Page 37 of The Searching Songbird
She tucked the information away, already wondering how she might arrange a meeting with the esteemed nobleman. She hurried down the stairs, practically dancing her way into the tap room as she looked about for Draven's familiar face.
It was early in the afternoon, still, and the tavern was fairly quiet. An older man with a white beard sat at the bar nursing a drink. He gave her a gap-toothed grin as their eyes met, and she couldn't help but return his smile. There was a couple seated at a small table in the corner, but they didn't look up at her entrance, preoccupied as they were with each other.
Finally her eyes landed on a handsome, young man seated by the window. His brown eyes danced with mischief as they met hers, his wickedly tempting mouth twisting into a smirk as she stared at him in dumbfounded silence.
This was what he'd kept hidden beneath that ghastly beard? She struggled to find words, but the sinfully handsome face that watched her in open amusement had apparently stolen her ability to speak. She swallowed, and her hands flew to her hair, then her face, then finally her skirts, where they clenched the fabric there in two tight fists.
“I... you....”
When had formulating sentences gotten so difficult, anyway? He's only had a shave and a haircut, you ninny. He's still the same person he was yesterday.
“I see you've discovered the purpose of a razor.” She hesitated before adding in a soft voice, “It suits you.”
His smirk faded, a shy smile taking its place as he stood and offered her a seat at the small table. “Thank you. I've found it to be quite the novel invention, indeed.” He waited for her to sit before taking the chair beside hers and reaching into his pocket. Pulling out a sheet of paper, he leaned in close and dropped his voice. “I've gathered some research you might be interested in.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise, glancing from the sheet in front of her up to his face. “That's quite the list.” Several names were written down on the paper, along with corresponding addresses. “How on earth did you manage to come up with all of this in such a short time? Didn't you have business of your own to attend to, as well?”
He stilled, and something indiscernible passed through his eyes, there one moment, gone the next. “No worries. My business is well on track, I assure you.” He cleared his throat. “As for the information, that was simple enough. This isn't my first time doing business in Flores. I have connections here. Connections who were happy to provide me with a list of the wealthiest members of society and the locations of their various residences.” He shrugged. “I thought it would at least give you a place to start looking.”
“It's perfect,” she assured him, picking up the sheet and reading over the names inked onto the paper. “Suzu and I should be able to scout out at least a few of these tonight, and perhaps I can hire a carriage to take me round to some of the others tomorrow, should we fail to find the one we're looking for.”
“Only if you promise to bring me with you. I don't want you putting yourself in danger.”
“Are you sure?” She looked up from the paper in surprise. “Won't you be busy with whatever it is you came here to do?” Her brow lowered in consternation. “What exactly are you here to do, again?”
“Business,” he replied smoothly, turning slightly as he caught the attention of a serving girl who was wiping down a nearby table. “A pint of your finest ale, please.”
“Yes, sir.” The girl flashed him a coy smile before looking over at Lily. “And anything for you, miss?”
“No, thank you,” she murmured in return, irritation scratching at the back of her neck as the girl sashayed over to the bar. Why was it she suddenly wished he'd never found his way to the barber, after all?
Shifting her focus back to the man beside her, she narrowed her eyes. “Don't think for a minute your attempt at distracting me has gone unnoticed. If anything, it's only making me more and more curious. Just what type of business are you attending?”
“You're relentless, you know that?”
“I have three sisters of the same age and older. It's a requirement.”
He let out a small laugh, before leaning back in his chair with a sigh. “Suffice it to say, my business is not of my own making, and I am, therefore, unable to disclose any information regarding the matter at this time.” He raised a brow. “Satisfied?”
“Not even a little.” Her lips pulled up in a wry smile. “But, I'll live. Keep your secrets, if you must. I have plenty enough for us both, anyhow.”
“Speaking of which.” He paused as the serving girl returned with his drink. He accepted it with a nod and took a long pull of the frothy beverage as he waited for the girl to move on. Setting his drink down, he leaned in close, his brown hair falling over his forehead in a way that made him look far younger than he had in the days prior. Her fingers twitched with the desire to run her hand through it.
“I've finished everything that needs to be done today, if you'd like my assistance.”
“Your assistance?” she repeated, her traitorous eyes sliding down to focus on his mouth as images of him claiming her with those lips assailed her, giving her voice a breathless edge.
The same lips that were currently stealing her ability to form coherent thoughts turned up in a mischievous grin. “With the list.”
She blinked, tearing her gaze away from his mouth as she attempted to focus on the paper she still held clutched in her hands.
“You said you knew what the man looked like. If we can get eyes on the men listed here, it would be an easy way to narrow it down, don't you think?”
She nodded slowly. “It would, if we knew where to find them.”
He shrugged. “That's easy enough. Your hosts are well-acquainted with the people here. I imagine they'd be able to point us in the right direction.”
A shiver of excitement trailed up her spine at the thought of the potential adventure before them. An act that would have been nerve-wracking had she been left to do it on her own became something much more thrilling with the thought of having Draven by her side. “Alright, let's do it.”
