Chapter 1: Tents & Stallions
Chapter Text
Tommy was lingering outside The Garrison, his usual steady hand struggling to grasp his match to spark up his cigarette. It was sometimes the case in the evenings that he started to flash back to the horrors he'd witnessed in France. Though it was nothing a drink wouldn't fix. Whisky was the best medicine after all.
As Finn spoke Tommy's unsteady hand finally managed to spark a flame on the matchstick as he lit his cigarette, slowly exhaling the smoke from his nostrils as his brother told the tale. So far things seemed to be checking out, the local police seemed to be barking up the wrong tree, and that suited the Shelby's just fine. "Well done Finn." Tommy said simply, patting his young brother's shoulder and grabbing the boy a shilling from his pocket. "Don't tell John I paid you, he'll get jealous." He said, a pretend expression of seriousness on his face. "Bed with ya." Tommy then instructed, watching as the young boy ran off home.
After discarding his cigarette Tommy stepped inside the pub, for a moment there was silence as the patrons glanced in his direction, quickly averting their eyes and speaking in low whispers as Tommy made his way to the bar. "Whisky Harry." He spoke to the barman, his voice cutting through the murmurs as he approached the bar. His reputation around Small Heath was growing, infact amongst the north both his own name and the name of the Peaky Blinders seemed to send woman rushing in to their homes and swiftly bolting the doors. Bizarre, he would think to himself. They never went out of their way to hurt women, and especially children. They weren't complete fucking savages.
As soon as he had reached a stool at the bar a large glass of whisky was set in front of him. "Tah." He spoke in his rough brummie accent. "And send those lot a glass will you, might hush their fucking whispers." He added, tilting his head in the direction of the pale faced men in the corner.
It was getting dark fast as the evening slowly but steadily turned into the night. The sound of horse hooves could be heard outside the Garrison. Suddenly, a dappled gray horse stopped in front of the establishment. A woman got off it and tied the horse on a slipknot. She looked left and right, then pulled an overcoat closer to her body. She grabbed a jug with a chipped edge from a saddlebag and then walked into the Garrison. She didn't greet anyone. There was no use. Who would greet a lady like her?
Tommy reached inside the pocket of his jacket and removed his box of cigarettes, placing them on the bar beside him. He took a gulp of his whiskey and set his glass back down on the bar before reaching for his matches. When the door had swung open he glanced over his shoulder, he would always take note of those that entered The Garrison. There were some nasty men in this world, though it was a rare occurrence that a lone female would enter the pub at this hour.
She was not exactly like the ladies of Birmingham. She wore trousers and beat up old riding shoes. She used a really long scarf with a few jingly golden pieces as a shirt. She would tangle it and wrap it around her body to hide it almost completely. Most of the time, she would wear just that. However, the Birmingham skies as well as the weather was not aligning with her weather warmth preference. She had to wear an overcoat over the red scarf too.
Well, there was one thing that connected the woman and the Birmingham ladies. She was quite pretty.
The woman looked through the crowd of men in the establishment and then walked straight to the bar. She made sure that there was some space around her. She was not stupid to stand right next to someone. "Mild." She put the jug on the counter, "Fill it up." She told Harry, the bartender. "No, no, don't give me that ladies shit from yesterday," The lady pulled out a fist full of coins and set them on the counter. She saw Harry sigh heavily and then take the jug to fill it up. The man was almost putting it under the tap, when the lady loudly said: "Oy." Her accent was nowhere near Birmingham. In fact, it almost sounded like she wanted to fit in with her accent. It still seemed strange coming from her. "Oy. At least wash it out, would ya?" She shook her head and watched Harry turn around.
When he did so, she quietly hopped up. With one arm, she held onto the bar, and with the other, she grabbed a bunch of banknotes. She slipped those in her pocket as Harry was turning back. "Good boy." She smiled. "Thank you." And then, she simply waited for her beer. Curious. Tommy thought to himself as his curious eyes had kept a rather close gaze over this mysterious female. Tommy struck his match against the side of the match box, sparking life into the end of his cigarette as he overheard the exchange. How curious. He took a lengthy inhale of the cigarette, inhaling deeply and exhaling to smoke through his tight lips. Another sip of his whisky taken as he watched the woman rob the bar whilst Harry had his back turned.
The woman leaned on the bartop with her arm. She propped her cheek against her hand as filling up the jug took a while. She yawned softly and then looked at the other people in the pub. She had not noticed the tall, dark man watching her, not at all. She had done this trick here before. It always worked. There was no reason why it shouldn't, right? Tommy slowly rose to his feet, his footsteps almost silent as he approached the woman's side. He removed his cap and placed it in her view in the bar, ensuring the razor blades stitched into the brim of his cap glistened under the lights of the bar. "You're going to want to put that back." He spoke simply, his voice a low growl in her ear.
"Not interested," she said when she felt the presence of someone next to her. There sometimes were men that felt that they could conquer the world, and everyone would fall on their fucking knees before them and yadi-yadi-yada... She was not the one to fall. She looked down at the bar and saw the cap right next to her pile of coins. Every other coin was fake, or it wasn't shillings. She looked at the cap closely and saw the blades. She just gambled. Maybe he wasn't sure what he saw. "I'm not sure what you mean?" She asked. "Thank you. The woman then told Harry and grabbed the jug. She took a sip of the beer and then looked at the man with the razor blade cap.
Curious. Tommy thought to himself once again. A lone woman with a knack for pulling a fast one on unsuspecting bar tenders. "I mean..." Tommy snarled lowly, his lips moving close to her ear as he took a tighter grip of his cap, his knuckles tensing around the material. "You don't steal from my fucking pub." He said simply. "Now you sit down... and you tell me who the fuck you are." Tommy continued, his voice never raising above a harsh whisper as he placed his other hand on her shoulder. Often when Tommy spoke simply and slowly like this the world seemed to stop turning for some as the weight of his words fell heavy on their ears.
'Guess I need to find a different pub. Fuck me.' The woman thought to herself and rolled her eyes. She moved her shoulder harshly to shake the man's hand off. She peeked over at the exit, quickly identifying that it was a no-go. There were just too many people and if she made a run for it, someone would probably manage to trip her. It was a bit of a shame to get caught, but it was worse to get caught and humiliated in front of a whole bunch of drunkards.
"Momma didn't teach you not to touch ladies?" She hummed and then rolled her eyes yet again.The woman said simply and hoisted herself up on the bar stool. She put one of her legs over the other and grabbed the big jug so she could take another sip of the beer. She let out a small sigh of contentment as the cold beer watched over her tastebuds. They had nice beer at the Garrison. That much was true. "My mother died a very long time ago." Tommy replied simply, ensuring the woman had taken a seat before retracting his cap and returning it to his head with careful precision. He retrieved his half smoked cigarette from the ashtray, ensuring he kept a close eye on the mystery woman as he inhaled the smoke and observed her closely. "Mine not so long ago." The woman said and leaned back slightly in the seat as she rest an elbow against the bar.
The woman found herself observing this mysterious man closely. He had a sharp jaw and piercing blue eyes that seemed to read right through her. "Marta." She eventually spoke and then offered the man her hand. She could be polite when she wanted. She hoped that there was still some wiggle room. Maybe the money in her pocket could stay in her pocket if she played the cards right. Observation. That was one thing Tommy had never taken for granted. It was amazing to him how common folk overlooked such simple details, details that had always helped him get the upper hand. "Marta." He repeated. "And where is Marta from?"
"Marta." She chuckled at the use of a third person. The man started it, so she had no qualms in keeping up with it. "Marta is either from a tent right on the outskirts of Birmingham or from a very ugly, very big house a few miles away from the outskirts." The thing was, Marta's mother had been a very beautiful woman, so she managed to have Marta with one man and then marry another. The second husband was a real gadjo bastard who had money but no morality. After her mother's death, Marta was sentenced to live with him. However, she ran away often. She would take her horse and simply take off. Marta pursed her lips for a little bit as she watched the man. "Offer me a cigarette?" She reached her hand towards the man expectantly. It was innately rude to ask a man for a cigarette, even more so considering she had just tried to steal from him. But she could live with that. This was a dog eat dog world.
"Perhaps once you have returned what you have stolen from me." Tommy responded, his voice still a low whisper as he inhaled some more smoke, this time blowing directly into her face and holding his glass of whisky a little firmer. "So, Marta from a tent on the outskirts of Birmingham, why are you stealing from me?" Tommy continued, his temper flaring as he squeezed his glass tighter in his hand. The nights were always the hardest times for him to control that beast inside, the one that could rear it's nasty head in the blink of an eye. "Who sent you here? The fucking Lee's?" He demanded an answer, the volume of his voice increasing above a harsh whisper for the first time.
Marta rolled her eyes for a third time and closed them when the smoke moved swiftly to her. She waited for it to disperse and then opened her eyes. She moved on her chair so that she didn't tear up the banknotes while pulling them out. She threw the bunch of cash on the counter. "Fine then." She sighed and then took a big gulp of the beer. She smacked her lips at the taste then stared back at the man. Marta watched him grip his glass very tight. "What did the glass do to you?" She asked him with a smirk and gently entwined her fingers around the rim of the man's glass. Marta then slid it out of Tommy's hold. He allowed her, curious to see what she was up to and what she wanted. The woman played with it, twirling the liquid inside so that it coated the sides of the glass. "I don't know the Lee's." Marta stated as she watched the whisky pour from one place to the other. "My last name is Cabrera." She then sniffed the liquid and slowly raised the glass to her lips before she took a sip. Her face scrunched in disgust as she put the glass back on the counter. "Lack of money sent me here. There are things I want to put right but I don't have money to do so. That's why I steal. " Marta looked at the man sat at the bar beside her and allowed a small smile to crease the corners of her lips.
