Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 370

Chapter 370
Teasing



"Hold still,"  Charles laughed.  

"I don't want none o' that stuff."  Gerard pulled his head away.

"You want to smell nice for your bride, don't you?"  Charles grinned.

"I took a bath."  Gerard grimaced.

"I know.  I brought up the water."  Charles replied.  "Now, stop your complaining.  It's just a little cologne.  I wear it every day."

"I know.  But, you're foreign.  You're supposed to smell like spices."

"You're foreign, too."

"No."

"You're Australian!"  Charles laughed.  

"It's the same thing as English.  Only with more sheep.  Besides, I spent most o' me life in Bristol."

"And, I've spent most of my life in London and America.  Now, put on some cologne!"

"Very well."  Gerard grumbled.  "But, only a little."

Charles splashed a little cologne on his hand and patted the back of Gerard's neck.

"Now, that wasn't so bad.  Was it?"  

"No."  Gerard sighed.  "Thought it would sting, like medicine."

Charles laughed.  "Now, when Gamilla nuzzles your neck tonight, you won't smell of silver polish and lamp oil."

"I took a bath!"  Gerard replied.

"Doesn't matter, Gerry.  You always smell of silver polish and lamp oil."

"I don't either."

"Yes, you do."  Charles smiled.  "Look, I've been sharing a room with you for quite a time.  Nobody knows how you smell better than I."

"I guess that's true."  Gerard chuckled.  "We been through a lot together."

Charles nodded.

"Did ya ever think we'd be here?"  Gerard asled.

"Here?  In Belgravia?"  Charles replied.

"No, not exactly.  I mean, in the Duke's house, on this day, laughin' together, gettin' me ready for my weddin'."

"Well, one thing is for certain, I knew the minute I saw you and Gamilla in the kitchen of Dr. Biamenti's house in New Orleans--that first time you spoke--I knew you'd marry her.  I didn't know how, but I knew you would."

"Did ya?"  Gerard grinned.

"I did."  Charles nodded.  "As for the rest...no, I can't imagine, when we were in America, that I would have ever guessed that we'd be valets to the Duke of Fallbridge and Dr. Halifax, that we'd be living here in this fine house nor that we'd be as fond of one another as we are."

"You're my dearest friend, Charlie."

Charles blushed.  "You're mine.  Though...I don't know how it came to be.  I was pretty awful to you at first."

"I know."  Gerard answered.  "But, I knew it wasn't gonna last.  I knew you liked me."

"Did you?"  Charles laughed.

"Sure.  I'm very likable."

"That you are."  Charles nodded.  He looked around their room.  "It'll be strange to come up here tonight and not have you snorin' in the bed next to me.  I've gotten used to you."

"I'll miss you, too."  Gerard nodded.

"Not for long, you won't.  Your new wife at your side..."

"Oh..."  Gerard shook his head.  "You know what I mean."

"Well, we'll only be apart by two floors."  Charles inhaled.

"Speaking o' floors, I'd best check on His Lordship."  Gerard said quickly.

"Whatever for?"

"To make sure he's all set to go."  Gerard answered.

"I attended the Duke and Lord Colinshire myself.  They're both ready and both instructed me to stay at your side until time to go to the church."

"Afraid I'll wander off?"  Gerard teased.

"Likely."  Charles nodded.

"I wonder what Gamilla's doin'."  Gerard said softly.

"That's why you wanted to go downstairs.  Now, I see."  Charles laughed.  "Most certainly she's sitting at her new dressing table being fussed over by Her Ladyship and Violet and likely Mrs. Pepper and Maudie, and, no doubt, they're making a terrible racket and above them is floating a cloud of powder and perfume."

"My Gamilla don't need any powder and perfume."

"It's for Mrs. Pepper."  

"Oh, you are bad."  Gerard snorted.  "But, it is true."  He looked at Charles.  "I appreciate your not teasin' me too much about...gettin' married.  I promise I won't tease you when the time comes."

"The time?"

"You're next, you know."

"I?"  Charles laughed.

"You and Vi."  Gerard nodded.

"No, no.  The next wedding in this household is Her Ladyship's.  After that...well, I'd wager Georgie will be wed before I."

"We'll see about that."  Gerard smirked.

"Yes, we will."  Charles answered.

"I'm a lucky man, Charlie.  I'm real happy.  Never have I been so happy.  I just want the same for you."

"Thank you."

"Charlie?"

"Mmmm?"

"You don't think that Miss Rittenhouse is gonna do anything else?  Like revenge for what happened to Orpha and that...Marduk?"

"No."  Charles shook his head.  "She may be bizarre and mad, but, she's not stupid.  She knows that if she even looks at one of us, the Duke will have her hangin' in Whitehall.  I imagine she's on her way to book her passage back to America with...with my brother at her side."

"Good."  Gerard sighed.  "Well, I mean good to think she's goin' back.  Not that your brother is with her.  I gotta think that's too awful for ya."

