Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 360

Chapter 360:
Descent



The sounds of Ruthy's screams sliced through the floors of the towering mansion at No. 65 Belgrave Square.  

Charles and Georgie, who'd only just come into the servants' hall after searching for Gamilla around the City of Westminster, were urged by Mrs. Pepper to go upstairs as quickly as possible.

Before the two even reached the service staircase, the door from the front hall burst open and, there, appeared Violet holding Ruthy tightly by the arm.

"Let me go!"  Ruthy screamed.

"What's going on, Vi?"  Charles asked.

"This bitch let Ulrika Rittenhouse's lover in here, the rotten blackguard.  He took Gamilla!"  Violet growled angrily.

"What?"  Charles coughed.  "My brother?"

"Oh, Charlie,"  Violet said quickly.  "I forgot he was  your..."

"Never mind that."  Charles shook his head.  "He is a blackguard and..."  he narrowed his eyes at Ruthy, "if this is true, you are a bitch."

"Is it true, then, Ruthy?"  George Pepper asked.

"Yes!"  Ruthy screamed.  "Now, let me go."

Mrs. Pepper, Ethel and Maudie gathered at the foot of the stairs.

Charles cooly turned and looked down at Mrs. Pepper.  "Where's Mr. Speaight?"

"Still out lookin' for Gamilla."  Mrs. Pepper answered.

Charles scratched his chin.  He inhaled.  "George, my lad, go with your mum.  Take the baby upstairs to the nursery and stay with your mum there."

"Charlie!"  George argued.  "I want to get me hands on this witch what gave up our sweet Gamilla."

"Why'd ya do it, Ruthy?"  Mrs. Pepper asked, tearfully.  "Gamilla's been good to ya.  When His Grace wasn't certain 'bout ya, she spoke up on your behalf."

"Oh, yes, the African girl is so bleedin' kind!"  Ruthy scoffed.  "That's why you all make such a fuss over her, is it?  She don't do a blasted thing!  No one here does!  No one but me! All you do is let the masters dote on ya like children.  You're all as simple as the God damn mandrake Duke and his fancy man."

"Shut yer gob, ya sow!"  Violet slapped the girl who yelped.

"Ya hurt me!"  Ruthy howled.

"I'll do a site worse in a moment," Violet snapped, slapping the girl again.  "Ya jealous cow!  So ya let them take Gamilla because you felt you--a maid--was overworked?  Did that satisfy your hate?"

"No, but the five sovereigns did."  Ruthy sneered.

Violet pulled back on Ruthy's arm, and, then, with one swift motion, tossed the girl down the rest of the stairs.  She landed at the feet of Mrs. Pepper, Ethel and Maudie.

"Cor!"  Ethel gasped.  "Ya killed her, Vi!"  Ethel smiled.  "I'm glad you did."

"So am I!"  Maudie replied.

"She ain't dead."  Violet shook her head, descending the stairs.  "Are ya?"

"I'm hurt!"  Ruthy wailed.

"Oh."  Maudie sighed with disappointment.

"Someone help me up."  Ruthy struggled.

Charles took George gently by the arm.  "Georgie, now listen, I need you.  As you know, Gerry's gone off with Her Ladyship and the masters are at the palace.  With Mr. Speaight gone, that leaves us the men in charge.  You gotta be the other footman.  Understand?"

"Yes, sir."  Georgie nodded.  

"Good.  Master Colin can't see nor hear what's about to happen.  Right?"

"Right."

"So, your mum has gotta take him upstairs.  I want you to take them up and I want Ethel and Maudie to go, too.  You care for Ethel, yes?"

"Very much."  

"Well,  you know she's only just gotten over the horrible things she saw at Hamish House and losing Jenny.  There's no good in seeing anything upsetting.  So, help me, mate, by taking the girls upstairs.  Please."

"But, what about Ruthy?"  George asked.

"Violet and I will handle her."  Charles replied.



Did you miss Chapters 1-359 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back on Monday for Chapter 361.  No chapter tomorrow.  But, hopefully, by next week, I'll be back on schedule.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 360

“Well?” Edward Cage barked as his man, Ty Odo, returned from upstairs.


“She ain’t good, Sir.” Odo said with mock concern.

“I know that!” Edward snapped. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Zettie thinks she got the Yellow Jack,” Odo said, biting his cheeks to keep from smiling.

“Damn.” Edward grunted, shaking his head. “Of all the times for her…” He paused. “What do we do about it?”

“Ain’t a lot of doctors gonna come and see her. Most o’ them’s scared o’ the Yellow Jack.” Odo continued.

“Surely there’s got to be one.”

“Only one I can think of is that Doctor Halifax. See, he got that nurse that helps folk that got the fever--Marjani.”

“I can’t have either of those two people in this house!” Edward growled. “You know that!”

“I know, Sir, what with the baby back and all. You don’t want them knowin’ you got their boy.”

“Quiet!” Edward shouted. “Don’t say another word about it.”

“Yes, Sir.” Odo smirked.

“Well, then, what do we do?”

