The business empire 5/10
By Geoffrey
- 338 reads
She went to visit the George and Dragons as soon as she had a free moment. To her surprise George’s suit of armour was missing from its usual place in the doorway. The landlord saw her puzzled expression as he passed over her ginger beer.
“I think he’s got fed up with us,” he said, “he left here shortly after the witches stopped him from crossing over into your world. He tells his tales across the river about twenty miles away. I think the village is called Lower Dene or some such, any way it’s somewhere foreign and our locals can’t get there to have a good laugh any more.”
The landlord told her that the tinkers told everyone that he’s become very popular and that all the locals believe every word he tells them.
“I don’t know whether he’s telling them different stories to the ones he used to tell us,” he continued, “or whether they’re all soft in the head in those parts.”
“I could fly over there and find out, if you tell me exactly how to get there,” said Jennifer Jane helpfully, “it should only take a few minutes on my scooter.”
“Just cross the river opposite the Timber Yard and go straight inland until you see the village. It’s built in a little dip at the bottom of a range of hills. It’s the only one for miles round there, so you can’t miss it.”
Jennifer Jane thanked him, finished her drink and flew off as instructed. She landed just a little way outside the village and walked the last hundred yards or so.
After all she was a stranger there and she wasn’t too sure if they’d heard of her in these ‘foreign parts.’ To be quite honest the village didn’t seem all that different to Lurbridge.
The same sort of houses had been built round the village green, while a freshly painted Inn called the Swan was gleaming in the sunshine. Otherwise the only obvious difference was the lack of a nearby river.
She knew she had found the correct place as soon as she walked into the Swan. Sir George’s suit of armour was standing just inside the doorway.
The landlord was standing behind the bar looking very pleased with himself. “Yes young lady and what can I get for you?”
“A half pint of ginger beer please and can you tell me the way to the blacksmith?”
Fortunately she now always made a point of carrying a small amount of the coinage used in this world in case of emergencies. She didn’t want to repeat the trouble she’d once had trying to get the mudguard on her scooter straightened out after an accident.
“You’re a stranger round here aren’t you. Shouldn’t you be at home helping your parents work in the fields?”
Jennifer Jane sipped her drink. “Oh no, I’m not from around here at all. May I take my drink with me if I bring back the glass when I’ve finished? It would save time on my way to see your blacksmith!”
The landlord looked at her rather strangely, but he didn’t say no, so she wandered off to find the blacksmith. As she had hoped, she saw George’s horse grazing in a nearby field and he trotted over when she called to him.
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