Thursday, September 6, 2012

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 132


Chapter 132: 
Sutures


Mr. Punch looked with wide eyes at the glittering mass in Charles’ hand. “Them’s…them’s me jewels.”

Charles nodded.

“Where’d ya get ‘em?” Punch asked.

“From Gerard’s pocket.”

Nearly delirious with pain, Gerard looked up—Gamilla still cleansing his knife wound. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it, Gerry.” Charles shook his head.

“I didn’t take the master’s jewels…” Gerard mumbled almost incoherently. “I been good. I been. I ain’t taken nothin’. I wouldn’t hurt the Duke. I love the Duke. He’s my friend. I didn’t take nothin’.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Robert said firmly. “No one thinks that you did.”

Relieved, Gerard relaxed a bit, wincing a bit as Gamilla blotted at his side with her wet flannel.

“Ain’t nothin’ to concern ya, Gerry.” Mr. Punch smiled. “You just rest and let Dr. Halifax and Gamilla look after ya.”

Gerard moaned his understanding.

Punch took Charles gently by the arm and led him to the corner of the room.

“You found those in Gerry’s pocket?” Punch asked.

“Yes.” Charles nodded. “In his coat.”

“Lemme see.” Punch said quietly.

Charles handed the coat to Mr. Punch who reached into the other pocket. “Me watches, cuff buttons. The ring with the blue diamond…” He shook his head. “It’s all in here. Pins and all.”

Charles sighed. “Gerard didn’t take them, Your Grace.”

“I know that.” Punch replied. “But, someone sure wanted it to look like he did. Put the things back in my casket and lock them in the wardrobe.”

“Yes, Sir.” Charles smiled.

Punch walked back over to the bedside and whispered to Robert. “How is he?”

“Gamilla’s done a fine job cleaning the wound. We need to stop the bleeding. I’m going to have to suture the wound.”

“Suture?” Punch frowned.

“Sew it up—like a torn stocking.”

“Oh.” Punch shuddered. “How awful. You can do that?”

“Certainly, dear Punch,” Robert answered gently. “It’s a rather important part of my job. It’s a way to mend the flesh.”

Punch nodded. “You’re always fixin’ things. You’re like…dunno…somethin’ wonderful what fixes things. Wish we could mend everythin’ like that.”

“So do I.” Robert sighed.

“You jus’ do what you can to make sure he’s as good as before.”

“I promise that I will.” Robert smiled. “I think Gamilla can attend for me, but I…”

“You don’t think I should be in here for it.”

“No.” Robert shook his head.

“I understand. I think I’d do fine with it, but Julian…well, he ain’t so good with things what are bloody or frightenin’.” Mr. Punch sighed. “I agree with ya, Chum.” Punch looked at Robert with sad eyes.

“My dear?”

“I keep thinkin’.” Punch answered quietly. “We lost Mrs. North, someone’s up to tricks and tryin’ to make our friends look like criminals, and Gerry’s hurt.”

Robert nodded.

“What if somethin’ shoulda happened to you or Colin?” Punch gulped. “I’d die. I’d just die.”

“Nothing will happen to us.” Robert replied.

“But…”

“Dear Punch, I won’t let anything happen.”

“Still, we promised the staff they’d be safe, and look what happened to Mrs. North. I…”

“Remember what you said when William Stover was killed?”

“I say a lot of things.” Punch shrugged.

“You said that we can’t live in fear, but we also don’t need to leave the door open to danger.”

“Sounds like somethin’ I’d say.” Punch smiled.

“Well, then, I suggest that you take Charles and Colin and Dog Toby into the nursery and stay behind the locked door until I’ve finished with Gerard here.”

“But, I kinda think maybe I’d best go down to talk with the staff at this time of sadness and see that our guests is all right. I also want to have a word with that Finlay. He’s tried before to make Gerard look bad. I reckon he’s behind this jewel theft. I hate to think he went and stabbed our friend, but…”

“Punch.” Robert said quickly. “I don’t want you to go downstairs.”

“I’m the host. I’m the master of the house. I ought to see that…”

“Punch.” Robert repeated, shaking his head. “I forbid you to leave these rooms.”

“Forbid? Chum, I love ya with all I got, but, what if that Finlay is…”

“No.” Robert responded.

“And our guests…they gotta be concerned that…”

“I’ve already told you that I forbid it.” Robert replied.

“Why?”

“We’re not going to open the door to danger.”

“But, it’s like Gamilla said. There’s danger already in this house. It’s already gotten to us. Someone killed our Mrs. North. I can get Speaight to come with me…”

“Speaight’s already involved in finding rooms for everyone.”

“So, I’ll get Georgie.”

“George is occupied.”

“With what?” Punch asked.

“He’s tending to…” Robert paused. “He’s dealing with something for me.”

“What?” Punch asked.

“You will not leave these rooms. End of discussion, my dear.” Robert commanded.

Punch’s face fell.

“Now, I’ve really got to get this wound sutured.” Robert forced a smile. “You should take our son where it’s quiet and he can sleep in peace. I don’t mean to be authoritative, but I can’t allow you to leave the suite. You’d be doing me a great service by going to the nursery with Charles and Colin and the dog.”

“What ain’t you tellin’ me.” Punch squinted.

Robert frowned. “Please, my dear, we can discuss it later.”

Just then, Gerard yelped in pain.

“I’m sorry, love.” Gamilla whispered. “I didn’t mean for to hurt ya.”

“Tell him, Doctor.” Gerard moaned. “Tell His Grace about Countess Hamish.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-131? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 133 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.

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