Sword of the Silver Knight (6 page)

“I want you to do me a favor,” Jonathan said. “Will you give him a message from me?”

“Sure,” Benny said, always eager to be useful.

Jonathan leaned his head close to Benny’s and spoke in a low voice. “Tell him ‘Our plan is working. We’re going to be rich!’”

Benny’s eyes opened wide when he heard the message.

“Got it?” Jonathan asked.

Benny nodded and swallowed hard. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll tell him.”

As Benny hurried out of the tent, his mind was racing. What did Jonathan mean? Was he talking about stealing the sword? Was this man Jonathan’s partner in crime? Benny hated to think of Jonathan that way, but he couldn’t help wondering.

Even though he was worried, Benny did as Jonathan had asked. He ran over to the bearded man. “Excuse me, sir,” Benny said.

“Yes?” the man replied. He looked surprised.

“I have a message for you from Jonathan Fairbanks,” Benny said.

Now the bearded man nodded. “Ah, yes, Jonathan.”

“He told me to tell you, ‘Our plan is working. We’re going to be rich,’” Benny said.

The bearded man smiled broadly. “I’m glad to hear it. And I’m looking forward to seeing the show.”

“It’s a great show,” Benny said. “Goodbye.” He went back to Jonathan’s tent. What were Jonathan and that man up to, he wondered.

Meanwhile, Violet and Jessie had gone to help in Annie’s tent. When they arrived they found her sitting in a chair, gazing blankly into the distance.

“Annie?” said Violet. “Are you okay?” Annie seemed startled. “Oh, um, hello.” She smiled at the girls. “I was just, um, thinking about something …”

Jessie noticed a crumpled piece of paper and an envelope in Annie’s hand.

“Did you just get some bad news?” Jessie asked gently.

Annie sighed. “Oh, it’s just a letter from the bank. I got it a few days ago. I’ve been trying to get a loan so I can finish college. The bank said no.”

“I’m sorry,” Violet said.

Annie smiled briefly. “Oh, well, I’ll just have to figure out something else.”

“Sorry to bother you,” Jessie said. “But it’s time to get ready for the show.”

“I didn’t realize it was that late,” Annie said, glancing at the small clock next to her mirror. “Yes, I guess you’re right.”

“Shall we do your hair first?” Violet asked.

“That sounds good,” said Annie.

Violet got the brush and began brushing Annie’s long brown hair. When she was finished brushing, Violet made a tiny braid on each side, carefully weaving tiny white ribbons into the braids. Then she fastened the braids at the back of Annie’s head with a sparkly barrette.

Meanwhile Jessie had been getting Annie’s clothes. When Annie’s hair was done, Jessie helped Annie into her petticoat and long white dress. It was made of soft velvet, with sleeves that puffed slightly at the shoulders and then narrowed to points over her wrists.

“This is such a beautiful dress,” Jessie said. “I love the beading and the silver threads.”

“It is a wonderful dress, isn’t it?” Annie said. “And certainly more comfortable than wearing armor! I feel so sorry for the men.”

“I agree,” said Violet. “Armor does not look comfortable at all.” She picked up a rhinestone necklace and fastened it around Annie’s neck.

Annie laughed. “Trust me, I know. It isn’t comfortable. And it’s hard to walk in.”

“How do you know?” Jessie asked. “Have you ever worn it?”

Annie’s face suddenly went pale. “Me?” she asked. “Worn armor? Why would I have worn armor? I just mean, I can tell by looking at it.”

Jessie and Violet looked at one another. Why did Annie suddenly seem so embarrassed, as if she’d said something wrong?

“Oh,” Jessie said. “That’s what I thought.”

“I’d better be getting over to the main tent,” Annie said, stepping into her white silk slippers. She hurried out, leaving Jessie and Violet behind.

When the children arrived home that night, Grandfather was out at a business dinner.

The children sat down in the kitchen, talking about how much fun they’d been having at the show.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Mrs. McGregor said, going to her room.

“We won’t,” called the children.

