Food For The Gallows (The Underwood Mysteries Book 2) by Suzanne Downes Page B

look of triumph crossed her face, “He is right. This cup contained more than plain water. My mother was murdered!” She pointed a trembling finger at the white-faced Dunstable; “He was the one who fetched the water. I want him arrested and hanged. God grant my mother revenge for this most foul deed!”
    Dunstable and Verity both fainted at almost the same moment.
     
    *
     
    When Verity recovered her senses, she found it was Gil who was by her side as she lay on one of the hard benches at the far end of the Pump-room. In the few seconds it took her to recall the events of the past few minutes, she first noticed Underwood’s absence, and the knowledge of his desertion pierced her heart. She tried to sit up but was prevented by a wave of nausea, so she lay back and re-closed her eyes, saying as she did so, “I see that your brother had more important things to attend to other than his own wife.”
    She felt Gil firmly clasp her wrist, “No, no, my dear. You have him wrong. When you swooned, his anxiety was such that he felt he could not be of any use to you. I have his strict instructions to call him the moment you regained your senses.”
    Verity drew in a deep breath and with a great effort, she pulled herself back from the brink of another faint. She had no idea whether Gil was speaking the truth, or merely calming her with kind lies and strangely, she found she hardly cared. A curious lethargy was afflicting her, and when she spoke it was slowly and with cold monotony, “You need not trouble to call him. I shall get up in a moment.”
    “Would you like a drink of water,” asked Gil solicitously, then wished he could unsay the words as her startled glance flew to his face and she exclaimed in horror, “Good God, no!”
    He had not been present when Mrs. Dunstable had died, having arrived just in time to take the insensible Verity from his brother’s arms, but he knew all about the accusations of poisoned water, since Leah Gedney had been vociferous in attacking the young man who was her step-father. Gil was made painfully aware by her reaction how very thoughtless it was of him to offer ‘water’ at that time and in that place.
    Verity gave herself a few more minutes, then rose unsteadily to her feet and rejoined the group, now much smaller, which was still gathered about the prone form of the dead woman.
    Underwood had evidently taken charge, and with the help of the Pump-room caretaker, he had arranged for all but the main witnesses to be expelled into another room. He had removed his own frock coat and used it to cover the face of Mrs. Dunstable, and he now stood, in his shirt sleeves, waistcoat and breeches, apparently deep in conversation with Mr. Gedney. For all that had happened, Verity could still not see her husband without the breath catching in her throat. He looked strangely attractive arrayed thus, and when compared to the other men. She realized in that fleeting second that for all his faults, there could be no other for her. With a sensation of plunging misery, she wished it could have been the same for him with her.
    As he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, he swiftly excused himself and walked across to her, taking her hand and quickly kissing it, his only concession to a public display of affection and concern, “You are fully recovered?” he asked anxiously. She nodded and he added, “Thank God! Please don’t do that any too often, my dear.”
    “I’ll try not. It wasn’t altogether pleasant for me, either.”
    “No, I imagine not. You did not hurt yourself when you fell? You seemed to hit the floor with a terrible crash?”
    “I don’t think so. To be honest I haven’t had time to assess the damage.”
    “I’m so sorry you had to witness this,” he said suddenly, “Would you like me to ask Gil to take you home?”
    “No, I want to stay here with you.”
    She was surprised he didn’t argue, but took her hand again and pressed it warmly before saying, “Very