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L ucy changed into something more suitable for their planned adventure and waited until the men arrived around twelve-thirty. After buying hamburgers from one of the local shops in Katoomba, they drove to Scenic World to eat while looking out across the beautiful Jamison Valley.

Once lunch was finished, they caught the Scenic Railway down into the valley. The boys convinced Lucy to be daring. Waiting until the three could sit in the front carriage, they set their seat to ‘cliff-hanger’, which meant for them the ride would be at a steep sixty-four-degree incline.

It was the steepest passenger railway in the world and traveled down three hundred and ten meters through a short tunnel in the cliffside, emerging into the Jamison Valley floor and the ancient rain forest.

As they began the descent, Lucy thought it was fine until they dropped almost vertically into the valley. Gripping both men’s hands, Lucy screamed, partly in delight but mainly in sheer terror as they zoomed down into the rain forest below.

Their white-knuckle ride came to a halt and Jack grinned at Lucy’s face.

“Didn’t you like that?” Jack was almost doubled over with laughter.

Lucy thumped him on the arm. “I’m never going to ride on this bloody railway again. That’s terrifying!”

Lucy had been frightened, but at the same time she’d loved the whole scary experience.

Jack shook the hand she’d been gripping on the way down. He rubbed it dramatically. “I won’t be able to ever use my hand again. Look at it!”

She shook her head and looked at Sebastian, who grinned at her. “My ears are ringing, Lou. I never realized you could scream that loud.”

Lucy stuck out her tongue and went to move aside, but Sebastian grabbed her tightly around the waist, pulling her close. His whispered voice against her ear sent shivers down her spine.

“Maybe five slaps on that pretty arse of yours will remind you I’m the boss.”

She looked up at him, her breath held.

He raised an eyebrow and grinned sardonically before releasing her. He had never suggested punishing her, but now that he had, she could understand exactly what Jack meant.

Hell! That actually excited me!

Nothing else regarding punishment was said, and they wandered along the tracks through the breathtaking Jurassic rain forest.

Jack acted his usual crazy self. At one point, he went ahead of the other two then jumped out from behind a huge tree fern, roaring.

Lucy screamed and clung to Sebastian as Jack continued his T-Rex imitation. He redeemed himself when he gave her a piggy-back ride at one point, which ended with her in a fit of giggles.

Sebastian wrapped his long arms across both their necks as they looked at the old mining history in the area.

The walk was wonderful and Lucy wished it would never end.

Wandering through the forest, they went on to some of the walking tracks.

Mindful of the fact that Lucy was out of condition, they only went on the shorter, one-hour walk before catching the cableway back up to the top.

Doing the touristy thing, they drove around to the nearby lookout to see the Three Sisters in all their majesty. Lucy felt no matter how many times she saw them, they never lost their magic.

Sebastian took photographs then told them the Three Sisters were really a Dreamtime story about three sisters. ‘ Meehni ’, ‘ Wimlah ’, and ‘ Gunnedoo ’ who lived in the Jamison Valley.

“The Gundungurra tribe were the Aboriginal traditional owners and custodians of the area. Once there were seven pillars, but over the eons they’ve crumbled away.”

“Did they have a name when there were seven, Seb?” Lucy asked.

“Sure. The seven were Gundungurra’s Muggadah or ‘Seven Sisters Dreaming’. They were linked to the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades star cluster.”

“Oh wow.”

Sebastian grinned at Lucy and tucked her under his arm. He then took Jack’s hand. “Let’s go find somewhere to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Me too, Seb. What about you, Lucy?”

“Yep. Starving.”

They ate a late dinner at one of the many bistros in the area, and it was close to ten-thirty when they dropped Lucy back home after arranging a date for the next day.