Chapter 124:
The Silver Vault
“Dear God,” Gerard choked as he staggered into the Servants’ Hall from the silver vaults. With that, he began to run—his legs moving somehow without his consent or knowledge, leading him toward the service staircase.
His body stopped as he crashed into Robert who was descending the stairs. Dr. Halifax grabbed the railing to keep from falling backward.
“Gerard?” Robert snapped. “Whatever is the matter?”
“Mrs. North.” Gerard panted.
“I’ve just come down to talk with her.” Robert shook his head. “Finlay just appeared at the Duke’s chamber with Colin. It seems that Mrs. North…”
“No.” Gerard interrupted.
“What?” Robert squinted.
“She’s dead, Sir.”
Robert’s face went pale. “I don’t understand.”
“She’s dead.” Gerard croaked.
“How?” Robert said softly. “How could she be? Finlay said he just left her…”
Gerard shook his head. “I found her, Sir.”
“Where?” Robert gulped.
“In the room with the silver…the…where all the silver is…just by the cellars…” Gerard stumbled.
“Take me there.” Robert said quickly.
“Yes.” Gerard panted again.
“Gerard, are you sure she’s dead?” Robert asked hopefully as Gerard led him to the vaults.
“Very.” Gerard answered without looking at his master.
“Perhaps she’s just sleeping.” Robert suggested.
“She ain’t sleepin’, Sir.” Gerard replied. “She’s dead. Right on the floor—her face all turned out in horror. Someone covered her up and all.”
Robert coughed as they paused outside the cellar door.
“Just in there, Sir.” Gerard pointed toward the low entrance to the silver vaults.
Robert nodded.
“Do I need to come with you, Sir?” Gerard asked hesitantly.
“I…” Robert sighed. “I don’t think so. But, stay here, please.”
Gerard bit his lip and nodded.
Robert slowly entered the vault which was lit only by the single candle which Gerard had brought with him earlier. He immediately saw Mrs. North’s lifeless body and could tell without closer inspection that she was, in fact, deceased.
Still, he walked toward her and knelt down to examine her. He studied the woman’s face carefully, and, then, his eyes went toward her throat which had clearly been bruised. Robert deduced at once that she’d been cruelly strangled.
He took a deep breath and rose to his feet. Pausing for a moment, Robert once again looked to Mrs. North and shook his head. Then, he joined Gerard.
“Sir?” Gerard gulped.
“She’s dead.” Robert nodded.
“How, Sir?”
“Someone choked her to death.” Robert sighed. “And, not recently, by the looks of her. This had to have happened some time ago.”
“How, then, Dr. Halifax, could Finlay have been given the baby by Mrs. North?” Gerard asked.
“That’s what I aim to find out.” Robert growled. “Furthermore, there’s been a theft of the Duke’s jewels.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
“What can I do, Sir?”
“Obviously, all of this mayhem is connected.” Robert began. “Please go inform Speaight of what’s happened and ask him to casually ensure that no one leaves the ball. He’s clever. He’ll figure something out. Just make sure that he doesn’t divulge to anyone what’s happened. Not yet. When you’ve finished, alert Charles and I want both of you to join me in the Duke’s chamber upstairs.”
“Yes, Sir.” Gerard nodded. “But…”
“I’ll find Gamilla.” Robert interrupted. “I’d sent her to Mrs. North’s room. I’m sure she’s finished that task by now and is likely to have rejoined the Duke and Colin. I’ll see to it that she’s afely with us.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Before you come up, please, you and Charles should change from your fancy dress. I’ll inform Gamilla to do the same.”
“As you wish.”
Robert scowled. “Mrs. North was in her house dress.”
“Yes?”
“She hadn’t even donned her costume for the ball.”
“But…”
“I wonder also…” Robert continued. “Who that woman was in the costume which was intended for Mrs. North.”
“I’ve an idea, Sir.” Gerard frowned.
“As do I.” Robert nodded.
Did you miss Chapters 1-123 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 125.
His body stopped as he crashed into Robert who was descending the stairs. Dr. Halifax grabbed the railing to keep from falling backward.
“Gerard?” Robert snapped. “Whatever is the matter?”
“Mrs. North.” Gerard panted.
“I’ve just come down to talk with her.” Robert shook his head. “Finlay just appeared at the Duke’s chamber with Colin. It seems that Mrs. North…”
“No.” Gerard interrupted.
“What?” Robert squinted.
“She’s dead, Sir.”
Robert’s face went pale. “I don’t understand.”
“She’s dead.” Gerard croaked.
“How?” Robert said softly. “How could she be? Finlay said he just left her…”
Gerard shook his head. “I found her, Sir.”
“Where?” Robert gulped.
“In the room with the silver…the…where all the silver is…just by the cellars…” Gerard stumbled.
“Take me there.” Robert said quickly.
“Yes.” Gerard panted again.
“Gerard, are you sure she’s dead?” Robert asked hopefully as Gerard led him to the vaults.
“Very.” Gerard answered without looking at his master.
“Perhaps she’s just sleeping.” Robert suggested.
“She ain’t sleepin’, Sir.” Gerard replied. “She’s dead. Right on the floor—her face all turned out in horror. Someone covered her up and all.”
Robert coughed as they paused outside the cellar door.
“Just in there, Sir.” Gerard pointed toward the low entrance to the silver vaults.
Robert nodded.
“Do I need to come with you, Sir?” Gerard asked hesitantly.
“I…” Robert sighed. “I don’t think so. But, stay here, please.”
Gerard bit his lip and nodded.
Robert slowly entered the vault which was lit only by the single candle which Gerard had brought with him earlier. He immediately saw Mrs. North’s lifeless body and could tell without closer inspection that she was, in fact, deceased.
Still, he walked toward her and knelt down to examine her. He studied the woman’s face carefully, and, then, his eyes went toward her throat which had clearly been bruised. Robert deduced at once that she’d been cruelly strangled.
He took a deep breath and rose to his feet. Pausing for a moment, Robert once again looked to Mrs. North and shook his head. Then, he joined Gerard.
“Sir?” Gerard gulped.
“She’s dead.” Robert nodded.
“How, Sir?”
“Someone choked her to death.” Robert sighed. “And, not recently, by the looks of her. This had to have happened some time ago.”
“How, then, Dr. Halifax, could Finlay have been given the baby by Mrs. North?” Gerard asked.
“That’s what I aim to find out.” Robert growled. “Furthermore, there’s been a theft of the Duke’s jewels.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
“What can I do, Sir?”
“Obviously, all of this mayhem is connected.” Robert began. “Please go inform Speaight of what’s happened and ask him to casually ensure that no one leaves the ball. He’s clever. He’ll figure something out. Just make sure that he doesn’t divulge to anyone what’s happened. Not yet. When you’ve finished, alert Charles and I want both of you to join me in the Duke’s chamber upstairs.”
“Yes, Sir.” Gerard nodded. “But…”
“I’ll find Gamilla.” Robert interrupted. “I’d sent her to Mrs. North’s room. I’m sure she’s finished that task by now and is likely to have rejoined the Duke and Colin. I’ll see to it that she’s afely with us.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Before you come up, please, you and Charles should change from your fancy dress. I’ll inform Gamilla to do the same.”
“As you wish.”
Robert scowled. “Mrs. North was in her house dress.”
“Yes?”
“She hadn’t even donned her costume for the ball.”
“But…”
“I wonder also…” Robert continued. “Who that woman was in the costume which was intended for Mrs. North.”
“I’ve an idea, Sir.” Gerard frowned.
“As do I.” Robert nodded.
Did you miss Chapters 1-123 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 125.
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