Chapter 26:
Human Wants
“Oh, Sir, your
poor throat,” Gamilla gasped as she came down the curving staircase to see the
Duke and Dr. Halifax returning from delivering Roger Barrett to the suite of
rooms that Ellen had hired.
“Ain’t nothin’,
Gamilla,” Mr. Punch responded after looking around to see if he could speak
freely without Violet or Speaight overhearing.
“Gerard, he done
tol’ me what happened today, Your Grace.
You don’t need to worry none. He
nor Charles ain’t gonna say nothin’ to no one downstairs. Is you terrible hurt?”
“No, I’m not,
Gamilla.” Mr. Punch smiled. “It’s just a bruise. No more.”
“What of Miss
Ellen’s brother, Sirs?” Gamilla asked.
“We’ve gotten
him settled into the rooms where he stays.
Ellen will stay with him through the night. I must say that His Grace did an exquisite
job in calming the man.”
Mr. Punch
shrugged and blushed. “Weren’t
nothin’. Here, Gamilla, with Miss
Barrett not in tonight, will you…”
Gamilla nodded,
not meaning to interrupt, but pleased to be of some assistance. “I already done been tol’ by Mr. Speaight
that Vi will take my other duties today so I can stay in the nursery with
Master Colin.”
“Poor Violet,”
Mr. Punch shook his head. “Is she
upset?”
“No, Sir.” Gamilla replied. “Your Grace, I think everyone downstairs is
concerned, is all. Mr. Speaight—he knows
that Charles and Gerard and me know ‘bout Miss Barrett’s brother. But,he only tol’ the other folk that there
was an illness in Miss Barrett’s family and that she needed to help. He didn’t say nothin’ else. Vi—she likes Miss Ellen, so she wanted to be
able to help, too. With her doin’ my
parlor maid duties, she feels like she’s helpin.”
“We got good
folk here, Chum.” Punch smiled at
Robert.
“Indeed we
do. We need one more, however. Gamilla and Violet can’t make up for all of
Hortence’s responsibilities on their own, especially if Gamilla will be needed
more in the nursery.”
“Oh, Mr.
Speaight’s already lined up three girls for ya to see when ya got time, Dr. Halifax.”
“I’m glad to
know it.”
“Here, how’s
Colin?” Punch asked.
“Missin’ his
papas, but he’s fine. Sittin’ with Dog
Toby now. I’m jus’ comin’ down for to
get him a bit to eat. I figured I
oughtn’t ring what with Vi so busy.
Ain’t right to ask Charles or Gerard bring up nursery tea.”
“Thank you for
all you’ve done, Gamilla.” Punch smiled.
“Of course, Your
Grace.”
“We’ll see you
when we come up after tea to visit with Colin.” Robert nodded as Gamilla
hurried toward the stairs to the servants’ hall.
“You know?” Mr.
Punch began as he and Robert climbed the stairs to the library. “We ain’t eaten a thing today—neither of
us. Funny I didn’t notice ‘til Gamilla
said somethin’.”
“It was a very
trying day, my dear,” Robert nodded.
“Those are the days when we tend to not think of our human wants and
needs, but, instead worry about those of others.”
“Reckon so,”
Punch nodded as they entered the library.
“Still, tea would be a treat.”
“I agree,” Robert smiled. “I’ll ring.”
“Oh—meant to
tell ya ‘fore we left with Miss Barrett and Mr. Barrett. Speaight heard me talkin’ like me-self
today. Looked confused. I didn’t think ‘bout it none. Were just after Mr. Barrett choked me.”
“We can just
tell him—if need be—that you were overexcited by what had just happened. Still, I’m sure he’s not thought of it.”
“I’ll wager he
did.” Mr. Punch chuckled. “He gave me a
terrible queer look. Poor Speaight, he’s
always tryin’ to figure out what he’s missin’.
He knows Gamilla and Charles and Gerard know me secret, he does.”
“Speaight knows
his place.” Robert sighed. “He wouldn’t dare question anything.”
“Still, it’s sad
that I gotta hide in me own house.”
“Yes, it
is.” Robert said softly.
“But, least I
can hide.” Punch shook his head. “Least
I got—as you say—control. Poor Mr.
Barrett, he don’t.”
“No.” Robert
nodded. “Dear Punch, I must say, you
were brilliant with him today. You were
able to soothe him and, even by the time we left, make him smile. It was quite remarkable. How did you ever think of it? What made you decide to distract him with
your puppet?”
Punch
shrugged. “Jus’ seemed right to me. See, like I tol’ ya, when Julian were a boy,
it were his puppet what he talked to make him feel better. That’s where I come from—that notion of a
puppet as a…”
“Protector?”