All the while the woman spoke Tommy was observing carefully, she had a careless aura about her, one that he found rather intriguing. Yet he had a strong dislike for her 'take it all' attitude. Honest work was perhaps what she needed. As he watched her twirl his whisky around the glass he shuffled on his stool, tilting his head inquisitively. She had balls that much was for sure. Tommy stayed silent, watching her sip his drink. "That will come out of your first pay packet." He said simply, rising to his feet and returning his packet of cigarettes to his jacket pocket. "You'll apologise to Harry." He then stated, pointing to the barman. "You'll apologise to me." Tommy then added, pointing a finger at his own chest. "And you'll be here for work at 8am." He continued on before reaching inside his jacket once more, removing his pistol and pressing it in to her chest. He was subtle enough that no one would see the weapon, but she would certainly feel the cold metal barrel against her chest. "And if you even so much as think about stealing from me again, I'll put a bullet in your chest and throw your body in the cut." He added with a low growl. Threatening women wasn't his usual tact, but when they waltzed in to his bar and stole money from his pocket, well then that made them his fucking problem.
Marta watched Tommy and sighed softly. Now she likely wouldn't get a cigarette because she drank the man's drink, his blank expression didn't seem to give much away though. Marta thought it was fair, but a cigarette was always a pleasant pastime if she managed to steal them from an unsuspecting factory worker. She then slid off the barstol and furrowed her brows when she heard the word pay. "What?" She tilted her head to the side as her hand rested on the jug. Marta listened to Tommy and wanted to roll her eyes again but then she saw the gun. She took a step back but was stopped by the bar stool behind her. It would seem she had chosen the wrong pub to rob. She shook her head and then looked at Harry. "Harry? I'm very Sorry." Marta told him and then turned to Tommy before she spoke again. "Sorry, boss." Marta would feel her heart flutter quickly in her chest as she felt the cold barrel of the pistol against her. "I have a stallion outside, and if I am supposed to be here at 8, I should ride home and sleep."
Tommy left the barrel of his pistol pressed against her chest, his icy eyes intently drawn into hers. The gun stayed in place until he was satisfied with her response. "Perfect." He said simply, returning his gun to the holster inside his jacket. "Harry you have a new assistant, meet Marta." He stated to the confused looking barman. "And before you ask she's not a whore, she just has sticky fingers so keep an eye on her." He warned, still rather weary of the woman. "You May go." Tommy then spoke, lighting himself yet another cigarette. "But remember Marta, from a tent on the edge of Birmingham. I'll be keeping an eye on you, and if you don't show up on time tomorrow I'll take a drive out to your little tent, and I'll remove those sticky fingers one by one." He explained, his voice soft yet intense as he spoke before a rare smile appeared on the edges of his lips. "Sleep well."
Marta forced a smile when Tommy removed the gun from her chest. She then sighed to herself when Tommy just had to tell Harry that she was, in fact, stealing from the pub. She rolled her eyes again and then looked back at Tommy. He still seemed to continue with his threatening, which surprised Marta. "Have a good night too, boss." She gave the man a small nod and swiftly picked up the rest of her beer, for which she still paid very little, before she began walking to the door. "8am sharp." She repeated to herself with a soft groan as she walked out of the establishment. "I know I kept you waiting." Marta spoke softly to her horse before she rubbed its muzzle. "You'll get the rest of the beer, that's right." She nuzzled her cheek against the horses nose for a moment. He was a beautiful beast with a shiny grey coat dappled in white spots. A rare breed that much was sure. She allowed her horse to lap up the remains of her beer before she mounted the steed and began the ride back to her small camp on the edge of the city.
Chapter 2: Crates & Fiddles
Chapter Text
Come the next morning Marta had to wake up early. She needed to warm up some water from the pond to wash and even wore a different scarf around her body. It was dark blue, but it still had the jingly bits. She managed to get to her new work by 8am, just like she said and left her horse in front of the pub. She got him a bucket of water and something to eat for his breakfast before entering the pub for her first day of legal employment. Part of her wasn't quite sure why she was here. She could have packed up her camp late last night, hitched it on to her steeds saddle bags and disappeared to the next city. But maybe she was fed up of running from place to place, and right now she needed to be close to Birmingham
Tommy had always been an early riser, in fact he was hardly able to sleep these days. That fucking wall. When he did manage to fall asleep, often in a whisky induced state the knocking would come. It always came. Sometimes he would awake before the horrors of the wall being broken, the soldiers battering him in his own bed. Other times, thankfully he would awake before their pickaxes managed to break down his only barrier. This morning thankfully he'd awoken to the sounds of birds rather than his own rasping breath. "Fuck." He said to himself, his eyes fixed on the wall opposite his bed before rubbing his sweaty face in his hands.
After a few moments he forced himself from his bed, smoking a cigarette as he got himself washed and dressed for the day. First his trousers, then his shirt which he neatly tucked into his trousers. Then his suspenders and his waistcoat. Not to forget the holster for his pistol - always loaded of course. Then finally his jacket, pocket watch and signature hat. As he left the Shelby house he collected a newspaper on his way to the Garrison, he wanted to ensure Marta had arrived on time. He entered the pub just after 8am and was happy to see she was currently being shown around the bar by Harry. "Good Morning Mr Shelby." Harry spoke quickly as the man took a seat at one of the tables. If he wasn't sat at the bar there was a strategy behind Tommy's position. Able to see the bar, the side exit to the yard and most importantly the entrance. Tommy gave Harry a small nod of his head and didn't seem to pay much mind to Marta for now.
Marta's day at work then began with helping Harry wiping the tables, making sure that the beer kegs were still full, she collected glass, washed them then dried them before sweeping all the floors and making sure the pub was ready to open by 10am. Just as opening time was rolling around a man burst swiftly into the pub. He wore a similar flat peaked cap to the one the mysterious man who claimed to own the pub had subtly threatened her with last night. But this man was taller and slender, a slight ganglyness about him "There's a fockin' horse outside. It bit me." The man was Arthur Shelby. Tommy looked up from his paper at his brothers dramatic entrance, unable to stop the slight chuckle that escaped his lips. "You've never been much of a horse whisperer Brother." He responded without glancing up from his newspaper and turned the page of his paper with a small rustle of the pages. "It's a nice fockin' horse. Wanted to pat it. Bit me good, that fucker," Arthur sat down at the table and looked around. "I told you, you've gotta speak to them Arthur." Tommy said, still not taking his eyes off his paper.
"It smells better here than yesterday," Arthur then said. He peeked into Tommy's newspaper and pretended to be interested in the news before he sat back in his chair. At his brother's mention of the smell Tommy tilted his head towards the woman being shown around by Harry. "That would be the woman." He then said, his eyes returning to his paper.
Soon, the rest of the Shelby boys entered The Garrison. John and Finn looked like they just woke up. They still seemed to have the wrinkles of their pillows imprinted on their cheeks and seemed to be rather irritated with eachother. "Get off me John, it wasn't my fucking fault." Came Finn's muffled tone as he was suddenly wrestled inside the pub by his elder brother. "I didn't know she was awake." He went on, ducking under John's arm and quickly darting to the seat in between Tommy and Arthur. Tommy let out a soft sigh and placed his paper down onto the table. "Leave him be John." He stated clearly, his eyes still swiftly following the typed writing in the newspaper.
"What would I tell a horse?" Arthur asked more or less himself before his eyes quickly darted around the bar. . "Woman?" Arthur looked behind the bar and wolfishly whistled to himself. "Are you fucking her, or is Harry fucking her?" He watched the woman for a bit.
"Romani helps." Tommy said simply in response to Arthur's first question about the horse and reached for his cigarettes which were placed neatly on the table. "And I'm not fucking her... merely keeping an eye." He added, looking between his brothers and pointing a finger at John. "Like I'm keeping an eye on you Johnboy." John was the worst for picking on Finn, and Tommy had a soft spot for the youngest Shelby brother. He didn't deserve a rough hand for being fortunate enough to miss out on the war.
"Keeping a fucking eye..." Arthur laughed to himself as he leant back and watched Marta working behind the bar. "Alright then. I might keep a fucking eye too. It's a nice thing to keep an eye on." Tommy simply shook his head at Arthur's rash words, his eldest brother always seemed to think with his cock, hence why Tommy had taken the position of head of the family.
"Go ask the gentlemen if they want something," Harry said as he was shining the whisky glasses. Marta looked at him with a rather disgruntled expression. "Do I have to?" Harry simply nodded and ushered her out from behind the bar. Marta took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. She walked out from behind the bar and went straight to the table. "You lot want something?" She looked at the men and tilted her head to the side slightly. One of them seemed far younger than the others, he couldn't have been much older than 10 or 11. Tommy finally drew his eyes away from the paper before looking up to Marta, then checking the time on his pocket watch before looking to his elder brother. "What will it be Arthur, whisky or mild?"
"I want Whisky," John said when he heard the woman, being a single father to three young children always called for whisky to help him through the day. He checked her out just a little bit, simply because he had never seen her in the city before. "I'd like a mild, ma'am," Arthur said with a smile, that charmer. Marta turned to the youngest boy and asked: "What for you, little nipper? Apple juice? Milk?" She smiled at him and tilted her head to the side slightly. "I'm not a fucking nipper." Finn responded quickly, his tongue as sharp as his brothers, he certainly took after John in that regard. "I'm a fucking blinder."
"3 milds and a whisky." Tommy quickly interjected. "And watch your language when you're speaking to a lady." He half scolded the youngest brother. "Sorry Tom." Finn then spoke, quick to apologise to the head of the family.
Marta looked at the 'boss' and nodded, it dawned on her she still didn't know the man's name. She would have to ask Harry. "Three milds and a whisky." Marta repeated and looked at the youngest boy, who got reprimanded for being a smartass. She chuckled. "You might be a blinder, but I am not blind. I know a nipper when I see one." With that, Marta turned to go back behind the bar. "So, how do I do this?" She asked the bartender and let him show her how much whisky to pour and how to pour beer.
A frown quickly appeared on Finn's face as he sunk a little lower on his chair. "Bitch." He mumbled to himself, folding his arms.
The drink preparation seemed easy enough. Marta managed to prepare the two other beers. "And don't forget that these four gentlemen drink for free, okay?" Harry told Marta. "Right, sure." Marta said before she then took the drinks over to the men. It must be said that if Harry and the other men weren't there, she would have half a mind to bring the little nipper a glass of milk rather than a pint of fucking mild. "Three milds and a whisky." She said as she set the drinks in front of the men... and child.
Once Marta had arrived with their drinks Tommy offered a simple thanks and took a gulp of his beer before lighting a cigarette. "To business." He spoke, exhaling the smoke into the air. "Anything to report?"
