Welcome aboard the Forum, it's nice to have new members. So pull up a cushion, or a chair if sitting on the floor isn't your thing, and make yourself at home.
Thanks for your helpful comments, I see what you mean about the highlights and those trees in the foreground do look a bit too bright now I come to look at it again. I think I'll re-visit the idea behind that piece a bit later on.
Now that is a simply superb piece of art and I can see why it took you so long to create. Both versions are wonderful, but I prefer the second one the slightly darker background looks better and the flowers top right and bottom left give it a better balance.
Noir was very popular about 24 years ago, and rightly so because it's got an interesting and intriguing storyline and two excellent lead characters. But sadly it's sort of dropped off the radar these days.