Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 295

Chapter 295 

Quite a Punch 



It wasn’t until the baron hit the ground that he knew what had happened. Rubbing his jaw, he looked up at Lennie, stunned. “You struck me!”

“I’ll do more if you ever touch my friend again.” Lennie growled. She turned to Gamilla. “Run home and get Dr. Halifax to look at you arm.”

“I ain’t leavin’ ya here, Miss. Not with him.” Gamilla shook her head. “I’m jus’ fine.”

The baron began to rise from the banquet, but Lennie narrowed her eyes at him. “I suggest you stay where you are, Baron.”

“I’ll go for the constable.” The baron threatened though he remained on the ground.

“Please do.” Lennie shrugged as people gathered around the scene. “Tell them how you were felled by a woman half your size.”

A few gentlemen who had joined the group laughed.

“There’s much you can tell the constable.” Lennie continued, glad to have an audience. “Where shall we start? Do you remember Roger Barrett? Light ginger hair, a gentle smile…well, he had a gentle smile. Once. He was my favorite brother. Though, he’s not really my brother. Is he? I suppose you could call Roger my cousin now. Do you recall him? Do you know what he is now? You want to speak to me of madness? And why? What happened to Roger to make him that way. You know. You could tell that to the constable. What would we next tell him? Would we tell him about your sister, Baron? Would we tell him about your children? All of them?”

One of the gentlemen in the crowd stepped forward. “Miss, are you all right? Did this man harm you?”

“Yes.” Lennie nodded, slightly taken aback by the gentleness in the man’s voice. “He did. He attacked this woman.” She pointed to Gamilla.

“Shall I fetch the beadle?” the man asked.

“I’ll leave that up to the Baron Lensdown.” Lennie smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, Gamilla and I must go home. My brother is waiting.”

“Your brother?”

“The Duke of Fallbridge.” Lennie nodded at the stranger.

“Ah, yes, you’re the Duke’s sister who’s been away. Barbara. Oh, but I’d heard she was dead.”

“No, I’m the Duke’s other sister. I’m called ‘Lennie.’”

“I wasn’t aware His Grace had two sisters.”

“I’ve been in Scotland,” Lennie fibbed slightly.

“May I call on you later to see that you’re quite well?” The man asked.

Lennie blushed. “If you like, Sir.”

“Oh,” The man blushed slightly, too. “I should introduce yourself. Matthew, Earl of Cleaversworth.”

“Charmed.” Lennie nodded. She looked over her shoulder at the Baron Lensdown who remained on the ground in the middle of a circle of men ranging from footmen to Lords who laughed at him.

“I must say,” Matthew continued. “You’ve quite a punch.”

Lennie giggled. “In many ways. You could say that a good ‘punch’ is a family tradition.”

Matthew nodded, confused.

“May I escort you home, Lady Fallbridge?” Matthew asked. “You and this young woman.”

“If you like,” Lennie nodded. “Though I’m not known as Lady Fallbridge.”

“No?” Matthew asked.

“I prefer Miss Molliner,” Lennie said quickly.

“As you wish, Miss Molliner.” Matthew answered. He looked at Gamilla. “I heard Miss Molliner say that the baron attacked you. Are you harmed.”

“No, Sir.” Gamilla shook her head.

“This is Gamilla, my nephew’s nurse.”

“Oh, I saw His Grace with his young son in the garden just the other day. What a fine and handsome lad the boy is.”

“Thank you.” Lennie smiled. “We’re quite proud of him.” She looked over her shoulder again.

“Leave the baron to the ridicule he’s earned.” Matthew smiled. “There’s not a man in that group who hasn’t been wronged by him, one way or another. They’ve each earned the freedom to make him their fun.”

“I’ve no doubt of that.” Lennie nodded firmly.

They began to walk toward No. 65. Gamilla followed behind them. She rubbed her arm, but despite the horrible scene they’d just endured, she couldn’t help but smile a bit. She could tell that this man, this Earl of whatever he’d said, was taken by Miss Lennie, and, they idea pleased her. He wasn’t a bad-looking man, probably in his mid-forties with curly dark blond hair. He was trim, and looked as if he enjoyed being out in the sun. Gamilla recalled how she’d overheard Miss Lennie speaking to the Duke and the doctor once about how she’d resigned herself to spinsterhood long ago. Gamilla nodded to herself. Maybe hers would be the first of the weddings to come to the occupants of No. 65.

As they approached No. 65, they, of course had to pass Hamish House where Ulrika Rittenhouse and Giovanni still stood in front of the portico, Marduk still in Ulrika’s arms. They were so wrapped up in their own drama that they’d not even noticed the commotion at the front of the square.

