“Now! I suppose I’m imagining things, am I?” she scoffed.
Florence broke into a peal of laughter as she rose and began hastily putting on her robe and slippers. “I’m really surprised, Jo, that you could be fooled by anything about this house—you’ve studied it so thoroughly,” she added over her shoulder as she ran out of the room.
“Now what do you know about that!” exclaimed Peggy with a quizzical expression on her face. “I fail to see the joke, don’t you?”
“Well—I believe—I’m beginning to see it,” replied Jo Ann slowly. “That was only someone knocking on the door downstairs, but I can’t see why Florence had to answer it. I don’t believe Dr. Blackwell would expect her to go down there alone—in the middle of the night—to answer the door.”
“No, I’m sure he wouldn’t,” agreed Peggy, “but why did she rush off like that, then?”
A few moments later Florence burst into the room, still smiling. “Well, I’ve stopped the revolution,” she announced, her eyes twinkling. “I assure you everything is quiet and peaceful, and you won’t be disturbed again. Go back to sleep. You’re perfectly safe now.”
“I know I sounded silly, but I was half asleep, and it startled me,” Jo Ann explained apologetically. “I know now it was someone knocking on the door, but why did you have to answer it?”
“I suppose it did look funny, the way I rushed out there alone,” Florence replied, “but I knew it was only someone coming for Daddy. I always go downstairs with him to bolt the door after he leaves.”
“To bolt the door!” repeated Peggy. “Can’t he use a key? I never heard of the whole family having to get up in the middle of the night to escort someone to the door.”
“Well, I’d much rather bolt the door after him,” Florence laughed, “than go along to carry the key for him.”