I went inside and checked on my trussed-up pair. Feeling a bit sorry for them, I gave them a chance to stretch out their limbs. Both appeared too dejected to try to escape; whether that was as a result of Diall’s death or their prolonged incarceration, I had no idea.

Harold, for his part, seemed perfectly content. As I was leaving, he wedged himself next to Alice with a throbbing purr. Fickle creature, although not as fickle as Princess Parma Periwinkle. She was nowhere in sight. She was probably like her owner and had gone off to hunt for her own food because getting it out of a packet or a tin was too easy. Or she’d decided she didn’t like it here and had headed off home. Whatever.

I took a long hot shower. When I emerged, Brutus was staring at me. ‘Food.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’ I reached down and scratched under his chin. He nipped my fingers with his teeth.

‘Food.’

The phone started to ring. Offering him a helpless smile, I went to answer it. ‘This is Ivy.’

‘Ivy! Thank goodness you answered! I’ve been trying to get hold of you but you never seem to be in.’

We were both well aware of how out of character this was. ‘Hi, Eve. Things are … good. Harold is fine. I’m fine. More to the point, how are you?’

‘Brilliant!’ I could hear the joy in her voice. ‘We’re just about finished up here. I thought I’d screwed things up because the Order sent two other witches but they’ve been a great help so I’ll be home tomorrow. I can’t wait to see my little munchkin.’

I hoped she was referring to Harold rather than me. ‘That’s great news.’ I hesitated. ‘Did these other two witches say anything about what was happening back in Oxford?’ What I really wanted to know was whether she knew that I’d taken her coveted spot.

‘No, not much,’ she answered cheerfully.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously she’d find out what had happened sooner or later but it was the sort of news I’d prefer to break in person. ‘What time do you think you’ll be back?’ I asked

‘Mid-afternoon, I reckon. Are you sure everything’s okay?’

‘Yes, yes. Just … come and see me before you do anything else, will you?’

Her voice immediately filled with suspicion. ‘Why?’

‘Nothing serious.’ It wasn’t life threatening anyway. ‘I just want a quick chat.’

She let out a gasp. ‘You want to talk to me about coming running, don’t you?’

Er… ‘Yeah,’ I said unconvincingly. ‘That’s it.’ I couldn’t believe she really thought that but I’d go with it if allayed her fears until I could speak to her.

‘Fooooooood!’ Brutus howled, patently pissed off at the length of our chat.

‘I’d better go,’ I said. ‘Brutus is getting annoyed.’

Eve laughed. ‘So I hear. See you soon!’

I winced and put down the phone. Eve was a good person. I hoped she wouldn’t be too hurt when she found out what had been happening.