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23.1: DOLPHUS SCARLETSUCKER (part 1)

In which the Morbid-Hilts are neighbourly.

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What with all the commotion surrounding Henrick's House of Horrers, no one noticed the cloaked figure that darted out of the crowd and lost itself amongst the tents. Weaving her way expertly through the fairground, Pim flitted back to where Elizabeth and Edmund were waiting. Edmund had acquired a stick of candy floss from somewhere and was prodding it experimentally while Elizabeth tried to remind him that eating it would upset his stomach.

"Can you get it in blood flavour?" Edmund was asking as Pim sidled up to them.

"No, darling, that's not how it works. It's sugar. It can only be sugar."

"A cloud of blood," said Edmund dreamily, pulling wisps of pink off one hand and promptly getting them stuck on the other.

"Aunt Lizzie," Pim hissed. "Aunt Lizzie, they've found her! Fang and the Middlers found her!"

Elizabeth started. "Found... her? Who?"

"The girl," Pim said. "Just the girl."

"What do you mean, just the girl? If she's here, Rupert and Juggalug must be with her. They were together-that Middling farmer said so."

"I know." Pim flopped down beside her aunt. "But they didn't find them. The girl was in this black tent, and she tried to sneak out but the Middler with the spurs caught her. She said she didn't know anything about Rupert, but the Middler didn't believe her and he went all funny and he punched this other Middler-who was mad with Uncle Fang for some reason-and then he and Uncle Fang went to look in the tent, but they came out without Rupert or Juggalug!"

Elizabeth took hold of her niece. "Slow down, dear. What do you mean, the Middler went all funny?"

"He got angry," said Pim. "Really angry. Like... Well, remember that wyvern who nested in one of our chimneys last decade? Remember how furious she was when we sent that goblin up after her?"

Elizabeth nodded. She recalled that episode very well. It had taken weeks to get the blood out of the carpet, and a sizeable sum to compensate the goblin for his injuries.

Pim swallowed. "When I saw that Middler's face, it was like seeing that wyvern again. The way it looked at us and hated us." Pim paused for a moment, nibbling her lip, then pulled herself together. "But his spurs are ridiculous," she declared. "He doesn't even have a horse."

Pim's news did nothing to quell Elizabeth's anxiety about Fang's companion, despite the superfluity of his spurs. "Where are Fang and the Middlers now?"

"They took the girl away, to the village inn I think."

"And you're certain they didn't see you?"

Pim looked affronted. "I'm positive."

"Right." Elizabeth was all business. "Pim, you catch up with them and stay on their tail. Edmund and I will go to that tent-black, did you say?-and have a look around for ourselves. If it looks as though Fang is leaving with the Middlers, come back and tell us straight away. If not, we'll find you in the village when we're finished here."

"But Aunt Lizzie-" Pim began.

"No whining, please, Philomena," Elizabeth said briskly. "Remember your promise."

"But why do I have to follow-"

"Because you're good at it, dear. You have a gift for espionage, it would seem."