Chapter 155

Furtively Ashton kept an eye on Amanda the whole evening, but she stayed in her chamber until bedtime. When the clock struck ten, and the house was empty and quiet, silently he went to the attic.

The door made an eerie voice as it creaked open to the darkened room. With the dim light from the candelabra, he scoured the whole room, inspecting every corner, every old, dust-covered stuff carefully. The lack of light made it difficult to see clearly, however there was nothing like a hint that anyone had been confined in this place. He stopped in the corner a little longer to examine the empty chair, but again found nothing.

When he turned to leave, he spotted a dark patch on the floor, just a feet away from the door. Kneeling, he set the candelabra on the floor and rubbed his fingers across the surface and lifted his hand to better see it. It didn't take long to recognize what the stain was, and h