Chapter 96:
Locking the Door
Mr. Punch rolled over, being careful not to upset Dog Toby who lay in between his masters, and whispered to Robert, “Chum? Are ya sleepin’?”
“No,” Robert responded softly.
“Why not?” Punch asked.
Robert chuckled. “I don’t know, dear Punch. I’ve just not fallen asleep yet.”
“Are ya worried, Chum?” Punch asked quietly.
“Not so much worried as I am perplexed.”
Punch sighed.
“We searched this whole house.” Robert sat up, arranging his pillows behind his back.
“Want me to light a candle?” Punch asked.
“No need. Unless you want to.”
“No.” Punch muttered.
“We looked all over,” Robert continued. “Yet, we found nothing out of the ordinary.”
“It’s real dark in here, it is, Chum.” Punch muttered. “Maybe Dog Toby wants a candle lit.”
“Maybe he does.” Robert smiled in the darkness. “I’ll get one.” He began to get out of the bed.
“Where ya goin’?” Punch asked quickly.
“To the fire to get a spill.” Robert paused.
“Oh.” Punch mumbled. “You don’t gotta do that.”
“I thought Dog Toby…”
“What’s he know?” Punch interrupted. “He’s asleep. He don’t know if he wants a candle lit or not.”
Robert settled back onto the bed.
“We both heard that cry, we did.” Punch grumbled.
“I know. And, Gamilla did as well. So did Toby.”
“So somethin’ had to make the noise.” Punch frowned.
“Yes.” Robert replied, reaching over the terrier to take Punch’s hand. “But, it could have been anything. Parts of this castle are over eight-hundred years old. It’s entirely conceivable that we heard some bird, an owl…or some kind of animal which has gotten into the house.”
“Animals don’t hold knives.” Mr. Punch grunted.
“Not typically.” Robert sighed. “However, Dear Punch, the passage was quite dark and Gamilla must be exhausted. Haven’t your eyes ever played tricks on you in the dark?”
“Everythin’ I got plays tricks on me all the time.” Punch replied. “But, Chum, what Gamilla saw was just the way Nanny Rittenhouse described the haint what wanders the Grange. It ain’t like Gamilla’s thoughts was influenced by the story since she ain’t never heard no such story ‘fore. She described it without knowin’, Chum.”
“I know.” Robert replied gently.
“Now, I know you ain’t one to believe in such things as haints and shades, but you gotta admit that you seen some things in the last year what don’t got no answer what you can ‘xplain with your science.”
“This is true.” Robert answered.
“See? I do. I do believe in spirits and such since I seen ‘em before. And, I mean me—Mr. Punch-not Julian who sees all sorts of things what ain’t there. I mean me! When I was usin’ the body. When I was in control of the thoughts and what we saw. I seen Naasir after he died—several times. And, I seen the ghost of Nanny Rittenhouse and Julian’s ma and all.”
“I know that you have, my dear.”
“So, it’s quite possible what Gamilla saw were really the ghost of Lucas Molliner.”
“I suppose it is possible.” Robert squeezed Punch’s hand.
“Listen, I ain’t scared me-self, I ain’t. Only it worries me for Colin. I don’t want nothin’ to upset him, Chum. Not our little boy. And, what of the girls? Now, I ‘spect that the maids what live and work here is used to it—to seein’ such things. But, Ethel and Jenny and Vi—they just came. And, Mrs. Pepper! Ain’t no good scarin’ them. Even Gerry and Charles and such. Bugger, even ol’ Speaight is a jumpy creature. We brought ‘em out here for a holiday, not to be haunted by some ol’ dead ancestor o’ mine…er…Julian’s.”
“My love,” Robert smiled. Punch could see his eyes and teeth even in the darkened room and felt comforted by the grin. “You say it’s possible that it’s the ghost of Lucas Molliner, but it’s also possible that it’s a living human being who is trying to fool us.”
“Who’d want to do that?”
“Who’d want to kill William Stover and leave him in our property so that we’d be blamed for his death?” Robert shrugged. “Why has anyone ever tried to torture us?”
“Dunno.” Punch grumbled. “Greed? Jealousy? Madness?”
“Or both.” Robert nodded.
“But, the folks what’s here is our friends.”
“All of them?” Robert asked. “We know our own people, of course. But, what of the Grange’s staff?”
“Well…” Punch answered thoughtfully. “Most of ‘em have been ‘round since our pa were alive. Mrs. North and Johnny and Finlay.”
“But, there are others whom we don’t know.”
“Yes.”
“Similarly, by now, I’m sure most of London knows we’ve left for Scotland. It’s not impossible to think that one or more of the very people we wished to escape have come to torment us further.”
“But, they’d have to be someone who knew the story of Lucas Molliner’s haint!”
“Who else knew the story?”
“Just me and Barbara.” Punch replied. “We’re all that’s left. Everyone else what I can think of that knew ‘bout that is dead. It were a story what Nanny Rittenhouse told us. Don’t think she ever saw anyone else.”
