Corridor Outside of Culpepper's Guest Chambers

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Thomas peers around the corner and down the hallway. The Entrance to their guest chambers stood halfway down. Seeing no one about, he nods and both he and Sienna, hand in hand, emerge and stepping lightly as on cat's paws slowly approach the entrance. Thomas turns to her and whispers with anticipation;

"Now remember Sienna darling, once the commotion begins give not a moment's hesitation... this shall require timing if we're to not get caught... and remember, my chamber is the last one on the right". He smiles. "... Be sure you enter the right and not the left door, lest you prefer the company of my brother!"  Thomas laughs under his breath, breaking the tension. He looks into Sienna's lovely dark eyes. "Do you understand my dear?... Are you ready?"

With a tender kiss from Sienna giving him confidence and he hoped~luck~Thomas tousles his hair, giving it a disheveled look and unbuttons his doublet collar. Striding up to the heavy oak chamber door, he opens it and enters the flickering candlelit hallway. Cautiously he walks a few steps to the open entrance to the parlour.

Alexander Culpepper sits before the dancing flames of the fireplace hearth in a high-backed red velvet chair. Wearing a white linen nightshirt and cap, the gaunt, graying elder Culpepper holds a small black leather-bound book in his hand... Thomas knows it would be no good attempting to simply breeze past the old man as he had ears like a bat! Instead he enters the room with his head dropped into his hand. "Thomas... I see you found your way back... are you feeling any better, my boy?"

"I'm afraid not father..." he says with a groan. "The fresh air was useless and the cold chilled me to the bone".

"Well then, pull up a chair and a blanket and sit here with me by the fire, have some wine, 'twill do you good".

"Oh no!" Thomas panics momentarily. "It's best if I just went off to bed and slept it off. I know I shall feel stronger in the morn~"

Without finishing the word, Thomas steps up to the table beside his father and pushes his knee into the silver tray whereupon sits a flagon of wine and his father's goblet. The tray slides and falls with a loud pinging crash upon the stone floor and Thomas buckles,  dropping to the floor for effect.~that was Sienna's cue.

One one knee, Thomas could hear the barely perceptible scampering of footsteps fleeing across the parlour entrance and smiles inside, for he knew at last his precious Sienna was at his door. As his father stood looking down over his, Thomas slowly got to his feet, his knee saturated with wine.

"Very well then boy, that settles it... I shall walk you to your room at once!"

"NO!... I mean, I would feel even worse were you to catch a chill leaving the fireside... please father, I'm capable of getting there on my own". Thomas took a deep
breath and eased his father back into the chair. "Goodnight father, until the morrow".

"Speaking of which, be sure to be packed and ready to leave straight away after dinner... and do get some sound bed rest Thomas, eh?"

"I shall father, I shall...". Thomas says as he cleans up the tray and fallen cup. "Goodnight father". His pulse quickening, Thomas leaves the parlour, waiting to be out of his father's site before dashing down the hallway toward his room. There, waiting pressed against the door is Sienna looking a bit unnerved. Thomas turns the knob and swings the door open, allowing both of them into the bedchamber before closing it behind him.

"That was close... and only one of the myriad things about this night I shan't forget!"