The statue 14/15

Freda stayed to watch the fun, as Jennifer Jane explained the situation to the assembled witches. “I don’t think we should all try the spell at the same time. As I’m sure you all know, if a spell is performed on any Ley line it is increased in power. I suggest one of you comes with me and we’ll see what the effect is before we increase our numbers.”

Jennifer Jane and Matilda stood either side of the line as closely to it as possible. One of the remaining witches counted the time aloud while they twiddled. The effect was very little more than Jennifer Jane had achieved by herself. Each of them tried separately whilst standing immediately on the line. It was obvious that just the small distance involved in standing side by side, reduced the effect of the spell.

“Let’s try standing on the line one behind the other.”

Matilda stood behind Jennifer Jane as the witch gave the time once again. There was still no improvement.

“I can’t see properly if you’re standing in front of me,” complained Matilda, “it’s a difficult enough twiddle in any case, without introducing any more problems!”

One of the younger witches put up her hand. “Please Ma’am, I’m left handed. I could stand behind you and still see what your fingers are doing, that is if you’d like me to have a try Ma’am?"

Jennifer Jane nearly laughed out loud. It was the first time since she’d arrived that anyone had made a positive suggestion. Perhaps the witchcraft of the future was not in quite such a bad way as she had begun to suspect.

“I think it sounds a wonderful idea Belinda,” she said to the blushing young witch, “I wish I’d thought of it myself!”

Belinda stood behind Jennifer Jane, while once again the timing for the spell was chanted. This time everything appeared to be successful, the earth and rocks raised quite a large mound and stayed in place when the twiddling stopped.

“Looks good this time,” said Jennifer Jane, “I’ll just pop down and have a look around.”

The scene was very different from her previous inspection inside the Ley line. There was still a large hole in the ground where the river presumably ran, but the magic was streaming away down the hill and looked as if it had never been interrupted. Quite how the fall of rocks had disrupted the flow of magic she didn’t know, but raising the fallen material had certainly cured the problem. She came up again with a happy smile on her face and was met by rapturous applause.

“You must tell me how you did that,” asked Matilda, “I didn’t know you could go inside Ley lines!”

“Well I have to admit that I only found out by accident in my own world.”

“Mum always said that if there was a problem you should send for Jennifer Jane and she’d solve it for you in no time flat,” said Freda, much to her embarrassment.

All the witches were gazing at her with admiration as well; to be quite honest, she was beginning to get a bit tired of all the hero worship.

“Can we all go back to the Gate now and make sure that everything back there has returned to normal?”

“I suppose you’ll be going back home now?” said Major sadly, as she mounted him for the return journey.

“Don’t worry about it too much, I’ll have a word with the blacksmith before I leave and let him know how you’d like to be treated in future.”

The witches had all arrived by the time Major and his rider got back to the Home. Most of them were outside dancing about; twiddling all sorts of silly spells just for the pleasure of seeing them work.

Jennifer Jane went into the guardhouse and borrowed a broom, then rode Major back towards Trollbridge. If she stayed behind while the others were in that silly mood, she might well lose her temper and say something she’d regret.

She had a word with the blacksmith as she’d promised. “Major prefers apples to carrots, doesn’t like over weight riders and would rather not indulge in silly sports. He wants to work but also wants to be treated reasonably at the same time.”

“Gosh, thanks miss!” exclaimed Major as he was led off to his stable.

“Any one would think you could talk to him,” said the smith with a smile, as he paid her the money he’d promised.

“I can talk to him actually, I haven’t told you before, but I’m an apprentice witch and I think you’ll find that quite a lot of witches can talk to animals. Why don’t you go over to the Gate and ask someone. You never know it might do your business some good and save you money with difficult horses!”

“I don’t know miss, that lot at the Gate are a bit stuck up. They haven’t had very much to do with the village for as long as any one round here can remember.”

“Well you just tell them that Jennifer Jane sent you. I think you’ll find they’ll become very helpful.”