He named them Nora and Good-night in memory of his long dead spouse who had been trampled by a troop of dragoons unwilling to slow down for common fol...k. He often repeated their names as he dispatched his opponents to their reward.They had been together nigh on to two years now and in all that time the Hammer had not made any move to accost the femininity of his partner for purposes of sexual gratification. He generally just selected one of the many bored housewives within reach of his muscular. Where are you headed?’ ‘That depends…where are the good neighborhoods around here?’ I laughed, taken aback. ‘Good neighborhoods for what?’ ‘Safe neighborhoods. Where you aren’t scared being alone late at night.’ ‘Well, my neighborhood is safe enough…my door is usually unlocked. Where do you need to go?’ ‘That’s the thing. I don’t have anywhere to go…’ Her voice trailed off into tears. Thinking as quickly as I could in my state, I suggested that we go somewhere warm where we could talk. She. I faced Claire, "Claire, I need you to say the magic words and do the magic action. Say 'orchid-cadabra.' That's like 'abracadabra', but with 'orchid' at the front. 'Orchid-cadabra.' You can practice saying it a couple of times if you like."Claire repeated it falteringly, but correctly, twice."Can you say it a little faster please, otherwise it'll grow too slowly."She practiced a couple more times, until I said, "That's great, thanks. When I count to three, say the word at the saucer once, then. George said his parents had put them in. This house used to have many more people in it. All his family. Scores of children. Over the years they passed or moved on. Then it was just George and me. And now its just me. And you now, of course.”“You still have a full staff.”“Yes. I couldn’t let them go. They are a part of this house. It is their livelihood. The work here feeds their families and puts their children through school. How could I let them go?”“That sounds expensive.”“I suppose it is..