Queen of Thieves Read online

‘In the changing room, keeping asking for clothes in more than one size, throw it all off the hangers, into a heap, so you can filch a few things and if you have time, put them on under what you are wearing.’

  ‘On the shop floor it’s about speed and distraction. We will always work in a team,’ said Molly.

  ‘Clouting,’ said Alice, ‘is the art of rolling a fur up, nice and tight, and shoving it down your knickers. I can get one in each leg, but you should just aim for one smaller item, for now. Here start with a mink stole.’

  She threw the soft fur wrap over to me and I rolled it, as best as I could with one hand, while I flicked through the clothes rail with the other. I lifted my skirt and quickly shoved the fur down my drawers, but the end of the mink trailed out down my leg as I walked away.

  ‘No,’ said Alice. ‘No good, go back and try it again.’

  Just then, there was a knock at the door. It wasn’t just one knock, it was three in quick succession.

  ‘It’s alright,’ said Molly, as a look of panic swept across my face. ‘It’s one of the fellas, that’s their signal.’

  She sauntered off down the hall and called after me: ‘You’ve got a visitor.’

  I yanked the fur out of my knicker leg – that was no mean feat – straightened my skirt and made my way to see who it was.

  Jimmy was leaning on the doorframe, scuffing his shoes on the mat.

  Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather. I wanted to slap his stupid face and kiss him all at the same time. Instead, I stood there glaring at him, pursing my mouth.

  ‘Heard I’d find you here,’ he said, glancing up at me with that little-boy-lost look of his.

  He was sporting some new threads. The shoulders and lapels were wider than before, and he’d started to grow a little pencil moustache. It didn’t suit him.

  ‘There’s something stuck on your top lip,’ I joked.

  He didn’t find it amusing. ‘Give over, Nell. That’s the style for all us Chaps up in Soho.’

  ‘What’s a Chap?’

  ‘Someone who’s on the pavement, looking for work, ready to help out.’

  ‘But you’re a barrow boy.’

  He looked hurt: ‘You have no idea what I’ve been doing but I tell you this, Nell, I’ve been doing it for you, to show you I’m serious.’

  ‘What do you mean, serious?’ I said. I wasn’t going to make this easy for him, not after what he’d put me through these past few days. ‘Seriously sticking your tongue down Molly’s throat like you were the other week?’

  He shook his head: ‘Nah, you got it all wrong. I want to get married, to put a roof over our heads, so I can provide for you and the baby.’

  He talked as if it was going to be the easiest thing in the world, like one of his little errands he had to run.

  ‘Well, you’ve got a funny way of showing it. You just upped and disappeared!’ I spat. I was fighting the urge to grab hold of him and feel his arms around me. It must have been the pregnancy doing funny things to me. I’d heard about that. Women throwing pots and pans at their blokes in screaming rows one minute and then their knickers to the wind the next. What the hell was happening to me?

  ‘Oh, Nell, don’t be too hard on me, girl…’ His blue eyes twinkled, and I felt my stomach do one of those silly flips. ‘Life is meant to be about having a bit of fun, ain’t it? It was a party, and I’d had a few but there was nothing in it with me and old Molly, she’s just a family friend, honest to God.’

  I folded my arms. My bump really showed when I did that.

  ‘I know you’re brassed off with me, I get it, but I had to go and do a bit of work for someone, call in a few favours, because I’m trying to pull in all the cash I can. I’m serious about us, Nell. I want to provide for you and the baby. I want us to have a proper wedding and everything.’

  ‘With me looking like the back end of a bus!’ I scoffed. ‘And my mother dying of shame in the front pew of the church.’

  He pulled me to him and nuzzled into my neck: ‘Are you forgetting who you are, my forever girl? I’m made up about our little family.’

  ‘But you’ve got a girl in every port, Alice said so,’ I protested. It was more like a half-protest. I could feel the smile starting to curl at the corners of my mouth. Jimmy had this way of soothing my anger, of making me think of strawberries and sunshine. It just oozed out of him, and I craved his touch.

  ‘Don’t believe everything she tells you, Nell! We can do this together, but you have got to believe in me. Trust me. I may not be around very much while I sort things out, that’s all.’

