and then she found herself remembering , as she had not remembered for a long time , a life well lost : how she had twitched purses and filched silks with her clever fingers ; and now she remembers the warden of newgate telling her that it will be a good twelve weeks before her case would be heard , and that she could escape the gallows if she could plead her belly , and what a pretty thing she was-and how she had turned to the wall and bravely lifted her skirts , hating herself and hating him , but knowing he was right ; and the feel of the life quickening inside her that meant that she could cheat death for a little longer ... `` essie tregowan ? ''