“Compromise?” Mrs. Weems asked suspiciously.
“I’ll drink the lemonade if you’ll let me skip the hot water bottle.”
“Indeed not,” Mrs. Weems returned firmly. “Now jump into bed, and no more arguments.”
Although Penny considered the housekeeper entirely too thorough in her methods, she enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the bed. She drank the lemonade, submitted to the hot water bottle, and then snuggling down, slept soundly. When she awakened, sunlight streamed in through the Venetian blinds. Cocking an eye at the dresser clock, she saw to her dismay that it was ten o’clock.
“My Aunt!” she exclaimed, leaping out of bed. “All this good time wasted!”
With the speed of a trained fireman, Penny wriggled into her clothes. She gave her auburn hair a quick brush but took time to slap a little polish on her saddle shoes before bounding down the stairs to the kitchen.
“Is that you or a gazelle escaped from the zoo?” inquired Mrs. Weems who was washing dishes at the sink.
“Why didn’t you bounce me out of bed two hours ago?” asked Penny. “I have an important business engagement for this morning.”
“You’re not going to the river again, I hope!”
“Oh, but I must, Mrs. Weems.” Penny opened the refrigerator and helped herself to a bowl of strawberries and a Martha Washington pie.