Chapter 104:
Gamilla
Clad in dressing gowns over their nightshirts, Punch and Robert followed Charles downstairs to the Servants’ Hall. There, Mrs. North and Mr. Speaight were organizing a search party in the hope of finding Gamilla.
Upon seeing the masters, the entire staff rose from the seats.
“Your Grace,” Mrs. North paused, nodding in the direction of Mr. Punch. “Dr. Halifax.”
“Carry on,” Mr. Punch nodded, speaking as Julian.
“Your Grace, not to worry, we’re going to find Gamilla,” Speaight said formally. “We will be searching the estate.”
“Ach. You needn’t worry ‘bout a thin’, Your Grace. We’ll find the wee African lass.” Mrs. North interrupted.
Gerard hurried from his spot—his eyes red and swollen from crying—and went to Punch and Dr. Halifax.
“Sirs…” He rasped, his voice quavering. “Please…”
Mr. Punch put his hand on Gerard’s shoulder and whispered in his own voice, “Don’t ya worry, Gerry. She’s jus’ fine, she is.”
“But…” Gerard trembled, his eyes filling with tears again. “I…if anything…”
“Have I ever lied to ya, Gerry?” Punch asked so quietly that Gerard could barely hear him.
“No, Sir.” Gerard responded softly.
“Well, then, know that our Gamilla is going to be back at your side.”
“Yes, Sir.” Gerard nodded slowly.
Speaight spoke up. “Your Grace, Dr. Halifax, when was the last you saw of Gamilla?”
“Last night,” Robert began, “I spoke to Gamilla and suggested that she take a walk in the courtyard.” He didn’t mention the argument that he’d seen between Gamilla and Gerard nor that he had told the girl to find Gerard in the courtyard and work it out.
“We’ll start there, Sir.” Speaight nodded.
“I’ve already looked there,” Gerard shook his head.
“We’ll look again.” Speaight sighed.
“I don’t know where we should start…” Gerard began. “The estate is so huge, she…” He paused when he heard a commotion coming toward them.
“Mr. Speaight!” Violet screamed as she ran into the hall. “Mr. Speaight!”
“What is it, girl?” Speaight asked.
“I found Gamilla!”
Robert, Punch, Speaight and Gerard sprung to attention and followed Violet out of the Servants’ Hall.
“She’s here, Sirs.” Violet said in a shaky voice.
In a small nook between the wine cellars and the silver vaults—several steps down from the main servants’ hall—Gamilla was sprawled out on the cold stone floor, her black gown spread out into a fan shape around her. She lay—face down—with one arm extended above her head as if she was reaching for something. The alcove was dark, but even in the dim light, Punch could see that Gamilla had been reaching for a stoneware beaker which had been placed several inches above her head.
Gerard rushed to her side. “Gamilla, my darling.” He shook her gently
“Gerard,” Robert said softly.
“Why won’t she wake up, Doctor?” Gerard sobbed.
Robert looked at Mr. Punch. Punch stepped forward and reached gently for Gerard, pulling the man away from Gamilla.
“Violet,” Robert said quickly, “Please go and get me a bowl of warm water and some flannels.”
“Yes, Doctor Halifax.” Violet responded, hurrying out.
Seeing that he was alone with people who knew of his true nature, Mr. Punch felt free to speak as himself. “Gerry, let Dr. Halifax look at her. He’ll help her, he will.”
“Why ain’t she openin’ her eyes, Sir?” Gerard choked.
“Dunno, but Dr. Halfiax is gonna help her.”
“Punch,” Robert looked up. “The beaker there…” He pointed. “What’s in it?”
Mr. Punch walked over and picked up the beaker, sniffing it. He wrinkled his nose. “Chum…”
“Is it?” Robert asked.
Mr. Punch nodded. “It’s whiskey.”
“Whiskey?” Gerard raised his eyebrows. “But, Gamilla don’t…”
Mr. Punch shook his head.
