‘Stand well back. We don’t want the lady o’ the ’ouse to think this were an inside job, we ’ave to make it look like it was a break-in,’ Nell warned as she fished a good-sized rock from beneath the snow. She then closed the window and heaved the rock at the glass, shattering it into tiny shards that sparkled in the snow. Then she grabbed Ruby’s hand and told her, ‘Now run like the devil were after yer. We ’ave to get our arses as far away from ’ere as we can.’ Hauling Ruby behind her she set off at a trot while Ruby valiantly tried to keep up with her, although the pain in her ankle was almost unbearable now. They had barely passed the gates to the cemetery when Ruby’s ankle gave way and with a gasp of pain, she sprawled full length in the snow.

‘Oh shit!’ Nell swore as she leant over and tried to haul her to her feet. ‘This is all we need.’ Glancing quickly up and down the road to make sure that no one was coming she pulled Ruby unceremoniously to her feet and after pulling one of the huge gates open she dragged her inside the cemetery. Ruby was crying and in a total panic again.

‘Calm down. You’ll ’ave the rozzers after us at this rate,’ Nell snapped.

With her arm about Ruby’s waist she led her further into the churchyard and plonked her down behind a large tombstone where she wouldn’t be seen from the road. With no street lights it was very dark and Ruby’s heart began to thud painfully.

‘What’s best to do?’ Nell scratched her head, seemingly oblivious to the snow that was falling thickly about them. ‘You’re too heavy fer me to carry you ’ome an’ it’s too cold to leave yer here; you’d freeze to death.’

Just at that moment she spotted someone walking past the gates and without a word she went sprinting off, leaving Ruby to shiver as she stared fearfully around her. The churchyard was surrounded by tall yew trees, their barren branches bending beneath the weight of the snow on them. For as far as her eyes could see were rows upon rows of gravestones, some of them leaning drunkenly to one side, and now her soft crying turned to sobbing as terror coursed through her. Where had Nell gone? Surely she didn’t intend to leave her there all alone? She got her answer a moment later when Nell loomed towards her through the snow, but this time she wasn’t alone. A tall lanky youth was walking beside her and he looked down at Ruby curiously.

‘This ’ere is Bill Waters, he’s a mate o’ mine,’ Nell introduced him. ‘Lucky for us ’e happened by when he did ’cause he’s goin’ to ’elp us, ain’t yer, Bill?’