‘The fence?’ Ruby had no idea what a fence was and wasn’t sure that she wanted to know.

‘A fence is someone who acts as the middleman between the thief and the person who will buy the stolen goods,’ Maddie explained. If Ruby was to be working with her from now on, she needed to know. ‘He takes whatever I can get my hands on for a fee and brings it to London to sell. There is much less chance of it being identified there, you see?’

A knot of fear formed in Ruby’s stomach, but how could she refuse to do what Maddie asked. The woman was looking at her expectantly and so she nodded reluctantly.

‘Excellent. Be ready to leave here at seven thirty. Nell has some dark clothes that don’t fit her anymore. Wear those. We want you to be as inconspicuous as possible.’

Without a word Ruby went to her room where she sat with her arms wrapped around herself as she rocked to and fro with tears streaming down her face. If Maddie really was her mother how could she ask her to do such a thing? Surely mothers should be protective of their children, particularly after being parted from them for so long? But then she supposed that she had no proof that Maddie really was her mother as yet and suddenly she half hoped that she wasn’t. Perhaps she had only been clutching at straws because Maddie had taken her in? It would be a huge disappointment to her if it turned out to be that Maddie was her real mother now.

Nell found her in her room sometime later and tossed a pile of shabby clothes onto the bed.

‘Maddie said to give you these; they’re too small for me now.’ Her face softened as she saw the tears on Ruby’s cheeks and settling next to her on the bed, she put her arm about her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. ‘Don’t look so miserable, kid,’ she encouraged. ‘It ain’t the end o’ the bleedin’ world, yer know. It ain’t as if we’re goin’ to kill anyone. It’s just a few trinkets after all, an’ her as we’re nickin’ ’em from can easily afford to replace ’em.’

‘But I . . . I don’t know if I can do it,’ Ruby whimpered. ‘I’m so scared of being caught. What will they do to me if I am?’

‘That ain’t gonna happen.’ Nell gave her a stern look. ‘I shall be outside the whole time keepin’ a look out, an’ you’ll be in an’ out like a rat up a drainpipe. What I will say, though, is just supposin’ we ever did get caught, yer must swear you would never lead ’em back ’ere. The coppers, I mean. Maddie looks after us in her own way an’ the least we can do is protect her.’