Madame Candida is Not Pleased

Candida swept into the lobby at the head of her girls, but pulled up short when she saw Freda and Astra. "It's the statues!" she exclaimed. "But now flesh and blood. Rudolf was right about that, then. What do you two think you have been playing at? You got me into a whole load of trouble with Rudolf when you ran off after you transformed. He'd paid good money for you, admittedly as statues, but that makes no difference. You had no right to up and leave like that. He thought that I must have been behind it, and employed Conkaltheus; hence his 'humiliation' claim against me. He had no proof, of course, or I'd have been charged with fraud."

Apparently Rudolf had not actually seen Astra and Freda teleported away by Pronklezilch, but had been told by Pronklezilch that rhey had run off, eluding him somehow.

"We didn't leave of our own free will," Astra said. "It was..."

She had intended to say: "It was Pronklezilch's doing", but found herself unable to finish the sentence, She realised that the wizard must have placed an enchantment on the two of them to prevent his machinations being revealed. From the expression on Freda's face, she had come to the same realisation.

"So you can't even think of a plausible lie," Madamne Candida said. "You've had long enough to come up with one, but I don't suppose that you are any too bright...

1. "I will have you both returned to Rudolf at once."
2. "You were less trouble as statues. I shall have to see that you are returned to that form."
3. "Since I was forced to return Rudolf's payment for the two of you in order to get myself and my girls released, he no longer has any claim on you, so you can stay here and start working off what you owe me."
4. "This is much too confusing! I shall have to consult with Pronklezilch tomorrow."

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