Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 349

Chapter 349
Gestures


"Your Ladyship!"  Gerard pounded on Lennie's bedroom door.

Lennie flung the door open, "Gerard!  Gamillla!  Hurry, please."  She pointed across her bedroom to the window.

Gerard and Gamilla rushed to the window.  As Lennie's room was at the rear of the house, her window overlooked the small garden behind No. 65.

"What are we lookin' for?"  Gerard asked.

"Don't you see him?"  Lennie cautiously approached the window.  She peered over Gerard's shoulder.  She sighed.  "He's gone.  He must have hear my scream."

"As did we,"  Robert hurried into the room, tying his dressing gown as he entered.  He was followed by Mr. Punch.

"We heard ya from the floor above, Lennie."  Punch began.  "What's happened?"

"Johnny Donnan was in the garden."  Lennie explained.  "I saw him.  I'd...I'd heard a tapping at my window as if someone was tossing pebbles at the glass, so I went to look.  I thought perhaps Matthew was doing something...oh, some antiquated romantic gesture."  She shook her head.  "So, I went to look.  I...I didn't expect to see..."

"The fool."  Robert shook his head.  "Could he possibly be so reckless as to be seen entering our garden?  What would compel him to be so careless as to reveal his association with us?"

"Perhaps he done heard that Her Ladyship accepted the proposal of the Earl."  Gamilla suggested.

"How could he have?"  Robert shook his head.  "It's not been announced yet."

"Maybe someone from downstairs told him."  Gamilla replied.  "Perhaps Ethel or Maudie were chattin' with one of the maids from a nearby house and he heard it second hand."

"I should hope they'd know better than to speak of the goings on of the household with servants from other houses."  Robert clucked his tongue.

"They do, Sir."  Gamilla smiled.  "Only when there's happy news, it's hard to keep it quiet."

"It couldn't have been the girls."  Gerard shook his head.  "They went straight up to the attics from the servants' hall.  We was all together until they went upstairs and they didn't go outside, not once."

"I was only thinkin' aloud, Your Grace."  Gamilla said softly.

"Oh, I know, Gamilla."  Punch smiled.  "It was a smart suggestion, it was.  If Johnny knew Lady Fallbridge was to be wed, he might want to see 'er.  After all, he's made it clear he wants to somehow be a..."  He trailed off.

"You can say it, brother dear.  Silence won't change the fact that the man is my father."  Lennie replied.

"Regardless of what he's heard, he's been warned repeatedly to stay away from you.  Furthermore, he's also been warned that being seen at this house would severely jeopardize the Queen's plan to infiltrate Hamish House.  No matter his reasons, to trespass in our garden is unforgivable."  

"Well, he's gone now."  Lennie sighed.  "And, here I stand, embarrassed.  I'm so sorry to have disturbed everyone so.  I wasn't aware of my scream until after it had issued from my mouth.  He startled me.  I expected to see Matthew smiling up at me, and...well..."  She shook her head.  "Nevertheless, we learned one thing.  I've got quite a loud voice when I want to.  Not only did my brothers hear me from the floor above, but Gerard heard me from the attics."

Gerard and Gamilla exchanged glances.

"I wasn't in the attics."  Gerard  blushed.

Gamilla shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"Ah."  Punch grinned.

"We was just talkin', Your Grace."  Gerard said quickly.

"No need to explain."  Robert held up his hand.

"Oh dear,"  Lennie muttered.

"We really was just talkin', my lady."  Gamilla said.

"It's not that,"  Lennie giggled.  "I just worried that I'd awakened Colin."

"No, no, he went right back to sleep."

"As should we all."  Robert nodded.  "Each in our own room."  He smiled, blushing.  "Well, I suppose that rather makes me a hypocrite."  

They all chuckled.

Lennie glanced out of the window uncomfortably.

"Perhaps before I go up, I could bolt the garden gate?"  Gerard suggested.

"You anticipated my request."  Robert nodded.

"I'll go right now."  Gerard answered.  He looked at Gamilla and smiled.  "May I visit you in the nursery before breakfast?"

Gamilla looked at Mr. Punch.

"Well, of course he can!"  Punch laughed.

Gamilla nodded happily.

"Good night, all."  Robert smiled.  "Lennie, dear, will you be able to sleep?"

"Eventually.  I'll just calm down a bit."

"Would you like me to stay with you for a spell, my lady?"  Gamilla asked.

"I'd love it if you would."  Lennie nodded.  "As long as you think Colin will be all right.""

"Oh, he's sleepin' like an angel.  Besides, Ruthy will be in at midnight to check on him."  Gamilla answered.

"We'll leave you two to your chat."  Robert said.

"Good night.  Don't stay up too late."  Punch smiled.

They closed Lennie's door behind them.

"I knew, I did,"  Punch shook his head.  "I knew Johnny wouldn't be able to stay 'way from Lennie."

"We may need to rethink our newfound trust of him."  Robert agreed.

"In the mornin'."  Punch sighed.  "Right now, even I'm ready for sleep."  With that, Punch and Robert climbed the stairs to their room.

Meanwhile, downstairs, in the garden, Gerard made his way toward the gate to bolt it when he heard a raspy voice hiss at him.  "Oy, Aussie!"

"Mr. Donnan."  Gerard shook his head.  "Ya know you oughn't be here."

"When I come to the hall with a delivery, your Charles told me 'bout my girl gettin' a ring from that earl fella."

"Ah."  Gerard said.

