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call me mogget。 as to what i am； i was once many things； but now i am only several。 primarily； i am a servant of abhorsen。 unless you would be kind enough to remove my collar？鈥�
sabriel gave an uneasy smile； and shook her head firmly。 whatever mogget was； that collar was the only thing that kept it as a servant of abhorsen 。 。 。 or anybody else。 the charter marks on the collar were quite explicit about that。 as far as sabriel could tell； the binding spell was over a thousand years old。 it was quite possible that mogget was some free magic spirit as old as the wall； or even older。 she wondered why her father hadn鈥檛 mentioned it； and with a pang； wished that she had awoken to find her father here； in his house； both their troubles over。
鈥渋 thought not；鈥潯aid mogget； bining a careless shrug with a limbering stretch。 it 。 。 。 or he； for sabriel felt the cat was definitely masculine； jumped to the parquet floor and sauntered over to the fire。 sabriel watched； her trained eye noting that mogget鈥檚 shadow was not always that of a cat。
a knock at the door interrupted her study of the cat； the sharp sound making sabriel jump nervously； the hair on the back of her neck frizzing to attention。
鈥渋t鈥檚 only one of the servants；鈥潯ogget said； in a patronizing tone。 鈥渃harter sendings； and pretty low…grade ones at that。 they always burn the milk。鈥�
sabriel ignored him； and said； 鈥渆 in。鈥潯er voice shook； and she realized that shaky nerves and weakness would be with her for a while。
the door swung open silently and a short； robed figure drifted in。 it was similar to the upper gatewarden； being cowled and so without a visible face； but this one鈥檚 habit was of light cream rather than black。 it had a simple cotton underdress draped over one arm； a thick towel over the other and its charter…woven hands held a long woollen surcoat and a pair of slippers。
without a word； it went to the end of the bed and put the garments on sabriel鈥檚 feet。 then it crossed to a porcelain basin that sat in a silver filigree stand； above a tiled area of the floor to the left of the fire。 there； it twisted a bronze wheel； and steaming hot water splashed and gurgled from a pipe in the wall； bringing with it the stench of something sulphurous and unpleasant。
sabriel wrinkled her nose。
鈥渉ot springs；鈥潯ented mogget。 鈥測ou won鈥檛 smell it after a while。 your father always said that having permanent hot water was worth bearing the smell。 or was it your grandfather who said that？ or great…great…aunt？ ah； memory 。 。 。鈥�
the servant stood immobile while the basin filled； then twisted the wheel to cut the flow as water slopped over the rim to the floor； close to mogget鈥攚ho leapt to his feet and padded away； keeping a cautious distance from the charter sending。 just like a real cat； sabriel thought。 perhaps the imposed shape impressed behavior too； over the years鈥攐r centuries。 she liked cats。 the school had a cat； a plump marmalade feline； who went by the name of biscuits。
sabriel thought about the way it slept on the windowsill of the prefect鈥檚 room； and then found herself thinking about the school in general； and what her friends would be doing。 her eyelids drooped as she imagined an etiquette class； and the mistress droning on about silver salvers 。 。 。
a sharp clang woke her with yet another start； sending further stabs of pain through tired muscles。
the charter sending had tapped the bronze wheel with the poker from the fireplace。 it was obviously impatient for sabriel to have her wash。
鈥渨ater鈥檚 getting cold；鈥潯xplained mogget； leaping up to the bed again。 鈥渁nd they鈥檒l be serving dinner in half an hour。鈥�
鈥渢hey？鈥潯sked sabriel； sitting up and reaching forward to grab slippers and towel； preparatory to sidling out of bed and into them。
鈥渢hem；鈥潯aid mogget； butting his head in the direction of the sending； who had stepped back from the basin and was now holding out a bar of soap。
sabriel shuffled over to the basin； the towel wrapped firmly around her； and gingerly touched the water。 it was delightfully hot； but before she could do anything with it； the sending stepped forward； whisked the towel off her and upended the whole basin over her head。
sabriel shrieked； but； again before she could do anything else； the sending had put back the basin； turned the wheel for more hot water and was soaping her down； paying particular attention to her head； as if it wanted to get soap in sabriel鈥檚 eyes； or suspected an infestation of nits。
