The Ickabog

This summary section includes Chapter 17: “Goodfellow Makes a Stand,” Chapter 18: “End of an Advisor,” Chapter 19: “Lady Eslanda,” Chapter 20: “Medals for Beamish and Buttons,” Chapter 21: “Professor Fraudysham,” Chapter 22: “The House with No Flags,” and Chapter 23: “The Trial.”

Before Spittleworth allows the soldiers to return home, he debriefs them on his version of what happened on the moors, including a tale about a young soldier named Nobby Buttons, who was killed by the Ickabog along with Major Beamish. Goodfellow objects to Spittleworth’s story: “According to you, Nobby Buttons was sent with a message to Beamish’s wife, telling her he’d been killed. But I don’t remember a Nobby Buttons. I’ve never met anyone called Nobby Buttons” (76). Spittleworth browbeats and bribes the rest of the soldiers to go along with his story, but he sends Goodfellow and two supporters to prison, intending to execute them later.

After the soldiers are dismissed, the king’s chief advisor arrives, demanding an explanation from Spittleworth and Flapoon. When he threatens to expose their lies, Roach kills the advisor. The three men agree to fabricate a tale that the advisor left unexpectedly and appointed Spittleworth as his successor. Later that same night, Spittleworth goes to the dungeon, intending to shoot the three prisoners, but he is intercepted on the stairs by Lady Eslanda.