There was a lounge room on the ground floor where apprentices could gather at lunch and break times. Cora bounded off to meet Larkin, while Prue, Edwin and Agapantha decided to go outside. The sun was unusually warm for autumn, and they sat on a bench in the gardens with the lunch packs Lavender had made. To her surprise, Prue discovered there were two packs in her bag. She opened the first and inside was what appeared to be a pretend sandwich knitted from wool.

“Do you think Lavender is a bit bonkers?” she said, holding it up.

“Look, there’s a label,” said Agapantha.

Prue read it. “For Edwin – so he doesn’t feel left out, L&L x.”

Edwin frowned. “It’s a nice thought, but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with it?”

They all giggled and shrugged and Prue and Agapantha ate their vegetable pies while watching a rabbit personifate busily digging up potatoes several furrows away. Along the perimeter wall, a large black bear personifate was on patrol.

“It’s all right for that guard personifate,” said Edwin, nodding in the bear’s direction.

Queen Adelaide did have a point this morning: the smaller personifates were more vulnerable if there was a rogue wolf in the forest. Prue wondered whether she could do something to help. It wouldn’t be difficult to go into the woods and set a trap and try and catch the wolf or whatever it was. Prue used to love creating traps on the farm with Francis. Catching the perpetrator would be an excellent way to prove herself as being the capable young apprentice they expected from Frances Haywood, and it would also show that being from the country had its benefits. And at least Edwin and the other personifates would all feel safer too.

“I was thinking: we should catch the beast of the forest.”

“Us?” Edwin asked doubtfully. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“I mean it. It wouldn’t be that difficult; I know how to set traps. And if it doesn’t work, no one will ever know.”

“Shouldn’t we keep away from the forest?” said Agapantha.

“It’ll be fine – nothing will attack us if we’re together. Now, look at all that netting on the pumpkin patch. There’s bound to be more of it lying about. We can use that! Let’s set it at the weekend, when less people are around. Come on, it might even be fun,” she added.

“It’s not a bad idea,” said Edwin. “I would actually rather do something than sit here moaning.”

They both looked at Agapantha, who frowned uncomfortably.

“We’ll need someone to work out the mathematics of the counterweight…” said Prue.

“Come on, Ag, live a little…” said Edwin.

Agapantha sighed. “All right.”

“That’s settled then,” said Prue. “Let’s think on it this afternoon and start working on it tonight.”

*