Inside the hut, meanwhile, Gesuelda was telling Judge Ormerod his future. She had boiled up a disgusting concoction and looking at Judge Ormerod through the smelly steam she asked:
“Are you ready?”
“Of course I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for this for years. While I worked for that old Duke Merrick, all the time I was thinking about taking his place. I don’t know why he didn’t name me his heir while he was still alive. With all I did for him, and THIS is how he repays me. Opening it up to some idiot who happens to stumble across that stupid Golden S...”
Gesuelda interrupted him. “Stop your rant, man. I want to get this over and done with. I have another person to deal with. That nasty nosy boy outside. He’s kicking up such a fuss. Hard headed as a donkey too, he is, by the sounds of it.”
“I want to get on with it, too. Can you please tell me my future?” Judge Ormerod said with quivering lips.
“I think I can see here in the steam a shape... wait a moment... Yes, I can see that you are holding a shield in your right hand. Is it a shield? Maybe not. I can see quite clearly that... Can you see it?”
“Yes, I can. Rejoice!” Judge Ormerod jumped up in joy.
“Sit down and keep quiet, man,” Gesuelda said, “let me go on. There’s more, the steam’s still coming out.”
“What is it? Please tell me,” Judge Ormerod was pleading now.
“I can see that there is a lot you must do, if you want to get the Golden Shield. And I can see that it’s not going to be easy for you. I see a lot of trouble,” Gesuelda said. “I cannot promise anything. I can only tell you what I see.”
“Oh, old hag, you’ve always been right in your predictions.”
“Wait a minute. I’m starting to see double. I can see two people who could possibly be Duke of Westshire. It’s either you or another person. I cannot see this other face clearly. But the skin on this person’s arms is smooth. It’s someone young. Yes, it’s one of the two,” she said.
“What! What do you mean?! Are you saying that I might not be Duke of Westshire after all? I think that other person in the steam must be my helper.”
“Well, as I said before, I don’t decide the future, I can only foresee it. And this is what I foresee! Now be gone with you,” she said, walking towards the door then holding it open for him. He got up, gathered his things, and was about to go out when he said:
“I wonder who this youngster is. Well, it certainly won’t be anyone from The Janjilon Education Centre,” he said. “I’ve never trusted intelligent boys. I’ve always seen them as a threat. And now more than ever will I have to be wary of the little blighters – these upstarts, these pests... I have to keep them hidden so that they are not a threat to me and my ambitions.”
“Certainly won’t be anyone from The Janjilon Education Centre troubling you. How would they ever get out?” she said.
“With great, great difficulty,” Judge Ormerod laughed.
“Great, great difficulty,” she laughed. “Now off you go. You have a fifty percent chance which is more than just about anyone else has. Ah! And, by the way, don’t forget to take some of that other sickly potion with you. Here it is,” she said, handing him a bottle full. “You know what that’s for, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes, I do. I know exactly what it’s for,” Judge Ormerod said with a nasty smirk on his face.
Out of the hut went Judge Ormerod, and in came Soloman pushed in by the two weird sisters, struggling with all his strength.
“Now, young man, I need to deal with you,” Gesuelda said. “What were you doing spying on me?”
“I don’t know who you are and I hadn’t met your sisters before either. I was taking a walk in the forest when I saw your hut. I wanted to see what it was so I looked in through the window...”
“Ah, you looked in through the window, did you? And do you usually do that when you walk past houses?” she asked.
“No, but... but this was different. It’s in the middle of...”
“Quiet!” Gesuelda interrupted him. “I don’t believe you. Only a few moments ago I saw that a youngster could become Duke of Westshire. You are out to look for the Golden Shield like all the other power crazy little people of Westshire. You wanted me to help you, didn’t you?”
“No, no. Really I was walking about getting some fresh air, then I saw your hut,” Soloman said.
“You lie to me, young man. I think we had better keep you in a cool place until you come to your senses. I believe you are a conniving little fellow. You are dangerous,” she said.
Gesuelda opened the door and shouted out to her twin sisters: “Sisters, come here. Take this deceitful boy to The Janjilon Education Centre.”
Gismonda and Gasmina grabbed an arm each and dragged Soloman off.