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Show - 20 - CHAPTER III Later that evening as the girls climbed the spiral stairway to their bedroom, Penny thought about the lady that she had seen on the lawn outside of the balcony and again wondered if she had imagined it. Also, why had she insisted upon occupying this one bedroom in particular, since there were so many others to choose from. "I'm sure it must be because the furniture is so beautiful and the view from the window is the prettiest in the whole house," she mused to herself. But no matter how she rationalized, she sensed it was something else. Penny's eyes turned to the portrait of the young lady hanging on the wall. She seemed to smile knowingly at her. All of a sudden the realization that the girl in the picture was the same one she had seen the garden struck her. The similarity was astounding; dress, color of hair, features, even down to the garland of waxy, white gardenias around her shoulders. "Why are you staring at the picture so intently, Pen?" said Vicky as she prepared to go to bed. She stood at the bathroom door, with her toothbrush in one hand and nightgown in the other. "Really, you're acting so weird these days. You're just going to have to simmer down. I can see that mama and papa are starting to worry. You walk around in a trance most of the time. Perhaps moving into Gaven House has affected you." Penny didn't answer. Sometimes her sister could be so exasperating! Soon both girls were settled in the big four poster bed with the plump comforter snug up around their chins. The weather had turned cooler and a fine misty rain was falling outside. Was it hours later, or had just a few moments passed? Penny heard |