Chapter 234
Usual
“Your Grace,” Lennie smiled as Punch and Robert, dressed handsomely for dinner, descended the winding staircase, “Dr. Halifax.”
“Miss Molliner,” Punch bowed dramatically. He laughed. “Ain’t we elegant? Lennie, you look very pretty in your blue silk.”
“Thank you,” Lennie smiled self-consciously. “Poor Violet labored over my hair.”
“She did very well with it.” Robert nodded.
“I’m not sure how she manages. I’ve never much cared for my tresses—such a drab color. If only I’d been blessed with your titian locks, brother.”
“Ah…but, that’s all Molliner.” Punch replied. “Mother…” He paused and shook his head slightly, noticing one more dissolution of the separation between himself and Julian. “I mean, the Duchess always referred to the Molliners as ginger lunatics. It’s the Scots in us.”
“Didn’t the Duchess have raven hair?” Lennie asked, curious about her birth mother.
“She did.” Punch nodded.
“I wonder where I got this mousy color.” She sighed. “Even Dog Toby…” she pointed to the terrier who trotted down the stairs behind his masters, “is more of a purebred than I.”
“Were Toby a mere mongrel, we’d love him nonetheless.” Punch smiled sincerely. “It’s Toby’s pluck and intelligence what makes him what he is. Not which bitch were his mama.”
Lennie laughed. “Thank you, my dear brother.”
“Speaking of brothers,” Robert said, taking Punch’s arm as they walked toward the dining room. “Dear Punch and I were just talking about your cousin Roger.”
“Yes, my one time brother.” Lennie sighed.
“I’d like to pay him a visit in the coming days and review his condition. Punch suggested that we bring a basket of food and make a casual luncheon of it. His Grace felt that Roger might be less inclined to be distrustful of the examination if we made it something of a party.”
“What a lovely thought.” Lennie exclaimed.
“Perhaps, then, you could arrange the menu for the hamper with Mrs. Pepper. You know what he likes, and all.” Punch suggested.
“I’d be glad to. I do so enjoy talking with Mrs. Pepper.”
“She’s keen on you, too.” Punch replied. “The whole staff is. Glad, I think, to have a lady about the house.”
“Shall we wait in the morning room until dinner is announced?” Robert asked.
“Can we?” Lennie asked cautiously.
“Of course.” Robert smiled.
“I wasn’t sure.” Lennie blushed. “It’s called the ‘morning room;’ I wasn’t sure if we could use it at any other time of the day.”
“It’s just called such cuz that’s where we take breakfast and enjoy the mornin’ sun on the garden. But, we can sit in any room we want anytime we want. It’s our house.” Punch answered.
“Our house…” Lennie said softly.
“You seem surprised.” Robert responded gently.
“I…no…not surprised exactly. When Father…or…Mr. Barrett passed, and my broth…or my cousins left and I was left with Roger and only Orpha to help, I was resigned to the fact that there’d never be an ‘our house,’ that there’d never be a family for me somewhere. I’ve made my peace with the fact that I’ll remain a spinster…”
“Not necessarily. You’re still quite young.” Robert shook his head.
“Dear Robert, I rather like the idea of being a spinster. A spinster can speak her mind. No…it’s just that I’m so grateful…” She paused. “Our house. Our family.”
“Perhaps not the family you imagined.” Robert chuckled.
“That’s just it, Robert, I never imagined one at all.” Lennie answered honestly. “Certainly not a ‘usual’ family.”
“What’s usual?” Punch shrugged. “Me chum and I, and Colin, we’re your family. Sure, maybe we ain’t a man and a woman and lots o’ children. But, look at the others we know. Poor Lady Lensdown, she’s got the husband and children, but…look at her pitiful existence. Lady Constance. Altogether different. There’s no standard when it comes to people coming together in a home to love and support one ‘nother.”
“I could not be prouder of our family,” Lennie replied, her voice cracking.
“Nor could we. I’ve always wanted a sister,” Robert said, “My brother’s wife, Adrienne, is a sister to me, but they’re so far away. I’m glad to have another here at home.”
“I’m just glad to have a sister what ain’t a mad woman.” Punch teased.
“I’m sure you are.” Lennie laughed.
Footsteps coming from the service staircase diverted their attention.
“I think we’re just in time,” Robert nodded as Speaight came into the hall.
“Come to tell us that dinner’s ready?” Punch asked the butler.
“No, Your Grace. I’m sorry, but that will be another few minutes.”
“That’s fine.” Robert said. “We shall wait in the morning room.”
“Sir,” Speaight began awkwardly. “If I could detain you or His Grace for a moment…”
“What is it, Speaight?”
Speaight looked uncomfortable.
“You may speak in front of Miss Molliner.” Robert nodded.
“We received a package at the area door.” Speaight replied.
“Bring it up.” Punch answered.
“I don’t dare, Sir.” Speaight shook his head.
