A Place For Repentance (The Underwood Mysteries Book 6) by Suzanne Downes Page A

cynically.
                  Verity’s mouth dropped open slightly, “Wasn’t that the name used by the young lady who ended by being murdered when she came to Bracken Tor all those years ago?” she asked, referring to the time when she and Underwood had first met and had discovered the identity of a poor, unknown, headless corpse left in a bluebell wood.
                  “It was. And it is used for a reason. It is probably the most common name for any woman in the land. Trying to trace a ‘Mary Smith’ is, indeed, like searching for a needle in a haystack.”
                  “Oh,” said his deflated wife, and then she brightened. “But you are not going to give up, are you? You must find her now.”
                  “Why?” asked Underwood bluntly, addressing himself to some bread and butter. It was another hour to dinner and he was surprisingly hungry after his ride.
                  “Well, if she used a false name, then she really must have something to hide,” reasoned Verity.
                  As Underwood knew very well that she did indeed have ‘something’ to hide, it was not possible for him to deny this assertion, so he prevaricated, “I suppose she must, but I fail to see how I can pursue her any further without any clues as to her name, destination and the passage of time.”
                  “You’ll think of something,” said Verity serenely, ever confident of his abilities and ingenuity. “Now, tell me about the Petches – and did you see Mr Jebson?”
                  Underwood was happy to change the subject and give her a full account of his day and the list of invitations he had secured for her.
                  “I have some news for you too,” said Verity when his litany was over. “Lindell tells me that a troupe of players is due into town in the next few days and he has promised to take some of the young people to see the play. I assured him that you and I would be happy to act as chaperones. I know how you love your Shakespeare.”
                  Underwood could not deny that adoration of the Bard, but he was not entirely sure he would particularly enjoy a visit to the theatre in the company of a host of unruly youngsters, however in view of Verity’s concession in allowing him to begin a search for the ‘widow’ he could not refuse any request from her. He forced a smile, “That sounds interesting.”
                  The mention of travelling players reminded him of something he had heard earlier in the day, “As a matter of fact, I do believe I met one of the actresses in the Jebson’s shop. A Frenchwoman – though she insisted she is from Flanders. At least it seems she was telling the truth when she refused treatment because she said they were moving on to the next town.”
                    If Verity was astounded by his capacity for meeting and interrogating strange women, she gave no indication of it, “Really? What a coincidence. But how came you to learn so much about the lady just from a chance meeting in an apothecary shop?”
                  “Oh, it all just came out in the course of the conversation,” he said vaguely. “She was suffering from a rather nasty toothache.”
                  “That accounts for her presence in the shop, but not for the telling of her life-story,” said Verity tartly. She wondered how pretty this young actress was, and exactly how long Underwood had engaged her in ‘conversation’.
                  Underwood finally sensed an undercurrent of irritation in his darling wife and raised a quizzical brow at her, “My love, if I knew no better, I would swear you were jealous.”
                  Verity lifted one shoulder huffily, “Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “I have no such feeling – but be assured, if you keep being accosted