Midnight Kisses (Midnight Series) Read Online Free Page B

widow to offer him a bed for the night, certainly, but this accommodation was as much to his liking as the food, which was to say not at all. And even less to his liking was the fact that the only science man with a reputation for being vastly knowledgeable about ancient Greek artifacts and Greek mythology had passed away without passing on his knowledge. Should he come to terms with the possibility that Langston’s death meant the Venus would forever remain shrouded in mystery?
    Devlin was deep in thought about his painting, and so it took him a while to notice that the two men at the table next to him were in quite a foul mood themselves.
    “Her husband’s been dead and buried for three months, and still she’s refusing to get rid of the old junk in her house. Not that I haven’t been offering! I tried to explain how much easier it would be to start over if she didn’t keep all that old junk, but she just won’t part with any of it!”
    “We’re running out of time. If we don’t get ahold of those notes soon, we can forget about getting paid,” whispered the man who had his back turned to Devlin. His friend gave a sorrowful nod and thoughtfully stroked his sideburns. His fat belly got in the way when he tried to lean over, and so he needed to speak up probably more than he had intended.
    “But remember that her boy left today, Frank. What if someone were to take advantage of the situation—a burglar, say  . . .  ”
    “Shut up! We need to get out of here. I don’t think we should be rushing into things!”
    With that, the man whom the fat patron had addressed as Frank threw a banknote down on the table and pulled his friend with him.
    Devlin didn’t know what exactly the two men had talked about, but he felt an itch in the back of his neck. He was disliking this inn more and more.
    As he lay in bed a little while later, thinking about Langston, his thoughts very quickly wandered to his widow. What was it that bothered him about her? Of course, she hadn’t been overly friendly when she greeted him, but that couldn’t be the only reason. Why hadn’t she at least asked him to enter and then explained the whole situation? Why had she almost literally thrown him out of her house? If it weren’t completely out of the question, he could have sworn Lady Langston was very angry with him. But since today was the first day he ever met the lady, he doubted it. Perhaps she was one of those cold, reserved people, he pondered. She had seemed very strict to him, what with her hair smoothed out of her face and tied into a non-descript bun in the nape of her neck, and then of course that black mourning dress.
    Even though Devlin wasn’t convinced that he would be more successful the next day, he nonetheless decided to pay the widow in black another visit. It would be inconvenient having to return to London without so much as a clue about the Venus .
    Before Devlin closed his eyes, he pondered which of the two was more likely: snow falling in a desert, or a smile on Lady Langston’s face?

    If Danielle had known that the man causing her a restless night was just thinking about her, she would not have found it reassuring. She was seriously considering following Sally’s advice and accepting one of the offers she’d received. Perhaps it would help.
    She had no idea why she was feeling so ill at ease. After all, she had not behaved in any unfitting way. And she was an inexperienced child back then. No, if anyone should feel ashamed, it was that awful man who had embarrassed her so. And had mocked her with that forbidden kiss!
    But that this very person had the nerve to pay her a visit, to enter her house, without even so much as remembering her: it was outrageous! Fortunately, she would never again have to face him. She would never again have to look into his hungry eyes and, most importantly, never again feel his eager, demanding lips on hers. Never again feel his tongue fill her mouth, and she would never again have