“I hadn’t thought that through yet,” Caleb replied.
Simone glanced over her shoulder at her townhouse. “Everyone is asleep, except for Victor. I saw the light was on in his room.”
“Why is he up so late?” Caleb asked.
“I know not, but Juliette said he is tinkering with something,” Simone responded. “I intend to find out what that is.”
Caleb had to admit that didn’t sit well with him. “By going into his bedchamber?” he asked. “What if you are caught?”
Simone smirked. “Why do you assume I would get caught?” she asked.
“Perhaps I should investigate his bedchamber,” Caleb suggested.
“That is a terrible idea. It makes much more sense for me to do it,” Simone declared. “After all, it is my home.”
Caleb knew that Simone had a point but he still wasn’t comfortable with her entering another man’s bedchamber. “I can climb through the window and be out before anyone sees me.”
“It is on the second level,” Simone shared.
“I can climb the wall,” Caleb asserted. “The bricks jut out and make excellent footholds. It would only take me mere moments to scale it.”
Simone arched an eyebrow. “What if one of the servants sees you scaling the wall?” she asked. “They no doubt will sound the alarm.”
“You are assuming I will be caught,” Caleb remarked, using her own words against her.
Turning her attention towards Fredrick and Roswell, Simone said, “Please talk some sense into your friend.”
Fredrick put his hands up in front of him. “Caleb is on his own on this one. But, for the record, I side with Simone.”
“As do I,” Roswell said.
“Traitors,” Caleb muttered.
Simone gave Caleb a smug smile. “It is three to one. I will search Victor’s bedchamber and you can wait in the alleyway to protect me.”
Caleb said his next words without thinking them through. “I just worry about you.”
Rather than grow defensive, just as she always did, Simone’s eyes softened a tad bit. “That is sweet of you, but I can handle searching a bedchamber.”
“You are right. I am sorry,” Caleb said.
Simone took a step closer to him. “There is no reason to apologize. We are partners and we look out for one another.” She turned her head. “I should get back. I do not want my absence to be noticed.”
Caleb watched as Simone hurried back to her townhouse and disappeared within. She was safe, for now, and he could return home.
Fredrick followed his gaze. “Simone seems different,” he observed.
“Different, how?” Caleb asked.
“I don’t know, but different,” Fredrick replied. “A good different, though.”
Caleb stepped out of the alleyway and said, “It is late. I am going to retire for the evening. Will you do the same?”
As they followed him out, Roswell said, “We were on our way home from Kendrick’s office when we saw you.”
“I am glad that you stopped,” Caleb remarked.
“As am I,” Fredrick said. “It allowed us to see you make a complete fool of yourself with Simone. Why were you so adamant that you search Victor’s bedchamber?”
