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"What young man is that, Miss Treason?" said Tiffany, as stonily as she could irl!" And I expect you read theht "Roland? He's just a friend…sort of," she said "A sort of friend?" I' It's not her business, anyway "Yes," she said, "that's right, Miss Treason A sort of friend" There was a long silence, which Tiffany used to scrub out the bottom of an iron saucepan "It is important to have friends," said Miss Treason, in a voice that was soh Tiffany had won "When you have finished, dear, please be kind enough to fetch " Tiffany did so, and hurried off into the dairy It was always good to get in there It reminded her of home, and she could think better She-- There was a cheese-shaped hole in the botto a very faint mnmnmnmn noise that may have been cheese snores She left hi's , and tried to stop herself fro to be a coven irls know? Hah! Of course they would Witches paid attention to snow, especially if it was going to be e for somebody "Tiffany? I wish to speak with you," Miss Treason called out Miss Treason had hardly ever called her Tiffany before It was quite worrying to hear her say the na-eyethe bits of bone and ribbon "This is so inconvenient," she said, and raised her voice "Ach, ye mudlins! C'le heads appeared fro, sit down!" Tiffany sat down quickly "At a ti down the shamble "This is so inconvenient But there is no doubt" She paused for a moment and said: "I will die the day after to" It was an impressive statement, and did not deserve this reply: "Oh, that's a shame, tae be oin' somewhere nice?"

"But…but…you can't die!" Tiffany burst out "You're a hundred and thirteen years old, Miss Treason!"

"You know, that is very probably the reason, child," said Miss Treason cal when they're going to die? Anyway, I like a good funeral"

"Oh aye, ye canna beat a good wake," said Rob Anybody "Wi' lots o' boozin' an' dancin' an' greetin' an feastin' an' boozin'"

"There , I always say you cannot go far wrong with a haan, and stopped as Miss Treason turned her head fast, like a chicken does "--leave you like this?" she said "Is that what you were going to say?"

"Er, no," Tiffany lied "You'll have to move in with someone else, of course," said Miss Treason "You're not really senior enough to take on a cottage, not when there's older girls waiting--"

"You know I don't want to spend my life in the mountains, Miss Treason," Tiffany said quickly "Oh yes, Miss Tick did tell o back to your little chalk hills"

"They're not little!" Tiffany snapped, louder than she'dtime all around," said Miss Treason very calmly "I shall write soe, and then you shall have your afternoon off We shall hold the funeral tomorrow afternoon"

"Sorry? You mean before you die?" said Tiffany "Why, of course! I don't see why I shouldn't have some fun!"

"Good thinkin'!" said Rob Anybody "That's the kind o' sensible detail people usually fails tae consider"

"We call it a going-away party," said Miss Treason "Just for witches, of course Other people tend to get a bit nervous--I can't think why And on the bright side, we've got that splendid ha the ownership of the chestnut tree, and I'd love to try it" An hour later Tiffany set out, with her pockets full of notes to butchers and bakers and fares She was a bit surprised at the reception she got They seeo dying at her ties "I heard that Death's come for her before and she slaes, please," said Tiffany "Cooked and delivered"

"Are you sure she's going to die?" said the butcher, uncertainty clouding his face "No But she is," said Tiffany And the baker said, "Don't you know about that clock of hers? She had it made when her heart died It's like a clockwork heart, see?"

"Really?" said Tiffany "So if her heart died, and she had a new one made of clockwork, how did she stay alive while the new heart was being ic, obviously," said the baker "But a heart pumps blood, and Miss Treason's clock is outside her body," Tiffany pointed out "There's no…tubes…"