Charlie Bone And The Red Knight (Children Of The Red King, Book 8) by Jenny Nimmo Page B
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
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smile. "What's he stolen from you?"
"Seven golden charms, Joshua: a fish, five crabs, and a sea urchin."
Joshua wrinkled his brow. "But they're his charms, Mr. Grimwald --"
"Lord Grimwald," Manfred hastily corrected him.
"Lord Grimwald," said Joshua. "Dagbert said his mother made the charms for him, so he'd be protected."
"From me," said the Lord of the Oceans. "I know his story. All lies, Joshua."
Joshua kicked the floor with the toe of his boot, and Manfred scowled at the dried mud falling onto the polished floorboards.
Lord Grimwald sighed heavily and paced around the globe, saying, "I suppose you want a reward for your services, Joshua?"
Joshua looked at his mother, who said, "Of course he does."
"Very well." Lord Grimwald, having circled the globe, stopped beside Mrs. Tilpin and sighed again. "Your accommodation here is not much, I imagine." Manfred's scowl deepened. "Damp probably," Lord Grimwald continued. "I can see you've got a touch of arthritis. I can offer you a small castle in the north. A servant. Heated rooms and ..."
Mrs. Tilpin began to sway with pleasure. She had to steady herself on Manfred's arm, which he didn't much like. "And?" she prompted.
Lord Grimwald turned to Joshua. "What is your favorite food, Joshua?"
The boy gave a broad grin and, without hesitation, said, "Chocolate, sausages, Battenberg cake, lemon sherbet, strawberry jelly, chips, and beans."
"Fish?" asked the Lord of the Oceans.
"I hate fish," said Joshua.
Lord Grimwald's cheeks turned a greenish pink, and for a second, a look of hatred passed across his face, but pulling himself together, he waved a hand and said, "You'll get all those things, but --"
"Yippee!" Joshua gave a little jump for joy.
"But only when you've done what I ask."
"Spit it out," said Mrs. Tilpin, momentarily forgetting to be grateful. "I'm tired." She shuffled over to one of the gold-painted ballroom chairs and sank down on it.
Lord Grimwald became very businesslike. "I know that Dagbert will hide the charms. You will find them, Joshua. Wherever they are. You are magnetic. The charms will be drawn to you; they will cling to you, even if you are twelve feet away from them."
"I've never done gold before," said Joshua doubtfully.
"Believe me, you will attract gold if you think about it. If you truly want it. I know a little about magnetism, and the mind plays a great part in it. Why are you covered in paper, mud, and crumbs, for instance? Do you want to look a mess? Think them away" -- Lord Grimwald flipped a hand at the mess on Joshua's sweater -- "and you'll feel much better."
Joshua frowned at the crumbs, but nothing happened.
"I think we are done here," said the Lord of the Oceans. "You may go now. Bring me the charms as soon as you can."
"Yes, sir." Joshua turned to his mother, who shuffled forward and grabbed his hand.
"I'll come and see you later, Titania," said Manfred.
"I want your opinion on a new development. Olivia Vertigo is endowed."
This news brought a twisted smile from Mrs. Tilpin. "Indeed?" she murmured. "I can have some fun at last, a little shape-shifting." Her blackberry eyes glittered with excitement.
As the Tilpin's walked out, a few bits of paper floated off Joshua's head, and squeezing his arm tightly, his mother whispered, "You're going to make our fortune, Josh."
Manfred waited until the Tilpins had gone before asking, "When will you find Lyell Bone's boat, then? I'd like to watch the drowning."
"Patience," said Lord Grimwald. "I want those charms. If I don't get them, I might not survive long enough to help you."
Manfred found it difficult to believe that the powerful man standing beside him could be overcome by a twelve-year-old boy. But a curse was a curse, he told himself, and there was no getting around it. "I haven't told Great-grandfather the latest news," he said, striding to the door. "I'd better go up to his attic right now. He always likes to be the first to know things."
