Chapter 229
Tea
Mr. Punch tried his best not to glance at the lovely tea trolley, laden as it was with little sugared cakes and inviting wee sandwiches. He could smell them—chicken and thyme and dill, cucumber and sharp cheese, something like a lobster paste—he thought. Lovely things. He wanted them. Tea be damned, Punch wanted the feel of one of those winking glazed cakes, each adorned with a sugared violet, in his mouth. He yearned to snatch up one of the perfectly round cream scones and hold it to his nose and inhale.
There it was, the tea trolley—right in the middle, glistening in front of him and Robert and on the other side of Her Majesty. Her Majesty wasn’t eating. She hadn’t even looked at the trolley. Couldn’t she smell it? Didn’t she want any of it?
Punch knew he couldn’t take a thing until Her Majesty did, and, then, only what she took. He rubbed his hands together.
“Will Prince Albert be joinin’ us, Your Majesty?” Punch asked. At least he could speak as himself in front of the Queen. There was some consolation in that.
“Not for awhile, dear Mr. Punch.” Queen Victoria smiled. “Though I’m eager for him to be present so I might see the little bauble…” Her Majesty was referring to the Molliner Blue. “…this is His Majesty’s time with the children, and he won’t be distracted from it for a moment.”
“His Majesty is a devoted father,” Robert nodded.
“That he is.” Queen Victoria nodded. “My husband has decided that the children must learn about the world as others do. He’s even orchestrated a miniature farm at Sandringham for the purposes of demonstrating a realistic life for them. They’re each to have their assigned tasks and complete them.”
“Quite ingenious.” Robert smiled.
“Presently, he’s watching their lessons. My Albert and his brother, Ernest,” she frowned slightly at her own mention of her brother-in-law/cousin, “were very carefully tutored. It’s my husband’s wish that each of his children receive such an education.”
“Only fitting for the children of the Queen.”
“Yes, but I think they grow weary of it at times.” Queen Victoria sighed. “How were you educated, Your Grace?”
“Well, I weren’t, not ‘xactly.” Punch blushed. “But, Julian—he had many tutors. He were always interested in art, and the study of the earth and history. I were there, too, Your Majesty. Inside, o’ course. I listened some, but not as much as I oughta. See, I didn’t think I’d ever be the one doin’ the livin’, so I didn’t think I needed to learn all that. Still, I guess, I learned some. And, I know what Julian knows.” He shrugged.
“My apologies, Mr. Punch,” I’d forgotten that you are independent of the Duke.
“Independent, but not. As independent, Your Majesty, as a man can be when he’s in the same body as another man. My job were to keep Julian safe.”
“And, you’ve done remarkably well.” Queen Victoria nodded. “We still cannot reconcile this person I see before me with the timid man I last saw at the Crystal Palace. So timid. I don’t think you realized it, or, rather, Julian…that he was making an effort—consciously or not—to hide behind my gown when we looked at the exhibits that day. He didn’t want to be seen, but he wanted to see all that he could.”
“Were a splendid day, Your Majesty…while there.” Punch sniffed, recalling how Julian had been attacked later that day.
“He was seen, however. Both of you were.” She winked at Robert. “Wasn’t he, Dr. Halifax?”
“Very much so.” Robert grinned.
“I trust your household is safe, Dr. Halifax? My men report no trouble—only the arrivals of Lady Hamish and Lady Lensdown. That and much activity on the part of your young page.”
“We are very grateful for your protection, Your Majesty.” Robert replied.
“Just say the word, and we can see to it that those who torture you are taken into custody. Your former driver has already been dispatched to Newgate.”
“His Grace and I have something of a scheme.” Robert answered.
“Please, Doctor, take no risks.”
“We shall not.”
“I cannot withstand the thought that either of you or your little son would be harmed.”
“Our first priority is the safety of young Colin.” Robert nodded.
“I’ve no doubt of that.” Queen Victoria nodded. “Please, however, know that we will do all we can.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Mr. Punch,” the Queen began, “Prince Albert is most pleased with your proposals for the South Kensington Museum.”
“I’m eager to talk with him ‘bout it.”
“When you do, however,” The Queen sighed, “You might wish to speak more…” She paused.
Mr. Punch nodded.
“While I find your natural state quite charming…” Victoria shook her head.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
She cleared her throat. “I do hate to mention this, especially since you are both attending to the safety of your household. However, a matter has been brought to our attention, and I hoped that you might somehow advise us.”
“We will do whatever we can,” Robert answered.
“One of my ladies informed me of a scene caused by the Baron Lensdown. It seems that his children have been taken.”
Punch and Robert exchanged glances.
“You know of this already?”
“We do.” Punch confessed.
“I thought you might.” The Queen nodded. “Since Lady Lensdown is presently at your home.”
“Yes.” Punch answered.
“You also know, then, that the Baron is a peculiar and dangerous man?”
“Very much so.” Robert replied.
“We should certainly like to see the children repaired to their mother.” Queen Victoria began. “However, Prince Albert sees the baron as an unpleasant nuisance. We need to be rid of him—for a host of reasons.”
“Understandably.” Robert said.
“Can you help us? The Queen asked.
Punch took a deep breath and glanced again at the trolley. There’d be no tea cakes for him that afternoon.
Did you miss Chapters 1-228? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 230.
