Caught

She hears the man padding around the bedroom. He doesn't leave as quickly as she had hoped.

Has she left evidence? She wracks her brain. Shit - has she left the underwear drawer open? She has, hasn't she?

Please please please, she thinks. Go away.

But then the wardrobe door swings open and she finds herself blinking in the sudden light. Standing in front of her is a square jawed young man in a police uniform.

His mouth opens slightly at the sight of the unexpected girl in the wardrobe.

"Miss Chapman....?" He says slowly in bewilderment. "What are you doing here?"

Shamefacedly, Nathalie steps out of the wardrobe, brushing felt from the hanging clothes off her smooth legs. She knows the guy - he is Tom, the son of the old groundkeeper at Chapman Hall. He is a bit slow, but a decent sort.

Tom goes to report into his walkie talkie, and Nathalie grabs his wrist. "Please, Tom - no!"

There is a burst of static and the female voice. Tom pauses."Still checking the top floor," he says finally. Then, to Nathalie, almost apologetically, "I can't hide this, Miss Chapman. This is breaking and entering. You'll need to come to the station for a formal caution."

Her heart sinks.

"Come on, Tom, please! You know me. I'm not a burglar. I'm just here on a bet, that's all. I promise."

He looks undecided. "I don't know, Miss Chapman... I'd better call in."

He goes to talk into his walkie talkie.

Nathalie grabs his wrist again. She feels panic rising up inside her. A formal caution for burglary would be a disaster for her future prospects! But what can she do?

Well. There's one thing, of course.

She pauses only briefly. Then she licks her lips slowly and lowers her eyes meaningfully down to his crotch. "Come on, Tom... Surely we could reach some kind of an understanding....?"

She sees him hesitate, and his trousers bulge slightly.