Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 90




Chapter 90: 

Real Things 



Robert sighed contentedly as he gazed at the clouds in the sky. The thick blanket which he’d laid out on the lush grass felt soft and warm under his back. Dog Toby lay next to Robert—the dog’s side resting against Robert’s.

Colin was seated between his fathers, playing with a soft toy which Gamilla had made for him. The toy—made of calico—was in the shape of a terrier. Colin cherished the little thing and felt most secure when it was with him. He would spend hours cuddling it, examining it from many angles and squeezing its cozy rag stuffing.

At the edge of the blanket, Mr. Punch sat cross-legged—a pad of paper in his lap—sketching carefully and meticulously. His tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth slightly.

“Look, Collin.” Robert said softly, pointing to the sky. “This cloud looks like your doggy. And, Dog Toby.”

Toby looked up for a moment before licking his left front paw and, then, settling his head down into the thickness of the blanket. Colin followed Robert’s hand with his eyes and gazed up at the sky. He seemed to recognize the canine shape in the clouds and gurgled in appreciation.

“Punch!” Colin chirped in his small voice.

Punch chuckled, glancing away from his drawing.

“Very good, Colin.” Robert smiled. “But, that’s not ‘Punch.’ That’s Dog Toby.”

Colin immediately lost interest in the clouds and returned his attention to his toy.

Robert sat up, expertly managing to not disturb Dog Toby.

“Julian used to do that.” Punch grinned. “Look at the clouds when we was here. He’d lie down on the roof of the tower and stare at the sky.”

“What did he see?” Robert asked.

“All sorts o’ things.” Mr. Punch answered thoughtfully. “Things what he loved and them what terrified him, too. Sometimes he’d see sweet bunnies. Sometimes there’d be horrible monsters starin’ down at him. It depended.”

“On what?”

“What real things he’d seen that day.” Punch shrugged.

Robert leaned over to look at Punch’s drawing. “Speaking of real things, what’s this?”

“Brooch.” Punch mumbled. “When Julian was ‘bout aged twenty-seven, I think, he’d planned to make a handsome brooch like a spray of flowers with a butterfly on it. All in diamonds.”

“He didn’t do it?”

“No.” Punch shook his head. “That were in the year 1840 when Julian first met Prince Albert. Her Majesty had invited Julian and Sir Colin to visit at Windsor for some such state dinner where there was to be a man what Sir Colin wanted to meet. Some bloke from Egypt what had been diggin’ for old things the way our pa used to. Her Majesty was just ‘bout to marry Prince Albert and it were then what Julian and the Prince met. Prince Albert was quite taken with Julian.” Punch chuckled. “Poor Julian were terrible nervous, but he did just fine. The Prince had seen one o’ the rings what Julian made for Her Majesty and liked Julian’s work so he asked Julian to make some fine jewels for Her Majesty what he could give her for their wedding. A fine parure of orange blossoms. Julian designed a lovely suite in gold and porcelain and from then on, the Prince always wanted Julian for special things what he didn’t want to give to Rundell and Bridge or, later, Garrard’s. Next came all them fine garter stars, and Julian used the diamonds what he planned for the floral spray brooch for a fine garter badge for Prince Albert.”

“Your memory is astounding, Dear Punch.” Robert smiled affectionately.

“Well, Chum. It’s been me job for over thirty years to be the one what remembers what happened with us.”

“And, you’ve done so well.” Robert replied. “Is this the brooch which Julian had planned?”

“Somethin’ like it.” Mr. Punch nodded. “Only I added a bit to it. See here? Instead of one butterfly, I put three. Two big and one small. It’s us. See? You and me and Colin. Like we’re butterflies what’s sittin’ on the flowers.”

Robert’s eyes grew moist.

“I’ll make ‘em tremblers. You know?” Punch continued. “On wee springs so they move like real butterflies. They’ll sparkle so. Remember them lovely diamonds what I received ‘bout a month ‘go? Fine white ones and yellow ones and blue ones and even some pink and orange. There’s two small red ones, too. I thought instead of all white like what Julian planned, we’d do this one in colored diamonds, too. That way it’ll be more…excitin’ and…modern. Them brooches of all white diamonds were quite fashionable in 1840, but these days, folk like more color.”

“You’re truly brilliant, my dear.” Robert smiled, wiping his eyes. “It’s just lovely.”

“You think?” Punch beamed proudly. “Thanks, Chum.”

“It’ll be something which Colin can one day inherit and remember this time together—if a baby can remember such things.”

“Sure he can.” Punch nodded seriously. “And, that’s what I were thinkin’, too. But, we’re gonna lend it to His Majesty first.”

“Are we?” Robert laughed.