Just as Matthew was about to nod a polite hello to the newcomers to the square, he caught site of the creature in Ulrika’s arms. His tanned face grew pale.

“Don’t look, Miss Molliner.” He whispered.

“It’s quite all right, Sir.” Lennie shook her head. She paused and turned to Ulrika and Marduk.

“But, it’s…” Matthew said in a hushed voice. “…it’s something of a monstrous…I don’t know.”

“I assure you, Sir. This is nothing I cannot handle.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-294 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 296.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 295

As Nellie left in search of Marie Laveau’s daughter, Charles waited a moment and, then, attempted to slip out into the corridor.

“Is it worth it, Carlo—this bland English rose?” Giovanni taunted as Charles walked to the door. “Their blooms quickly wilt, you know. Wouldn’t you be better off going home and finding a sturdy Italian girl whose fruit won’t rot on the vine?”

Charles scowled. “I’ve long given up questioning your choices, Giovanni, I’ll thank you to not question mine.”

“Such arrogance.” Giovanni shook his head weakly.

“Not nearly as much as yours.” Charles spat.

“And, so, you’ll leave your brother here to die without so much as a kind word or prayer?” Giovanni sighed.

“You—you’ll never die. Not in my lifetime. And, even when your body expires, brother, your evil will live on forever.”

With that, Charles quietly opened the door and crept into the hallway, finding a small recess into which he could tuck himself while he waited.

From the floor above, Charles could hear the irritated voice of the younger Marie—clearly annoyed by Nellie’s intrusion.

“Why don’t you tell her yourself, then?” Young Marie growled. “The sickness of some Italian doesn’t bother me none!”

“I can’t,” Nellie lied. “Your mother is entertaining guests. It would be wrong of me to interrupt. But, you—you’re your mother’s equal—she wouldn’t mind if you intruded.”

“I am her equal,” Young Marie said, clearly pleased by the thought.

“Besides,” Nellie continued. “To have a man die in your house would bring unwelcome attention. We don’t want that. Do we?”

“No.” Young Marie replied. “Fine, you go on back to the man and I’ll fetch Mama.”

“Thank you,” Nellie said sheepishly.

Charles heard Nellie’s footsteps on the stairs. She swept past him as she walked to Giovanni’s room and as she did she whispered. “It’s done.” Charles could see her scowl and the pinch of her scars. He shivered as he thanked her. And, then a thought occurred to him.

“You’d best hide yourself, too.”



Nellie turned quickly. “Of course.” She paused. “You’re not a bad man. Are you?”

Charles shook his head.

Nellie changed courses, slipping into a nearby door. “I’ll wait in the larder. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Nellie.”

He held his breath as Young Marrie rushed down the stairs. Luckily, she took a turn to the left at the corridor and went into the front room, by-passing the nook in which Charles had hidden himself.

Loud voices from the front room showed Charles that Marie and company were not pleased by the intrusion. However, Charles quickly heard Iolanthe’s curious coo—intrigued and probably aroused by the thought of a dying man.

The door to the front room opened and Charles heard Ulrika grumble. “I’ve seen men die. I’ll wait here and reacquaint myself with my former maid.”

Charles pushed his body further against the wall as he listened to the footsteps of the three women—the two called Marie, and Iolanthe hurry toward Giovanni’s room. As the door closed behind them, he exhaled and hurried toward the front room, flinging open the door.

With one swift motion, he grabbed Barbara’s arm.

“Thank God!” Barbara gasped. “Hurry, they’ll be back in a moment and that man is in the room next to us.”

“What’s this?” Ulrika chirped.

“Shut up,” Charles snarled.

“That was unwise.” Ulrika shook her head. “Marie,” she shouted. “Louis! You’ve been tricked!”

Meanwhile, in the apartment above the Routhe’s dress shop, Mama Routhe brought a cup of tea to Mr. Punch as he explained the scheme that he and Julian had secretly concocted to Adrienne, Robert and Marjani.

“Not until you’ve rested a bit. You’ve had a rough time.” Adrienne said softly.

“Time is the problem, Lady Chum.” Punch shook his head. “We ain’t got a lot of it. Now, you know it were Nellie what took little Colin. You say she’s loathe to return to Iolanthe. Where else could she have gone but to Marie Laveau? We gotta get to them before them witches…”

He paused as they heard a knock at the door.

“Dear God, what now?” Robert groaned.

Did you miss Chapters 1-294?  If so, you can read them here.