“Yes.” Punch
nodded. “I thought maybe me own puppet
might do the same for Mr. Barrett.”
“It was a stroke
of genius. Frankly, you didn’t need me
at all.”
“Oh, no! Take it back right now. I always need you, Chum.”
Robert
smiled. “I only meant that I did nothing
except watch you. I was terribly
impressed.”
“I thank you,”
Punch sighed. “I figured that’s the way to
do it.” He paused to chuckle for a moment, but maintained his composire, “ I
wanted him to not just feel calmer, but to talk. I learned from you, I did, that the only way
you can help someone is to listen.
You—as a physician—needed to hear what the man had to say. So, all I done was make him talk.”
“I learned quite
a bit. I counted at least six different
entities in him. Perhaps more.”
“See?” Mr. Punch
winked. “You did quite a lot.”
“I still have no
idea what to do next.” Robert mumbled.
“We’ll think o’
somethin.’”
“I have no
doubt.” Robert finally smiled. “With you at my side, I’m sure we’ll be able
to do something to give this man some peace.”
Just as Punch
was about to ring again, Speaight entered the room.
“My apologies
for being late, Your Grace,” Speaight bowed his head, but not his eyes. He looked curiously at the Duke for a moment,
and Punch immediately knew that the butler was curious about what he’d seen
earlier. “We are a trifle…”
“Short-staffed?”
Robert interjected.
“Yes, Sir.”
“See if you can
arrange interviews with those girls tomorrow.”
Robert suggested.
“That would be
most helpful.” Speaight said with
relief. “May I ask, Sir, were you able
to assist Miss Barrett’s brother?”
“For the time
being.” Robert replied. “Miss Barrett
will stay with him tonight.”
“Very good,
Sir.”
“I appreciate
that you’ve kept this to yourself, too.” Robert continued. “We don’t need to trouble the rest of the
staff with it.”
“Of course.”
“Here…” Punch began,
catching himself using his Punch-manner.
He cleared his throat, and, then, in Julian’s voice asked, “Here…we
are…very hungry indeed. I don’t suppose
that Mrs. Pepper is ready for tea?”
“Yes, Sir, she
is. She hoped you’d be home soon and
she’s prepared a very special tea for you today. I had mentioned that you’d been injured and
she wanted to make something that she knew you’d enjoy.”
“I’m very
pleased,” Punch replied. “You must thank
her for me.”
“I shall, Your
Grace.” Speaight nodded. “May I ask…how are you?”
“Just bruised,
Speaight.” Mr. Punch replied, still as Julian.
“There’s no need for alarm.”
“Very good, Your
Grace.” Speaight replied. “I shall go send Charles and Gerard up with
your tea.”
He paused in the
door.
“Something
else?” Robert asked.
“Yes, Sir. I’ve just remembered. It’s been such an unusual day. You had a visitor earlier, Dr. Halifax—while
you were out.”
“Another one?”
Punch chirped, immediately aware that he shouldn’t have.
“Yes, Sir.”
Speight replied, trying not to chuckle at his master’s utter disgust at the
thought of someone else coming to the house.
“Please,
Speaight, tell me that it wasn’t that dreadful Lady Constance again.” Punch
continued.
“No, Your
Grace. The visitor was a man, asking
after Dr. Halifax.” Speaight walked to
the center table and retrieved the small silver salver in which he had placed
the visitor’s calling card. He presented
it to Dr. Halifax who looked at it quickly and set it in his lap.
“Thank you,
Speaight.” Robert nodded slowly. “What
did you tell him?”
“I said that you
were not at home and that I would tell you that he called, Sir.”
“Thank you.”
Without another
word, Speaight left to make the arrangements for tea.
“Who came?” Punch asked once they were alone.
“An old friend.”
Robert answered softly.
“What’s his
name?”
“William. William Stover.”
“Don’t know the
name. You never mentioned him. Who is he?”
“Just an old
friend.” Robert blushed. “We haven’t spoken in…many months, I
suppose. The last I saw him was several
months before I left for America.”
“And, met me.”
Mr. Punch grinned proudly.
“Yes,” Robert
winked.
“Why’d you stop
talkin’ to this William bloke?”
“We had…” Robert
squinted, shaking his head, “…a…difference of opinion.”
“’Bout what?”
“Nothing of much
importance now.”
“How you know
him?”
“We met in
Brompton at the Museum of Manufacture. Well, actually Marlborough House.”
“Oh?”
“Just after the
Great Exhibition.”
“And you were
friends?”
“Yes.” Robert
nodded.
“Friends like
I’m friends with your brother, Cecil, or...friends like you and I are friends?”
