Before Elspeth got round to answering there was a swift knock on the door which stopped her in her tracks.
"Ah, that will be them, I must have lost track of time while I was nattering away to you!" Elspeth looked at the clock before removing James from her shoulder and placing him on the dining room table, around which four chairs had been arranged.
"Am I meeting them like this?" the toad asked a little self consciously.
"There is nothing wrong with you like that!" Elspeth assured James somewhat unconvincingly "Besides, there are only enough chairs for four humans to sit. You be a good little toad and hop onto the table mat there next to where I'll be sitting while I let our guests in!"
James did as instructed and couldn't help but wonder what sort of evening was awaiting him. As the door opened James was surprised to see that all three of Elspeth's friends were, or at least appeared to be, considerably younger than she was.
Eilidh looked to be around thirty, though James realised that was unlikely to be the case. She was an attractive, voluptuous red haired woman who gave an infectious giggle when she greeted Elspeth.
Morag was a little older, seemingly middle aged but looking good on it, with long dark hair and a stern expression. She didn't say much on entrance.
Finally Caitir had an almost youthful appearance. She was cute with brown hair and smiled prettily as she saw Elspeth. Of the three witches, she was the one James instinctively felt the most drawn to.
Up to this point nobody had noticed the toad sitting on the dining table, but that would surely change soon.