Chapter 313
Fancy Things
No. 65 Belgrave Square was quiet for the first time that day. Ethel, Maude and Ruthy had gone to bed. Speaight was in his pantry. Charles was taking his nightly tour of the house to see that all entrances were locked and all lamps and candles extinguished. Georgie slumbered by the fire in the servants’ hall while his mother worked on a bit of petit point which she hoped to give Gamilla as a wedding gift. Violet had finally fallen asleep. Furthermore, Dr. Halifax had retired to the Duke’s room.
Gerard took this opportunity to slip upstairs to the nursery.
Gamilla smiled as he entered and held her finger to her lips. Gerard nodded, noting the Colin had fallen asleep. Gamilla rose from her rocking chair and signaled to Gerard to follow her. She opened the door to the storeroom and pointed inside. Gerard followed.
“Just think.” Gamilla grinned. “In just over a week, this will be our sitting room. Our own little place. At the end of the day, we can come in here and sit by the fire and talk.”
“And, then, we can go in there.” Gerard winked, pointing to the wall which separated her bedroom from the storeroom.
“I won’t hear such things,” Gamilla teased. She took Gerard’s hand. “We’re gonna be real happy.”
“I know we are.” Gerard nodded. “I never got a chance to ask you. Did you pick out a new dress?”
“The seamstress is gonna make one for me and use a bit of Marjani’s silk.” Gamilla answered.
“Will it be what you want? I know…since you can’t have the one you really want.”
“Well, I think it’ll be real pretty.” Gamilla nodded. “To be true, Gerry, all I want is to be your wife.”
“And, that you’ll be ‘Milla.”
“I’m grateful to His Grace and Dr. Halifax for all they’re gonna do. But, I could live without all that just so at the end of that day, I can say I’m Mrs. Gerard Gurney. I don’t need no fancy things nor a big party nor a trip or nothin’.”
“But, you already got me. And, you should have them fine things, too.” Gerard answered.
“You’re the finest thing I could ever want.” Gamilla grinned. “When I see all the wickedness in the world, Gerry, it makes me love you all the more. Just look what a child…just a little girl…done all on her own. There’s so much evil, that even a child is actin’ like the devil himself.”
“She’s gone now.” Gerard answered.
“But, she ain’t. She’s just up the street, in a den of wickedness and…”
Gerard gently kissed Gamilla.
“You’re jus’ tryin’ to get me to stop talkin’.” Gamilla said shyly.
“Maybe. But, also because I wanted to kiss ya.”
Gamilla hugged her fiancé.
“Let’s just have a quiet moment, ‘Milla.”
“We should.” Gamilla replied.
“I know you just said you didn’t want fancy things, but, I got somethin’ for ya?”
“You got a handkerchief needs mendin’.”
“No.” Gerard laughed. “We ain’t married yet.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew the diamond ring which Punch had given him. “I’ve got this.”
“Oh!” Gamilla’s eyes widened. “Gerry…”
“I was gonna give this to ya on our weddin’ day, but, I thought, maybe, you’d like to have it now.”
“Wherever did you get such a thing?”
“It’s a real diamond, too.” Gerard grinned.
“I know.” Gamilla nodded. “I seen ‘nough of ‘em ‘round here to know the difference.”
“His Grace let me have it so I could give you a proper ring. I told ‘im I’d work for it, but, you know how he is.”
“I do.” Gamilla giggled.
“So…”
“Hmmm?”
“I need your hand.”
“Oh, my…” Gamilla offered Gerard her left hand. He slipped the ring on her finger.
“Only thing…”
“What?”
“You’re much prettier than the diamond.” Gerard whispered.
“So are you, Gerry.” Gamilla embraced him. “So much more.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-312 If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 313 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
No. 65 Belgrave Square was quiet for the first time that day. Ethel, Maude and Ruthy had gone to bed. Speaight was in his pantry. Charles was taking his nightly tour of the house to see that all entrances were locked and all lamps and candles extinguished. Georgie slumbered by the fire in the servants’ hall while his mother worked on a bit of petit point which she hoped to give Gamilla as a wedding gift. Violet had finally fallen asleep. Furthermore, Dr. Halifax had retired to the Duke’s room.
Gerard took this opportunity to slip upstairs to the nursery.
Gamilla smiled as he entered and held her finger to her lips. Gerard nodded, noting the Colin had fallen asleep. Gamilla rose from her rocking chair and signaled to Gerard to follow her. She opened the door to the storeroom and pointed inside. Gerard followed.
“Just think.” Gamilla grinned. “In just over a week, this will be our sitting room. Our own little place. At the end of the day, we can come in here and sit by the fire and talk.”
“And, then, we can go in there.” Gerard winked, pointing to the wall which separated her bedroom from the storeroom.
“I won’t hear such things,” Gamilla teased. She took Gerard’s hand. “We’re gonna be real happy.”
“I know we are.” Gerard nodded. “I never got a chance to ask you. Did you pick out a new dress?”
“The seamstress is gonna make one for me and use a bit of Marjani’s silk.” Gamilla answered.
“Will it be what you want? I know…since you can’t have the one you really want.”
“Well, I think it’ll be real pretty.” Gamilla nodded. “To be true, Gerry, all I want is to be your wife.”
“And, that you’ll be ‘Milla.”
“I’m grateful to His Grace and Dr. Halifax for all they’re gonna do. But, I could live without all that just so at the end of that day, I can say I’m Mrs. Gerard Gurney. I don’t need no fancy things nor a big party nor a trip or nothin’.”
“But, you already got me. And, you should have them fine things, too.” Gerard answered.
“You’re the finest thing I could ever want.” Gamilla grinned. “When I see all the wickedness in the world, Gerry, it makes me love you all the more. Just look what a child…just a little girl…done all on her own. There’s so much evil, that even a child is actin’ like the devil himself.”
“She’s gone now.” Gerard answered.
“But, she ain’t. She’s just up the street, in a den of wickedness and…”
Gerard gently kissed Gamilla.
“You’re jus’ tryin’ to get me to stop talkin’.” Gamilla said shyly.
“Maybe. But, also because I wanted to kiss ya.”
Gamilla hugged her fiancé.
“Let’s just have a quiet moment, ‘Milla.”
“We should.” Gamilla replied.
“I know you just said you didn’t want fancy things, but, I got somethin’ for ya?”
“You got a handkerchief needs mendin’.”
“No.” Gerard laughed. “We ain’t married yet.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew the diamond ring which Punch had given him. “I’ve got this.”
“Oh!” Gamilla’s eyes widened. “Gerry…”
“I was gonna give this to ya on our weddin’ day, but, I thought, maybe, you’d like to have it now.”
“Wherever did you get such a thing?”
“It’s a real diamond, too.” Gerard grinned.
“I know.” Gamilla nodded. “I seen ‘nough of ‘em ‘round here to know the difference.”
“His Grace let me have it so I could give you a proper ring. I told ‘im I’d work for it, but, you know how he is.”
“I do.” Gamilla giggled.
“So…”
“Hmmm?”
“I need your hand.”
“Oh, my…” Gamilla offered Gerard her left hand. He slipped the ring on her finger.
“Only thing…”
“What?”
“You’re much prettier than the diamond.” Gerard whispered.
“So are you, Gerry.” Gamilla embraced him. “So much more.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-312 If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 313 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