鈥渨hat are you doing！鈥潯abriel protested； as the strangely cool hands of the sending scrubbed at her back and then； quite without interest； at her breasts and stomach。 鈥渟top it！ i鈥檓 quite old enough to wash myself； thank you！鈥�
but miss prionte鈥檚 techniques for dealing with domestic servants didn鈥檛 seem to work on domestic sendings。 it kept scrubbing； occasionally tipping hot water over sabriel。
鈥渉ow do i stop it？鈥潯he spluttered to mogget； as still more water cascaded over her head and the sending started to scrub lower regions。
鈥測ou can鈥檛；鈥潯eplied mogget； who seemed quite amused by the spectacle。 鈥渢his one鈥檚 particularly recalcitrant。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you 。 。 。 ow！ 。 。 。 stop that！ what do you mean； this one？鈥�
鈥渢here鈥檚 lots about the place；鈥潯aid mogget。
鈥渆very abhorsen seems to have made their own。
probably because they get like this one after a few hundred years。 privileged family retainers； who always think they know best。 practically human； in the worst possible way。鈥�
the sending paused in its scrubbing just long enough to flick some water at mogget； who jumped the wrong way and yowled as it hit him。
just before another great basin…load of water hit sabriel； she saw the cat shoot under the bed； his tail dividing the bedspread。
鈥渢hat鈥檚 enough； thank you！鈥潯he pronounced； as the last drench of water drained out through a grille in the tiled area。 the sending had probably finished anyway； thought sabriel； as it stopped washing and started to towel her dry。
she snatched the towel back from it and tried to finish the job herself； but the sending counterattacked by bing her hair； causing another minor tussle。 eventually； between the two of them； sabriel shrugged on the underdress and surcoat； and submitted to a manicure and vigorous hair…brushing。
she was admiring the tiny； repeated silver key motif on the black surcoat in the mirror that backed one of the window…shutters； when a gong sounded somewhere else in the house and the servant…sending opened the door。 a split second later； mogget raced through； with a cry that sabriel thought was 鈥渄inner！鈥潯he followed； rather more sedately； the sending closing the door behind her。
dinner was in the main hall of the house。 a long； stately room that took up half the ground floor； it was dominated by the floor to ceiling stained…glass window at the western end。 the window showed a scene from the building of the wall and； like many other things around the house； was heavily laden with charter magic。
perhaps there was no real glass in it at all； sabriel mused； as she watched the light of the evening sun play in and around the toiling figures that were building the wall。 as with the sendings； if you looked closely enough you could see tiny charter marks making up the patterns。
it was hard to see through the window； but judging from the sun； it was almost dusk。 sabriel realized she must have slept for a full day； or possibly even two。
a table nearly as long as the hall stretched away from her鈥攁 brightly polished table of some light and lustrous timber； heavily laden with silver salt cellars； candelabra and rather fantastic…looking decanters and covered dishes。
but only two places were fully set； with a plethora of knives； forks； spoons and other instruments； which sabriel only recognized from obscure drawings in her etiquette textbook。
she鈥檇 never seen a real golden straw for sucking the innards out of a pomegranate before； for example。
one place was before a high…backed chair at the head of the table and the other was to the left of this； in front of a cushioned stool。 sabriel wondered which was hers； till mogget jumped up on the stool and said； 鈥渆 on！ they won鈥檛 serve till you鈥檙e seated。鈥�
鈥渢hey鈥潯ere more sendings。 half a dozen in all； including the cream…dressed tyrant of the bedroom。 they were all basically the same； human in shape； but cowled or veiled。 only their hands were visible； and these were almost transparent； as if charter marks had been lightly etched on prosthetic hands carved from moonstone。
the sendings stood grouped around a door鈥攖he kitchen door； for sabriel saw fires beyond them； and smelled the tang of cooking鈥敗 nd stared at her。 it was rather unnerving； not to meet any eyes。
