Chapter 128:
Her Poor Mother
Robert took a few cautious steps toward Lady Lensdown as the occupants of the Great Hall fell silent.
“Tell me, Baroness,” Robert began softly. “What’s happened? How were you injured?”
Lady Lensdown moaned softly and stiffly extended her bloodied hands.
“I’m going to try to help you, if you’ll let me.” Robert said soothingly.
“No.” The baroness rasped. She withdrew her hands and wiped them on her gown—the action, however, only served to bloody her hands more as they brushed across the crimson stain which had ruined the bodice of her opulent attire.
“You’ve asked for help,” Robert nodded patiently. “I can help you.”
“I don’t need help.” She sobbed.
“Clearly you do.” Robert continued.
“It’s not me who wants help.” The baroness cried.
“I don’t understand.” Robert shook his head.
“I think she’s too distraught to make sense, Sir.” Gerard whispered as he came up behind the doctor.
“It’s Martha.” Lady Lensdown groaned. “She’s dead.”
Robert squinted. “Martha?” He paused for a moment. What was Mrs. North’s Christian name? Was it “Martha?” How could the baroness have found Mrs. North? From where had the blood come?
“In the blue parlor.” The baroness continued. “Martha…there on the floor by the fire.”
“Mother?” Lady Constance shrieked from the rear of the hall. She pushed her way through the crowd and came upon the baroness, kneeling at her side. “Mother’s dead?”
“Stabbed through the heart.” The baroness whimpered.
“Dear God,” Robert hissed as he realized that the baroness had found the murdered body of the Countess Hamish.
“Take me to her.” Lady Constance begged. “I must see her.”
“No.” Robert said quickly. “I think it’s best that my man and I investigate first.”
“I will not be kept from my mother.” Lady Constance snapped. “She needs me.”
“You’re no good to her now.” Robert said as gently as possible. “Please, let me go first.”
Lady Constance raised her hands and tugged on her elaborate coiffure until the straw-like strands of her hair came loose from their pins and false curls. “Doctor, she’s my mother.”
“I know what it means to lose a mother.” Robert nodded. “I truly do. However, let me spare you a grisly scene. Let me tend to her first so that you might remember her peacefully.”
Lady Constance’s angry face fell into one of resolve. “Yes.” She whispered.
“Furthermore,” Robert began, raising his voice so that he would be heard by all of those in the Great Hall. “I fear for the Lady’s safety. This is the second murder that has taken place in this house tonight. The first victim was our dear Mrs. North.”
A rattling cry arose from the staff who shrieked “No” amongst other mournful shouts.
“I must ask everyone to stay in this room. No one may leave.” Robert continued.
Scanning the crowd, Robert spotted the Baron Lensdown who leaned casually against one of the clustered stone columns which supported the hall’s Tudor-style arcade. “And, you, Sir, you might come for your wife.”
The Baron shrugged and, after adjusting his cuff buttons, stepped through the crowd.
Still on her knees, Lady Lensdown turned to Constance. “Connie, dear,” She sobbed. “This is my fault. I am to blame.”
“Shhhh…” Constance shook her head, putting her hands on the baroness’ shoulders. “Don’t say such things.”
“Your poor mother,” Lady Lensdown cried. “Your poor mother. And, you poor girl. I shall try to be a mother to you as I might.”
“Gertrude.” The baron snapped as he approached his wife. “Come with me. You’ve made enough of a fool of yourself for the night.”
Robert clucked his tongue in disgust. He looked up and caught sight of Ethel, Jenny and Georgie Pepper who stood next to Mrs. Pepper who had her hand over her mouth.
Nodding his head, Robert signaled to the four who came forward to the assistance of Lady Lensdown.
“Come with us, Dearie.” Mrs. Pepper said softly, offering a hand to the baroness who, with gratitude, took it.
“Where are you taking my wife?” The baron sniffed.
“To help her, Sir.” Mrs. Pepper scowled. “An amusing thought to you, I’m sure.”
“Come wit’ us, Miss.” Ethel whispered to Lady Constance. “We’ll take ya to the kitchens and give ya some tea, then.”
Lady Constance nodded.
Satisfied that Constance and Lady Lensdown were being looked-after, Robert tapped Gerard on his shoulder and the two headed for the Blue Drawing Room—steeling themselves in preparation for the brutal scene they were about to encounter.
