Read Online Charlie Bone and the Hidden King (Children of the Red King, Book 5) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
Ads: Link
"Come on, eat those lovely eggs. Much better for you than patti-di-fwa-gra, or whatever it is Grandma Bone has such a passion for."
Charlie managed to raise a smile. He was about to start his meal, when Uncle Paton marched in and, flinging open the refrigerator door, declared, "I'm starving. My basket's not coming today, they tell me. Hope you're not too disappointed, Charlie?"
Every Friday, Uncle Paton had a large basket of delicious food delivered from a store in the city. Charlie had been so immersed in his own problems he had quite forgotten to look forward to it.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Owner dropped dead," said Uncle Paton.
Charlie put down his fork. "Just like that? Dropped dead? Was he in the store? Were people scared?"
"Yes, is the answer to all those questions," Uncle Paton replied.
"It was in the papers," said Maisie, "along with the missing animals. What a week."
"What did he die of?" Charlie found he couldn't eat.
"Ah. There's the mystery." Uncle Paton brought a plate of cheese and crackers to the table. "Can I eat your eggs, Charlie?"
Maisie slapped Paton's hand, which had begun to inch its way toward Charlie's plate. "The boy needs his food," she said sharply. "Charlie, eat up."
"Didn't the doctors know?" Charlie put a forkful of egg into his mouth. He was worried about this store owner who had inexplicably dropped dead.
"His heart stopped beating for no reason," said Uncle Paton. "Very fit man apparently. Regular jogger. Very sad. Luckily, no family, though. The new owner has already taken the reins; a relative I'm told. They'll be back to normal next week and we'll get our weekend treats." This time it was Uncle Paton who peered into Charlie's face. "Feeling your age, Charlie? Twelve isn't the end of the world, you know."
"Twelve," Charlie repeated. "I was two when my dad disappeared. Ten years ago. Ten. Is that a lucky number, do you think?"
Paton's jovial expression softened. "Ten?" he said thoughtfully. "Well, the Red King had ten children, but it's a matter of opinion whether that was lucky."
"Hardly," muttered Maisie.
Someone could be heard climbing the steps up to the front door, and as Charlie turned to the window, he saw Benjamin and Billy get into the Browns' car. Where were they off to? he wondered. A movie? The bowling alley?
Amy Bone came in looking weary after a week of weighing vegetables. As usual, she made the best of things. "Pineapples," she said cheerfully, plonking a bag of prickly shapes on the table. "It'll make up for Paton's package not coming." She pecked Charlie's cheek. "You look glum, Charlie."
"Good to see you, too, Mom." Charlie took his plate to the sink.
"Are we going to see Benjamin this weekend?" asked Charlie's mother. "You two must have a lot to catch up on."
"No." Charlie turned and, with his back to the sink, gave his three relatives a challenging stare. They looked up, expectantly.
"I won't be seeing Benjamin because he blames me for Runner Bean's vanishing. Fidelio is playing in a band, and Billy Raven is staying with the Browns. Oh, and by the way, Benjamin's parents are working at Bloor's now."
"Extraordinary," Paton declared.
"But I won't be lonely," Charlie went on, "because I'll go to Ingledew's bookstore. OK?"
"Of course, it's OK, Charlie," his mother said quietly.
Pronouncing Ingledew's to be the best place in the world, Uncle Paton got up, patted Charlie's shoulder, and began to forage in the fridge again.
And that was that.
Except that Charlie never got to the bookstore, because early the next morning, a light tap on his window led him into an adventure that would ultimately change his life. And a good many other lives besides.
The tap came at dawn. Charlie woke up. In the gap between the curtains he could see the white moth fluttering against the windowpane. At first Charlie thought that the delicate beat of wings on glass had woken him. But then, there came another tap, this time sharper and louder.
Charlie went to the window
Charlie managed to raise a smile. He was about to start his meal, when Uncle Paton marched in and, flinging open the refrigerator door, declared, "I'm starving. My basket's not coming today, they tell me. Hope you're not too disappointed, Charlie?"
Every Friday, Uncle Paton had a large basket of delicious food delivered from a store in the city. Charlie had been so immersed in his own problems he had quite forgotten to look forward to it.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Owner dropped dead," said Uncle Paton.
Charlie put down his fork. "Just like that? Dropped dead? Was he in the store? Were people scared?"
"Yes, is the answer to all those questions," Uncle Paton replied.
"It was in the papers," said Maisie, "along with the missing animals. What a week."
"What did he die of?" Charlie found he couldn't eat.
"Ah. There's the mystery." Uncle Paton brought a plate of cheese and crackers to the table. "Can I eat your eggs, Charlie?"
Maisie slapped Paton's hand, which had begun to inch its way toward Charlie's plate. "The boy needs his food," she said sharply. "Charlie, eat up."
"Didn't the doctors know?" Charlie put a forkful of egg into his mouth. He was worried about this store owner who had inexplicably dropped dead.
"His heart stopped beating for no reason," said Uncle Paton. "Very fit man apparently. Regular jogger. Very sad. Luckily, no family, though. The new owner has already taken the reins; a relative I'm told. They'll be back to normal next week and we'll get our weekend treats." This time it was Uncle Paton who peered into Charlie's face. "Feeling your age, Charlie? Twelve isn't the end of the world, you know."
"Twelve," Charlie repeated. "I was two when my dad disappeared. Ten years ago. Ten. Is that a lucky number, do you think?"
Paton's jovial expression softened. "Ten?" he said thoughtfully. "Well, the Red King had ten children, but it's a matter of opinion whether that was lucky."
"Hardly," muttered Maisie.
Someone could be heard climbing the steps up to the front door, and as Charlie turned to the window, he saw Benjamin and Billy get into the Browns' car. Where were they off to? he wondered. A movie? The bowling alley?
Amy Bone came in looking weary after a week of weighing vegetables. As usual, she made the best of things. "Pineapples," she said cheerfully, plonking a bag of prickly shapes on the table. "It'll make up for Paton's package not coming." She pecked Charlie's cheek. "You look glum, Charlie."
"Good to see you, too, Mom." Charlie took his plate to the sink.
"Are we going to see Benjamin this weekend?" asked Charlie's mother. "You two must have a lot to catch up on."
"No." Charlie turned and, with his back to the sink, gave his three relatives a challenging stare. They looked up, expectantly.
"I won't be seeing Benjamin because he blames me for Runner Bean's vanishing. Fidelio is playing in a band, and Billy Raven is staying with the Browns. Oh, and by the way, Benjamin's parents are working at Bloor's now."
"Extraordinary," Paton declared.
"But I won't be lonely," Charlie went on, "because I'll go to Ingledew's bookstore. OK?"
"Of course, it's OK, Charlie," his mother said quietly.
Pronouncing Ingledew's to be the best place in the world, Uncle Paton got up, patted Charlie's shoulder, and began to forage in the fridge again.
And that was that.
Except that Charlie never got to the bookstore, because early the next morning, a light tap on his window led him into an adventure that would ultimately change his life. And a good many other lives besides.
The tap came at dawn. Charlie woke up. In the gap between the curtains he could see the white moth fluttering against the windowpane. At first Charlie thought that the delicate beat of wings on glass had woken him. But then, there came another tap, this time sharper and louder.
Charlie went to the window
Similar Books
