But Pen's heart was dancing. An irresponsible gale of laughter caught her up. She had a wicked impulse to see her father's bare feet twinkle. She caught his wrists (he still had the candle) and attempted to whirl him around.
"Oh joy! Oh joy! Oh joy!" she cried. "They're gone!"
"Pen! Have you gone crazy," he protested.
"Yes, it's the heat!"
"Be quiet! What did the man mean?"
"How do I know? A man will say anything when he's sore ... Come on back to bed."
She pulled him wildly to the foot of the stairs, Pendleton leaning back, and his bare feet slapping the floor absurdly. Pen laughed so she had to sit on the bottom step to recover.
"Your levity is very ill-timed!" he said severely.
That only made her laugh the more. "Come on! Come on!" she said, dragging him up-stairs.
At the door of his room she kissed him, and gave him a push inside. She flew across to her own room and let herself in.