Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 217

Chapter 217 
What I Am



“Where you been?” Hortence snapped as Orpha let herself into Eudora’s musky parlor.

“You’re hardly in a position to be questioning me,” Orpha replied casually.

“Now, you listen to me,” Hortence growled. “Maybe at the Duke’s house we was in different classes, but here, you ain’t no governess and I ain’t no chamber maid. You was a poor workhouse girl and I had me a family. So, maybe it’s me what should be talkin’ down to you.”

“I beg your pardon, my Lady.” Orpha smirked, bowing theatrically.

“What’s all this, then?” Eudora sniffed, coming into the parlor as she scratched herself. “Why are the two of you always squabbling?”

“It’s our deep love for one another.” Orpha laughed.

“Ellen, you been gone a long time. We got a lot to talk over.” Eudora grimaced.

“My name is not Ellen!” Orpha snapped.

“Well, dearie,” Eudora shrugged, “you spent so much time tryin’ to convince us that you was Ellen, you can’t fault us for not remembering what name you’re usin’ now.”

“I suppose that’s flattering.” Orpha replied.

“Ask her where she’s been, Eudora.” Hortence snarled.

“She’ll tell us by and by.” Eudora yawned.

“I shall indeed.” Orpha smiled.

“Well, wherever you was,” Hortence began, “you sure weren’t helpin’ us. Old Hutch got hisself taken away by the Queen’s guards.”

“You could have guessed that since the Duke and his companion were going to the palace that they’d report what had happened here to Her Majesty.” Orpha answered airily.

“After all we told ‘im?”

“Please, Hortence, you really didn’t expect that we’d intimidate the Duke of Fallbridge?”

“Didn’t we?” Hortence frowned. She looked at Eudora.

Eudora put her hands on her hips. “I thought we did.”

“You’re both so delightful.” Orpha grinned. “But, no, this has played out exactly as I had anticipated.”

“You gonna share with us?” Eudora smirked. “Last I heard, we was tryin’ to get some gold off of the loony Duke.”

“And, we shall.”

“Not now he’s got the Queen’s special men standin’ outside the ‘ouse, we ain’t.” Hortence barked. “We told him that if he didn’t do what we said, we’d tell the world that his precious boy is his sister’s bastard, and what’s more, we’d take that boy from his arms. We can’t get to the little brat now!”

“We don’t need to.” Orpha laughed.

“Why not?” Hortence asked.

“Eudora,” Orpha ignored Hortence, “have you room for three more children here?”

“I ain’t got room for me own brood, let ‘lone any more. Why?”

“I’ve brought three little visitors with me.” Orpha winked. She walked across the parlor and opened the front door, ushering in three children.

Little Fern wrinkled her nose as she walked in—the foul smell of the place overwhelming her.

“What’re these?” Hortence squawked.

“These, dear, dear Hortence,” Orpha smiled. “Are our key to the Duke’s coffers as well as a knife in the throat of the man who made me what I am.”





Did you miss Chapters 1-216 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 218.  

Punch's Cousin, Chapter 217

The baby’s cries awoke Mr. Punch who quickly bolted upright and hurried to the child who had been sleeping in the large, wicker basket that Marjani had brought for that purpose.


“Here, Colin,” Mr. Punch soothed, picking up the child. “Not to worry, you won’t always gotta sleep in no basket like some bunch of dirty laundry.”

The child hiccoughed and buried his face into Punch’s shoulder. “There now, that’s better, isn’t it? Uncle Punch is here and won’t let nothin’ happen to you.”

Punch yawned as he settled into a chair and rocked the baby. “You just settle down for a few ticks of the clock, and then, Uncle Punch will get you some breakfast. Coo! Breakfast! ‘Spose you’re too little for sausages, right? You don’t got teeth. Pity, that. I love sausages, I do. You’ll love ‘em, too.” Mr. Punch pointed to the partially draped window. “Look at that, Colin, my dear, looks like the sun is startin’ to come up. It’s a new day. So, ‘happy day’ and ‘good morning’ to you, little Chum. Big things will be doin’ today, they will. It’s gonna mean a whole new life for ya. A new life for all of us.” Punch sighed and looked at the bed where Robert snored deeply.

“Your Uncle Robert’s gotta get his rest—noisy though he is. He does so much for us, that one. So kind, he is. Here, you’d think he weren’t a human, he does so much. But, he is. So, we’ll let him sleep, we will. Your friend Marjani’s gonna bring somethin’ special today. You know what she’s gonna bring? Do ya?”

Punch looked at the baby who gurgled at him. “She’s gonna bring you a friend, she is—me chum, Toby. Toby’s a dog what’s soft and kind and he will look after you, too. She’s gonna bring somethin’ else, also. A puppet! You know what a puppet is? I were a puppet once, but I ain’t no more. Your Uncle Cecil, he made this one and it looks like me, it does. Well, looks like I look inside me head…” Punch paused for a moment, contemplating the ownership of his head. “Our head.” He nodded, correcting himself. “I share the head with your Uncle Julian. Here, but you got a lot of uncles, don’t ya? I ‘spose I count as one though I’m really two. But, you got an aunt, too. Aunt Adrienne who’s ever so kind. She’s from France. That’s where me cousin Guignol lives. He’s got a long braid of hair—or somethin’. Little nose—different sort of puppet. Still, I ‘spose we’re related. We’re both puppets at heart with a similar kind of purpose. That’s what makes him me cousin. Your Uncle Punch’s cousin.”

The baby began to fall asleep as Punch chattered away.

“That’s good, little Chum,” Punch sighed. “You sleep again. Marjani’ll be here soon. Today will be a good day, I swear it. You’ll see. Everything will be all right from now on.”

Meanwhile, at Louis’ little shack, Barbara Allen awoke from a terrible dream. She blinked her eyes rapidly as she studied her surroundings. She smiled when she realized that the warmth she felt next to her was Charles. She gently brushed his hair from his face and examined him. He looked quite handsome, asleep next to her. She felt a sort of comfort she’d never felt with Arthur.

“Arthur,” Barbara thought. “Gone to sea—forever.” She leaned against Charles. “I don’t suppose he’ll ever return. Perhaps he’s dead.” She thought. “How will I know if I’m ever free to marry again? There must be laws about such things.”

Barbara wondered what she’d say to Arthur if he ever did return. How would she tell him that she’d taken their child, and, then, gave him up again? Would he even care? Arthur had never shown a paternal interest in the boy. That’s why she sold him in the first place. Barbara’s sense of comfort began to fade as she thought of her baby. She cuddled closer against Charles who moaned slightly. “No,” Barbara said to herself. “Everything will work out. It must.”

In her small room on the ground floor of the house on Royal Street, Marjani grunted as she rolled over in her little bed. Her body ached and she was still weary from the night before. Getting back into the house had been exhausting. Once again, Edward Cage had stopped her as she returned, and once again she lied to him about having to nurse a sick friend. How would she manage to get out again that morning? And, how would she explain why she was carrying a puppet and a terrier?

For a moment, Marjani felt as though she could hear Naasir speaking to her. “It’s for The Great Man of the Rocks,” he said, “It’s your destiny.”

Marjani smiled and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she yawned and sat up.

Suddenly, Marjani gasped. “What you doin’ here?” She exclaimed at the shadowy figure which sat at the foot of her bed.

“I’ve come to settle our score, woman.” Marie Laveau smiled in the dim morning light.



Did you miss Chapters 1-216? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday, April 11, 2011 for Chapter 218 of Punch’s Cousin.