Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square Will Continue Monday

Poor Mr. Punch.  He had a few weeks of peace with Robert and Colin after they returned to England from New Orleans.  They'd settled in nicely to Punch's/the Duke's handsome Belgrave Square mansion, hired a pleasant governess for Colin and enjoyed a dutiful staff (with the exception of one nasty house maid called Hortence).  Punch even managed to navigate a meeting with Prince Albert without revealing the fact that he was two men in one.

All seemed to be going well.  Punch was designing a gift for Queen Victoria (with stag's teeth from Prince Albert's kills) and had all sorts of good food to eat courtesy of their cook, Mrs. Pepper.  Colin seemed content with his new governess and his old friend, Gamilla.  Robert was establishing himself as a popular physician (he only lost one patient--the old Lord Glencaron) and was very happy with his new life with Mr. Punch.  Gerard and Charles were grateful form their new positions.  Even Dog Toby had no complaints.

But, then, Hortence was caught by Ellen, the governess, snooping around the Duke's door.  So, of course Robert had to dismiss her.  The nasty maid threatened to go to the press with a story of the Duke's "madness" and the relationship between the Duke and Robert.  Robert didn't want to worry Punch with this, so he kept it to himself. 

Things became a little more tense when Ellen received a mysterious gift of flowers from a man named "Victor."  Could Victor have been Victor Geddes, the Baron of Lensdown--Ellen's former employer with whom she was rumored to have had an affair?  The man who delivered the flowers, according to the kitchen-maid, Jenny, bore no resemblance to the baron.

Ellen was further rattled to find a letter addressed to the Duke on the front steps.  Mr. Punch discovered that unsigned letter was a threat to expose him as "mad" and Ellen suggested that Hortence was behind it.  Punch was shocked to learn that Robert had hidden Hortence's threats from him, but the two made up.

Later, Punch was disturbed by the arrival of two visitors.  One was the nosy Lady Constance whose dinner invitation seemed to hide a darker intention.  The other was a man who called himself, Victor Geddes.  But this man was clearly not the baron of the same name.

A mystery is brewing at No.65 Belgrave Square which promises to further compromise the peaceful home life of Robert and Mr. Punch.  Matters will become more complicated when Punch is summoned by a very pregnant Queen Victoria.  What does Her Majesty have to do with these peculiar events?  Meanwhile, Ellen finds herself in the middle of a war which could ruin her.  Charles finds a new friend and Gerard will be tempted by an old friend.  Furthermore, a face from Robert's past will cause some trouble for Belgravia's most popular doctor.

We ended the week with Mr. Punch being choked by the man who called himself Victor Geddes.  Ellen, on the other hand, referred to the man as “Roger,” when she begged him to unhand her employer.  Could this dangerous fellow really be her brother?  There’s a lot in store for you this week.  You won’t want to miss a chapter. 

If you've missed any chapters of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, you can read them in the Chapter Archive and short summaries of each chapter give you an advanced taste.