Mr. Punch tried his best not to glance at the lovely tea trolley, laden as it was with little sugared cakes and inviting wee sandwiches. He could smell them—chicken and thyme and dill, cucumber and sharp cheese, something like a lobster paste—he thought. Lovely things. He wanted them. Tea be damned, Punch wanted the feel of one of those winking glazed cakes, each adorned with a sugared violet, in his mouth. He yearned to snatch up one of the perfectly round cream scones and hold it to his nose and inhale.
There it was, the tea trolley—right in the middle, glistening in front of him and Robert and on the other side of Her Majesty. Her Majesty wasn’t eating. She hadn’t even looked at the trolley. Couldn’t she smell it? Didn’t she want any of it?
Punch knew he couldn’t take a thing until Her Majesty did, and, then, only what she took. He rubbed his hands together.
“Will Prince Albert be joinin’ us, Your Majesty?” Punch asked. At least he could speak as himself in front of the Queen. There was some consolation in that.
“Not for awhile, dear Mr. Punch.” Queen Victoria smiled. “Though I’m eager for him to be present so I might see the little bauble…” Her Majesty was referring to the Molliner Blue. “…this is His Majesty’s time with the children, and he won’t be distracted from it for a moment.”
“His Majesty is a devoted father,” Robert nodded.
“That he is.” Queen Victoria nodded. “My husband has decided that the children must learn about the world as others do. He’s even orchestrated a miniature farm at Sandringham for the purposes of demonstrating a realistic life for them. They’re each to have their assigned tasks and complete them.”
“Quite ingenious.” Robert smiled.
“Presently, he’s watching their lessons. My Albert and his brother, Ernest,” she frowned slightly at her own mention of her brother-in-law/cousin, “were very carefully tutored. It’s my husband’s wish that each of his children receive such an education.”
“Only fitting for the children of the Queen.”
“Yes, but I think they grow weary of it at times.” Queen Victoria sighed. “How were you educated, Your Grace?”
“Well, I weren’t, not ‘xactly.” Punch blushed. “But, Julian—he had many tutors. He were always interested in art, and the study of the earth and history. I were there, too, Your Majesty. Inside, o’ course. I listened some, but not as much as I oughta. See, I didn’t think I’d ever be the one doin’ the livin’, so I didn’t think I needed to learn all that. Still, I guess, I learned some. And, I know what Julian knows.” He shrugged.
“My apologies, Mr. Punch,” I’d forgotten that you are independent of the Duke.
“Independent, but not. As independent, Your Majesty, as a man can be when he’s in the same body as another man. My job were to keep Julian safe.”
“And, you’ve done remarkably well.” Queen Victoria nodded. “We still cannot reconcile this person I see before me with the timid man I last saw at the Crystal Palace. So timid. I don’t think you realized it, or, rather, Julian…that he was making an effort—consciously or not—to hide behind my gown when we looked at the exhibits that day. He didn’t want to be seen, but he wanted to see all that he could.”
“Were a splendid day, Your Majesty…while there.” Punch sniffed, recalling how Julian had been attacked later that day.
“He was seen, however. Both of you were.” She winked at Robert. “Wasn’t he, Dr. Halifax?”
“Very much so.” Robert grinned.
“I trust your household is safe, Dr. Halifax? My men report no trouble—only the arrivals of Lady Hamish and Lady Lensdown. That and much activity on the part of your young page.”
“We are very grateful for your protection, Your Majesty.” Robert replied.
“Just say the word, and we can see to it that those who torture you are taken into custody. Your former driver has already been dispatched to Newgate.”
“His Grace and I have something of a scheme.” Robert answered.
“Please, Doctor, take no risks.”
“We shall not.”
“I cannot withstand the thought that either of you or your little son would be harmed.”
“Our first priority is the safety of young Colin.” Robert nodded.
“I’ve no doubt of that.” Queen Victoria nodded. “Please, however, know that we will do all we can.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Mr. Punch,” the Queen began, “Prince Albert is most pleased with your proposals for the South Kensington Museum.”
“I’m eager to talk with him ‘bout it.”
“When you do, however,” The Queen sighed, “You might wish to speak more…” She paused.
Mr. Punch nodded.
“While I find your natural state quite charming…” Victoria shook her head.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
She cleared her throat. “I do hate to mention this, especially since you are both attending to the safety of your household. However, a matter has been brought to our attention, and I hoped that you might somehow advise us.”
“We will do whatever we can,” Robert answered.
“One of my ladies informed me of a scene caused by the Baron Lensdown. It seems that his children have been taken.”
Punch and Robert exchanged glances.
“You know of this already?”
“We do.” Punch confessed.
“I thought you might.” The Queen nodded. “Since Lady Lensdown is presently at your home.”
“Yes.” Punch answered.
“You also know, then, that the Baron is a peculiar and dangerous man?”
“Very much so.” Robert replied.
“We should certainly like to see the children repaired to their mother.” Queen Victoria began. “However, Prince Albert sees the baron as an unpleasant nuisance. We need to be rid of him—for a host of reasons.”
“Understandably.” Robert said.
“Can you help us? The Queen asked.
Punch took a deep breath and glanced again at the trolley. There’d be no tea cakes for him that afternoon.
Did you miss Chapters 1-228? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 230.
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