Read Online Charlie Bone and the Shadow of Badlock (Children of the Red King, Book 7) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
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from behind and the small boy gasped with shock.
"What are you doing here?" Manfred Bloor swung Billy around to face him. "Why aren't you staying with Charlie Bone?"
Billy looked into the cruel black eyes gazing down at him. He had always been mortally afraid of Manfred Bloor; with his bony face and narrow shoulders, he looked more like an old man than a boy of nineteen. His long hair, tied in a ponytail, was already streaked with gray, and his tight black sweater only emphasized his scrawny frame.
"Well?" snarled Manfred.
"He ... he didn't ask," faltered Billy.
"Didn't ask. That's no excuse." Manfred glanced disdainfully at the children seated around the table. Then he noticed Dagbert and he gave a brief half-smile.
All that remained of the green vapor was a thin cloud that clung to the brick ceiling like a mildewy cobweb. Manfred didn't appear to have seen it. "Scram, kids!" he barked. "I want a private word with Mrs. Tilpin."
With a chorus of "Yes, Manfred," Dorcas, the twins, and Joshua gathered up their books and made for the door. Dagbert said nothing, but he followed the others as they stepped over the splintered planks. And then he looked back briefly and murmured. "She wants to let an enchanter loose on the world, what d'you think of that, Manfred?"
"I think it's an excellent idea," Manfred replied, with another of his sinister smiles.
"Really?" Dagbert raised his eyebrows and stepped into the dark hallway.
"You too," said Manfred, addressing the white-haired boy who seemed to be in a trance.
Billy shook himself. He looked around the room, as though he had no idea how he got there, and then walked slowly through the doorway.
"Tell Mr. Weedon to come and fix the door you broke," Mrs. Tilpin called after him.
"Yes," said Billy weakly.
Manfred lifted two of the wooden boards and laid them across the drafty gap. Rubbing his hands free of dust, he came and sat at the table. "Very satisfactory," he said, his wide grin revealing a row of long yellow teeth.
"You're very pleased with yourself," Mrs. Tilpin remarked.
"Oh, I am. Didn't you notice?"
"Notice?" Mrs. Tilpin appeared to be more interested in her mirror than anything Manfred had to say.
"It's coming back!" Manfred gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward. "My endowment, Titania. Remember, you said it would return if I was patient. "Relax," you said. "Try it out occasionally, but don't force it." Well, I've just hypnotized Billy Raven. Didn't you notice?"
"I suppose so." Mrs. Tilpin frowned into her mirror. "He's not happy," she mumbled.
"When those leopards attacked me, I thought I was done for, but it's quite the reverse. I'm stronger than ever." Manfred spread out his long, thin arms.
"I expect it was anger," said Mrs. Tilpin, without taking her eyes from the mirror. "Anger and fear, both powerful agents. They can channel the forces that lie dormant within us."
"Is that so?" Manfred frowned at the mirror. "What's going on, Titania?"
Her gaze still held by the mirror, Mrs. Tilpin said, "He was expecting Billy Raven. And I haven't given you permission to use my first name."
Manfred shrugged. "Apologies, Fairy Tilpin, but it suits you so well."
Mrs. Tilpin grimaced. She had never known how to accept a compliment. "I feel it when he's angry, right here." She jabbed her stomach. "He expected Billy today. When Eustacia Yewbeam took the painting, she assured me that the boy would be with Charlie."
"What's the hurry? We'll make sure the kid sees the painting next Saturday. He'll start talking to the dog and Harken will have him."
"The dog might not last a week," Mrs. Tilpin said sullenly. "Trolls eat dogs, you know."
"Poor doggie."
Mrs. Tilpin stamped her foot. "Don't be smart. Have you forgotten the enchanter is doing this for you? He has promised to hold the boy until that wretched will is found and destroyed. What do you imagine will happen if Lyell Bone returns and remembers where the will is kept? The game will be up, Manfred Bloor.
"What are you doing here?" Manfred Bloor swung Billy around to face him. "Why aren't you staying with Charlie Bone?"
Billy looked into the cruel black eyes gazing down at him. He had always been mortally afraid of Manfred Bloor; with his bony face and narrow shoulders, he looked more like an old man than a boy of nineteen. His long hair, tied in a ponytail, was already streaked with gray, and his tight black sweater only emphasized his scrawny frame.
"Well?" snarled Manfred.
"He ... he didn't ask," faltered Billy.
"Didn't ask. That's no excuse." Manfred glanced disdainfully at the children seated around the table. Then he noticed Dagbert and he gave a brief half-smile.
All that remained of the green vapor was a thin cloud that clung to the brick ceiling like a mildewy cobweb. Manfred didn't appear to have seen it. "Scram, kids!" he barked. "I want a private word with Mrs. Tilpin."
With a chorus of "Yes, Manfred," Dorcas, the twins, and Joshua gathered up their books and made for the door. Dagbert said nothing, but he followed the others as they stepped over the splintered planks. And then he looked back briefly and murmured. "She wants to let an enchanter loose on the world, what d'you think of that, Manfred?"
"I think it's an excellent idea," Manfred replied, with another of his sinister smiles.
"Really?" Dagbert raised his eyebrows and stepped into the dark hallway.
"You too," said Manfred, addressing the white-haired boy who seemed to be in a trance.
Billy shook himself. He looked around the room, as though he had no idea how he got there, and then walked slowly through the doorway.
"Tell Mr. Weedon to come and fix the door you broke," Mrs. Tilpin called after him.
"Yes," said Billy weakly.
Manfred lifted two of the wooden boards and laid them across the drafty gap. Rubbing his hands free of dust, he came and sat at the table. "Very satisfactory," he said, his wide grin revealing a row of long yellow teeth.
"You're very pleased with yourself," Mrs. Tilpin remarked.
"Oh, I am. Didn't you notice?"
"Notice?" Mrs. Tilpin appeared to be more interested in her mirror than anything Manfred had to say.
"It's coming back!" Manfred gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward. "My endowment, Titania. Remember, you said it would return if I was patient. "Relax," you said. "Try it out occasionally, but don't force it." Well, I've just hypnotized Billy Raven. Didn't you notice?"
"I suppose so." Mrs. Tilpin frowned into her mirror. "He's not happy," she mumbled.
"When those leopards attacked me, I thought I was done for, but it's quite the reverse. I'm stronger than ever." Manfred spread out his long, thin arms.
"I expect it was anger," said Mrs. Tilpin, without taking her eyes from the mirror. "Anger and fear, both powerful agents. They can channel the forces that lie dormant within us."
"Is that so?" Manfred frowned at the mirror. "What's going on, Titania?"
Her gaze still held by the mirror, Mrs. Tilpin said, "He was expecting Billy Raven. And I haven't given you permission to use my first name."
Manfred shrugged. "Apologies, Fairy Tilpin, but it suits you so well."
Mrs. Tilpin grimaced. She had never known how to accept a compliment. "I feel it when he's angry, right here." She jabbed her stomach. "He expected Billy today. When Eustacia Yewbeam took the painting, she assured me that the boy would be with Charlie."
"What's the hurry? We'll make sure the kid sees the painting next Saturday. He'll start talking to the dog and Harken will have him."
"The dog might not last a week," Mrs. Tilpin said sullenly. "Trolls eat dogs, you know."
"Poor doggie."
Mrs. Tilpin stamped her foot. "Don't be smart. Have you forgotten the enchanter is doing this for you? He has promised to hold the boy until that wretched will is found and destroyed. What do you imagine will happen if Lyell Bone returns and remembers where the will is kept? The game will be up, Manfred Bloor.
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