Lady Catherine, perturbed by the apparent descent into Banality of Baroness Mordren and the definite descent into madness of the Shape, decided to speak with her liege lord Count Eventide about both problems. Accordingly she took the train north into Hertfordshire to the grand manor house that is the Count's home and freehold. There she was left waiting in the presence of Sir Michael, who was polite but unfriendly (no doubt still blaming Lady Catherine for the death of his lover Madame Rain).
When the Count arrived, he was dressed formally - an unusual state for the House Dougal Sidhe, and a mark of his coolness towards his vassal. After a short period of pleasantries, Lady Catherine asked that the audience be held in private, and Eventide dismissed Sir Michael.
Lady Catherine first explained the problem with Baroness Mordren; the Count was naturally concerned and stressed the importance of no-one learning of this state of affairs. He would himself look into the situation. On hearing of the Shape's plight, the Count lost much of his stiffness, becoming animated in his contemplation of the problem and the paths of investigation into it. Lady Catherine left with a long list of mundane jobs to do, such as learning when tradespeople were last in the house, what they did, etc. However, at least she seemed to be no longer so much in his disfavour.
Back in London, Lady Catherine was paid a visit by Jellybean and her brother Gavin, the latter accompanied by Boston. The two pooka contrived to make it past the doorknocker by gifting him a (found/stolen) handkerchief, a dancing Coke can (which the knocker can't use because it can't hear him), and an alarm which make a ribbit sound when someone passes the front gate. Once inside, the three went to talk with Lady Catherine, though Jellybean was soon sent out to play with Shape. Gavin, wearing a paper crown, made Lady Catherine aware that he was now King of the Underbridge Trolls, much to the Sidhe's bewilderment, and was on something of a recruitment drive, there being currently only one Underbridge Troll.
After much wondering as to why Boston chose to have Gavin as king, and being particularly perplexed by Boston's apparent need for decisive leadership, Lady Catherine eventually promised to mention this fact to Jack when she next spoke to him, and to keep it in mind if she came across any other trolls. In general conversation Lady Catherine was careful not to mention anything that she had said she would keep secret, which good work was completely undone when Gavin formally introduced himself to the Shape, and the Shape replied in kind, giving his full title of the Shape of the Wild Run. After berating the Shape, who seemed not in the least put out, she broached the problem to Gavin, who promptly offered to swear an oath of secrecy. Relieved, Lady Catherine took him up on the offer.
Meanwhile Jellybean was playing with the Shape in another room, while Boston looked on. The Shape was conducting a dance with two sets of clothes, swirling them around and about in the air.
Later Jellybean revealed to Lady Catherine that while the Sidhe had been visiting Count Eventide, she had come round to Waldren House and played with the Shape and the clothes. There was a great ball, with all the different clothes in the house's wardrobes taking part. After a full and lengthy description which included clothes Lady Catherine doesn't own, JB mentioned that she got really scared when the Shape disappeared and all the clothes started wrapping themselves around her, smothering her. The Shape came back, after a time, and told JB to leave (for her own safety), which she did.
That evening Lady Catherine dreamt that she was asleep in her bed, and heard the sound of a door closing. Lying still, eyes closed, she heard scampering, and felt a weight on the end of her bed. There was a light on her eyes. Still doing nothing, she heard a small voice say, "'Ullo." Then the weight moved further up the bed, and repeated the greeting, and asking if she was awake. Eventually Lady Catherine opened her eyes (in the dream) and saw a toddler sitting on her bed, with bright blue hair and no clothes on. There followed a calm conversation in which the child revealed that he was a sign which says, to those with eyes to see, "Here be Dragons". He also became deeply confused by many of Lady Catherine's questions, and even his own answers. Finally he left, via the bedroom door, with an unclear statement as to whether she would see him again.