Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 155

Chapter 155: 

Any Other Choice 



“How could she be gone?” Mr. Punch said from beneath the table. “I killed her dead.”

“Looks like she were dragged, Your Grace.” Georgie said.

“There’s a trail of blood leading out of the door. Much of it is smeared as if the body had been dragged.” Robert nodded.

“But, the door were locked, it was!” Punch said—still under the table with Dog Toby.

“No.” Robert shook his head. “It wasn’t. When we allowed Miss Barrett to enter, we didn’t lock the door behind her.”

“Oh.” Punch frowned.

“Who’d have taken her, Sir?” Mrs. Pepper asked. “Finlay’s here—still…what’s the word?”

“Unconscious.” Robert nodded.

“Do you think it were her pa?” Punch wondered. “Or maybe that shifty baron?”

“Could have been either or both. Perhaps, even, someone else with whom they’ve been laboring. We can’t be sure until Finlay awakens.”

Mr. Punch scowled. “Well, I s’pose I wanted her body taken from the nursery. Got me wish, I did. Not as if she can do any harm now.”

“Is it possible, Sir,” Ethel spoke up cautiously, “that she ain’t dead?”

“Nah…” Mr. Punch scoffed. “I hit her good, I did.”

“No disrespect, Your Grace, but you also struck Finlay and he wasn’t killed. Maybe you just knocked out Miss Barrett.”

“Thought I killed her.” Punch said softly.

“I seen her, Your Grace.” Gamilla said. “She sure looked dead to me.”

“I ain’t sayin’ she wasn’t.” Ethel replied. “It’s just…”

“I know.” Robert nodded. “You’re just thinking of all of the possibilities. That’s very clever of you, Ethel.”

“Cor.” Ethel blushed.

Robert walked across the room and sat on the floor beside the table under which Punch was curled up.

“Dear Punch,” he said softly. “Do you suppose that Miss Barrett continued her association with the Baron Lensdown.”

“Possible,” Punch replied. “Don’t know why she would though.”

“Why not?”

“Well, see, I remembered earlier—actually, I was made to remember—that many years ago when Julian were a boy, he saw the baron—then Victor Geddes—push a young man off the turret here at the Grange. The man were called Roger.”

“Not the same Roger?”

“One in the same. Roger Barrett.” Punch nodded.

“The man that Miss Barrett called her brother.”

“Really her cousin, I reckon.” Punch sighed.

“So, it’s possible that Ellen was trying to punish the baron somehow.”

“Seems to be the sort of thing she’d do.”

Robert sighed.

“You’re wonderin’ what we should do now.”

“I am.” Robert nodded. “We’ve still a house full of guests.”

“And the corpses of three people. If you count Miss Barrett.” Punch added. “We can’t all just stay in here.”

“I think we should find Johnny Donnan.” Robert suggested. “To see what he knows.”

“What of Charles and Vi?” Punch asked. “We don’t know where they went. We need Finlay to wake up to tell us what he done with them.”

“Finlay couldn’t have dispatched both Charles and Violet alone, especially while poisoning Speight and taunting us.”

“You think his pa were involved?”

“I can’t think of anyone else.”

“Then, I reckon we should find ol’ Johnny, then. But, with Charles gone and Gerard in the shape what he’s in, I don’t like leavin’ the girls in here with Finlay—tied up though he be.”

“I’m here, Sir.” Georgie spoke up.

“Yes, and we appreciate it.” Robert looked up. “However…”

“I know you think I’m just a boy, Sir, but I’m strong and I’ll protect these folks if need be.”

“I have no doubt of your bravery.” Robert smiled.

“Sir,” Mrs. Pepper rose from her chair. “You’d best go with the Duke to find Donnan. We’ll be all right here.”

“I wish I could be sure.” Robert sighed.

“Doctor,” Ethel smiled. “I fought off that Miss Barrett all be me-self. I can handle Finlay when he’s tied up.”

“Very well.” Robert nodded. “Lock the doors behind us and don’t open them for anyone but us. Gamilla, I trust you’ll continue to look after Gerard and Mr. Speaight.”

“Yes, Sir.” Gamilla nodded.

Robert extended a hand to Mr. Punch who took it and rolled out from under the table.

Robert helped Punch to his feet.

“I hope we’re doin’ the right thing.” Punch whispered.

“I don’t see that we have any other choice, my dear.” Robert answered.

Did you miss Chapters 1-154?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back tomorrow for Chapter 156 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square. 

Punch's Cousin, Chapter 155

“What’s she doing?” Arthur whispered to Ulrika as he watched Marie Laveau standing over Julian’s body.


“She’s undoing all of our hard work,” Ulrika spat.

