Chapter 227
Ragged
“Johnny Donnan?” Lennie gasped. “Punch, how can you smile while holding the words of that foul man in your hands?”
“Because, Lennie,” Punch replied, “he’s gonna be just what we need, not only to keep Orpha at bay, but also to return the missing children to their mamas.”
“How could that brute possible be of any assistance? I thought he was long gone. And, who…who imagined he could write?!”
“We didn’t mention it until we were certain,” Robert interrupted, “but, late yesterday, we received a letter from Mr. Donnan—I think written for him by someone—stating that he was apologetic for his part in Orpha’s deception and that he was not only repentant, but eager to help us dispatch her.”
“I was convinced he’d disappeared with her.” Lennie mumbled.
“No.” Punch shook his head. “He’d gone after her.”
“So he says.” Lennie muttered.
“This Donnan man?” Gertrude spoke up. “Is he the groundsman from Grange Molliner? That rough chap with the scowl?”
“Yes.”
“He’s also, apparently, my father.” Lennie said softly.
“And, that’s just it, sister,” Punch replied gently. “He knows that he treated you horrible and he wants to make it up somehow. With Finlay dead, I think he feels alone for the first time.”
“He feels he has no one to abuse, is more likely.” Lennie frowned. “Eager or not, what can he do to help Gertrude and Lady Constance?”
“Johnny revealed to us that he knew Orpha was staying with Eudora and Hortence. I’m sure he wasn’t aware of our previous associations with the women, at first. However, he did mention that he knew of Eudora Stover through her father. It seems they had been imprisoned together at various points.” Robert explained. “It is with Mr. Stover that Johnny is staying. Mr. Stover has just been released and he is quite keen to see his own daughter punished.”
“Why?”
“It seems she let him take the blame for a theft she committed.” Robert said.
“They’re a lovely family, they are.”
“But, what of Eudora’s threats to you, Robert? You told me that when they tried to make it seem that you’d killed William Stover, that their father would come after you.” Lennie asked.
“Mr. Stover knows that it was Orpha who killed his son, not I. Johnny had gotten Orpha to admit it when he still thought that he was you.” Robert said.
“What of my children?” Gertrude asked impatiently.
“Johnny proposes that he and Mr. Stover pay Orpha, Eudora and Hortence an unexpected visit. The eldest Stover, if anyone, can convince his daughter and her friend to stop their torture of us, and Johnny insists that he’ll see to it that Orpha releases the children.”
“We been runnin’ poor Georgie ragged sendin’ letters back and forth.” Punch sighed.
“And you really think this will work?” Gertrude asked.
“I believe so.” Robert nodded.
“Me, too.” Punch smiled.
“Lennie?” Gertrude asked.
“I trust Punch and Robert, of course.” Lennie sighed. “It’s just that I don’t…well…I know he’s my own father, but the only times I’ve ever been with him, he was truly horrid. I…” She wiped her eyes. “If my brothers say that this will be our salvation, then, I must concur.”
“When can we get the men to begin?” Gertrude asked.
“After dear Punch and I return from the palace.” Robert replied.
“Very well.” Gertrude nodded. “What does Constance say of this?”
“She’s not been told.” Robert answered.
“No?”
“And, she ain’t gonna be.” Punch shook his head.
Did you miss Chapters 1-226 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 228.
“Because, Lennie,” Punch replied, “he’s gonna be just what we need, not only to keep Orpha at bay, but also to return the missing children to their mamas.”
“How could that brute possible be of any assistance? I thought he was long gone. And, who…who imagined he could write?!”
“We didn’t mention it until we were certain,” Robert interrupted, “but, late yesterday, we received a letter from Mr. Donnan—I think written for him by someone—stating that he was apologetic for his part in Orpha’s deception and that he was not only repentant, but eager to help us dispatch her.”
“I was convinced he’d disappeared with her.” Lennie mumbled.
“No.” Punch shook his head. “He’d gone after her.”
“So he says.” Lennie muttered.
“This Donnan man?” Gertrude spoke up. “Is he the groundsman from Grange Molliner? That rough chap with the scowl?”
“Yes.”
“He’s also, apparently, my father.” Lennie said softly.
“And, that’s just it, sister,” Punch replied gently. “He knows that he treated you horrible and he wants to make it up somehow. With Finlay dead, I think he feels alone for the first time.”
“He feels he has no one to abuse, is more likely.” Lennie frowned. “Eager or not, what can he do to help Gertrude and Lady Constance?”
“Johnny revealed to us that he knew Orpha was staying with Eudora and Hortence. I’m sure he wasn’t aware of our previous associations with the women, at first. However, he did mention that he knew of Eudora Stover through her father. It seems they had been imprisoned together at various points.” Robert explained. “It is with Mr. Stover that Johnny is staying. Mr. Stover has just been released and he is quite keen to see his own daughter punished.”
“Why?”
“It seems she let him take the blame for a theft she committed.” Robert said.
“They’re a lovely family, they are.”
“But, what of Eudora’s threats to you, Robert? You told me that when they tried to make it seem that you’d killed William Stover, that their father would come after you.” Lennie asked.
“Mr. Stover knows that it was Orpha who killed his son, not I. Johnny had gotten Orpha to admit it when he still thought that he was you.” Robert said.
“What of my children?” Gertrude asked impatiently.
“Johnny proposes that he and Mr. Stover pay Orpha, Eudora and Hortence an unexpected visit. The eldest Stover, if anyone, can convince his daughter and her friend to stop their torture of us, and Johnny insists that he’ll see to it that Orpha releases the children.”
“We been runnin’ poor Georgie ragged sendin’ letters back and forth.” Punch sighed.
“And you really think this will work?” Gertrude asked.
“I believe so.” Robert nodded.
“Me, too.” Punch smiled.
“Lennie?” Gertrude asked.
“I trust Punch and Robert, of course.” Lennie sighed. “It’s just that I don’t…well…I know he’s my own father, but the only times I’ve ever been with him, he was truly horrid. I…” She wiped her eyes. “If my brothers say that this will be our salvation, then, I must concur.”
“When can we get the men to begin?” Gertrude asked.
“After dear Punch and I return from the palace.” Robert replied.
“Very well.” Gertrude nodded. “What does Constance say of this?”
“She’s not been told.” Robert answered.
“No?”
“And, she ain’t gonna be.” Punch shook his head.
Did you miss Chapters 1-226 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 228.
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