"It's not an occupation," Laurent argued, bemused by the suggestion. "It's a state of being."

It would be... nice. Shouldn't Gansey hate his captor? Laurent was perplexed further.

"I leave money and a list in a basket in a certain tunnel near an entrance to the catacombs, and the basket is returned promptly by mid-morning the next day," Laurent explained, because there was no harm in that. He wasn't about to reveal the identities of his contacts, just as he trusted they told no tales about shopping for the Opera Ghost.

Stirring his pot, Laurent let it simmer for a few minutes, fetching bowls and setting the table, which was large but had only two chairs. "There are several bottles of wine, there," he said, pointing to a wine rack along one wall. "You may select and open one, if you like."