A Recipe for Punch, Chapter 34

Chapter 34
Accountable



"Blast!"  Punch bellowed when he saw Gregory and Ivy trudging up the steep staircase.  "Where's Jackson?"

"Mr. Jackson, it seems,"  Gregory smirked, "has taken his dismissal rather seriously."  He nodded to the burden which he and Ivy carried between them, draped with a black cloth.  "Never fear, Your Grace, Miss Blessum and I've got what ya asked for."

"So..."  Punch narrowed his eyes.  "The two of you have known about this...Morgana?"

"I've been looking after her, Your Grace."  Ivy nodded.  

"I don't have nothin' to do with her."  Gregory said quickly.  "Only I know she's been here.  And, I'm one o' the few strong 'nough to deal with 'er when she gets rough." He boasted, still hoping that the Duke would look favorably on him and bestow him with Jackson's position.

"How many others know of her?"  Robert asked.

"Just the three of us.  And, Mr. Quick."  Gregory answered.

"And, Mr. Causer."  Ivy mumbled.  "And, Mr. Hargrave."

"Wonderful."  Punch narrowed his eyes.  "I shall expect a full account of this later...including Mr. Jackson's claim that this woman is my late mother's half-sister..."

"Oh, she is, Your Grace."  Ivy nodded.

"However,"  Punch interrupted.  "At the moment, my sister's maid has been taken by the creature..."

"Don't call her that!'  Ivy spat.

"Pardon me!"  Punch growled.

"Excuse me, Your Grace."  Ivy flushed.  "It's only that..."

"We haven't time for this!"  Lennie shouted.

"Is that...the...what was it?"  Robert scowled.

"The Jar of Heads."  Gregory smiled unctuously.

"It's rather heavy.  Might we put it down?"  Ivy asked.

"No."  Punch frowned.  "Gerard, would you please help Gregory with it?  We shall need Miss Blessum to assist with Morgana since she seems to have some sort of...rapport...with her."

"Yes, Your Grace."  Gerard obliged.

"Here, let's just put it on the floor for a second."  Gregory nodded, "So you can get a grip."  

As he did, the cover slipped from it, revealing a large glass jar--an enormous variation of the sort used for pickling--filled with what appeared to be miniature human heads.

Lennie gasped.  "God!  What is it?"

"It ain't as bad as it looks, Your Ladyship."  Gregory laughed.  "Only it's the only thing what soothes her."

"What is it?"  Robert examined the jar.

"I made it."  Ivy said defensively.  "It is not unlike those glass globes with snow scenes in them."

"It's very much unlike them."  Punch snorted.

"It's only some fluid and dolls heads."  Ivy sighed.  "She likes to watch them float around."

Punch closed his eyes and shook his head.  "Gerard, please help Gregory carry it to the south end of the house so we can have a chance of stopping Morgana before she harms Violet."

"She won't harm the girl."  Ivy protested.

"Won't she?"  Gregory scoffed.  "Tell that to Mrs. Foster and our first William."

"What do you mean?"  Lennie stepped forward.

"Gregory!"  Ivy snarled.

"Killed 'em both, Morgana did."  Gregory revealed.

"Hurry, then!"  Punch said, taking Robert by the arm.  "Miss Blessum, if anything happens to our maid, I shall hold you accountable!"


Did you miss chapters 1-33 of A Recipe for Punch?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back tomorrow for Chapter 35.

Also, come back tomorrow for a special Treat of the Week!