She stops outside a public house at the corner of the street. Through the frosted glass, the lights are bright and inviting. She pushes open the door, a broad smile fixed on her face, ready to greet those already inside.

The Crown is certainly busy tonight. It’s noisy, too, heaving with people having a good time. There is always a party when the Forty Thieves have returned from a raid up west, and the laughter is raucous. The scarves and gloves that were, this morning, tucked inside Ruby’s coat and skirts, have already gone to Grace Bartlett’s warehouse. By tomorrow, they’ll have been separated and sold through one of half a dozen shops between London and Kent that do business with the Forties. The paste brooches and the muff will have gone too. Ruby begged Maggs to let her keep the coat. It’s against the rules to keep your own steals. Unwise, too, to be caught wearing something you never paid for. But she told Maggs it was her birthday, and Maggs pretended she didn’t know otherwise, so she’s wearing it just for tonight.

Ruby eases herself into the wooden settle next to Maggs and takes a deep breath. The familiar mingled smell of beer, cigarette smoke and perfume hits the back of her throat, sharp and warm, and she snuggles into the fur collar.

Through the fog of tobacco, she watches Billy Walsh trying to talk his way into Daisy Gould’s knickers. He fancies himself a smooth talker, does Billy. He’s not tried it on with Daisy before, but her old man’s just been sent down for five years hard labour, so he’ll imagine he’s in with a chance tonight. He hasn’t a hope: Daisy’s pining for Harry, everyone knows that.

She presses a fingertip to the rough chip in the rim of her gin glass, remembering the last time she wrapped her own legs around his waist. Billy Walsh has been a rite of passage for several of the Forties, and she’d be happy enough to repeat the experience. A successful day’s hoisting, outrunning the coppers and not getting caught, always gives her the itch.

The women are sitting in their usual corner, set apart from the men. Maggs is deep in conversation with Edith, Alice and Grace. Ruby pulls her thoughts away from Billy Walsh and back to the table.