Shadowed by Sin (8 page)

Estelle supposed people married for less, but to truly be married to a person who loved and idolized her…If only her mama was here to see how content he made her.

Edwin paced the length of the passageway. Frantic and concerned that if someone were to closely examine where the gentleman had fallen from, his secret would be exposed. Seeing Estelle with her fiancé earlier did nothing for the anxiety and loneliness rising beneath his surface. How he longed to feel the soft touch of a woman, Estelle’s in particular. No one understood that since Helen died.

His uncle and the countess were useless, too stuck on society and its niceties. They were too self-absorbed to even comprehend the menace living behind these walls. Sure, his past did not help, and if Edwin had an opportunity to turn back time, perhaps things would have been different. Yet, time could not be undone, and he would suffer eternally as would the rest of his bloody family.

“Quit your muttering, you fool. Someone is bound to hear us,” his cousin growled quietly.

“Why are you even here, George? Should you not be chasing one of the married women or maids into a broom closet? Or has your cock suddenly disappeared?”

His cousin snorted. “Well now, at least you know what a cock is, but the question remains. Do you know how to use yours? I bet you are still a virgin.” George began to pace as well and muttered, “You do realize that nosy bitch is going to expose everything. Something has to be done. If you had not gone to Gabriel Templeton’s room, there would have been no issue. But no, you just had to interfere in matters that no longer concerned you.”

“Helen was with child, you ignorant fool, of course something had to be done.”

“And what makes you think he fathered the child?” his cousin asked wryly.

“Why else would she have been engaged to him? I overheard her tell Mary one morning before she came down for breakfast.”

“You and your spying. One of these days you are going to witness something that will throw you over the edge, and how I look forward to seeing your usual frantic and uncontrolled self, slip from all reality. Even better, that time will likely occur in front of the others, and much to your chagrin, it will be too late. Father will cart you away and have you locked up at Bedlam. Come to think of it, I fancy that thought.”

Bedlam. Is that where they were thinking of putting me?
The words stung; however, anywhere had to be better than living this lie.

“Is there any reason why you are here with me?” Edwin asked.

“As a matter of fact, there is. There’s damning evidence in that attic, and that wench is manipulating her way to discovering what should never be found out.”

Edwin pondered for a moment. What in the world could his cousin be hiding now?

“If you are so concerned that you are going to be found out, why don’t you question Evan? If he has permitted something devious to occur and didn’t report back to the earl, then mention it to the countess. I am sure your mother would do anything to protect her idiot son.”

His cousin punched him in the gut, but before he slipped out into the hall, George cautioned him. “Make no mistake, cousin. If I am an idiot, then you are the simpleton. Do not underestimate my influence in this home.”

The panel closed and Edwin once again stood in the shadows. Alone.

He winced at the pain. His constitution was deteriorating by the day, and he knew not of what ailed him. Edwin did his best to hide the lesions appearing on his chest, and discoloration on his arms he noticed some days ago. Part of him racked his brain as to why he was suddenly plagued with markings. What had he done to deserve such punishment? Yes, he’d done some horrible things, for which he’d answer for in his afterlife. But what brought on this illness?

Edwin gasped, cupping himself, remembering the tavern wench he caught up with weeks ago.
It had to have been her. What else could it possibly be?

None of it really mattered at this point. By the time he was done ruining the remainder of his family, they would likely shoot him anyway. All he had to do was wait a few more days for correspondence from the Met in the village.

* * * *

Benedict had paced his room with worry and anger until his head could bear no more. He lay in bed and the loneliness swallowed him whole. In one month, he would share his bed with the love of his life and he’d never let her go. The frustration of wanting her so badly left him near on the edge of madness.

Hard with need, the only way he could seek relief had to be by his own volition. Benedict held himself and closed his eyes, imagining her taking him into her mouth, but the second he began to feel lost, he flung his eyes open at the sound of his door being opened and then closed.

Damn it! Did I not lock it?

