eyelids started to droop. I needed to stay awake, and alert so I tried to fight my sleepiness.
I stared at the door, watching the shadowy patterns, made by the trees outside, move across the surface.
But no one came.
Chapter 15
Eventually, I must have fallen asleep because I woke to bright sunlight streaming in through the window and Caroline knocking on the door.
“Lucy, are you there? Did you lock the door?”
I opened the door. “Sorry. I locked it last night.”
“Why?” Caroline asked.
I sat back on the bed. “Sleepwalking.”
“Sleepwalking here? But I thought it hadn’t happened for ages.”
I hadn’t told Caroline about the time I woke up outside in the middle of a storm at Freddie’s. “Last night, I was sleepwalking, and I went downstairs, and your parents found me. It was so embarrassing.”
“I didn’t hear a thing. Maybe I should sleep in here with you tonight,” Caroline said, pulling me into a hug. “You poor old thing. Perhaps it was because it was your first night in a new place.”
I nodded. “Probably.” I didn’t really know what else to say. It was unlikely I would be staying at Staverton tonight. Lawrence made it quite clear I wasn’t welcome, and I wasn’t particularly enamoured with him either. The house may have lived up to my dreams, but Caroline’s family definitely hadn’t.
***
I hoped to avoid Caroline’s father all day. I thought, by the time I dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, he would have left for work already.
But he hadn’t.
Caroline led the way into the dining room. The table was set with china and silver cutlery, and a smaller table set back against the wall was laden with plates of food. Bacon, sausages, beans, toast and fruit. It was like having breakfast in a hotel. Magdalena must have been up early to prepare all this for just the four of us.
“Morning, Daddy,” Caroline said as we entered the room.
Lawrence stood by the serving table, helping himself to rashers of crispy bacon. “Good morning, girls.”
I heard animosity in his tone and looked up. I wished I hadn’t. His bushy, black eyebrows lowered over his hard eyes.
“I’m going to ask Magdalena to make me an omelet,” Caroline said. “Do you want one, Lucy?”
I looked at the extravagant amount of food spread out in front of us. Surely, this was enough choice for anyone. “I’ll have something from the table, thanks.”
Caroline shrugged and walked out of the dining room. I watched her leave, and for a moment, considered running after her. Now I was alone with Lawrence.
Hoping to avoid conversation, I took my time looking over the breakfast items. I picked up a plate from a stack next to the fruit bowl and selected a croissant. I turned slightly and saw Lawrence was sitting at the head of the table.
“There’s orange juice and coffee. Please, help yourself.”
His voice made me jump. I made my way over to the table and sat down on his right. “Thank you.”
I tried to keep my hand steady as I reached for the jug of orange juice and poured a glass.
“I trust you slept well,” Lawrence said. “Eventually.”
My head snapped up. Why did he have to be so nasty? It wasn’t as if I purposefully went sleepwalking just to annoy him.
Before he could say anything else, Caroline walked back into the dining room. Lawrence finished his coffee in one large gulp, and said he had to leave for London.
After he left, I picked at my croissant while Caroline waited for Magdalena to bring her omelet.
“Dad’s late today. He normally leaves before eight,” Caroline said.
“That might be my fault.”
“Oh, because of the sleepwalking, you mean?”
I nodded.
“Well it isn’t your fault, don’t worry about it. Did Mother come down too?”
“Yes, she said she heard a scream. But it wasn’t me.”
“I didn’t hear a thing,” Caroline said as a harassed looking Magdalena came in the room with her omelet.
I waited until Magdalena left and then leaned forward.
I stared at the door, watching the shadowy patterns, made by the trees outside, move across the surface.
But no one came.
Chapter 15
Eventually, I must have fallen asleep because I woke to bright sunlight streaming in through the window and Caroline knocking on the door.
“Lucy, are you there? Did you lock the door?”
I opened the door. “Sorry. I locked it last night.”
“Why?” Caroline asked.
I sat back on the bed. “Sleepwalking.”
“Sleepwalking here? But I thought it hadn’t happened for ages.”
I hadn’t told Caroline about the time I woke up outside in the middle of a storm at Freddie’s. “Last night, I was sleepwalking, and I went downstairs, and your parents found me. It was so embarrassing.”
“I didn’t hear a thing. Maybe I should sleep in here with you tonight,” Caroline said, pulling me into a hug. “You poor old thing. Perhaps it was because it was your first night in a new place.”
I nodded. “Probably.” I didn’t really know what else to say. It was unlikely I would be staying at Staverton tonight. Lawrence made it quite clear I wasn’t welcome, and I wasn’t particularly enamoured with him either. The house may have lived up to my dreams, but Caroline’s family definitely hadn’t.
***
I hoped to avoid Caroline’s father all day. I thought, by the time I dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, he would have left for work already.
But he hadn’t.
Caroline led the way into the dining room. The table was set with china and silver cutlery, and a smaller table set back against the wall was laden with plates of food. Bacon, sausages, beans, toast and fruit. It was like having breakfast in a hotel. Magdalena must have been up early to prepare all this for just the four of us.
“Morning, Daddy,” Caroline said as we entered the room.
Lawrence stood by the serving table, helping himself to rashers of crispy bacon. “Good morning, girls.”
I heard animosity in his tone and looked up. I wished I hadn’t. His bushy, black eyebrows lowered over his hard eyes.
“I’m going to ask Magdalena to make me an omelet,” Caroline said. “Do you want one, Lucy?”
I looked at the extravagant amount of food spread out in front of us. Surely, this was enough choice for anyone. “I’ll have something from the table, thanks.”
Caroline shrugged and walked out of the dining room. I watched her leave, and for a moment, considered running after her. Now I was alone with Lawrence.
Hoping to avoid conversation, I took my time looking over the breakfast items. I picked up a plate from a stack next to the fruit bowl and selected a croissant. I turned slightly and saw Lawrence was sitting at the head of the table.
“There’s orange juice and coffee. Please, help yourself.”
His voice made me jump. I made my way over to the table and sat down on his right. “Thank you.”
I tried to keep my hand steady as I reached for the jug of orange juice and poured a glass.
“I trust you slept well,” Lawrence said. “Eventually.”
My head snapped up. Why did he have to be so nasty? It wasn’t as if I purposefully went sleepwalking just to annoy him.
Before he could say anything else, Caroline walked back into the dining room. Lawrence finished his coffee in one large gulp, and said he had to leave for London.
After he left, I picked at my croissant while Caroline waited for Magdalena to bring her omelet.
“Dad’s late today. He normally leaves before eight,” Caroline said.
“That might be my fault.”
“Oh, because of the sleepwalking, you mean?”
I nodded.
“Well it isn’t your fault, don’t worry about it. Did Mother come down too?”
“Yes, she said she heard a scream. But it wasn’t me.”
“I didn’t hear a thing,” Caroline said as a harassed looking Magdalena came in the room with her omelet.
I waited until Magdalena left and then leaned forward.
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