“It won’t work, Tom. I never dreamed you’d be daft enough to take on a girl. What would John Gregory have said?”

I shrugged. “Times are changing, Judd, and we have to change with them. Let me come to the main reason for my visit. I’m going north with Grimalkin to visit the kingdoms that border the Kobalos lands. We’re going to try and learn what we can about our new enemies—I’ll be away for two months or so. Would you be prepared to visit Chipenden and deal with the worst manifestations of the dark there? I know it’s asking a lot for you to manage two large areas, but I’ve nobody else I can turn to.”

“You’re not leaving the girl behind for me to look after, are you?”

I shook my head. “No, she’s traveling with me,” I told him. After what Judd had just said, I didn’t want Jenny to have to stay with him. Whether she wanted to leave the County or not, she’d surely rather be out of his way.

“Well, in that case, as things are relatively quiet for the time being, I’d be only too happy to help out, Tom,” he said with a smile. “A girl apprentice . . . I never thought I’d see the day!”

23

The Scream of the Boggart

ON our journey back to Chipenden, I spoke to Jenny about Judd. After his treatment of her, she was understandably reluctant to stay at home if he was to be there.

“I assume that you don’t want to stay behind with Judd when I travel north?”

“I certainly don’t!” Jenny replied with some force.

“I gathered as much. He told me about setting the dogs on you. Judd was wrong to do that, and I understand your anger. And he won’t stay at the mill. He’ll be visiting Chipenden to keep an eye on things. So even there you’d sometimes be in his company. So are you happy to travel north with us?”

“I’m not happy at all!” she replied. “The thought of it makes me nervous, but it’s for the best. I’ll just have to get used to the idea.”

There was no sign of Grimalkin when we crossed the western garden. No doubt she had gone off to make preparations for our journey.

The first night back, I was awakened in the early hours by a terrible scream. It was so loud that it rattled the lower window sash. It was a scream of rage that I knew well, and it came from nearby.

The boggart was challenging an intruder.

I climbed out of bed and dressed quickly. While I was pulling on my socks, the boggart screamed out its challenge for the second time. I knew that it would give three warnings before attacking. It always kept to the rules we had agreed.

It gave its third warning while I was hastily lacing up my boots.

What could have entered the garden? I wondered. Normally I’d have been confident that Kratch could deal with it. But with all that was going on at the moment, we could well be facing the Kobalos. After my encounter with the varteki and the haizda mage, nothing was certain.