  ‘I’m scared, Jimmy,’ I whispered. ‘Scared about the future for me and the baby. People will talk. My dad will kill me when he finds out what we’ve done.’

  ‘Why don’t you let me take you home? I can face him, man-to-man,’ he said.

  ‘Oh, Jimmy,’ I choked. ‘He’ll never let us get married. He’ll have your guts for garters for what’s happened, and I’m finished when he finds out…’

  A voice came from over my shoulder.

  ‘You alright, love?’ It was Alice.

  Jimmy’s face hardened: ‘What have you got her into, Alice?’

  ‘Nell don’t need you to be the boss of her, Jimmy,’ said Alice, her mouth twisting into a sneer. ‘She’s on a promise for me and she can think for herself from what I’ve seen.’

  Jimmy reeled back, like he’d been shot, and then he made a grab for me, with a wild look in his eye: ‘You don’t know what you are getting tangled up in here, Nell, for God’s sake! Let me take you home, we can iron this out with Alice later…’

  Alice gave a snort of laughter: ‘Typical fella! Thinks he can waltz up to my door and dictate how things are going to work on my manor.’

  Molly swayed into view down the hallway, clutching her bottle of gin: ‘What’s all the racket? Are things getting interesting?’ She stopped, put her hand on her hip and pouted at him: ‘Oh, hello, Jim.’

  I pulled away from him. ‘It’s alright, Jimmy, I want to do this, I’m happy here. I reckon I can earn good money and we can make good use of it, you’ll see, it’s for the baby.’ I owed Alice for what she’d taught me so far, I knew that, so I couldn’t just leave, but I’d also seen how her girls lived, the independence they had, the things they could afford, and I wanted some of it. It was different from the way I longed to be with Jimmy, but I was chasing the chance of a better life, which would help us in the long run. If only he’d see it that way.

  He looked crestfallen, and I felt tears prick my eyes at that and they started running down my cheeks before I could stop them.

  ‘But I’m going to provide for us, just give me a chance,’ he mumbled, shrinking in Alice’s shadow as she loomed towards him.

  ‘She’s making her own decisions, Jimmy,’ she said, curtly. ‘Now, I respect you, we go back a long way, but you’re on my turf and I won’t have you upsetting my girls because that would be a flaming liberty. So, you’d better sling your hook, chum, before I run out of patience.’

  She shut the door firmly in his face and as I turned, I found myself weeping on her shoulder.

  ‘There, don’t upset yourself. Just a lovers’ tiff. He ain’t worth it. No fella is worth it.’

  She gave me a little squeeze and as she gazed into my eyes, I noticed, for the first time, that hers were flecked with gold.

  ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Let’s go shopping.’

  Selfridges on Oxford Street stood like a monument to wealth and luxury, with huge columns all the way along its frontage and tempting window displays drawing crowds, even on a boiling hot day. I knew it from my childhood, the times I’d spent with my nose pressed longingly to the glass, admiring the toys at Christmas. Sometimes Mum and me might wander through to look at things, with her words ‘Look, don’t touch!’ ringing in my ears.

  Today was different. We were very much in the business of touching things and taking them home – without paying – and I felt almost giddy with nerves. We’d hop
ped on the bus to cross the river because Alice wanted to save a bit on petrol and her Chrysler had been in the garage for repairs, so the plan was for her driver, Molly’s brother Jack, to park up nearby in an hour or so, when we were finished. Alice had given me a summer frock to wear, a beautiful cotton dress printed with sprigs of flowers, and belt in the same material. I had a petticoat under and my hoister drawers over my knickers. Molly and me had matching carpet bags slung over our arms and Alice had the most enormous leather handbag.

  Alice had spent some time doing my hair up nicely, rolling it at the sides, to give it a bit of lift, fastening it with some grips. ‘Makes you look pretty, shows your cheekbones off a bit,’ she said.

  She was wearing a light overcoat, of gaberdine, which I knew had secret pockets sewn into the lining, and a smart straw hat with flowers on the brim. Even in the heat, she was cool as a cucumber.

  ‘Now,’ she said, as we hopped off the bus and she pushed open the heavy double doors to the shop, ‘I need to see if you’re game enough for us, Nell.’