Arthur shook his head and then grabbed the newspaper to pretend to be reading. "I don't have anything,"
"I guess we could go fight the Lee's?" John asked. "They haven't done anything yet. But I suppose they might do something soon. Maybe we can scare them?" He said with a small shrug.
With a drink infront of him Finn perked up a little, his scowl leaving his face as he sat up and took a sip of his beer. He wasn't really a fan of the amber liquid, it had a strange taste but it made him feel like he fit in with his brothers so he would drink every time he was offered. He was a Shelby after all, sometimes it seemed all they did was drink. "Leave the Lee's be for now." Tommy responded, taking occasional gulps of his beer and tokes on his cigarette in between words. "We have bigger business. A couple of nights ago you remember some guns went missing in the night from the BSA factory?" He asked, waiting for his brothers nods. "Well they fell into our fucking laps boys." Tommy announced quietly, a hint of excitement twinkling in his eyes.
The three Shelby brothers listened to Tommy. Firstly, John was glad they would only be leaving the Lee's alone 'for now' and not 'forever'. Going to the Lee's and fighting with them for sport or because they did something that had pissed them off was an awful lot of fun. Fighting, in general, was an awful lot of fun in John's book.
"It was meant to be routine." Tommy continued on. " I had a buyer in London for some motorcycles. I asked some men to steal me four motorbikes with petrol engines. I'm guessing the men were drunk because they picked up the wrong fucking crates..." Tommy went on to explain, although this wasn't strictly the case. He had heard from a foreman about the arrival of a large amount of automatic weapons at the factory, he couldn't just let opportunities like this pass them by. "They took the crates to Charlie's yard, and when we opened them up we found twenty five Lewis machine guns with ten thousand rounds of ammunition. Fifty semi automatic rifles, fifty pistols with shells... All bound for Libya. Sitting right there in Charlie Strong's yard." He continued to explain, taking the occasional glance at a rather unhappy looking Marta. "We're gunna be fucking rich boys."
Meanwhile Marta had returned to the bar and was making boring small talk with the older barman. "So, when is the break?" She asked him and yawned softly. Harry furrowed his brow and shrugged. "I don't know, I never really have a break." He replied. "Fucking great," Marta said. She sat down behind the bar. Marta could have been doing so many things at that moment. She would have swum in the pond and bought something nice if she had managed to nick the money yesterday. What was Marta doing at that moment? She had to play maid to some murderous snakes. "So what am I supposed to do now?" Marta asked and turned her head to Harry. "I'll stay here. Serve these four. Whatever they are," Marta sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "Then more drunkards come, and I serve them. It's so fucking boring," Marta mumbled to herself.
"That's how it goes." Harry replied simply, wiping some glasses with a tea towel, not because they were dirty, but just out of habit.
The brothers leaned closer to Tommy to hear him talk about the guns. "RICH!" Arthur shouted when Tommy said that they would be rich. "Fucking rich, Shelby brothers!" Arthur put Finn into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles against the boys head. "Get the fuck off me Arthur." Finn growled, struggling to get out of his brothers grip as he messed up his hair. "Hello barmaid! Bring us all a whisky, Except Finn, bring him a mild!" Arthur shouted and let go of the poor boy. Arthur patted Finn's shoulder. He patted him so hard it could break the boy. "Ain't nobody died from lil' noogie. When yer older, you'll fucking learn how to get out of the headlock. Damn right, you will,"
"Bastard." Finn grumbled, rubbing his shoulder before taking a gulp of his mild as his brothers conversed. They often spent more time in the Garrison than they did at home and Finn had to admit he preferred spending his time here getting picked on by Arthur and John rather than being stuck at home with John's loud kids and his nagging Aunt Pol.
Marta sighed to herself and then poured the new round of drinks. She walked over to the men and set everything on the table looking even less happy than before.
"Thank you, thank you..." Arthur said. "To rich peaky fucking blinders!" He swiftly held his glass up to his brothers and the glass clinked together lightly before all three men swiftly knocked their drink back in one effortless gulp. Tommy couldn't help himself but let out a slight chuckle at his brothers reaction. Little did he know what the future would hold when people realised the guns were missing, but for now the future was full of cold hard cash. "To rich Peaky Blinders." Tommy repeated after his elder brother, a rare smile on his face as he looked around the table at them all.
Marta got back to the bar and polished a few glasses out of boredom. She suddenly heard horse neighing from outside and put the glass along with the dish cloth down onto the bar before she slipped outside. Of course, it was her horse. She came closer to him and put her hand on his muzzle before she petted him for a bit. "You're bored, huh?" Marta asked him. "I know. Me too. I get it." The woman spoke softly as she patted his neck. She then brought the horse fresh water and continued petting him as she found herself hoping that she would get a lot of money for the job so that she could be done with it quickly.
Arthur washed down his whisky with the mild and then looked over at the bar to see Marta had going missing. "She gone forever?" He asked Harry.
Harry was just as confused as Arthur. He put the glass and dishcloth down and shrugged. "I don't know, sir," He looked at the door. "She just left," Harry sighed. "Hope she'll be back," Harry shook his head.iit was in the girl's best interest to come back as soon as possible and if truth be told, he was appreciating having a second pair of hands to help him.
Like his brothers Tommy had downed his glass of whisky in one gulp before standing up from the table, this girl was starting to become more trouble than she was worth. A few local factory workers had started to enter the pub after their night shifts so he knew Harry would soon be rather busy. "Excuse me." He said to his brothers, leaving his packet of cigarettes on the table for a moment before he headed outside the pub.
"He doesn't like men," Marta warned Tommy as she glanced over her shoulder to see him coming towards her horse.
That didn't seem to phase Tommy and as he approached Marta he spoke softly to the horse in Romani gypsy, he often got on better with horses than people and he stroked the horses head before addressing the woman. "You still owe me 4 shillings." He stated, his eyes focused on the beautiful horse as he patted his head. Marta was then slightly shocked to see her horse didn't kick or bite the man, instead happily let him pet him. Marta looked at her horse in disbelief. "His name's Midwinter." She also looked at Tommy with a different look of disbelief. "What?" She asked and sighed. "I still owe you?" She shook her head. "But I gave the banknotes back!" She threw her hands up and let out a rather deep sigh.
"You drank my whisky." Tommy stated plainly "Midwinter eh?" He then hummed, mainly to himself and gave the horse a final pat. Was it a simple coincidence? Perhaps, but if so it was a curious coincidence. "If you work till 5 we will consider your debt settled. You are then welcome to leave. If you leave I don't want to see your face in our pub again. Choose to stay and you are welcome to honest employment. The choice is yours." He explained, not leaving her a chance to respond before he headed back into the pub to rejoin his family. "As anyone seen Pol?" He then asked as he retook his seat. Marta let out a disappointed sigh to herself and covered her eyes for a bit. "Fine then, I'll stay." She muttered to herself and patted her horse before she then went back inside.
"I know, I know." She told Harry and apologised for her sudden absence. Marta then went to wash her hands. She had to find a way to make more money. Marta knew she would have to work so hard to do what she wanted, but she wanted to put things right. However, to put the wrong things right... She needed fucking money.
"Am I speaking fucking French?" Tommy then
asked, his brothers seemed too caught up in their conversation to notice his return. "Has anyone seen Polly?" Tommy then repeated. His first whiskey had gone down rather well and there was no immediate business to attend to so he flagged to the bar. "Bring us the bottle."
Finn took a few more sips of his mild and then glared at John across the table. It had been a rather interesting morning back at the house, involving Polly pulling a gun on John after he'd left it lying around. Finn had been curious and had been mucking around in the yard with it, which once Polly had spotted him out the window caused her to go wild at John. Hence why John had been in a mood when they had first arrived at the pub.
John didn't say a thing at first. But when Tommy raised his voice, he thought that he should spill. "I saw 'er in the morning. Pulled my own gun on me," John shrugged and then wiped his nose. "Wasn't great." John shrugged and was glad about the prospect of a whole whisky bottle.
Marta was pouring beer after beer now lunch time was approaching and the bar was growing busier and busier. The workers were so nice that they came and ordered at the bar. "Thanks, thanks." She let Harry handle the money while she brought over some beers to those who didn't grab them after they paid. She looked up from the tap and shook her head. "Fucking owns the fucking pub and can't bring his own fucking whisky." Marta was mumbling to herself as she grabbed the bottle. She brought over fresh glasses too. "There you go. Hope that this will get me a bonus to my pay." She forced a sarcastic smile at Tommy and grabbed the used glasses. She had stuff to do
Tommys silence was long in response to John's words, so long that he didn't speak again until Marta came with their whisky and fresh glasses. His eyes remained fixed on John, he hardly even blinked. "You don't get a bonus for doing your job." He spoke to the barmaid, still staring at John with his blank expression.
After the had left the table he grabbed John by the front of his shirt, pulling him close over the table before growling in to his ear. "If your stupid enough to leave your gun lying around you won't have one for much longer." He threatened before shoving John back in to his chair and pointing a long finger firmly at Finn. "And you - No fucking guns until your old enough to drink fucking whisky." His word was final and Finn seemed to sink into his chair once more. "Yes Tom, Sorry Tommy." The younger boy spluttered.
John looked at Tommy with a blank expression that he had cultivated during his life. He had the chubby face of an angel, until he didn't. "Sorry, Tom, won't 'appen again," John sighed and then sat back in his seat as the whisky was poured. He decided to shut his mouth. Shutting his trap was something his eldest brother Arthur couldn't do.
Once the first wave of worker were taken care off. It became a bit calmer for Marta. A nice group of four or five men came into the pub. They were accompanied by various musical instruments, including a violin and a couple of fiddles. One man from the group came to order for everyone. "Hello, lass." He spoke before placing their order for a round of whisky's. Marta poured their drinks. They turned out to be a travelling band from Ireland that traveled city to city around the UK. They even slowly began to play. Marta watched that and felt like it wouldn't be bad to dance a bit, right? Thankfully, the workers weren't so tired after all, and one or two (or three) danced with her one by one. With no bonus on the horizon, Marta felt like this was the right time to enjoy the whole experience of her job.
