Read Online Yield Not To Misfortune (The Underwood Mysteries Book 5) by Suzanne Downes - Free Book Online Page A

noticed his unwanted companion.
    In Underwood’s judgement, it was a face that had seen many reverses of fortune. The man was probably only in his mid-thirties but the skin was sallow and unhealthy and deeply grooved with lines of discontent. A scar split one eyebrow and the eyes themselves were muddy green and wary, with puffy bags which spoke of a fondness for strong drink. If indeed he was in pursuit of him, Underwood strongly suspected it was not on his own account, for he was very sure that he had never seen the man before in his life, but he had been set the task by another. There was no expression on his face but one of determination not to lose his quarry – evidently his payment would depend upon his fulfilling his mission of keeping Underwood in view and reporting back, hence him standing so close, whereas any other self-respecting shadow would have kept his distance and never let himself be spotted.
    Underwood was equally determined that he should fail in his task.
    His next action was something which he would only ever have contemplated in the most extreme circumstances, but after a quick review of everything that had happened since his arrival in Wimpleford, he felt justified in feeling a degree of danger. Miss Fettiplace’s very obvious fear of eavesdropping servants and the fact that Luckhurst arrived within less than twenty minutes of his own advent and had then made it abundantly clear that he was not welcome, despite the innocuous reason for his visit, all signalled an underlying motive which he felt very sure was connected with the arrest and transportation of Rutherford Petch. All this ran through his mind as he pretended to look at the goods in the shop window. He was a man who abhorred violence of any kind, but he also had a very lively sense of self-preservation.
    The man drew near enough for Underwood to catch the stench of gin on his breath and it was then he made his move, knowing that the other’s reactions would probably be marred by his over-indulgence. It had been a bad mistake to send a man who had already been indulging to an alehouse in order to do a job which needed a keen eye and steady nerves.
    Underwood turned suddenly, lifting his elbow as he did so ensuring that it ‘accidentally’ made violent contact with the bridge of the fellow’s nose.
    The man’s head flew backwards, his nose exploding in a shower of blood, which fortunately Underwood managed to swiftly sidestep before taking a half hearted pace towards his victim, saying, with becoming sincerity, “My dear sir, I do apologise, I did not see you there. Pray let me help you.” He drew his pristine handkerchief from his coat pocket and proffered it but the man was bending over, groaning and holding his face and did not see the gesture.
    Underwood ensured that the man was indeed momentarily blinded by the injury and then swiftly stepped into the shop, telling the proprietor that there had been an accident outside. The man rushed to be of assistance and Underwood walked swiftly towards the back of the shop. He found a room with one young man, seated at a table and rolling some sort of mixture with a clever little wooden contraption, which produced a row of small, perfectly formed pills. He looked startled as Underwood explained he had been the victim of an attempted robbery outside and asked if he could leave by the back way, but he obligingly and somewhat trustingly, rose and unlocked the door. Underwood found himself in a yard which he left as quickly as he was able, since it housed the privy, which smelled rather high at this time of the year, when the heat of September was still enough to simmer the contents of the midden.
    It occurred to him at this point that the man could quite easily have been a harmless, albeit bracket-faced, clunch, but he seriously doubted it. Even if he had not been set to follow Underwood, he had certainly been standing near enough to him to pick his pocket, so whichever way one thought about it,