I jumped up and rushed to the light-switch, kicking the wine bottle over and standing on Digby’s paw in the process so that he yelped piteously. The switch clicked back and forth ineffectually and I was trying to think, to think calmly about where the bloody fusebox was, when the lights flickered and came back on. I laughed shakily.

‘I think I’m losing it,’ I informed Digby weakly, but he just stared up at me with reproving eyes, before licking his sore paw sorrowfully. I thought for a second and then I rushed down the hall to the kitchen, grabbing the phone to see if Val had had a power-cut – I’d ask if I could go over there anyway. There was no dial tone. I shook the receiver a few times in growing disbelief – but there was no sign of life at all. The phone line was dead.

Frantically I looked around for my mobile: I’d plugged it in to charge, only I couldn’t for the life of me remember where, and then all the lights flickered, flickered and went out again. It was entirely dark now. A sob of terror pushed its way out of me a bit like in that crashing coach. I called Digby in a hoarse kind of whisper because I was suddenly quite sure we weren’t alone; and then I thought I heard a car door slam. It was probably over by the pub: I should go there too, I needed to get to people. Groping along the worktop, finally I found the drawer where the torch should be and actually there it was, the torch. My fingers were so clammy they kept sliding off the switch, but eventually I slid it on and for once it was working, thank God. And then there was a noise outside and I peered out of the kitchen window – and my heart stood still as if it might never beat again.

Silhouetted in the silvery moonlight but shrouded by the bowing trees, a tall figure was walking across the drive. Then the moon slid behind a cloud again and the shape was lost.

I dove back into the kitchen’s darkness, although the man had been walking away from me. I waited for a second until I could breathe a little more calmly. Flicking the feeble beam around the room, I finally spied my mobile on the breadbin. Snatching it from its socket, I grabbed my car-keys from the hook.

I opened the back door cautiously but by now there were only shadows dancing under the moon, which was full and squat over the far hill. Inching towards my car, Digby suddenly hurtled between my feet and disappeared across the lawn, barking ecstatically at the stars.