“This medieval fair has been so great,” said Violet. “I wish tomorrow weren’t the last day.”

“Me, too,” said Henry. “Especially since we haven’t found that sword yet.”

“I know we can solve this mystery,” said Jessie. “We’ve never failed before.”

“I could think better if I had a snack,” Benny said.

“I had a feeling you might say that,” Jessie said, smiling at her brother. “How about some ice cream?”

Benny’s face lit up. Jessie went to the freezer and got out a container of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, while Henry and Violet got the bowls, spoons, and napkins. Benny got the ice-cream scooper.

Soon they were all settled at the table with bowls of ice cream in front of them. Benny stirred his ice cream around and around until it was soft and melted. Violet thoughtfully licked her spoon.

Benny told the others about Jonathan’s message that night for the bearded man. “What do you think he was talking about?” Benny asked.

Jessie looked concerned. “I don’t know, but it sounds as if he’s working with that man, and they stole the sword together. It sounds as if they plan to sell it and get rich.”

“Jonathan was the last one seen with the sword,” said Henry. “We have only his word that he left it in Mr. Worthington’s tent.”

“And we saw him wandering around that night,” Violet recalled. “Who knows where he was going, or what he was up to. Maybe he took the sword and hid it.”

“I don’t think it was Jonathan!” Benny said. “I think he’s telling the truth—that he left the sword in Mr. Worthington’s tent. I think Mr. Worthington hid it somewhere to get Jonathan in trouble.”

“That’s possible, too,” Henry said, eating another spoonful of ice cream.

Jessie pulled out her notebook and looked at the notes they’d made over the past few days. “There’s another possibility. They could both be telling the truth. Jonathan said he left the sword at about ten o’clock, right after the show ended. Mr. Worthington was still out signing autographs and thinks he came back to the tent at around ten-fifteen. In those fifteen minutes, someone
else
could have come in and stolen the sword.”

“But who?” Violet asked.

“What about Hannah?” asked Benny.

“Why would she steal her own sword?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense,” Benny agreed. Violet handed him a napkin to wipe off the ice cream that had dripped on his chin.

“What about Annie?” suggested Jessie. “She keeps talking about needing money for college. She might have stolen the sword for the money.”

“She seemed to be covering up something today,” Violet recalled. “We started talking about the costumes, and then she suddenly got up and left.”

“What do you think she’s covering up?” Jessie asked.

Violet shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“I just have a feeling the sword is hidden somewhere at the park,” Henry said. “Maybe the thief didn’t have time to take it somewhere else that night.”

“Whoever stole it might have buried it,” Benny said. “That’s what you do with treasure.”

Jessie and Violet nodded. But Henry looked unconvinced. “I don’t know,” he said. “If they buried it underground, we’d see a spot that looked freshly dug up. I haven’t noticed any spot like that.”

“We haven’t been everywhere around the park,” Benny pointed out.

“We’ll just have to search the whole place tomorrow,” Jessie said. “It’s our last chance.”

“That park is huge,” said Benny. “How will we ever find it?”

“It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Violet said.

The Aldens sat quietly for a moment, thinking. Then Jessie stood up and carried her bowl to the sink. “We’d better get some sleep. We’ll work on this tomorrow.”

The children went off to bed. But Henry couldn’t fall asleep. Something about what Violet had said kept going through his mind. “A needle in a haystack …” he mumbled as he drifted off to bed.

In the morning, Henry sat up in bed. He had an idea.

Henry ran downstairs to the kitchen, where the others were getting breakfast. “You figured it out!” he told Violet.

“I’ve figured what out?” Violet asked. She looked at Henry, confused.

“You’ve figured out where the sword is!” Henry said. “At least, where it very well might be.”

“Henry, sit down and explain what you’re talking about,” Jessie said to her older brother.

Henry sat down, leaning eagerly across the table. “Violet mentioned a haystack. That made me think of the little bits of hay we keep seeing—”

“You mean, like in King Richard’s tent?” Benny asked.

“I saw some in Annie’s hair one day,” Violet recalled.

