The sisters walked down the alley to the back door of the shop and knocked. The locks turned and Mrs Caroll let them into a short dark corridor, lined from floor to ceiling with boxes of all shapes and sizes. The twosome followed Mrs Caroll into the shop. As the older woman went to turn on the lights, Annie turned and rolled her eyes. Meg suppressed a giggle.
Standing at the register, Annie chose a tin of tobacco and sweets from a jar. While Annie made the purchases, Meg wandered along tiny aisles crammed with shelving and cases containing tobacco, pipes, jars of sweets, bundles of newspapers, teas, eggs, breads, and cakes. Dry goods were stacked around a middle counter. She passed whiskbrooms, stockings, dishtowels, and hairbrushes, piled together and gathering dust. She sensed Mrs Carro
