Witch's Business by Diana Wynne Jones Page B

clean. Frank’s hands, unfortunately, after searching the stables, were very grimy indeed. Martin was sent to show Frank where to wash. Jess sat on her hands, because there was still toffee on them, which had somehow collected a great deal of dirt, and was afraid that the next half hour was going to be rather trying. To her intense relief, just as Martin and Frank came soberly back, Mrs. Taylor was called away to see to something else, and they were left to have tea by themselves.
    â€œSorry,” said Martin. “My people are sometimes rather a pain.”
    â€œGave us tea, though,” Vernon said consolingly, and began to pour it out.
    Frankie and Jenny were still rather stormy. Frankie announced that neither of them were sweet, and Jenny added that they did not want any tea.
    Vernon sighed. “You go without, then,” he said. “I don’t think you’re sweet.”
    As this did not seem to soothe Frankie and Jenny, Jess tried. The only thing she could think of was to explain properly about Silas and the tooth, what Biddy had said about the heirloom, and what it seemed Buster had done. To her relief, it worked. Before she was halfway through the explanation, Frankie, not thinking what she was doing, reached out and picked up a sandwich. Vernon winked at Frank and put a cup of tea beside each of them. While Jess explained the nine tailors, Jenny picked up her cup and drank it down, looking at Jess all the time. Then she passed it to Vernon for more. Martin nearly spat his tea out, trying not to laugh. By the time Jess had finished, Frankie, too, was sipping her tea.
    â€œSo you do see,” Jess said, “the only way we can cure Jenny and Silas seems to be to find the necklace. So could you tell us more about it, please?”
    Jenny looked at her refilled teacup as if it astonished her. Then she looked at Vernon, rather accusingly, and Vernon tried not to laugh.
    â€œBiddy is horrible,” Jenny said. “I like Silas. He helps me with my sums.”
    â€œThey’re in the same class,” Frankie explained to Jess.
    â€œI bet you get a whole heap wrong, then,” Vernon said.
    â€œYes,” said Jenny, “but if he didn’t help me, I’d get them all wrong. Only we don’t know any more about the heirloom than we’ve said.”
    â€œI bet you do,” Martin and Frank said together.
    â€œIt’s you just being little kids,” Vernon explained. “You say one thing, and you think we know the rest—like Silas.” Frankie’s chin went up. Vernon said hurriedly, “I’ll show you. Ask you questions, and you’ll see. When did you last see this necklace?”
    â€œOn Mother’s dressing table,” said Jenny.
    â€œShe used to let us sit on the stool and show us the things,” said Frankie. “She showed Jenny hers, and she showed me mine. Mine’s diamonds.”
    â€œThere were lots of other things, too,” said Jenny. “They all went.”
    â€œYou see?” said Vernon. “You didn’t say that before. Where was this dressing table?”
    â€œIn the big room at the front, upstairs,” said Frankie.
    â€œYou mean, in this house?” asked Martin.
    The two girls nodded. “We told you. We lived here,” said Frankie. “It’s our house really.”
    â€œAnd when did they go?” Jess asked.
    Frankie and Jenny looked at each other. “After Mother went,” said Jenny. “Mother went when we lived here, before the money went.”
    â€œYou mean she died?” Vernon asked, rather tactlessly, Jess thought.
    They both shook their heads indignantly. “No. She just went. We told you.”
    Jess made faces at Vernon.
    Vernon said, “Someone told them that, I bet, not to upset them. And when did the necklaces and things go?” he asked.
    â€œAfter we moved to the Mill House,” said Jenny. “We heard Aunt