Changing Brooms by Sue Purkiss

Author:Sue Purkiss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2004-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Sybil looked round at her decidedly damp living room. ‘Oh dear,’ she said.

‘Oh Sybil,’ said Jess, ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make such a mess.’

‘Don’t give it a thought, dear. This is the room that’s going to have the makeover, anyway. I’ve had enough of all these flowers and flounces. But I think perhaps you have a bit of explaining to do ...’

* * *

‘... And so that’s how it all happened,’ finished Jess. ‘For me, it’s a way to get to the Collegium Witchorum. But I’m really, truly sorry I tried to spy on you. I wasn’t trying to copy your ideas. I just thought I might get some idea about how to start.’

‘You should have asked,’ said Sybil gently. ‘I would have helped you. Anyway, you found your own way, didn’t you? With a little help from your friends.’

‘Yes,’ said Jess, ‘you’re right, I did. But Sybil, if you don’t mind me asking – why did you enter?’

‘Oh, for the money, of course. But if you don’t mind, I’m not going to tell you what I want it for. That can wait – if I win, I’ll tell you then. But you know, we’re forgetting the most important thing.’

‘What’s that?’

‘We’re through! We’re both through to the next round! We’ve done really well, and with a lot of work, and a good dusting of magic, one of us might do even better. So come on – let’s celebrate – I know you’re very young, and your parents might not approve, but I think this calls for champagne!’

Jess went into the kitchen to fetch some glasses. Mulrooney was comfortably curled up on his favourite chair. He opened one eye.

‘Ah,’ he said. ‘The cabaret.’

‘The what?’

‘The sideshow, Broomfight at the OK Corral. The best show since Macbeth. Never heard of that either? “In thunder, lightning, or in rain; When shall we three meet again?” No? Oh, I just don’t know what they teach you young people nowadays.’

‘We didn’t use brooms, silly. They’re for riding on, not fighting with.’

‘Poetic licence. Have you no soul?’

She looked at him curiously. ‘You’re very strange, you know. Exactly what kind of a cat are you, anyway?’

He stretched. ‘Oh, you know. The purrfect kind. Remember to put a bit of champagne in my bowl, won’t you?’

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