A Place For Repentance (The Underwood Mysteries Book 6) Read Free Page A

to tread carefully. Of course he was eager to discover her identity; he owed her his life – but it was vital that Verity never knew the reason for his interest.
    “You give a very convincing impression of a man possessed,” answered Verity, scrutinizing his expression for any hint of guilt, though she knew she was being unreasonable.
    Despite being admired by many ladies, Underwood had never shown the least inclination to take advantage of his popularity – Gil unkindly and rather thoughtlessly maintained that he was too idle to engage in the chase. This did not comfort the less than self-assured Verity and she could only pray that should he ever come across a particularly determined woman, he would summon enough energy to run away. No, Verity was fully and painfully aware that the fault lay with her. She could never forget, even after several years of being a happily married matron and mother of Underwood’s children, that she had been second choice when they had met. He had fallen in love first with the young and beautiful Charlotte Wynter and had only turned to Verity when the solution to a mysterious and brutal murder had come between the lovers. Somewhere deep inside Mrs C H Underwood there would always linger the shy and persecuted Miss Verity Chapell.
                  “I assure you, I’m merely intrigued. She was dressed in weeds, but wore no wedding ring; she and her maid were remarkably self-reliant young people and I was curious as to why they were travelling on the common stage, alone. It all seemed very odd, and I wondered then, and wonder still, what on earth they were doing, gallivanting about the country unfettered and very definitely not bereft.”
                  “And was she pretty?” demanded Verity, still not entirely satisfied with his replies. She knew she was not a classic beauty, neither tall and willowy, nor possessing Charlotte’s flowing auburn hair and magnificent figure, which had often been shown to best advantage in a velvet riding habit, which, being made especially for her by a very talented seamstress, had clung in exactly the right places. Poor Verity would always be short and inclined to plumpness. Her lovely brown hair and pretty eyes were her best features – but who noticed pretty eyes when overwhelmed by elegant height topped with flaming curls?
                  “I have no idea, my love; I never really saw her face. She was heavily veiled, as befits a recent widow – which I suspect she was not. Her maid also wore a large bonnet, which hid her hair from me, so whilst I saw a little more of her, it was not enough for me to recognise them should I ever come across either of them again – but the intrigue remains.”
                  With that Verity had to be satisfied, but there lingered a small unworthy notion that Underwood had done something of which he was ashamed – and she certainly intended to find out exactly how he had transgressed.

CHAPTER TWO
     
                                ‘Otium Cum Dignitate’ – Leisure with dignity
     
                  The Underwoods were pleasantly surprised by the Reverend Mr Lindell Draycott. Both had secretly feared that any clergyman who lived a solitary existence in a small country town might have grown dull and set in his ways. Underwood had known the gentleman at Cambridge University – but a good twenty years had passed since they had last met, and Underwood was only too aware how much could change over the course of even a few months, let alone years.
                  They need not have concerned themselves. Lindell was young in outlook, though he was well over forty, and possessed a lively sense of humour – something which was not always appreciated by his older parishioners, but he refused to allow that to curb him.
                  He was the sort of fellow who was always thinking up some form of entertainment for