Read Powder of Love (I) for Free Online Page B

straightened her shoulders. “I do apologize for my impertinence, but it is an important question.”
    He liked her straightforward manner, but the question struck him as silly. This was just a box of powder. He laughed. “Absolutely nothing. I think I’m to dispose of the substance. Pour it into the river, I suppose. I am acting as an agent for someone else.” Several someone elses, actually. The solicitor who’d hired him had said that Clermont’s mother, aunt, and uncle would pay his fees. The very wealthy family was willing to pay all sorts of outrageous costs.
    “I don’t understand. You don’t believe the vial of powder is real?”
    “Oh, I’m sure it would influence a man like Clermont. He’d inhale some or drink it and become as inflamed as a, ah, satyr. But it would be in his mind.”
    She suddenly looked weary. “You would be wrong, Mr. Reed. There is real power in the vial. It exercises a strong and terrible influence. I’ve witnessed it.”
    He remained silent, hoping she’d tell him what had happened to her. No matter that a lady—and she was most definitely a lady—would never describe such animal appetites. For once he wanted to hear someone describe the effects of lust. Unable to bear the suspense, he asked, “Did something happen to you?”
    She shook her head. “Not to me. But you must believe me when I say the chemical in the vial has a real effect. I have no intention of selling it to you or your friend.”
    He gave an abridged bow. “As long as I keep it out of the hands of other people, I’ll have done my job.”
    “Your job. What a curious thing to say.”
    “Yes,” he agreed. He had the strongest urge to tell her the truth, just in case Clermont had managed to arouse any of her interest. Don’t let him touch you , he wanted to warn her. Let me.
    She looked anxious. “If you don’t believe in the substance, then you’ll be of no help to me. I need to know how to get rid of it safely.”
    He shrugged. “Burn it? Bury it?”
    “I think it needs to be destroyed, but burning it might be disastrous.”
    She twisted her hands together and chewed her lip. “Perhaps I should ask some professionals. Chemists.”
    “Yes, take it to one of them. There must be one on every other street corner.”
    “No, I mean specialists, not just a pharmacy, as they call it here. It’s terribly important that I find someone who wouldn’t attempt to use it for his own gain.”
    He knew she’d grow angry or skittish if he again hinted that she was under the influence of nonsensical fears. Easy enough to help. “My duties here don’t require all my time. I would be glad to help you.”
    She smiled and her shoulders visibly relaxed, but the smile faded almost at once. “I don’t want to give you the powder. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but…”
    He waited for her to finish the sentence, but she only pressed her lips tight. He reassured her. “I understand and will only seek out information. I’ve worked as an investigator in England for private parties. Certainly I can undertake a simple search like this—locating a reputable scientist, correct?”
    “You? An investigator? What are you doing here?”
    “I made the mistake of taking on what I thought would be an easy assignment,” he said drily, “and ended up being dragged across the ocean.”
    “I suppose it’s very secret, this assignment?” She made a show of looking left and right to make sure no one in the indifferent crowds around them listened. “And you don’t dare allow me a single hint?”
    He actually enjoyed her mild mockery of him, but he wasn’t going to answer her questions. “Yes, and no, I don’t.”
    She burst into laughter. “You do enjoy putting me in my place, Mr. Reed.”
    “Not at all. I might accuse you of the same thing.” They stopped at a corner and waited a long few minutes for the busy traffic to pass before attempting to cross the street. “Don’t you recall what you said when we called