"Hired guard. My lady wanted me to look around the manor and surrounding grounds, make suggestions about improving security. Lots of nobles having things going missing lately."<br/><br/>He lied smoothly, not his preferred method of obtaining entry, but one that worked well if you remembered to stay calm, be nervy, and use people's natural inclination to listen to someone that sounded like they knew what they were talking about against them. The fact that he did look like a successful adventurer or mercenary would only help his white lie. And he certainly wouldn't mind getting to look over the grounds and manor with an eye to security. However, this place's biggest deterrence was its location, too far from the city to make coming out to it profitable for city thieves, and close enough that bandits shouldn't push their luck to hit it, as they would likely run into one of the guard patrols.<br/><br/>(bluff d20+0 [13])