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Back A Simple Wish
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Epilogue
  47. Acknowledgements
  48. Also by Rosie Goodwin
  49. About the Author
  50. Welcome to the world of Rosie Goodwin!
  51. Letter from Author
  52. Apple Charlotte
  53. The Precious Stones series
  54. The Days of the Week Collection
  55. Victorian Tales from Memory Lane
  56. Memory Lane Club

I’m so sorry, Mam, she said silently as she gazed up into the snowy night. Her mother would be so ashamed of her if she could see what she was doing, but what choice did she have?

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

They walked along Vittoria Street in silence for a time and Ruby glanced at the jewellery school as they passed it. This, Maddie had told her, was where some of the greatest silver and goldsmiths in the country were trained. Eventually they turned into Frederick Street and it was there that Ruby asked, ‘Are you scared, Nell?’

‘Ner!’ Nell shook her head sending a shower of snow into the air. ‘You’ve just got to keep yer nerve an’ everythin’ will be fine.’

As they marched on, having to lift their feet high in the snow, Ruby wished she could feel as confident. Already her toes were so cold they were painful and she began to shiver with a combination of cold and fear. Soon they turned into Warstone Lane and Nell whispered, ‘Not far to go now. The cemetery’s just up ’ere. I just wish it weren’t so bleedin’ cold. I can ’ardly feel me ’ands an’ feet!’

The street was almost deserted and those that were about didn’t give the two girls a second glance, which Ruby was grateful for. Soon they passed the imposing wrought-iron gates leading to the cemetery and Ruby shuddered as she glanced through them at the rows and rows of headstones. Then the moment she had dreaded came when Nell slowed her steps and hissed, ‘This is it.’

Ruby glanced up at a large house that thankfully was in darkness and whispered through chattering teeth, ‘S-so wh-what do we do now?’

After quickly glancing up and down the street to check that no one was about, Nell took her hand and dragged her through the gate and around the side of the house to the back. It was very dark round there with no street lights and Nell narrowed her eyes and peered at the windows to see which one had been left on the catch for them. It wasn’t easy but after a short time she whispered, ‘This is it. Come ’ere an’ I’ll give yer a leg-up.’ She jiggled the catch on the sash cord window for a moment and when it eventually lifted a little, she beckoned to Ruby, who found her legs had suddenly turned to jelly.