Page 91 of A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea

‘Yes, thanks. I found some candles and a couple of matches.’

‘That’s very retro of you but I’ve got a torch you can have.’

He stepped into the room, his face and body still in shadow but Lettie could see he was in a short dressing gown and his legs were bare. He walked to the bed, his form suddenly outlined by a flash of lightning.

‘It’s quite a storm,’ he said, as Lettie pulled the bedclothes up to her chin, feeling self-conscious. ‘How are you feeling after today’s drama?’ He winced when thunder rumbled around the village.

‘I’m remarkably well, thanks to you.’

‘You were so foolish to go into the sea to save Buster.’

‘I know. You’ve already told me, as has Claude, and Simon. And my mother will kill me if she ever finds out.’

‘You were brave, too. I know how scared you are of the sea. How scared you were of the sea.’

‘Oh, no. I’m still scared. It turns out that behaving like an idiot and almost drowning for a second time doesn’t miraculously cure you of your fear of water.’

‘Who knew?’ He grinned, his strong features unearthly in the torchlight.

‘Is your gran all right?’

‘She’s sleeping like a baby. She hasn’t got her hearing aids in so she’s oblivious to the storm.’

‘Wow, she must be pretty deaf without them.’

‘As a post.’

Corey was being so nice to her, even though he thought she’d been blabbing about his grandmother. The words Lettie had wanted to say to him for days tumbled out at top speed.

‘I only told Simon that your gran wasn’t in the best of health because I thought it would stop him from hassling her.’

Corey tilted his head, and stared at Lettie. ‘OK.’

‘It didn’t work.’

‘No.’

‘But that was why I did it. I wouldn’t normally pass on personal information. I just wanted you to know.’

‘OK,’ he said again, and added ‘thank you,’ before handing over the spare torch. It was huge and looked rusty but it worked when Lettie pressed its rubber button. ‘It’s ancient but it’ll give you some light until the electricity comes back on.’

‘Do you often get power cuts round here?’ asked Lettie, relieved that she’d told him what had happened, and that the conversation had moved on so quickly from Simon.

‘Almost never, but this storm is pretty fierce. The worst one we’ve had for ages. You’re not getting too spooked by it, are you?’

‘What, spooked by being in the pitch-black bedroom of an ancient cottage while a storm rages outside?’ She laughed. ‘I’m totally relaxed.’

‘That’s good to know.’ He grinned again and glanced at the thin curtains, which were billowing in a draught blowing through the ill-fitting window frame.

‘Are you warm enough in here?’

‘I’m fine. Just grateful to be indoors and not out there in this weather. You’re not likely to get a lifeboat call-out tonight, are you?’

He shrugged. ‘Probably not. Most people knew this was coming and will have headed for harbour. I hope so. Rescues in weather like this can be pretty hairy and people can get hurt.’

‘But you’d still go out in this weather if you were needed?’

‘Yeah. It’s what I’ve signed up for.’