“Well, yes.” Punch sighed. “When you was ‘xaminin’ Her Majesty before Prince Leopold were born, Prince Albert and me—since I got stuck with him—talked ‘bout the New York International Exhibition. See, them folks in America—they want to copy what Prince Albert done here with the Great Exhibition two years ‘go. His Majesty wanted to make sure that England were represented and he asked if I would design some pieces what we could send there. He asked for three. This’ll be one of ‘em. Funny thing is he didn’t give me much time. The Exhibition is in July. So, I gotta work pretty fast, I do.”

“So that’s what you’ve been laboring over?” Robert smiled. “I wondered.”

“Sorry I didn’t mention it ‘fore. Only so much happened between then and now, I guess I didn’t think of it.” Punch sighed again. “Funny, ain’t it? All them years I watched Julian from inside our body. Never thought I’d have to do any of this stuff me-self.”

“You’re incredibly good at it in your own right.” Robert praised his companion.

“You know? I really am.” Punch answered sheepishly. “I gotta confess, Chum, I got a real thrill when I saw them diamonds and, then, I recalled that brooch what Julian planned all them years ‘go. I think he’d approve.”

“I’m sure he’s very proud.”

“I hope so.” Punch answered. He frowned slightly. “I just hope that Prince Albert is good to his word. See, he promised that the jewels would be returned to me after the Exhibition. I trust they won’t be lost.”

“I’m sure they won’t.”

“I s’pect His Majesty’ll want to try to buy this one. It’ll be pretty special.”

“We won’t allow it.” Robert winked.

“He can have the other two, but this one means somethin’ to us.” Punch laughed and looked toward Colin. “I ‘specially want to use the blue diamonds cuz they been good luck for us.”

“It’s true.” Robert nodded. “Though if you’d said that when we first met, I’d have disagreed.”

“Sure, the Molliner Blue Diamond brought us sadness first. When Barbara stole it, I never thought we’d get it back. All them weeks of lookin’ for it and for her. All the pain I had from it—knowin’ it had been put in me puppet body for safe-keepin’ and then I let it be stolen. But, were it not for that diamond, you and me would never have been together. We’d not have met Gamilla or Charles or Gerry. And, then, ‘course, the diamond bought us Colin’s freedom.”

“You’d not be the man you are today.” Robert answered thoughtfully.

“No. I’d still be a lonely puppet in a cabinet and poor Julian would be locked up in his own cabinet of sorts—his fear, his uncertainty. But, now, here we are—a family. We lost the diamond, but it got is such much more.”

“Perhaps Sir Colin knew it all along.”

“Maybe he did.” Punch smiled. “Maybe our pa hid that diamond in Julian’s puppet knowin’ that one day it would be his salvation. Like all good things, we just had to suffer to get there.”

“I believe that’s true.”

“Look here,” Punch pointed to the drawing. “See this flower. It’s a lily. I put that in for Julian. It’s a peaceful thing and I think Julian’s at peace now.”

“I know that he is.” Robert nodded.

Suddenly, Punch shuddered as a breeze ruffled his dark auburn hair.

“Do you want my coat?” Robert asked.

“Nah.” Punch shook his head. “Thanks, Chum.”

“You look a little pale, Dear Punch.”

“The sun’s growin’ dim…” Punch shook his head. “I thought that…”

As Mr. Punch spoke, a shadow passed over their comfortable spot. The two men, Colin and Dog Toby looked up to see a dark-haired man standing over them.

Dog Toby began to growl as the man drew closer. He was tall and lean with thin lips and a long, sharp nose. His green eyes seemed narrow and cold and his face bore a pinched expression.

“Your Grace,” The man said stiffly.

Mr. Punch set aside his pad and colors and stood up.

“I’ve not seen you in so long.” The man continued. “Isn’t it strange? We’re neighbors in London, and, yet, I must come to Scotland to speak to you.”

Mr. Punch nodded, forcing himself to smile.

Robert rose from the blanket, too, bending over to pick up Colin.

As if by magic, Mr. Punch knew the man though he didn’t recall seeing him before—at least not in his present state.

“Dr. Robert Halifax,” Mr. Punch said—speaking in Julian’s manner. He gestured to Robert and then to the shadowy man. “May I present the Baron Lensdown?”



Did you miss Chapters 1-89? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 91 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.

2 comments:

Marsha said...

I love these intimate family scenes. They're always my favorite. I hope that this baron will be a good guy, but I don't think he will since he had an affair with Ellen. Maybe Ellen tricked him and he's out for revenge. Maybe he'll kill her.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Marsha, these are my favorite scenes to write--Robert and Punch and the baby and dog. As for the Baron, you'll have to wait and see. I'm tricky, you know. Sometimes these characters often aren't what you expect. Thanks for your comment. You are now elected the president of the "I Hate Ellen Club."