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Blake blinked "I beg your pardon?"

"Who were you talking to?"

Ja screen "Me"

Penelope's lips parted in surprise "What are you doing here? I didn't realize you were back"

He leaned against the wall as if it were thein the world for hio"

"We had a fewroos backsmile

"Really?" Penelope did not sound convinced

"No one had any privacy there, you know," Blake said "It was really quite barbaric"

Penelope pointed to the pile of blankets on the floor "What are those doing here?"

"What?" Blake asked, stalling for time

"The blankets"

He blinked "Those? I have no idea"

"You have a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor of your washing rooht have left them there Maybe he meant to have them cleaned"

Penelope scowled "Blake, you're an aboood liar I'm just a touch out of practice"

"Then you do ad to " He turned to Jauileless expression "Did I, Riverdale?"

"I don't think so What do you think, Penelope?"

"I think," Penelope growled, "that neither of you is leaving this roo on"

Caroline listened to the conversation through the door, holding her breath as Penelope grilled the two gentlemen with the skill of an executioner

Caroline let out a silent sigh and sat down The way things sounded in the bathrooht be stuck in the stairwell for hours Penelope certainly exhibited no signs of giving up her interrogation

Ti the fact that it was dark as pitch in the stairwell She ht be trapped in the most bizarre of situations, but it was still heads and tails above being stuck with the Prewitts Good heavens, if she hadn't run off, she'd probably be a Prewitt herself by now

What a hideous thought

But not nearly as hideous as what happened next Maybe she'd stirred up soned against her, but her nose began to tickle

Then it began to itch

She jaainst her nostrils, but it was to no avail

Tickle, itch, tickle, itch

Ah…Ah…Ah…