I slept in fits and starts. It was so unfair. I was only trying to do what my father and Will Shakespeare did – to follow my heart. But always something stopped me.
I understood, I truly did, why Mother didn’t want me to mix with players. She thought they were bad people. Well, some of them do drink too much, and sometimes they are unkind to their lady friends, but they all love poetry and plays. There would be no plays without people like Will Shakespeare and Richard Burbage. They are from good, hard-working families and Master Shakespeare could not write such beautiful words if he was a bad man.
They cannot be so terrible if a queen and a king have had them play in their palaces.
I couldn’t let my chance slip by again, even if it meant severe punishment afterwards. I would follow my heart, and my heart was leading me to the Globe.
I decided to escape by jumping from my window. The bushes below had grown wild and straggly while we were away. They would cushion my fall. I opened the window to see the drop.
The bushes were there, but so was an enormous brown and black dog, tethered to a post. I knew that dog. Its name was Gruff, and it belonged to the silversmith around the corner. He used it to keep thieves away.
Mother must have guessed what I might try to do, and borrowed the dog to stop me. It looked up.
‘Grrrr.’
How lucky, I thought, that I am good with dogs.
‘Gruff!’ I called. ‘Gruffy!’
I reckoned if the dog jumped up, I could reach down and pat his head.
I leaned out as far as I dared. He jumped up and I stretched my hand out.
‘Grrrrarrghh!’
He nearly took my hand off! No one could make friends with that great brute.
I sank back on my bed, just as the key turned. The door opened slightly. A plate of bread and cold beef was pushed through the gap, together with a cup of small beer. A pale eye peered at me.
‘Hee hee, I’m keeping an eye on you,’ said Nelly.
She backed out and locked the door.
There was a dead spider on the beef, with strings of fly-specked web attached. Nelly must have put it there, the spiteful, lump-headed baggage.
I took the meat to the window. Why hadn’t I realized, you have to get a fierce dog to like you before you can be friends? What better way than to feed it?
‘Here, Gruffy!’ I called.
The dog turned its glittering black eyes on me as I held out the beef. He sniffed and jumped up.
I dropped the meat into his open, slobbery mouth.
With one gulp, it was gone.
I tried to pat his head again. ‘Here, Gruff!’
‘Grrrrarrghh!’
Ungrateful animal. I’d lost my breakfast for nothing. Now what?
It was bad enough being forbidden to act in the play but, I realized, what was just as awful was that Masters Shakespeare and Burbage might think I didn’t care enough to turn up and play my part.
A gentle voice floated through my open window. ‘Hello, Gruff. Why are you here?’
I knew that voice. I flew to the window.
It was Dippity, who does the important needlework for the Globe. She was stroking Gruff!
‘Mistress Dippity,’ I called.
She looked up, smiling. The dog growled, but she rubbed his ears and said, ‘Silly Gruff.’
He quietened.
‘Good day, Billy-Odd-Job,’ she said. ‘I hear you are to play a part today, and Hoppy, too. I am glad for you.’
‘Mistress Dippity,’ I said, ‘Are you going to the Globe?’
Nodding, she lifted the cloth covering her basket. Inside was a bundle of lace.
‘Would you give a message to Master Shakespeare or Master Burbage?’ I asked.
She looked troubled. ‘I do not remember things easily, Billy-Odd-Job.’
‘Can you carry a letter?’ I asked.
‘Oh yes,’ she said.
I took some charcoal and paper and wrote.
Dear Mstr Shakespeare & Mstr Burbage, my mother has locked me in for running away and will not let me out to play my part. I am sorry. It has broken my heart. Please don’t think badly of me. From Billy.
‘Here,’ I said, throwing it down and praying Gruff wouldn’t eat it. ‘You won’t lose it, will you?’ I was slightly worried. I know she finds many simple tasks difficult.
‘I won’t,’ she said. ‘See? It is in my hand.’
‘Thank you, Mistress Dippity.’
When she had gone, I lay down on my bed. At least the players would know the truth.
I felt tearful again. Then I must have slept.