  ‘Of course, I am,’ I said. ‘I ain’t bottling out now.’

  She gave a little ‘hmm’ of approval.

  ‘I’m not expecting you to hoist much,’ said Alice. ‘Just some easy stuff, hankies, stockings, scarves. Sweep them into the bag, using the technique we showed you.’

  I nodded.

  ‘I’ll keep the assistant busy,’ said Molly, ‘Then we’ll do a bag swap out in the stairwell, and I’ll get the bag out to the others on the pavement outside. You stick close by me.’

  The thieves worked in teams, inside and outside the shop, so that they could get their loot away and come back for more. It was a simple plan, but very effective.

  It made me feel special, important even, walking through that store knowing I was working. I felt sorry for my pal, Iris, spending all day every day stuck in that bloody factory, bashing the life out of rabbit pelts. That was soul-destroying. This felt like freedom.

  We had to push our way through, past the crowds of women on the cosmetics counters, squirting perfume on their wrists, to get to the stairs up to the women’s clothing department.

  A well-dressed woman with so much face powder on she looked like she’d rolled in flour was pulling out her purse to pay for some Eau de Cologne and a lipstick.

  ‘Mug,’ muttered Molly, under her breath. ‘Make-up is easy pickings, I’ll show you that another time.’

  When we got upstairs on the shop floor, I started to feel my heartbeat quicken. Alice peeled off left and we went right, over to table with scarves on it, all neatly folded.

  Molly picked one up and pretended to admire the pattern for a moment: ‘It’s rayon, not silk, won’t be worth as much but we’ll have a few of them.’

  She strolled around the counter with the scarf still in hand, as a little bird-like shop assistant made her way over to us. I stuck to the side of that table like glue, waiting for my signal.

  ‘Anything Madam would like in particular today?’

  Right on cue, Molly dropped the scarf: ‘Oh clumsy me!’

  As the assistant bent down to pick it up, I held the bag open just under the edge of the table and swept a few scarves in. I glanced up and saw Alice, in the corner, trying on a hat. She flashed me a grin, like the Cheshire cat.

  I closed my bag, turned and walked off towards a display of stockings, which I knew were valuable to The Forty Thieves. Every self-respecting woman needed them, and they cost three coupons a pair. More were coming on to the market because of a new factory making British nylons, but they were still in short supply.

  The assistant was busy advising two matronly women on their underpinnings. They looked like they still wore whalebone corsets, the poor old dears. The stockings were arranged on a carousel, so I sneaked around the side nearest to the wall and grabbed a few packets from the bottom, stuffing them in my bag. Molly appeared at my side and filched a packet too, which I assume she must have put in her bag, but I swear I never saw it happen; she was so fast.

  The little sparrow of an assistant from the scarves’ counter started to walk towards us, with a quizzical look on her face.

  ‘Can I help you ladies? Any size in particular?’

  ‘No thanks,’ said Molly, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. ‘Terribly warm in here, think we need some air.’

  Now, Molly normally spoke like all the people round our way did. We were Cockneys. But when she was working, she sounded like she had a plum in her mouth. I stifled a giggle and she dug me in the ribs, hard, which winded me, so that I coughed.

  ‘Oh, my daughter’s feeling faint too,’ she said. ‘Perhaps you should open a window in here?’

  Molly put her arm around me, and we walked together to the door where she took my bag, and I took hers. She didn’t hesitate and was already hightailing down the stairs as I walked back into the department to find Alice.

  She was nowhere to be seen.

  I made a show of looking at the scarves again and went and tried on a few hats. Maybe it was fear that made me do it, or daring, but before I knew what was happening, I was sauntering towards tempting rails of lingerie. I gave the flannelette nighties a wide berth; I could hear Alice guffawing with laughter at the thought of selling those matronly threads.

  Instead, a lovely display of negligees caught my eye. I picked one up, marvelling at the softness of the fabric. Was it silk or rayon?

  ‘Silk, Miss,’ said another shop assistant, who had appeared out of nowhere and was built like a brick shit house, pardon my language. ‘Very expensive.’

  I imagined what Alice Diamond would do.

  I fixed her with a steely look: ‘I’d like to try it please.’

