He grinned at her. “You’re a strong one.”
“I am.” Ulrika smiled. “More than you know.”
With no further words, Ulrika carried Giovanni through the corridor and into the blazing front room—straight past Iolanthe and Marie who struggled to extinguish the flames. They turned and looked at her in amazement as Ulrika carried the man from the house.
“Come on, Marie,” Louis Glapion urged, “let’s get outta here.”
“No.” Marie said. “I’m not leavin’ my home.”
“There ain’t gonna be no home!” Louis argued. “And if we stay here, there ain’t gonna be no us.”
“He’s correct!” Iolanthe coughed.
“No!” Marie screamed. “With all that I believe and hold dear, I call upon them forces that protect me to bring me relief!”
“I’m leavin’.” Iolanthe grunted, scrambling from the house.
As Iolanthe exited, she felt a gentle rain begin to fall upon her painted face.
“I’ll be damned,” Iolanthe whispered. “I’ll just be damned.”
Meanwhile, at their borrowed house on Royal Street, Mr. Punch scurried off of his bed and went to Marjani with a look of confusion on his face.
“Arthur’s got Yellow Jack?” Punch asked. “You mean that terrible fever what took your daughter from you?”
“Yes.” Marjani nodded. “Ain’t no mistakin’ it.”
“And, he’s here?” Punch asked.
“In the courtyard.” Marjani sighed. “That man—Gerry—brought him here, knowin’, I guess, that I done spent a lot of time nursin’ folk through it. ‘Spose Arthur told him—though he ain’t talkin’ now. Too weak. It’s come on fast.”
“You didn’t let him in the house, did you?” Robert asked.
“No, Sir.” Marjani shook her head.
“You mustn’t.” Robert nodded. “Not with Fuller and Columbia here.”
“But, he has been in the house.” Punch said. “Just this very day.”
“Yes, he has.” Robert replied softly. “I can’t believe he has the gall to come here for aid.”
“Ain’t that what we do?” Marjani shrugged. “Me as a nurse, you as a doctor. Ain’t it our responsibility to help those in need no matter how we feel about them?”
“That man has tried to kill me. He’s tried to murder Julian. How can we be expected to…” His words trailed off.
“Sir?” Marjani asked. “What you want me to do?”
“I want you to send him away and let him die in the streets the way he deserves.” Robert grumbled.
“And let him infect innocent folk?” Marjani asked.
“Even sick, he’s a threat.” Punch sighed, sitting down and picking up his puppet.
“I said that’s what I wanted to do,” Robert shook his head, “not what I’m going to do.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-297? If so, you can read them here.
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