Robert frowned. “I suppose I’d have to say somewhere in
between.”
“I see.” Mr.
Punch frowned, too.
“You and I hadn’t
met—not officially.”
“I know.” Mr.
Punch scowled.
“I’d only seen
you from afar—when you were with Their Majesties. And, then, when you—Punch—came to me
after…well…after the event in Covent Garden.”
“Mmmmhmmm.” Mr.
Punch mumbled.
“Punch?”
“I hate him.”
“Who?” Robert
asked. “William?”
“That’s right.”
Mr. Punch responded. He raised an
eyebrow. “Though I can’t quite figure
why I do.”
“I think it’s
called ‘jealousy.’”
“That ain’t what
it’s called.” Mr. Punch grumbled.
“I’d be jealous
if one of your old friends paid a call.”
“Don’t got no
old friends.” Mr. Punch squinted.
“Well, one of
Julian’s old friends, then.”
“Julian ain’t
got none neither.”
“None?” Robert
asked with wide eyes. “Not even
one? Surely he must have…well, surely
you…”
“No.”
“No?" Robert asked.
“Just you.”
Robert smiled
proudly.
Mr. Punch tried
not to smile. “You like that, then, do
ya?”
“Well, I must
confess that I do.”
“Ugly, ugly,
ugly…” Mr. Punch clucked his tongue.
Robert laughed.
“So, what’s he
do—this stupid William bloke?”
“He’s
modeler. He used to work for the Derby
Porcelain Factory. He came to London to open his own shop.”
“I see.” Punch answered. “What’s he look like?”
“Oh—nothing special.”
Robert shook his head.
“Really?” Mr. Punch frowned again. “I’ll tell ya what he looks like.”
“Will you?”
“Yep.” Mr. Punch
said. “He’s your height, dark eyes, fit
build and auburn hair.”
“No.” Robert
laughed. “He’s short. And blond—slightly balding. And rather shaped like a barrel.”
“Oh.” Punch
smiled.
“Did you really
think that he’d look like you?”
“Wasn’t
sure.” Punch sighed. “Why’d you stop talkin’?”
“As I said, we
had a disagreement.”
“’Bout what?”
“It doesn’t
matter, my dear.”
“Ain’t ya gonna
tell me?”
“No, because it
doesn’t matter.”
“Tell me!” Mr.
Punch moaned.
“Fine. He wanted to take a small house and asked if
I would share it with him.”
“But, you didn’t
want to?”
“No. I did not.”
“Why not?”
“Honestly,
Punch,” Robert replied plainly, “because he…”
“What?”
“He wasn’t you.”
Mr. Punch
grinned. “Me? But, we...”
“Yes…you. I’d…I…” Robert interrupted. "I just..."
“You don’t gotta
say no more.” Mr. Punch smiled gently.
“Sorry I asked so many questions.
Just curious, I am. And, well,
sure maybe a little jealous, too.”
“You have no
cause to be.” Robert chuckled. “I don’t
know how he even knew I was here. He’d
written to me before I left for America.
I wrote back and simply said I was going away and that I didn’t care to
speak with him nor see him. I wished him
well and thought that was the end of it.
I can’t imagine how he found me or even knew I’d returned.”
“I do.” Mr.
Punch said proudly. “Saw it in the ‘Illustrated
News,’ he did.”
“Pardon?”
“I didn’t have a
chance to tell ya what with the whole kerfuffle today only you was mentioned in
the news today—twice.”
“Why?”
“Once to say
that you’d gone with me to the palace, and another time to say you’d been the
attending doctor when Lord Glencaron died.
It said somethin’ like, ‘Dr. Robert Halifax of No. 65 Belgrave Square.”
“Well, that’s
the answer, then.”
“What ya gonna
do when he comes back? Cuz…ya know he’s
gonna come back.”
“Maybe he won’t.”
Robert shrugged.
“Oh, he will.”
Mr. Punch winked.
“If he does,” Robert
replied. “I shall simply introduce him
to you and...”
“And I’ll hit
him over the head with a chair.” Punch grinned.
“Punch…”
“Fine. I won’t.” Mr. Punch shrugged. “Only, I’ll think ‘bout it.”
“Go ahead and do
that.” Robert laughed.
Before Punch
could say another word, Charles and Gerard arrived with the tea trays.
“Coo!” Mr. Punch
shouted before even seeing the contents of the trays. “Sausages for tea! Ain’t Mrs. Pepper wonderful?”
“That she is, my
dear.” Robert nodded, tucking William’s card into his waistcoat pocket. “That she is.”
Did you miss
Chapters 1-25 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square?
If so, you can read them here. Come
back tomorrow for Chapter 27.
