Chapter 222
As Good a Time as Any
“I heard walkin’ ‘round out there.” Punch said as Robert came into his bedchamber. “Were it you?”
“In part,” Robert smiled. “Don’t worry, my dear. Everything is as it should be.”
“Good.” Punch sighed, lying back on the bed.
“Charles was just going in to visit with Gerard.” Robert continued.
“But…”
“Speaight is watching the entry hall.” Robert interrupted with a wink.
“Oh.” Punch nodded. “As long as someone’s keepin’ watch.”
“Charles looked a little rattled,” Robert explained. “I told him I didn’t mind if he went up to spend some time with Gerard.”
“Poor man,” Punch shook his head, propping himself up on an elbow. “He’s been doin’ too much. Even with Georgie’s help.”
“I don’t think it was fatigue.” Robert squinted thoughtfully. “He looked as if there was something weighing on his thoughts.”
“He’s sensitive though he tries not to show it, he does.” Punch nodded.
“The other footsteps you heard were likely mine. I went to kiss Colin goodnight.”
“How’s our boy?”
“Sleeping quite soundly.” Robert smiled. “Gamilla’s watching him. I told her to get some sleep. She seems so thrilled with her room in the nursery.”
“I ‘s’pect she is.” Punch grinned. He chuckled.
“Yes?” Robert asked.
“I was just thinkin’, ain’t it too bad that it ain’t really Christmas?” he gestured toward their “Christmas tree” with his chin.
“Rather.” Robert nodded.
“Then, we could tell Gamilla to leave little toys and such for Colin and we could tell him that Father Christmas came for ‘im.”
“By the time Christmas comes, our Colin will be better able to appreciate the notion of Father Christmas.”
Punch sighed. “True. But, then, I could give you a present, too.”
“Oh? Well, I wouldn’t mind that. What have you got for me?” Robert laughed.
“Nothin’.” Punch sank back onto the bed.
The two laughed.
“You’re present enough for me, dear Punch.”
“Gonna have to be.” Punch chuckled. He rolled over. “And, then, see, it would be a New Year and such. Eighteen hundred fifty-four.”
“It’ll be here before you know it.”
“Imagine,” Punch continued his chatter. “It won’t be long before our Colin is a man himself. Maybe he’ll marry.”
“Perhaps he will.” Robert nodded.
“Or maybe he’ll be like us.”
“Maybe. Only time will tell.”
“Do ya think he’ll have babies?” Punch asked.
“Who could say?” Robert shrugged. “Did you ever think you’d have a son?”
“Well, chum, I never thought I’d be livin’ life this long. Remember, I’m newer than Julian.”
“Still.” Robert smiled.
“I reckon I never did think of it.” Punch admitted. “Maybe Colin will take in a child like we done. I’d like to think he would. He’ll be the tenth Duke of Fallbridge, you know.”
“I know.”
“Maybe he’ll give us an eleventh, and so on.”
“We shall just have to see.”
“He could take care of us when we’re old.” Punch continued.
“That would be pleasant.” Robert replied as he climbed into bed. “However, dear Punch, we have quite awhile before we must worry about it.”
Punch nodded. “Still, it’s be nice if we could have a new year now—just to rid ourselves of all the old rubbish and trouble.”
“Chaos doesn’t fade when the calendar changes.” Robert answered, settling in next to Punch.
“No.” Punch answered softly.
“Cecil, when he and I were quite young, always looked forward to the changing of the year.” Robert began. “I imagined that it was because he was anticipating something grand to happen when the date changed.”
“Is that so?”
“No. He confessed to me…I imagine I was about ten years of age at the time…”
“He was what? Fifteen?”
“Thereabout.” Robert replied, “He told me that it wasn’t so much that he was anticipating a renaissance, but that he liked to have the chance to celebrate all that he—that we—had survived.”
Punch smiled. “That sounds like Cecil.” He put his head on Robert’s shoulder. “I guess we don’t need a special day to do that.”
“No. We can do that whenever we wish.” Robert answered.
“How ‘bout now, Chum?”
“As good a time as any other.” Robert winked.
Did you miss Chapters 1-221? If so, you can read them here.
I’ll be taking a brief hiatus over the holiday, so the next chapter will be available on January 3, 2013.
Happy New Year!
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