Enchantment (106 page)

“Good
m
orning,
Mrs.
Pearson,”
Paddy
said
j
o
vial
l
y
.

“Good
m
orning
to
y
o
u,
M
rs.
Beaver.
I
have
an
excellent
varie
t
y
this
m
orning.
I
kn
o
w
how
y
o
ur
h
u
sband
likes
his
greens,”
the
shop
la
d
y
chattered
while
looking
up
to
notice
the
large gargo
y
l
e
s
overhead.
“
M
rs.
Beaver,
are
those
garg
o
y
l
es
following
y
ou
around
for
s
o
m
e
reaso
n
? It’s
un
u
sual
for
them
to
be
out
and
about,
isn’t
it
?
”

Paddy
hadn’t
thought
about
the
h
o
w all
the
people
in
the
m
arket
m
ig
h
t
react
to
the
garg
o
y
l
es fl
y
i
n
g
high
above
the
m
.
She
laughed
to
hide
her
s
udden
nervousness.
“
O
h,
y
o
u
know
children,”
s
he
said.
“Kerrigan
is
alwa
y
s
tr
y
i
n
g
to
m
ake
s
ure
he
looks
after
m
e.
I
guess
I’m
j
u
st
lucky
to have
the
Enforcer
as
my
son.
I
told
him
I
wasn’t
feeling
quite
m
y
s
e
l
f,
and
this
is
the
result. Pe
r
sonal
l
y
,
I
think
he’s
using it
as
an
opportuni
t
y
to torture
his
poor
staff.
W
h
y
,
to
have to
watch their
com
m
a
nder’s
m
other do
her
dai
l
y
shopping,
the
e
m
barras
s
m
ent
,
”
Paddy
prattled
with
a
grin and
a
wave
of
her
hand.
Leaning
fo
r
ward,
she
glanced
around
as
though
to
i
m
pa
r
t
a
secret. “Don’t
tell
hi
m
,
but
I’m
a
bit
flattered.”

M
rs.
Pearson
patted
Pad
d
y
’s
paw.
“Oh,
y
o
ur
s
on
is
a
darling.
Y
ou
are
lucky
to
have
hi
m
.
I hope
y
ou
feel
better
soon.”

“Thank
y
ou
for
the
co
m
p
lime
n
t.
His
father
and
I
kn
o
w
h
o
w
luc
k
y
we
are.”
Paddy
looked
at the
fresh
arrang
e
m
ent
of
vegetables
on
the
table
and
careful
l
y
chose
a
few.
After
p
a
y
i
ng
M
r
s. Pearson,
Pad
d
y
continued
through
the
crowd
of
Enchanters,
bu
y
i
n
g
m
ore
s
e
wing
supplies
and
a few
pieces
of
fabric.

“Think
I’ve
got
it
all.”

She
was
a
l
m
ost
out
of
the
m
ar
k
et
when
a
s
m
all
hut
caught
her
atten
t
ion.
G
old
shim
m
e
red through
the
wind
o
ws,
piquing
Padd
y
’s curiosi
t
y
.

A
new
stor
e
.

She
didn’t
r
e
m
ember
it
being
here
ever
before.
Paddy
couldn’t
turn
her
e
y
e
s
from
the gleaming
store.
S
he
w
as
so
m
ehow
co
m
p
e
lled to
take
a
look.

The
doorw
a
y
of
the
little
hut
was
filled
with
shim
m
e
ring
stran
d
s
of
beads.
A
table
outside displa
y
ed
a
wide
varie
t
y
of
beautiful
gold
necklaces
and
lockets.
A
little
pixie
locket
caught
her e
y
e.
It
w
ould
be
a
love
l
y
gift
for
Meeka.
Paddy
re
m
e
m
b
ered
how
m
u
ch
the
girl
had
loved
Pixie Field. She
was
ove
r
jo
y
e
d
at the thought of
s
urprising her with
the gift. There was no price on the locket,
so
s
he
decided
to
go
inside
and
inquire.

Paddy
waddled
through
the
beaded
entrance.
“
H
ello.”
She
looked
around
for
the
s
hopkeeper.
“
H
ello,”
she
said
again.
“
I
s
a
n
y
o
ne
her
e
?
”

It‘s
an
odd
st
o
r
e
…
no
tables
inside,
looks
like there’s nothing
else
for
s
ale.

Paddy
looked
from
side
to
side,
still
calling,
“
hello.”

She’d shrugged
and turned
back
for the
door
w
hen
she felt
a
cold
hand slide
over
her
m
outh and
a
sharp
poke
against
her
neck.
She
screamed
in
fright,
but
it
j
u
st
c
a
m
e
out
as
a
m
uffled
cr
y
.
N
obo
d
y
would
hear
her
over
the
crowd
outside.

Her
li
m
bs
bec
a
m
e very
heav
y
, and
her
vision
clouded.
O
h,
dear!
W
hat’s happening?
Kerrigan
and
Meeka…
Fear
and
blackness
engulfed
her.