“I will.” Barbara nodded.
“Barbara?” Charles said firmly. “Think about what you’re doing.”
“I have,” Barbara replied softly, kicking gently at the base of the baptismal font with her toes.
At that moment, Charles noticed that neatly tucked behind the font was another bundle—a wrap of blankets in which little Colin was nestled, sleeping peacefully. As casually as possible, Charles looked at the tangle of blankets in Barbara’s arms and realized that it was nothing more than the fabric in which they’d wrapped their few meager belongings which Barbara had cleverly arranged to appear as though she was holding the baby.
“Just let me go, Charles.” Barbara whispered.
“That’s right, Charles,” Louis laughed. “Time to give up.”
“Are you sure?” Charles asked gently.
“Very.” Barbara said. “You’ll know how to get on without me. You’ll know what to do.”
“I will.” Charles nodded.
“Time’s wastin’.” Louis grunted. “We don’t want to keep Marie waitin’.”
“Of course not.” Barbara replied, walking toward Louis.
“Let me carry the baby,” Louis said.
“No!” Barbara snapped. “You may force me to go with you, but I will hold my son.”
“Whatever you say.” Louis shrugged. He turned back to Charles. “Looks like you just got yourself lucky, Boy. Nothin’ worse than life with a sharp-tongued woman.”
Charles smiled and nodded.
As Barbara followed Louis Glapion, she dared not look back at Charles, but hoped he understood what she was doing.
Just as they reached the cathedral doors, what Barbara most feared happened, from behind the font, the baby began to cry.
“What’s that?” Louis snarled, holding out his arm so that Barbara was prevented from moving forward.
Barbara looked nervously at Louis.
“I’d like to explain,” Barbara began.
Meanwhile, Mr. Punch flinched as he watched Arthur vomit. When he was finished, the fevered man fell back onto the hay and moaned wildly.
“Isn’t it time,” Punch began, “that you shut your gob and stopped your slander? You’re dyin’, man.”
“I know.” Arthur groaned. “All the more reason for me t unburden my soul.”
“I won’t hear no more of it!” Punch said.
“Arthur, just quiet down,” Marjani nodded. “You ain’t got so much time now.”
“I gotta say this!” Arthur argued raspily. “Your mum, Your Grace, she hadn’t counted on Barbara runnin’ off. See, that were Barbara’s idea. Barbara knew what your mum was about, and then, when she was with child, she concocted her scheme to steal the diamond. She talks of me seducin’ her, but it were her what seduced me with her talk of riches.”
“Liar!” Punch spat.
“When your mum found out that I betrayed her, she pressed me into service, seein’ an opportunity to get rid of you once and for all. And, then, it became clear. She had to do to you what she done to your da’. But, it couldn’t happen in England, and so, she realized the blessin’ of what Barbara done and let me carry it out.” Arthur rambled almost incoherently.
“You expect us to believe that you were blameless in all of this?” Robert asked. “That you were manipulated by the Duchess and Lady Barbara?”
“It’s true!” Arthur coughed. He reached wildly for Mr. Punch. “It weren’t my fault! She wanted me to kill ya, Sir! She always hated you so! Your mum wanted me to kill ya!”
Did you miss Chapters 1-303? If so, you can read them here.
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