“Not as such, I don’t think. I think you’d have to go out into the grounds and forage for nuts and berries.”

“I can forage. And I love nuts and berries. Mom says I was a bear in a previous life.”

“Well, I guess we’ve solved the problem, then.” He laughed, then stopped, remembering that he was the older one, to whom she had come for advice. “You know what I’d really do if I were you?” he said. “I’d give my brain the afternoon off. It’s a beautiful day—why don’t you get on that bike and go for a good long ride, get some fresh air and exercise, maybe find some animals to look at?”

“You mean the zoo?” Lulu wrinkled her nose. She was not sure whether she approved of the zoo any more than of pet shops. Besides, it was summer and would doubtless be full of more people.

“Or just go to the park and watch the ducks,” he said. “Everything doesn’t have to be as big a deal as you seem to want to make it. There are animals everywhere, if you look. Just go and hang out for a while. And, uh …” He paused and sipped at his coffee. “We might not tell your mom about the hermit thing, okay?”

“I don’t think she’d see the funny side,” Lulu agreed.

When she arrived at home a few hours later, she found Sophie sitting bolt upright in the living room, her hands folded demurely on her lap, a spot of color blazing in each cheek.

“Good afternoon, Lulu,” she said. “Has anything of interest transpired for you today? I’ve had a fairly humdrum sort of a time myself. I got up … brushed my teeth … fixed some food … watered the busy Lizzie”—suddenly, she leaped to her feet with a shriek of joy—“heard that I’ve landed the part on St. Luke’s!”

“You haven’t!” Her worries abruptly obliterated, Lulu caught her sister around the waist and led her in a triumphant waltz around the room. St. Luke’s was one of the most popular hospital shows on television, more popular by far than Sawbones. “That’s amazing, Soph, I am so proud of you!”

“Maggie’s just phoned to tell me.” Sophie seized the back of a chair and beat a triumphant tattoo with her fists. “Is she the best agent in the entire universe, or what? I knew it was good news straight away because she had her happy voice on. It’s really good, Lulu, because Dr. Brodie gets wrongly charged with sexual harassment, and I play a nurse who stands up for him. Three good scenes with other nurses and—get this—a four-minute two-hander with Colin, just him and me in a room.”

“Just you and Dr. Broody?” Lulu laughed and poked at her sister with a mischievous finger: Colin Hobbes, the dark-haired actor who played St. Luke’s maverick young registrar, was the material of many young women’s dreams. “Emma’s going to be jealous.”

“He’s a very good actor, actually.” Sophie frowned her disapproval of Lulu’s tone. Then brightened. “And four minutes is great because it pretty much guarantees a close-up. And I’m a nurse, not a sad old patient like they wanted on Sawbones, which means I don’t die or get discharged, so I might even be asked back if I do well enough. I report on set three weeks today. Oh, Lulu, this is so exciting!”