Then all of a sudden the music had started and Tommy looked like he was just about ready to shoot someone in the skull. His fuse was exceptionally short these days and he took a deep breath followed by a large gulp of whisky straight from the bottle before filling his glass. The music perhaps he could deal with, but by god if they started singing there would be blood on the floor.
Marta on the other hand loved it. She danced with the band members who decided to sit this song out or weren't needed at the moment. The pub began getting more lively, and Marta managed to pour beer, bring beer and dance too! "Marta, I work here now." She winked at the band members and brought them some more mild. "There you go," she grabbed the money from them. She got some tips on top which was nice and after a bit, the band began singing a song named: Rocky Road to Dublin.
Before the war The Garrison would often be filled with the sounds of drunken singing. Tommy himself would even occasionally join in, but the men who had returned from the war could sing no more. Since the day the ones who had survived returned, there hadn't been so much of a whistle in The Garrison.
The moment the singing had started Tommy jumped to his feet, his chair tumbling to the ground behind him as he reached inside his jacket for his pistol. It was a seamless motion as he pointed the gun to the ceiling, firing one loud shot that cracked through the air and sent plaster crumbling to the ground. The shot forced most to freeze. The music also instantly coming to a stop as he then pointed his gun at one of the men who had been singing. "There is no fucking singing in my pub!" Tommy barked. "The next man to whisper so much as a fucking nursery rhyme will be floating face down in the cut before the fucking sunsets!" He threatened, his finger resting in anticipation on the trigger of his cold pistol.
After the shot rang out, everyone shut up. Marta held onto one of the band members as the plaster snowed down to her feet. Marta gulped as she let go off the man. "Well, alright. At least a bit of quiet time," Arthur said with a smirk as he lounged back in his chair and then took a sip of his whisky. He shouted at Harry to bring him some mild.
"Clean it up, please," Harry came to Marta and gave her a broom, she then hastily began cleaning up the plaster. Everyone got that they couldn't sing and the place seemed to fall eerily quiet as no one now dared speak above a whisper. They didn't feel like swimming in the cut - dead or alive. After Marta had cleaned up and brought beer to some workers, she saw that the musicians were leaving. They paid for the last drinks they had and left. "Well, that's a fucking great business," Marta said to herself loudly and threw her dishcloth on the counter. She looked at Tommy and shook her head. He was a terrible businessman in Marta's eyes. The musicians drank a lot, and the music had atleast brought in a few people.
It was always the fucking Irish causing problems and Tommy kept his finger rested on the trigger of his gun until the men had left with their instruments. His chest was heaving and he took a few deep breaths to try and steady himself. That Shelby temper could bubble over in an instant. For what seemed like a long time Tommy remained on his feet until half the bar had scurried out, to which others returned to quietly drinking from their glasses and skulking back in to their seats. Tommy placed his gun on to the table with a clatter, pouring himself another large whisky. His eyes now fixed on the barmaid, this woman was becoming more trouble than she was worth. "Keep your opinions to yourself." He warned, picking up his glass and draining the liquid in one smooth gulp before finally returning to his seat.
When the shot had gone off Finn had jumped so high he'd nearly fallen out of his chair and quickly collected himself in the hope no one else had noticed. Though of course John had and let out a small chuckle. "Grow a pair Finn." He teased to the younger boy, helping himself to some more whisky.
"The mild Harry?" Arthur shouted again and then shook his head. He was swinging on his chair. He, too, saw that half the pub was gone. "Well, it's good that it wasn't all of them." The man smirked and raised his glass. He threw it back.
Marta rolled her eyes and carried over the mild Harry had handed her. She had poured a small glass for Finn, too. Marta had seen him fall. She brought it over to Arthur and set it in front of him. "You good, nipper?" She asked Finn. "Drink." Marta set the glass in front of him.
"I'm ok." Finn had responded, straightening his cap after the lady had spoken to him and sitting quietly sipping on any drinks that had been placed in front of him.
Marta didn't even look at Tommy for the rest of the evening. Marta was just so mad at him. She was doing the job for most likely a shitty wage, and she had no respect. Instead, she watched the rest of the brothers. Finn was still really just a nipper playing with big boys. John seemed pretty nice. Oh, and Arthur? He was a loud, tall, lecherous fucker.
Tommy seemed to spend the rest of the evening chain smoking his cigarettes and knocking back whisky like it was going out of fashion, occasionally he would spiral and over indulge, and the events of the afternoon seemed to have sent him to this whisky fuelled state. His gun remained in front of him on the table for the remainder of the evening. As the darkness grew outside John eventually stumbled to his feet, announcing he was heading home. Though of course this journey would involve finding himself a lady of the night to satisfy himself before he would eventually pass out for the evening.
Tommy later took a few shillings from his pocket, sliding them across the table to Finn and sending him off to by himself and Arthur some more cigarettes. In the absence of John and Finn he sat back in his chair, holding his glass of whisky with a rather unsteady hand. "My heads in the mud Arthur." He finally spoke, letting out a small sigh. Sometimes when it was just the two of them Tommy felt a little more comfortable talking about France, but those times were as rare as an eclipse and often fuelled by too much whisky. Whisky was both his greatest medicine, sometimes it would distract him from the horrors of war, but other times it seemed to drag him straight back to the tunnels of France. Arthur raised his head. He had been resting it on the table. He pointed his finger at Tommy and said: "We drank like four bottles of whisky. If your head wasn't in the mud, I'd be fucking suprised." Arthur slurred some of his words and hiccuped drunkenly. "One mild before I go, Harry...or Mary, I don't know which one of you will pour it." Arthur put his arm around Tommy's shoulders. "You'll be good, alright? Because you're my fucking brother. The fucking peaky blinder..."
Tommy pulled his cap from his head and tossed it on the the table as Arthur put his arm around him, letting out another sigh before running his hand from his forehead to his chin, squeezing his skin for a moment. "The Peaky Blinder." Tommy repeated. He knew they had gotten carried away in their celebrations, this morning he had felt full of anticipation and excitement. Now he just felt full of rage and sorrow. Get your head out the mud. He told himself, a phrase the brothers would often use when the light seemed to leave them. "Tomorrows another day huh?" Tommy spoke, patting his hand against Arthur's leg. He'd always seemed to handle us liquor a little better than his older brother.
"That's right, Tom." Arthur nodded. "Tomorrow is another fucking day to fucking fuck the fucks over." Arthur thought. He couldn't come up with the song. Arthur was too drunk. When he saw the mild in front of him, he smiled. "Aaah." He nursed the beer like it was his fifth brother and sixth sibling. Little did he know that Harry added water to his beer. In this state, Arthur would have drank mop water from a bucket, and it would be no different. Harry was all about fun and drinks. However, even he thought that what the man had ingested was just too much of fucking booze. Tommy let out a soft huff at Arthur's comment, it was obvious that the men needed to find there way back to their beds. Whenever Tommy usually sent Finn for cigarettes the young boy would find Tommy stumbling Arthur back to the house on watery lane before he made it back to the Garrison. "Come on brother." He said, staggering to his feet himself and returning his pistol to its holster and cap to his head before he pulled on Arthur's elbow to get him up out of the chair.
_____________
By the end of the night, Marta tiredly helped Harry count the earned money and met Finn on her way out of the pub. She was leaving for the night. Harry advised her not to bother Tommy that night. He had seen some stuff before, and it was not nice. He grew fond of Marta. She was difficult, but at least she actually worked and managed to make the guests laugh and drink. It would be a pity to lose her now.
"Do you want a ride to somewhere?" Marta asked the youngest blinder because he looked like he was not doing great. She did not think that anyone would do well after what the young boy had drunk.
Finn had drunk little compared to the elder Shelby boys, yet for a boy of his age it was still enough to make him feel a little light headed as he made his way outside and the fresh air hit him. "Yeah, yeah Tommy wants some smokes." He said, leaning against the wall of the Garrison for a moment. "There's a shop by Artillery Square." He said, pointing his arm down the street as he stumbled a little away from the wall. It would only usually take him a few minutes to run down the street, but he didn't much fancy running in his present state.
"Tommy wants some smokes, and he sent you?" Marta nodded and untied her horse. Midwinter was just beginning to nap when the pulling on his halter roused him. He let air out of his nostrils. "Play nice, little traitor." Marta told the horse. She referred to when he let Tommy pet him like Midwinter was an attention seeking street dog. Marta mounted the the horse and took her leg out of one stirrup. "Come on," she leaned down and offered the boy her hand to help him up. "Thanks." Finn said, taking the woman's hand so she could help him up onto the horse. "Y'know, Tommy didn't used to be like that… none of them used to be like that." He stated, feeling a little unbalanced as he sat on the back of the horse.
Marta patted Midwinter to calm him down. "Stop squirming, nipper." She looked over her shoulder and then grabbed Finn's hand. "And hold on." Marta said as she wrapped one of his arms around her waist. She then added his other arm. She clicked her tongue and rode with him to the Artillery square. She rode slowly. She wouldn't want to drop the kid or make him sick. "Yeah? And how were they?" She asked the drunk boy.
"I don't like you calling me nipper." Finn pointed out as the horse started to move, breathing in the coal filled air as it started to rush against his face thanks to the movement of the horse. It was the smell of home. Coal and smoke and horses. "They used to laugh." He explained. "They'd laugh and joke, sometimes they'd even sing." Finn explained, his mind showing memories of Arthur singing him to sleep, or Tommy reading him bed times stories, or John playing football with him in the street outside the house. "And then they came home, Aunt Pol says part of them is still in France. They don't laugh anymore... they don't joke... they don't sing." He
explained, letting out a small sigh as he rest his cheek against her back, starting to feel a little sleepy now. But Tommy gave him a job to do and he wouldn't let his brother down.
"Right." Marta nodded as she listened to the boy talking about his brothers. She had, of course, heard of the terrible war. "That's a pity." She said to the boy. "Maybe if they still were laughing and joking, I would get along with them, even Tommy. Now he acts as if he had a stick up his ass all the time." Marta stopped in front of the shop and turned her head. "You don't like my calling you a nipper?" She asked him. "But you are so small." She chuckled. "Come on. Go buy the smokes for your brothers. And decide what you want me to call you on the way." Marta helped the boy down and then leaned forward to rest on the horse. She sighed. Marta was nice. Under all the yapping and stealing and rolling her eyes, she was just a girl who's trying to live in her world that chewed up many and spat them out all the same.
