“Yes,” Iolanthe smiled unctuously. “We have.”
“Did the two of ya witches set aside your differences?” Mr. Punch asked.
“Oh, yes. We’ve come to quite a satisfactory conclusion to our little tiff.” Iolanthe nodded with false enthusiasm. “Haven’t we, Ulrika?”
Ulrika smiled stiffly. “You could say that.”
“Your Grace,” Iolanthe cooed. “I’ve recently come into a very exquisite and rare diamond. Do you think you could set it for me? You are a jeweler. Aren’t you?”
“Partly.” Mr. Punch said. “Is that what you’ve come to ask for?”
“Hardly.” Iolanthe chuckled. She withdrew a piece of neatly folded yellow paper from her pocketbook. “To whom should I give this?” She grinned mischievously. “The doctor has all the brains, but the puppet man has all the gold.”
“Give it here,” Punch snatched the page from her hand and unfolded it. “Coo!” He whistled as he read it. “Here, you ain’t serious with this?”
“Deadly.” Ulrika winked.
Punch handed the paper to Robert who looked at it as his cheeks flushed and he began to sweat. With a voice that shook as much as his hands, Robert exclaimed. “This is an outrage!”
“So is stealin’ a baby.” Iolanthe shrugged.
“Why don’t the two of you talk about it for a few minutes,” Ulrika purred.
“We’ll do just that,” Robert said, taking Punch by the arm and leading him to the corner of the room.
“This is not just money she wants,” Robert whispered. “It’s blood!”
“What can we do ‘bout it?” Punch asked frantically.
“Why hasn’t Marjani come?” Robert said softly. “Everything is at sixes and sevens. We’re off schedule. She was to be here before those to women arrived.”
“I think we should carry on as we planned.” Punch said.
“Without Marjani here, we don’t have our witness.” Robert argued softly.
“I don’t think we got another choice,” Mr. Punch whispered.
Meanwhile, at the house on Royal Street, Marie Laveau was growling at Marjani. “You done tried my patience too many times, Woman.”
“Do your worst.” Marjani said. “I ain’t afraid of you. I’d rather be left to rot on a shelf than have to align myself with the likes of you. If you’re gonna kill me, go on and do it. But, just know. If you do, you’re gonna get more than you bargained for. You think I got some kind of power now? Just wait ‘til I’m dead.”
From her apron, Marie produced a pair of scissors and lunged toward Marjani.
Marjani did not flinch, nor scream, but stood as still as a statue as she heard the metal of the scissors scrape together.
Did you miss Chapters 1-221? If so, you can read them here.
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