Lord Redwald Vannes was not one of the Snuggly Duckling’s usual patrons. He divided his time pretty evenly between the more haut monde locales of the Nobles District and the seedy dives of the Tenements. But a girl he’d met a few nights ago was supposedly a regular here and—well, here he was, scoping out the tavern for the pretty brunette he wanted to pursue. He’d had no luck so far, though, and was on the verge of leaving when he noticed the loud exchange between the petite blond and the immense man. Curious.
Never one to let a pretty girl out of his sight without introducing himself first, Red stood up and moved a few barstools closer to the blonde, sliding his tankard of ale down the bar. His eyes were lit up with amusement as he gave her a sidelong glance. “I don’t suppose you have good news for the rest of us, do you?” He pulled a cigarette out from behind his ear and lit it, pausing long enough to take a drag. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a man so—elated.”