"Tommy looks after us all, he's just got a funny way of showing it." Finn responded, nearly tripping over his own feet after he'd jumped down off the horse. Thank god no one had put any whisky down in front of him. He disappeared into the shop for a few minutes, coming out with a pocket full of cigarettes and a lollipop stick hanging out of his mouth. Tommy usually let him keep the change as a thanks for going to the shop for him. "I've decided you can just call me Finn." He said, sucking on his sweet. "We just live down the road, I can walk from here." He then said, swaying slightly from one foot to another, though nothing quite as drastic as the state his eldest brother Arthur would be in. "Finn." Marta nodded and then looked down at the boy. "Well, Finn. Since you're no longer a nipper, I have to talk to you like I would to a grown man." She said. "You're fucking drunk. I am not risking you meeting someone or falling and breaking your nose. So, whether you like it or not, I will be your fucking chaperone on your way home. Tommy might have a funny way of showing love, but he has a pretty clear way of showing hate and dislike, so... You can either ride the horse, or I can ride next to you." She said and turned Midwinter in the direction Finn was going to follow him.
"I'm not fucking drunk." Finn responded, swatting a hand through the air as he sucked on his lollipop and headed down the street. Occasionally his shoulder would brush against the brick of the houses that lined the street. "See - absolutely fine." He pointed out, showing that he was capable of at least staying upright. "Oh, you are doing alright, Finn." Marta watched Finn as a small smirk played on her lips. "Would you mind giving me a cigarette?" She asked the young boy. "I mean. I took you to the shop, so I think I should get a cut from your loot. I am nice enough to only want one cigarette out of the many you have." She looked at the boy and then as she looked up ahead she saw a silhouette of Tommy in front of one of the houses. Somehow, she just knew it was him. "On second thoughts, Finn, keep all the cigarettes, okay?" She softly sighed as they neared the Shelby household.
______________
Getting a drunken Arthur home from The Garrison was worse than catching a runaway horse. They were both so slippery. Arthur first wanted to finish his beer. That took time. When he managed, he began looking for all of his belongings. "Where the fuck did I put all my cigs." He laughed to himself as he checked his pockets not once, but twice and then tried to get up from the chair. He staggered out of the pub. "Where the fuck is Finn?"
"We smoked them all Arthur." Tommy pointed out as they reached the street outside the pub, staggering a little as he kept an eye on Arthur's drunken swaying. "I sent Finn to get more." He explained. It was getting late now and his mind started to turn to the knocking of the night, hoping for just one night that he might sleep without being disturbed, hopefully a few more whiskeys would see to that.
"Hope he didn't stop for a little sumthin' with Lizzie or some other girl. How much money did you give 'im?" Arthur laughed. If he tried to get a lady now, he would probably fall asleep propped in the doorway. He would not even get to the bed.
"I'm sure Lizzie is already busy with our John." Tommy responded, practically holding Arthur up at this point as they neared the house. "And he's got a few shillings, even the ladies in the Chinese district don't charge that little." He pointed out, checking his shoulder for any signs of Finn running down the street. The boy would usually beat them home after nights like this."Good, Tom. Good." Arthur patted Tommy's chest as he struggled to make the final few steps to their home. He leaned on the door and looked at Tommy. "Is Finn here? We have to wait for him, Tom." Arthur nodded. "If something happens to that boy, I am grabbing one of them guns and shooting a whole lot of fucking Birmingham. By the order of the peaky fucking blinders..." Arthur hiccuped.
"No one in this city would be stupid enough to bring harm to Finn." Tommy responded, holding Arthur up with one arm as he opened the door to the Shelby house. "Pol! Can you put on some tea?" He called through the front door, knowing Polly wouldn't have gone to sleep until all of the boys where accounted for. She looked out for them all. As their business expanded the blinders were certainly growing a reputation around the North of the country, but Birmingham was their city and every man on the street was one of their soldiers, even the police were in their pocket. "Go on, go warm by the fire Arthur, I will wait for Finn."
Polly of course had been waiting for the boys as she sat chain-smoking by the fire after finally getting all of John's unruly children to bed next door. Polly looked at Tommy as the door opened and gave a simply unimpressed nod of her head before she went to make some tea.
"Fucking stupid clothes," Arthur muttered to himself and was pulling off his suspenders and unbuttoning his shirt to get comfortable on the sofa in front of the fireplace. He ended up sliding down off the couch. He was just sitting in front of the fireplace like a huge child. Tommy gave Pol a short nod of his head as she hurried off to boil the iron kettle on the stove, though on second thoughts he wasn't really sure who the tea was for. Arthur would likely be passed on infront of the fire before the water was hot, and Tommy's choice of drink at this hour was certainly not tea.
_________
The front door remained ajar as Tommy leant against the front of the house, only half of his face illuminated by the light from the kitchen window as he folded his arms across his face and listened out for the familiar sound of Finn's small feet slapping against the road as he ran back from the shop. Though this time he didn't hear the footsteps, instead it was the nearing sound of a horses hooves slipping against the concrete and Tommy slowly pushed himself from the wall as he squinted in to the night. The outline of a woman atop a large horse accompanied by a smaller boy alongside. It was Finn with fucking Marta.
Finn had been debating giving the woman a few cigarettes as he dawdled down the street and was just reaching into his pocket before she seemed to change her mind. "Look sharp Finn. Off to bed" Came Tommy's voice, beckoning the boy to hurry up as he waited for him near the door. "Goodnight Marta." Finn then spoke, slipping under Tommy's arm and leaving the cigarettes on the table before heading straight to his room. Tommy made sure the boy was in the house and the front door was shut before fixing his eyes back on Marta, he didn't speak, merely stretched out his arm to rub the horses nose.
"Good night, Finn." Marta had told the boy and smiled before she then looked over at Tommy. Marta tilted her head to the side and looked down at her horse. "Traitor." She mumbled to herself as she watched the man stroke her horse. "How do you do this? He usually bites men." She was curious about that. Tommy was different. However, with what Finn had told her, she couldn't help but think that she shouldn't be giving Tommy that hard a time. "When I was a boy I wanted to work with horses." Tommy replied, the horse letting out a soft neigh as he pet him. "I was riding horses before I learnt how to walk." He then added. Tommy had always been drawn to them, they gave him a reassuring sense of calm. Something he only ever found elsewhere at the bottom of a bottle of whisky. "In France... in france I got used to seeing men die." He explained, his voice much softer than it had been at the garrison. "Never got used to seeing horses die… they die badly." He explained, trying to show that at least in some capacity he wasn't the heartless monster people assumed him to be.
Marta leaned on the front part of the saddle and listened to Tommy, she could see him working with horses. The woman then let out a small sigh when Tommy spoke about France. "I haven't gone to France, obviously." Marta said. "But I am sure it had to have been hell.... I got this one from my mother." Marta patted the horse, trying to subtly steer the conversation away from the war. "Horses can really be the best. We would go riding in the fields, we would nap under trees. Those were the easier times. But then my mother died, my stepfather wanted to have a leash around me and around my horse. So, I ran away first and then managed to steal him." Marta patted the horse again. "It took time, and I can imagine they did not treat him very well." She then bit her lip. "But we're fine now. I guess."
Tommy listened closely as Marta spoke, his eyes fixed on the horse's face as he took in the words she was speaking. Of course Tommy had been right. Arthur had passed out in front of the fireplace. He didn't mind it now, but the next day his back would send him a notice that he was no longer that young. Polly made the tea, and when she saw Finn rush upstairs, she immediately followed him up with a nice fresh cup of tea. "You'll drink this before you go to sleep. "Thanks Aunt Pol." Finn said, trying to keep himself from swaying as he took the cup of tea. She had been like a mother to him for asking as he could remember, and even more so when his brothers were in France. It had just been himself, Polly and Ada for those years. Polly nodded and patted Finn's back. "Good boy." Polly said and then grabbed another cigarette. She went to the hall and peeked around the corner to see that Tommy was talking to someone. She did not interfere. She just watched and listened. Any sign of Tommy making a deal? She wanted to know about it.
He was completely unaware of Polly's snooping and slowly nodded his head. "Hell it was." Tommy agreed, letting out a slow breath. "Sometimes I take a trek up to the moors with the wagon.... a few days of peace, the gypsy way." He explained, that was always his way of resetting and connecting with his gypsy heritage. "I should check on Arthur and Finn, good night Marta." He said, finally retracting his hand from the horse, his hand rather obviously tremouring. More whisky was in order.
Marta took a deep breath at the words 'Gypsy heritage'. Yeah, keeping connected with the Gypsy heritage was important for her too. It was like keeping herself close to her own mother in a way. And that was why she needed to make money - she needed to give her mother a proper Gypsy funeral as she was now buried in a cemetery like any other gadjo. She sighed as Tommy left, and she nodded to herself. "Good night, boss." She said, and then began riding to her humble dwelling.
Tommy leant against the wall for a moment, watching her as she rode away. A curious woman indeed. He unfolded his arms and made his way inside, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and a glass before sitting down at the table with Polly and lighting one of the cigarettes Finn had left him on the table. Polly tilted her head to the side and waited for Tommy to come into the house. "Who is Marta?" She asked the moment he stepped through the door and followed Tommy. "Should I know her?" She took a drag from her cigarette. She was very curious. She hadn't heard of any Marta before now.
"The new barmaid at The Garrison." Tommy responded simply, pouring himself a large measure of the amber liquid with his shaky hand before taking a long drag of his cigarette. "Finn in bed?" He then asked before downing his glass of whiskey in one gulp. "Since when do we need a barmaid with a horse?" Polly asked and leaned back in her chair as she smoked the cigarette. "Finn is in his room. So he is most likely in the bed too." Polly watched as Tommy poured his drink. She put her cigarette down and then grabbed Tommy's hand. She looked at his palm for a bit and then let go of his hand. "Hmm." She hummed and glanced through the kitchen door to look at Arthur. He was splayed in front of the fireplace, snoring softly.
