The Scarlet Kimono (Choc Lit) Read Online Free PDF Page A

about the house. She was forever hungry, which she hoped was a sign she was still growing. She peeked into the parlour on the first floor, where the food was being laid out on a serving table. Since no one was looking, she snatched a pastry off a plate to stop her belly from embarrassing her at an inopportune moment.
    ‘Hah, saw you!’ Her younger brother Edward came racing past, grabbing a pastry of his own while flashing her a cheeky grin. At fifteen, he was as tall as Hannah and just as skinny, and his appetite more than equalled hers.
    ‘Shh, you little worm, or we’ll both be caught,’ Hannah hissed. They shared an easy camaraderie and Hannah often escaped the house, when her mother wasn’t looking, to tag along with Edward and his friends down to the shore. She loved being outdoors rather than cooped up inside learning household management and wished she’d been born a boy. Edward had the kind of freedom she could only ever dream of.
    She tried to push such thoughts out of her mind. Today was a day for celebration and she had put on her best gown for the occasion. It was of a pretty shade of blue, which matched her eyes. Unfortunately, it did nothing whatsoever to enhance her figure though. If anything, it hid the few curves she possessed and brought back Kate’s unkind words. Hannah made a face. There was absolutely nothing she could do about it, so there was no use dwelling on it. Perhaps if she ate a lot she would grow some more? To that end, she stole one more pastry and crammed the whole thing into her mouth in one go.
    ‘Hannah? What are you doing now?’ Her mother’s exasperated voice startled Hannah and made her swallow too quickly so that the food stuck in her throat. She began to cough and her mother thumped her on the back none too gently. ‘That’s what greed does for you. Didn’t I ask you to keep an eye on the maids? Come now, let’s go downstairs.’
    ‘Yes, Mother.’ Hannah stopped coughing as they descended to the main hall, which was in the centre of the house. As soon as her mother turned away, however, she headed for the shadows underneath the stairs instead of going to the kitchen as requested. In her opinion, the poor maids had been harried enough as it was and she had no intention of adding to their already heavy burden.
    The guests began to arrive soon after and were greeted at the bottom of the stairs by Hannah’s parents. Josiah Marston was a large man, in every sense of the word. He had a scowl that usually procured instant obedience from family and employees alike. This evening, however, he was smiling and greeting his guests with evident pleasure and Hannah sighed.
    ‘Why does he never look at me that way?’ she muttered under her breath, but knew that such a thing wasn’t likely to happen. The only person in the entire household who could make him smile was Kate, his favourite. Nothing Hannah ever did could change that, she was sure.
    Her mother, every bit as formidable as her husband, although of much smaller stature, stood beside him. Her gaze was darting this way and that and nothing escaped Mistress Marston’s vigilance. More than one of the servants received a glare which sent them scurrying off on their business. Hannah shrank deeper into the shadows. Her mother was obviously determined that everything should be perfect this evening and Hannah would rather not be caught loitering once more.
    ‘Sir John! And Lady Forrester, how wonderful to see you again.’ Hannah’s mother was suddenly all smiles as the guests of honour arrived with their son and heir in tow. Hannah risked a peek and studied her sister’s betrothed critically. She’d seen him before, of course, but never really paid much attention since he wasn’t for her. Now she noticed he was of medium height and somewhat stocky, with a small mouth and receding chin. She had to admit he did look rather stupid, just as Kate had said. However, on closer examination his eyes didn’t have the vacuous stare