Dreamlands, and not from cursed books? Both? It's anyone's guess. "But yes, we do."

Mm. Discussion of lilies.

Discussion of lilies indeed.

And, when the discussion of lilies is done and she's making her way out-- "Thank you. For everything."

"Thank you, Miss Sinope."

Meanwhile--

Something strikes him as a bit off about Sano asking to show Inaaya a book. Now-- it's not the kind of thing you hear about Sano, to be sure-- but Oscar's been around long enough and heard enough stories from Hannah's friends to know that upper-class men often get designs on working-class girls. The thought turns his stomach.

Now, he's not accusing Sano or anything, but he's going to find some excuse to hang around in here just in case. And maybe have a look around. Sano did redecorate after all; what's wrong with admiring that

Sano appears to store the antiques, art, and books he currently has in a room down the hall. Can't resist rare books at the best of times.

The secretary is still at her desk.

I was just admiring the, uh, wallpaper.

Okay, he's gonna go for it. If the door happens to be ajar or something...?

Which it is. Not great security here.

Should he feel bad about poking into Sano's things? Well, it's not like Oscar is some kind of thief, on the whole.

Sixteen copies of the King in Yellow, neatly stacked. Getting in on the ground floor, he sees. This is weird though. Some very old vases. An antique desk. A few classic Japanese paintings. A copy of Der Wanderer.

Hold on, has he seen the King in Yellow with this cover before? Years in his business gave him a head for details like that. Looks like there are a couple different printings of the King in Yellow represented here-- like someone is trying to get every copy available for sale in London.

Why, though. And wait a minute, is that generic white book what he thinks it is? That's Der Wanderer. Whitehall Press version, so not a weird Der Wanderer. Sano lied to him.

What else is Sano hiding? He checks the desk.

In the desk is a small vial of a black substance. He recognizes it from discussions at the bookstore, where he's met his share of adherents-- it's black liao, a new drug from Asia. It causes hallucinations which are apparently very artistically inspiring.

Oscar pockets the entire vial. It's quite small and, I mean, who are you gonna tell, the cops? Impeccable logic. This is why people aren't keen on you right now, Oscar.

He knew he was hiding the good shit in there, in more than one way. Okay, best get out of there. Again, if anyone asks, he got distracted by the wallpaper. If the secretary happens to glance over, Oscar's checking out the design-- so whimsical and bohemian. He believes in beauty, etc.

Is Inaaya okay?

Inaaya is still talking to Sano.

Inaaya is not being seduced by Sano. Hopefully.

He tries to eavesdrop but doesn't get anything.