Reluctantly, he opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by a bright flash.
But, no, he was not crushed against the marble. He was in his study, in his aubergine chair. Rain beat against the windows. Thunder crashed again outside. A fire flickered in the hearth—the only light in the room.
Julian sighed. He’d been dreaming. That same dream—that nightmare where he lay smashed at his mother’s feet. She laughed. The duchess always laughed.
Rubbing his eyes, Julian tried to remember when he had fallen asleep. How had he gotten there? Yes, of course, he had shut the curio cabinet door, and then, sat in his chair to calm himself and to consider the situation with Barbara. He’d been overwhelmed. Funny how sleep—that quietness that he so craved—eluded him except at the oddest of times. He supposed he should be grateful for whatever blackness he had managed to achieve even if it was at the wrong moment.
But, what about Barbara?
His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp rush of air—his own gasp. Someone was in the room with him. A dark figure slowly approached him. Surely, it was Punch—finally freed from the cabinet, finally able to master walking on his legless sack of a torso.
“Lord Fallbridge?” an oily voice cooed.
“Arthur.” Julian rasped. “I didn’t know you’d entered.”
“I did not wish to wake you, sir.” The footman responded. “Only Her Grace suggested that I begin packing for our journey.”
“Our?” Julian squinted. “Packing?”
“Yes, sir, to find Lady Barbara.” Arthur answered dryly.
“I hardly think we need to take a journey for that.” Julian stood up. “She’s not been gone that long. She must still be nearby. And, surely, with this rain…”
“I was instructed to begin packing, sir.” Arthur continued.
“You’d best light some lamps, first.” Julian muttered.
“Only I didn’t wish to wake you, Lord Julian. We all know how little you sleep.” Arthur hissed.
“Yes, yes.” Julian shook his head.
The footman began lighting the lamps around the room.
“What will you want to take with us?” Arthur asked.
“Us?” Julian scratched the back of his head and squinted against the light.
“As your valet, sir, I will be attending you.” Arthur answered. In the growing light, Julian could see the footman’s slick, too-knowing smile.
“I haven’t concluded that we need to go anywhere, yet.” Julian responded more sharply than he intended. “My inclination is to check with Barbara’s friends. She must be at one of the neighboring estates. My sister is not…” He paused. “The likelihood that she’s orchestrated some grand escape is very slight.”
“As you wish, sir.” Arthur replied stiffly. “Only, what will I tell Her Grace?”
“I will speak to the Duchess of Fallbridge.” Julian said. “I think we need only write some letters. Lady Barbara will return on her own soon enough.”
Again, thunder echoed throughout the great house.
“Begging your pardon, sir, but Her Grace might not find the writing of letters to be an… active enough pursuit.” The footman said coolly.
“Please, leave me for awhile. Come back in half an hour, if you would.” Julian raised his eyebrows.
“As you wish, sir.” Arthur smiled. “Shall I…”
“I will speak to the Duchess.” Julian said.
Without another word, Arthur walked stiffly from the room.
“Speak to the Duchess.” Julian said aloud as he fumbled again with his ring. “And, tell her what?”
His mother had ordered him to find Barbara. Certainly, Barbara was hiding with one of the flighty girls with which she played croquet. How could she have gotten any farther than that in just one afternoon? Or could she have? Julian thought for several minutes. He’d have to talk to some of the maids. Barbara often chattered with them though she oughtn’t. Iris, the House Parlor Maid attended Barbara. If anyone in the house knew what Barbara was about, it was Iris.
“Willful girl,” Julian grumbled. “All the best that she’s pretty. At least she has that quality. Too much like Mother…”
Perhaps the groomsman would know if Barbara had taken her horse. “Yes,” Julian thought. He’d go to the stables when the rain let up.
The thought of leaving the house made Julian shiver.
Didn’t he used to roam London? Didn’t he used to look at the shops in the Brompton Arcade? Didn’t he used to be free?
Barbara was free. For a moment, Julian hoped that his sister had gotten away from Fallbridge Hall, from Mother, from her obligation to marry that stiflingly dull Marsden chap.
Sharp footsteps echoed throughout the passage. Julian knew those footsteps though he hadn’t heard them in that part of the house for years.
“What’s this I hear about you wanting to write letters and think?” The duchess bellowed as she burst through the door.
“Mother…”
“I asked you to find your sister!” His mother shouted.
“I know.” Julian stuttered. Arthur had gone right to the Duchess.
“So, go out and find her.” His mother continued.
Julian turned away from his mother.
“I will.” Julian said. “Still, how far could she have gotten? And, now, with this beastly weather…”
“The longer you stay in your rooms thinking, the further she’ll get.” The duchess growled. “Must you sit and consider everything before you act?”
“There’s something to be said…”
“You are too much like your father. I am ashamed to call you my son.” His mother barked. “At least your father isn’t mad. When did you become such a coward? And, don’t turn your back to me!”
Julian couldn’t bring himself to face his mother. He looked to the fireplace…and the curio…
The curio…
It was open again.
“Listen to me, you timid little hobgoblin!” the Duchess shrieked.
Julian, however, wasn’t listening. His attention had been seized by something else. Something far more terrifying than even the Duchess of Fallbridge.
“Julian!” The duchess screamed.
Only, Julian didn’t hear her.
Punch was gone. Gone. The space in the cabinet where he’d sat for thirty years was vacant.
A smiled split Julian’s face.
He turned back to his mother.
“What are you grinning at?” the Duchess of Fallbridge demanded.
“Mother, my puppet…” Julian laughed. “He seems to have escaped, too.”
Did you miss Chapters 1 and 2? If so, read them here.
3 comments:
I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for Punch's departure but I rather hope that he's leaving that house and will take Julian with him.
Punch certainly had the right idea!
This is really getting good!!!
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