A Study In Scarlet Women Read Online Free PDF

for purchasing ingredients had been significantly reduced. But it was Livia who took the audacious step of steaming open a letter for Sir Henry from his bank, and that was how they found out that the house was heavily mortgaged and their parents deep in debt.
    (It was around the same time that Bernadine’s nursemaid was let go and the task of keeping an eye on her fell to her sisters, whose governess was also relieved of her duties, with Lady Holmes declaring that the girls were old enough to not need one anymore.)
    Livia, already disillusioned with her parents, became even moreso: If they must make a mockery of their marriage, couldn’t they at least be responsible stewards of their finances?
    â€œHenrietta was careful,” said Charlotte. “Remember when she and Mamma went on that two-day trip to visit Mamma’s sick aunt—or so they said? I found punched tickets from their journey and the destinations weren’t anywhere Mamma had relations. But Mr. Cumberland mentioned all those places today—locations for his family’s holdings. That’s what Mamma and Henrietta did—they investigated those holdings on the ground, to make sure they were in sound shape.”
    â€œHuh. I didn’t give Henrietta enough credit.”
    â€œHenrietta has always been clever where her own interests are concerned.”
    â€œBut she’s still marrying an idiot,” Livia flopped back down on the bed. “Though I suppose it’s better to marry an idiot than someone who thinks you’re an idiot.”
    Charlotte’s attention returned to her cake. Livia stared at the ceiling, swarmed by pessimistic thoughts. She was startled when Charlotte spoke again, as much by the fact that Charlotte wished to continue their conversation as by Charlotte’s actual question.
    â€œYou won’t marry an idiot, will you?” asked Charlotte.
    â€œI certainly hope not,” Livia answered glumly. “Or at least with my eyes open if I do. What about you?”
    â€œI don’t want to marry.”
    â€œBut how will you live? You know there won’t be enough money to keep us as spinsters.”
    â€œI can earn money. If I were a boy, and there were no money in the family, wouldn’t I be expected to have a profession?”
    â€œYes, but you aren’t a boy. Mamma will have a fit at the idea of one of her daughters . . . working.”
    â€œMamma doesn’t need to agree.”
    Livia sighed. “You’re deluding yourself if you think Papa will.”
    She was unsentimental about Sir Henry, since Sir Henry had no use for her. But Charlotte was his pet—he was vastly amused by her combination of great intelligence, great oddity, and great silence. He regularly took her for walks, just the two of them. He bought contraband sweets for her. And he read her his favorite poems and was tickled that she could immediately recite them back to him.
    â€œWhat makes you think he won’t?” asked Charlotte.
    â€œThe same reason I think he’d fly into a rage if he found Mamma having an affair. He might appear congenial, but he isn’t at all liberal in his thinking. Keep that in mind.”
    Charlotte nodded, looking rather sadly at the empty plate before her.
    It was the last time Livia saw Charlotte consume such a quantity of cake—or of any comestible, for that matter—in one sitting.

    The next few years brought a slew of unforeseen changes on Charlotte’s part. For one, she began to take an active interest in her wardrobe—studying fashion plates, trying on different combinations of petticoats and stockings, accompanying Lady Holmes to browse selections of lace and feathers.
    By extension, she paid far greater attention to her figure and stopped eating until she couldn’t swallow another bite. The day she asked for a second helping of carrots and then forewent pudding at the end of the meal, Livia drew her aside and asked