George came back to the table, a single glass of water held carefully in his hand. He saw Anne hunched over the flimsy pamphlet, her brow furrowed in deep concentration. He took a quick peek at the headline as he neared the table.
He sat down and placed the glass of water in front of her with a soft click. "Looks like Duke Philip has gotten himself into another spot of trouble again," George said, his tone casual, trying to start a conversation.
Anne dropped the pamphlet, her full attention now on him. "Duke Philip? Another trouble?" she asked, her eyes sharp with a sudden, keen interest.
George nodded, pleased to finally have some information that she found valuable. "He has a reputation for it," he began to explain. "Always making bold, risky business moves. My father used to say that he was too ambitious for his own good…"
But Anne was no longer listening to him. Her mind was already racing, connecting the dots, seeing the potential in this new piece of information.
~ ••••• ~
