‘What you got there?’ Maggs asks. Her eyes are shining with mischief. She’s known Annie since they were babies and, although she’s loyal to the Queen of the Thieves, like Grace, she’s ready to tease.

Annie growls. ‘The most expensive fucking vegetables in the whole world, that’s what.’

Edith has joined them. She stands, peering over the parcel. They all stare at it.

‘Vegetables?’ Maggs is trying to keep the laughter from her voice. ‘What vegetables?’

‘We were over the river,’ Grace says. ‘We were shopping, really shopping, not hoisting. Two old friends checking the shops to see what they have. Saving the information, of course, for a later date. And then Annie decided she wanted to look in a green-grocer’s.’

‘What?’

‘I just thought I’d look,’ says Annie, now beginning to see the funny side of Grace’s story. ‘You know, like ladies do. They don’t just visit department stores. They peruse the vegetables.’

Edith starts to giggle. ‘Peruse…’

‘We were perusing the vegetables,’ Grace continues, ‘when who should walk in but a copper we know.’

‘He was never going to believe we were there on innocent business,’ Annie says. ‘He stood in the shop, just watching us.’

‘Watching you?’ Maggs asks in disbelief.

‘He stood there, hands behind his back, watching us discuss the leeks and cabbages. So we had to buy something.’

They are all laughing now.

‘What was he expecting you to do?’ Ruby says. ‘Push pea pods into your pocket?’

‘Carrots under your hat?’ Maggs roars. ‘A cabbage in your drawers?’

‘We ended up buying half a dozen leeks,’ says Annie. ‘I don’t even like ’em.’

‘The most expensive leeks in London, too,’ Grace adds. ‘You could buy a shop full of ’em for the price he charged, but ’cos the copper was there, watching us like a hawk, we had to bloody well pay up.’

‘Let’s see them, then!’ Maggs is crying now, tears running down her cheeks. She brushes them away with the back of her hand. ‘These expensive leeks bought by a woman who doesn’t even like them. I want to see if they’re coated in gold.’

Grace is already untying the neatly knotted string and opening out the newspaper.

‘Here you go, ladies, these are what they’re eating in Kensington this evening. No finer vegetables to be had in the whole of London, if the price Annie paid is anything to go by.’

‘You should offer one to Doll,’ Ruby says. ‘The poor cow sits here shelling peas for her kids. Just think what a fancy leek would mean to her.’

‘I don’t think Doll’s ever seen a leek,’ Grace says, stroking them. ‘She wouldn’t know what to do with it.’

‘What’s to do except chop it up and stick it in the pot?’

‘What’s that?’ Edith peers over the leeks.