The Lightkeeper's Ball Read Online Free PDF

condolence nearly choked her, but she managed to keep her smile fixed in place. She settled into the chair by the fire.
    “Thank you.”
    His curt reply made her curl her fingers into her palms. Didn’t he care at all about Eleanor’s death? “What were you doing on the ship?” she asked.
    His brows rose. “The same as you. Coming here. I was returning from business in San Francisco.”
    Her cheeks heated. “Of course.” Could he have been the man who threw her overboard? How convenient he was on the same boat. What better way to gain her trust than to rescue her?

F OUR

    T HE MOTORCAR HIT a muddy pothole, and if not for Harrison’s quick grasp of her arm, Olivia would have gone flying. They sat in the backseat as the driver, Thurman, navigated the rough road, and she was conscious of his elbow brushing hers.
    The glowering clouds had temporarily stopped spitting rain, and she could only hope they reached shelter before the storm hit. The rain would ruin her new gown. The canvas top would block little of the elements. At least Will had retrieved her belongings from the ship.
    She grabbed the side and hung on for dear life as the open-body Cadillac bounced along the rough streets. She craned her neck to take in the town of Mercy Falls. It was quite attractive to her dazzled eyes. She’d expected nothing more than wooden storefronts in what she considered a backwater, but it was a bustling town with well-dressed men and women strolling the brick sidewalks.
    Being with Harrison Bennett set her on edge, but the only way to find out what happened to Eleanor was to spend time in his presence. He would make a slipup that would lead her to the truth.
    Thurman parked the automobile in front of a stately stone storefront that boasted a large display of jewelry in its picture window. Harrison leaped over the side of the car and came around to assist her. “The pieces in the window are of paste,” he said. “The real items are in the safe.”
    She lifted her silk skirt free of the mud puddle outside the motorcar and stepped onto the sidewalk with his assistance. “What a pretty town,” she said, staring at a charming white church with a tower.
    “I like it.” The bell tinkled as he opened the door for her.
    She stepped onto marble floors. Gold foil papered the walls. The tin ceiling was painted gold as well.
    A woman behind the counter discreetly poured tea into delicate china. “Would you care for sugar, Lady Devonworth?”
    He must have alerted the staff to her visit. “Two sugars, please.” She accepted the tea and sipped it as she moved toward the glass counters. Sparkling jewels captured the light from the chandeliers overhead. She caught her breath at one necklace. “That almost looks like lace,” she said, pausing over the display.
    The woman beamed. “The platinum adds to that illusion. The weight of diamonds in this piece is five carats total, though they are small to grab the light in a lacelike display.”
    What was she doing here? She couldn’t afford any of this jewelry, not until Bennett made good on his promise. All she had was the small sum she’d brought with her, and that had to last for the summer.
    The woman lifted the necklace onto the glass. Harrison lifted it from its black velvet home and draped it around Olivia’s neck. It was cold at first but quickly warmed on her skin. She touched the delicate filigree and fingered the glittering diamonds. They were of top quality and picked up facets of light from every direction.
    “I quite adore it,” she said.
    He clipped dangling diamond earrings to her ears. The brush of his warm fingers against her neck made her shiver. She forced herself to stand her ground. He turned her toward the light from the windows and motioned to a full-length mirror. She was not a covetous woman, but seeing her reflection made her long to keep the necklace. “I’ve never seen anything so lovely.”
    His gaze never left hers in the mirror. “Nor have I.”
    Her