When in Rome...

Ah, the Eternal City...the food, the art, the echoes of an ancient past at every turn, and handsome sweetly-talking gents. Speaking of which, after tea at Babington's Tea Rooms, I had a lovely conversation with one near the Spanish Steps who offered to sweep me away to his lakeside villa in the country and shower me with jewels and lacy things. As tempting as that offer was, it will just have to wait another time as I was there for a purpose. I needed to acquire a bit of intelligence to bring back with me. Where is my contact already? I saw her and walked by casually and too closely, bumping into her hard. Both of us stopped and dropped our identical reticules, exclaiming profusely and making quite a giggling show of embarrassment and returning them to one another. She then went her way and I went mine...quickly climbing the stairs and off into the night.
I made my way to a crowded cafe and ordered an espresso, blending into the folks talking excitedly around me as I lit my cigarette and read the coded missive. I almost dropped my silver holder as my eyes widened. Oh no...

Although I'd much rather be decadent and showered with jewels and lacy things by an Italian nobleman, I must get this back to Spy Mistress C quickly...

(RP)