Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 152

Chapter 152: 

A Good Boy 

Robert nodded as he entered the Duke’s bedroom through the door from the nursery.

“Sir?” Mrs. Pepper looked up. “Where’s His Grace, then?”

“And, Charles?” Jenny asked.

“Charles is waiting in the passage and His Grace is speaking with Miss Barrett.” Robert explained.

“All alone, Sir?” Ethel chirped.

“Don’t fear, Ethel.” Robert said as calmly as he could. “I shall stand just here at the door and listen. Furthermore, with Charles standing guard in the passage, we have no worries. No harm will come to the Duke.”

“Can’t be sure, Sir.” Ethel shook her head.

“Quiet, Girl!” Mrs. Pepper snapped.

“It’s true, ain’t it?” Ethel argued. “Look what she done to our Gerry here.” Ethel pointed toward the bed which contained the sleeping footman who still grasped Gamilla’s hand in his own. Gamilla, still in the chair next to Gerard’s bed, looked up and silently nodded.

“It may be true, but it ain’t your place.” Mrs. Pepper whispered.

“I encourage all of you to speak your mind.” Robert said. “And, I don’t disagree with you at all, Ethel. However, His Grace asked me to leave him with Miss Barrett so that they might speak to one another privately, and I must obey him.”

“The Duke’s no fool.” Mrs. Pepper nodded confidently. “He ain’t gonna let nothin’ happen.”

“That’s correct, Mrs. Pepper.” Robert answered. “And, to be sure, might I ask Georgie to stand here with me at the door? Just in the event that we might need to intercede quickly.”

“Yes, Sir.” Georgie nodded.

As Georgie walked across the Duke’s chamber to join Dr. Halifax at the door to the nursery, a soft knock at the chamber door startled everyone in the room.

“Who is it?” Robert asked as Georgie approached him from the side.

“Doctor,” Mr. Speaight said from the other side. “It is I—Speaight, Sir.”

Robert opened the door quickly.

The occupants of the room (with the exception of the exhausted and slumbering Gerard) gasped to see Mr. Speaight holding a long plait of blonde hair in his trembling hands.

“Merciful heavens, Mr. Speaight!” Mrs. Pepper chirped. “What is that you’ve got there?”

“I think it’s Violet’s braid.” Speaight responded.

“Wherever did you find it?” Robert asked.

“Just in the passage.” Mr. Speaight replied. “I…” Suddenly, the man dropped the plaited hair to the floor and clutched his arm, stumbling forward.

Robert and Georgie hurried forth to catch the butler before he fell.

“What’s happened to him, Doctor?” George Pepper asked.

“I don’t know.” Robert began… “Charles!” He called.

George and Robert gently lowered Speaight to the floor. Georgie loosened the butler’s tie.

“Charles!” Robert shouted again.

Georgie scrambled to the door and looked around the corner. “He ain’t there, Sir!”

“Where could he have gone?” Robert muttered.

Georgie knelt down next to Mr. Speaight. “Poor fella, what’s come of him?”

“It’s poison.” Finlay smiled as he walked up to the open door. “And, it’s not too late to keep the old bastard from dyin’. Just give me my sister and we’ll see that he doesn’t meet his maker just yet.”

Georgie sprung up and lunged for Finlay. “I’ll kill ya dead, you scum.”

“Now, now, lad.” Finlay scoffed. “Stay back. You don’t want your Mr. Speaight to die, do you? And, I don’t suppose you want Charles to either.”

Meanwhile, in the adjoining room, Ellen smiled at Mr. Punch/The Duke of Fallbridge.

“So, you wish to welcome me to the family?”

“I do.” Mr. Punch nodded slowly.

“Isn’t that sweet?” Ellen grinned. “I’m finally going to be accepted as having Fallbridge blood in my veins.”

“Oh…no.” Mr. Punch shook his head. “I ain’t gonna welcome ya as the Duke of Fallbridge.”

“No?” Ellen narrowed her eyes. “What else, then. I’ve no Molliner blood. Only you and Barbara…”

“Nor am I gonna welcome ya as a Molliner.” Mr. Punch interrupted. He paused by the hearth and took the bed-warmer in his hand.

“I don’t understand.” Ellen raised an eyebrow.

“I ain’t really neither o’ them things.” Mr. Punch shrugged.

“Of course you are.”

“No, no. Just the body is. I’m somethin’ else. Remember?”

“Well—that…you just think…” Ellen stammered.

“Don’t fret, sister.” Mr. Punch shook his head. “Like I said, I just wanna welcome ya nice and proper.”

“I…” Ellen began.

“I wanna welcome ya to me own family. The family Punchinello.”

And, with that, Punch quickly and swiftly—and with all his might—smashed Ellen Barrett across the skull with the bed-warmer. She fell to the floor in a heap.

“That’s the way to do it,” Mr. Punch sighed. “I’m a good boy, I am.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-151 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday for Chapter 153.