“Silence, you two.” Marie grunted, turning around. “Iolanthe, get them out of here. Leave me with this man and his sister.”

“I don’t want you thinkin’ you can order me ‘round in my own home, Marie,” Iolanthe growled.

“Get out!” Marie shouted.

Iolanthe frowned. “I’ll leave,” she hissed, “but only because I’ve other responsibilities.” She tugged on Ulrika’s arm. “You and me need to have a little talk.”

“I’m not leaving.” Ulrika shook her head. “Neither is Arthur.”

“I think you’d better,” Iolanthe smiled grimly. “You offered me a partnership earlier. I might just have a mind to take you up on it.”

“Really?” Ulrika grinned, “how delightful.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes at Barbara Allen who met his gaze with an icy look of contempt.

“You’re nothin’ but a disappointment, Pet.” Arthur said plainly to his wife.

“You reap what you sow.” Barbara responded.

Mr. Punch howled in pain again.

As Iolanthe, Arthur and Ulrika left the room, Marie grabbed Barbara Allen’s hand. “You’ve done well to join me, girl. Now, share your strength with me so that we might revive this man.”

“I’ve very little strength to share.” Barbara said.

“You’re stronger than you think.” Marie nodded. “Tell me who this is so that I might know him and save him. He’s not what he seems. There are two spirits here—maybe more.”

“My brother is…different.” Barbara said softly.

“We must rid him of the extra force which clouds his spirit.” Marie said. “Otherwise, he won’t’ have the strength to survive.”

“You’re wrong.” Punch moaned. “Leave us alone!”

“Julian, would you rather die?” Barbara asked frantically.

“Yes!” Punch shouted. For a moment, it seemed to Barbara as if the sound which came from her brother’s chest was two voices instead of one—a chorus of certainty.

Marie and Barbara looked at one another in wonderment.

“There’s something in this man that I’ve never known before.” Marie whispered.

“Yes, there is!” A voice said from behind them. “Leave him.”

Barbara and Marie Laveau turned to see the plump silhouette of a woman in the doorway. She stepped into the dim light and seemed to glow from within—casting an amber light over Punch, Barbara and Marie.

The two women squinted at the figure, and, then, Barbara realized she’d seen the woman before.

“I done tol’ ya to leave the man.” Marjani said firmly.

“I know you,” Marie smiled. “I’ve heard rumblings of you, but I never thought I’d see you.”

“Step aside, Marie Laveau.” Marjani bellowed. “We don’t want none of your tainted magic here.”

Marie laughed. “You’re a bold one, ain’t ya?”

“You got no idea.” Marjani growled. “Leave that man alone.”

Marie backed away from Julian’s body, pulling Barbara by her arm.

“My brother is dying!” Barbara cried.

“I’ll look after him like he done looked after me,” Marjani said softly. “Girl, you got your own worries. Now you done sold yourself to two wicked women. They’re gonna eat ya alive—both of ‘em.”

Marjani strode forward and with a strength that she didn’t know she had, she picked up Julian from the floor and carried him toward the door.

“God bless ya, Lady Barbara. For all the evil you done, you don’t deserve what you’re ‘bout to get.” Marjani said as she carried Mr. Punch from the house.

Marie and Barbara stood over the pool of Julian’s blood that had been left on the floor and watched Marjani leave with Punch.

“You’ll come with me now,” Marie smiled at Barbara Allen. “You’re gonna help me put Iolanthe Evangeline deep in the ground.”

Meanwhile, Marjani carried Julian farther and farther from Iolanthe’s house. She didn’t strain, struggle or sweat despite the fact that the man’s body should have weighed her down.

The cold air stung the wound in Julian’s chest and Mr. Punch howled.

“Don’t fret, Great Man of the Rocks,” Marjani whispered. “Marjani’s got ya.”

“How’d you know?” Mr. Punch groaned.

“I jus’ knew.” Marjani smiled.

“Where are you takin’ me?” Mr. Punch asked.

“To the Holy Mother.” Marjani said.

Meanwhile, as Robert, Adrienne and Cecil hurried from the waxworks toward Iolanthe’s house, Robert stopped short and clutched his head in his hands.

“What is it, old man?” Cecil asked, gently patting his brother on the back.

“I don’t know.” Robert wheezed.

“We don’t have a minute to spare!” Adrienne said frantically. “We’ve got to get to Iolanthe’s. God knows what she’s done with him.”

“He’s not there.” Robert said slowly.

“Of course he is!” Cecil argued. “Where else would Iolanthe and that other witch have gone? Especially after the humiliation she just suffered!”

“No.” Robert shook his head. “St. Louis.” He muttered. “Julian’s at the cathedral.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-154? If so, you can read them here.