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

Last week, Mr. Punch was broken-hearted to learn that Iolanthe Evangeline had murdered the Duchess of Fallbridge. Julian surfaced to bid farewell to his mother, pausing to ask Marjani to arrange the burial and to entreat his friends to look after Mr. Punch whom Julian knew was troubled by the strange turn of events.


Despite the tragedy all around them, Mr. Punch and his companions stuck to their plan and attended Edward Cage’s masquerade ball. Adrienne—dressed as Iolanthe Evangeline—waited with Cecil before making their entrance so that they could be sure that Iolanthe was present to witness it. At the ball, Mr. Punch realized that he/Julian had inherited his mother’s title and introduced himself as The Duke of Fallbridge. Edward Cage, always seeking publicity, made a spectacle of Punch/Julian by announcing to the crowd that an important person was among them.

Meanwhile, Ulrika Rittenhouse was incensed to learn that Nellie had not only failed in killing Julian, but also had managed to lose the Fallbridge Blue to Iolanthe. In her anger, she slashed Nellie’s face with a broken bottle. Arriving at the ball dressed as Marie-Antoinette, Ulrika quarreled with her family before meeting up with Arthur to make further arrangements to destroy Julian. Iolanthe Evangeline entered the ball, dressed as Joan of Arc, where she shared un-pleasantries with Ulrika who proposed that they form some sort of alliance.

Iolanthe taunted Punch/Julian and Robert, and was morbidly pleased when a bloodied Nellie entered the ballroom, demanding to see Ulrika. Iolanthe quietly had Nellie removed and taken back to her bawdy house, but her triumph quickly faded when she saw Adrienne and Cecil enter. Irate that someone dared to mock her, Iolanthe demanded to know what was going on.

This week in Punch’s Cousin, we’ll see the full extent of Iolanthe’s rage as Cecil and Robert’s plan gets underway. We’ll also see the depths of despair that Mr. Punch as reached as he struggled with his guilt and finds a surprising ally within himself. Ulrika’s desire to murder Julian reaches a new level and we’ll see her plans interrupted by an unlikely foe. As Edward Cage’s ball reaches its climax and the last hours of 1852 tick away, Mr. Punch and his companions find themselves in the middle of a battle which is far more dangerous than they could have imagined.