Stopping in his tracks, Punch took a deep breath and pictured their body’s arms. “Go on, arms!” He shouted. “Start movin’.”
Suddenly, in the parlor of their borrowed Royal Street mansion, Julian’s arms began to thrash wildly. His eyes popped open.
“Quiet now, Duke.” Iolanthe hissed as she continued to choke him. “Let go of your awful life.”
“He don’t need lettin’ go!” Gamilla screamed. “Let him be!”
“Here!” Punch rasped through Julian’s throat as he realized what was happening. “Let me go!”
Iolanthe fell backward onto the floor and sniffed. “You try to do something nice…” She muttered as she examined her raw, injured hands.
“Nice?” Punch coughed and sputtered as he made their body sit up. “By killin’ me master’s body.”
“Well, look at you!” Iolanthe barked. “You’ve been unconscious and the first thing you say is something peculiar like that. I was just trying to put you out of your misery!”
“I ain’t miserable!” Punch coughed. “Here, what’s your problem, anyway? This ain’t the first time we caught ya tryin’ to kill someone in order to ‘put them out of their misery!’ What’s wrong with you?”
“Gratitude.” Iolanthe grunted.
Punch looked at Gamilla and shrugged. “You know what I think it is, Gamilla?”
“What’s that, Sir?”
“I think this one here is so bothered that she got that child what’s not right in the head and she feels so guilty ‘bout it that she thinks she’s doin’ somethin’ good when she tries to kill someone—so they won’t suffer. All cuz she can’t keep her own son from not sufferin’.”
“Sounds pretty smart to me, Sir.” Gamilla smiled.
“Don’t speak of my son.” Iolanthe hissed.
“Coo! What’s wrong with your hands?”
“Marie,” Iolanthe spat. “She hurt me! Punishment for helping you escape.”
“Where’s me chum?” Punch asked Gamilla. “He can help this woman.”
“Why bother?” Iolanthe grumbled.
“Listen, Ogress, I hate you. Ain’t no mistakin’ that. But, it ain’t right to let no one suffer, it isn’t. Even if I hate you, it don’t mean I think you should be hurt. Now, where’s the doctor?”
“He gone out.” Gamilla said softly.
“Where to?”
Gamilla hesitated—unsure if she should tell Mr. Punch that the babies had been taken.
“Somethin’ bad happened?” Punch asked.
“Yes, Sir.” Gamilla nodded.
“Go on, then.” Punch threw up his hands. “Tell me!”
“That Rittenhouse woman…” Gamilla began.
“The ginger?”
“No, Sir.”
“The old one?” Punch narrowed his eyes.
“Yes.” Gamilla nodded. “She took Masters Fuller and Colin.”
“What?” Punch rose to his feet, staggering slightly.
“She did?” Iolanthe’s eyes widened.
“This don’t concern you, Ogress.” Punch snapped.
“I should say it does.” Iolanthe grinned.
“When?”
“While you was on the floor, Sir.” Gamilla answered softly. “’Bout an hour ago. Mr. and Missus Halifax done gone to look for ‘em. Gerry, too, Sir. Left me here for to look after ya.”
“Bloody Hell!” Punch shouted. He turned to Iolanthe. “And, you don’t know nothin’ ‘bout this, I ‘spose?”
“Actually, no.” Iolanthe shrugged. “If you recall, I was with you at the Place Congo until Marie burned me.”
“Bullox!” Punch spat. “Bloody bullox hell!” He snorted. “Well, I gotta help them! Where’d they go. Hold on…you said that Cecil and Adrienne went to look for ‘em. Where’s me chum and Marjani?”
“Mr. Cage’s.”
“Why?” Iolanthe interrupted.
“Shut yer gob, Ogress!” Punch growled.
Iolanthe chuckled.
“Mrs. Cage, see, she got the Yellow Fever. The doctor and Marjani done gone to help her.”
“Corliss Cage has the Yellow Jack?” Iolanthe grinned.
“Didn’t I tell you to shut yer gob?” Punch sighed.
“You did. That doesn’t mean I’ll do what you say.” Iolanthe smirked.
“I hate you.” Punch grumbled. “Well, then, I gotta go to them first, I think. Them Cages are still up the street?”
“They are.” Gamilla nodded.
“I’ll come with you.” Iolanthe offered.
“No.” Punch squinted, then he paused. “Only I can’t leave you here either with Gamilla.”
“True. I may steal her.” Iolanthe winked at the girl who blushed and shivered.
Punch shook his head. “Well, come on, then.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-370? If so, you can read them here.
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