Shadowed by Sin by Layna Pimentel

parquet flooring moved slowly, as if hellish apparitions rose from the floorboards. He approached a senior footman assigned to Estelle’s door, giving him a quizzical look over, taking note of his features so that he would remember whom he spoke with. “Is there any news?”
    The stark footman shook his head. “No, sir. Although, now that you mention it, I do recall hearing some noise a quarter hour ago. She might have briefly woken up for a drink of water.”
    “What do you mean she might have? Did you not go in and look on her?”
    “No, sir. It wouldn’t be proper. Besides, I was under the impression a maid would have stayed with her.”
    Benedict groaned, shoved the footman aside, and opened her door. The room appeared normal but upon further inspection, something did not feel right. He briefly glanced at Estelle to notice she slept soundly. He walked toward the fireplace and stoked the embers. Once satisfied the fire would continue to keep the room warm for a few more hours, he went to her bedside.
    Benedict then noticed a single red rose, tied with a black ribbon at the end of the bed. What in the world? He picked up the rose, but it was the wrong time of the year for roses, and when he’d seen the gardens earlier, everything had withered away to shades of rust from the cool season that arrived early. Where did this come from? Who’s been here, and why would they leave this here?
    He took her hand into his after throwing the rose onto the nightstand. He brought her warm hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. How he looked forward to marrying her. From their first encounter, Estelle brought him much joy. In one month’s time, he’d start a lifetime with her and show her every day how much he adored her.
    Benedict squeezed her hand gently and her eyes opened wide with astonishment. He had startled her, and for that he was sorry.
    “Ben, is that you?”
    “Yes, it is, my love. How do you feel?”
    She mumbled something and then brought her hand to cover her mouth as if she were going to be sick.
    “Here, let me get you some water.” When Benedict reached for the glass, he spied a spoon laden with some kind of liquid. He lifted the spoon, bringing it to his nose, and recoiled from the pungent but familiar scent.
    “Dearest, did the maids give you laudanum earlier?”
    “No,” she replied with a glazed-over look.
    Benedict felt the anger rising within him. If a maid had not been in here, then a man had been in her room, but it was not the footman. He would kill the man if he had stepped away from his post. He patted Estelle’s leg and said that he would be back in a moment, leaving her bedside to question the servant. Benedict did not want to alarm her, as the effects of the medicine were still lingering, but he would get to the bottom of why someone would medicate her. Especially, after Gabriel had died in the house.
    Did she see something she was not supposed to? He knew not of the answers, but he would be damned and figure them out himself.
    “You there,” he announced curtly. “Did you leave your post at all this evening since Miss Humphrey’s arrival to her room?”
    “No, sir. Well, I did, but I had a maid stand here in my stead until I returned from the convenience.”
    “I would like you to go and fetch a maid. I do not want Estelle alone inside her room. I have errands to run, and I would like to speak with the earl.”
    “Certainly, sir. I will fetch the maid right away.”
    When the footman turned away and rushed down the corridor, Benedict returned to her bedside to find Estelle trying to get out of bed.
    “Stay right where you are, dear. Tell me what you require and I will bring it to you.”
    “My shawl, Ben. The room is so drafty.”
    Was she mad? The room was stifling to the point he needed to begin removing layers. He loosened his necktie and removed his dinner jacket. After placing the two items on a chair by the door, he returned to her with the shawl.
    “Estelle,