Upon arriving at The Royal Oak, John shed his coat and hat. He stepped into the main hall, slapped and rubbed his hands together, and watched one of the first dances from the sidelines. He loved public balls, which often turned out to be rather rousing affairs, much more entertaining than those hosted in the guilded ballrooms of the wealthy. Masks added a certain mystique to the event, to be certain. They also encouraged people to behave like perfect fools. One could be convinced of many things when drunken, such as the preposterous idea that they were incognito behind a half-mask.
"Ah, good evening, sir!"
John frowned at the man. "I haven't the slightest idea who that was," he mused, looking after him.