Double, Double, Toil and Truffle (Bewitch by Chocolate ~ Book 6) Read online

  Caitlyn walked to the shop doorway to watch them go. “I can’t believe it,” she said, shaking her head. She looked back at the Widow Mags, still standing behind the counter. “It must be a coincidence, right?”

  The old witch gave a shrug. “Perhaps.”

  Caitlyn’s eyes widened. “You’re not suggesting that it could have been due to magic? I mean, Minerva was a fraud! Her fertility spell was completely fake!”

  “Perhaps,” said the Widow Mags again. “But sometimes, if the will is strong, it matters not that the ability is absent.”

  Caitlyn frowned. “I don’t understand... if you don’t have the ability, then how can you make something happen?”

  “Ah, but all humans have the ability, deep inside them. Witches are simply those who have a heightened sense and awareness of magic, and have been trained to work it.”

  “Are you saying that anyone can become a witch?” asked Caitlyn, puzzled.

  “No. A witch has a natural ability, which cannot be matched—just as there are great artists like Picasso or Van Gogh who are born with superior artistic talent that cannot be rivalled. But that does not mean that no one else can learn to paint or draw. Everyone has a degree of artistic talent, however small, and everyone can be taught to produce a simple work of art with time, determination, and practice. It is the same with magic. Those who believe can access its powers, even if they are not born a witch.”

  Caitlyn frowned, still confused. “You mean... Minerva somehow managed to make the spell work, because she believed that she could use magic?”

  “No, it was not Minerva who worked that spell. It was Susan Ford.”

  “Susan!” Caitlyn looked at her grandmother incredulously. “But... but how? She isn’t—”

  “She believed. In spite of—in the face of—scepticism from all around her, she held on to her faith.” The Widow Mags smiled faintly. “And that creates the most powerful magic of all.”

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  Books in the BEWITCHED BY CHOCOLATE series:

  Dark, Witch & Creamy (Book 1)

  Witch Chocolate Fudge (Book 2)

  Witch Summer Night’s Cream (Book 3)

  Blood, Sweets and Tears (Book 4)

  Bonbons and Broomsticks (Book 5)

  Double, Double, Toil and Truffle (Book 6)

  Salted Caramel Sorcery (Book 7)

  ** Witch Mocha Morsel – exclusive short story only available to newsletter subscribers

  Have you read H.Y. Hanna’s other series?

  The OXFORD TEAROOM MYSTERIES

  "Scones, a tea shop in England, a kitty & a murder -

  yes, please!"

  A Scone To Die For (Book 1)

  Tea with Milk and Murder (Book 2)

  Two Down, Bun To Go (Book 3)

  Till Death Do Us Tart (Book 4)

  Muffins and Mourning Tea (Book 5)

  Four Puddings and a Funeral (Book 6)

  Another One Bites the Crust (Book 7)

  Apple Strudel Alibi (Book 8)

  The Dough Must Go On (Book 9)

  The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year (Book 10)

  All-Butter ShortDead (Prequel)

  The ENGLISH COTTAGE GARDEN Mysteries:

  "She never expected to inherit an English cottage garden nursery - complete with romantic climbing roses, scented herbs, a bossy, talkative ginger cat... and a dead body!”

  Deadhead and Buried (Book 1)

  Silent Bud Deadly (Book 2)

  Doom and Bloom (Book 3)

  Trowel and Error (Book 4)

  Fronds and Enemies (Book 5)

  Too Mulch to Handle (Book 6)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  USA TODAY BESTSELLING author H.Y. Hanna writes fun cozy mysteries filled with clever twists, lots of humor, quirky characters - and cats with big personalities! She is known for bringing wonderful settings to life, whether it's the historic city of Oxford, the beautiful English Cotswolds or the sunny beaches of coastal Florida.

  After graduating from Oxford University, Hsin-Yi tried her hand at a variety of jobs, including advertising, modelling, teaching English, dog training and marketing... before returning to her first love: writing. She worked as a freelance writer for several years and has won awards for her novels, poetry, short stories and journalism.

  Hsin-Yi was born in Taiwan and has been a globe-trotter all her life—living in a variety of cultures, from Dubai to Auckland, London to New Jersey—but is now happily settled in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and a rescue kitty named Muesli. You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com

  Join her Readers’ Club Newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as her FREE Sampler Library! Go to: https://www.hyhanna.com/newsletter

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  A VERY BIG THANK YOU to veterinarian Dr David Neck for his generous time and effort in helping me research veterinary diseases and conditions which could have a scientific explanation but which are rare and mysterious enough to also suggest a paranormal cause to those who are superstitious!

  I am also grateful, as always, to my beta readers: Connie Leap, Charles Winthrop and Basma Alwesh for their unstinting time and attention in reading the first draft and giving me such insightful feedback. My thanks also to my editor and proofreader for being such a great team to work with, and to my assistant for all her help.

  And, last but not least, to my amazing husband, for his continual support and encouragement. I couldn’t do it without him.

  COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY H.Y. Hanna

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-6484198-9-1

  www.hyhanna.com

  THIS BOOK IS A WORK of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments, persons or animals, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the author. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

  THE END