Lord Grimwald followed Manfred
"Seven golden charms, Joshua: a fish, five crabs, and a sea urchin."
Joshua wrinkled his brow. "But they're his charms, Mr. Grimwald --"
"Lord Grimwald," Manfred hastily corrected him.
"Lord Grimwald," said Joshua. "Dagbert said his mother made the charms for him, so he'd be protected."
"From me," said the Lord of the Oceans. "I know his story. All lies, Joshua."
Joshua kicked the floor with the toe of his boot, and Manfred scowled at the dried mud falling onto the polished floorboards.
Lord Grimwald sighed heavily and paced around the globe, saying, "I suppose you want a reward for your services, Joshua?"
Joshua looked at his mother, who said, "Of course he does."
"Very well." Lord Grimwald, having circled the globe, stopped beside Mrs. Tilpin and sighed again. "Your accommodation here is not much, I imagine." Manfred's scowl deepened. "Damp probably," Lord Grimwald continued. "I can see you've got a touch of arthritis. I can offer you a small castle in the north. A servant. Heated rooms and ..."
Mrs. Tilpin began to sway with pleasure. She had to steady herself on Manfred's arm, which he didn't much like. "And?" she prompted.
Lord Grimwald turned to Joshua. "What is your favorite food, Joshua?"
The boy gave a broad grin and, without hesitation, said, "Chocolate, sausages, Battenberg cake, lemon sherbet, strawberry jelly, chips, and beans."
"Fish?" asked the Lord of the Oceans.
"I hate fish," said Joshua.
Lord Grimwald's cheeks turned a greenish pink, and for a second, a look of hatred passed across his face, but pulling himself together, he waved a hand and said, "You'll get all those things, but --"
"Yippee!" Joshua gave a little jump for joy.
"But only when you've done what I ask."
"Spit it out," said Mrs. Tilpin, momentarily forgetting to be grateful. "I'm tired." She shuffled over to one of the gold-painted ballroom chairs and sank down on it.
Lord Grimwald became very businesslike. "I know that Dagbert will hide the charms. You will find them, Joshua. Wherever they are. You are magnetic. The charms will be drawn to you; they will cling to you, even if you are twelve feet away from them."
"I've never done gold before," said Joshua doubtfully.
"Believe me, you will attract gold if you think about it. If you truly want it. I know a little about magnetism, and the mind plays a great part in it. Why are you covered in paper, mud, and crumbs, for instance? Do you want to look a mess? Think them away" -- Lord Grimwald flipped a hand at the mess on Joshua's sweater -- "and you'll feel much better."
Joshua frowned at the crumbs, but nothing happened.
"I think we are done here," said the Lord of the Oceans. "You may go now. Bring me the charms as soon as you can."
"Yes, sir." Joshua turned to his mother, who shuffled forward and grabbed his hand.
"I'll come and see you later, Titania," said Manfred.
"I want your opinion on a new development. Olivia Vertigo is endowed."
This news brought a twisted smile from Mrs. Tilpin. "Indeed?" she murmured. "I can have some fun at last, a little shape-shifting." Her blackberry eyes glittered with excitement.
As the Tilpin's walked out, a few bits of paper floated off Joshua's head, and squeezing his arm tightly, his mother whispered, "You're going to make our fortune, Josh."
Manfred waited until the Tilpins had gone before asking, "When will you find Lyell Bone's boat, then? I'd like to watch the drowning."
"Patience," said Lord Grimwald. "I want those charms. If I don't get them, I might not survive long enough to help you."
Manfred found it difficult to believe that the powerful man standing beside him could be overcome by a twelve-year-old boy. But a curse was a curse, he told himself, and there was no getting around it. "I haven't told Great-grandfather the latest news," he said, striding to the door. "I'd better go up to his attic right now. He always likes to be the first to know things."
Lord Grimwald followed Manfred
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