Adrienne screamed as the cart sped toward them. Instinctively, she leapt up, twisting at the waist to protect her son. Robert did the same, shielding Colin from a potential impact, almost crashing into Marjani as she pulled Columbia to safety—the dog Toby safe in the little girl’s arms.
Cecil charged forward and, with Punch’s help, stopped the cart before it could collide into their family. Still the cart upset the metal drum of burning scraps. Gamilla hurried to rest it before any embers could spill into the weathered wood of the dock. Thankfully, she had the forethought to cover her hands with her scarf to protect them from the searing heat of the metal.
“No, no!” Punch yelped when he saw Gerard in the cart. Without thinking he climbed inside pulling the limp man up by his armpits. “Come on, beardy chum,” Punch whimpered. “Talk to old Mr. Punch. Who done this?”
Gerard sputtered.
Punch chattered, “What’s them marks on his forehead? Cecil? What’s them marks? Who done this?”
“Marie Laveau.” Cecil narrowed his eyes.
“Cecil!” Adrienne shouted. “What’s happening?”
“Stay back!” Cecil commanded, not looking at his wife. “Send Robert over.”
Gamilla hurried to the side of the cart before Robert.
“Gerry!” Gamilla gasped.
“Gamilla, please,” Robert said softly. “Join the other women.”
“No, Sir.” Gamilla shook her head. “I may not be a man. I may not be your equal from my sex to the color of my skin, but this man is my friend and I’m stayin’ at his side and ain’t nothin’ you can say to get me away.”
“As you wish,” Robert nodded. He tapped Punch gently on the shoulder. “Let him rest, dear Punch. Let him down and come out of there so I might examine him.”
“Someone scratched him,” Punch gulped. “Beat him and scratched them marks on ‘im. Ain’t right. Poor man. I shoulda gone instead.”
“So you could have been beaten by that witch?” Cecil bellowed. “To leave your ward without a guardian? To leave my son without his beloved uncle? To leave Robert…alone?”
“I coulda beat her.” Punch moaned. “This ain’t Gerry’s fight, it ain’t. It’s mine! Wasn’t right for me to put him in danger. Servant or no.”
“Dear Punch,” Robert repeated softly. “Come out of there. Let me see him.”
With tears stinging his eyes, Punch lowered Gerard back to the bottom of the rough wooden cart. Gerard reached for his master with a clenched fist.
“What’s this?” Punch said, gazing at Gerard with pity. “What is it, Gerry?”
Gerard groaned, thumping his fist against Punch’s arms.
Punch took Gerard’s hand. It was raw and cold. The man’s fingers slowly unclenched and he deposited a red leather pouch into Punch’s open hand.
“Drop it!” Robert ordered.
Punch looked up, alarmed.
“Drop it now!” Robert shouted.
Did you miss Chapters 1-434? If so, you can read them here.
