Punch's Cousin, Chapter 387

Cecil bounded into the house and snarled at a shocked Edward Cage, "So we'll find nothing?" He raised up the child he held in his arms.

Mr. Punch gasped. "Colin! Give him go me!"

Cecil gently placed the baby in Punch's arms. Punch cooed with delight at the child who greedily and happily reached for his nose.

"It seems, Officers, that your beloved, model citizen is nothing but a filthy liar." Cecil spat.

"Have you anything to say, Mr. Cage?" Robert bellowed.

"Just that the boy is mine." Edward replied with an eerie calm.

"He most certainly ain't!" Punch barked.

"He isn't!" Adrienne panted as she joined the others in the house. "And furthermore, this man knows the whereabouts of my own son. Where is he?"

"How should I know? I only keep track of my own children--not the offspring of some tart and some savage artist."

"You're scum, Sir." Cecil snapped.

"Now, wait just a minute." the older officer interrupted. "Show some respect."

"For whom?" Robert scoffed. "An abductor of children."

"How could I abduct my own child?" Edward smirked. "Gentlemen, you were among the party who greeted me when I came here to my second home. Did I not arrive from Marionneaux with my wife and two sons--one of whom was the child that that madman is now holding?"

"You did," the younger officer smiled.

"And, Mrs. Halifax, did you yourself not visit me and my wife in Marionneaux to congratulate us on the arrival of our second son?"

"I came to you that day to see the child for myself and to witness what I already knew--that you purchased that boy from Iolanthe Evangeline."

"How dare you?" Edward spat.

"Mr. Cage!" Zettie shouted as she rushed into the foyer. "Miss Rittenhouse and that Miss Allen are killin' each other in the workshop!"

"Let them!" Edward screamed. "I got more important things to worry about!" He turned to the officers. "I want you two to remove these people from my house and leave my family in peace."

"We'll leave." Punch nodded. "With my boy."

"My boy.". Edward shook his head.

"Seems to me one person can solve this," the elder officer smiled.

"Who?" Punch frowned.

"The child's mother."

"She's out in the shed, killin' Ulrika Rittenhouse." Punch scowled.

"I mean Mrs. Cage."

"My wife is very ill," Edward shook his head uncomfortably.

"Won't take but a minute, Sir."

"Here, that's a bloody fine idea." Punch smiled. "Go ask Mrs. Cage. She'll tell ya who this child belongs to."




Did you miss Chapters 1-386? If so, you can read them in the Chapter Archive.