  My fingers developed a life of their own, messing up her neat display: ‘And a few of those ones too.’ She started trying to tidy up, and in the confusion, I plonked my bag on the table and pushed a nightie to the edge and on to the floor.

  ‘Do mind the stock, Miss,’ she said, acidly. ‘Your bag may damage the delicate fabric.’

  ‘Silly me,’ I said, moving the bag and bending down to scoop the silk and shove it inside while she fussed over the neatness of her display. I’d done it! It only took a few moments and I stood there, colouring up. There was no turning back now.

  A thin smile formed on her lips as she looked me up and down. ‘I would like to try them on,’ I said, adding thoughtfully: ‘Please.’

  ‘I see,’ she said, clasping the garments to her bosom, as if they were here most prized possessions. She moved at quite a lick for a well-built latrine and what with the nerves, I was almost out of breath trying to keep up.

  ‘Well, do try and let me know if there is anything in particular you like,’ she said.

  ‘I’m here with my auntie, shopping,’ I said, by way of explanation, as we headed towards the changing room. ‘She wants to treat me for my birthday.’

  ‘Lovely,’ she replied.

  My heart was pounding as she yanked open the curtain and then pulled it closed behind me. I surveyed the nighties, in pale blue silk, shell pink, cream and, of course, the one I’d shoved in my bag, in purest white. They were all beautiful and cost more than two weeks’ wages for any woman.

  I stared at my reflection in the changing room mirror. I looked terrified, with two high-coloured patches of scarlet on my cheeks where I’d got so flustered. But I’d gone and done it now. It was easy to stand in a changing room, but I had to get the goods out of the store and to safety before the assistant did a stock check.

  I started to undress, to make a show of trying them on. I swear my boobs had grown an inch since the morning and when I pulled the scrap of silk over my head, it got stuck. Panicking and fearing I’d rip it, I pulled it off again, sharpish, and counted to ten, breathing deeply.

  ‘Well, Miss,’ she boomed from the other side of the curtain, ‘How does it look?’

  ‘Lovely,’ I lied. ‘I’d like my aunt to see it before I buy it, could you possibly hold it for me for an hour?’ I wri
ggled myself back into my summer dress.

  ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Just one hour, though.’

  I pulled back the curtain and greeted her with a cheery smile, handing over the heap of nighties. How hard could this be? All I had to do now was make for the oak-panelled door in the corner but for some reason, my legs were shaking, and my knees had gone a bit wobbly.

  ‘Are you feeling alright, Miss?’

  ‘Yes, just a little hot today, isn’t it? I think I need a little fresh air. I’ll be back shortly.’ I set off across the shop floor.

  The bag on my arm suddenly weighed a ton and every mannequin seemed to be staring at me accusingly. The door loomed in the distance and my feet were wading through treacle, but I kept going and I didn’t look back, not even when the assistant said: ‘I’ll look forward to seeing you later.’

  ‘Not if I see you first,’ I muttered under my breath.

  Suddenly, the door was right in front of me. Pushing it open, I was greeted by a gust of cool air in the stairwell, and I leaned against the tiled walls to steady myself. As I was making my way down the flight of stairs, Alice was standing there at the bottom, with a face like thunder: ‘Where the bloody hell have you been?’

  She grabbed hold of me, and her grip was like being caught in a vice. She dragged me, bodily, through the doors, clamping me to her side. Alice was talking, out of the corner of her mouth, in a low whisper, with words that stung like hell, her green eyes blazing: ‘You little bleeding idiot! What the hell d’you think you’re playing out going off and getting lost like that? Just you wait ’til I get you home.’

  ‘Let me explain,’ I squeaked. ‘Give me a chance to—’

  ‘Shut it!’ she spat. ‘Just let me get us out of here.’

  Suddenly we were moving, very fast, across the ground floor. The make-up counters passed in a blur. We whizzed through the revolving doors at lightning speed and out into the car, where her driver was waiting, with the engine running.

  Molly was in the front seat, grinning from ear to ear. She’d gone and dumped me, and she knew it, but I wasn’t going to grass her up to Alice over it.

  ‘Now,’ said Alice, as the engine revved and we pulled away up Holborn, ‘explain yourself.’