Emily Feather and the Chest of Charms Read Online Free Page A

admitted. “And he never said he wanted to.”
    â€œWho never wanted to what?” their mother asked, coming past with an empty teacup and looking curiously at Lory. Their huge dog, Gruff, padded after her and nosed lovingly at Emily. He sniffed at Lory once and stepped back, his ears flattening. Emily scratched his chin and watched Lory trying to think what to say.
    Lory flushed painfully scarlet, the colour rising up from her neck like a tide.
    â€œThere’s a boy from school who likes her,” Emily explained. Then she frowned. Dan had somehow managed to avoid meeting Eva or Ash. She nibbled one fingertip. That felt a bit suspicious, a bit wrong. Was he avoiding them? And if so, why?
    And more to the point, how? The house was surrounded by guard spells so strong and sensitive that Emily’s dad could practically tell the postman’s life history. Dan shouldn’t have been able to sneak around without being noticed.
    â€œShut up, Emily,” Lory muttered. “You’re such a little busybody. It’s nothing, Mum. Just ignore her.” She hurried out of the kitchen and upstairs, leaving Eva and Emily staring after her.
    â€œShe’s got a boyfriend?” Emily’s mum asked, raising her eyebrows in perfect arches.
    Emily shrugged. “No-oo. Maybe … I don’t think so. He likes her, Lark says. Lory wasn’t so sure, but now she’s always chatting to him… He wrote her a song, but it’s terrible.”
    Eva nodded slowly. “A boy… Maybe he could come over for dinner… Your dad would definitely want to meet him.” She sighed. “Yes. Dinner. Lovely. I’ll get Lory to tell him.”
    â€œMmm. Maybe…” But Emily was pretty sure Dan wouldn’t come. She left her mum making more tea – Eva was designing a new fabric print, and that meant she drank bathtubs full of tea – and went upstairs. Lark and Lory both had their doors firmly closed and there was music coming from behind both of them. So they weren’t in the same room, which was a bit worrying.
    Before Dan Hargreaves had turned up, the sisters were always together, stretched out on each other’s bedroom floors, gossiping or reading or singing along with the radio. It was as if Dan had planted himself in the middle, and now Lark and Lory couldn’t see each other properly any more.
    Suddenly cross, Emily banged on Robin’s bedroom door and then flung it open.
    â€œWatch it!” Robin cried. “You scared Brownie.” He was lying on his front on his bed, peering into his cupped hands.
    As Emily came closer, she saw that Robin was holding the tiny little chocolatey mouse. She giggled. Robin was also holding a chocolate digestive biscuit, which was about twice as big as the mouse was. It was melting. Both Robin and the mouse were staring up at her indignantly, and there was chocolate all over the mouse’s great moustache of white whiskers.
    â€œIs that what he’s called? Brownie?” Emily asked, kneeling on the floor next to the bed and looking at the mouse. He glared back at her suspiciously and then went back to nibbling the chocolate digestive.
    â€œMm-hm. I thought it was a good name. And it fits. They’re definitely his favourite food.”
    â€œShouldn’t he be eating normal mouse stuff?” Emily suggested. “Like, sunflower seeds? And peanuts?”
    â€œHe likes peanut butter fudge,” said Robin.
    â€œNo! I mean just peanuts. I don’t think mice are supposed to eat sweets.”
    â€œThis one is.” Robin shrugged slightly. “I did buy him some mouse food. I added it on to Mum’s online shopping order without her noticing. Don’t tell her about him, will you? She doesn’t like mice.”
    â€œOK. Didn’t he take to the mice food then?”
    â€œNo. He sulked until I gave him a bag of Maltesers and two of Dad’s After Eights. Don’t tell Dad either,