Chapter 13 - THE REFUGETen minutes later, Adrien's heavy four-wheel-drive pickup pulled into the snowbound driveway.
He burst through the front door wearing a heavy parka, carrying two thermal blankets. Without a word, he scooped Toby up into his arms, wrapping him tightly, while reaching out his other hand to support Nora as they navigated the dark, freezing hallway.
"Where are we going?" Toby asked, his teeth chattering.
"To Willow Lane," Adrien said smoothly, ushering them out into the howling blizzard and loading them into the heated cab of the truck. "The cottage has the woodstove. It doesn't need electricity to stay warm."
The drive down Willow Lane was a crawl through whiteout conditions, but 114 stood solid against the storm. The thick cedar shingles and reinforced framing Adrien had installed months ago held firm against the gale.
Inside, Adrien quickly built a roaring fire in the restored iron woodstove. Within twenty minutes, the small living room was filled with radiant, golden heat.
Nora sat on the rug, her back pressed against the sofa, sipping hot broth while watching Toby, who had already fallen fast asleep on a pile of clean blankets near the stove.
She looked around the warm, sturdy room. The storm howled viciously against the reinforced windows, but inside, the air was safe, quiet, and warm.
"This house saved us tonight," Nora murmured softly.
Adrien sat down on the floor a few feet away, tending the fire with a iron poker. "I didn't build it to save anyone, Nora. I built it because I wanted a place that could withstand a storm."
He turned to look at her, the firelight dancing across his features.
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"I spent my life buying insurance policies," Adrien added quietly. "Contracts, hedges, legal shields. But sitting here tonight, watching you and Toby warm up by this fire... this is the only real shelter I've ever known."
Nora looked at him, feeling the final remnants of her fear dissolve into the quiet heat of the room.
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