Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 316

Marie Laveau wrapped her headscarf tightly around her head and studied herself in the smoky looking glass. She wiped away the soot with her hands and scowled at her own reflection.

“Ashes will fall.” Marie mumbled under her breath. She began to rummage through the top drawer of her vanity, casting aside cheap glass bangles and strings of garishly-colored beads until she found the objects for which she was looking. Around her neck she hung a string of orange beads and on her wrists she slipped matching orange bangles. She grinned at her own reflection. “The color of flames,” she whispered.

Spinning on her heel, she shouted for her daughter. “Marie!”

“Yes, Mama,” Young Marie hurried into the room.

“Ya got ‘em ready?”

“Which?” Young Marie asked. “The bodies or the snakes?”

“Both!” Marie growled. “Everything! All of it.”

“Yes, Mama.” Young Marie grinned. “It’s all ready.”

“Good.” Marie nodded. “Now, get the men in order. We got a long way to go!”

At that very moment, at Iolanthe’s bawdy house, Barbara Allen continued to splash in the water of her bathtub.

“Look how clean it is, Charles.” She murmured. “Water makes all of our sins disappear.”

“Not all of them, my dear Barbara.” Charles shook his head slowly.

“What you need is a bath,” Barbara said brightly. “Oh! Let’s call Mala. She’ll pour you a bath, and we won’t charge you a penny. We can consider it a gift. Yes, a gift. You’ve been so good to me, the least I can do is make sure you’re comfortable.”

“I don’t want a bath!” Charles spat. “I want you to come with me.”

“No.” Barbara frowned. “You don’t understand.”

“I don’t.” Charles said softly. He knelt down by the tub and looked Barbara Allen squarely in the face.

“Are you going to kiss me?” Barbara said coyly.

“I want to talk with you.” Charles said evenly.

“That’s all that you’ve been doing.” Barbara smiled. “At least Arthur didn’t talk so much.”

“Barbara, please listen to me.” Charles began, but he was interrupted by loud screaming further down the corridor.

“Charles!” Mr. Punch shouted.

“Stay here, Barbara.” Charles stood up quickly.

“Where would I go?” Barbara grinned madly. “I’m enjoying my bath.”

Charles shook his head and rushed out of the door to find Mr. Punch darting about the passage.

“I done it!” Punch chattered. “I done it!”

“What?” Charles said, taking Punch’s shaking hands.

“I beat them devils!” Punch squealed.



Did you miss Chapters 1-315? If so, you can read them here.