Read Online The Emperor's New Clothes by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online

and a shower of odds and ends tumbled onto the bed, tiny tokens of Jenny’s unique childhood. Here rested a yellowed playbill from a long-ago Edwin Kendrake performance in a town since forgotten. There lay a bedraggled hair ribbon, a souvenir of a holiday celebrated when Edwin was alive and Ophelia’s role was simply that of daughter and sister, not provider and protector. Ophelia shook off the sense of nostalgia triggered by her sister’s mementos. Now was not the time for sentimentality.
    Jenny pawed impatiently through the items scattered on the bed, pushing aside the rag doll she’d carried in one hand when Edwin had found her and the child’s storybook she’d clutched with the other. Ophelia glanced at the meager remnants of her sister’s real family. Both were worn and tattered with years of loving. The doll bore Jenny’s name in fine needlework on its skirt, and the book was the story of The Emperor’s New Clothes . Ophelia’s gaze slid past the display, then jerked back as if pulled by an invisible string.
    The Emperor’s New Clothes .
    â€œJenny,” Ophelia said slowly, fighting to control the excitement rising inside her. “Hand me your book.”
    â€œMy book?” Jenny snatched the precious volume off the bed and held it tightly against her. “Why do you want it?”
    â€œJust an idea.” She gestured impatiently. “I won’t hurt it.”
    â€œYou’d better not.” Reluctantly, Jenny passed the worn edition to her sister. Ophelia couldn’t fault the girl for her protective nature regarding the book, but at this moment, the volume might have a greater significance for the future than the past.
    Ophelia paged through it quickly. She used to read the tale to Jenny nearly every night, but their eveningroutine had fallen off years ago. The story was just as she’d remembered.
    â€œWhat are you planning?” Jenny’s voice rang with suspicion.
    â€œI’m not exactly sure,” Ophelia murmured, her gaze darting from one page to the next. “Not yet anyway.”
    Jenny shook her head. “I don’t see why you’re so interested in my book all of a sudden. What are you looking for?”
    â€œI don’t know. I wonder….” She widened her eyes, and the thought simmering in the back of her mind blossomed into a full-fledged idea. A brilliant plot. One worthy of Shakespeare himself. She snapped the book shut and stared at her sister. “This is it!”
    â€œWhat is it?” Jenny’s voice rose in confusion.
    â€œThe answer to all our problems.” Ophelia hugged the book to her chest and twirled around the room, laughing with sheer exhilaration. “Don’t you see?”
    â€œNo.” Jenny shook her head helplessly.
    â€œThink about it, darling sister.” Ophelia spun to a stop and held the book out before her. “Tell me the story,” she demanded. “ The Emperor’s New Clothes . What’s it about?”
    â€œYou know what it’s about,” Jenny said cautiously.
    â€œNo!” Ophelia slapped the book’s cover with a resounding smack. “ You tell me.”
    â€œWell,” Jenny said slowly, “first, there’s an emperor who loves fine clothes.”
    â€œHe wants the very best, doesn’t he?”
    Jenny nodded.
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œAll right.” Jenny pulled her brows together thoughtfully. “Two tailors come to town claiming to be have the most wonderful material in the world. Magnificent fabric, worthy of the emperor himself.”
    â€œBut not everyone can see it, correct?” Ophelia prompted.
    â€œCorrect. Only people who were very clever and—what was it?” Jenny paused for a moment. “Oh, I remember, those who were worthy of their positions.”
    â€œAnd?” Ophelia said eagerly, waiting for Jenny to get to the point of the story.
    â€œAnd”—Jenny