Did you miss Chapters 1-233? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 235 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
“Your Grace,” Lennie smiled as Punch and Robert, dressed handsomely for dinner, descended the winding staircase, “Dr. Halifax.”
“Miss Molliner,” Punch bowed dramatically. He laughed. “Ain’t we elegant? Lennie, you look very pretty in your blue silk.”
“Thank you,” Lennie smiled self-consciously. “Poor Violet labored over my hair.”
“She did very well with it.” Robert nodded.
“I’m not sure how she manages. I’ve never much cared for my tresses—such a drab color. If only I’d been blessed with your titian locks, brother.”
“Ah…but, that’s all Molliner.” Punch replied. “Mother…” He paused and shook his head slightly, noticing one more dissolution of the separation between himself and Julian. “I mean, the Duchess always referred to the Molliners as ginger lunatics. It’s the Scots in us.”
“Didn’t the Duchess have raven hair?” Lennie asked, curious about her birth mother.
“She did.” Punch nodded.
“I wonder where I got this mousy color.” She sighed. “Even Dog Toby…” she pointed to the terrier who trotted down the stairs behind his masters, “is more of a purebred than I.”
“Were Toby a mere mongrel, we’d love him nonetheless.” Punch smiled sincerely. “It’s Toby’s pluck and intelligence what makes him what he is. Not which bitch were his mama.”
Lennie laughed. “Thank you, my dear brother.”
“Speaking of brothers,” Robert said, taking Punch’s arm as they walked toward the dining room. “Dear Punch and I were just talking about your cousin Roger.”
“Yes, my one time brother.” Lennie sighed.
“I’d like to pay him a visit in the coming days and review his condition. Punch suggested that we bring a basket of food and make a casual luncheon of it. His Grace felt that Roger might be less inclined to be distrustful of the examination if we made it something of a party.”
“What a lovely thought.” Lennie exclaimed.
“Perhaps, then, you could arrange the menu for the hamper with Mrs. Pepper. You know what he likes, and all.” Punch suggested.
“I’d be glad to. I do so enjoy talking with Mrs. Pepper.”
“She’s keen on you, too.” Punch replied. “The whole staff is. Glad, I think, to have a lady about the house.”
“Shall we wait in the morning room until dinner is announced?” Robert asked.
“Can we?” Lennie asked cautiously.
“Of course.” Robert smiled.
“I wasn’t sure.” Lennie blushed. “It’s called the ‘morning room;’ I wasn’t sure if we could use it at any other time of the day.”
“It’s just called such cuz that’s where we take breakfast and enjoy the mornin’ sun on the garden. But, we can sit in any room we want anytime we want. It’s our house.” Punch answered.
“Our house…” Lennie said softly.
“You seem surprised.” Robert responded gently.
“I…no…not surprised exactly. When Father…or…Mr. Barrett passed, and my broth…or my cousins left and I was left with Roger and only Orpha to help, I was resigned to the fact that there’d never be an ‘our house,’ that there’d never be a family for me somewhere. I’ve made my peace with the fact that I’ll remain a spinster…”
“Not necessarily. You’re still quite young.” Robert shook his head.
“Dear Robert, I rather like the idea of being a spinster. A spinster can speak her mind. No…it’s just that I’m so grateful…” She paused. “Our house. Our family.”
“Perhaps not the family you imagined.” Robert chuckled.
“That’s just it, Robert, I never imagined one at all.” Lennie answered honestly. “Certainly not a ‘usual’ family.”
“What’s usual?” Punch shrugged. “Me chum and I, and Colin, we’re your family. Sure, maybe we ain’t a man and a woman and lots o’ children. But, look at the others we know. Poor Lady Lensdown, she’s got the husband and children, but…look at her pitiful existence. Lady Constance. Altogether different. There’s no standard when it comes to people coming together in a home to love and support one ‘nother.”
“I could not be prouder of our family,” Lennie replied, her voice cracking.
“Nor could we. I’ve always wanted a sister,” Robert said, “My brother’s wife, Adrienne, is a sister to me, but they’re so far away. I’m glad to have another here at home.”
“I’m just glad to have a sister what ain’t a mad woman.” Punch teased.
“I’m sure you are.” Lennie laughed.
Footsteps coming from the service staircase diverted their attention.
“I think we’re just in time,” Robert nodded as Speaight came into the hall.
“Come to tell us that dinner’s ready?” Punch asked the butler.
“No, Your Grace. I’m sorry, but that will be another few minutes.”
“That’s fine.” Robert said. “We shall wait in the morning room.”
“Sir,” Speaight began awkwardly. “If I could detain you or His Grace for a moment…”
“What is it, Speaight?”
Speaight looked uncomfortable.
“You may speak in front of Miss Molliner.” Robert nodded.
“We received a package at the area door.” Speaight replied.
“Bring it up.” Punch answered.
“I don’t dare, Sir.” Speaight shook his head.
Did you miss Chapters 1-233? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 235 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
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