Chapter 231
Practice
“Why are you back here?” Eudora Stover barked at Orpha.
“Quiet!” Orpha spat.
“You were the one said what we needed to do was to keep ourselves apart.” Eudora said.
“I’ve come to check on my investment.”
“Meaning you failed.” Eudora smirked.
“However could you mean?” Orpha scowled.
“Well, where’s the man?” Eudora said. “Clearly, the Duke and his fancy man didn’t meet your demands.”
“Maybe they did.” Orpha wrinkled her nose.
“If they did, you’d not be here. You’d be buryin’ the baron—your brother.”
“Perhaps I’ve already done it.”
“Nah,” Eudora shook her head. “You don’t look satisfied. Either they did what ya asked, and your baron won’t come to see ya, or they’re too smart for ya. I’d guess the latter.”
“I…”
“Come, then, Orpha. You can’t fool me. Ya failed. Let’s just bring those tots back to their ma’s, then. We’ll find another way to get what we want.”
“When did you go soft?”
“I always had a soft spot in me heart for little ones.”
“Is that so?” Orpha chuckled. “It’s not evidenced in the treatment of your own children. I trust you’re keeping these cleaner than your own.”
“They’ll be just fine, don’t you worry none ‘bout it.” Eudora said.
“Where’s Hortence?”
“Sleepin’.”
“In the middle of the day?”
“She were up all night waitin’ for you to come back with blood on your hands. You know what she thinks? She thinks that your good friend, Lady Constance, has betrayed ya to save her own hide. Did ya really think she’d go to the Duke of Fallbridge and do what ya said?”
“If she wants her child back, she won’t stray from our agreement. So…so maybe it will take longer than we thought. I’m a patient woman.”
“Are ya, then?” Eudora sniffed. “That’s why you’re back here and not waiting for your baron to be delivered to ya.”
“They won’t do it in the daylight. Nevertheless, they’ve gone to the palace, the Duke and Dr. Halifax.”
“Oh, ain’t that just fine? Just what we need. The horse guards to come and put us with ol’ Hutch.”
“That won’t happen.” Orpha shook her head. “I’m sure that Lady Constance will know I’m serious. She’d not dare betray me. I’ll see to it. And, furthermore, she’ll see to it that the Duke and the Doctor keep the Queen out of this.”
“How do ya figure to do that.”
“Bring me a knife and the child called Fern.”
“Lady Constance’s daughter.”
“Also my niece. Remember. The baron is my brother.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“Do as I say or I’ll practice on your own children!” Orpha snapped.
Did you miss Chapters 1-230? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 232.
“Why are you back here?” Eudora Stover barked at Orpha.
“Quiet!” Orpha spat.
“You were the one said what we needed to do was to keep ourselves apart.” Eudora said.
“I’ve come to check on my investment.”
“Meaning you failed.” Eudora smirked.
“However could you mean?” Orpha scowled.
“Well, where’s the man?” Eudora said. “Clearly, the Duke and his fancy man didn’t meet your demands.”
“Maybe they did.” Orpha wrinkled her nose.
“If they did, you’d not be here. You’d be buryin’ the baron—your brother.”
“Perhaps I’ve already done it.”
“Nah,” Eudora shook her head. “You don’t look satisfied. Either they did what ya asked, and your baron won’t come to see ya, or they’re too smart for ya. I’d guess the latter.”
“I…”
“Come, then, Orpha. You can’t fool me. Ya failed. Let’s just bring those tots back to their ma’s, then. We’ll find another way to get what we want.”
“When did you go soft?”
“I always had a soft spot in me heart for little ones.”
“Is that so?” Orpha chuckled. “It’s not evidenced in the treatment of your own children. I trust you’re keeping these cleaner than your own.”
“They’ll be just fine, don’t you worry none ‘bout it.” Eudora said.
“Where’s Hortence?”
“Sleepin’.”
“In the middle of the day?”
“She were up all night waitin’ for you to come back with blood on your hands. You know what she thinks? She thinks that your good friend, Lady Constance, has betrayed ya to save her own hide. Did ya really think she’d go to the Duke of Fallbridge and do what ya said?”
“If she wants her child back, she won’t stray from our agreement. So…so maybe it will take longer than we thought. I’m a patient woman.”
“Are ya, then?” Eudora sniffed. “That’s why you’re back here and not waiting for your baron to be delivered to ya.”
“They won’t do it in the daylight. Nevertheless, they’ve gone to the palace, the Duke and Dr. Halifax.”
“Oh, ain’t that just fine? Just what we need. The horse guards to come and put us with ol’ Hutch.”
“That won’t happen.” Orpha shook her head. “I’m sure that Lady Constance will know I’m serious. She’d not dare betray me. I’ll see to it. And, furthermore, she’ll see to it that the Duke and the Doctor keep the Queen out of this.”
“How do ya figure to do that.”
“Bring me a knife and the child called Fern.”
“Lady Constance’s daughter.”
“Also my niece. Remember. The baron is my brother.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“Do as I say or I’ll practice on your own children!” Orpha snapped.
Did you miss Chapters 1-230? If so, you can read them here. Come back on Monday for Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 232.
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