“She’d had to have learned it from someone. My dear, didn’t Nanny Rittenhouse accompany the family on their visits here? Especially when your mother stopped coming. She must have heard the tale from one of the staff here. Possibly even Mrs. North or that bearded groundsman, Johnny Donnan.”
“Hadn’t thought of that.”
“I’m sure that the story is legend in these parts.” Robert continued. “Furthermore, anyone from any of the nearby estates could have heard the tale from someone here and passed it on.”
“I s’pect so.” Punch nodded. “Still, ghost or not ghost, I’m still worried that someone or somethin’ is walkin’ ‘round the house where our son is—with a knife.”
“I’m concerned, too.” Robert sighed. “However, we needed worry about Colin. The door to the nursery has been locked and the only other entrance to that room is through ours. No one will get to him.”
“But, shades can go through walls and such.” Punch frowned.
“Would you like for me to bring his bassinette in here?”
“Yes, please.” Punch nodded.
“Very well.” Robert replied, getting out of bed.
“I’ll come, too.” Punch scurried out of the bed.
“You can carry Colin.” Robert nodded. He paused. “You do understand that as long as there’s breath in my body no one will ever harm you? Not ever again. When you were poisoned, I vowed that I would be more vigilant.”
“You don’t gotta tell me that, Chum.” Punch embraced Robert. “I know. You always looked out for me—even before we was chums. Ever since the day you doctored up Julian’s body after that terrible day in Covent Garden—I knew you’d protect us. And, then, there you was on the ship and…”
“I failed you.” Robert gulped. “I let harm come to you while we lived in the same house. I’m supposed to be caring for you.”
“We’re supposed to be caring for each other…and for Colin and for Dog Toby and for them folks what live in our house. But, Chum, we can’t stop the world from goin’. We can’t make folk stop bein’ evil. We just gotta do what we can.”
Punch chuckled.
“What is it, Dear Punch?”
“I s’pose I jus’ taught me-self a lesson. Here I been worried ‘bout protectin’ Colin from somethin’ what we don’t know ‘bout. But, I only just realized that the best we can do is guard against what we know and, then, take everythin’ else as it comes.”
“Do you want to leave Colin in his room?” Robert asked.
“No. Not at all.” Punch laughed. “Even if we take everythin’ as it comes, don’t mean we gotta open the door for it to enter.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-95? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 97.
Mr. Punch rolled over, being careful not to upset Dog Toby who lay in between his masters, and whispered to Robert, “Chum? Are ya sleepin’?”
“No,” Robert responded softly.
“Why not?” Punch asked.
Robert chuckled. “I don’t know, dear Punch. I’ve just not fallen asleep yet.”
“Are ya worried, Chum?” Punch asked quietly.
“Not so much worried as I am perplexed.”
Punch sighed.
“We searched this whole house.” Robert sat up, arranging his pillows behind his back.
“Want me to light a candle?” Punch asked.
“No need. Unless you want to.”
“No.” Punch muttered.
“We looked all over,” Robert continued. “Yet, we found nothing out of the ordinary.”
“It’s real dark in here, it is, Chum.” Punch muttered. “Maybe Dog Toby wants a candle lit.”
“Maybe he does.” Robert smiled in the darkness. “I’ll get one.” He began to get out of the bed.
“Where ya goin’?” Punch asked quickly.
“To the fire to get a spill.” Robert paused.
“Oh.” Punch mumbled. “You don’t gotta do that.”
“I thought Dog Toby…”
“What’s he know?” Punch interrupted. “He’s asleep. He don’t know if he wants a candle lit or not.”
Robert settled back onto the bed.
“We both heard that cry, we did.” Punch grumbled.
“I know. And, Gamilla did as well. So did Toby.”
“So somethin’ had to make the noise.” Punch frowned.
“Yes.” Robert replied, reaching over the terrier to take Punch’s hand. “But, it could have been anything. Parts of this castle are over eight-hundred years old. It’s entirely conceivable that we heard some bird, an owl…or some kind of animal which has gotten into the house.”
“Animals don’t hold knives.” Mr. Punch grunted.
“Not typically.” Robert sighed. “However, Dear Punch, the passage was quite dark and Gamilla must be exhausted. Haven’t your eyes ever played tricks on you in the dark?”
“Everythin’ I got plays tricks on me all the time.” Punch replied. “But, Chum, what Gamilla saw was just the way Nanny Rittenhouse described the haint what wanders the Grange. It ain’t like Gamilla’s thoughts was influenced by the story since she ain’t never heard no such story ‘fore. She described it without knowin’, Chum.”
“I know.” Robert replied gently.
“Now, I know you ain’t one to believe in such things as haints and shades, but you gotta admit that you seen some things in the last year what don’t got no answer what you can ‘xplain with your science.”
“This is true.” Robert answered.
