I don't actually own Turpin, Johanna or Anthony (sigh). But Amelia, Brianne, Doctor Harper, Geoffrey and anyone in the orphanage…they're mine.

"Amelia!" Anthony responded with equal enthusiasm before she tackled him.

"What're you doing back?" she grinned up at him. "I thought you said you were going to leave forever and marry someone in every country you visited."

"That was the original plan." Anthony shook her off a little so he could breathe. "Anyway, I did end up seeing a lot of countries—apparently there are more than twenty in the world. But we docked back here just after we left Australia."

"Australia? Where's that?"

"It's this island where they keep convicts. Dangerous people." Anthony lowered his voice slightly. "I did meet someone leaving there though, a Mr. Todd. He's rather pleasant, didn't like talking much though. He's here too, over at that pie shop." Amelia winced at that—she'd been with Brianne a few times, who was friends with the owner, Mrs. Lovett. She was friendly enough, but she had no idea how to cook.

"Did you miss us?" Amelia prodded.

"Of course—you were practically my siblings! How's Brianne, by the way? Still insane?"

"Still insane." Amelia laughed. "We've gotten a few new ones since you left."

"Little? Big?"

"Mostly little, like Lisa. She's only been there a few weeks, so I don't think she's very happy yet."

Anthony shrugged. "I'd been there my whole life, so I don't rightly remember being happy or not when I arrived."

"Are you going to come see Brianne and everyone?" Amelia bounced excitedly. "She'd be really happy, seeing how none of us expected to see you again, at least not for awhile."

"Absolutely!" his face lit up. "Though I must ask before we go—what on earth were you doing climbing out a window?"

"Oh!" Amelia blushed. "Well, that's a long story…maybe not too long. I ran into this girl Johanna earlier, at the market, and then I sort of just found her house…only the person she lives with is terrible and doesn't let her talk to anyone, so I had to go up to see her."

"I see." Anthony looked up to see Johanna, who was still talking to Judge Turpin. "She's quite pretty."

"Isn't she? I told her I loved her hair, and she actually said she liked mine better! Can you imagine?"

"I can't," Anthony joked, tugging one of her untamed-looking curls.

"You're terrible." Amelia shook her head until he let go. "Come on, Brianne's going to be so happy to see you." She pulled on his arm.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Anthony laughed, turning to look inside once more before allowing himself to be dragged in the direction of the orphanage.

Amelia threw the door open, earning her a strongly-worded warning from Brianne in the next room. She ignored it in favor of more thrilling news.

"Brianne! Look who's here!"

"If it's Geoffrey again—" Brianne rounded the corner, holding Lisa. Upon seeing who it was, she nearly dropped her. "Anthony!"

This time, he barely got his greeting out before being suffocated.

"Brianne! I can't breathe!"

"Sorry, sorry." She let go only to hug him again. "What—how—when did you get back?"

Lisa clung to Brianne's legs while Anthony recounted his travels up until coming back to London. "No place like London," he grinned. At this point, some of the other children had heard the commotion and come to investigate. He was mobbed by the ones who knew him, and at least approached by the ones who didn't. In the midst of so much enthusiasm, Amelia quite forgot to mention Johanna to Brianne.

It was decided that Anthony would stay awhile (at Brianne's insistence). Even hours later, everyone under the age of thirteen was clustered around him, demanding more stories.

"Did you go all the way to the English Channel?" one called Robert asked eagerly.

"He went further than that, stupid." Another named Anna looked expectantly at him. "Right, Anthony?"

"He's certainly got their attention," Brianne commented happily. Amelia simply nodded. A moment later, one of the new babies began crying from the other room.

"That'll be Allen again." Brianne looked worried. "That cough of his is getting worse…the doctor should be here any moment."

"He'll be all right?" this was said as more of a statement, but Amelia was actually hoping for some reassurance. It was always distressing to see someone that young lost to sickness.

"I hope so." She left a moment to retrieve Allen. Amelia waited by the door and could see the doctor coming by through the window.

Brianne returned, holding a very worn-out-looking Allen.

"I'd be tired too if I'd been coughing so much," Amelia told him sympathetically. "Doctor Harper's here, though."

"Get the door?" Brianne asked, trying to settle him down a bit. A moment later, the doctor appeared in the house.

"Allen, I take it?" he moved to observe the baby. "He doesn't sound like he's having much fun, does he?"

Amelia paused—she preferred not to be around when the doctor was. She liked him well enough, but she could never stand the actual examination.

"Brianne, I'm going out…" she said softly. She didn't seem to hear, so Amelia quietly backed up and shut the door behind her. It wasn't too dark yet, but it would be in an hour or so. That was plenty of time for a quick visit; after all, Johanna had said to come back the next day, but there was probably no harm in going a bit earlier than that. Amelia eagerly followed the path back to town and straight to the Turpin house. As she'd expected, Johanna was at the window and appeared to be sewing.

"Johanna!" she called as loudly as she deemed safe. It was enough to get her attention, and she smiled.

"Sorry I didn't wait till tomorrow!" Amelia added hastily. "I just thought you might not mind."

"I don't, but come up here. I have to tell you something." Amelia had to listen carefully, because Johanna was whispering more than she was talking. Cautiously, she swung back onto the ledge and up the side of the house. This time, Johanna steadied her before she came over the window so as not to make any noise at all.

"Is something wrong?" Amelia was suddenly concerned that this might not be good news.

"Yes, something's wrong." Johanna looked all about her before leaning in closer. "Judge Turpin wants me to marry him."

"He what?" Amelia blinked. "But he's so old."

"I know!"

"And didn't he sort of raise you?"

"Yes!"

"I take it you aren't as enthusiastic about this as he is." Amelia ventured. Johanna sighed and looked as though she were about to cry.

"I don't want to marry him, he's terrible." She blinked several times and swallowed hard.

"Oh, don't do that, I couldn't stand it if you started crying," Amelia pleaded. "Look, what if you came out for a bit with me tonight?"

"Where are you going?"

"Oh, nowhere…I just meant that you might come with me and meet Brianne. And Anthony! He's so much fun, you'd really get along. And I'm sure they wouldn't notice you were gone…does he usually come up here at night?"

"Not usually." Johanna thought a minute. "He leaves me to myself most of the time after supper. And supper was an hour ago."

"Why not, then?" Amelia urged. "We'll come back before anyone suspects anything. Look, shove your bedclothes under that blanket there and I'll show you how to climb down."

"You mean it?" Already Johanna was beginning to arrange the covers to look like she was there.

"Of course I mean it, let's go." She tugged her arm and leaned out the window. "Do what I do. See that brick? It's going to be your foothold." Amelia eased herself out and looked up. "Do you think you can do it?"

Johanna nodded and carefully slid over the windowsill. She froze until Amelia showed her what to do next. "Just hold onto the ledge and go down slowly." There were a few times when Johanna nearly lost her balance, but it was easier with Amelia bracing her. When they got nearer the ground, she grabbed her arm.

"We're both going to jump at once, and if we do it far enough, we don't have to climb over the gate."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Johanna looked concerned.

"Not at all." Amelia grinned. "But I fell today and I was fine, so it should be." She held on. "Ready?"

Johanna nodded and they both leapt the remaining few feet. They, as Amelia had predicted, landed safely outside the gate.

"Do you think they heard us?"

"The snow's too deep," Amelia assured her. "Come on. Brianne's going to love you, she loves everyone even if she pretends not to." Johanna glanced back once more before following her across the street.