Spencer walked round as many of the restaurants as he dare and getting more and more downhearted each new place he visited. After his second visit he finally settled on the Speared Whale, due mainly to the clientèle that appeared to frequent it, hoping that their attire belayed at least some form of class in an otherwise poor choice of establishment.

Spencer found himself a table close to a group of some of the better dressed men in the bar area in an attempt at overhearing some of their conversation. All he needed was lead, anything really, a name, a street anything to at least get him started. He had dismissed asking outright about the The Singing Mandrake, for all he knew he could be a criminal, he'd had quite enough of those types of scandals to last him a lifetime. 

It was maybe the words that the girl offered him or, more likely his mothers advice, that spurred him to be friendly and polite to the barman whilst ordering his food. His mother always warned him about being rude to those who cooked and served your food especially when you could not see into the kitchen....

Spence ate quickly, he had no idea what he had just consumed, the name it was given on the menu gave him no clue to its ingredients, but it was hot and tasted nutritious. Placing his cutlery carefully on his plate he picked up his drink and eyed the other patrons of the Speared Whale and contemplated his next move.