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Caroline didn't particularly relish the thought of trying to explain that to Penelope

She didn't see so much of Blake, however He never missed teatime; it was the only opportunity for a decent meal, after all But other than that, he avoided Caroline's coive her a new book

And so life ambled on in this bizarre yet oddly comfortable routine--until one day, nearly a week after Penelope's arrival The threeso roo the others wouldn't notice his deplorable lack offor her third sandwich, Penelopehis sixth into his pocket when they heard booted footsteps in the hall

"Who could that be, I wonder?" Penelope asked, blushing slightly when a crumb blew out of her mouth

Her question was answered moments later, as the Marquis of Riverdale strode into the room He took in the scene, blinked in surprise, and then said, "Penelope, it's good to see you I had no idea you were acquainted with Caroline"

Chapter 18

ar-is-tol-o-gy (noun) The art or "science" of dining

As a field of research and study, aristology is highly underrated

--From the personal dictionary of Caroline Trent

Utter silence ensued, followed by a burst of nervous chatter so loud and forceful that Perriwick actually poked his head into the roouise of co in to clear away the rest of the tea and biscuits, which caused nothing short of mutiny, and Blake practically yanked the tray fro him back out the door

If Penelope had noticed that the Marquis of Riverdale had been so forward as to call Miss Dent by her given na instead upon how overwhelly surprised she was that they were acquainted

Caroline was talking very loudly about how the Sidwells had long been friends with the Dents, and Ja she said

The only person not adding to the din was Blake, although he did eroan He didn't knohich orse: the fact that James had arrived and nearly blown Caroline's cover, or the newly fierce leam in his sister's eye Now that she'd discovered that Caroline's family was in some way--however tenuous--connected to the marquis's, she'd obviously decided that Caroline would ht griiousskills toward Caroline and Jas of a truly colossal disaster His eyesPenelope, Ja him frole first

"Oh, but it's been an age, Caroline," Ja himself now "Aled since we last met"

"Really?" Penelope queried "How?"

Put on the spot, James staer, and--"

"Really?" Penelope said again "How interesting You must have had quite a crop, Caroline, because it isn't so very long now"

"There was an accident," Caroline improvised, "and we had to cut it quite short"