“Here, you gone barmy or somethin’? Ain’t no way that one’s comin’! Chum, did Edward Cage hit ya on the head or somethin’? Cuz you ain’t thinkin’ all logical like what you do. We’re…” He let his voice trail off into a whisper as he looked with irritation at Barbara Allen, “we’re goin’ to find Fuller what’s been taken by Ulrika Rittenhouse.”
“I realize that,” Robert nodded, speaking softly to Mr. Punch. On Punch’s left side, Cecil glared at his brother.
“My son,” Cecil growled. “is still missing! And, you’re suggesting that we bring the very woman who set this whole lot of chaos into motion?”
Robert nodded. “She’s quite mad. And, she’s quite desperate. We need her imbalanced mind. She’ll be willing to do things that we simply wouldn’t allow ourselves to do.”
“You have no idea what I’d be willing to do, Robert.” Cecil bellowed.
“Listen, chum. She talks a nice spell, Barbara does. We all been taken in by her. Adrienne, me, Charles—at one time or another, we all felt sorry for her or believed the nonsense what she pours out. But, it ain’t gonna do no one any good.”
“Robert, get in this carriage this instant or be left behind!” Cecil snapped.
Robert climbed into the carriage with Adrienne and Marjani. As he did, he looked at Barbara and Charles and nodded. “Thank you for offering.”
“No…we didn’t just offer,” Barbara said frantically. “We may not be welcome in your party. But, we will follow behind. Perhaps not to rescue the child you call Fuller, but certainly, to find Ulrika. We may not be united, Dr. Halifax, but we are…one.”
The carriage rode off.
“Come Charles,” Barbara hissed. “We shall find a way to follow them.”
“Barbara…” Charles began.
“My Charles,” Barbara tilted her head to one side. “Don’t begin to question me now. My passion for you is great, but if I am denied what I want, my contempt for you will be greater.”
Charles nodded slowly and followed behind Barbara as she went off in search of a conveyance to Marionneaux.
At that very moment, Iolanthe Evangeline sat in her silken boudoir weeping wildly. Tears fell upon her burned and damaged hands as she studied them.
“Gloves may hide these scars, Marie Laveau!” Iolanthe shouted to the empty room. “But, each time I bathe, I will forever be reminded of your treachery!”
Iolanthe’s tears turned to laughter as she thought of Mala walking through the cold night to the apothecary.
“Mala will return to me,” Iolanthe nodded to herself. “With the tools that I need so that Marie will always be reminded of me as well.”
Little did Iolanthe know, but Mala had been interrupted in her journey.
“Hello, lovely,” Odo slurred.
“Who you talkin’ to, Odo?” Mala snapped.
“You, my dear.” Odo winked. “I’m so glad you know me.”
“Know you? Oh, I know you. You’s Mr. Cage’s boy. I know you, Ty Odo. I also know that I ain’t no more lovely than you is tall ‘n’ handsome. So, quite your fool talk and let me by.”
“What’s a little thing like you doin’ out in the cold, cold, night?” Odo continued.
“None ya!” Mala belched.
“I jus’ wanna see that you’re safe an’ warm.” Odo smiled.
“I ain’t neither. And neither is you!” Mala barked.
“I can make you warm.” Odo winked again.
“Sure, you can.” Mala laughed. “Cuz your sorry skin ‘n’ bones is gonna warm me right up. Sure—jus’ like wrappin’ myself in leather.”
“Honey, I jus’ need ya to do one little thing for me.” Odo smiled.
“I got things that need doin’ already!” Mala growled. “Least Miss Iolanthe, she pay me!”
“I’ll pay you.”
“I don’t want none o’ your kind of pay, Odo.”
“How’d you like a nice warm house for to live in with folk who are nice and pretty things and no men comin’ in and out every minute.” Odo grinned.
“What you mean?”
“I can get Mr. Cage to buy ya. I’ll get ya out of Iolanthe’s house. You can come work with us! It’s nice there. Good food, warm beds, easy work.”
“You think I’m ‘nose-wide-open’ for you, Odo? I don’t believe ya!”
Odo grabbed Mala by the arm. “You gonna help me, woman!”
Did you miss Chapters 1-408? If so, you can read them here.
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