"Not so, not anymore.  He's my brother in much as we share the same name.  Besides, it's not as though there's a hole in my heart where Giovanni should be.  That space is filled."

"Is it?"

"You know it is, Gerry."  Charles patted his friend's shoulder.



Did you miss Chapters 1-369 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square?  If so, you can read them here.  Come back tomorrow for Chapter 371.  

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 370

Gerard knelt down in the thicket to the north of the Place Congo. He could feel the wetness of the ground soak into the knees of his breeches and he shivered. The smell of burning flesh tickled his nose and made him want to sneeze—or gag. But, he didn’t dare make a sound. The place was thick with writhing bodies all of whom Gerard immediately knew would kill him before they did another thing.


At the center of the mass of wriggling figures was Marie Laveau who paced back and forth in front of the great fire, pausing every so often to growl at the people who had been tied up in front of the blaze. Even from that distance, Gerard could recognize Arthur’s former lover, Ulrika Rittenhouse—her auburn hair lit up from behind by the fire so much so that it looked as if she had flames of her own shooting from her creamy-white face. Next to her was Charles and to the left of Charles was Arthur’s wife, Barbara Allen. Another man was bound near Ulrika—a man with dark hair and thick brows. Gerard wasn’t sure who he was, but the way that Ulrika leaned into him to speak made him think that she had already replaced Arthur as the object of her angry affections.

Gerard scanned the scene for signs of the two missing babies and saw that they were not there—at least, not in any place that he could see them. Scratching his scalp through his mess of greasy hair, Gerard sighed and thought for a moment. He had been sent out to look for the babies, hadn’t he? Well, yes. Mr. Halifax had said nothing about helping other people when he barked out his orders.

Still, those two women…

Charles bit his lip. Arthur had had some affection for both of them. Hadn’t he? Some kind of affection? Or had he? Gerard grunted. It seemed a shame for those two women to be tied up like that. Gerard recalled the way that he and Arthur had abused Ulrika when they had tried to get the diamond from her. He still felt rather sorry about that. Had he been on his own, he’d never have treated a woman that way. But, that’s what Arthur ordered. Still, Arthur was dead. Perhaps, Gerard thought, this was his chance to make it right.

And, then there was Barbara Allen. When Arthur spoke of her, he almost had a hint of love in his voice—the way he always spoke of returning to her. Was it love? Maybe it was greed. Gerard grunted again. For Arthur, love and greed had been much the same. Still, Arthur wouldn’t have wanted to see his wife tortured by Marie Laveau. Would he?

“Mr. Halifax didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout helpin’ no other people.” Gerard mumbled to himself. But, what about Charles? Sure, Charles wasn’t very nice to Gerry. But, still, they shared a room. They both worked for the same household as valets. Maybe Mr. Halifax, or the Doctor, or even the Duke himself would be appreciative if Gerard came back with the man. Gerry pictured it for a moment, “I saved Charles, Sirs. Now we’re a family.” He would say it humbly and the Duke would reward him and shower him with thanks.

And, wasn’t Barbara the Duke’s sister? Sure, she was. Arthur had said so. Surely the Duke would be grateful to see her saved.

Gerard twisted his hands together. It would be nice, wouldn’t it, to have someone be grateful to him for something. He took a deep breath and rose from his hiding place. “Maybe it ain’t what I was told to do, but the Duke will be ever so pleased.”

Meanwhile, the Duke was still quite unconscious as Iolanthe Evangeline’s grip around his throat tightened despite the pain she felt in her wounded hands and despite Gamilla’s best efforts to pull the woman away.

Gamilla slapped Iolanthe around the shoulders, neck and head from behind and screamed. “Let him go!”

“Foolish girl, I’m tyrin’ to help your master!” Iolanthe shouted. “Let me free him. He’s my enemy, but I’m doing somethin’ merciful by sendin’ him to God.” She dug her fingers into his throat.

“Ain’t his time for to go to God!” Gamilla screamed.

“That isn’t for you to decide. Don’t take away his chance at peace or my chance at salvation!”

At that very moment, deep within their shared body, Julian looked at Mr. Punch with a startled expression as the scene of their memories grew darker.

“What’s happening?”Julian asked. “Did you decide to stop this torture and take these painful thoughts away from me again?”

“No.” Mr. Punch replied quickly. “This ain’t me.”

Punch moaned as the images of Gus, Agnes and the young Julian faded into blackness. He turned to find that Julian was fading as well.

“Punch!” Julian shouted. “I feel strange!”

“Take me hand, Master!” Punch wailed. As he reached for Julian’s hand, he found that his other half had disappeared.

Along in the growing darkness, Punch began to realize that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Someone’s doin’ something to our body, they are.” Punch thought. “We’re dyin’!”





Did you miss Chapters 1-369? If so, you can read them here.