The Changeover by Margaret Mahy Page B

drive her to the hospital in his own car which was larger and had a heater that worked so that Jacko might be more comfortable. Laura thought he looked rather bewildered to find himself there and thought, too, with prickles of dismay that Kate had really gone to him because he was important enough to her for her to be anxious about letting him down. With most people she would have remembered afterwards.
    "Laura, I don't know how long I'll be . . ." Kate began.
    "Mrs Chant, my mother suggested that Laura might like to come and stay with us for the day— and for the evening too, if necessary," Sorry said. Laura knew he was inventing on the spur of the moment. Kate hesitated.
    "That's very kind . .." she said in a doubtful voice.
    "We've plenty of room," Sorry went on, "nothing wonderful, but we'd love to have her." He had cunningly made his invitation difficult to refuse by suggesting humble hospitality.
    "Oh, look, I know it's an imposition," said Kate, "but the family next door— we usually work in with them— are away. I can't be sure when they'll be home. It would be a great weight off my mind if... are you sure your parents — that is, your mother — won't mind?"
    "Winter counts as a father, Lord knows!" Sorry answered. "They'd be angry if I didn't bring her back with me in these circumstances." He sounded grave and responsible, but then he said to Laura, "Pack your toothbrush and your black satin pajamas, Chant," in a noticeably different tone. Kate, however, did not notice, though Chris Holly did and gave first Sorry, and then Laura herself a quick, curious glance.
    Two 'phone calls later, Chris carried Jacko out to his large car and settled him down with Kate, and then with kisses and hugs exchanged between Kate and Laura, and to the sound of instructions about locking up, turning the electricity off, and promises to ring, they drove away to a private hospital which was expecting Jacko as a patient. It had a special rooming-in service, Kate said, so she could stay with Jacko for as long as she liked, all night if necessary. Chris and Kate and Jacko looked so like a family that Laura couldn't help feeling a desolate resentment that Chris should have gone and that she should have been left. Of course, she could not drive the car, but Kate's ready acceptance of his offers of help continued to disturb her.
    "Now you're in my power!" Sorry said pleasantly. "Think of that and tremble."
    "Big deal!" Laura replied. "I'm used to it from school."
    "Well, then," said Sorry, "I'll have to come up with something novel, won't I? I'll check through my romances when I get back. For the Love of Philippa might have some good ideas in it. Or Stolen Moments."
    "Why would you want to make me tremble?" Laura cried out in irritation. "What a male chauvinist sort of idea."
    "I am old-fashioned," Sorry agreed. "I didn't bring a helmet for you. I'll just crawl along but we'd better watch out for cops. Shall we take a risk and sneak a look at this antique shop?"
    Laura was glad to be diverted. Later, with a few possessions in a shopping bag, she rode on the Vespa, holding on to Sorry, but following in her mind, with her truest attention, the progress through the city to the unknown hospital of Jacko and Kate. Even without witchcraft, the world grew slightly unbelievable, as if part of her were a reading eye and most of her was a character moving through a story — a character, moreover, who had begun to suspect that she might not be entirely real, might be nothing but a puppet, or words on a printed page.

7 The Carlisle Witches
    "Of course Sorensen was right to bring you," said the younger Mrs Carlisle. "It must have been very distressing for you, and for your poor mother. I do hope Sorensen behaved appropriately."
    "He was very polite, mostly," said Laura, "but very strange, too. He behaved as if something had gone wrong with a car, not a brother. But then he took me to the Gardendale Shopping Complex and we looked at the little shop. It