Charmed Life - Diana Wynne Jones [81]
“I warn you,” said Mr. Saunders. “That is the most spoiled dragon in the world.”
“I’m the only dragon in the world,” the dragon said smugly.
Janet was still inclined to be tearful. “My dear, we do understand,” said Millie, “and we’re so very sorry.”
“I can send you back,” said Chrestomanci. “It’s not quite so easy with Gwendolen’s world missing from the series, but don’t think it can’t be done.”
“No, no. That’s all right,” Janet gulped. “At least, it will be all right when I’m used to it. I was hoping to come back here—but it is rather a wrench. You see—” Her eyes filled and her mouth trembled. A handkerchief came out of the air and pushed itself into her hand. Cat did not know who had done it, but he wished he had thought of it. “Thanks,” said Janet. “You see, Mum and Dad haven’t noticed the difference.” She blew her nose furiously. “I got back to my bedroom, and the other girl—she’s called Romillia really—had been writing her diary. She got called away in midsentence and left it lying there, so I read it. And it was all about how scared she had been in case my parents noticed she wasn’t me, and how glad she was when she was clever enough to make sure they didn’t. She was utterly terrified of being sent back. She’d had a dreadful life as an orphan in her own world, and she was miserable there. She’d written things that made me feel really sorry for her. Mind you,” Janet said severely, “she was just asking for trouble keeping a diary in the same house as my parents. I wrote a note in it telling her so, and I said if she must keep one, she’d better put it in one of my good hiding places. And then—and then I sat there and rather hoped I’d come back.”
“That was kind of you,” said Cat.
“It was, and you’re truly welcome, my love,” said Millie.
“You’re sure?” Chrestomanci asked, looking searchingly at Janet over the chicken leg he was eating.
Janet nodded, quite firmly, though most of her face was still hidden in the handkerchief.
“You were the one I was most worried about,” Chrestomanci said. “I’m afraid I didn’t realize at once what had happened. Gwendolen had found out about the mirror, you see, and she worked the change in her bathroom. And anyway, none of us had the slightest idea Cat’s powers were that strong. The truth only dawned on me during that unfortunate affair of the frog, and then of course I took a look at once to see what had happened to Gwendolen and the seven other girls. Gwendolen was in her element. And Jennifer, who came after Romillia, is as tough as Gwendolen and has always wished she was an orphan; whereas Queen Caroline, whom Gwendolen displaced, was as miserable as Romillia, and had run away three times already. And it was the same with the other five. They were all much better suited—except perhaps you.”
Janet took her face out of the handkerchief and looked at him in large indignation. “Why couldn’t you have told me you knew? I wouldn’t have been nearly so scared of you! And you wouldn’t believe the troubles Cat got into because of it—not to speak of me owing Mr. Bagwash twenty pounds and not knowing the Geography and History here! And you needn’t laugh!” she said, as nearly everyone did.
“I apologize,” said Chrestomanci. “Believe me, it was one of the most troubling decisions I’ve ever had to make. But who on earth is Mr. Bagwash?”
“Mr. Baslam,” Cat explained reluctantly. “Gwendolen bought some dragons’ blood from him and didn’t really pay.”
“He’s asking outrageously much,” said Millie. “And it is illegal, you know.”
“I’ll go and have a word with him tomorrow,” Bernard said from his hammock. “Though he’ll probably be gone by then. He knows I’ve got my eye on him.”
“Why was it a troubling decision?” Janet asked Chrestomanci.
Chrestomanci tossed his chicken bone to the dragon and slowly wiped his fingers on a handkerchief with a