Mr. Punch pursed his lips and twisted his hands together nervously. Julian’s diamond ring glinted brightly on their shared left index finger. Punch studied it carefully.
“There’s no need to be nervous, dear Punch.” Robert smiled.
“I ain’t nervous.” Mr. Punch responded. He frowned. “Well, maybe a little.”
“We’ll just speak with the young woman. We need not suggest anything right away—not if she doesn’t seem receptive to the idea.”
Punch nodded absent-mindedly. “Nice of Marie to let us use her front room and to arrange all this for us, it is.”
“Yes, it is.” Robert agreed, watching Punch begin to pace the room.
“Only,” Punch mumbled, “I don’t know who to be.”
“Sorry?”
“I don’t know who to be, Chum.” Punch replied more clearly.
“Ah,” Robert sighed.
“See, we’re gonna ask this girl to give up her baby.” Punch began to chatter in his usual anxious manner.
“Marie has suggested that this girl—Lily—has voiced a desire to see the child adopted.” Robert answered gently.
“Thinkin’ ‘bout somethin’ and doin’ somethin’ are two different things.” Mr. Punch snorted. “I think ‘bout lot of things what I don’t do. Coo! If I did everythin’ I thought ‘bout, there’d be a line of folks with bashed-in heads from here all the way to England.”
“I’m sure that’s true. But, murdering people and helping a young woman can’t really be equated. We’re offering this girl an opportunity to give her son a more privileged upbringing.”
“Are we?” Punch asked. “We’re asking her to give her baby to a man what we didn’t see fit to raise our own son—a man we fought to make sure he couldn’t raise our Colin.”
“But, for this young lady’s boy, a life with Mr. Cage must surely be preferable to a life of poverty and uncertainty.”
“Is it?” Punch grumbled. “I don’t know. Maybe we’re bein’ selfish.”
“Perhaps we are.” Robert nodded. “However, sometimes a little selfishness is necessary for survival.”
“I ‘spose.” Punch sniffed. “But, there’s more, Chum. Edward Cage ain’t no fool. He’s gonna realize that we’re up to somethin’. And, surely he’s gonna see that the child we give him—if Lily agrees—is not the same boy that was in his house for all those weeks.”
“Not necessarily.” Robert smiled. “Edward Cage is more obsessed with the idea of the child than he is with the child himself. We know quite well that the boy was more with the servants than he was with Mr. Cage.”
“What of Mrs. Cage? She’ll know.”
“She will.” Robert agreed. “However, I don’t think she’ll say anything.”
“Maybe.”
“Think of it, Mr. Punch.” Robert began. “If Lily agrees and we can make this exchange, when the new ship is prepared in a few days, we’ll be able to leave this country and return to England comfortable in the knowledge that no one is going to come after us. We can take Colin home freely, content that he’ll have the life he deserves. We won’t have to live in fear.”
“At what cost?” Punch asked.
“Now you sound like Julian.” Robert said softly.
“I know!” Punch blurted anxiously. “That’s the other thing what’s troublin’ me! Who should I be? When this girl gets here, who should talk to her?”
“Is Julian in any condition to…to…take over?” Robert asked cautiously.
“No.” Punch sighed. “Only I could pretend—like I done before. Wouldn’t the girl be more likely to go along with our scheme if the man what proposed it was a refined, gentle Duke and not some rough puppet-man?”
“You’re both equally charming.” Robert winked.
“Now, we both know that ain’t true.” Punch frowned. “But, I ‘preciate you sayin’ it.”
“No, no. I am sincere.” Robert answered. “Personally, I think you should be yourself, Mr. Punch. She’ll see that you are genuine and kind. I don’t think that there’s any difference if you speak as yourself or you affect Julian’s voice and mannerisms. Your sincerity will show no matter how you speak. We can only be honest with the girl.”
“That’s fair.” Punch nodded. “Only…”
He was interrupted by a gently knock on the corridor door which gently opened as Marie Laveau entered, followed by a young woman carrying a child.
“Coo!” Punch exclaimed as he looked at the baby. “He does look like our Colin.”
The girl looked nervously at Mr. Punch.
“Hullo, Lily,” Punch said gently. “I’m…well, I’m called the Duke of Fallbridge. Me friends call me Mr. Punch and I hope you’ll do the same. I’m from England. This is me chum and companion, Dr. Robert Halifax. His friends call him Robert. We want to talk with you ‘bout givin’ your boy a new life.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-480? If so, you can read them here.
No comments:
Post a Comment