A Kiss in the Wind by Jennifer Bray-Weber Read Free Book Online Page A

smells, their dispositions, no matter what their faults and shortcomings might be. In everything about a woman he could find a bit of paradise.
    But this one, well, he found himself wanting to strangle her, to take her cherished life from her as she took his cherished cameo from him. Oh yes, and she had made it easy. Especially since she seemed unconcerned with his being in high dudgeon. Rather, she showed more interest in the letter he held.
    The letter. No, it couldn’t be. He opened his palm to the coin and watched as Marisol tore her gaze away from the letter to the silver piece. Realization sank in. This vixen was responsible for the trouble back at the tavern. “Well,” he said. “It seems you are quite the pickpocket.” Opening the letter, he scanned the coded sentence quickly, pocketing the coin.
    “I believe the letter was intended for you,” Marisol stated. “By the queer way it was to be handed off to you, I’ve got to question if you are not some sort of charlatan yourself, sir.”
    Blade ignored her remark and refolded the paper. Someone else knew of the hefty silver shipment and they sent this trollop to ferret out information. Blade’s commission just got more interesting, and more dangerous. Maybe this voyage wouldn’t be as dreary as he first thought. But who would send a mere lass to do something so foolish and deadly as to cross him? “Who sent you?”
    “No one sent me.” Her answer was tinged with gallantry and he thought of the dead messenger.
    “Who else knows of this?” He flashed the letter before putting it in his coat pocket.
    “No one.”
    “You lie.” He leaned his back against the table flush with the wall. “It will be in your best interest, Marisol, if you would be forthcoming.”
    “Or what, Captain Tyburn?” She fixed one hand to her hip. “Will you torture me until I talk? Are you that kind of man? Cruel and sadistic?”
    For finding out who sent her, no. But for his cameo…“Perhaps.” He repeated his question. “Who else knows of the silver shipment?”
    She leaned forward, stressing her words. “No one.”
    She would’ve been convincing if not for the way she looked away and raised her arm up as if reaching for her ear.
    Breaking glass shattered from the front of the bakery, startling them all. Blade grabbed Marisol’s arm and drew her with him to see what caused the loud crash. Better he keep her close than to have her use the diversion and take flight. They entered the small front room and stopped short, Sam and Lansky bumping into them from behind. Men were racing along outside on the sidewalk brandishing blazing torches and hurtling bricks. A large torch flew through the jagged window igniting the lacy curtains and erupting into hungry flames as it landed in the middle of the floor.
    “Ack! My bakery!” Lansky grabbed a huge flour sack from the counter. He slung flour out of the open bag, sifting all of them heavily in the white powder. Thick puffs of the flour made it difficult to see and Lansky twirled around trying to get his bearings. His frantic movements caused more flour to fling out of the sack blanketing everyone and everything within its radius. Desperately waving their arms for clean air, the group wheezed and coughed. Blade sneezed on the fine meal clogged in his nose. Inhaling, he gagged at the grainy taste coating his mouth. With the dust stinging his eyes, he could barely make out Lansky’s silhouette holding the half-full bag.
    “No.” Blade hollered at Lansky, but he was too late. Lansky tossed the flour over the fire. The flames flattened then exploded, raging into bright life, reaching for the ceiling as it spread across the room, swallowing everything in its path.
    “Shit.” The heat seared at Blade’s exposed skin and his eyes burned. “Get out! Everyone, get out!” He still had Marisol by the arm, pushing her toward Sam as they retreated. “Lanksy! Come on! You can’t save it!”
    Lansky grabbed a pitcher filled with water