Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 258

Chapter 258 

Salvation 


The first face Lady Constance saw when she opened her eyes was the weary, worn countenance of Eudora Stover.

“There’s a girl,” Eudora nodded.

Constance sat up with a start.

“No use you gettin’ upset again.” Eudora gently pushed her back onto the filthy sofa.

“I…” Constance began.

“Now, you just be quiet,” Eudora replied with a gentleness which surprised Constance. The emotion was visible on her face.

“I ain’t all bad,” Eudora cackled. “I’m just greedy, but it ain’t like I don’t have a heart.” Eudora took a deep breath. “It’s me heart what’s gotten me in trouble. I want what I want. Love, money. Pleasure. Ere, I made some mistakes, but I ain’t gonna hurt ya. I can see now what ‘appens when a body let’s ‘er greed take ‘er too far.” She gestured with her chin toward the door to the room. “That one…Orpha. She killed me brother. I didn’t want ‘im killed. I just wanted to worry ‘im so’d he’d get somethin’ from that Dr. Halifax. Look how I live.” She shrugged. “Ain’t a sin to want better. Is it? Not when you want it for your little ones.”

Constance shook her head. “I understand.”

“Listen, then, your little girl is just fine. I been lookin’ after ‘er me-self. She’s a gentle child. She’s a good soul. She’s in back with me own tots. So, you just lie ‘ere a minute and let your body rest. I know you seen…it. That thing. Marduk.”

“I thought that it can’t be real.”

“Oh, it’s real.” Eudora shivered. “I’ve fed it. I know it’s real.”

“How do you feed…” Constance grimaced.

“A spoonful in each mouth.” Eudora shook her head.

“Is it true that my daughter has seen it?”

“Oh, sure.” Eudora nodded. “Your Fern is good with it. She don’t seem to mind that it’s what it is…whatever it is.”

Constance shut her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Miss.” Eudora responded. “It ain’t gonna hurt ‘er. It likes ‘er. She plays with it. Even the wicked head don’t mind ‘er.”

Constance put her hands over her stomach.

“Don’t think of it too much, Miss.” Eudora smiled.

“I don’t know how I couldn’t.” Constance answered. “Please, can I see my daughter?”

Eudora glanced to the door. “I don’t think I’d better. Orpha’s just in the next room.”

“I must see her. I must…” Constance pleaded, sitting up again. “I’m here before you, I readily confess that I’m no better than Orpha Polk. The sins I’ve committed are mortal and grave. But, I do love my child.”

“I know you do.” Eudora replied. “I wish I could, Miss, but it would mean my…”

“What?” Constance squinted.

Eudora chuckled and placed her hand on Constance’s forhead.

“You’re ill, Miss.” Eudora said quickly.

“I just fainted…I was…”

“No.” Eudora said quickly. “You’re burnin’ with fever! You’re delirious!”

“I don’t…”

Eudora smiled. “You’re so delirious that we can’t let you go. That must be why you fainted, Miss. Your fever. If you’re so ill with fever, we can’t let you out of the ‘ouse. Otherwise…well, there’s no tellin’ what you’d do or say. We can’t ‘ave you goin’ ‘round and tellin’ what you seen ‘ere. Best to keep you right ‘ere.”

“Oh…” Constance smiled slowly.

“Now, we all keep a schedule ‘ere now that she’s brought that…Marduk. We all most get to our beds early so we don’t disturb it. Orpha’s taken my room over there so she can stay with ‘er creature. That way, also, she can see all what goes on at the front of the ‘ouse. I sleep out in the kitchen with me own little ones and Hortence. By the back door, Miss. Tha’ts where Fern sleeps. By the back door. You…you’ll have to stay ‘ere in the parlor, such as it is. Do you understand?”

“I do.”

“We all sleep so sound, we do. I often think if someone were to walk right past me, right to the back door—even carryin’ somethin’ big, I’d not stir a bit.”

Constance nodded.

“Now, don’t ya keep coughin’ like that, Miss.” Eudora winked. “See…now you gone and got a chill. Go sit by the fire. Real close so you get nice and ‘ot ‘til I come back with Orpha.”

Constance forced herself to cough and nodded, rising to go and sit by the fire.

“Oh, Miss, that cough don’t sound good at all.”

“Thank you,” Constance whispered.

