Read Online Hyacinth (Suitors of Seattle) by Kirsten Osbourne - Free Book Online Page A

be able to do arithmetic and read well.  How else will you be able to get the best deal for your paintings and send Mama letters while you're off in New York or wherever you end up?"
    "I guess.  I'm just glad this is my last year."  Violet followed Hyacinth into her bedroom collapsing on her bed.  "What's it like to kiss a man?"
    Hyacinth blushed again.  "I can't talk to you about that, Vi.  Mama would kill me."
    "I wonder how she'd react to you having him in the house late at night when no one else was up.  I'll have to ask her how she feels about that."
    "Are you trying to blackmail me?"
    Violet nodded emphatically.  "I absolutely am.  Is it working?"
    Hyacinth sighed.  "I'll explain to Mama what happened.  She'll understand."
    "She will?  Why was he in the house anyway?"
    Hyacinth grinned.  "I was afraid Mr. Simpson was going to start using his head for target practice."
    Violet threw back her head and laughed, the sound filling the small bedroom.  "His singing wasn't...pleasant."
    "I don't know what got into him.  I swear six days out of the week, he seems like such a normal levelheaded man.  But the seventh day, he turns into a raving lunatic.  I don't have any clue what to expect on that seventh day every week."
    Violet frowned.  "It happens on the same day every week?"
    Hyacinth nodded.  "Odd isn't it?"
    "What day?"
    "Tuesdays.  He's always odd on Tuesdays."
    Violet tilted her head to the side and thought about her sister's words.  "Maybe you should start staying in on Tuesdays."
    "I already do!  That's my day to spend the day with Mama and we shop or spend time at home, whatever she wants to do.  He always seems to do something odd anyway."
    Violet frowned.   "Well, what did he do last Tuesday?"
    "Nothing out of the ordinary for a change."
    "The Tuesday before that?" Violet needed examples to really understand what her sister was talking about.
    "He bought me flour."
    "Flowers?  What's odd about that?"
    Hyacinth shook her head.  "No, he bought me flour.  Like baking flour."
    Violet drew her brows together in surprise.  "Yes, that's odd.  Very odd."
    "He brought me a lot of it.  Like bags and bags full."
    "Why?"
    Hyacinth shrugged.  "Something about some wonderful advice he'd received?  I have no real idea to be honest with you."
    "Hmm...I'll have to think on this.  And no, I won't really tell Mama.  You're too old for me to tell tales."
    "I'm glad you realize that." Hyacinth removed her dressing gown and climbed under the covers while Violet stood up.  "Sleep well!"
    "You too.  Is he going to be at Aunt Harriett's for Christmas?"
    Hyacinth nodded, biting her lip.  "I made him a small gift.  I had no idea what to do for a man who has just started courting me."  She didn't mention the pen she'd purchased.  She wanted to give that to him privately, from one writer to another.
    "Oh, I would just paint him a landscape or something.  It's too bad you don't have any talents."  Violet left the room, the door clicking closed behind her.
    Hyacinth felt tears come to her eyes.  She was so overlooked in her own family they didn't even know she was a good writer.  Of course, she'd worked hard to be that overlooked, but they should think she was talented in some ways, shouldn't they?  They shouldn't dismiss her out of hand.
    She put her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, but sleep was a long time coming.  She was going to have to tell them all eventually.
     
    *****
     
    Lawrence met them at Aunt Harriett and Uncle Max's house just before noon on Christmas day.  Hyacinth clutched the scarf she'd knitted for him, all wrapped in brown paper.  She only hoped he wasn't disappointed by it.   The pen was in her coat pocket to give him when they had a private moment.
    He saw her come in from across the room where he was talking with Amaryllis, who had been surprised to see him, and her surprisingly jealous husband, Alex.  "I'm here at your aunt's invitation," he explained to Amaryllis