Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 309

Chapter 309 
Some of Him 



“Don’t scream.” Fern said menacingly over the railing.

“I ain’t gonna scream.” Mrs. Pepper snapped. “I ain’t afraid of some stick of a little girl.”

“Oh?” Fern smiled.

“Just how did you get out of your room?” Mrs. Pepper demanded.

“I was crying and the blonde maid heard me. I told her through the door how mean Uncle Punch and Uncle Robert were to me.”

“And she unlocked the door?” Mrs. Pepper frowned.

“She came in to bring me a drink of water.” Fern grinned.

“And you slipped out when Violet wasn’t lookin’.” Mrs. Pepper scowled.

“Oh, no. I wouldn’t do that.” Fern shook her head.

“Yet here you are.” Mrs. Pepper snorted. “Wait…where’s Violet? What do you mean you ‘wouldn’t do that?’”

“That would be too easy. Just to sneak out.” Fern laughed.

“Where’s Violet?” Mrs. Pepper demanded.

“In my room.” Fern replied airily.

“Mr. Speaight!” Mrs. Pepper screamed. “Come here quickly!”

“I told you not to scream!” Fern shouted. “I told you, I told you!”

Speaight came running out of his pantry. “Merciful heavens! What is it?”

Charles, too, had heard Mrs. Pepper’s yell and ran in from the area. He spotted Fern on the stairs. “What’s she doing here? She’s meant to be locked in her room!” In his haste, he failed to close the area door behind her.

“I think she done somethin’ to our Vi.” Mrs. Pepper said quickly.

“Is that true, girl?” Speaight asked.

“Maybe.”

“Where is Violet?” Charles asked.

“She’s in my room.” Fern sighed. “I’ve already answered that question.”

Charles narrowed his eyes and walked away from the stairs, shaking his head slightly at Mrs. Pepper who was about to speak. Leaning on the kitchen table, Charles sighed. “I guess this little girl is smarter than we are.”

“You’re right to think so.” Fern laughed.

“I guess she’s gotten us where she wants us.” Charles continued.

Speaight and Mrs. Pepper looked with curiosity at Charles as he nonchalantly walked back toward the stairs.

“You’re all fools.” Fern snapped. “Fools led by the King of Fools! Your puppet King!”

“You make a good point, Fern.” Charles nodded.

“I’m glad someone appreciates me.”

“Oh, I do.” Charles smiled.

Suddenly, he lunged forward grabbing the railing and throwing his legs over it. Before Fern knew what happened, Charles had grabbed her from behind, holding her arms against her body.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Fern shrieked.

“Run up and get Dr. Halifax! Tell him to bring something to sedate the little bitch.” Charles shouted. “Then go to the girl’s room and see to Violet.”

“I’ll go!” Mrs. Pepper said.

“No, Mrs. Pepper, it’s not right!” Mr. Speaight stopped her.

“For the love of God, man!” Mrs. Pepper shouted. “You’re gonna stand on ceremony? I can get up them stairs quicker than you with those old knees of yours!”

“Very well.” Speaight sighed.

Mrs. Pepper hurried up the stairs and skirted past Fern and Charles. Fern yowled as Mrs. Pepper past.

“Mr. Speaight!” Charles yelled. “I’ve got to put her somewhere.”

“I…I…”

“Does the scullery lock?”

“Yes, yes.” Speaight said.

“Fine, we’ll put her in there.” Charles said, picking up the girl who wriggled and struggled against him.

“Let me go!” Fern screamed again. “I didn’t kill the maid!”

“What did you do to her?” Charles asked as he hurled the girl toward the pantry.

“You’ll see!” Fern howled.

Charles tried to cover her mouth, releasing his grasp on one of her arms. She seized the opportunity to bit him, clamping her teeth on his hand until she could taste his blood. Charles screamed in agony and Fern broke free.

“Stop her!” Charles shouted to Mr. Speaight.

But, Fern would not be stopped. She pushed, with all her force, against Speaight, knocking him to the floor.

With that, she darted out of the area door, her little legs flying up the stairs to Belgrave Square.

“Fern!” Charles shouted.

“Help me!” Fern screamed. “He’s trying to kill me! Help me! He’s a bad man!”

With Charles in pursuit, Fern ran down the street toward Hamish House and was relieved to see the front door open.

“Oh,” Ulrika Rittenhouse smiled as the girl drew closer. “I thought I heard screams of agony. I thought maybe it was Christmas.”

Fern ran up the steps toward Ulrika.

“I knew you’d come back to us.” Ulrika offered a hand to the girl. “Now, would you like to come inside and see your papa?”

“Yes, please.” Fern nodded.

Charles reached Hamish House just in time to hear the door lock. Panting, he groaned, rubbing his bloody hand. With sweat dripping down his forehead, he considered for a moment…just for a moment…pounding on the door and demanding that the girl be released.