Even more, Benedict could not hide his shock to see his fiancée standing there. “You should not be here, Estelle.”

Oh, yes, you should,
his body contradicted, betraying his own moral code.

“I do not want to be in my room. I want to spend the night with you.”

“And what will your aunt do when she discovers you spent the night here?”

She grinned. “With any luck, she will disclose the scandalous behavior to my papa, and the wedding will be moved up.”

Clever girl.

He sat up and raised a brow. The girl had the worst timing. He was stiff—no—throbbing. He’d need divine intervention to not take her innocence tonight. Benedict waved her over and then patted the bed.

As she slid up next to him her eyes widened with surprise. “Ben, you are not wearing anything underneath your bed linens, are you?”

Benedict shook his head and found the blush sweeping across her face immensely pleasing. Evidently, his betrothed’s virginity embarrassed her, even though he could not have been more relieved. He looked forward to corrupting her and turning her into a pleasure fiend.

“Does it bother you that I’m not?”

She nodded again, her blush now spreading to her neck. “But I…”

“I suppose, in order for you to get over your shyness, there would be no harm if you wanted to see my shaft.”

She shook her head vehemently. “Oh, no. I could not…we cannot.”

Benedict chuckled and pulled the sheets away and laughed as she slapped one hand over her mouth and the other over her eyes. The bed shook from his laughter. He could not contain himself any longer.

“Do not be afraid,” he murmured as he placed a gentle kiss on the back of each of her hands before removing them. “While I had intended to wait until we were married, I shall like to show you how you can pleasure me, and I you, and still leave your hymen intact. That is, unless, you are eager to discover such pleasures beforehand?”

Benedict placed one of her hands on his chest and the other over his member. Her warm hand blissfully teased him. How he looked forward to sinking himself between those thighs and thrusting into her sweet, tight hole. “That’s not so bad, is it?”

She shook her head and smiled. Her breathing had even relaxed. For tonight he’d spare her any further embarrassment and wait until she fell asleep before he took care of himself. Right now though, he’d pleasure her until he’d exhausted her. He wanted her head reeling from his ministrations, and ready to move to the next level of pleasure.

“Sweetheart, I would like you to remove your gown. But if you’d prefer, you may leave it on, but know that I will lift up your gown.”

She gasped at the suggestion, but slowly complied with his request. Estelle was not very large. In fact, her petite stature made her appear as delicate as a glass doll from the Orient. Benedict straddled her. He reveled under her touch as she brushed her fingers over his nipples and the patch of hair trailing down his chest toward his shaft.

“Have you ever touched yourself, Estelle? Like here.” Benedict caressed her breasts and then squeezed them. “Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to have someone touch, lick, bite, or pinch?”

He silenced her with a deep, passionate kiss, intent on dulling her mind with need. As his tongue rolled with hers, Benedict pinched the rosy bud of nipple and she groaned into his mouth. Lord, loving her would be the death of him.

Benedict pulled away and slid down her lithe body until his mouth reached her breast. This time he licked and suckled her breast as a man would, and then nipped at her nipple. Her bottom was raised sufficiently that his cock came close to make entrance, and he could not let that happen unless she permitted him.

He forced himself off and slid even further down, prying her thighs apart. Tonight promised to be a long night, but how he looked forward to delighting her.

Benedict continued with his ministrations, bringing his lips to the crest of her moist curls. The scent of her arousal drove him mad, to the point he desired nothing more than to ruin her, but he could not. Their time alone this evening, and her willingness to go this far, was a gift far greater than anything else. Besides, in no time they would be married and he would demonstrate his superior skills of lovemaking then. Now was the time to give her a sampling much like French chocolate drizzled over a sweet summer strawberry, served with the finest champagne to be had. His beloved deserved nothing but the best and he was going to give it to her.

He pressed his lips to her sex, suckling, and then moved downward and began lapping at her juices. Benedict smiled at the sensation of his fiancée cradling his head as he licked to his heart’s content. Her moans of pleasure echoed around him, his own need bursting at the seams.

