If I didn’t, it would stick up everywhere, and I’d look like I’d stuck my finger in a plug socket.

I was feeling much warmer now, if still in pain. I hadn’t taken any painkillers or bandaged my ankle since I’d fallen nearly an hour ago, and I was severely regretting my life choices up until this point.

I hobbled back out into the hallway with my phone in my hand, pausing when it pinged.

AUNT CAT: Everything ok?

I leaned against the wall to take the weight off my ankle while I replied.

ME: Ok. Not a lot of signal. Roads flooding, Miles is stuck here w/me.

AUNT CAT: Why is he stuck with you?

ME: He didn’t get the msg to leave when I sent everyone home.

AUNT CAT: Ok.

AUNT CAT: Use protection.

ME: It’s not like that. I made up a spare room for him.

AUNT CAT: There are condoms in the bottom drawer of my bedside table.

Okay.

I wasn’t even replying to that.

One, I didn’t want to.

Two, why the hell did she have condoms in her bedroom?

Actually, do you know what? I didn’t want to know. That was a line of inquiry that was a very slippery slope, and one I happened to have absolutely no desire to slide on down, thank you kindly.

“Are you all right?”

I jolted at the sound of Miles’ voice. “Gosh, you scared me.”

“Sorry. I thought you knew I was here.”

“No, I was just—never mind.” I shook my head. “Nobody else needs those visuals.”

He quirked one eyebrow but didn’t ask. “Have you sorted your foot yet?”

“Between my heroic rescue of one hard-headed, stubborn gardener and a hot shower so I don’t lose my limbs to frostbite, no. Where does one find the time?”

“Funny.” He came over to me and offered me his arm. “Here. Let me help you. Do you know where a First Aid kit is? Or at least some painkillers?”

I winced as I pushed off the wall and accepted his offered arm. The lights flickered overhead, and I paused, looking up at them.

Great.

That was all we needed.

A power cut.

“There’s ibuprofen in the kitchen. Which, by the looks of it, we should get to pretty quickly before the power cuts out. There’s no telling when it’ll be back with the roads flooded.”

“Agreed.” Miles looked dubiously up at the lights as he helped me towards the stairs. “I don’t know why I thought you’d have torches on the walls like some kind of Tudor dungeon.”

“We do,” I replied, amused. “Mostly in the public area. It adds character, and people like it. It does also mean we have a very large stash of candles in one of the closets, so at least we won’t be in the dark if the power goes out.”

“What about cold? I can imagine this place gets freezing.”

“It does, but we have open fires and plenty of firewood and coal. Don’t worry.”