Shadowed by Sin Read Free

butler. “See that Estelle is ready to depart. She shan’t keep the earl waiting.” Lord Humphrey returned his attention to Benedict and asked, “Have you found a home yet for the both of you?”
    “No, I have not. I was hoping to get some idea of where Estelle wanted to live. Sir, not to get off topic, but have you heard the gossip about that body they found floating in the Thames last summer?”
    The baron pulled off his spectacles and covered his light cough with a handkerchief. “I have, but it is hard to say how much is fact or fiction. Some of my associates seem to think there is more to the story other than the gent being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
    “How so?” Benedict asked, hoping that any speculation would lean toward the Earl of Hawthorne.
    “Well, the gent, they say, usually gambled with the higher echelons of the aristocracy. Some have heard the rumors he recently lost several horses and the deed to a rather large estate to Lord Cuthbert, but there is no evidence to support the suspicions. I suppose we may never know the truth of the matter. Anything that could shed some light on the case has probably drifted off to the North Sea. Pity that. I’ve heard some nasty words mentioned about Cuthbert too.”
    A sinking feeling burrowed deeper and deeper into Benedict’s belly about the earl. How was it even remotely possible for the man to create so much havoc and not leave a trace of his actions behind? There was only one type of man capable of such chaos and deception, and heaven forbid if he’d created strife over his ruling at Hawthorne Hall. If there were one case, there would certainly be others and if that was the scenario, how many other secrets about the family’s history was questionable?
    Aware someone had joined them, a delightful figure appeared at the parlor door. Estelle curtseyed, acknowledging her father and then Ben.
    “I thought you could join my family for dinner tonight.” Benedict turned to face the baron. “I will return your lovely daughter just as soon as post dinner refreshments have completed.”
    “Thank you, son. You two have a wonderful evening while I try and figure out what my sister, Mrs. Black, is planning for the rest of the night. Lord only knows she’s got some kind of tea and gossip party to attend.”

Chapter 2
    Estelle smiled warmly at her fiancé, counting the days in her head before they were married, before turning her head to look out the window.
    “I’ve missed you, dearest. I wondered what was taking you so long but then I saw the weather was turning so I imagined you held off on coming until you knew the weather would cooperate,” Estelle said in a soft voice.
    Benedict squeezed her hand and lifted her onto his lap. She twisted so that she could kiss him only now; he slid her from his lap so that her back lay flat on their seat. His lips crushed to hers in one swoop. Estelle couldn’t think with all her emotions rising to the surface.
    “Lord, I cannot wait for our special day,” Benedict grumbled, viciously prying away from her.
    A giggle escaped her lips as she propped herself up. “Soon enough, my darling, soon enough.”
    “Let us right your hair before I get a sound thrashing from my mother if you appear in such a state.”
    “Not to worry, my love, I’ll set everything right. What were you and my father discussing when you arrived? It almost felt as if I interrupted something important.”
    He raised a brow at her question then eased back into his seat. “Aside from wedding plans, we were discussing real estate, and current affairs.”
    “The current affairs part sounds dreadfully boring. That is, unless, you are referring to something positively scandalous. Has there been a murder? Corruption from the House of Lords; how about some industry about to meet financial ruin?”
    “Slow down, my love. It almost sounds as if you have been keeping yourself occupied with current gossip and news. What would you know of financial