“She’s not hurt,” Robert sighed. “She’s drunk.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-103? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 105 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
Clad in dressing gowns over their nightshirts, Punch and Robert followed Charles downstairs to the Servants’ Hall. There, Mrs. North and Mr. Speaight were organizing a search party in the hope of finding Gamilla.
Upon seeing the masters, the entire staff rose from the seats.
“Your Grace,” Mrs. North paused, nodding in the direction of Mr. Punch. “Dr. Halifax.”
“Carry on,” Mr. Punch nodded, speaking as Julian.
“Your Grace, not to worry, we’re going to find Gamilla,” Speaight said formally. “We will be searching the estate.”
“Ach. You needn’t worry ‘bout a thin’, Your Grace. We’ll find the wee African lass.” Mrs. North interrupted.
Gerard hurried from his spot—his eyes red and swollen from crying—and went to Punch and Dr. Halifax.
“Sirs…” He rasped, his voice quavering. “Please…”
Mr. Punch put his hand on Gerard’s shoulder and whispered in his own voice, “Don’t ya worry, Gerry. She’s jus’ fine, she is.”
“But…” Gerard trembled, his eyes filling with tears again. “I…if anything…”
“Have I ever lied to ya, Gerry?” Punch asked so quietly that Gerard could barely hear him.
“No, Sir.” Gerard responded softly.
“Well, then, know that our Gamilla is going to be back at your side.”
“Yes, Sir.” Gerard nodded slowly.
Speaight spoke up. “Your Grace, Dr. Halifax, when was the last you saw of Gamilla?”
“Last night,” Robert began, “I spoke to Gamilla and suggested that she take a walk in the courtyard.” He didn’t mention the argument that he’d seen between Gamilla and Gerard nor that he had told the girl to find Gerard in the courtyard and work it out.
“We’ll start there, Sir.” Speaight nodded.
“I’ve already looked there,” Gerard shook his head.
“We’ll look again.” Speaight sighed.
“I don’t know where we should start…” Gerard began. “The estate is so huge, she…” He paused when he heard a commotion coming toward them.
“Mr. Speaight!” Violet screamed as she ran into the hall. “Mr. Speaight!”
“What is it, girl?” Speaight asked.
“I found Gamilla!”
Robert, Punch, Speaight and Gerard sprung to attention and followed Violet out of the Servants’ Hall.
“She’s here, Sirs.” Violet said in a shaky voice.
In a small nook between the wine cellars and the silver vaults—several steps down from the main servants’ hall—Gamilla was sprawled out on the cold stone floor, her black gown spread out into a fan shape around her. She lay—face down—with one arm extended above her head as if she was reaching for something. The alcove was dark, but even in the dim light, Punch could see that Gamilla had been reaching for a stoneware beaker which had been placed several inches above her head.
Gerard rushed to her side. “Gamilla, my darling.” He shook her gently
“Gerard,” Robert said softly.
“Why won’t she wake up, Doctor?” Gerard sobbed.
Robert looked at Mr. Punch. Punch stepped forward and reached gently for Gerard, pulling the man away from Gamilla.
“Violet,” Robert said quickly, “Please go and get me a bowl of warm water and some flannels.”
“Yes, Doctor Halifax.” Violet responded, hurrying out.
Seeing that he was alone with people who knew of his true nature, Mr. Punch felt free to speak as himself. “Gerry, let Dr. Halifax look at her. He’ll help her, he will.”
“Why ain’t she openin’ her eyes, Sir?” Gerard choked.
“Dunno, but Dr. Halfiax is gonna help her.”
“Punch,” Robert looked up. “The beaker there…” He pointed. “What’s in it?”
Mr. Punch walked over and picked up the beaker, sniffing it. He wrinkled his nose. “Chum…”
“Is it?” Robert asked.
Mr. Punch nodded. “It’s whiskey.”
“Whiskey?” Gerard raised his eyebrows. “But, Gamilla don’t…”
Mr. Punch shook his head.
“She’s not hurt,” Robert sighed. “She’s drunk.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-103? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 105 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
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