‘I don’t, you—’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll take any flak if we get caught,’ said Hannah, looking over at the family. They looked absorbed as Niamh unwrapped presents. She didn’t think anyone would even notice she had gone. ‘In fact, you don’t have to stick around. Just get me in there.’
‘Do you want us to come with you?’ asked Izzy.
‘No, it’s best if as few of us get into trouble as possible if I’m wrong. You stay here.’
She and Jason hurried into the rain, and she had to pick her way carefully across the slippery cobbles of courtyard to the dark and silent building. ‘I didn’t dress for being a cat burglar,’ she said as Jason took her arm when she almost stumbled. ‘Thanks for this, Jason. I really don’t want to get you into trouble.’
‘No problem. You’re solid, Hannah. You wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t important.’
She turned to him. ‘Thank you, Jason. That’s a really nice thing to say.’
‘No probs. I… Well, it’s been good this course. Getting to know posh people. You’re all right.’
Hannah laughed. ‘I’m not the least bit posh.’
‘Not as posh as Miss Fliss, but you know what you’re about. Educated. Smart, even if you can’t cook for bleeding toffee.’
She sniggered at his forthright declaration.
‘Thanks, Jason. I’ve improved at least.’
‘There is that but if I were you I’d stick to lawyering.’
‘Don’t worry, I intend to, but you should definitely stick to cooking and not burglaring… apart from tonight. I think your boss is going to be seriously impressed when you get back.’
Jason grinned. ‘Yeah, I think so too. It’s quite a feeling, you know. Being good at something. I’ve never been good at anything before.’
‘I know what you mean.’ Hannah nodded. She’d taken a risk in trying to learn to cook. It wasn’t her thing and she’d never be brilliant at it, but at least she was prepared to give it a go now. It seemed that if you took the risk and failed, it didn’t matter as much as she’d always thought it might.
When they reached the office door, she tried it, hoping that it might be unlocked but it wasn’t. Jason had disappeared around the corner of the building. She tried the handle again, just in case, and then followed him. Here, the shadows of the farm buildings loomed with gothic intensity as a lone security light created hollows and dark pools and the slash of rain was almost silver. Wiping the water from her face and pushing aside her wet fringe, she blinked at Jason who had turned on the torch on his phone. She saw his teeth, white and grinning like dayglo dentures.
‘Here you go.’ He pointed to the window, and the open bottom sash. ‘No point making life hard for yourself. Always check the windows first.’
‘I’ll remember that next time,’ said Hannah, her heart pounding a little at the enormity of what she was about to do. Although she wasn’t stealing anything, breaking in somewhere was still nerve-racking. Crossing her fingers inside her pockets, she prayed that they wouldn’t get caught.
Jason had no such qualms and had already slipped inside. Glancing around quickly, guilt wrapping itself round her like a boa constrictor, she took a deep breath and clambered awkwardly over the sill.
‘What you after?’ asked Jason, suppressed excitement in his voice. Up to this point he’d been remarkably uncurious.
‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’
‘Always was a bit of a thrill. Not so much if you get caught, mind.’
‘If anyone comes, you get out. In fact, stand by the window just in case.’ She didn’t like to point out that someone was just as likely to come in through the door.
‘Don’t be daft. They’re all out having a good time. They won’t be back for ages.’
Hannah wasn’t so sure. Didn’t Niamh have school in the morning? God, her hands were shaking.
She switched on her own phone’s torch function and cast its dim light over the walls at the shadowy pictures.
‘You after a painting?’ asked Jason.
‘Not to steal it,’ she snapped.
‘All right, keep your knickers on.’
