Iolanthe is in the background far more in The Young Sorceress than in any other book, but she’s a presence that can’t be denied.  Here Iolanthe is visited by Senta, who is standing in for Zurfina as the colony’s magical power.

Not hungry, despite not having eaten since the previous day at noon, she grabbed the small black purse that had been her previous year’s birthday present from Zurfina, and set out.  The colonial government was constructing a new office building about halfway between Town Square and the train station.  Though only the foundation and part of one wall had been completed thus far, it was clear that it would be a massive building.  Just behind it was a small single story structure that had been designed as a carriage house, but which temporarily housed the Governor and her administration.  Once inside, Senta spotted Governor Dechantagne-Staff immediately, but was intercepted before she could reach her by the Governor’s secretary Mrs. Melody Wardlaw.

Mrs. Wardlaw, an attractive woman in her thirties had arrived in Port Dechantagne two years before as Mrs. Lanier.  She had been a widow and remained single only a few months before marrying a law clerk turned ornithologist.

“Are you here to see the Governor?”

“I can see her now,” pointed out Senta.  “She’s right over there.”

“And did you wish to speak with her?”

Senta narrowed her eyes.  She raised her finger to her lips and then slowly pointed it at Mrs. Wardlaw.  “I don’t know… I could just talk to you.”

The secretary paled.

“I’m sure she has some time for you.”

“There you are,” said Mrs. Staff when she saw the young sorceress.  “I suppose you’re given to sleeping in all day.  No doubt Zurfina has failed to provide you with the structure of which young people are so in need.”

“No doubt,” said Senta.  “What was it that you needed?”

“Come walk with me.”

Mrs. Staff led Senta out of the building and down the cement sidewalk.  A lizzie work crew was paving the road.  Back in the great city of Brech, most of the streets had been paved scores or even hundreds of years before and so cobblestone was the norm.  Here, streets were covered with a layer of red bricks, carefully pieced together.  A single human foreman leaning on a shovel quickly stood erect when he saw the Governor.

“That’s one of the things I need you for,” said Mrs. Staff.

“Punishing lazy employees?”

The Governor pursed her lips. 

“The lizzies.  As you are no doubt aware, hundreds have moved into the city limits and are occupying that land just west of the train depot.  People are already calling it…”

“Lizzietown,” interrupted Senta.  “And it’s more like thousands.  I’m surprised you allow it, considering what happened two years ago.”

“One should keep his friends close and his enemies closer.  I want you to make sure that there is nothing going on there that would threaten us.”

“All right.  What else?”

“I’m concerned that we may have agents of Freedonia in the colony again.  Zurfina has in the past performed security checks for us.  I believe we need something along that line again.”

“Any idea exactly what she did?”

“You’re the sorceress, not I.”

“Seems like pretty much the same kind of job—just a matter of which direction I’m looking.  I’ll give it my best shot.”

“Of course you will,” said the Governor.

“I’ll be on my way then.”

“One more thing.  My husband was interested in hiring someone to magically look for coal—just as your Miss Jindra did.”

“She’s not my Miss Jindra.  I barely know her.”

“As you say.  In any case, with Zurfina indisposed as you say, you seem to be the only purveyor of magic at our disposal, so you should stop and see him.”

“Zurfina isn’t already being paid for that too, is she?” asked Senta.

“No.  This would be business between you and Mr. Staff’s coal company.”

“Ace.”

Mrs. Staff said goodbye and turned back toward her temporary offices.  Senta cut through the block, still forested but now criss-crossed with pathways made by people and lizzies.  The offices of M&S Coal Company were just outside of Town Square on the south side, across the street from Mr. Darwin’s shop.  She was less than fifty feet away when she suddenly ducked behind a tree.  Coming out of the front door of M&S Coal was Mr. Radley Staff, and with him was a fifteen year old blond girl.  With the exception of her clothes, which consisted of a long, confining rubber dress that went to her ankles and matched a pair of long black gloves, she was an exact copy of Senta.

“Kafira’s fanny!  She snaked that job right out from under me!”