“I reckon, then, we just wait for Mrs. Cage to die, Sir.” Odo’s eyes flashed with glee as he said those words.

“I can’t very well do that.” Edward grumbled. “Can’t Zettie or one of the girls look after her?”

“Zettie’ll stay. She ain’t scared o’ nothin’. But, them other girls, Sir. They don’t want nothin’ for to do with no Yellow Jack. Can’t say as I blame ‘em. But, don’t worry, Sir. A lady as fragile as Mrs. Cage—she ain’t gonna hang on long.”

Edward scowled at his man. “And, you say there’s no one except that Halifax and his nurse who will tend to Mrs. Cage?”

“That’s right, Sir.” Odo nodded.

“The child is in the nursery?”

“Yes, Sir, with Master Orman.”

“Make sure he stays there. Don’t let either of the children into Mrs. Cage’s room. Keep them as far from her as possible. And, send for that Halifax man and his nurse.”

“Is that wise, Sir?”

“Do we have another choice?” Edward shouted. “Just don’t let them see the child. Make no mention of the child and tell the others not to say a word about him!”

“What about Mrs. Cage?” Odo asked. “She’s sure to say somethin’.”

“You leave Mrs. Cage to me.” Edward grumbled. “Now, go! Do as you’re told!”

“Yes, Mr. Cage.” Odo nodded as he backed out of the room.

“One more thing!” Edward shouted.

“Yes, Sir.” Odo bowed.

“If you come back without Halifax and that woman, Mrs. Cage isn’t the only one in this house who will die! Do you understand?”

“I do.” Odo nodded before running from the room.

“Damn it!” Edward hollered, throwing a glass across the room. “Damn you, Corliss! You’ve always ruined everything. I ought to let you die. But, as it is, I need you to live.” He shook his head as he thought about his situation. Should his wife die, he’d be free of her simpering ways and her delicate cooing. But, if she died before her father, he’d have no hope of getting his hands on her inheritance. He counted on that money. The profits from the wax museum hadn’t been what he’d expected, and the plantation was hemorrhaging the coins from his pockets. He needed his wife’s money, and to get it, he needed his wife. “How I loathe you,” he growled.

Lumbering toward the window, Edward thrust open the curtains and watched as Odo ran up Royal Street to fetch Robert Halifax. “I just have to keep them away from the child. I won’t lose him again!”

Marjani answered the kitchen door as Odo knocked on it wildly.

“What you want?” Marjani shook her head at Odo.

“You and the doctor gotta come to Mr. Cage’s. Mrs. Cage done got the Yellow Jack. She needs your nursin’.”

“Can’t.” Marjani said, pushing Odo out of her kitchen.

“Why not?” Odo belched.

“We got troubles of our own here.” Marjani said.

“Like what?”

“None of your business, Odo.” Marjani said firmly. She didn’t see any point in telling him that Cecil and Adrienne were out in the cold looking for their son or that little Colin had also been taken. She didn’t know that the child was back at the Cage’s again. She also didn’t see any reason to share with Odo the fact that Meridian was ailing after being attacked by Agnes Rittenhouse or that the Duke was still lying unconscious on the parlor floor after being struck by Marie Laveau.

“Mr. Cage ain’t gonna like this.” Odo snarled.

“I don’t care what Mr. Cage likes.” Marjani answered.

“That woman’s gonna die!” Odo argued.

“She’s gonna die whether I help her or not.” Marjani shook her head.

“What’s this?” Robert asked as he came into the kitchen.

“Doctor!” Odo shouted past Marjani. “Mrs. Cage, she got the Yellow Jack!”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Robert nodded absent-mindedly. “Marjani, I need you in the parlor.”

“You gotta come to her!” Odo continued.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot.” Robert shook his head, thinking only of Julian/Mr. Punch and how—when or if the man regained consciousness—he would explain that Agnes had taken both Colin and Fuller.

“You gotta!”

“You heard the man, and you heard me!” Marjani said, pushing Odo again. “We can’t!”

“He’ll kill me if I don’t come back with ya!”

“That’s not our problem.” Marjani replied sternly.

Robert sighed. “Listen, man. There’s not much we can do for her. We just nursed a man with the fever and he didn’t survive. Just try to keep her comfortable and…” He paused and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t leave this house right now.”

“Is it cuz the child is gone? The Duke’s nephew? The one that Iolanthe Evangeline sold to Mr. Cage all them week’s ago?” Odo asked desperately, knowing he shouldn’t.

“How did you know about that?” Robert asked.

“People talk.” Odo said quickly. “Ain’t nothing that goes on with these folks that I don’t know ‘bout. I know that baby has been taken from this house.”

Robert narrowed his eyes.

“What else do you know?” He asked.

“I know that Mr. Cage’’ll kill me if I don’t come back with ya.”

“What do you know about the child? Two children were taken from here tonight! What else do you know?” Robert stepped forward.

“I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout the other one. But, I can tell you where the Duke’s nephew is.”

“Do it!” Marjani howled.

“Only if the two of you come with me right now.” Odo smiled.



Did you miss Chapters 1-359? If so, you can read them here.