Read Online Day of Deliverance by Johnny O'Brien - Free Book Online Page B

like,” Monk said sulkily under his breath.
    Fanshawe ignored the remark, then added conspiratorially, “I hope that I might even sell him some of my work…”
    “Your work?”
    “Plays, sonnets and songs – a lifetime of toil and achievement. Even if I say so myself.”
    Monk rolled his eyes a second time, and Trinculo interjected before Monk said anything to further antagonise Fanshawe, “I think those must be cooked…”
    The rabbit was removed from the spit and handed round. Jack and Angus exchanged glances, weighing up whether or not the meat would be safe, but the others were already munching away happily. Even Fanshawe had been momentarily silenced. Jack was so hungry he was past caring and he popped the meat into his mouth. It tasted rich, gamey and delicious.
    In under a minute, the meat was gone but it had scarcely made an impact on their hunger. Angus proceeded to rummage inside his tunic and withdrew a small plastic bag. Jack shot him a look, but it was too late; the brightly coloured bag had already been spotted by the others.
    “And what is this?” Trinculo asked. “An interesting bag of tricks?”
    Angus looked down at the bag and suddenly realised his mistake. “Oh, sorry, a delicacy from our home, er, you know in the north . You eat them.”
    “Do they have a name?”
    Angus glanced nervously at Jack, “They’re called Jelly Babies.”
    “Babies of jelly?” Trinculo asked.
    “Which you eat?” Monk said in awe.
    “It’s just a name – try one.” Angus passed the bag round and, in trepidation, Trinculo, Fanshawe and finally Monk each removed one of the coloured sweets. Holding them in their dirty fingers, the three men waited for Angus to show them what to do. Angus shrugged and popped one into this mouth.
    “There – nothing to it.”
    They each copied Angus, and, as they chewed expressions of wonder and appreciation spread across their faces.
    “Sweet.”
    “Chewy.”
    “A most providential delicacy.”
    “Glad you like them. Here – have the rest.”
    The Jelly Babies were soon gone and Angus had made friends for life.
    Fanshawe, probably buoyed by the unexpected sugar high, leaped to his feet to carry on where he had left off.
    “My friends, I feel it is time for a song to celebrate our new friendship and a fine luncheon.”
    Fanshawe struck a pretentious pose and started to wail. Monk covered his ears.
    “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
    Men were deceivers ever;
    One foot in sea, and one on shore,
    To one thing constant never.
    Then sigh not so,
    But let them go,
    And be you blithe and bonny,
    Converting all your sounds of woe
    Into ‘Hey nonny, nonny.’”
    Fanshawe’s singing stopped abruptly and he looked around self-consciously. Jack realised what he was supposed to do and clapped heartily. “Well done!”
    Angus joined in. “Er, very nice.”
    “A good effort, Harry,” Trinculo said approvingly.
    “Don’t encourage him,” Monk said. “It’s taken him months to write that.”
    “You wrote it?” Jack said.
    “But…” Jack was confused. He had heard the song before, in fact he was sure it was from Shakespeare. It was from another play they had done – they had even watched a film of it in class – Much Ado About Nothing . So how could Fanshawe have written it?
    “You say you wrote it? This is part of your ‘work’… and you say you have more?” Jack asked.
    “You’ve done it now,” Monk groaned.
    But Fanshawe seemed to be delighted by the question.
    “Of course, come, I must show you.”
    Fanshawe led Jack towards the wagon.
    “This will interest you, my boy.”
    Jack jumped to his feet to follow Fanshawe. He briefly looked back at Angus, who shrugged his shoulders. Fanshawe climbed into the back of the wagon and Jack climbed in after him. It was stuffed full of clothes, bedding and other paraphernalia. It looked like it had been the Fanshawe Players’ home, costume wardrobe and kitchen for months. It smelt bad.
    “Over here.”
    They