The Rally 5/11

Just for once the peace and quiet of Jennifer Jane’s tree house didn’t help her come to any conclusions. Moggy wasn’t any help either, when he came up as usual for a short chat and a long sleep!

It was well past teatime when she finally gave up trying and went indoors. Her dad had been working at home that day and he joined in the meal and the discussion about Morwenna that followed.

“Wait a moment; you just said that she has a cottage like Esmerelda’s. You do mean it’s magic and capable of moving around, not just that it looks the same?”

“Of course it moves around, that’s how she took me to Smallport and then disappeared so quickly. Morwenna’s cottage works properly! That’s the only difference I know of between hers and Esme’s.”

“I wonder if the idea I’m thinking of would work in the alternate world,” said Dave. “In this world people who have unusual vehicles, hold rallies where a lot of the owners turn up to talk about their hobby and show off their own particular model. I’ll have a word with Abigail and see if the same person makes all the cottages; I’ll also ask how many there are. It might be possible to get Morwenna to come to a cottage rally and trap her somehow while she’s there!”

Mary was just as excited at the thought of a cottage rally, so for the second time that day the lugger sailed for the Witches’ Home, this time carrying the whole family. Abigail was waiting on the quayside to greet them, as Dave brought the lugger alongside.

“You must have thought of a jolly good idea to come back again so quickly. Come indoors, make yourselves comfortable and let’s hear the good news!”

Dave explained his idea again and asked if there were enough cottages to make it worthwhile for the owners to come together for some sort of meeting.

Abigail was delighted at the thought. “The cottages are all made by a very old wizard family who have passed down the secret of how they are made from generation to generation. They have to be self-contained magically so that they can be taken to and from parallel worlds where magic doesn’t exist. They are known as Merlin Homes because it’s supposed that the legendary wizard made the first one. I don’t believe for a moment that it’s true but it’s a nice story anyway!”

“Can anyone buy one?” asked Mary.

“I suppose you could, although they’re said to be very expensive, but I think it also depends on who you are and whether or not the family take to you.”

“It would be fascinating to go and see where they are made,” said Dave rather wistfully.

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t, I’ll make some enquiries and see you back here early tomorrow morning!”

Nobody in the Bell household slept very well that night. They were all far too excited about the prospect of tomorrow’s trip. It hardly seemed worthwhile having put the covers back on the lugger the night before, as once again the whole family left Wilfred’s pool for the Witches’ Home.

Eve had seen them leaving even though it was early in the morning, but although she rushed out and ran along the paths in the correct direction she couldn’t find them, or the pool. One of the village goblins hiding just behind a tree laughed quietly to himself as he watched her searching. That was a bit better, now he felt as if he was earning his keep again.