Punch's Cousin, Chapter 107

The Royal Street mansion was quiet. Cecil and Adrienne had long gone to sleep. Fuller slumbered peacefully in his borrowed crib. In the servant’s hall at the back of the house, Naasir slept fitfully in the room Meridian had given him—dreaming vividly about his mother and the stories she had told him when he was a child in Africa.


Upstairs in the house, Robert lay awake in his bed. Across the hall, Mr. Punch sat in the chair by the fireplace and watched as Toby snored gentle dog-snores in the bed, curled up next to the puppet which Punch had tucked under the covers long before.

“Nothin’ to play with.” Mr. Punch muttered as he watched the firelight flicker. He grumbled to himself. “Gonna dress me lady chum up like that monster. Can’t be a good thing, it can’t. Still,” he thought, “Can’t see as Robert and Cecil would put her in danger. They must know what they’re doin’. They must.”

Mr. Punch rose and began to pace the floor until his attention was caught by the costume that Adrienne and Gamilla had sewed for him. Draped across the back of the desk chair, the costume looked inviting to Punch—lying there with its bright red sleeves and shockingly white ruffles. The slouching curve of the hat which sat on the desk beckoned to him and he walked slowly to the desk. He put the hat on Julian’s head and studied himself in the wardrobe mirror—grinning at his own reflection in the dim firelight.

“Can you see this, Master?” Julian asked aloud. “Can you see what I’m seein’ through your eyes or are you asleep, too?”

Mr. Punch listened. He was used to hearing the other voices which kept him company in Julian’s body. None of them were speaking to him at that moment.

“All’s quiet,”’ Punch muttered as he took off the hat and returned it to the desk. He walked over to the bed and petted Toby’s warm furry body—gently, so as not to awaken the sleeping terrier.

“That’s good.” Punch whispered. “You sleep. Can’t think of why you wouldn’t. Ain’t got no troubles to keep you awake. Just as long as you got food and a warm place to sleep, you’re happy. And, you should be, you should. What must it be like to be a dog? Wonder if you’re dreamin’ o’ things. Dog things like what you see when your eyes are open. I dream, I do. Sometimes, I wonder if all o’ this is just some kind of dream and that when I wake up I’ll still be a puppet in a cabinet with wooden hands and a smile that don’t ever frown.”

Punch looked around the room again. “But, no, this is real. I can smell it and feel it, and I know in me heart—me master’s heart—that somethin’ terrible is waitin’ for us outside of this house. I know that this must be the thing that me master feels each and every moment. What’s he call it? His dread. Yes, his dread. Now, I know what it means to dread. Somethin’ awful, it is.”

Punch jumped when he heard a knock at the door.

“Enter,” he said softly.

Robert came into the room. “I had a feeling you’d be awake.”

“I am.” Mr. Punch nodded. “You should be sleepin’ though. What’s it you’re always sayin’ ‘bout needin’ sleep?”

“You need to sleep, too.” Robert said quietly.

“I’m used to not sleepin’. Me master never sleeps. I’m just doin’ what he does.”

“You know that Cecil and I will make sure that nothing happens to Adrienne. Don’t you?”

“Think you’ll try.” Mr. Punch said. “But, I don’t think you can make sure nothin’ happens. You don’t know what them women will do. They’re no good those three. The Duchess, The Ogress and that wicked Ulrika. Let’s not forget his sister. Barbara Allen don’t call herself that cuz of her kindness, she don’t. Hers is not a story that will end in the ‘red rose and the briar.’ Hers is a story that will go on for a long, long time. And, Arthur… And, the nanny…Agnes.”

“Let’s not forget what strength we do have. Isn’t the power of our strength greater than theirs?”

“Is it?” Mr. Punch asked.

“You’re the one that always beats the devil. Don’t forget.” Robert smiled.

“One devil.” Mr. Punch said. “One at a time. Not a whole army o’ ‘em at once.”

“Now isn’t the time for doubt.” Robert replied.

“’Spose not. But, now’s as good a time as any to think about the truth o’ things.” Mr. Punch grumbled.

“We must trust in our own abilities.”

“Trust?” Mr. Punch shook his head. “I understand what the word means, but…”

“Dear Punch, don’t you know that I’d give my life before I let anything happen to any of you?”

“That’s what scares me the most.”

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Fallbridge was complaining loudly to Iolanthe Evangeline. “If you think I’m going to stay here—in this…this…house of ill-repute…”

“You don’t have a choice, Your Grace.” Iolanthe said firmly. “Would you prefer to stay in a hotel where your presence would immediately be known?”

“But, this…” The Duchess moaned.

“Being here doesn’t make you a whore.” Iolanthe laughed.

The Duchess’ cheeks turned bright red.

“Shocked?” Iolanthe continued to laugh.

“How dare you speak to me that way?” The Duchess asked.

“You’re just the same as me, honey. I don’t want you thinkin’ that you’re not. This bed is just as good as any other.”

“But, my maid. She’ll talk.”

“Your maid seems quite happy here. Maybe I’ll keep her. I think she’d bring in quite a lot of business.”

“You’re wicked.” The Duchess spat.

“You’re lookin’ in a mirror, Your Grace. You’re lookin’ in a mirror…”

Mala burst into the room without knocking. The Duchess gasped at the sight of the homely woman with her stooped back and expression of crooked cruelty.

“How many times have I told you to knock?” Iolanthe growled.

“Sorry, Miss Iolanthe.” Mala nodded. “But, you gotta come downstairs. There’s someone here for to see ya.”

“I’m not receiving guests tonight. Give him to one of the girls.” Iolanthe said sharply.

“Ain’t a man.” Mala smiled. “It’s Miss Allen.”

“Well, well…” Iolanthe grinned. “She’s finally come back.” She turned to the Duchess. “Are you ready for a family reunion, Your Grace?”

“What does this Miss Allen have to do with me?” The duchess hissed. “I don’t want to see one of your…girls.”

“You’ll want to see this one.” Iolanthe chuckled. “She’s your daughter.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-106? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday, November 29, for Chapter 107 of Punch’s Cousin.