The search for Merlin Homes 9/15

Jack came back smelling strongly of carbolic soap and shook hands all round.

“Perhaps your cat would like to go out into the back garden. It’s a bit overgrown I’m afraid, but I’m sure he would enjoy himself more rooting around out there, rather than sitting here listening to us talk.”

Moggy said “thank you,” to the man and jumped down from Jennifer Jane’s lap. He turned just before he went out of the door. “Neither of them understood me,” he said, then went outside into the darkness quite happily.

“Did your granny ever tell you anything about this cottage before she died?” asked Morwenna.

“She always said it was magic and she’d tell me why one day, but she fell down an old mineshaft when the ground gave way while she was out for a walk and wasn’t able to speak afterwards. She died a couple of days later, so I never did find out what was special about the place.”

“So the local people didn’t mind about your gran being a witch?”

“Oh no, they were quite used to her. She was able to help people out on one or two occasions and if witch hunters came round nobody ever said anything. They don’t bother coming any more because they know there’s nobody here to interest them.”

“Did your grandmother ever teach you to do any magic?” asked Jennifer Jane.

“Only some very simple stuff, but she never seemed to have the time when I was younger and she died just after my wife and I got married.”

“Did you know that this cottage was made by Merlin Homes?”

“That’s what granny always said, but she never managed to tell me why it was magic!”

Morwenna explained that Merlin Homes cottages were able to fly to different places providing you knew the right code. Jack didn’t seem too impressed.

“Don’t really see the point,” he said, “we’re quite happy here, we’d like a bit more money naturally, but it’s a pleasant enough spot and I don’t think either of us wants to leave. I go out among the hedgerows during the day and collect wool that the sheep have left on thorns and brambles. Then my wife teases it out and spins it in the evenings, while I weave the thread into cloth. We make our own clothes and sometimes sell the surplus cloth to anyone who wants it. There’s plenty of vegetables in the garden, so all in all we do well enough for ourselves.”

“Well as you’ve probably guessed, my young friend and I are witches and we’re trying to find someone who is able to help us with our Merlin Homes cottage which isn’t working properly. If we might stay the night with you, we’ll teach you some basic magic that’ll help you with your financial problems and I’m sure your good lady wife would like to know how to clean the rooms without any effort.”

The couple agreed enthusiastically and later that night Morwenna and Jennifer Jane were shown to a snug little room tucked up into the eaves of the cottage.

“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere with this lot,” said Morwenna, who wasn’t feeling very comfortable after the rather poor supper of rabbit stew. “I’ll teach the wife some magic to help out with food supplies and house cleaning, you can show Jack how to make the wool he collects increase in quantity. After that it looks as if we’ll have to continue our search.