Larkrigg Fell Read Free

didn’t get these crazy ideas.’
    ‘You might like it. It might be beautiful.’
    ‘I might change my mind, abandon you and head south, over the blue horizon.’
    ‘Don’t say such a terrible thing, not even as a joke. You know how I need you. I couldn’t face anything without you beside me.’ The panic in the high-pitched voice was almost flattering, and tears welled in the soft eyes.
    ‘Oh, don’t be such a baby. Where else would I go? Besides, it’s too late. The Frobishers have gone without me.’ Sarah had glanced wearily around at the dull station buildings and applied fresh lipstick to her already scarlet mouth. ‘Who wants Venice when I can be in cold wet Lakeland?’ an unmistakable touch of asperity in her tone. Then she gave a sudden grin, as if by expressing the dark anger she had cleansed herself of ill humour and become agreeable again. ‘I’m here though, aren’t I?’
    ‘Under protest.’
    ‘Yeah. And at each other’s throats the whole damned time. Twins, my ass. Non-compatible, let alone non-identical. Now will you move? Pick up that flight bag and find us a taxi before I scream.’
    ‘Maybe we should have settled for college in Boston, after all.’
    ‘You’d have hated it. I’d have hated it. At least they’ve put the flags out for us. That’s nice.’
    ‘It’s for the Silver Jubilee.’
    ‘Why should you know so much all of a sudden?’
    ‘Mom warned me. She said if we were invited to any celebration parties to be sure and stand during the National Anthem.’
    ‘Right now it looks as if we won’t even be invited in for coffee.’ Both girls had suddenly found this extraordinarily funny and collapsed into a fit of the giggles. Sarah, for one, felt all the better for it. Then, ‘Whoops, a porter has arrived. He’s giving us the glad eye. Wait here while I go and chat him up.’
    She’d shaken out her jet black curls and sashayed over to the uniformed attendant, lips curving into her most winsome, poor-little-me smile, violet eyes teasing from beneath long lashes and after several seconds of stunned paralysis, the young man had been galvanised into action. Moments later the twins and their luggage had been stowed aboard a taxi.
    As they bowled out of the station, Beth had seen a bright yellow mini drive in, screech to a halt, and a girl with spiky blonde hair leap out and wave frantically at their retreating vehicle. Sarah was too busy lecturing to notice, so she sat back in the leather seat with a sigh and said nothing. It always seemed the easiest course.
     
    After ten minutes of fruitless rattling and knocking, Sarah gave up.
    ‘Come on.’
    ‘What?’
    She stood beside Beth, bursting with impatience as usual. ‘No point in hanging around. Doors and windows all locked and bolted. Nobody home. End of story.’
    Beth frowned, feeling very slightly let down. ‘But Meg...’
    ‘Has probably gone off to market or however sheep farmers spend their time. Not even Tam is here. Come on, will you?’ She tugged at her sister’s arm. ‘We can at least do some exploring.’
    ‘We ought to wait. I expect she’ll be back soon.’
    ‘Oh, do come on. Anything’s better than hanging about. The thought that the house is so near is beginning to tantalise even me. You wanted to see it, didn’t you? Our inheritance? Well, why not now?’ Cool, violet blue eyes gazed out over the fells as if they could make it appear out of nowhere.
    ‘Someone might be living there.’
    Sarah shook her head. ‘Nope. Mom says it’s been empty for years. Come on.’
    Now that she was faced with seeing the house, Beth was suddenly afraid. What if reality were nothing like her imagination? What if it were no more than an illusion, a fairy tale built up over years of childish dreaming? Still she hesitated, then realising Sarah meant to go without her, swiftly changed her mind. ‘Oh all right. Wait for me. I hope it isn’t too far, that’s all.’ She scrambled down from the wall, brushing the dust