A Noble Pair of Brothers (The Underwood Mysteries Book 1) by Suzanne Downes Page A

appeal for him to behave himself.  Though it did give him cause to hesitate briefly, it was an appeal he fully intended to ignore, “Gil, if you won’t tell me what I need to know, I shall simply ask elsewhere, for, understand this, never shall anyone lie in the cold earth unavenged whilst I have breath in my body!”
    The vicar spread his hands in a gesture of mute despair, “But your health … I beg you, don’t do this.  You are not strong enough…”
    Mr. Underwood knew full well that his brother was under no illusions about his legendary ill health.  He had, it was true, suffered a great deal of physical and mental anguish some ten years before.  Since then he had utilized his frailties entirely to his own ends.  His varied minor afflictions were a pastime, and a very useful way of avoiding unwanted tasks.
    He gave his sibling a look which is commonly known as ‘old-fashioned’
    “Come now, Gil!  There is a reason why you do not wish me to investigate this matter, but I know it is not concern for my health.”
    For the first time since the conversation had begun, the vicar raised his eyes and looked directly into his brother’s.  He was both distressed and worried, “Chuffy, the girl who lies in that grave is unknown for a very good reason.  No one ever saw her face.  Her head had been hacked from her body – and it was never found.  I’m afraid you would be dealing with a madman.”
     
    *
     
    Sir Henry Wynter returned from his shooting expedition some hours after Charlotte had been carried up to the house by Mr. Underwood.  He was tired, dirty, and had been unsuccessful in bagging so much as a rabbit, something for which he was inclined to blame the unfortunate Underwood.  Upon being told that Charlotte had sustained a nasty injury from one of his traps, his fury exploded in a way which always terrified his daughters.
    “God dammit, Lottie!  What the devil possessed you to wander off the path?  You should know better.”
    Usually Charlotte was the most spirited of the girls, and could charm her papa out of his very worst moods, but this evening she was feeling shocked, pained and weepy.  At the first sign of trouble she burst into loud sobs, and Sir Henry was forced to leave her alone.  It was not, however, the end of the matter.  He railed all through dinner, until the copious amount of claret he drank sent him to sleep, but not before his family had grown heartily sick of the name Underwood.  They hoped fervently that the vicar’s brother would keep well away from their father for the rest of his stay.
    Unfortunately in this matter they overlooked the determination and single-mindedness of their spoiled sister Charlotte.
     
    *

CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    (“Veni, Vidi, Vici” - I came, I saw, I conquered)
     
     
     
    “I assume you are going to see Miss Wynter today?”  Gil ventured rather tentatively, well knowing that his brother was quite likely to do the exact opposite to any suggestion made to him, should the mood so take him.
    Underwood was not an aggressive man – on the contrary, he abhorred violence.  He did not appear to be stubborn, overbearing or even particularly decisive, but he never did anything he did not wish to do.  He made no fuss, he did not argue, he never pointed out that he was his own man.  He simply did not do anything at all, and should the neglect of his duties cause him to fall foul of anyone, he merely apologised sweetly for his dreadful memory.  In fact he apologised so adroitly that it was rarely noticed that the expressions of regret did not, at any time, ever include the promise to atone.  If Mr. Underwood decided not to do something, then it would certainly never be done by him.
    The vicar would not, for the world, have admitted it, but his interest in Miss Wynter’s welfare was not entirely altruistic, for during a long and, for the most part, sleepless night, it had occurred to him that Charlotte would be an admirable choice of wife for his