Dangerous thievery

Nathalie only has to reflect for a moment. She has had enough of cards, but near miss with her mother has given her an idea.

"You win if you can steal a nightdress and a pair of panties from both my mother's room and from Isla's room."

Adam feels himself pale.

"Say what?"

This is not what he had expected.

"You heard. But you have to do it tonight, and you have to avoid getting caught. If you get caught, you have to take whatever punishment they mete out on top of the forfeit."

Adam opens and shuts his mouth, and then opens it again.

Finally: "And you say I'm the one that's not normal?"

He reflects.

Lady Chapman struck him as a light sleeper, but he'd been in her bedroom before and broadly knew how it was laid out. He didn't where she'd keep individual items of clothing though, and his heart sank at the thought of trying to work through her drawers whilst she slept nearby. God, he thinks, what if she wakes up whilst I'm rifling through her panty drawer? Isla is another problem - she is one of Chapman Hall's two maids and sleeps in the East Wing of the house. She is a foxy redhead with a wicked sense of humour who looks great in a maid's uniform and has been a rich source for his private fantasies in the past. He has never been in her room. But it's Friday night. Her night off. Maybe she's out partying somewhere. That one could actually be easy.

Still; risky, he thinks. Very risky. He doesn't think they'll call the police if he is caught (they know him, after all) but there's no doubt that there would be punishment. Something unwelcome, no doubt.

"And what's the forfeit?"

Nathalie smiles and crosses her legs, folding her dress over her knees. Adam's eyes are immediately drawn to her lovely, smooth legs.

It's not just her legs that are smooth, he thinks with amusement. I wonder how soon she'll get itchy.

She sees his look.

"You first," Nathalie says. "What would you want if you win?"