It was like a bad dream, Sophie thought as she went into the samelarge room. She seemed to have no choice but to blacken Howl’sname again. The trouble was, what with all that had happened, andstagefright again into the bargain, her mid was blanker than ever.The King, this time, was standing at a large desk in one corner,rather anxiously moving flags about on a map. He looked up and saidpleasantly, “They tell me there was something you forgot tosay.”

“Yes,” said Sophie. “Howl says he’ll onlylook for Prince Justin if you promise him your daughter’s handin marriage.” What put that into my head? she thought.He’ll have us both executed!

The King gave her a concerned look. “Mrs. Pendragon, youmust know that’s out of the question,” he said. “Ican see you must be very worried about your son to suggest it, butyou can’t keep him tied to your apron strings forever, youknow, and my mind is made up. Please come and sit in this chair. Youseem tired.”

Sophie tottered to the low chair the King pointed to and sank intoit, wondering when the guards would arrive to arrest her.

The King looked vaguely around. “My daughter was here justnow,” he said. To Sophie’s considerable surprise, he bentdown and looked under the desk. “Valeria,” he called.“Vallie, come on out. This way, there’s a goodgirl.”

There was a shuffling noise. After a second, Princess Valeriashunted herself out from under the desk in sitting position, grinningbenignly. She had four teeth. But she was not old enough to havegrown a proper head of hair. All she had was a ring of wispy whitenessabove her ears. When she saw Sophie, she grinned wider yet andreached out with the hand she had just been sucking and took hold ofSophie’s dress. Sophie’s dress responded with a spreadingwet stain as the princess hauled herself to her feet on it. Staringup into Sophie’s face, Valeria addressed a friendly remark toher in what was clearly a private foreign language.

“Oh,” said Sophie, feeling an awful fool.

“I understand how a parent feels, Mrs. Pendragon,”said the King.

Sophie rode back to the castle’s Kingsburyentrance in one of the King’s coaches, drawn by four horses. Onit also were a coachman, a groom, and a footman. A sergeant and sixRoyal Troopers went with it to guard it. The reason was PrincessValeria. She had climbed into Sophie’s lap. As the coachclattered the short way downhill, Sophie’s dress was stillcovered with the wet marks of Valeria’s royal approval. Sophiesmiled a little. She thought Martha might have a point after all,wanting children, although ten Valerias struck her as a bit much. AsValeria had scrambled over her, Sophie remembered hearing that theWitch had threatened in some way, and she found herself saying toValeria, “The Witch shan’t hurt you. I won’t lether!”

The King had not said anything about that. But he had ordered outa royal coach for Sophie.

The equipage drew to a very noisy halt outside the disguisedstable. Michael shot out of the door and got in the way of thefootman who was helping Sophie down. “Where did you getto?” he said. “I’ve been so worried! AndHowl’s terribly upset—”

“I’m sure he is,” Sophie saidapprehensively.

“Because Mrs. Pentstemmon’s dead,” saidMichael.

Howl came to the door too. He looked pale and depressed. He washolding a scroll with red-and-blue royal seals dangling off it, whichSophie eyed guiltily. Howl gave the sergeant a gold piece and did notsay a word until the coach and the Troopers had gone clattering away.Then he said, “I make that four horses and ten men just to getrid of one old woman. What did you do to the King?”

Sophie followed Howl and Michael indoors, expecting to find theroom covered with green slime. But it was not, and there was Calciferflaring up the chimney, grinning his purple grin. Sophie sank intothe chair. “I think the king got sick of me turning up andblackening your name. I went twice,” she said.“Everything went wrong. And I met the Witch on her way fromkilling Mrs. Pentstemmon. What a day!”

While Sophie described some of what had happened, Howl leaned onthe mantelpiece, dangling the scroll as if he was thinking of feedingit to Calcifer. “Behold the new Royal Wizard,” he said.“My name is very black.” Then he began to laugh, much tothe surprise of Sophie and Michael. “And what did she do to theCount of Catterack?” he laughed. “I should never have lether near the King!”

“I did blacken your name!” Sophie protested.

“I know. It was my miscalculation,” Howl said.“Now, how am I going to go to poor Mrs. Pentstemmon’sfuneral without the Witch knowing? Any ideas, Calcifer?”

It was clear that Howl was far more upset about Mrs. Pentstemmonthan anything else.

Michael was the one who worried about the Witch. He confessed nextmorning that he had had nightmares all night. He had dreamed she camethrough all the castle entrances at once. “Where’sHowl?” he asked anxiously.

Howl had gone out very early, leaving the bathroom full of theusual scented steam. He had not taken his guitar, and the doorknobwas turned to green-down. Even Calcifer knew no more than that.“Don’t open the door to anyone,’ Calcifer said.“The Witch knows about all our entrances except the Porthavenone.”

This so alarmed Michael that he fetched some planks from the yardand wedged them crosswise over the door. Then he got to work at laston the spell they had got back from Miss Angorian.

Half an hour later the doorknob turned sharply to black-down. Thedoor began to bounce about. Michael clutched at Sophie.“Don’t be afraid,” he said shakily.“I’ll keep you safe.”

The door bounced powerfully for a while. Then it stopped. Michaelhad just let go of Sophie in great relief when there came a violentexplosion. Calcifer plunged to the bottom of the grate and Michaelplunged into the broom cupboard, leaving Sophie standing there as thedoor burst open and Howl stormed in.

“This is a bit much, Sophie!” he said. “I dolive here.” He was soaking wet. The gray-and-scarlet suit wasblack-and-brown. His sleeves and the ends of his hair weredripping.

Sophie looked at the doorknob, still turned to black-down. MissAngorian, she thought. And he went to see her in that charmed suit.“Where have you been?” she said.

Howl sneezed. “Standing in the rain. None of yourbusiness,” he said hoarsely. “What were those planks inaid of?”

“I did them,” Michael said, edging out of the broomcupboard. “The Witch—”

“You must think I don’t know my business,” Howlsaid irritably. “I have so many misdirection spells out thatmost people wouldn’t find us at all. I give even the Witchthree days. Calcifer, I need a hot drink.”

Calcifer had been climbing up among his logs, but as Howl wentover to the fireplace, he plunged down again. “Don’t comenear me like that! You’re wet!” he hissed.

“Sophie,’ Howl said pleadingly.

Sophie folded her arms pitilessly. “What aboutLettie?” she said.

“I’m soaked through,’ said Howl. “I shouldhave a hot drink.”

“And I said, what about Lettie Hatter?” Sophiesaid.

“Bother you, then!” said Howl. He shook himself. Thewater fell off him in a neat ring on the floor. Howl stepped out ofit with his hair gleaming dry and his suit gray-and-scarlet and noteven damp, and went to fetch the saucepan. “The world is fullof hard-hearted women, Michael,” he said. “I can namethree without stopping to think.”

“One of them being Miss Angorian?” asked Sophie.

Howl did not answer. He ignored Sophie grandly for the rest of themorning while he discussed moving the castle with Michael andCalcifer. Howl really was going to run away, just as she had warnedthe King he would, Sophie thought as she sat and sewed more trianglesof blue-and-silver suit together. She knew she must get Howl out ofthat gray-and-scarlet suit as soon as possible.