‘Now, into the hall, up the stairs an’ the mistress’s room is the third door on the right along the landin’. You’ll find the jewellery in the top drawer of her dressin’ table underneath her undies. ’Ave yer got that?’ When Ruby nodded, Nell handed her a small cloth bag with a drawstring top and ordered, ‘Put everythin’ yer can find in there an’ then come straight back down ’ere to me. I’m goin’ to go an’ stand by the front now an’ if there’s any sign of anybody comin’ back I’ll whistle an’ yer get yer arse out o’ there fast as yer know how – got it?’

Her eyes huge in her small face, Ruby nodded, as without another word Nell joined her hands together. Once Ruby had put her foot on them, she hoisted her up until Ruby could reach the sill where she drew her skirts to the side and somehow managed to wriggle through the gap. Once inside she sat for a moment catching her breath and letting her eyes adjust to the light, and discovered that she was in the kitchen. There was not a sound to be heard so she began to feel around with her foot, sending something crashing to the floor with a resounding bang.

‘Bleedin’ ’ell – watch what yer doin’ will yer?’ Nell’s voice floated in to her. ‘We’re ’ere to rob the joint not wreck it.’

‘Sorry, it was a tin bowl that was on the draining board,’ Ruby hissed back as her heart slowed to a steadier rhythm. Taking a deep breath she scrambled down off the wooden draining board and felt her way across the room. After locating and passing through a green baize door she found herself in a huge hallway where an enormous grandfather clock was ticking away the minutes. The staircase loomed ahead of her and with her heart in her mouth she began to mount it. Every minute she expected a hand to clamp down on her shoulder, but at last she reached the top of the stairs and paused. What was it Nell had said . . . Ah, the third door on the right, that was it. She moved on and once she reached the door she tried the handle, sighing with relief when she found it unlocked. Cautiously she entered the bedroom, grateful to see that a cheery fire was burning in the grate giving her some light. It took her only moments to locate the dressing table and as she opened the top drawer and gazed down at the lady of the house’s personal underwear a wave of shame washed over her. Her mother would turn in her grave if she could see what she was doing, but she pushed the thought aside and began to rummage in the drawer.