Reminder: "Punch's Cousin" Will Return on Monday

Last week, Punch’s Cousin offered up many surprises. At Ulrika’s urging, Nellie poisoned the water in Mr. Punch’s room. Thankfully, Robert and Punch were interrupted before they could drink it. However, Gamilla wasn’t so lucky. The loyal maid drank from the pitcher in Mr. Punch’s room. Luckily, Robert was able to save her.
Realizing that Nellie was the only person who could have poisoned the water, Cecil, Robert and Mr. Punch searched for the woman. They were shocked, upon entering her room, to find a woman hanging there. Believing it was Nellie who’d hanged herself, Mr. Punch went in search of Marjani for assistance while Cecil, Adrienne and Robert tried to lower the woman’s body to the floor. Upon cutting her down, they were stunned to see that it wasn’t Nellie at all.

Mr. Punch didn’t expect to find Iolanthe Evangeline in Marjani’s chamber. Iolanthe instantly confessed that she’d easily gotten into the house and expressed pride in the fact that she’d accomplished what she came to do. She taunted Mr. Punch and told him that he should only have as much affection for his blood kin as he has for the Halifaxes.

Iolanthe managed to escape Mr. Punch who was interrupted by Marjani. Marjani urged Punch to go upstairs, telling him that it was not Nellie’s soul who had been released that night. Punch went upstairs to find that it was the Duchess of Fallbridge—Julian’s mother—who had been hanged in that room. Robert concluded that the Duchess had been murdered before she was hanged. Mr. Punch immediately felt a tremendous sense of guilt for having left the Duchess at Iolanthe’s and felt responsible for her murder. He sank to the floor in grief—only to rise again as Julian. Julian asked to be alone with his mother and wished her peace during an emotional goodbye. With Punch’s internal guidance, Julian went downstairs and asked his friends to look after Mr. Punch who he claimed, was, “not well.”

This week, we’ll see Mr. Punch and his companions attend the Masquerade Ball at Edward Cage’s Wax works. Will their plan to defeat Iolanthe Evageline work or will Ulrika’s increasingly mad interference thwart them. Ulrika is incensed that Nellie allowed Iolanthe’s men to take the diamond. In a rage, she slashed Nellie’s face. Will her ire—combined with Arthur’s evil assistance—prove to be the downfall of Mr. Punch and the triumph of Iolanthe Evangeline? We’ll find out this week in Punch’s Cousin.