Kathy Lake smiled as she climbed in through the window of the mansion. This was one of the easiest jobs she's pulled in a long while. The trellis running up to the third floor balcony had been a little shaky but it had supported her weight. The window opened with ease and she was in.<br/><br/>Soft snores came from her left as she tiptoed across the room. Moonlight shining through the open curtains revealed a young woman, not much older than herself, asleep in a tangle of blankets. Kathy shrugged and moved across to the woman's dressing table. A large jewellery box sat on it, closed, but with the key in it. Kathy grinned, and lifted the lid.<br/><br/>This was a mistake, She hadn't seen the key protruding from the side of the box, and as the lid was lifted, the key began to turn and the box began to play misic with strident chimes. Kathy closed the lid again, shutting the noise off, but it was too late.<br/><br/>"Who's there?" The woman in the bed asked sleepily. Kathy shrugged. This wasn't the first time things had gone horribly wrong, and she was more than prepared. The stiletto slid from its sheath in her boot and she crossed the few paces to the bed, nothing more than a dark shadow in her black breeches and shirt. The blade thrust up under the woman's chin, blood spurted and her cry of surprise was stifled before it began.<br/><br/>Kathy wiped the blade on the woman's night gown and re-sheathed it. She shrugged. This was not good, because the hunt for her would intensify now, but she refused to leave empty handed. She took the offending jewellery box, carrying it back to the window where she had dropped her back pack. Back out and scramble back down the creaking trellis, pack on her back. She slipped into the shadows of the rhododendron bushes that lined the house's driveway, the scent of the flowers almost overpowering. Certainly more than enough to fool the bloodhounds now being used by the police.<br/><br/>A quick scurry alongside the driveway to the gate, and out into the lane. Her horse, Nightmare was waiting for her. She jumped on, bareback, and rode off into the night, her long black hair flowing behind her in the wind.