Read Online A Place For Repentance (The Underwood Mysteries Book 6) by Suzanne Downes - Free Book Online Page B

both were soaked through by the time they reached the door, especially Underwood, being without his overcoat.
                  Lindell was waiting for them with the kettle on the boil, for he too had heard the rattle of raindrops against the casements and knew that they were likely to be caught in the downpour.
                  He sent them both upstairs to change out of their wet clothes immediately, having no wish to contend with a relapse on Underwood’s part, or indeed the frantic worry of his wife, should that occur, and only when they were both dry and holding hot drinks before a roaring fire did he deign to listen to their tale, with a serious expression which brought no consolation to the fretful Verity.
                  “You think she is likely to be out in this dreadful weather, don’t you, Lindell?” she asked worriedly, “I can see that you have no confidence that they will be kind to her.”
                  “No, no,” he hastily assured her, “I’m sure Underwood is right. No one would cast out a dog in this rain, let alone a fellow human being. Pray think no more about it. I promise you that Underwood and I will go and find her at first light.”
                  Underwood was quick to agree with his friend, though he was rather put out by an oath which included the words ‘at first light’ – he did not care for early rising, but he readily acknowledged that on this occasion he was going to have to sacrifice his warm bed for the greater good.
                  Since they could do no more that night, they bade each other good night and went up the stairs to their room, though not necessarily to sleep, for the rain and wind had intensified and they all thought of the horror of being exposed to the fury of the storm without shelter. They could only hope that it had not been Violette’s sorry lot.
                  True to his promise, Lindell was up and about early and was soon joined by his guests; Verity as bright-eyed as ever and Underwood still half asleep, but willing. Fortunately the vicar had a reasonable notion of where they might find the players’ lodging house, since he knew his parish well and had served his flock for many years.
    Unluckily they found that their certainty of kindness was entirely misplaced. Violette had indeed been ordered to take her meagre belongings and leave the night before, and they had every expectation that she had been forced to spend the storm tucked under a hedgerow somewhere, for they were fairly certain that she had not much money – for had she been able to afford it, would she not have stayed where she was, in view of the foul weather?
                  They returned to the vicarage, dreading breaking the bad news to the soft-hearted Verity.
                  In fact Underwood found himself in the unenviable position of telling his wife without the support of his fellow would-be-rescuer, for Lindell parted company with him at the front door, saying, “I need to go across to the church, Underwood, otherwise Matins will be late.”
                  Underwood felt that his own need was greater than the one or two pious souls who attended early morning services, but there was not much he could say to prevent the vicar from doing what was, after all, his job. He had entirely forgotten that it was Sunday.
                  He went inside hoping that Verity was not going to be too distressed to make him some breakfast, and would not see his appetite as unutterably callous, for he was now not only hungry, but decidedly grumpy too.
                  Lindell trod the well-worn path to the church, stepping aside to avoid the puddles, barely noticing that the nodding heads of the grasses were soaking his shoes and stockings despite his attempts to keep dry. He was thinking about the French girl and wondering what exactly he could do to find