“Shhhh…” Eudora shook her head. “We all done wicked things. We can’t change ‘em, but maybe we can maybe, just maybe…”

Constance nodded.

“Eudora!” Orpha called from the adjoining room. “Marduk is hungry. He wants his dinner. Come and feed them.”

“Never thought I’d find salvation at the hungry mouths of a monster.” Eudora whispered. “But, who am I to question it?”



Did you miss Chapters 1-257 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday for Chapter 259.  While the usual posts will continue over the weekend, Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square will take a one day hiatus on Saturday.

Punch's Cousin, Chapter 258

Iolanthe breathed deeply as she exited the prison. Mala met her on the banquette.


“Oh, Miss.” Mala sobbed as Iolanthe descended the stone steps.

“I’m so happy to be out,” Iolanthe said, “even your hideous face is a welcome sight.”

“Thank you, Miss.” Mala wept. “You’ll be wantin’ to go home, then?”

“No.” Iolanthe shook her head. “I’ve much to do.”

“But, Miss,” Mala argued. “Your ordeal, you must be so tired.”

“After arguin’ with those fools in there, I feel alive. They done made a mistake putting me in their prison for a murder I didn’t commit. They were wise to release me. Now, I must make some visits.”

“Visits, Miss?” Mala asked.

“There are two houses on Royal Street which should be expecting my arrival.” Iolanthe smiled. “The only question is which to visit first. I wonder what my dear friend Ulrika is about. Perhaps she should be my first visit.”

Ulrika Rittenhouse, of course, was in no position to be visited. She lay, unconscious on her bed in exactly the same twisted position she had been in when Arthur and Gerard dropped her there. Arthur stood over her and wrung his hands.

“You gotta do it, Gerry.” Arthur hissed.

“I told ya, Artie,” Gerard shook his head quickly. “I can’t kill no woman.”

“Don’t think of her as a woman.” Arthur frowned. “She ain’t no lady, that’s for sure. Think of her as a wild beast what needs gettin’ rid of.”

“Then, you do it.” Arthur shrugged.

“I ain’t no killer.” Arthur scowled.

“Ain’t ya?” Gerard laughed. “How’d you get them clothes, then? How’d you get the coins we been spendin’. Sure, you ain’t a killer. And, I’m Prince Albert.”

“Fine.” Arthur spat. “But, we gotta do it fast and without no mess.”

“Smother her.” Gerard suggested.

“That’d work.” Arthur nodded, looking around the room. His eyes settled on a green silk cushion. “Here we go, then.”

At that very moment, at their borrowed house on Royal Street, Robert knelt on the ground and spoke slowly to Mr. Scaramouche who continues to writhe around and howl.

“I don’t believe we’ve met.” Robert said softly.

“I know who you are—the ‘hero’ doctor.” Scaramouche snarled.

“I’m no hero.” Robert replied. “I am, however, a friend.”

“You’re no friend of mine.” Scaramouche moaned. “I’ve no friends at all. No one cares for Scaramouche.”

“Not so.” Robert protested. “I care for all who occupy the Duke of Fallbridge’s body.”

“You just want to overpower me.” Scaramouche grunted.

Robert sat on the floor, cross-legged. “To be honest, yes, I do.” He smiled.

Barbara whispered. “Careful, Doctor.”

Robert ignored her.

“I do wish to restrain you, but it’s for your own good. If you continue as you are, you’ll do harm to your body and you will hurt Mr. Punch and Julian. You may not like them, it seems, but you can’t argue that you need them and wish them no harm.”

“You fancy you’re so smart, but you’re no match for Mr. Scaramouche!” Scaramouche answered, wriggling. “What do you know? As we speak, those two are harming me! I should return the favor.”

As Robert continued to try to ration with Scaramouche, Marjani slowly crept up behind them and quietly placed Robert’s doctor’s bag at his side.

Robert sensed Marjani behind him and nodded.

He continued, “Mr. Scaramouche, I don’t think you’re thinking very clearly. If you want to silence Mr. Punch and His Grace, you have but to drink this.” He reached into the bag and retrieved a small vial of milky white liquid.

“Why should I trust you?” Scaramouche asked.

“Because, I am, as you say, a hero.” Robert grinned.



Did you miss Chapters 1-257? If so you can read them here.