“See? I do. I do believe in spirits and such since I seen ‘em before. And, I mean me—Mr. Punch-not Julian who sees all sorts of things what ain’t there. I mean me! When I was usin’ the body. When I was in control of the thoughts and what we saw. I seen Naasir after he died—several times. And, I seen the ghost of Nanny Rittenhouse and Julian’s ma and all.”
“I know that you have, my dear.”
“So, it’s quite possible what Gamilla saw were really the ghost of Lucas Molliner.”
“I suppose it is possible.” Robert squeezed Punch’s hand.
“Listen, I ain’t scared me-self, I ain’t. Only it worries me for Colin. I don’t want nothin’ to upset him, Chum. Not our little boy. And, what of the girls? Now, I ‘spect that the maids what live and work here is used to it—to seein’ such things. But, Ethel and Jenny and Vi—they just came. And, Mrs. Pepper! Ain’t no good scarin’ them. Even Gerry and Charles and such. Bugger, even ol’ Speaight is a jumpy creature. We brought ‘em out here for a holiday, not to be haunted by some ol’ dead ancestor o’ mine…er…Julian’s.”
“My love,” Robert smiled. Punch could see his eyes and teeth even in the darkened room and felt comforted by the grin. “You say it’s possible that it’s the ghost of Lucas Molliner, but it’s also possible that it’s a living human being who is trying to fool us.”
“Who’d want to do that?”
“Who’d want to kill William Stover and leave him in our property so that we’d be blamed for his death?” Robert shrugged. “Why has anyone ever tried to torture us?”
“Dunno.” Punch grumbled. “Greed? Jealousy? Madness?”
“Or both.” Robert nodded.
“But, the folks what’s here is our friends.”
“All of them?” Robert asked. “We know our own people, of course. But, what of the Grange’s staff?”
“Well…” Punch answered thoughtfully. “Most of ‘em have been ‘round since our pa were alive. Mrs. North and Johnny and Finlay.”
“But, there are others whom we don’t know.”
“Yes.”
“Similarly, by now, I’m sure most of London knows we’ve left for Scotland. It’s not impossible to think that one or more of the very people we wished to escape have come to torment us further.”
“But, they’d have to be someone who knew the story of Lucas Molliner’s haint!”
“Who else knew the story?”
“Just me and Barbara.” Punch replied. “We’re all that’s left. Everyone else what I can think of that knew ‘bout that is dead. It were a story what Nanny Rittenhouse told us. Don’t think she ever saw anyone else.”
“She’d had to have learned it from someone. My dear, didn’t Nanny Rittenhouse accompany the family on their visits here? Especially when your mother stopped coming. She must have heard the tale from one of the staff here. Possibly even Mrs. North or that bearded groundsman, Johnny Donnan.”
“Hadn’t thought of that.”
“I’m sure that the story is legend in these parts.” Robert continued. “Furthermore, anyone from any of the nearby estates could have heard the tale from someone here and passed it on.”
“I s’pect so.” Punch nodded. “Still, ghost or not ghost, I’m still worried that someone or somethin’ is walkin’ ‘round the house where our son is—with a knife.”
“I’m concerned, too.” Robert sighed. “However, we needed worry about Colin. The door to the nursery has been locked and the only other entrance to that room is through ours. No one will get to him.”
“But, shades can go through walls and such.” Punch frowned.
“Would you like for me to bring his bassinette in here?”
“Yes, please.” Punch nodded.
“Very well.” Robert replied, getting out of bed.
“I’ll come, too.” Punch scurried out of the bed.
“You can carry Colin.” Robert nodded. He paused. “You do understand that as long as there’s breath in my body no one will ever harm you? Not ever again. When you were poisoned, I vowed that I would be more vigilant.”
“You don’t gotta tell me that, Chum.” Punch embraced Robert. “I know. You always looked out for me—even before we was chums. Ever since the day you doctored up Julian’s body after that terrible day in Covent Garden—I knew you’d protect us. And, then, there you was on the ship and…”
“I failed you.” Robert gulped. “I let harm come to you while we lived in the same house. I’m supposed to be caring for you.”
“We’re supposed to be caring for each other…and for Colin and for Dog Toby and for them folks what live in our house. But, Chum, we can’t stop the world from goin’. We can’t make folk stop bein’ evil. We just gotta do what we can.”
Punch chuckled.
“What is it, Dear Punch?”
“I s’pose I jus’ taught me-self a lesson. Here I been worried ‘bout protectin’ Colin from somethin’ what we don’t know ‘bout. But, I only just realized that the best we can do is guard against what we know and, then, take everythin’ else as it comes.”
“Do you want to leave Colin in his room?” Robert asked.
“No. Not at all.” Punch laughed. “Even if we take everythin’ as it comes, don’t mean we gotta open the door for it to enter.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-95? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 97.
3 comments:
Great dialogue, great chapter.
"Even if we take everythin' as it comes, don't mean we gotta open the door for it to enter."
Mr. Punch is very wise, indeed.
Thank you, Darcy! Mr. Punch's innocence, I think, allows him a wisdom which most people ignore.
I agree! Great chapter.
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