Barbara Allen walked slowly into Marie Laveau’s front parlor, looking down at the floor with each step.
Marie frowned. “What you want, Miss Allen? We’re in the middle of important business.”
“I heard that my brother was staying here.” Barbara answered, still not looking up.
“From whom?” Robert asked.
“That doesn’t matter, Dr. Halifax.”
“Sure it does,” Punch spoke up. “It matters much, it does. Who knows that we’re here?”
“All of New Orleans knows.” Barbara snorted. “Julian, do you honestly think you’re being inconspicuous? Didn’t you imagine that the city would be abuzz when the Duke of Fallbridge and his entire weary party entered the home of Marie Laveau and stayed over night? It saddens me that you think you’re incognito. You’ll never be incognito.”
“So, who specifically told you where to find us?” Robert asked firmly.
“Big Ollie.” Barbara shrugged, finally looking up. She seemed confused to see Lily and her baby sitting with her brother, Marie and Robert.
“Big Ollie?” Marie scoffed. “What you doin’ with a beast like that?”
“I see that you are, in fact, quite involved.” Barbara muttered. “I won’t take much of your time.”
“What’s this Big Ollie?” Punch chirped.
“He’s a ‘business man.’” Marie chuckled. “He true giant. He smells like a bucket of slop.”
“What sort of business is this man in?” Robert asked.
“Dirty business.” Marie smiled. “Not that I’m one to judge. Ollie makes problems go away, and he helps people get money for items that they don’t want to keep anymore.”
“Like a pawn shop?” Robert asked.
“In a way.” Marie shook her head. “If anyone can stand to look at Ollie and to smell him, he’ll sell whatever you bring to him. Don’t think he does it out of kindness. He gets his cut—a big cut.”
“How do you know this man, Barbara?” Punch asked.
“I brought him something.” Barbara confessed. “To sell for me.”
“What?” Robert demanded.
“This.” Barbara sighed, reaching into the pocket of her grubby apron and removing the tremendous, glittering blue diamond.
“Coo!” Punch stood up. “Me pa’s diamond!”
“Here,” Barbara extended her hand. She deposited the stone in Punch’s palm.
“How did you…” Punch began. He looked into Barbara’s eyes. “I thought you lost this…”
“I did.” Barbara smiled weakly. “Many times over. But, I managed to get it back from Ulrika Rittenhouse.”
“That ginger cow…” Punch grumbled.
“I brought the diamond to Big Ollie to sell for me. I wanted to use the proceeds to fund—well, it doesn’t matter now.”
“So, why are you givin’ this back to me?” Punch asked his master’s sister. “After all you went through to steal it. You know—you ruined me master’s…” He paused. “My puppet. The puppet our pa gave to Julian as a little boy. It were very special it was. But, you tore it to pieces when you ran off. You killed it and you stole this diamond. Our pa’s diamond.”
“It’s your diamond now.” Barbara frowned. “As it should be. You’re the heir. All that belonged to our parents now belongs to you. You should have it. It’s too late—much too late for me to apologize for all that I did. But, now, at least…well, at least I can return this to you."
“How’d ya get it back?” Marie squinted. “Ollie ain’t one to give up somethin’ once he’s got it.”
“I gave him something he wanted all the more.”
“What would that big tree want more than…” Marie began, then, she realized what Barbara had done.
“It doesn’t matter.” Barbara replied quickly. “It’s just a drop in the bucket. I can’t right the grievous mistakes I’ve made and I can’t erase the pain I’ve brought, but, I can…well…perhaps, one day, little Colin will hold his grandfather’s diamond in his hand.”
“No.” Mr. Punch shook his head. “He won’t.”
“Is it cursed?” Marie asked with keen curiosity. “You always here ‘bout these big famous gems bein’ cursed.”
“It ain’t cursed.” Mr. Punch smiled. “It’s blessed.”
“Oh,” Marie sighed, disappointed. As someone who dealt in curses on a regular basis, she was hoping to hear a juicy tail of intrigue and pain.
“What are you saying, Julian?” Barbara asked.
“What I’m saying, Barbara, is that by doing the right thing for once, you’re giving your son the greatest gift a mother ever could.”
“What’s that?” Barbara wondered, her eyes widening.
Punch extended his hand and offered the diamond to Lily who took it greedily.
“His freedom,” Punch grinned.
Did you miss Chapters 1-484? If so, you can read them here.
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