‘About noon, I should say.’
The King’s Finder walked thoughtfully across the room. He halted at the open casement, looking out over the river.
‘Well,’ he asked presently, ‘what was the other thing that happened?’
‘You remember the two black spaniels the Countess owned,’ asked Luke: ‘Maggie and Mollie?’
‘Yes. Of course I do.’
‘Well, one of them appears to have turned into a large black cat,’ Luke announced quite solemnly.
Sharply Giles turned his head.
‘Are you trying to joke, Luke?’ he snapped out angrily. ‘Whoever heard of such nonsense?’
‘I know that’s what it sounds like,’ said the esquire. ‘But if you had seen what I have you’d understand why I put it that way. The Countess always kept the two dogs in her room, you remember. After Anne and I had pacified the old Princess we went back there. And one of the spaniels was missing—Mollie. In its place, playing with Maggie in the most friendly fashion, was a large black cat. But the most peculiar part was that the cat used all the same tricks—you know, ways of pouncing and attacking in fun, that Mollie used.’
‘Did it make any sounds?’ asked Giles.