TIME MACHINE CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Surprisingly, the man led them to a building where a rehearsal for Othello was in progress.
"I am Sir Jeffrey Collier, and I shall be presenting this production of Mr Shakespeare's new play at the Globe next week. You four will give me your honest opinions and for that I shall give you twenty crowns apiece."
A good sum of money indeed. Ben, Dylan, Cal and Ethan took their seats. Ethan was relieved that Jess was safely in the machine, probably drinking tea with her feet up.
They watched in polite silence. Everybody but Ethan watched because they were enjoying the drama. Cal's heart sank, however, because he knew what Ethan's silence meant. He was having one of his man-crushes again. Ethan, though heterosexual, would occasionally hero-worship a celebrity or an actor. But it wasn't the handsome but snotty-looking actor who played Cassio that held Ethan's attention; it was the man playing the tragic heroine, Desdemona.
"Well?" boomed Sir Jeffrey at the end of the scene.
Cal just had to be honest.
"It's an excellent production, Sir, but there is one thing I feel I should add. Michael Cassio would never dream of having an affair with the wife of his respected General… but he's a man given to flirting. I would make Cassio flirt a little more."
"Demonstrate how."
Cal bounded on to the makeshift stage and, picking up the script, demonstrated just how flirtatious Cassio could be while keeping within the bounds of decency.
"Adam, you must play the part like Master-?"
"Knight, Sir. Caleb Knight."
"Play the scene like Caleb has. What say you, Dagobert?"
The actor playing Desdemona said in a deeper voice than expected:
"He plays it very fine."
Adam Trueman, the actor playing Cassio, flung down the goblet that he was using for a prop.
"If Master Caleb Knight plays the part so well then Mr Caleb Knight may play it altogether. I quit you, Sir. Kit Marlowe pays his actors better, anyway."
And, pushing Cal rudely aside, Adam stalked out.
"I'm sorry."
"Nay, Master Knight, he is the one who has acted badly. Are you a quick study? Can you learn Cassio's part entire by next week?"
"I can, Sir."
"Then, Master Knight, you are engaged!"
The next days were spent moving into rooms, this time at an Inn called, predictably, the Queen's Head. The Innkeeper's daughter, Mistress Linda, was an expert at making pies, which was just as well because she had a soft spot for Ethan.
They bought plain clothes for Jess and Lucius, not through meanness but because Lucius much preferred the simpler peasant-style ones, while Jess needed space and comfort rather than fashion. They'd given up on collecting artefacts, knowing the probable grim fate that would await them once they returned home in 2014. The talisman from Grey Owl, however, Ben always kept on a chain around his neck, and Dylan would tease him as he gently moved it aside in the night to kiss Ben's throat or chest.
"I'm keeping this forever; it was a special gift", Ben would maintain.
Cal worried that Harry Harper would be a Prima Donna as Adam had been, but Harry was the opposite. A handsome, friendly man, he was generous to his fellow actors. He could also imitate them all accurately and they often laughed at him despite themselves.
There was no sign of a comedian at rehearsals, however, when Harry performed the final scene when Othello realises that he has killed his innocent wife for nothing, and stabs himself. The entire company and their friends were overawed. He also had some kind words to say about Cal's performance.
"You should take up the theatre as a career, Master Knight, you're a fine actor and a handsome one."
As for Mr Mancrush Hardy, he got very emotional watching Dagobert, as Desdemona, lying dead in his little blonde wig and white nightgown. Even when the others teased him, he staunchly defended his new hero.
"It takes a real man to play Desdemona!"
Sunday came, and there was a rest from rehearsals. Ethan, who had just seen that Mistress Linda had brought out a fresh batch of pies from the oven, was happy to stay and keep Jess and Lucius company while Dylan, Ben and Cal went for a walk in the woods.
"Linda, dear Linda, oh bake me a pie
To delight my guts and to please my eye" sang Ethan.
"Fie, Master Ethan, how is it that you eat like a beast and stay so slim?" she chided.
But soon she placed a hot pie in front of Ethan and Lucius. Greedy as Ethan could be, he would never have eaten a child's share of food, so Lucius had a decent plateful of pie.
Ben, Cal and Dylan enjoyed the thick carpet of bluebells as they walked. They came upon a stream. They knew this one would not be full of broken glass and disgusting sweet wrappers like the streams they knew.
"I dare you" Ben said to Dylan.
"I will if you will."
Then they looked at Cal.
"We will if you will."
Soon they were all paddling like children. Suddenly there was a pained mewing sound.
"Ahh, it's a cat and it's hurt." Ben's heartstrings were being tugged yet again.
They hastily put their shoes back on and searched in the direction of the mewing. A little black cat was limping along, its paw broken.
Dylan picked it up gently. It clawed out at him at first, then was comforted by the gentle stroking movements and the warmth of Dylan's body.
"Little black sod" he told it, trying to sound uncaring. Then he said:
"Let's take it back to the village. If nobody claims it, Lucius would love to have it."
"You'll leave that cat alone and pretend you've not seen it or I'll cut you all open!"
An angry-looking young man came out of a small cave, holding a dagger out on the three travellers.
"Max" came a pained voice, "I've told you before that's not the way."
Max took no notice, and lunged at them with the dagger. He suddenly found himself flat on his back with Cal standing over him.
"I knew those martial arts classes would come in handy!" he grinned.
"We only wanted to help your cat, little black sod that it is, and we don't take kindly to being threatened with disembowelment" growled Dylan.
"Tell us why we don't kill you right now" added Cal.
"Guys, there's a woman with him" Ben pleaded.
"Please don't hurt him" came a soft, gentle voice from within the cave, "He just wanted to protect me."
Cal still had Max at dagger point.
"Take us into that cave."
Max grudgingly led the way into the cave. A woman, a little older than Max, sat there on a covering that had probably been a skirt in a better life.
"Now I suppose you'll kill me and then run and tell the village you've caught the witch!" Max snarled.
From the look in his eyes they could see this was no joke.
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