Chapter 126:
Danger in this House
As Robert explained to Mr. Punch about Mrs. North’s cruel fate, Punch sat eerily still—his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. He held Colin close and made sure that Dog Toby was sitting at his side.
Gamilla gasped when she heard that Mrs. North had been dead for some hours.
“Who took the baby?”” Gamilla exclaimed.
“I don’t know.” Robert shook his head.
“Some stranger was standing there in the ball…in Mrs. North’s fancy dress…” Punch mumbled. “And, she took my son and gave him to Finlay.”
Gamilla took a deep breath—recalling the awful things that Finlay and Ellen had said to her.
“It may not have been a stranger, Dear Punch.” Robert said softly.
“Oh?” Punch muttered. “Who then?”
“Some associate of Finlay’s. Some friend. It needn’t even have really been a woman. Remember, we couldn’t see the person’s face. We both commented on the fact that Mrs. North…or the person we thought was Mrs. North…must have had obscured sight.”
Punch shook his head.
“The question is if Finlay also thought the individual was Mrs. North or if it’s someone with whom he is working.”
“He’s an irritating bloke,” Punch answered. “Misguided and jealous, but could he be that cruel?”
“You’ve known him longer than I.” Robert nodded.
“Not really. When we was here all them years ago, Julian were mostly a child or adolescent. I was mostly inside of ‘im. Julian ignored most everyone. Sure, Finlay were here, too. But, Julian had little to do with ‘im. Even them times when I were out, I didn’t bother with Finlay as he always seemed a bore to me, ‘e did. Ain’t ‘til we got here this time what I really seen Finlay for what ‘e is, and ‘e’s still somethin’ o’ a mystery.”
Gamilla coughed.
“Are you well, Gamilla?” Robert asked.
“Yes, Doctor.” Gamilla nodded. “I’m just shocked is all. Poor Mrs. North. I liked her so…” She trailed off.
“Me, too.” Punch answered. He bit his lower lip. “She were gruff, but…” Tears welled up in his eyes again. He sniffed. “Poor lady. We can’t jus’ leave her down there…”
“Let me take Colin, my dear.” Robert said, reaching for the baby.
With Colin safely in Robert’s arms, Punch let his tears really flow. “We can’t leave her there like she’s some sack o’ grain. Let’s bring her to her room and put her in her own bed. It’s only right.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Gamilla nodded. “If only someone can bring her up.”
“Gamilla, I…” Robert began.
“Sir, I done it before. When my sister passed, and, my mama. I…” She shook her head. “I know what to do. I’ll make sure she’s clean and at peace.”
Robert nodded. “Thank you. Charles and Gerard should be on their way up just now. I’d asked for them to change from their costumes.”
Mr. Punch nodded.
“When they arrive,” Robert continued. “I’ll ask them to bring Mrs. North to her room.”
“For the last time.” Mr. Punch mumbled sadly. He looked up at Robert. “Who done this to her?”
“I don’t know.” Robert shook his head.
“Same one what took me jewels?”
“Perhaps.”
“We got a whole house fulla folk.”
“Speaight has asked everyone to stay.” Robert explained. “Though he’s not said why. Several of the men from the estate are standing at the exits to ensure that everyone stays.”
Punch inhaled. “We know most of them folk. Most o’ ‘em are our own people.”
“But, there are some strangers.” Robert nodded. “And, let’s not forget the hired staff.”
“Why’d anyone want to hurt poor Mrs. North?” Punch wiped his eyes.
Gamilla could stand no more. She took a deep breath and then, whispering, said, “Sirs, there’s danger in this house.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-125? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 127 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
As Robert explained to Mr. Punch about Mrs. North’s cruel fate, Punch sat eerily still—his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. He held Colin close and made sure that Dog Toby was sitting at his side.
Gamilla gasped when she heard that Mrs. North had been dead for some hours.
“Who took the baby?”” Gamilla exclaimed.
“I don’t know.” Robert shook his head.
“Some stranger was standing there in the ball…in Mrs. North’s fancy dress…” Punch mumbled. “And, she took my son and gave him to Finlay.”
Gamilla took a deep breath—recalling the awful things that Finlay and Ellen had said to her.
“It may not have been a stranger, Dear Punch.” Robert said softly.
“Oh?” Punch muttered. “Who then?”
“Some associate of Finlay’s. Some friend. It needn’t even have really been a woman. Remember, we couldn’t see the person’s face. We both commented on the fact that Mrs. North…or the person we thought was Mrs. North…must have had obscured sight.”
Punch shook his head.
“The question is if Finlay also thought the individual was Mrs. North or if it’s someone with whom he is working.”
“He’s an irritating bloke,” Punch answered. “Misguided and jealous, but could he be that cruel?”
“You’ve known him longer than I.” Robert nodded.
“Not really. When we was here all them years ago, Julian were mostly a child or adolescent. I was mostly inside of ‘im. Julian ignored most everyone. Sure, Finlay were here, too. But, Julian had little to do with ‘im. Even them times when I were out, I didn’t bother with Finlay as he always seemed a bore to me, ‘e did. Ain’t ‘til we got here this time what I really seen Finlay for what ‘e is, and ‘e’s still somethin’ o’ a mystery.”
Gamilla coughed.
“Are you well, Gamilla?” Robert asked.
“Yes, Doctor.” Gamilla nodded. “I’m just shocked is all. Poor Mrs. North. I liked her so…” She trailed off.
“Me, too.” Punch answered. He bit his lower lip. “She were gruff, but…” Tears welled up in his eyes again. He sniffed. “Poor lady. We can’t jus’ leave her down there…”
“Let me take Colin, my dear.” Robert said, reaching for the baby.
With Colin safely in Robert’s arms, Punch let his tears really flow. “We can’t leave her there like she’s some sack o’ grain. Let’s bring her to her room and put her in her own bed. It’s only right.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Gamilla nodded. “If only someone can bring her up.”
“Gamilla, I…” Robert began.
“Sir, I done it before. When my sister passed, and, my mama. I…” She shook her head. “I know what to do. I’ll make sure she’s clean and at peace.”
Robert nodded. “Thank you. Charles and Gerard should be on their way up just now. I’d asked for them to change from their costumes.”
Mr. Punch nodded.
“When they arrive,” Robert continued. “I’ll ask them to bring Mrs. North to her room.”
“For the last time.” Mr. Punch mumbled sadly. He looked up at Robert. “Who done this to her?”
“I don’t know.” Robert shook his head.
“Same one what took me jewels?”
“Perhaps.”
“We got a whole house fulla folk.”
“Speaight has asked everyone to stay.” Robert explained. “Though he’s not said why. Several of the men from the estate are standing at the exits to ensure that everyone stays.”
Punch inhaled. “We know most of them folk. Most o’ ‘em are our own people.”
“But, there are some strangers.” Robert nodded. “And, let’s not forget the hired staff.”
“Why’d anyone want to hurt poor Mrs. North?” Punch wiped his eyes.
Gamilla could stand no more. She took a deep breath and then, whispering, said, “Sirs, there’s danger in this house.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-125? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 127 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
No comments:
Post a Comment