“Well, maybe that hay is a clue!” Henry said. “A haystack would be the perfect place to bury a sword, wouldn’t it? You wouldn’t need a shovel, so you wouldn’t have to dig.”

“Yes, so …?” Jessie asked.

“You saw the haystack inside the stable, which they use to feed the horses. Well, there’s an even bigger haystack behind the stable,” Henry said.

“So you’re thinking the sword might be hidden inside the haystack?” asked Jessie.

“Yes,” Henry said. “If Annie or Mr. Worthington put the sword there, some hay might have gotten on their clothes or hair.”

“That would explain the bits of hay we’ve seen,” Violet agreed.

The others thought for a moment. “And it makes sense if Jonathan took it,” said Violet. “Remember we saw him heading in the direction of the stable the night the sword disappeared.”

“That’s right!” said Henry.

“All right, as soon as we get there we’ll check the haystack,” Jessie said.

When they arrived at the park, they found it was quiet and empty. Most people had not even arrived for work yet. The children headed straight for the stable tent. They could hear the horses whinnying inside.

Just as Henry had told them, behind the tent was a large pile of hay. “Here’s the haystack,” Henry said. “Let’s start looking.”

It was a big job. Jessie and Henry pulled handfuls of hay off the pile, making another pile of hay alongside it. Benny and Violet joined in. Benny dropped handfuls of hay on the ground in his eagerness to find the sword.

“Benny, watch what you’re doing,” Jessie reminded him. “We don’t want to make a mess here.”

“Sorry,” Benny said, trying to be more careful.

The Aldens had moved a large pile of hay when suddenly, peeking out of the hay, they saw a piece of red velvet.

“What’s that?” asked Violet.

“I don’t know, but it definitely doesn’t belong in this haystack,” said Jessie.

The children worked more quickly now, shoving hay out of the way until they uncovered a bundle, wrapped in red velvet. The velvet was edged in thick far.

“Wait a minute,” said Violet. “I think that’s King Richard’s cape.”

“You’re right,” said Jessie. “Hannah mentioned he’d lost it.” She picked up the cape and immediately broke into a smile. “There’s something wrapped up in here,” she said. She placed the bundle down on the pile of hay and began gently unfolding the velvet. “It feels like …”

A moment later she had pulled off the last fold of the cape. There, lying in the bundle, was the sword. It looked just as the children remembered it. The large red stone glistened in the center.

“The sword!” Jessie said triumphantly.

“Wow, it really was hidden in the haystack!” said Benny.

“Wrapped in King Richard’s cape,” said Violet. “Does that mean he’s to blame?”

“Maybe,” said Henry. “But remember when we saw the Silver Knight that night, he was carrying a bundle. This might be what it was.”

“Let’s get this back to Hannah right away,” said Jessie, wrapping the cape around the sword again. “She’ll be glad to see it.”

The Aldens went quickly to Hannah’s office in the main tent. But there was no sign of her.

“I guess it is still pretty early,” Henry said, looking at his watch. “Probably no one will be here for another hour or so.”

While the children were waiting, they saw a man parking his car in the parking lot. He was wearing a black jacket and sunglasses. A moment later he was walking toward the main tent, a newspaper tucked under his arm. Suddenly Benny recognized him. “That’s Jonathan’s friend,” he said.

“Can I help you?” Henry called out.

“I’m looking for Jonathan Fairbanks,” the man said.

“You can check his tent, but I don’t think he’s here yet,” Henry said. “No one is.”

“I just couldn’t wait to give him the news,” the man said. “Can you give him a message for me?”

“Hey, this is a switch,” Benny said, laughing. “Last time I gave you a message from him.”

“That’s right,” said the man. “I knew you looked familiar. I’m Jonathan’s agent, Steven Chase. Tell him the movie contract is signed.”

“Okay,” Benny said. He wondered what the man was talking about.

“Oh, and give him this.” He handed the newspaper that had been tucked under his arm to Benny and headed back to his car.

“His agent?” Henry said as Steven Chase walked away. “Why does he need an agent?”