THE glow of the bedside lamp bathed the master bedroom in a warm, amber hue. The heavy drapes were drawn, muffling the distant sounds of the estate’s nighttime quiet. Lady Frances sat gracefully at her ornate vanity table, her silk night robe pooling around her like liquid ivory. She ran a silver-backed brush through her honey-blonde hair in slow, deliberate strokes, each pass catching the light in shimmering waves.

Behind her, Lord Dino lounged in an armchair near the fireplace, a book open in his hand though his eyes rarely moved to the page. Instead, they lingered on his wife’s reflection in the mirror.

“You are in good spirits tonight,”...