She hears a hoarse laugh. ‘If you count my freezing car as my parents. I’ve been trapped in the snow all night.’

Amber’s mouth drops open. ‘Oh my God, are you okay? Where are you?’

He coughs again. ‘Near the loch.’

‘There aren’t any lochs in the Peak District!’

‘Audhild Loch!’

Amber looks out at the distant loch, iced up and slathered with snow. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’

‘I’m trying to bloody find you!’

She shook her head. She couldn’t believe he’d come all this way for her.

Amber paces up and down the kitchen as Rosa and Lumin both look on, concerned. ‘Are you okay though? You sound terrible.’

‘I still seem to have my arms and legs,’ he joked back.

So typical of him, Amber thinks. ‘Whereabouts are you exactly?’

‘Just past some village. I’m literally a few minutes away from the loch according to my sat nav, but a snowdrift the size of the Great Wall of China blocked my path.’ His voice sounds slightly slurred.

‘Everything okay?’ Rosa asks.

‘Let me just chat to Rosa, the person I’m staying with. She knows the area.’ Amber covers the speaker. ‘My—’ She pauses. What is Jasper? A friend? ‘My friend Jasper is trapped nearby. He says there’s a huge snowdrift in front of him.’

‘Oh, that must be on the main road leading here,’ Rosa says with alarm. ‘I heard on the local radio it’s blocked by a huge snowdrift.’

‘He came all this way for you?’ Lumin says, her eyes shining.

Amber bites her lip. It really was quite something.

‘Oh dear,’ Rosa says. ‘Not the best time for a trip to the Highlands.’

‘I know,’ Amber says, shaking her head. ‘Typical Jasper, decides to get all impulsive now. How far is the snowdrift from here?’

‘Five or ten minutes’ drive?’ Rosa replies.

‘Walkable?’ Amber asks.

Rosa pulls a face. ‘Yes, but it’ll take ages in this weather.’

Amber takes her hand off the speaker. ‘Oh, Jasper, why did you come out? I told you not to!’

‘If you’d agreed when I asked the first time,’ he says with a hint of smile in his voice, ‘I’d have m-m-m-m-missed the worst of the snow.’

‘Do you have a blanket?’ she asks.

‘Nope, just my coat and a pile of clothes I pulled from my bag.’

‘It sounds like you’re freezing.’

‘I’m not g-g-going to lie,’ he stutters, ‘I am. The car stopped working in the night so I haven’t even had the heat of the engine. I t-t-t-ried to walk to see if I could find somewhere warm but the blizzard drove me back.’ He takes in a shaky breath. ‘Look, I’m going to be honest. I-I-I’m not feeling great. I’m getting confused and …’ He pauses, swallowing, ‘I’ve resorted to slapping myself in the face to keep myself awake.’