"She is in need of work.'' Tommy said simply, or so he thought. He almost seemed to hold his breath as Polly held his hand, like it would stop his hand from trembling. Fucking France. "What do you see Pol. Am I cursed?" He then asked. Tommy had never put much faith in fortunes and tea leaves, yet he would entertain his Aunt with his light sarcasm before pouring himself another drink. This time at least taking a sip rather than a swift gulp.
Polly let out a sigh. She looked at Tommy. "I see no curse." She told him. "But your lifeline. It looks deep. Suggests many experiences of various origins." She nodded. "I think that it fits," Polly sat back and finished her cigarette. "You should go to sleep." Polly told Tommy as she got up from the chair herself. "She's in need of work, you say?" She smirked. "Well, alright then. At least it's vertical."
Tommy gave his Aunt a slight hint of a smile and shook his head at her last comment before she went off to bed, pondering her words about his palm as he drank a couple more glasses of whisky accompanied by the distant sounds of Arthur's snoring.
Chapter 3: Inspectors & Lollipops
Notes:
Just wanted to leave a message to thank everyone who has taken the time to read so far. Please feel free to leave a comment letting me know what you think of our tale :)
Chapter Text
The next day Marta greeted the Blinder men with a very loud, "Good Morning!" Which made most of them cringe and cover their ears because their heads felt twice the size. She worked well during the day, but the night was tough as it rained and stormed. When Marta got back to her tent, she went to grab water. She let it cook for some time, and then Marta added vegetables she had stolen a few days ago from her stepfather's garden. The dogs there knew Marta, so it was not that big a deal. It was really easy to get food from there. Marta then stayed up all night, calming Midwinter. She would not be able to sleep in that terrible storm anyways. So, when the next workday came, she offered Harry that she would tidy up and prepare the private room that The Garrison had and which the Shelbys wanted to use. She worked for a bit and then sat down. Marta placed her head on her arms and fell asleep at the drop of a hat.
After spending a rather foggy headed day catching up on errands at Charlie's yard it was time for Tommy to get back to business. He certainly felt much brighter now his head was a little clearer, and the excitement of their big pay day when he found a buyer for the vast amount of weapons and ammunition he'd secured was growing. On top of this was the expansion of their bookmaking business, he certainly had a few plans in the works. He arrived at The Garrison, walking slowly over to where Marta was napping and carefully knocked his hand on the table. The woman was sleeping sweetly.
Marta felt the table shake. She slowly raised her head and then looked up at Tommy. Her eyes were a little bit hazy, and her brain was still catching up with being awake. Marta yawned and blinked her eyes to get them fully open. "What's going on?" She asked Tommy, The woman had looked better in her life. She was a bit pale, and she looked like she had spent her whole night running around the forest, and to make things worse - she was just so fucking hungry. "You're in my chair." Tommy spoke clearly, his chair was always in the clearest view of the door, never would he sit with his back to the entrance of a room. He then went about straightening up the other chairs in the room, making sure everything was in order before he removed his overcoat and hung it on the coat stand.
"Sorry... Sorry." Marta said as she quickly rose to her feet and then moved away. She stood at the door to the private room and then asked the question she had been wanting to ask for the last 24 hours."When will I get paid?" Marta asked as she put her arms around her body and looked at Tommy with a soft sigh. Tommy stood in contemplation for a moment. "Payday is a Friday." He responded before reaching in to his jacket pocket and removing a few pounds, holding them out to her in his hand. "Consider it an advance." He said. "And go and get yourself some lunch, you look like shit."
"Thanks," Marta said and grabbed the money. Truthfully, the information that payday was Friday scared her. No money until Friday? That would most likely kill her, or worse, would make her grab some money from the Garrison till. Which would be a death sentence also. Tommy would probably kill her. She walked out of the private room and then out of the pub before she went straight to a bakery to buy some food.
Polly came into the pub just as Marta was leaving and looked the woman up and down quickly before she went straight to Harry. She ordered some drinks and sat up at the bar. Polly spoke with Harry about various things, Marta being quite high up the list of things she wanted to know more about, as well as other Small Heath gossip. She crossed her legs and lit her cigarette. She hummed happily and listened to Harry. "Strange woman. She wears trousers. She seems brave." Polly spoke after Harry had given her as much information about this mystery barmaid as he knew.
Arthur soon entered the Garrison as well. He tried to make peace with the horse outside the Garrison. He offered him a piece of carrot. "No biting." He tried to give him the carrot, but the horse still bit him. "No fucking biting!" Arthur shook his hand as he walked into the pub.
Once Tommy had given Marta the coins he then made his way back to the bar, sitting down at the stool beside Polly and lighting his own cigarette. "Meeting starts in 10 minutes." He said to her, simply waving his hand to Harry which caused a whiskey to appear in front of him moments later. When the door opened he glanced to his side to see Arthur nursing yet another horse bite. "Learn your lesson brother, leave the horse be."
Arthur continued to rub his hand and shook his head. "I gave the beast a peace offering!" He said and asked for a whisky from Harry. "It didn't work," he said and shook his head. "Thank you Harry," Arthur nursed his drink. "Hmm." Tommy shook his head at Arthur's comment, the man had never been able to understand horses in the same way Tommy did and he gave Arthur's shoulder a firm pat. "Ladies can wear trousers Pol." He then stated, blowing out his smoke before sipping some whisky.
Moments later John sauntered through the door to the pub too, he still had a lipstick stain on his cheek. "What's going on 'ere?" He asked. "Are we meeting?"
"John you have shit on your face." Tommy spoke quickly without hardly giving his younger brother a second glance. He swooped up his glass of whisky. "Family meeting." Tommy then announced, making his way through to the private room off to the side of the bar. "Oh, I would be the last to oppose that, Tommy. You know me. It's just that not many do these says. It's fresh wind of change for women." Polly smiled as she followed Tommy through to the private room with her boys. She sat down on one of the chairs and lit another cigarette as she placed one of her legs over the other.
"Where's Ada?" Tommy asked once his family had assembled in the meeting room, Tommy took his seat at the head of the table and took a sip of his whisky.
"Ada is feeling under the weather." Polly stated, keeping her face straight. The woman was good with secrets, and in this occasion the secret she held was likely to send all the brothers feral. So it was best kept to herself.
"Right, well then, as you are all aware we have come into the possession of large quantity of machine guns, pistols and ammunition. With Charlie's help we've stored them at one of our docks, somewhere protected and away from the police until we can find a suitable buyer." He explained as he stubbed out his cigarette in an ashtray on the table. "We need to get out word to the right people that these weapons are available for purchase, we should easily make a few hundred pounds if we can find the right people."
Polly nodded. "Have you found the right people already, Tommy?" She asked. "And if you did, are you sure they are safe?" Polly always wanted to make sure that the family was safe. She was not getting into risky business.
Marta ate on the way back to The Garrison, she had brought some food for Harry as well. She brought pasties filled with meat and some filled with jam. She felt like it was the best fucking food she had ever eaten. Finn was still too young to be involved in the family meetings and while his brothers and his Aunt Pol were at The Garrison he was running around the alleys of watery lane with f his close friends, Joe and Paul, they enjoyed tormenting the local coppers and kicking tin cans around the streets.
"Hello, Finn!" Marta called out and waved at the boy as she saw him in the streets. She smiled and then got back to the Garrison. She gave Harry the food and wiped the tables.
Arthur was getting a bit bored. He walked over to the small window that,upon opening, overlooked the bar. "Hey, hey, barmaid, bring me some whisky, would you?" Arthur asked, and when Marta turned to him and nodded, he said: "You look like shit." He blinked his eyes and remembered that he was talking to a lady. "Well, sorry!" He said. "But you really don't look the best. You have looked better. That's not to say that I look at you too much. It's just..." Arthur was rambling at that point. It seemed like he got lost in his own flattery!
"Shut it, Arthur," Marta told him. "It's in your best interest." She smirked and shook her head as she went to pour him a drink. She could hear John pulling Arthur down to sit down as he called, "I'd like mild!" Marta prepared that also and then made her way over to the private room.
"Arthur, this is serious business." Tommy snapped, frustrated with how easily distracted the other boys could be, his brothers swiftly ensured they paid attention. What they lacked in brains though they certainly made up for with their fists. "We have a few options." Tommy responded to Polly, waiting until he had the boys full attention before he spoke again. "I have contacts with the IRA, they are always in need of weapons." He explained, there was something about selling them to anyone in England that made him uneasy, but Ireland was far enough away for them to not cause the Birmingham boys much trouble. "The guns were bound for Libya, I'm assuming the Blackshirts. They are in desperate need so the chances are we could double our takings if we make contact. They believe the guns are gone, we threaten to sell them to the Italian communists and they might even pay us triple." He explained, hoping they were all keeping up. "But that's a dangerous game."
"The second possibility is not smart, Tommy. That's no smart business. That's greed." Polly shook her head. "And greed will get you to an early grave. We are from small Heath. We can't be selling things and shipping them out to Italians. Let alone communists. We are no politicians, Tommy." Polly sighed softly and then looked up at the rest of the boys.
"Well let us vote." Tommy stated and with a swift show of hands from the members of his family he clapped his hands together as he spoke "The IRA it is then." Polly was right, selling to the Italians was greed, but by god had it tempted him. As a man Tommy was always searching for more, he could never rest. More money, more business, more plans.
The moment the meeting had wrapped up Marta came into the private room. "One mild, one whisky," Marta said and then placed the drinks on the table. "Does anyone else want something?" She looked at Tommy and a woman she did not know. Tommy gave a simple nod of his head and uttered the simple word. "Whisky." Whilst the woman got up and offered her hand to Marta. "I am Polly Gray," she told Marta.
Marta nodded and shook her outstretched hand. "Okay, Polly Gray, would you like some booze?" She asked.
Polly smirked and then nodded."Gin."
"Gin and Whisky." Marta repeated and just as she turned to head back to the bar Finn barged through the door and gave her a quick startle as he darted under her arm.
