Ruby had returned from the Deville household this afternoon to find the residents of 11 Nobby Lane congregated in the Amble rooms, which was their usual meeting place, as they were the largest. She’d fallen into a chair and allowed them to ply with her tea and jam and bread until her spirits were revived. Only then did they begin to discuss the robbery of Violet and Beatrice’s nephew’s house. She’d protested vehemently. Argued, and debated. All her pleas that it was folly to attempt such a thing had fallen on deaf ears. The residents were on the side of the Amble sisters. Something had to be done, or they would have to move out of 11 Nobby Lane, and no one wanted that to happen.
“I have no wish for you to do anything that upsets you, Ruby. Only that you go for a walk and see the house. As you can imagine, I do not want my sister undertaking criminal activities, but if you don’t go, then Violet and Beatrice will do it themselves,” Adam had said in that calm way he had.
Of the two of them, he was that, and she the opposite. Ruby had just learned to be an excellent actress very early in her life. Being raised with a tyrant as a father, and a mother who believed her husband nothing short of the messiah, she’d had to learn to hold her tongue. Especially with five dominant older brothers.
So, after ensuring Adam had eaten and was tucked up in the Ambles’ room in an armchair reading, with Miss Kent as company, she’d left with the sisters. Mr. Winston, Mrs. Chen, and Mr. Zwart had also come in case they were needed.
“I’m not sure why you all felt the need to come,” Ruby said. “It hardly makes us inconspicuous.”
“We are out for a stroll,” Mr. Winston said in heavily accented English.
She bit back anything further. They would draw the attention of anyone looking, as they were an odd group. Mr. Winston, with his dark skin and wonderful Indian dress that she and Adam loved, as it looked so much more comfortable than the restrictive clothing they were forced to wear.
Mr. Zwart had a very rigid posture and tended to stride, so was already ahead of them. Mrs. Chen was chatting to the Amble sisters as if it was a Sunday stroll.
It took them some time to reach the residence they sought. The rains that had poured down for two days had stopped, which was a relief to everyone walking about the sludgy London streets. The air was cool, but felt nice to be out in. Or it would if she didn’t have this knot of tension in her belly.
“We have not walked by here since we were forced to leave,” Violet said, her voice held a quiver.
Mrs. Chen hugged her and Beatrice close.
“Perhaps we should return home.” Ruby saw an opening and took it. “If it distresses you so much.”
“No, this is what we wish to do,” Beatrice said.
“That one,” Violet whispered as they approached a tall townhouse. The front had a black iron fence that went down the entire row of matching homes. All were painted white and butted to the ones on either side. The Amble house, however, was on the end, so one side was detached.
The house was several stories but not overly wide. There were two columns announcing the front door, and steps up.
It was close to dark, but there was still enough light to see.
“There are no lights coming from the windows, which tells me not even the servants are about,” Violet said.
“Come.” Beatrice sniffed, then walked through the gate and down the side of the house as if she did so every day. Her sister and the others soon followed.
“They are mad,” she muttered.
Ruby looked around her but saw no one nearby. No curtains twitched at the windows of the neighboring properties. She followed her elderly friends. They moved in a silent line down the side and to the rear of the house, then stopped undetected beside the fence.
She saw no light in the windows here either.
“There.” Violet pointed to a window on the second floor. “That is the one with the faulty latch.”
“Excellent, and now we’ve seen this, we can go,” Ruby whispered.
“We are here now, and the house empty.” Beatrice no longer looked upset, just determined. “Mr. Winston and Mr. Zwart have said they will do it. We need only keep watch until they are done.”
“I had Adam write out a list.” Violet pulled a piece of paper from her bodice. “I have made a note of where the items are and what they look like. I doubt that vermin would have moved anything. Insipid, addlepated fool.”
“You can’t expect them to go in there now? I thought we were just looking at the place,” Ruby hissed.
“Never the right time,” Mr. Zwart snapped, taking the paper from Violet. “May as well do it while we are here, as Miss Beatrice said.”
“But if you are caught you would go to jail or worse, be sent to the colonies,” Ruby said, desperate for them to understand the consequences.
“It is our choice to do this, Ruby, and are aware what could happen,” Mr. Winston said, patting her hand far more calmly than the situation warranted to her mind.
“If anyone approaches, Mrs. Chen will do her bird whistle,” Beatrice added.
