Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 309

“This is where I left her, Your Grace.” Charles said with clear alarm.

“Well, she weren’t alone. Were she?” Punch sighed, pointing to the disturbed pool of blood in front of the altar.

“I suppose not.” Charles gulped. “She’d had to have help in order to carry that man out of here.”

“Them’s the kind of footprints what a lady makes.” Mr. Punch continued. “A lady inasmuch as her slippers were those of the kind of woman what sits in drawing rooms and not the kind of boots worn by a woman what’s gotta work. Here, what kind of things does that Marie Laveau wear on her feet?”

Charles shook his head and shrugged. “I never looked at her feet, Sir.”

“Well. Let’s think ‘bout this.” Punch said. “Marie’s not a great lady. She works hard. Yet, she works with rich ladies what would want her to arrive in their homes dressed in a way what’s fashionable. So, she might wear shoes such as them what made these tracks.”

“But, Marie Laveau wouldn’t help Barbara—certainly not after discovering that Barbara murdered her late husband’s brother.”

Mr. Punch frowned. “We don’t know that. Who knows what Marie will do? Who knows what she thought of the man? And, who says she’s helping Barbara? Maybe she got Barbara and made her carry the fella away for proper burial and now she’s punishin’ the woman what killed him.” Punch grunted. “But, I think you’re correct. These tracks weren’t made by Marie Laveau.”

“Who then?” Charles asked.

“Ulrika Rittenhouse? Iolanthe Evangeline? Some other lady what’s been fooled by Barbara? Or one what wants to punish her?”

“What should we do, Sir?” Charles asked nervously.

“I don’t know.” Mr. Punch said.

“Shouldn’t we look for her?”

“Probably.” Punch shrugged. “Though I ain’t as eager to find her as you are.”

“She’s your sister, Sir.”

“I said before,” Mr. Punch shook his head. “That woman what’s out there ceased bein’ me master’s sister when she began callin’ herself Barbrara Allen.”

“Whatever she’s called, Sir, she’s still your blood.”

“I know.” Punch grumbled. “Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna leave you to find her alone. But, once we find her, if she’s up to pure evil again, I ain’t gonna help her to do it. My first thoughts gotta be for that child. As it is, I got Meridian tryin’ to arrange passage for me and Robert and Colin without lettin’ Edward Cage know. “

“I overheard a little of your instructions before we left.” Charles nodded. “You’re traveling incognito? It will be difficult.”

“Sure it will. Two men and a baby with a suite of staff. Sure, it will be difficult. But, by the time folk figure out that this body is that of the Duke of Fallbridge, and not ‘Julian Pulcinella’ as I’m callin’ myself on the ship’s register, we’ll be far from Edward Cage and far from havin’ to give that poor babe back into hands what’ll only hurt him.”

“Julian Pulcinella.” Charles nodded. “And, who, then, is Dr. Halifax?”

“He’ll be called. Roberto Amici.” Punch grinned.

“I wish you well, Sir.” Charles said softly.

“Most kind of you.” Punch nodded. “Now, then, let’s see if we can’t find that bothersome wench.”

“Yes, Sir.” Charles replied.

At that very moment, Marie Laveau shrieked as she walked into the larder of her smoke-damages house. She’d gone in to fetch Nellie’s body, so that she and her men could get rid of it. However, she was shocked to find that Nellie’s remains were not alone. There—on the floor of the pantry—Nellie’s body was wrapped in the arms of the corpse of Louis Glapion. The two, together, looked like slumbering lovers.

Hot tears rose in Marie’s eyes. “Oh, there will be punishment! There will be punishment most terrible!”



Did you miss Chapters 1-308? If so, you can read them here.