There was no deer

“It’s going to work this time.” Since Charles has said this every time, and Francis more than once, and even Bunny on one unusually determined occasion, he doesn’t expect anybody to pay much attention to him - he’s telling himself, really. It’s become part of the ritual for him, a sort of pointless pep talk to stop himself actually thinking about what they’re trying to do. (And it generally irritates Henry intensely, which sometimes seems like a good enough reason for doing things in itself.) This time, though, Camilla surprises everyone by saying, “Yes. I think it is.”

The day that comes before the night of the Bacchanal, and a few stray memories, through the mad eyes of my four favourite deerslayers.