Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 406

Odo’s ability to creep behind Mama Routhe was somewhat impaired behind his intoxicated state. Of all of the things about himself in which Odo took pride—and, there were many—it was his skills as a lurker of which he was the proudest. Odo, of course, also prided himself in his capacity for spirits. However, after his ordeal with the authorities who had hauled him off upon finding the murdered Agnes Rittenhouse, his nerves were more rattled than usual. Naturally, he imbibed more than usual, and was, therefore, not at his best.


Now, Mama Routhe was no fool. While not quite as developed as Marjani’s, Mama had a sense about things that were to come. Considering, also, that the child she held in her arms had already been taken from her once before by Nellie, she was sure to be especially careful as she traveled to the safe house.

Odo’s uneven footsteps alerted Mama that she was being followed. She didn’t bother to look over her shoulder. She knew without looking that the clacking feet that followed her through the night were not approaching to offer assistance.

But, Mama—again, being no fool—didn’t engage in the obvious reaction of quickening her step. “Why should I done give him power over me?” She thought to herself. So, instead of walking faster, she began to weave—walking from banquette to banquette, turning into alleys and coming out again, lazily circling boxes and lamps and obstacles.

Odo, being utterly drunk, found these tactics to be not only annoying, but quite dizzying.

Mama grinned to herself when she heard the footsteps behind her pause and, then, the vile sound of retching.

At that moment, she began to quicken her steps and, within a few minutes, felt the rough wood of the door on her fingers as she knocked the special knock of the safe house.

Sighing with relief, the door closing behind her, she proudly held Colin up for her friends to see.

“We gonna help a for true English duke!”

A buzz of excitement arose in the dim room as half a dozen happy faces greeted Mama and Colin.

Odo—poor, sick, awful, wicked Odo—shivered in the cold and wiped his mouth. Vomiting had, actually, made him feel a little better and he began to study his surroundings.

“Where’d she…” Odo began aloud, and then he realized where he was.

There was only one place for a woman like Mama Routhe to be going at that hour of the night. Odo’d never been there himself. He was quite content in service to the Cages’ and saw no reason to be free. In fact, he’d fight anyone who tried to take him from the comfort of the Cages’ two opulent mansions. But, he knew about the safe house. He’d heard those he considered weak and disloyal talking about it.

“You ain’t gonna get away from Odo,” He slurred loudly as he stumbled forward.



Did you miss Chapters 1-405? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday, December 5, 2011 for Chapter 407 of Punch’s Cousin.