‘But, Jason,’ wailed Fliss. ‘You said yourself you could go to prison.’

‘I didn’t know you cared,’ he said with a cocky smirk.

‘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.