In truth, most of the details were entirely lost on Cassi, whose experience in the kitchen extended only to purchasing all the necessary ingredients and then telling Lilsey exactly what she wanted her to make. She could organise a dinner quite successfully, but left to her own devices she'd struggle to produce anything more complicated than a sandwich. Despite this, she was drawn in by Richard's description. If his knowledge intrigued her, the way in which he had acquired it was more interesting still.
'I imagine that it took some practice,' she remarked. Even with a chopping spell, the balance between too coarse and nothing but a fine powder was probably subtle. That was something she liked about magic: simple enough that a child of three could perform elementary spells, and yet with virtually limitless potential.
'I do look forward to trying it,' she went on, and then, with a small, knowing smile, 'Were I a little more impulsive, I'd scarcely be able to wait for tea-time! But Rich, perhaps you will tell me a little more about your travels? About Turkey, or – oh, did you ever go so far as India? My very dearest friend from school, Amira Shafiq, has family there, and I always wanted to visit. It was just too far to travel, when I did my first tour.' It had been long before the wartime restrictions on flight, but that made little difference. In Cassi's time, a journey of that length could only be made through numerous shorter ones. Long-distance Apparition was extremely unsafe, and the differences in magical customs around the world meant that there was no truly international form of magical transportation. She leant forward a little, eager to hear about whichever far-off places he had visited.