Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. She had been awake most of the night suffering all manner of guilty feelings for what she’d done and the throbbing in her ankle hadn’t helped matters either. Mrs Petty had already undone the binding on it early that morning and tutted to see that it was swollen like a balloon. ‘I can’t see you gettin’ out an’ about on that for a couple o’ weeks at least,’ she’d said, and although she was in pain, Ruby had felt relived. At least she wouldn’t be asked to do another burglary until her ankle was healed.

After breakfast she and Nell went into the sitting room and Ruby picked up one of the books on gems that Maddie had given to her to look at. She was actually really enjoying learning where all the different gems came from and was fascinated to discover that such raw material could be turned into such sparkling jewels.

‘I think I’d like to be a goldsmith when I’m older,’ she told Nell thoughtfully.

The girl chuckled. ‘It ain’t as simple as that. It takes years to train a good goldsmith and there’s a lot more to it than yer think.’ She herself was poring over the morning paper to see if there was any report on the burglary. Thankfully there wasn’t, not as yet, at least.

‘So, how do you know Bill?’ Ruby asked curiously.

‘Me an’ Bill come from the same neighbourhood an’ we’ve known each other since we were nippers. His dad were a bleedin’ nightmare an’ used to knock the family about till he were knocked over an’ killed by a dray cart a few years ago. That left him an’ his mam an’ a younger brother an’ sister, but sadly the little ’uns died in the influenza epidemic a couple o’ years back. An’ now his mam’s right poorly an all. Between you an’ me I reckon she’s got the consumption an’ I don’t think she’ll last much longer. Bill bein’ the oldest he sort o’ took on the man’s role when his dad were killed. He’s always out scoutin’ fer work – he’ll do any sort o’ work, but when he can’t get none, he’ll do the odd job fer Maddie just to keep a roof over his mam’s head.’

‘Poor Bill.’ Ruby felt sad for him. It sounded like he was no keener on stealing than she was. ‘And what about you, Nell? How did you come to be here?’

Nell looked distinctly uncomfortable and kept her eyes firmly fixed on the paper as she muttered, ‘Ah, yer know, this an’ that.’

She clearly didn’t wish to speak about her past so Ruby turned her attention back to the book she was reading and soon she was lost in the world of gems.