Publisher's Synopsis
Gemima Mongoose does not believe in magic. Nothing in this world can convince her of the existence of fairies, gnomes, pixies, wizards, spells or even witches. Theo her brother, on the other hand, is a firm believer of everything that is magical. One sunny Saturday the adventurous siblings have their minds set on earning some extra pocket money. Theo is quite the entrepreneur and he is always willing to work to increase his capital. Their intention is to tidy up the attic in the scary-looking house against the hillside that belongs to Mrs. Gradwell, who lives there all by herself. The children in Tillingham all believe that the old lady is a witch, but this does not deter the youngsters in their endeavour to earn some cash. Fate so has it that Mrs. Gradwell will be absent during the children's cleaning job, so Gemima and Theo are left to their own devices to clean up the attic in the big mansion. All goes well until they discover the old paintings hidden in a huge basket, in particular a most stunning work of art of a courtyard, dated more than a hundred years ago. An engraved riddle on the old wooden frame is what arouses their curiosity. Theo believes this is a magic spell. Submitting to her brother's double-dare, Gemima and Theo end up in the painting's courtyard, more than a century back in time. There they meet the painter, David Midgley, and the delightful Mrs. Heathly who ends up taking care of them. Their biggest concern, however, is how to get back home to Tillingham in the present time. A most unforgettable adventure as they try to return to the present, which will take you on a magical trip that you would never have imagined possible. A journey that proves that magic does not always only consist of fairies and wizards.
