An eerie silence blanketed the streets as they exited the carriage. It was that time of night in between when all the inappropriate activities took place and when they gave way to the first early risers of honorable work. A time when few people traversed the streets and even the cats and rats seemed to have completed their tasks and returned home.

Thomas offered his hand to Sarah as she climbed out of the coach, then turned to offer an exorbitant amount of money to the driver to have him wait for his return. He had the man park several blocks away from his home to avoid detection as they approached. Once paid, the man settled into his seat and pulled the brim of his hat down over his eyes.

Thomas regained his hold on Sarah’s hand and began to walk a brisk pace toward his home. The quiet and their solitude amid the normally bustling city set his nerves on end, and he found himself constantly scanning the streets, byways, and alleyways in an attempt to maintain what sense of safety they could claim in a metropolis such as London.

“Must we walk quite so fast?” Sarah whispered beside him, her words hampered by small pants. “I understand the reasoning, but consider that you are quite a bit taller than me and haven’t the encumbrance of skirts.”

Thomas glanced over at his companion and forced himself to slow his pace, guilt rising at the sight of her barely concealed discomfort. They were certainly not out for an evening stroll, but he could stand to walk a tad slower.

“My apologies,” he whispered back. At the new pace, they hurried along the streets in silence until they reached an alleyway running behind Thomas’ townhome. Approaching the corner, he brought a finger to his lips as a reminder before ducking into the shadowy expanse. They crept along in single file, with Sarah following behind him, her hand still clamped in his.

They were just approaching the back portion of his home when he stopped abruptly and flattened back into an alcove with a hiss.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah’s voice, a mere breath, tickled his ear, her breath warming his jaw and reminding him of her presence. The inquiry required her to stand up on her toes and press in beside him. For a moment, he forgot what had caused his sharp halt and focused on the delightful feeling of her soft body pressed against his. Giving his head a small shake to bring himself back to the task at hand, he leaned his head toward her and explained. “The sentry. I hoped he would be taking one of his naps, but apparently, he has decided to take up his duty at the most inopportune time. He’s sitting on the back steps.”

“Is there another way in?” Sarah’s voice drifted across his shoulder.

Thomas saw nothing of her other than her silhouette in the darkened alley. He thought a moment. Heading around to the front of the house provided no better option, that watchman was more diligent, and the streetlamps would expose them. He glanced toward his home in consideration, taking in the small strip of space leading up to the back of the building. He smiled to himself.

“I’m beginning to think you were Juliet in a past life,” he quipped quietly.

“What?”

He nodded toward the back wall of the house and the solitary trellis he’d forgotten existed. Noting the distance between the trellis and the back door, as well as the angle between them, he assured himself there was no danger of the watchman seeing them before nodding. “Assuming that trellis is secure enough against the wall to hold us, we might be able to reach your window, as it sits equidistant between the two guest rooms.”

“Well that’s at least one thing in our favor.”

Thomas was about to make a run for the trellis but hesitated, again shaking his head. “It won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“I doubt you will be able to make your way up safely.”

Sarah stiffened beside him. “Is there some good reason why you think so? Or is it merely because of my female status?”

“You said yourself, you have the encumbrance of skirts, and skirts will not help you in climbing a trellis. Besides, I don’t actually know how sturdy it is, it’s too much of a risk.”

“Well if that’s the only way into the house, we are going to have to find out. Think of the mess we’ll have if day breaks and I’m nowhere to be found. And do you honestly think, given my family, I went through childhood without learning how to climb a trellis?”

Thomas debated whether to groan or laugh. Both her points were valid.

“All right, we’ll give it a try, but the instant it looks as though it may not work, we’re turning around and I’ll find some other way and excuse to get you back here.”

Beside him in the shadows, Sarah nodded. They crept up along the side of the building to where the trellis stood. Thomas confirmed that the angle between the side of the home and the back steps was hopefully enough to conceal them in their movements. A sizable hedge of potted topiaries, as well as an additional trellis framing the back steps blocked the view of anyone sitting on the steps to either side. Sarah wasted no time in approaching the makeshift ladder.

“I’ll come up behind you,” Thomas stated as he continued to observe their surroundings. Sarah ducked down momentarily, and when she straightened again, he saw she had taken the back hem of her skirt and tucked it up between her legs to the front. She now stood holding her skirt hem in one hand, ankles exposed by the makeshift pants. Thomas could do nothing but gape as she reached for the trellis.

The unceasingly surprising woman showed far more agility than he expected shimmying her way up the trellis, and he was almost tempted to tell her to slow down as he had to make his way up with her. He wanted to be close enough to her to be able to grab for her should she lose her hold. Better still if he could partially surround her with his body. Thankfully, the concentration involved in the process for both safety and secrecy reasons prevented Thomas from dwelling too deeply on the proximity of her exposed ankles and well-formed backside.

Once at the top of the trellis, she reached out and began to fuss with her  window, attempting to open it, but had to reach wide to do so, creating a less than optimal angle at which to apply her strength. She faltered, and grabbed for the trellis, Thomas grabbing hold of her at the waist. They both stilled, immediately looking to the back steps, and hoping they hadn’t made as much noise as they feared. After a heart-stopping moment and no sign of the guard, they renewed their task.

“Here, let me try,” Thomas inched his way up behind Sarah and pressed in full against her now as he reached for the window. It took some time, but he succeeded in opening the window and allowing her breathing room again. Another worrisome moment ensued as Sarah maneuvered herself in through the window, having to lean a good deal to do so and Thomas having no means to aid her should she miss the ledge. When she had pulled herself in through the window, he allowed himself to breathe again and reached for the ledge himself. Pulling himself up and over the sill, he moved with as much speed and care as he could, but the window was not as accommodating for him as it had been for Sarah. A relatively small space, it proved awkward to surmount.

From inside her room, Sarah offered what aid she could, holding back the curtain and presenting her hand.

Even so, Thomas managed to move forward before he brought his foot completely over the ledge and ended up tripping, falling forward, and dragging Sarah along with him as he went tumbling to the carpet.

Crushed together, he struggled to right himself and remove his weight from atop her. As they struggled, becoming ever more entangled in her skirts, he felt her cheek brush against his and turned his head without thinking, freezing in his efforts when the warm press of her lips met his.