Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 Read Online Free PDF Page B

put milk in it?’
    â€˜Yes, of course. I always have milk in my tea – and two sugars,’ Millie replied.
    â€˜No wonder it tastes awful.’ Alice-Miranda grinned. ‘You’re supposed to drink it on its own. I guarantee you’ll like it better that way.’
    â€˜How was I supposed to know that?’ Millie set the cup back down. ‘Why did they put milk on the tray?’
    â€˜I think it was for the rice porridge,’ Alice-Miranda said, casting her eye over the breakfast items. ‘I only know about green tea because Mummy’s a big fan. I hated it to start with but it’s one of those things that the more you try it the more you’ll like it – I think. Wait until you have green tea ice-cream.’
    Jacinta shuddered. ‘That sounds truly –’ She stopped as the little girl on the table next to her began to howl.
    â€˜What’s this ?’ The girl waved a piece of fish in the air. ‘And why can’t I have a fork? Chopsticks are stupid.’
    â€˜Not as stupid as you,’ her brother snapped.
    â€˜Cadence, stop playing with your food,’ her mother whispered. ‘Please.’ The woman looked over and gave Alice-Miranda and her friends an apologetic smile.
    The boy was now flicking grains of rice at his sister and singing a rude song about how smelly her feet were. The father continued to read his book.
    Jacinta closed her mouth and picked up her own cup of green tea.
    Millie noticed Jacinta’s appalled expression and laughed. ‘It’s like looking in a mirror, isn’t it?’
    â€˜No,’ Jacinta gulped. ‘I’ve changed, and please tell me I was never that bad. Was I?’
    Millie grinned.
    Hugh Kennington-Jones beckoned for the girls to join them. ‘Have you made some new friends?’ he asked, peering at the family on the other side of the room.
    â€˜No way,’ said Jacinta. ‘Those children are revolting.’
    Millie gave a sly wink. ‘Even worse than Jacinta.’
    Ambrosia looked up and smiled. ‘Really, Millie? Is that possible?’
    Jacinta glared at her mother.
    â€˜I was just joking, darling. Surely you know that by now.’ Ambrosia Headlington-Bear reached out and grabbed Jacinta around the middle, pulling her onto the floor and into her lap.
    Jacinta rolled her eyes.
    â€˜We should get moving. What about you girls have a quick bath and then you can head off with your father,’ Cecelia suggested.
    â€˜I think it will be a shower in that funny little tub of ours,’ Alice-Miranda replied. ‘What are you doing today, Mummy?’
    â€˜I’m afraid Ambrosia and I have quite a few meetings scheduled this week but we should be able to catch up for lunches, and I’ve set aside some time for a few special things.’
    â€˜I’m looking forward to having the girls to myself,’ Hugh said.
    â€˜Have you decided what we’re doing, Daddy?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
    â€˜I’m pretty flexible, but I thought today we could have a look at the Senso-ji Temple, and later in the week we can go to the Imperial Palace gardens, and I thought we might visit the Tokyo Tower too.’
    â€˜Maybe we should write a list,’ Millie suggested. ‘I saw in my guidebook that there’s a children’s museum. And what about a sumo tournament?’
    â€˜Good plan,’ said Hugh.
    â€˜Sumo? Yuck! Who wants to see fat men in nappies wrestling?’ Jacinta screwed up her face.
    â€˜Come on, Jacinta, it’s not something you see every day,’ Hugh grinned. ‘And those fellows train really hard, you know. I think it would be fun.’
    â€˜Well, you and Millie can go. I’ll sit that one out,’ Jacinta told her friends.
    â€˜All right, girls, off you go and get dressed,’ Cecelia said.
    The three children scampered upstairs, chatting about the day ahead.
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    Kiko opened her eyes and wondered for