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

he probably still deserved to have his cork drawn, as Toby and the rest of the boxing fraternity would have described it.
    Into the back lane he went, then swiftly found his way back to the High Street and thence back to the Black Bear, where he bespoke a private parlour and ordered that when Miss Fettiplace arrived she should be brought directly to him without delay.
    She entered the room very shortly after four and was delighted to see that he had kindly thought to procure tea and cakes.
    She settled herself and tucked into her repast, listening with growing disquiet as he told her of his recent adventure. It was not normally something he would confide to a lady, but he felt she needed to be fully aware of just how serious matters were becoming – and he also required her confirmation that there was the possibility that the man had been following him – he still harboured a vague guilt that he might have been mistaken and given the man a bloody nose for nothing.
    “Did you say he had a scar which dissects his eyebrow, running like a white line through it?”
    “That’s right. Am I to assume you know the man?”
    “Miss Petch’s cousin Mr Luckhurst has a man answering that description working for him. He’s supposed to be an ostler, but he seems remarkably inept with horses – in fact he spends more time in The Ram Inn than he does in the stables.”
    Underwood could well believe it, but he decided it was time to turn the conversation. It was vital that he did not allow Miss Fettiplace to veer off the subject until he had discovered exactly what was happening in Pershore House.  If he had learnt anything in the past few hours it was that someone was trying very hard to circumvent his investigation. On previous experience it would not be very long before they were interrupted.
    “Miss Fettiplace, I require you to be as succinct as possible when you answer my questions. Can you explain what is going on with Miss Petch and her brother?”
    “I wish I knew, Mr Underwood, I really do. All I have are vague and uneasy feelings – except of course for the fact of Mr Rutherford’s misfortune. None of it makes any sense to me. I know Mr Rutherford would never steal, but the necklace went missing and can’t be found.”
    He realized she spoke nothing but the truth. Though her instincts were warning her of ill-doing, she did not really know how or why. Underwood had the notion that, as usual in these cases, it was all going to come to money, but he knew too little of the situation to make sense of who benefitted, or how they intended to twist events to their own purposes. All he could do at this moment was to try and second-guess the villain and ask this elderly lady the right questions – or the questions he supposed might be the ones which would give him the answers he needed. Not easy when he was almost as clueless as his companion.
    “I do understand, it is all very confusing and distressing. Suppose we begin with Captain Petch. My friend and his, Major Thornycroft, assures me that he believes, as you do, that Rutherford would be incapable of stealing from his Great Aunt.”
    Miss Fettiplace drew her handkerchief from her embroidered velvet, though somewhat shabby, reticule and wiped her chin, which had a small dribble of melted butter upon it. She sat slightly forward in her seat, as though to give extra emphasis to her words.
    “Oh, I do most sincerely believe it, Mr Underwood! I am a distant cousin on their father’s side and of course, have known them both since birth, but I grew to know them well when their parents died and I offered to help care for them.” She blushed a little and Underwood wondered if she was perhaps, one of those impecunious female relatives which abound in most families, who never marry and have no means of support other than relying on the kindness of those to whom they often bear the slightest of connections. He understood from Verity – who had faced a similar horror when her own