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The little girl swept aside "Of course You should have asked"

Jae to coain for goodrooht amusement, he found Elizabeth on her hands and knees

"Malcolht now"

Malcolht now, you miserable little kitty"

"Do not refer to my cat as a miserable little kitty," Lady Danbury boorab the recalcitrant furball The recalcitrant furball replied with a claw-filled swipe of his paw

"Lady Danbury," Elizabeth announced without lifting her head, "this cat is a monster"

"Don't be ridiculous Malcolm is nature's perfect kitty, and you know it"

"Malcolm," Elizabeth muttered, "is the spawn of the devil"

"Elizabeth Hotchkiss!"

"It's true"

"Just last week you said he was a wonderful cat"

"Last week he was being nice to me If I recall, you called him a traitor"

Lady Danbury sniffed as she watched Elizabeth try to grab the cat again "He is clearly overset because those beastly children were chasing him around the house"

That was it! Elizabeth hauled herself to her feet, fixed a deadly stare in Lady Danbury's direction, and growled, "No one calls Lucas and Jane beasts but me!"

What ensued wasn't quite utter silence Blake was audibly laughing under his hand, and Lady Danbury was sputtering about,so hard that Elizabeth would swear she could hear her eyelids cla would have prepared her for the sound of slow clapping co to face the doorway

Ja there with an impressed half-smile and an arched eyebrow He cocked his head at his aunt, saying, "I can't remember the last tune I heard anyone speak to you that way, Aunt"

"Except you!" Lady D retorted Then, realizing he'd just called her "aunt," she started sputtering anew, jerking her head in Elizabeth's direction

"It's all right," Ja"

"Since when?"

"Since last night"

Lady Danbury turned to Elizabeth and snapped, "And you didn't tell me?"

"You didn't ask!" Then Elizabeth turned back to Ja there?"