Did you miss Chapters 1-127 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for another chapter of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
Robert took a few cautious steps toward Lady Lensdown as the occupants of the Great Hall fell silent.
“Tell me, Baroness,” Robert began softly. “What’s happened? How were you injured?”
Lady Lensdown moaned softly and stiffly extended her bloodied hands.
“I’m going to try to help you, if you’ll let me.” Robert said soothingly.
“No.” The baroness rasped. She withdrew her hands and wiped them on her gown—the action, however, only served to bloody her hands more as they brushed across the crimson stain which had ruined the bodice of her opulent attire.
“You’ve asked for help,” Robert nodded patiently. “I can help you.”
“I don’t need help.” She sobbed.
“Clearly you do.” Robert continued.
“It’s not me who wants help.” The baroness cried.
“I don’t understand.” Robert shook his head.
“I think she’s too distraught to make sense, Sir.” Gerard whispered as he came up behind the doctor.
“It’s Martha.” Lady Lensdown groaned. “She’s dead.”
Robert squinted. “Martha?” He paused for a moment. What was Mrs. North’s Christian name? Was it “Martha?” How could the baroness have found Mrs. North? From where had the blood come?
“In the blue parlor.” The baroness continued. “Martha…there on the floor by the fire.”
“Mother?” Lady Constance shrieked from the rear of the hall. She pushed her way through the crowd and came upon the baroness, kneeling at her side. “Mother’s dead?”
“Stabbed through the heart.” The baroness whimpered.
“Dear God,” Robert hissed as he realized that the baroness had found the murdered body of the Countess Hamish.
“Take me to her.” Lady Constance begged. “I must see her.”
“No.” Robert said quickly. “I think it’s best that my man and I investigate first.”
“I will not be kept from my mother.” Lady Constance snapped. “She needs me.”
“You’re no good to her now.” Robert said as gently as possible. “Please, let me go first.”
Lady Constance raised her hands and tugged on her elaborate coiffure until the straw-like strands of her hair came loose from their pins and false curls. “Doctor, she’s my mother.”
“I know what it means to lose a mother.” Robert nodded. “I truly do. However, let me spare you a grisly scene. Let me tend to her first so that you might remember her peacefully.”
Lady Constance’s angry face fell into one of resolve. “Yes.” She whispered.
“Furthermore,” Robert began, raising his voice so that he would be heard by all of those in the Great Hall. “I fear for the Lady’s safety. This is the second murder that has taken place in this house tonight. The first victim was our dear Mrs. North.”
A rattling cry arose from the staff who shrieked “No” amongst other mournful shouts.
“I must ask everyone to stay in this room. No one may leave.” Robert continued.
Scanning the crowd, Robert spotted the Baron Lensdown who leaned casually against one of the clustered stone columns which supported the hall’s Tudor-style arcade. “And, you, Sir, you might come for your wife.”
The Baron shrugged and, after adjusting his cuff buttons, stepped through the crowd.
Still on her knees, Lady Lensdown turned to Constance. “Connie, dear,” She sobbed. “This is my fault. I am to blame.”
“Shhhh…” Constance shook her head, putting her hands on the baroness’ shoulders. “Don’t say such things.”
“Your poor mother,” Lady Lensdown cried. “Your poor mother. And, you poor girl. I shall try to be a mother to you as I might.”
“Gertrude.” The baron snapped as he approached his wife. “Come with me. You’ve made enough of a fool of yourself for the night.”
Robert clucked his tongue in disgust. He looked up and caught sight of Ethel, Jenny and Georgie Pepper who stood next to Mrs. Pepper who had her hand over her mouth.
Nodding his head, Robert signaled to the four who came forward to the assistance of Lady Lensdown.
“Come with us, Dearie.” Mrs. Pepper said softly, offering a hand to the baroness who, with gratitude, took it.
“Where are you taking my wife?” The baron sniffed.
“To help her, Sir.” Mrs. Pepper scowled. “An amusing thought to you, I’m sure.”
“Come wit’ us, Miss.” Ethel whispered to Lady Constance. “We’ll take ya to the kitchens and give ya some tea, then.”
Lady Constance nodded.
Satisfied that Constance and Lady Lensdown were being looked-after, Robert tapped Gerard on his shoulder and the two headed for the Blue Drawing Room—steeling themselves in preparation for the brutal scene they were about to encounter.
Did you miss Chapters 1-127 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for another chapter of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
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