Benedict continued building up the pressure by dipping a finger into her dampness with a rhythm to match his licking. He picked up the speed without considering she’d release so soon. Her hands fell to his shoulders and her moans soon turned to whimpers. Benedict braced himself for her undoing. As she released, he suckled harder and fingered her wetness with greater expediency until her body went limp and her legs collapsed at his sides. He moved up her body, hovering, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips and whispered, “And that, my dear, is what you have to look forward to.”

Benedict rose to his knees to take care of his own need, which evidently would not take much time. He palmed his sac and then took his shaft, pumping it hard and fast. His fiancée lay there, watching him with a smile so large that one would think she wasn’t an innocent.

Pressure rose in his belly and his sac tightened. His release imminent, he lowered himself to be closer to Estelle. Benedict lay down next to her and faced her to watch her expression change when his release came in a fury.

Hot, thick spurts coated her and her eyes widened with shock and embarrassment. Benedict couldn’t help but smile. He placed his hand on the soft roundness of her middle, coating his finger with his seed. Benedict then placed his finger at the edge of her lips and purred, “Open up those delightful and sinful lips, my sweet. I want you to taste me.”

She gasped, but complied with his request. Estelle swallowed hard and moved her lips, yet spoke no words.

“I see I’ve thoroughly shocked you. Take care, darling; next time, when we are married that is, I will show you how to take my shaft into your mouth, and give me pleasure the same way I did to you earlier tonight.”

Her eyes widened again and she propped herself up. “Is that sort of thing what people really do? I was always under the impression that there was only two ways a man wanted a woman.”

Benedict chuckled heartily and shook his head. “No, my dear. There are many ways to give pleasure. Tonight was only a tease of what our time together will be like.” He turned to locate the washbasin and returned his attention to Estelle. “I will recover some linen and get you cleaned up. You need your rest and I need to find a clever way of returning you to your room before anyone notice you’re not in there.”

* * * *

Edwin groaned at the sight he happened upon. She should have been his, but no; fate had decided that Estelle should be with that man. The vision of the two of them in their scandalous tryst did appeal to him, and he could not help but run his hand against the rising bulge in his trousers. But soon the thought of the lesions, and possibly having contracted the French disease, made him gag.

Over the years, he wandered through these passages and spied upon their guests and inhabitants. He caught everyone, including the earl and his countess conducting affairs with other guests. Ruinous ones at that; men with men, women cavorting with more than one man, couples betraying their solemn vows, and every one of them were of aristocratic blood. Yet, not one single event aroused him much like this one. Unlike his cousin’s impression that he did not know how to use his own member, he could not have been more wrong.

The only difference between them was that his past liaisons were with willing servants and tavern wenches under agreeable circumstances, and he bore no prejudice to their gender.

A hissing noise behind caught him unexpectedly. He spun around to find George with a menacing grin.

“I see for once, you are actually observing some of the finer pleasures of fucking. What I would do in between those thighs for a night…” George’s words trailed off into a whisper. “Of course, she would be bound and gagged, and I would probably sodomize her and kill her once I was done. You know, they’re quite agreeable when they no longer breathe. They do not whine or gasp when you stuff their mouth with your cock, and they cannot scowl disapprovingly when you mention what else you want to do.”

Rage blinded Edwin as he pushed his cousin away. “You will not touch her, do you understand?”

“And what do you suppose you will do? For all you know, I could slip in his room in the middle of the night, slit his throat, and do the very things I said a moment ago to that beautiful, stupid girl. I suppose if you wanted to watch, you—”

He lunged at George, only to miss his target. Pushed out of the way, Edwin hit the stone wall, knocking him senseless and dizzy. Before he could get up, his cousin straddled him and wrung his hands around his neck. Edwin gasped for air while trying to pull at his fingers, but in little time, his strength vanished, and darkness found him, taking him to a time and place he cared not to be.