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

and confirmed his original theory that the oil of tansy which Leah Gedney had named as culprit did indeed need a fairly large overdose and several hours to take effect – though the effect on the elderly or infirm was not stated with any degree of certainty. It was commonly used in the countryside to kill intestinal worms or to induce abortion or menstruation and it was therefore possible Mrs. Dunstable had dosed herself, either with oil, or with tea made from steeped leaves. Because of her advanced age, it would have been unlikely to be for the latter reasons, and the doctor would know if it were for the former. He also discovered the plant itself grew in peat based soil, so it was very possibly available in the Pennines.
    He now needed to interview the servant, Rachael Collinson, who would be the most likely to know the movements of all those concerned on the day and night before the death.
    Of course, what he really needed to know was that Mrs. Dunstable had actually been murdered and was not merely the victim of a seizure, and for that he urgently needed the result of the doctor’s examination.
     
    *
     
    The Pump-rooms were closed for the day following the unfortunate demise of one of its patrons, partly due to the fact that most of the inhabitants were crushed into the White Boar for the Coroner’s hearing, which was disappointingly short, the Constable having taken Underwood’s advice and arranged an adjournment until proof of foul play had been found or dismissed; but mostly, since the precious waters had been placed under suspicion, that day was filled with panic-stricken investigations into the purity of the water by various medical and scientific experts hastily brought to the town by the authorities. The result was with greeted with huge relief. Hanbury water was found to be as clean and clear as ever. Any hint of such a scandal could have ruined forever the town’s reputation, and destroyed its most lucrative of products.
    After that, however, everything returned to normal. Verity could not help but feel a little sad and guilty that she should still be enjoying life when Mrs. Dunstable lay dead in the morgue.
    Not one of the concerts or balls were postponed and within twenty-four hours, one would never have known that Josephine had ever existed.
    Charlotte, furious that she had been absent from the Pump-rooms on the fateful day, and had missed all the excitement, lost no time at all in pursuing Mr. Underwood on the pretext of asking him to tell her all about the disaster.
    Her opportunity came on the day of the post mortem , for Underwood had no intention of attending anything so gory. He did the brainwork, let others wallow in the gore, was his opinion. Dr. Herbert was busy with the body, Verity and Ellen had seized the chance to shop and catch up on all the gossip. Underwood had excused himself from this and was browsing in the library. It did not take the determined Charlotte long to run him to ground, and to insist that he accompany her to partake of coffee in the private parlour of the Bull Inn.
    When the tray was laid before her, Charlotte removed her hat, aware that it hid her face from the still-standing Mr. Underwood.
    She poured the coffee from the silver pot, remembering that he liked cream and sugar, then bestowed her most dazzling smile upon him as she handed him his cup, “Will you not be seated, Mr. Underwood?”
    “I prefer to stand, thank you,” he replied as he took it from her, but he smiled in return.
    She took a sip, eyeing him cautiously over the rim of the cup, “I had quite forgotten…” she murmured after a pause, almost as though she had not meant to speak aloud.
    “Forgotten what?”
    “How very handsome you are,” her voice sank lower still, and there was a yearning in it which made Underwood look thoroughly startled, “Miss Wynter…”
    She set her cup down, rose to her feet and joined him before the empty fireplace, “Please, don’t say anything. How I would hate to