Shaking his head, he walked back to No. 65.

Meanwhile, inside Hamish House, Ulrika led Fern into the parlor. “You’re going to see your daddy now.”

Fern looked around the dim room.

“Where’s my father?” Fern asked.

“Over there.” Ulrika pointed.

“Where?” Fern asked.

“Some of him is on the table. Some on the floor. There’s some more in the corner on that side…there. Do you see that mound under the sheet?”

“That’s…?”

Isn’t it wonderful? It’s too, too thrilling.” Ulrika cooed. “Really, you should have been here to see it. I’ll never forget the beauty of it all.”

“Where’s my father?” Fern shouted.

“I told you, dear. Some of him is over there on the table. Oh, yes, there’s some left in the bowl. A bit there…” She pointed. “A bit in the corner…”

“I…I…” Fern began.

But, that’s not all.” Ulrika grinned. “What remains is with Marduk.”

Ulrika shook with laughter as Fern’s screams filled the house.



Did you miss Chapters 1-308 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday for Chapter 310.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 309

“This is where I left her, Your Grace.” Charles said with clear alarm.

“Well, she weren’t alone. Were she?” Punch sighed, pointing to the disturbed pool of blood in front of the altar.

“I suppose not.” Charles gulped. “She’d had to have help in order to carry that man out of here.”

“Them’s the kind of footprints what a lady makes.” Mr. Punch continued. “A lady inasmuch as her slippers were those of the kind of woman what sits in drawing rooms and not the kind of boots worn by a woman what’s gotta work. Here, what kind of things does that Marie Laveau wear on her feet?”

Charles shook his head and shrugged. “I never looked at her feet, Sir.”

“Well. Let’s think ‘bout this.” Punch said. “Marie’s not a great lady. She works hard. Yet, she works with rich ladies what would want her to arrive in their homes dressed in a way what’s fashionable. So, she might wear shoes such as them what made these tracks.”

“But, Marie Laveau wouldn’t help Barbara—certainly not after discovering that Barbara murdered her late husband’s brother.”

Mr. Punch frowned. “We don’t know that. Who knows what Marie will do? Who knows what she thought of the man? And, who says she’s helping Barbara? Maybe she got Barbara and made her carry the fella away for proper burial and now she’s punishin’ the woman what killed him.” Punch grunted. “But, I think you’re correct. These tracks weren’t made by Marie Laveau.”

“Who then?” Charles asked.

“Ulrika Rittenhouse? Iolanthe Evangeline? Some other lady what’s been fooled by Barbara? Or one what wants to punish her?”

“What should we do, Sir?” Charles asked nervously.

“I don’t know.” Mr. Punch said.

“Shouldn’t we look for her?”

“Probably.” Punch shrugged. “Though I ain’t as eager to find her as you are.”

“She’s your sister, Sir.”

“I said before,” Mr. Punch shook his head. “That woman what’s out there ceased bein’ me master’s sister when she began callin’ herself Barbrara Allen.”

“Whatever she’s called, Sir, she’s still your blood.”

“I know.” Punch grumbled. “Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna leave you to find her alone. But, once we find her, if she’s up to pure evil again, I ain’t gonna help her to do it. My first thoughts gotta be for that child. As it is, I got Meridian tryin’ to arrange passage for me and Robert and Colin without lettin’ Edward Cage know. “

“I overheard a little of your instructions before we left.” Charles nodded. “You’re traveling incognito? It will be difficult.”

“Sure it will. Two men and a baby with a suite of staff. Sure, it will be difficult. But, by the time folk figure out that this body is that of the Duke of Fallbridge, and not ‘Julian Pulcinella’ as I’m callin’ myself on the ship’s register, we’ll be far from Edward Cage and far from havin’ to give that poor babe back into hands what’ll only hurt him.”

“Julian Pulcinella.” Charles nodded. “And, who, then, is Dr. Halifax?”

“He’ll be called. Roberto Amici.” Punch grinned.

“I wish you well, Sir.” Charles said softly.

“Most kind of you.” Punch nodded. “Now, then, let’s see if we can’t find that bothersome wench.”

“Yes, Sir.” Charles replied.

At that very moment, Marie Laveau shrieked as she walked into the larder of her smoke-damages house. She’d gone in to fetch Nellie’s body, so that she and her men could get rid of it. However, she was shocked to find that Nellie’s remains were not alone. There—on the floor of the pantry—Nellie’s body was wrapped in the arms of the corpse of Louis Glapion. The two, together, looked like slumbering lovers.

Hot tears rose in Marie’s eyes. “Oh, there will be punishment! There will be punishment most terrible!”



Did you miss Chapters 1-308? If so, you can read them here.