***

After a hearty breakfast of sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast with fried mushrooms on the side, complete with a pot of tea between the two of them, Arthur and Caleb finally shared how they got there.

Turned out a farmer who rented land from us had been digging a huge lake for his ducks and geese, so he came to the road with a water pump and pumped some of the water into it, clearing it enough for vehicles to pass.

I didn’t understand the ins and outs of it, and I wasn’t going to ask.

Caleb had called Arthur to see if there was any access, and after Arthur had found out from the farmer, Caleb had shown up at his cottage in his old Land Rover and told him to get in.

Basically.

I liked to imagine it was a Mean Girls kind of thing.

It gave me hope that there was village-wide access… A hope Arthur quickly dashed.

“I’m afraid not, milady. The Fox and Hound is cut off, albeit after a rescue mission. Their fishing lake burst its banks.”

Great.

Miles stilled. “Is everyone there okay?”

“Quite so, Mr. Kingsley,” Arthur replied. “The hotel is on higher ground and has never flooded in its history, unless you count the time the pipes failed.”

Which had nothing to do with a storm, so nobody did.

“Your grandfather is there, am I correct? We did check in on them before we left this morning—they don’t have power, but their generators are working safely. They’re well equipped for this weather, Mr. Kingsley.”

Miles nodded. “I’m sure they are. I’d like to get home all the same. Is the road still accessible?”

“To your property, yeah,” Caleb responded. “But you won’t get much past that, sorry to say. If you need a hand getting there, I have no problem running you home if you don’t have a four-wheel drive. The roads are rough right now, potholes everywhere.”

He did not have a four-wheel drive.

And for what it was worth, potholes were always everywhere.

“He doesn’t,” I offered helpfully. “I had to winch him out of the water last night.”

Miles shot me a dark look.

“Let me make a call or two, Mr. Kingsley,” Arthur said, standing up. “It won’t take me long to find out.”

Caleb looked at me when Arthur left. “Have you seen the animals at all?”

I shook my head. “I’m afraid I haven’t. After you put them away, I hurt my ankle, and we’ve not long had power. It went out around five last night, so we thought it prudent to eat a hot meal before heading out in the rain.”

“Right. I’m done here, so as soon as Arthur returns and we know if Caleb’s car can pass to the village, I’ll get that sorted for you. Do you know when his lordship will return?”

I know this was my life, but it did feel rather Downton Abbey sometimes.

“I don’t,” I said, ignoring how Miles bristled. “I’ve been trying to get through, but I’m hoping either Aunt Cat or Dad will contact me this morning. It would be helpful to know about the state of the roads.”