The Game's Afoot (Oliver Wade Spy Thriller Series Book 2) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Published: 2019-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Oliver and his company of seven actors, bone-weary, climbed down from the wagon in which they had trundled for two days out of London, along rutted roads filled with rainwater from recent downpours. They had slept overnight either in, or under, the wagon, and were more than anxious to get warm, catch up on some sleep, and eat something other than the bread and cheese that had sustained them after a fashion since leaving Shoreditch.

They were in the courtyard that served the estate at Whaddon, in north Buckinghamshire, to which they had been summoned by Baron Grey to perform for three nights. To one side sat the stables, and Oliver unhitched the elderly nag that they had hired for the trip, along with the wagon, from the landlord of The Cardinal, on a promise that he would be remunerated on their return with the generous fee they were expecting to earn for their performances. Oliver led the horse into the stable, and enquired of the groom in which of the stalls he might tie him, prior to having him rubbed down. The groom looked disparagingly at the elderly beast, and suggested that a shot to its head might be kinder, then grudgingly nodded towards a stall at the very end of the line.

He had barely removed its collar when Oliver became aware of a loud and angry argument outside, in which the booming voice of Ned Allen seemed to predominate. With a sigh he left off attending to the horse and walked swiftly back out into the courtyard, where Ned was looming over an elderly man whose dark but rich clothing suggested that he might be the estate Steward.

‘This poltroon tells us that we must sleep with the horses!’ Ned complained, and the Steward looked hard at Oliver. ‘You are in charge of these vagabonds?’ he enquired with more haughtiness than was perhaps advisable, given Ned’s obvious displeasure at what they had been told. Oliver did his best to adopt an equally superior tone as he replied ‘They are no vagabond band, my good man, but a company of gifted actors who are commissioned to perform for three nights for the entertainment of Baron Grey, who is presumably your master. He would no doubt be aggrieved to learn of the manner in which you make us welcome.’

‘It is on his instruction that I advise that your men – whoever they may be – must sleep in the stalls on the lower floor of the stables, since the loft above it is already allocated to the retainers of a noble guest who is expected ere sundown today. However, you will be fed in the kitchen.’

‘Are you sure you don’t have instructions that we are to eat hay?’ Allen thundered, to the visible amusement of the rest of the group, and the Steward instinctively backed off a few paces as he studiously refrained from responding, but continued to address Oliver.

‘Your performances will be conducted in the Great Hall, which is on the upper floor of the main house.

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