"Listen, I just wanna talk to my lass."  Johnny stepped out into the moonlight.

"She don't want to see ya."  Gerard said firmly.  "And, she ain't your lass.  Now, Mr. Donnan, you 'eard this from everyone in the house from His Grace to me, and even from the lady herself.  She don't want to see ya."

"It's a father's place to talk to his girl on the day she's promised to wed a man."

"Ain't gonna happen."  Gerard said.  "Now, you gotta get back to Hamish House.  Remember, His Grace is payin' for your services.  Ain't no use puttin' all that at risk.  ya know you ain't to be seen here.  And, like I said, ain't no way you're gonna talk to Lady Fallbridge."

"Call 'er what you want, lad, but she's still Ellen Barrett to me."

"Do ya hear yourself.  Even then, she still ain't your daughter.  Never in her life was she Ellen Donnan.  Never did she think of you as a pa."

Johnny shook his head.  "You'll understand one day, when you and your bride have a child."

Gerard sighed.  "Good night, Mr. Donnan."

"Lad, will ya give 'er this?"  He held up a crumpled piece of paper.

"Lady Fallbridge?"  Gerard squinted.

"Sure, sure.  Just give it to her.  Please."

"What is it?"

"I didn't think anyone'd let me see 'er.  So, I wrote this, best I could.  Just...just give it to 'er, lad."

"Good night, Mr. Donnan."  Gerard repeated.

"Will ya, lad?"

"Good night."

"Fine."  Johnny grumbled, leaving the garden.

"Cor."  Gerard grunted as he latched the gate.


Did you miss Chapters 1-348 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back tomorrow for Chapter 350.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 349

The vision of the late Duchess of Fallbridge moved forward and stood before Julian in the uncomfortable scene that he had imagined.


“Just what, may I ask, do you think that you can do to me?” The Duchess hissed to her son as the illusion of his child-self screamed in the boiling tub of water. “You’re nothing. You’re vapor and light—even less of a person than you are in reality, if that’s possible.”

“Aren’t you comprised of the same?” Julian said firmly. “Aren’t you just a trick of my mind? Additionally, while this hallucination may, indeed, stop at some point, I will continue whereas you will not. You’re dead, Mother.”

“No, I’m not, Julian.” The Duchess shook her head. “I’ll never really die. Yes, it is true that my body has ceased, I will continue on forever. Julian, I’m in everything you do. Every shiver, every moan, every second that your heart continues to be—I’m there. You’ll never be free of me. And, this, I think, you should count as a blessing? What would you be without me? Truly? A dreamer? You have no real use. Of what are you capable? Cutting stones? Making baubles? Well, that’s all very pretty. But, it’s not very substantial. So, you’ve dedicated your life to bringing a moment of happiness to someone when she opens a box to see a glittering jewel. Where’s the permanence in that? What mark have you made on the world? Count yourself blessed that you’ve got my blood—Fallbridge blood—in your veins. At least, then, you have potential for greatness. That’s more than most. In that, at least, you’re not entirely useless.”

“I am not even marginally useless.” Julian spat. “Tell her,” He said turning to the specter of Prince Albert.

“What shall I say?” The Prince shrugged.

“Anything! Offer something. You’re…” Julian paused. “You’re a creation of my own mind, so do as I tell you.”

“I’m impressed, Your Grace,” Prince Albert smiled. “Very well, I shall speak for you. The Duke,” the prince began, “has, indeed, made a mark on the world. Look at me.”

“I am looking at you, Your Majesty,” Julian’s mother curtsied.

“Look upon the attire your son has imagined for me. Look upon my regalia. Do you see this?” The image of the Prince pointed to the sash which clung to his uniform. “Do you see my garter badges, my stars?”

“I do.” The Duchess nodded.

“Though I am imagined, these are not. These are exactly the image of those same jewels that the Duke created for me. When I am gone, when the Queen is gone and our son ascends the throne, and his son, and his son after him, these jewels will remain even after our bodies have long turned to dust. These jewels will be worn by Kings and Queens of England for centuries to come and each time one of these is pinned to their breast, the hands of the Sovereign will touch those very stones that were so lovingly touched by the Duke. You speak of permanence. Is that not permanence enough for you?”

“A curious argument, but one that I cannot refute. There’s truth, indeed, to what you’ve been urged to say, Your Majesty,” The Duchess nodded. “But, still, those stones are far stronger than my son.”

“Stronger than you or I.” The Prince grinned.

“It doesn’t change the fact that he’s of little worth.”

“How dare you?” Julian interrupted.

“Don’t speak to me in such a way!” The Duchess snapped. She turned and looked over her shoulder, shrieking at the nanny who continued to scrub the vision of young Julian who suffered so terribly in the boiling bath. “Dunk his head!”

Nanny Rittenhouse did as she was asked and pushed the child Julian roughly into the scalding water.

“You always were filthy and difficult!” The Duchess howled with laughter. “That will tame your foulness!”

As the ghost of his past self began to sputter and cough—his lungs filling with the hot water—so did the image of the adult Julian.

“You see, Your Majesty?” The Duchess cackled. “He’s weak!”

At that very moment, in their borrowed house on Royal Street, Marjani and Robert watched in horror as Julian’s limp body began to rattle and shake in a fit of coughing and gasping.

“What’s happenin’?” Marjani asked, trying to hold Julian’s body down as he thrashed wildly.

“I don’t know!” Robert gasped.



Did you miss Chapters 1-348? If so, you can read them here.