Elspeth nodded, pleased to have heard Nicola call her Mistress the same way that James had done when he could still talk. “Well, I’ll let you talk with Silas. I’m going to go check the no doubt wonderful job you did sweeping under the furniture like I asked. Silas, I take it you’ll be a gentleman to Nicola?”
“Aye, right. I’ll be a straight good fellow to ‘er”, he replied proudly.
Elspeth nodded approvingly before leaving the kitchen, while Nicola stared at Silas in utter shock upon hearing him speak.
“You..... can talk?”, she asked in amazement.
“Is that really the most shocking thing about any of this to you, lass? Me name’s Silas. How’s the craic?”
Nicola, however, wasn’t fully interested in introducing herself to Silas. Instead, much like James, she had questions.
“So, wait. Are you a person transformed into a cat, too?”
“Sure am. Elspeth’ll give ya a line about how it was some crock spell that she cast on me, but nay. Used t’ be a man, I. And-”
“But..... why don’t you turn back? How long have you been here? How long have you been a cat? Is it fun being a cat?”
“Aw, fer Chrissakes. You’re as bad as the other lad was with your Spanish inquisitionin’..... Elspeth won’t let me, around fifteen years, ten years as a cat, and s’alright. Ya get used to it, trust me.”
Nicola, again much like James, found that each question she had answered opened up several more.
At this moment, despite knowing she wouldn’t be able to understand him, James began to croak and ribbit incessantly in an attempt to get Nicola’s attention. He still had no idea what kind of a person Elspeth was, and he wasn’t sure if Silas telling her all these things while she could still speak and ask questions directed to the witch was especially safe.
After about half a minute, Nicola looked up at the table in annoyance at James, still unaware of who he was. “What’s the toad’s problem?”, she scoffed.