The Dashwood Sisters Tell All Read Online Free Page B

Mimi threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He flushed and looked uncomfortable, but then gently returned her hug.
    “Hello, Meems. How are you?”
    I’d forgotten how easily he’d picked up on my nickname for my sister. Just as I’d forgotten how he’d had her pegged from the moment he met her.
    “A sweet kid,” he’d said. “But a little…enthusiastic, isn't she?” He hadn't meant it in an unkind way, and though I probably should have been ashamed, his assessment of her had validated my own quiet reserve.
    “What are you doing here?” Mimi finally released him. “It's been forever.”
    “Yes, it has.” He looked at me, and then at Mrs. Parrot, and I realized he was waiting for an introduction.
    “Mrs. Parrot? This is my friend Daniel Edwards. Daniel, this is Mrs. Parrot. She's the Austen expert on the tour.”
    “Glad to meet you,” Daniel said. “Now, if you all don't mind, I’d like to steal Ellen for a minute—”
    “Steal away!” Mimi practically shoved me into his arms. I caught my balance just in time.
    I wasn't so easily disposed of though. “Will you be giving us an introduction to the tour this evening?” I asked Mrs. Parrot. It was the only way I could think of to avoid private conversation with Daniel. Even without factoring in the diary, the impact of seeing him again still had me reeling, and I wasn't ready for another tête-à-tête.
    “I’ll present a brief overview,” Mrs. Parrot answered. “Some of the information may be repetitive for many of the participants, but I find it's best that we all start on the same page, as it were.”
    The same page of what? I still couldn't shake the feeling that Mrs. Parrot knew about the diary.
    “I think it's time to take our seats for dinner,” Daniel said. He put a hand lightly on the center of my back. “We’re at this table over here.”
    His proprietary air, as courteous as it was, nettled me. I hadn't seen this man in more than fifteen years, and here he was acting as if it was only yesterday that he’d left me behind to live his own life.
    I didn't want to make a scene though. I had to spend the next five days with all of these people, and true to my nature, I preferred to dodge the conflict rather than address it.
    I allowed Daniel to steer me to the table, but when we got there, I turned to my sister. “Mimi? Why don't you sit here?” I pointed to the chair on my right. “And Mrs. Parrot? How about here?” I pulled back the chair to my left.
    Mimi looked exasperated, as if I was clueless as to Daniel's intentions. “But—”
    I pulled out my own chair and sat down. “This is wonderful, isn't it?” The forced note of cheer in my voice probably didn't fool anybody.
    Mimi shot me a funny look, and Daniel shrugged. He took the chair on the other side of Mrs. Parrot. I shook out my napkin, placed it in my lap, and settled in for a very long evening of pretending.

CHAPTER FOUR
    I somehow managed to make dinner conversation with Mimi and Mrs. Parrot, with the occasional comment to Daniel. After dessert, Mrs. Parrot rose to her feet, and Tom tapped his spoon against his glass. Everyone paused in their conversations. Since I was sitting right next to Mrs. Parrot, I scooted my chair back so I could see her. She cleared her throat, and I could only hope that she hadn't been the long-winded kind of university professor.
    “Tom has kindly asked me to give you a brief overview of the tour,” she said. “I know that some of you are here for Jane Austen, while others are simply interested in walking the beautiful Hampshire countryside. This is the inaugural Jane Austen tour for the company, so we want it to be a great success.”
    There was a general murmur of assent and some head nodding. I looked at Mimi, thinking we might exchange a conspiratorial glance, but she was whispering something to Ethan, who had claimed the seat on the other side of her.
    “We believe we can accommodate everyone's needs, whatever your preference