inside and get the ‘legendary’ Mr Hergewick out here in under half a minute.” “But you’re a lady,” Mr Pipcastle continued. “Ladies don’t try to smash
down front doors.”
“Bet they don’t do this either-” Flora began, seizing Mr Pipcastle, by his waist coat, and launching him over the nearby boundary fence.
Haymarlen opened her mouth, but before any words could leap out, Flora had disappeared into the house. A moment later, a voice other than Flora’s came from beyond the door, followed by a scream, and upon the next, Flora leapt back outside, dragging the person who could only be Fontarius Hergewick by the back of the collar, and without the wide-brimmed hat that he had been wearing in the first place. His eyes on the other hand, momentarily fixed on Haymarlen, before he became the sail to the long-striding mast formed by Flora.
“Please Miss Whatever-your-name-is,” he began. “I am sure that we can take a slower pace than this-”
“Not this side of the ‘Acer’,” Flora replied without looking back. “But I’m not as ground-covering as your striding — yaaahhh!”
Flora did stop, but Hergewick continued; not walking but in the manner of a ball travelling through an open space.
The yell increased as Hergewick came to terms with his destination; the grand acer that crowned the roadside; whose oncoming truck now developed the presence of an unforgiving pillar.
“–Aaah–” he continued, closing his eyes for the inevitable impact. Instead, his legs and torso continued toward the tree, whilst the rest of him, collar included, remained in the one spot, and jerked his eyes open: to be met by the pillar-boled tree, but his feet flapping a stretch away from it. The next moment, the road came up to meet him in a less-than-dignified fashion; along with the bray of a not-too distant mule or donkey. Although no donkey had ever had a set of hooves that were the hue of the rich, dark blue paint used to decorate the porcelain pieces made up in Mirrihans. Nor did donkeys wear a snow- embroidered teal blue dress with a waist girdle and sashes that matched the