When Charlie saw him winding his way through the overgrown flora, the boy came to so sudden a stop Henry plowed into his back, sending them both tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. With a cackle of laughter a witch would envy, Meg leaped atop the pile of squirming arms and legs, transforming what might have been a minor melee into an all-out wrestling match. Jasper had time only to take one step forward with the intention of somehow separating the writhing bodies before Susan appeared on the terrace. “Good Lord, Jasper, what are you wearing?” she demanded, hands landing on her hips. “Your children are murdering one another and you are worried about my garments?” He tugged at said garment to be certain all necessary parts were decently covered. Susan waved one hand in the air as if batting at a pesky fly. “They’ll come away with nothing worse than stained breeches and a tad less energy to argue when nap time rolls around.
