Thief of Time - Negotiate

'Ah, that'd be it,' said Mrs Ogg. 'The man did say I'd be repaid for my time.'

'The man... ?' said Susan gently.

Nanny Ogg glanced up, her eyes ablaze.

'Don't you try to take advantage of me just 'cos I'm moment'r'ly a bit flustered,' she snapped. 'There's no way round Nanny Ogg!'

Susan looked at the woman, and this time not with the lazy eye. And there was, indeed, no way round Mrs Ogg. But there was another way, with Mrs Ogg. It went straight through the heart.

'A child needs to know his parents, Mrs Ogg,' she said. 'Now more than ever. He needs to know who he really is. It's going to be hard for him, and I want to help him.'

'Why?'

'Because I wish someone had helped me,' said Susan.

'Yes, but there's rules to midwifery,' said Nanny Ogg. 'You don't say what was said or what you saw Not if the lady don't want you to.'

The witch wriggled awkwardly in her chair, her face going red. She wants to tell me, Susan knew. She's desperate to. But I've got to play it right, so she can square it with herself.

'I'm not asking for names, Mrs Ogg, because I expect you don't know them,' she went on.

'That's true.'

'But the child-'

'Look, miss, I'm not supposed to tell a living soul about-'

'If it helps, I'm not entirely certain that I am one,' said Susan. She watched Mrs Ogg for a while. 'But I understand. There have to be rules, don't there? Thank you for your time.'

Susan stood up and put the preserved day back on the mantelpiece. Then she walked out of the cottage, shutting the door behind her. Binky was waiting by the gate. She mounted up, and it wasn't until then that
she heard the door open.

'That's what he said,' said Mrs Ogg. 'When he gave me the eggtimer. "Thank you for your time, Mrs Ogg," he said. You'd better come back in, my girl.'

***

The Thief of Time - p193-195