“
Really, Iolanthe,” Ulrika sighed in frustration, “I don’t understand what you’re going on about. It’s just a chalk figure for the love of God. You can buy them by the armful at the French Market.”
“When somethin’ takes a shape, it means somethin’.” Iolanthe spat. “I don’t reckon you’d be terrible thrilled if someone smashed a statue that resembled you.”
“Is she sayin’ she fancies herself the image of the Blessed Virgin?” Arthur chuckled quietly to Ulrika.
“I have no idea,” Ulrika laughed.
“No!” Iolanthe growled. “I don’t think I’m anything at all like the Mother of God. What, I’m sayin’, you imbecile, is that smashin’ that thing isn’t gonna please the Holy Mother.”
“Honestly, you don’t believe in all of that, do you?” Ulrika moaned. “A statue is nothing more than the material from which it’s made. And, for your information, Miss Evangeline, there happen to exist several sculptures made in my image. Before Father hired that dull Cecil Halifax, he had a sculptor who loved my body and took every chance he could to be close to me. Oh, he sculpted me—every curve. That’s why Father fired him. When he found out, he was furious! But, oh, how delicious it was while it lasted!”
“Here, you’ve got sculptures of your shame out there for all the world to see?” Arthur grinned.
“Jealous?” Ulrika winked.
“No.” Arthur grunted. “Knowin’ what kind of slut you are, I know I ain’t the only fella what’s seen your business.”
“You want to talk about business?” Ulrika snorted. “Your own wife…”
“Enough!” Iolanthe shouted.
“We’re just talking, Iolanthe.” Ulrika smiled.
“I’ve heard enough talking for one night.” Iolanthe sighed. “Leave me now.”
“We haven’t reached a conclusion, yet.” Ulrika frowned.
“Nor will we. Not tonight.” Iolanthe shook her head. “I’m tired. My head is spinning. I’ve had more than enough excitement for one night.”
“I know that you’re old, Iolanthe.” Ulrika laughed, “but I think you have enough stamina to work out the rest of our arrangements.”
“You’d best silence yourself, Ulrika Rittenhouse,” Iolanthe hissed, “before you get my anger up.”
“And, you’d best tell me what I want to hear before you get mine up.” Ulrika stood.
“Listen, Pet, if Miss Evangeline don’t want to talk no more…” Arthur began.
“Quiet, Arthur.” Ulrika dismissed the man. “Now, listen, Iolanthe. Before that woman came in here with her little trinket of the Virgin, we had almost worked out an arrangement. It’s all very simple. I have two impediments to getting what I want. I stand to get my hands on the Fallbridge fortune. I’ll split it with you if you help me get rid of those two pesky impediments—Barbara Allen and the mad Duke. With that gold in your coffers, you can have the freedom you want to do anything. You can leave New Orleans. You can pay for the finest doctors in the world to help your son.”
“I can do that now,” Iolanthe said firmly. “Honey, I don’t want you thinkin’ I can’t. You got no idea how much gold I already got in my coffers, and I got something even more precious sittin’ right on top of it—that lovely blue diamond.”
“About that,” Ulrika smiled. “You know that’s mine.”
“It ain’t yours no more than it’s mine.” Iolanthe laughed. “The difference is that I got it and you don’t. Seems to me I got more to offer you than you got to offer me.”
“You would think so,” Ulrika smirked. “But, don’t forget, I’ve got the one thing that can truly get to Barbara Allen—her husband.”
Arthur grinned.
“Now, let’s just both be reasonable.” Ulrika nodded. “And, then, you can get all the rest you want.”
Meanwhile, in the house on Royal Street, Marjani pressed a cool, damp cloth against Julian’s forehead.
“What are you suggesting, Marjani?” Robert asked. “You say you know of some way to protect Julian from the Yellow Fever. What is it?”
“You may not like it.” Marjani said softly.
“We won’t know unless you tell me.”
“I was talkin’ to Naasir, poor man, before he done got himself all burned up. He told me of a ritual that they done back in our birthplace—a way of protectin’ a body from the harm of illness.”
“Some kind of ‘magical’ prevention?” Robert shook his head.
“Won’t work ‘less ya believe.” Marjani sighed.
“You must understand that it would be difficult for me to believe in anything that wasn’t based in scientific fact.” Robert answered.
“How’d you know to go to the Cathedral?” Marjani asked plainly.
“Pardon?”
“This night, when you was lookin’ for His Grace…how’d you know he was in the Cathedral?”
“I don’t know.” Robert squinted. “We were headed for Iolanthe’s and suddenly…”
“You had the idea to go to St. Louis Cathedral.” Marjani nodded. “Like you just done heard it in your own head.”
“Yes,” Robert nodded.
“Where’d that idea come from?”
“From you?” Robert raised his eyebrows.
Marjani smiled. “Not everything’s got an explanation, Doctor.”
“I’ll grant you that.” Robert nodded slowly.
“So, then?”
“Marjani, I trust you. I’ll do whatever is needed to make sure that Julian and Mr. Punch survive.”
“I’m glad for to hear that.” Marjani grinned. “Now, we need Mrs. Halifax, the baby, and Naasir. We don’t got a minute to spare.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-163? If so, you can read them here.
