Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

There's Nothing a Best Friend Won't Do

Will found himself quite glad that he had a mother-in-law like Ruth. Not only had she practically bribed the hotel into making them a decent spread for dinner, but they had sent a basket of food to the rail car for them in the morning. The rail car itself had been cleaned and polished, the alcohol behind the bar locked up and an array of bottled drinks taking its place. A stove that Will hadn't even known existed had been brought out and lit, so that when their party got inside the car was as toasty warm as the hotel had been. Will sighed, shoving his coat off. "Now, this is the way to travel."

"You did take this out here." Ruth remarked, letting her coat join his on the rack on the wall.

He chuckled, "I didn't know about that stove though." He looked over to Ana, who was unbuttoning her own coat. He lifted the shoulders of it, slipping it over her arms. "We shouldn't even need a blanket, don't you think so?"

Ana smiled, "Oh yes, it's so warm. In fact I almost feel like I should take off the extra petticoat I put on." Will snorted, because if they had been alone he would have offered to help with that. But with Ruth, Reggie, Louise and Rigel filling the car it was certainly not the time. The others didn't seem to have heard her though, and Will took the opportunity to let his hands linger on her shoulders after he had set her coat aside. Ana brought a hand up to cover his, "Now, Will, not when everyone is around."

Reggie smirked, "Oh, we don't mind ma'am. Don't forget, we were with you on your honeymoon." Ana blushed a bit at that, although it was swiftly forgotten as the train lurched to life. Breakfast was quickly distributed, and Reggie and Louise begged off to go walk along the rest of the train. Will, with Ana beside him, was looking forward to a quiet trip back when he heard a drawer open.

Ruth, a triumphant grin on her face, fanned a deck of cards out before her. "Now, come along Anastasia. You have to get better at poker sometime." Will looked to Ana, expecting to see her lips purse and some comment about how she hated the game to come flying from her lips. But instead she held her hand out, taking the cards that Ruth extended towards her.

Will snatched the rest of the deck, "Well, then I'll deal so you can teach her." He kept an eye on his wife as he dealt out Ruth's hand and the other cards. After the first hand he looked to Ana, her brow furrowed as she considered her cards. He gently touched her leg with his foot, "Remember the night we played with the Lightollers?" She blushed at that, a smile breaking out. "I think I had a similar hand to you during the third round, do you remember what I did?"

"I'll call." Ana smirked at her mother, who was currently staring at Will.

Her voice was brittle. "Are you helping her cheat?"

"No," He chuckled, "I'm simply helping Ana learn to be a better player." He continued offering advice to Ana throughout that hand, and making it very obvious to Ruth that he was cheating through her. Ruth slowly grew more and more red faced, and Will was quite sure he heard he cursing at him. He smiled through it all, tapping Ana's foot with his. "Your mother is sounding quite a bit like Sylvie."

"I didn't know she played." Ruth looked at him over her cards. "Is she any good?"

"Very," Ana spoke up, tapping Will's foot with her own. "She fleeced me that night." Ruth seemed to notice her daughter's smile, and a good portion of the trip was spent with them reminiscing about visiting the Lightollers. The cards were eventually set aside, and Ana smiled wistfully. "I would like to see them again, I'm quite sure Sylvie has had her little girl by now."

Will started, "Oh, damn it. I completely forgot to tell you." He couldn't help the bit of pride for his friend in his voice. "I saw Charles when I was in Southampton, Sylvie had her a little while ago. Charles told me her name, Mavis."