The search for Merlin Homes 1/15

Jennifer Jane slid to a halt and stared in dismay as Morwenna’s front door was slammed in her face. She had hoped to use her newly acquired finger paralysis spell as the door opened, but Moggy had spoiled her plan by rushing ahead and bringing Morwenna to the door before she could get within range.

All the shouting behind her had died away as the cottage vanished from the Rally site and she looked round nervously wondering what on earth she could do next. She just had time to notice that the view beyond the front gate had been replaced by the typical silvery sheen of a magic field, when Morwenna leaned out of one of the windows in the front of the cottage and she felt the same spell she’d intended to use herself, affect her fingers.

The front door opened and the old witch stepped out with a grin on her face.

“Nice try kid but you were a bit too slow!”

Moggy followed her out and rubbed himself round her legs. “You smell the same as I remember, but you’re not really as old as you look are you?”

Morwenna made a magic pass and returned to her normal pleasant middle aged appearance, much to Moggy’s relief.

“Now then young lady what on earth am I going to do with you? Things would have been a lot simpler if you’d stayed lost in that pleasant countryside where I left you. However did you manage to get back so quickly?”

Jennifer Jane explained that she’d already visited a nearby town in that world in the past and purely by coincidence happened to meet the people who’d rescued her on that occasion.

“Well I’ve heard about your lucky escapes of course, but I never expected to find myself involved in one.”

Then she looked at the gate with a puzzled frown. “The transfer seems to be taking rather a long time today, I wonder why? Still never mind, let’s all go inside and have a nice cup of tea and talk things over. Yes alright Moggy, you can have a saucer of milk if you insist!”

Moggy stopped purring for a moment and dashed into the kitchen looking up expectantly for his treat.

“Sorry to get you into trouble miss,” he said as Jennifer Jane followed him into the kitchen, “but this is just like the good old days and I couldn’t stop myself rushing ahead to meet my old owner again.”

Morwenna twiddled her fingers and Moggy’s milk arrived in a saucer on the kitchen floor. Another twiddle and tea and biscuits were placed on the table, before she invited Jennifer Jane to sit down. She was beginning to look rather fidgety and kept looking out of the window as she sipped her tea.

“Something’s wrong,” she muttered, “It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s not all your fault!”