鈥測es； that鈥檚 her；鈥潯ogget said caustically。
鈥測our new mistress。 now let鈥檚 have dinner。鈥�
none of the sendings moved； till sabriel stepped forward。 they stepped forward； too； and all dropped to one knee； or whatever supported them beneath the floor…length robes。 each held out their pale right hand； charter marks running bright trails around their palms and fingers。
sabriel stared for a moment； but it was clear they offered their services； or loyalty； and expected her to do something in return。 she walked to them and gently pressed each upthrust hand in turn； feeling the charter…spells that made them whole。 mogget had spoken truly； for some of the spells were old； far older than sabriel could guess。
鈥渋 thank you；鈥潯he said slowly。 鈥渙n behalf of my father； and for the kindness you have shown me。鈥�
this seemed to be appropriate； or enough to be going on with。 the sendings stood； bowed and went about their business。 the one in the cream habit pulled out sabriel鈥檚 chair and placed her napkin as she sat。 it was of crisp black linen； dusted with tiny silver keys； a miracle of needlework。
mogget； sabriel noticed； had a plain white napkin； with evidence of old stains。
鈥渋鈥檝e had to eat in the kitchen for the last two weeks；鈥潯ogget said sourly； as two sendings approached from the kitchen； bearing plates that signaled their arrival with a tantalizing odor of spices and hot food。
鈥渋 expect it was good for you；鈥潯abriel replied brightly； taking a mouthful of wine。 it was a fruity； dry white wine； though sabriel hadn鈥檛 developed a palate to know whether it was good or merely indifferent。 it was certainly drinkable。
her first major experiments with alcohol lay several years behind her； enshrined in memory as significant occasions shared with two of her closest friends。 none of the three could ever drink brandy again； but sabriel had started to enjoy wine with her meals。
鈥渁nyway； how did you know i was ing？鈥�
sabriel asked。 鈥渋 didn鈥檛 know myself； till 。 。 。 till father sent his message。鈥�
the cat didn鈥檛 answer at once； his attention focused on the plate of fish the sending had just put down鈥攕mall； almost circular fish； with the bright eyes and shiny scales of the freshly caught。
sabriel had them too； but hers were grilled； with a tomato； garlic and basil sauce。
鈥渋 have served ten times as many of your forebears as you have years；鈥潯ogget replied at last。
鈥渁nd though my powers wane with the ebb of time； i always know when one abhorsen falls and another takes their place。鈥�
sabriel swallowed her last mouthful； all taste gone； and put down her fork。 she took a mouthful of wine to clear her throat； but it seemed to have bee vinegar； making her cough。
鈥渨hat do you mean by 鈥榝all鈥櫍俊hat do you know？ what has happened to father？鈥�
mogget looked up at sabriel； eyes half…lidded； meeting her gaze steadily； as no normal cat could。
鈥渉e is dead； sabriel。 even if he hasn鈥檛 passed the final gate； he will walk in life no more。 that is鈥斺��
鈥渘o；鈥潯nterrupted sabriel。 鈥渉e can鈥檛 be！ he cannot be。 he is a necromancer 。 。 。 he can鈥檛 be dead 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hat is why he sent the sword and bells to you； as his aunt sent them to him； in her time；鈥�
mogget continued； ignoring sabriel鈥檚 outburst。
鈥渁nd he was not a necromancer； he was abhorsen。鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 understand；鈥潯abriel whispered。 she couldn鈥檛 face mogget鈥檚 eyes anymore。 鈥渋 don鈥檛 know 。 。 。 i don鈥檛 know enough。 about anything。
the old kingdom； charter magic； even my own father。 why do you say his name as if it were a title？鈥�
鈥渋t is。 he was the abhorsen。 now you are。鈥�
sabriel digested this in silence； staring at the swirls of fish and sauce on her plate； silver scales and red tomato blurring into a pattern of swords and fire。 the table blurred too； and the room beyond； and she felt herself reaching for the border with death。 but try as she might； she couldn鈥檛 cross it。 she sensed it； but there was no way to cross； in either direction鈥攁bhorsen鈥檚 house was too well protected。 but she did feel something at the border。 inimical things lurked there； waiting for her to cross； but there was also the faintest thread of something familiar； like the scent of a woman鈥檚 perfume after she has left the room； or the waft of a particular pipe tobacco around a corner。 sabriel focused on it and threw herself once more at the bar