He jumped with a start. Were they burglers, or worse, creditors? He'd told the Jephsons the week before he had some jobs lined up. Maybe they had sent some thugs around to speed up his repayments. Where was the scrying glass?
Bother, it was in the bedroom, he'd been "checking up" on one of the neighbours the night before. If he went to get it, they would be able to see him through the glass front door.
They were now talking loudly enough, he could hear their discussion.
"He must be home, he spends most of his time in bed reading those bloody journals."
"While smoking that ratty old pipe of his! Reading will be the death of him."
"His buggy is here, he must be home."
"Unless he's gone for a walk?" Said a woman's voice.
"In this weather? It's freezing I tell you, absolutely ghastly."
"I say, just knock on the door with your cane again, there's a good chap"
"I've knocked several times already. You can see the impressions on the door"
They were going to break the door down!
"Is it locked? Go on, try it. I'm sure he won't mind if we wait for him inside, given the weather."
Too late, Reon realised he'd forgotten to lock the front door. He heard them opening the door and coming inside! As a one of the most powerful magicians in the city, there was only one thing for it. Quick as a flash, he turned into a goldfish and lept into the fish bowl beside his reading chair.
Reon could hear them indistinctly as they searched the house. He swam in a few worried circles and then hid in the clay boot as the door to his study opened.
In came his best friend, Jenkins! The burglaring traitor! He must want my books! He was with another, burly, man, carrying a top hat, and a shorter man with a cravat. Reon made sure to note the distinctive birthmark on the short mans face, in case he need to identify him later for the police.
Last into the room was a shapely red-headed woman in a green dress. It was his neighbour, Marie Osterman! Curiouser and curiouser!
They all came into the room, having a good look at the books. The shorter man ran his thumb along the shelf, nodded appreciatively and then took a book off the shelf. It was a first edition of 'Dobsons Spells and Miscellany', a rare book out of print for 50 years. The shorter man looked inside it, saw it was a first edition, and astonished, put it back. Were they here to steal his books? The scoundrels! Once they left, he'd need to call the police.
As the group turned to leave, Jenkins exclaimed "Well, what jolly bad luck, I was sure he had said he wanted to go to the play with us. 'Of Persimmons and Passion fruit' is only on for a few more days."
Dash it, he'd forgotten! He'd made a promise to Jenkins to see the play, Jenkins had been quite taken with the leading lady. So now he wasn't quite sure what to do.
The group left the study, heading towards the front hall. In his haste, Reon splashed ungracefully out if the fish bowl, and landed, in human form, with a wet thump on the floor.
Hearing "What was that bang?" come from the hallway, Reon kept to his feet and swiftly changed his neckkerchief into a bath towel. Marie, his curvaceous neighbour, cautiously opened the study door.
"Sorry, I was occupied in the bath, what's this I hear about going to a play?" He attempted to say this as casually as he could, while rubbing his hair with the towel. Marie looked around, puzzled, as there were no other doors into or out of the study.
"'Of Persimmons and Passion fruit' old bean" said Jenkins, as if that explained everything.
"Of course", replied Reon, flinging the towel onto his reading chair.
"Come along then", said Marie, taking him by the arm and guiding him out of the house. "The play won't watch itself".
