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Nanny Ogg was about to say: What? You mean not compliant and self-effacing like what you is, Esme? But she stopped herself. You didn't juggle matches in a fireworks factory.
'Young men's fathers used to come round to complain,' said Granny darkly.
'They never came round to complain about me,' said Nanny happily.
'And always looking at herself in mirrors,' said Granny. 'Prideful as a cat, she was. Prefer to look in a mirror than out of a window, she would.'
'What's her name?'
'Lily.'
'That's a nice name,' said Nanny.
'It isn't what she calls herself now,' said Mrs Gogol.
'I bet it isn't!'
'And she's, like, in charge of the city?' said Nanny.
'She was bossy, too!'
'What'd she want to be in charge of a city for?' said Nanny.
'She's got plans,' said Mrs Gogol.
'And vain? Really vainl' said Granny, apparently to the world in general.
'Did you know she was here?' said Nanny.
'I had a feelin'! Mirrors!'
'Mirror magic isn't bad,' protested Nanny. 'I've done all kinds of stuff with mirrors. You can have a lot of fun with a mirror.'
'She doesn't just use one mirror,' said Mrs Gogol.
'Oh.'
'She uses two.'
'Oh. That's different.'
Granny stared at the surface of the water. Her own face stared back at her from the darkness.
She hoped it was her own face, anyway.
'I've felt her watchin' us, the whole way here,' she said. 'That's where she's happiest, inside mirrors. Inside mirrors, making people into stories.'
She prodded the image with a stick. 'She even got a look at me in Desiderata's house, just before Magrat came in. It ain't nice, seeing someone else in your reflection - '
She paused. 'Where is Magrat, anyway?'
'Out fairy godmothering, I think,' said Nanny. 'She said she didn't need any help.'
Magrat was annoyed. She was also frightened, which made her even more annoyed. It was hard for people when Magrat was annoyed. It was like being attacked by damp tissue.
'You have my personal word on it,' she said. 'You don't have to go to the ball if you don't want to.'
'You won't be able to stop them,' said Ella darkly. 'I know how things work in this city.'
