He didn't hurry to take his lips off her neck, but when he did he was smiling. "I do that, on occasion," he said. The look on her face was delicious; he hoped it lasted all the way up to the roof. He let go of her waist and reached to take her hand instead. "It's too narrow to go side by side," he explained as he stepped into the servant's stair. "Don't get lost."

He squeezed her hand any time they rounded corners. On another night they might have been in danger of running into someone back here, but the staff were all busy with the party and would be for hours. At the top of the stairs they emerged first into a small hallway spotted with the doors to servant's rooms, then proceeded through the closest door to rejoin the wide halls of the main house.

"This is the room that opens on to the roof," he said as he pulled her along towards it. The room itself was an sort of artist's loft, occasionally used for painting, which was why no one had barred the window or put a balcony on it; the natural light in the morning was too good to block. But it was absolutely a hazard, as he was about to demonstrate. Anyone could open it up and crawl right out onto the roof.

"Leave your shoes," he suggested as he moved to the window.

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