by another chain to the Alchemaster’s wrist. Now he was physically as well as hypnotically debarred from trying to escape.
‘If you refrain from tugging so hard at that necklace of yours,’ said Ghoolion, ‘it won’t restrict your breathing. I took great care to make it a perfect fit.’
He led Echo to the Uggly’s metallic bedchamber, where some breakfast was waiting for him. Izanuela was sitting up in bed in her floral gown with a huge tray on her knees. Discounting a few crumbs, the plates on it were empty. So was the cup in her hand.
‘Oh,’ Ghoolion exclaimed delightedly, ‘you obviously enjoyed your breakfast, my blossom. May I fetch you some more coffee?’
Izanuela nodded demurely.
‘It was excellent,’ she whispered.
Having secured Echo’s chain to the brass bedstead with a small steel padlock, Ghoolion put a bowl of milk down for him, together with a plateful of seared tuna cut up into bite-size portions. Then he left the room.
‘What, eating again?’ said Echo when the Alchemaster was out of earshot. ‘I simply couldn’t. All that sweet stuff is lying on my stomach.’
Izanuela brushed some crumbs from the corner of her mouth.
‘My,’ she said, ‘do ham omelettes taste good! Not to mention croissants with melted chocolate. Have you ever tried strawberry jam and peanut butter on white bread? It tastes divine! As for smoked salmon with dill remoulade and beef tartare on pumpernickel…I had no idea! I could become addicted to all this stuff. If it weren’t for Ghoolion, I’d never have eaten anything but cheese all my life, can you imagine?’
‘Beef tartare?’ said Echo. ‘You mean you’ve been eating raw meat already? At this hour of the day? Has it really come to this?’
‘Don’t tell me you wouldn’t eat all those things,’ she retorted, pouting.
‘Yes, but I wasn’t a devout cheese eater until yesterday, like you. What next? Will you be renouncing your Ugglian beliefs?’
Izanuela bowed her head. ‘I can’t help it if he cooks so well. He’s a man -’
‘- of many talents,’ Echo broke in. ‘Yes, yes, I know, but he’s still the confounded Alchemaster. He’s your arch-enemy, or had you forgotten?’
She stared down at the crumb-strewn counterpane. ‘A person must also be capable of forgiveness,’ she said softly.
Echo rolled his eyes. The situation was taking a turn he hadn’t expected. Izanuela was becoming more and more infatuated with Ghoolion, and time was running out. He had only minutes and hours left, not days and weeks.
‘Doesn’t it worry you that he calls you Floria and thinks you come from Ingotville?’ he demanded.
‘I couldn’t care less where he thinks I come from,’ she said pertly. ‘And, heavens alive, he can call me whatever he likes as long as he waits on me hand and foot like this. Anyway, Floria is a nice name! Floria, his blossom. It suits me better than Izanuela. I always thought Izanuela sounded silly. I’m starting a new life today. Why shouldn’t I do so under a new name?’
Echo didn’t have the heart to point out that Ghoolion wasn’t really in love with her, he’d simply lost his wits. She wouldn’t have believed it anyway, she was so besotted, and he might even have driven a wedge between them. This was a tricky situation. Ghoolion was insane, Izanuela infatuated, and he himself had one paw in the grave. It was impossible to carry on a normal conversation with the Uggly. He would have to weigh every word with the utmost care.
‘We must work out the best way of putting your request to Ghoolion,’ he said cautiously.
‘Eh? What request? Oh, you mean the lilac curtains. Never mind about them, there’s no real hurry, I -’
‘No, I don’t mean the lilac curtains! I mean your request that he should spare my life and let me go! That’s the request I mean!’ Echo’s voice broke.
‘Oh, that request. I’d almost forgotten, but there’s no reason to get so heated.’
‘He’s chained me up!’ Echo hissed. ‘Tonight he intends to cut my throat and boil off my fat! Forgive me for being a bit on edge!’
Dismayed that he’d blown his top after all, he did his best to calm down.
‘It’s all right,’ Izanuela said awkwardly. ‘I’m rather flustered, that’s all. This has never happened to me before. Emotional turmoil …’ She gave an embarrassed little laugh.
‘All right,’ said Echo, ‘but we must keep a clear head. Time is running out.’
‘I know,’ she said. ‘Should I ask him as soon as he comes back?’
‘No, we mustn’t jump the gun. Listen, I’ve got a plan