Ходячий замок
Chapter 8
Fairfax,wasn’titmynieceMarthawhowassupposedtocometoyou?”
“Naughtygirls!”Mrs.Fairfaxsaid,smilingandshakingherheadassheemergedfromthelupine.“AsifIwouldn’trecognizeoneofmyownhoney-basedspells!ButasIsaidtoheratthetime,‘I’mnotonetokeepanyoneagainsttheirwillandI’dalwaysratherteachsomeonewhowantstolearn.Only’Isaidtoher,‘I’llhavenopretensehere.Youstayasyourownselfornotatall.’Andit’sworkedoutveryhappily,asyousee.Areyousureyouwon’tstayandaskheryourself?”
“Ithinkwe’dbettergo,”Sophiesaid.
“Wehavetogetback,”Michaeladded,withanothernervouslooktowardtheorchard.Hecollectedtheseven-leaguebootsfromthehedgeandsetonedownoutsidethegateforSophie.“AndI’mgoingtoholdontoyouthistime,”hesaid.
Mrs.FairfaxleanedoverhergatewhileSophieinsertedherfootintheboot.“Seven-leaguers,”shesaid.“Wouldyoubelieve,I’venotseenanyofthoseforyears.Veryusefulthingsforsomeoneyouage,Mrs.Er—Iwouldn’tmindapairmyselfthesedays.Soit’syouLettieinheritsherwitchcraftfrom,isit?Notthatitnecessarilyrunsinfamilies,butasoftenasnot—”
MichaeltookholdofSophie’sarmandpulled.BothbootscamedownandtherestofMrs.Fairfax’stalkvanishedintheZip!andrushofair.NextmomentMichaelhadtobracehisfeetinordernottocollidewiththecastle.Thedoorwasopen.Inside,Calciferwasroaring,“Porthavendoor!Someone’sbeenbangingoniteversinceyouleft.”
