Read Online Amelia by Siobhan Parkinson - Free Book Online Page A

giving her the silk party dress. And Grandmama always gave Amelia a crisp and sweet-smelling ten-shilling note for her birthday, which Papa whipped away immediately to lodge to Amelia’s bank account. So where could this have come from?
    Mama and Papa appeared together, just as Amelia was turning the little packet over. It was lumpy and heavy. ‘Happy birthday, darling!’ they said together, kissing and hugging their daughter. When they’d sat down, Amelia opened the little blue packet. It contained the loveliest gold watch on a golden chain that Amelia had ever seen. She slipped it over her head and turned the wrapping paper inside out, looking for a card or note to see where that lovely present could have come from.
    But there was no card. Amelia looked up enquiringly at Mama, who looked blankly back at her. Then she looked at Papa, whose eyes were looking extra blue, for no reason at all. ‘Was it you, Papa?’ she whispered.
    ‘Might have been,’ said Papa, pretending to be very interested in the toast rack, all of a sudden.
    ‘Oh, Papa!’ exclaimed Amelia, running to hug her father again.
    ‘Charles!’ said Mama, in an alarmed voice. ‘Charles, you know we can’t …’
    Amelia was amazed by her mother’s tone. She turned to look at her. ‘Is something wrong, Mama?’ she asked.
    ‘No, Amelia. Nothing. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I didn’t realise Papa had bought the watch.’ And she smiled at her daughter.
    But Amelia felt uneasy all the same. This exchange between her parents reminded her of something, but she couldn’t think what.
    ‘Thank you, Papa,’ she said quietly. ‘But you know it was extravagant. You’ve already got me the lovely new dress, and you’re giving the party.’
    ‘Dress! Party! That’s all very well,’ cried Papa. ‘But I couldn’t bear to think of my little princess with nothing to open on her birthday morning. Now, let’s all drink a birthday toast to Amelia.’
    ‘In coffee, Charles?’ said Mama.
    ‘Tea, coffee, milk … who cares? Here’s to Amelia. May this be your happiest birthday ever. And many happy returns of the day.’
    ‘Happy birthday, Amelia,’ said Mama with a smile, raising her coffee-cup.
    Papa leant over and clinked his coffee-cup against Amelia’s, and Edmund, overcome with the excitement, started to sing ‘Happy birthday to you!’ in his hoarse, wheezy voice.
    Amelia beamed on them all, and she felt just like a real princess, as she fingered her delicate gold chain and felt the weight of the gold watch, which was nestling against the front of her dress. She raised her cup regally and tried to say ‘Thank you all,’ but only a squeaking sound came out. She was so happy, she couldn’t speak.
    People with birthdays got off lightly at school. The teachers made a point of not asking them their lessons, so the morning passed pleasantly enough. The girls told each teacher in turn that they were all invited to Amelia’s party, and each teacher gallantly agreed to excuse them all from homework. The girls cheered as the teachers capitulated in turn to their request, and every time they did it, Amelia felt a glow inside. It was all because of her that everyone was so jolly.
    At lunchtime, in the school yard, the girls made a dash for Amelia. Two of them grabbed her under the armpits, and another two got hold of her ankles, and they heaved her from side to side, with her pinafore trailing on the ground. Amelia was laughing so much she couldn’t even yell at them to stop. Then they dropped her onto her bottom on the ground, thirteen times, once for every year, calling out the numbers and bumping her faster and faster as they approached thirteen. They were careful not to hurt her, but the final bump was quite a jolt all the same, as the girls let her go abruptly and then collapsed in a giggling heap on top of her. Amelia got a mouthful of Dorothea Jacob’s hair and Mary Webb’s elbow poked her in the eye.
    Gradually the squirming mass of