Free Discovering Emily by Jacqueline Pearce Page A

over a row of clean, tidy children, and she was a mess.
    Emily washed her hands and face quickly, and then raced from the room and up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Alice and Lizzy. She didn’t have time to change into a clean dress, but she tore off her soiledpinafore and pulled on a fresh one. Then she ran back down the stairs, buttoning the pinafore behind her as she went.
    Dede stood at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips.
    â€œFor heaven’s sake, Emily, slow down to a civilized pace and walk quietly. Mother is resting.”
    Emily slowed. She glanced up towards her mother’s bedroom, which was upstairs at the front of the house. A faint cough made its way down to their ears, as if to emphasize Dede’s words. Emily frowned. She hadn’t wanted to disturb Mother. Sometimes she wished she could behave more like Dede and the others wanted her to. But it was hard always remembering to do this and do that and don’t do this and don’t do that.
    Emily concentrated on walking in a quiet and ladylike manner out the front door to the garden. She took her place between Alice and their little brother, Richard, just as Father walked through the front gate.
    Father strode up the walk between the rows of English flowers he’d planted.Many were still blooming although winter was getting closer. He looked tall and important in his dark suit and hat. His eyes checked over the flowers. Then he seemed to notice the children for the first time, and he raised his walking cane slightly to greet them. He walked along the row of children, inspecting them like he had the flowers. Emily squirmed. Father stopped in front of her and frowned.
    â€œThat’s not dirt I see on your face, is it, Emily?” he asked. He stepped closer and looked her over more carefully.
    â€œThere is dirt under your fingernails,” he pointed out with disapproval. Then, he nodded downward. “And what is that?”
    He bent closer. Emily pulled her hands behind her back. She’d forgotten about the drawing she’d done this morning on the back of one hand. She must have washed only the palms.
    â€œHands in front!” Father ordered, thumping his cane on the ground in front of Emily.
    Slowly, Emily drew her hands out from behind her back.
    â€œWhat is that?” he demanded.
    â€œIt’s a face,” Emily said, looking up past his tall black suit and square gray beard to meet his eyes. For a moment she thought she saw a twinkle of amusement there. Then Dede stepped up.
    â€œI told her to stay clean,” Dede said. “But all she does is misbehave. She should go without supper tonight.”
    â€œWhat!” exclaimed Emily. “All Dede does is boss, boss, boss. She should be the one to go without supper!”
    â€œThere!” Dede said. “That is the kind of insolence I have to put up with.”
    Father stamped his cane on the ground once more. His eyes had darkened like the sky suddenly covered by storm clouds.
    â€œEmily, I won’t have any more of that kind of talk. I am afraid you will have to go without supper while you work at improving your manners. You must show your sister more respect.”
    Emily looked down. Why couldn’t anyone ever be on her side?

3
No Supper
    At supper, Emily had to sit at the table with everyone else, but she was given nothing to eat. She stared down at the blank space in front of her, keeping her eyes from the food that seemed to cover every other spot, but it was hard not to breathe in the smell of roast beef and potatoes and not to listen to the sound of the others chewing. Little Richard, who sat beside Emily on her left, was an especially noisy eater. Worse, pieces of food kept falling from his fork onto her section of the table. Emily glanced up at Father and Dede. They seemed to be busy with their own food. Emily’s hand crept onto the table.
    â€œEmily!” Father barked.
    Emily’s hand froze, then