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alarm completely, since the clockwork daytime routine, which runs on a secondary set of hands in a corner of the medallion, was disabled by Mrs. Teagarden as usual before the door was unlocked for the start of the night.” Celeste clasped her hands in front of her, as if to pray.
     “We don’t have to worry about it,” Brace marveled.
    They heard voices downstairs. Celeste blinked but didn’t move.
    “We need to go before she realizes another girl has a broken clockwork,” Brace said.
    “You’re right.” His words propelling her into motion, she opened the door, peering into the hall before gesturing him to come.
    They walked quickly to the end of the hall. Brace pulled the rope for the trapdoor and Celeste ran up the stairs. He could see a little light through the front window from the streetlamps. The rain must have slowed.
    “How do we get out?”
    “Through the window. I’ll go up first, then reach down and pull you up.”
    Celeste nodded. Brace shook his head and pulled off his coat, then buttoned it around her, while Celeste fretted about wasting time. “I don’t want you to get hurt. That fabric could rip.
    He opened the window and climbed out, then lay on the roof and wiggled his hands at her. It was evidence of her desperation that she didn’t hesitate to climb through the window and clasp his hands. In a moment he had her by the waist and they slid down the slope to the gutter between the two buildings.
    “We have to climb up now and repeat this in the other window.”
    Celeste pushed wet hair out of her eyes. “It’s a good thing I loved climbing trees as a child.”
    “I knew you could do this.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips. “You go first.”
    Her bare feet made it easier to climb up the slate tiles to the top of the roof, but he knew her knees would be sore after crawling back to the window, which thankfully he’d remembered to keep unlocked. The magnet could barely be seen at the far end of the roof, but he could smell it despite the rain. He left it there and wondered if any of Celeste’s fellow captives would try to escape that night.
    He went through first, but she didn’t need his help getting inside. Then he put a finger to his lips and they walked quietly to the trapdoor. When he opened it an inch to check, he saw a man in the hallway and put up his hand to alert Celeste. When the man entered his room, Brace pushed down the ladder and helped Celeste climb. They ran for his room, hand in hand, and were safely inside in a moment.
    “I hadn’t realized you wouldn’t have shoes.”
    “We aren’t allowed to keep clothes or anything in our room. I haven’t left that building since I entered it,” Celeste said, shivering. She twisted her hem, wringing out water.
    “The carriage should be downstairs by now,” he said, knowing this wasn’t the time to feel the emotions he certainly would when he truly considered the length of her captivity. “Can you give me my coat? I have a cloak for you. We need to cover your face and hair.”
    “And the medallion,” Celeste agreed, passing him his coat. “Oh, it’s dry,” she said happily when she wrapped the cloak around herself and pulled up the hood.
    “I have a parcel of food too, though it will be cold now.” Brace locked the door behind him. He’d send the key back through the post since it would be unwise to reappear on this street any time soon. Unfortunately, Mrs. Teagarden knew his real name, but hopefully she wouldn’t try to find him.
    They went down the stairs and saw a carriage waiting up the street. Brace recognized the driver as the man he hired and ushered Celeste out the door and down into the street, then back to the carriage. As it pulled away, he saw two men entering the club. The night’s business continued, and Mrs. Teagarden would certainly discover Celeste was missing at nine o’clock, but hopefully she’d be too busy to do anything about it until they were long