“So if you’re willing to take some advice from an expert,” Lucy began, and Juliet rolled her eyes.
“Here we go.”
“Don’t stay in bed all day. It’s tempting, I know, but you only feel worse when you do eventually get up.”
“Maybe I won’t ever get up,” Juliet countered. The prospect still held a definite appeal.
“Seriously, Juliet.” Juliet took another sip of tea to hide the discomfort she felt at seeing Lucy’s face all soft with compassion. Her sister could afford to feel charitable, she thought with a tired spurt of bitterness. Her life was going swimmingly. “Whydon’t we do something today?” Lucy suggested. “Get out, go somewhere.”
“Where? The only thing to do around here is hike.” That wasn’t really true, but Juliet didn’t feel like listing the charms of the Western Lake District at the moment. She didn’t feel like seeing the charms of anything or anywhere.
“We could go on the miniature steam train,” Lucy said, and Juliet stared at her in disbelief.
“The La’al Ratty? That’s for children.”
“It’s not. I mean, yes, children enjoy it, but so can adults. I read the brochure several times when I went to Ravenglass.”
“When were you in Ravenglass?”
“One weekend when—oh, when I was kicking around.” When she would have rather been anywhere than with her, Juliet filled in silently. She wasn’t even surprised. She’d been awful to Lucy when she’d first arrived; she wasn’t that much better now.
Sighing, she placed the mug of tea back on the bedside table. “I don’t know.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun, and it’s better than moping around here.”
“Don’t you have plans with Alex?” Juliet asked, a bit waspishly, and Lucy’s expression went from startled to guarded.
“No, why would I?”
“Something happened last night.” She didn’t make it a question.
Lucy shrugged. “He kissed me,” she admitted. “And it was . . .” Her mouth curved in a smile that lit up her whole face.
“Don’t tell me,” Juliet said with a groan. She sank back against the pillows. “I don’t think I can stand to hear about your little romance just now.”
“All right, then get up and we’ll go on the Ratty. And I promise we won’t talk about men, any men, all day long.”
It took Juliet a while to get up, and even longer to get ready; her head felt fuzzy, her brain disconnected from her body. She managed finally to shower and dress, and an hour after Lucy had brought her the tea, they were outside heading for the train station.
The day was dark and gray, a chill, damp wind buffeting them as they walked with their hands dug into the pockets of their coats, their heads lowered against the onslaught.
Lucy, thankfully, seemed content just to be, and Juliet’s head was aching so much she didn’t think she could manage to put two coherent—or civil—words together.
The train pulled away from Hartley-by-the-Sea and she watched the choppy waves froth and foam as they rode down the coast. At Ravenglass they walked up the hill to the La’al Ratty, tiny and forest green, filled with families even on this less-than-glorious day.
Lucy bought them both coffees at the station café and they managed to find seats in the part of the train that was under cover, sitting opposite each other so that Juliet’s knees were jammed up against Lucy’s.
“Well, this is cozy,” she said dryly, and took a sip of coffee.
“Have you been on the La’al Ratty before?” Lucy asked.
“No.” The La’al Ratty was for tourists and families, not for sour single women who screwed up everything in their lives. But she wasn’t going to wallow in self-pity. Not today, at least.
The whistle blew and with a chugging sound the train started to move off. Juliet gazed out at the rolling fields and gray-green fells cloaked in mist and felt her mood start imperceptibly to lift.
“Thank you,” she said abruptly, and Lucy’s eyebrows rose. “I know I don’t seem appreciative, and I can be quite a difficult person,” Juliet continued. “But I am grateful that you got me out of bed and brought me here.” She swallowed and added, “You’re a good sister to me, Lucy.” Lucy blinked rapidly and Juliet rolledher eyes. “Now don’t go getting all blubbery on me.Honestly,” she said.
“I won’t.” With a smile Lucy dabbed her eyes. “But do you know, that’s the first time you haven’t called me your half sister?”
