'What a busy little mind he's got,' she said.
'I fear, madam, that I may be responsible for your present predicament,' said Verence, sitting down on or at least just above a handy anvil. 'I wished to attract a witch.'
'I suppose you're no good at locks?'
'I fear they would be beyond my capabilities as yet . . . but surely—' the ghost of the king waved a hand in a vague gesture which encompassed the dungeon, Nanny and the manacles – 'to a witch all this is just so much—'
'Solid iron,' said Nanny. 'You might be able to walk through it, but I can't.'
'I didn't realise,' said Verence. 'I thought witches could do magic.'
'Young man,' said Nanny, 'you will oblige me by shutting up.'
'Madam! I am a king!'
'You are also dead, so I wouldn't aspire to hold any opinions if I was you. Now just be quiet and wait, like a good boy.'
Against all his instincts, the king found himself obeying. There was no gainsaying that tone of voice. It spoke to him across the years, from his days in the nursery. Its echoes told him that if he didn't eat it all up he would be sent straight to bed.
Nanny Ogg stirred in her chains. She hoped they would turn up soon.
'Er,' said the king uneasily. 'I feel I owe you an explanation . . .'
'Thank you,' said Granny Weatherwax, and because Shawn seemed to be expecting it, added, 'You've been a good boy.'
'Yes'm,' said Shawn. 'M'm?'
'Was there something else?'
Shawn twisted the end of his chain-mail vest out of embarrassment. 'It's not true what everyone's been saying about our mam, is it, m'm?' he said. 'She doesn't go round putting evil curses on folk. Except for Daviss the butcher. And old Cakebread, after he kicked her cat. But they wasn't what you'd call real curses, was they, m'm?'
'You can stop calling me m'm.'
'Yes, m'm.'
'They've been saying that, have they?'
'Yes, m'm.'
'Well, your mam does upset people sometimes.'
Shawn hopped from one leg to another.
'Yes, m'm, but they says terrible things about you, m'm, savin' your presence, m'm.'
Granny stiffened.
'What things?'
'Don't like to say, m'm.'
'What things?'
Shawn considered his next move. There weren't many choices.
'A lot of things what aren't true, m'm,' he said, establishing his credentials as early as possible. 'All sorts of things. Like, old Verence was a bad king and you helped him on the throne, and you caused that bad winter the other year, and old Norbut's cow dint give no milk after you looked at it. Lot of lies, m'm,' he added, loyally.
'Right,' said Granny.