Finn had given a wave to Marta when she had passed him on her way back to The Garrison from retrieving her lunch, before continuing to entertain himself with his friends whilst the meeting had taken place and a little while later as he was rushing round the corner of an alley a tall wide man with a pipe hanging from his lips suddenly grabbed Finn by the scruff of his neck, holding him up against the brick wall with a ferocious look on his face. "The youngest Shelby." He growled in his thick Irish accent. "I have a job for you." The man spoke harshly before giving Finn a rough backhand across the face which caused his eyebrow to split and bleed. Finn was breathing sharply, utterly confused by the situation he found himself in as he tried to struggle to break free.
As soon as the man had released him Finn sprinted in the direction of The Garrison and burst in to the meeting room, he was breathless and blood was trickling down his face. "There's a man - an inspector… he, he." But he couldn't finish his sentence, he couldn't catch his breath.
John and Arthur were on their feet on an instant. "Calm down, calm down, Finn. Come sit..." Polly told him. Marta moved to the side and moved a chair forward for Finn to sit on.
When the door had suddenly opened Tommy matched his brothers and rose to his feet in a flash, his gun instantly removed from his holster and clenched firmly in his hand. "Where is this Inspector Finn." Recently Tommy's temper had been particularly short, it likely had something to do with his lack of sleep.
"He said - he said that he was sent by the King-and-and he knows about the guns." Finn said, still panting for breath as he sat down and held a hand against his bleeding eyebrow. There was certainly fear in his eyes, fear for his family. "He said we are all going to hang." He continued, his chest still rising and falling quickly. "He told me to tell you that."
As Finn spoke Tommy could feel his heart starting to beat out of his chest. He didn't speak for what seemed like a long time. Then suddenly he checked his pistol was loaded and walked to the door of the meeting room. He would find this Inspector and put a bullet between his teeth. When Tommy moved to the door, John and Arthur got up. "Tommy!" They were ready to go with their brother in an instant. Sometimes they felt like Tommy was a bit hot-headed. It certainly was when it came to family. But on the other hand, name a Shelby that was not hot-headed. They were pulling out their guns, too, immediately. "We are going with you, brother." Arthur spoke and fixed the cap on his head. Tommy quickly retrieved his overcoat, pulling it on with haste. His gun was still clenched tightly in his hand. He gave a simple nod to John before looking to Polly. "Take care of him." He instructed, before looking to Arthur and John. "Let's go." Tommy then spoke, disappearing out of the meeting room quickly and making his way out onto the street.
Polly had been rather glad about the families vote to keep the guns away from the politics of Libya. Their betting venue was not that big, and their business was not as vast, so it was better to be safe with their businesses than sorry afterwards. But this thought quickly left her mind when her attention then turned to Finn. The poor boy looked scared, and he was also hurt. Polly listened as Finn spoke about the inspector and swiftly looked at Tommy with a concerned expression but before she could blink Tommy was out the door. Fucking fantastic, now they would have a dead inspector to deal with too.
Marta disappeared from the private room. She poured some warm water into a bowl and added a rag. She felt like Finn's brow would need cleaning. She came back to the room and squeezed past Tommy and the other boys as they rushed out and set the bowl down. Finn was still trying to catch his breath, his complexion pale as he took quick shallow breaths and continued to hold his hand against the cut in his head, blood spilling over his hand and down the side of his face. Polly looked at Marta and muttered a 'thank you' when she placed down the bowl of water. Polly wrung the rag out and began wiping Finn's face. "Stop touching it." Polly said as she carefully pulled Finn's hand away. "You'll get an infection in it." Polly spoke with a sigh and washed the rag in the bowl before she wrung it again. She poured the rest of someone's whisky over it "This will sting." She warned him and then unceremoniously pressed it against Finn's eyebrow.
Marta just stood there, and when she saw the whisky on the rag, she put her hand on Finn's shoulder. Poor boy. She did not think he deserved something like that.
Finn moved his hand away slowly as Polly scolded him. "I don't want an infection." He said innocently, letting her tend to him and letting out a small hiss when she started to wipe his face. Though once she soaked the rag in alcohol his body went rather rigid, his foot kicking out at the table as Marta pressured his shoulder to keep him in his seat. "Shit!" He called out, the pain felt like fire in the open wound.
"Right, well, you said you didn't want an infection." Polly spoke with a sigh, she washed and wrung the rag yet again and wiped Finn some more. "There you go." She looked up at Marta and threw her a coin. "Go get some gauze." Marta clumsily caught the coin and swiftly left to take her horse, she went to the first shop to buy the gauze and then also decided to stop at Artillery Square to buy Finn a lollipop. He had suffered enough to deserve one, that was for sure. "Thanks Aunt Pol." Finn murmured, relaxing a little now that Polly had stopped tending to him and had finally caught his breath as he relaxed back in to the chair whilst they waited for Marta to return.
______________
The two Peaky brothers walked right behind Tommy once they had burst out of the private room at The Garrison. They formed an arrow as they walked through the street. The working men who shoveled coal or shit just looked at them, and even they felt the tension. Some even hid in the shadows of the alleys. The whole of Small Heath began to stink of trouble. It was never a great idea to cross the Peaky Blinders.
Tommy continued to march through the streets of Small Heath, his eyes darting from one side of the street to the other. Where was this fucking inspector. He knew almost every face in this part of Birmingham yet he didn't seem to stumble across anyone that was unfamiliar. "Bastard." He said to himself, finally stopping in his tracks and rubbing his gun against the side of his head out of frustration before whipping around to face his brothers. "Go and see Moss, find out what he knows." Tommy instructed. He needed time to think, formulate.
John and Arthur looked at one another and then at Tommy. They both nodded and without further delay walked straight to the police station. They would get to the bottom of this. They could not let this slide because this was their youngest brother. "Isn't it weird?" John asked Arthur as they walked. "What?" Arthur asked. "A new barmaid appears, and suddenly there's a copper beating up Finn about guns? She had to have heard us talking. We were so drunk that day. Are you sure you didn't want to tell her to woo her into your fucking bed?" The two men stopped. "I would never want to fucking woo her into my bed. She is your age or sumthin'. Maybe younger." Arthur shook his head, though that had been a lie. He found the young barmaid rather attractive.
Tommy had watched as his brothers disappeared into the distance through the Small Heath smog. Just as things were going their way he felt like the rug had been pulled out from underneath him. He needed some time to unwind and made his way to Charlie's yard to shovel some shit, something he would often do when he was worked up and needed to think. It reminded him of where he could be. Where the world wanted him to be.
______________
Marta returned to the Garrison just as it was filling up with patrons. She walked straight into the private room and put the gauze down before she handed Finn the lolly. "There you go." Marta then gave Polly the rest of the money. She had bought the lolly with the money she had gotten from Tommy earlier. "Thanks Marta." Finn said, unwrapping the lolly quickly and sticking it in his mouth, sucking on it to try and take his mind off his headache. "I don't want us all to hang Aunt Pol." He then said, a hint of fear in his tone before Arthur and John came storming back into the room. Marta then swiftly excused herself so she could go and help Harry at the bar. Polly looked at the youngest and shook her head. She put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it. "No one is going to hang, Finn." Polly smiled at him and then moved a glass of mild over to him. "Drink. You'll have this one. We'll wait for Tommy, Arthur and John and then we'll see. I am sure they have found the copper by now." Polly began to wrap the gauze around Finn's forehead and his eyebrow.
Arthur and John had returned to the Garrison with the newfound information about the inspector. They didn't forget to ask Harry for some drinks as well as some information about Marta before they made their way back to the private room to check on Finn. It seemed like John's thoughts about her roused interest among the two. Harry did not know much, which made them even more uneasy about the new girl. "I am just saying that it is strange." John sat down and sipped his whiskey. "I don't know." Arthur sighed and looked around the private room. "Where is Tommy?" He asked and patted Finn's shoulder. "Are you good?"
Finn felt a little reassured by Polly's words, he knew that Tommy wouldn't let any harm come to them. He always protected them. Finn took a gulp of the mild that had been placed in front of him and shuffled in his chair a little, feeling a bit silly with the gauze wrapped around his head. But at least it was stopping the blood from running in his eye. "I'm alright Arthur." He then replied, glancing up at the eldest Shelby brother. They hadn't been gone long but he was feeling a little out of the loop as John spoke. "Tommys not with you?" The boy asked curiously.
"Good, You are a fucking Shelby." Arthur said whilst he patted Finn's shoulder hard. He then sat back and waited for his drinks. "Nah, he's not here with us," Arthur said and then furrowed his brows. "He sent us to question Moss, I thought he was headed back here." He stated, but it didn't seem to worry him too much. Tommy often did what he wanted, when he wanted to. There wasn't much that would stop him and Arthur had given up trying to do that a long time ago.
Finn started to feel a little less pain with the more mild he drank, wondering maybe if he could try his luck he slid one of the whisky glasses a little closer to him. His brothers seemed to always feel better after a whisky.
Marta grabbed a tray with drinks for the Shelby's and entered the private room. She set the tray down and then placed the drinks in front of the men. When Marta looked up, she saw that John was looking at her. It was like he was trying to gaze into her soul and like he was finding something rather horrid in there.
Polly immediately pulled the whisky away from the young Shelby boy. "None of this for you!" She scolded and then got up. "Come on. We are going home. You will get tea, and you will lie down." Polly beckoned for Finn to follow. "Come on Finley, and you two wait for Tommy and try not to come home too fucking drunk." Polly warned and then led Finn out of the private room. "I don't like it when you call me Finley." The young boy muttered under his breath as Polly led him out. "Well it's your bloody name, now come."
"But-Aunt Poll." Finn protested, but quickly stopped himself. He knew better than to argue with the woman and let out a small sigh as he tentatively got to his feet and was ushered out of The Garrison.
"I don't want to hear anything. You are hurt. You need to rest. And no running around the town. You still don't want to get the eyebrow infected." Polly spoke as she dragged the boy through the Birmingham streets.
Finn sighed once more. He'd never been one for hanging around the house, he grew bored easily and much preferred prowling the streets and getting himself in to trouble. Resting at home sounded like his worst nightmare.
John narrowed his eyes at Marta as she was placing their drinks down. "Do you two want something else?" Marta asked. "No.” Spoke John and narrowed his eyes some more. Marta just shrugged and then left the room after bidding farewell to Finn and Polly.
"I think that you should be more subtle, Johnny boy." Arthur smirked. He himself was as subtle as a blowtorch.
Chapter 4: Beatings & Spies
Chapter Text
Tommy had removed his hat and undressed down to his shirt and waistcoat as he shoveled shit at Charlie's yard, working up a fair sweat as Curly watched on, stammering to himself about how Tommy had lost his mind. "I can shovel shit just as well as you Curly." Tommy spoke firmly, continuing for a few moments more before finally handing the shovel over. He picked up his hat and jacket and left without another word, walking back in the direction of The Garrison. As Tommy was walking, a black police car neared him. In one short moment, it stopped, and two men ran out of it. They hit Tommy on the back of his head and then dragged him into the car. The car drove away fast.
Tommy's head felt much clearer after his stint at the yard, that was until everything went black and his legs gave out beneath him like jelly. A couple of minutes later he started to come around, the warm feeling of blood trickling down the back of his head was the first thing he noticed. Then the sensation of an engine rumbling, the road bouncing underneath him. "Fuck." He murmered, struggling to open his eyes as he tried to reach his hand for his holstered pistol.
"Don't try anything, you gypsy scum." A burly man was aiming at Tommy with the gypsies own gun as the vehicle jumped and bounced around the roads of Birmingham. "If you play nice, you might get out of this without a noose around your dirty Gypsy neck." The stranger laughed, he was just that kind of copper that was no leader, but he was a dick nonetheless. His evil mind was just enhanced by his not getting the recognition and promotion he thought he deserved. "You smell like shit. Does your whole family smell like shit?" The cop asked. "I bet they do, stupid fucking tinkers."
Tommy couldn't find his gun, and when he finally managed to squint through his eyes the world was bright, but he could just about make out the site of his own pistol being pointed at him. Certainly not an ideal situation to find himself in. "I often roll in shit to see what it feels like to be a copper." He said, his tone dry, yet it earned him a harsh punch to the face forcing him to let out a groan of pain. Though this was followed by a strangely amused laugh. "You hurt my brother, it will be you that's hanging from the rafters." He stated, then once again everything went black as he was knocked out by a smack to the temple.
When he next awoke he was on a chair and his wrists were bound with rope in a dark old warehouse, motor parts lining the walls and the distant sound of metalwork ringing in his ears. Or was that the sound of his splitting headache, he couldn't tell. His first meeting with the Inspector was long, and certainly painful. Yet Tommy wouldn't give much away and this frustrated the Irish man beyond believe. Not to mention Tommys knack for pushing his buttons with his dry sarcasm and quick wit. There was no admission of being in possession of the guns, no valuable information that could be gained by viciously beating Tommy, for he was a stubborn mule. A few hours later just after midnight had struck a car stopped abruptly on Watery Lane, the limp body of Tommy Shelby was pushed on to the dirty street before speeding off with the roar of its engine.
No one in the Shelby household could sleep, they sat up growing increasingly worried about Tommy's whereabouts. They were all sitting at a table and looking at one another. The tea Polly had made was still sitting in front of them, it was cold now as nobody even took a sip. "What if that fucking Inspector got him. We should fucking go outside. It's my brother! We can call up the other boys. Danny Whiz-Bang and Jeramiah, the whole lot." Arthur said abruptly. He wanted to get up but Polly held him down. "Where would you go? Where do you think you'd go? Go shut shit down at the police station and you are hanging by Sunday mass," Polly shook her head.
"Well, I think we should go to that Marta girl. She is strange. I am telling you that. I know a strange one when I see one," John nodded. He took the first sip of the tea and wrinkled his nose as it was cold and a bit disgusting. Then everybody suddenly turned around at the sound of the roaring engine and jumped up to their feet before they ran to the door. "Tommy!" Arthur hollered, possibly waking up half of the Watery lane. Then between himself and John they managed to hoist Tommy up from under his arms and carried him into the home. They quickly lowered him on the chair. "Tommy, what the fuck happened?" Polly said with a grave look of concern plastered on her face, he seemed half conscious as the head of the family struggled to hold his chin up from his chest.
As Arthur and John lift him off the ground Tommy let out a soft groan, he was barely conscious as they carried his limp body into the house and slumped him down onto a chair. There was so much blood covering his face and matted in his hair that it was hard to even see his piercing blue eyes. "I met the inspector." He managed to speak, his voice rather hoarse as he struggled to keep his eyes open. The occasional low hum of pain escaping his lips. That man had just signed his own death warrant. But they would need to be careful. The inspector was a powerful man.
Finn was in his room, but the more time that went on without the return of Tommy the more concerned he was getting, and like the rest of his family he couldn't speak. He lay on his bed listening out for their voices murmuring below, listening for any sign of his brother's return. It certainly wasn't normal for Tommy to be gone for this long without telling them. Finn rushed downstairs and burst into the kitchen, his eyes going wide at the sight of his beaten brother. He'd never seen Tommy like this before. Yes he'd gotten into fights and occasionally had the odd cut or bruise, but this was different, this was far worse. "Shit Tommy." He gasped.
Polly covered her mouth with her hand. "My god." She exclaimed as she looked at Tommy and listened to what he had to say. He didn't say much, so Polly rushed to grab things to wash the blood off Tommy and assess the injuries. The man did not look good. Polly sighed and began wiping the blood off Tommy. He looked like he was close to fainting. "Fucker!" Arthur began pacing around the room. He went to grab his gun. "I am going to kill that fucker!" John walked up to Arthur. "Or you get killed. Enough for today, Arthur." John said before he then looked at Finn. He walked up to him and put his hand around his shoulder. "Tommy will be okay." He said and then moved Finn towards the door. "Go back to sleep. When you wake up, Tommy will be fine." John patted the boy's back and nudged him forward. "O-ok John." Finn said with a small nod of his head. But he was worried, worried for his brother... worried about the inspector. Worried for them all and it was obvious on his young face. Finn couldn't seem to draw himself away despite John's shove and found himself continuing to watch as Polly tended to Tommy. "Goodnight Tom." He finally said, giving Arthur and Polly a small wave before heading upstairs.
Once Finn was gone John then came back to his battered brother's side. "Tommy, ain't it strange that we've got a new barmaid who could've heard us talking about the guns, and suddenly there's a copper with a fucking agenda?"
"You will do nothing Arthur." Tommy said quietly, struggling to keep his eyes open. There were multiple cuts on his head that were bleeding into his hair, along with cuts and bruises scattering his face. But the worst pain was coming from his ribs, he was sure at least some of them were broken on his right side. As Polly started to tend to him he let out another low moan. "I need whisky." He stated... and something for the pain. "Morphine... there's some morphine upstairs." He added softly. Morphine was a slippery slope for him, when he returned from France he had become addicted to the small spoonfuls that seemed to numb the mental pain in his head and his heart. "I will deal with the barmaid." He then added, his hand moving to hold the right side of his chest.
Polly was doing her best to tend to Tommy's wounds. There were many of them, so it took some time. She listened to the boys, but kept her focus on tending and dressing Tommy's wounds. Once she managed to wash most of the blood off, she put gauze wherever she could and wherever it did not look weird, though knowing Tommy he would likely rip the bandages off the moment her back was turned. He'd always been the same, even as a young lad with grazed knees. "You can get either morphine or whisky, Tommy." Polly said and then sent John for the morphine.
Arthur finally sat down at the table, but he kept swearing and promising death to the inspector. "Not my family!" He said and then lit a cigarette. "Not my brothers." he shook his head and took a sip of the tea.
Tommy was getting frustrated with Polly, he appreciated the way she was tending to him, but he really needed a fucking drink. "Arthur, get me a whisky." He said quietly, ignoring Polly's ultimatum, he didn't seem to have the energy to speak too loud. "And you won't lay a finger on the fucking inspector." His breathing was quick, yet shallow, it was like he couldn't draw enough air in with the pain in his ribs.
Arthur got up and went to pick up the whisky for Tommy. It was better not to oppose him when he was this mad and hurt. As he was pouring the whisky, Arthur thought that he would have to deal with Polly after that, which also was not ideal, but he had to pick a side, and he picked Tommy's because Tommy was hurt.
Polly looked at Tommy and furrowed her eyebrows. "You don't mix booze and morphine together, Tommy. You want to give that copper the satisfaction of killing you?" She asked him. She shook her head and sighed softly. "Whatever." She threw the rest of the medical material down. Tommy was okay to sleep like this. Nothing seemed to be bleeding profusely, but she couldn't sit around to watch him create his own painkiller concoction and went to check Finn had made his way into his bed. Sometimes the young boy slept on the rug in his bedroom by the fire and she would move him into the bed later in the night.
Arthur brought the whisky over to Tommy. "There you go." He sat down. "So, how are we going to deal with the barmaid?" He asked. Arthur was a bit worried. They had never been the ones to hurt women.
"Thank you Pol." Tommy said softly as Polly left, he appreciated her concern and her assistance, but at this moment he needed to feel nothing. Morphine and whisky was one way of achieving that. He shuffled slightly in his chair and reached tentatively for the whisky. Tommy then raised the glass of whisky carefully to his lips, knocking back the large measure of amber liquid in one swift gulp. "Another Arthur." He said, holding the glass out to his brother, still struggling to breathe without a lot of pain. "Tomorrow…" He said, having to pause between some of his words. "Tomorrow I will need to rest...you... you and Arthur-John, you and John... I want you to follow her... everywhere she goes, everyone she speaks to...I want to know." He said, his eyes struggling to focus on his shaking hand holding out the glass. "Don't... don't let her see you."
John appeared suddenly and gave Tommy the morphine. He set it right next to the whisky whilst Arthur was just refilling Tommy's glass. "You should pace yourself, Tom, that's right." Arthur said and then sat down next to John. They both listened to Tommy's instructions, and they were ready to comply.
They were not the greatest spies, but they really tried. None of them knew that spying on their new barmaid would be pretty boring. They mostly watched her deal with customers at The Garrison. It was the main part of the woman's day. Then, one of them would follow her home to the outskirts of Birmingham, where she really did live in a tent. This surprised John, as he thought that a 'poor girl living in a tent' was just the perfect decoy for a little copper helper. They wanted to know more about her contacts, but they only ever saw her talk to Harry, Finn, her horse or the grocer's at the shops she had gone to. They also witnessed her stealing some fruits and vegetables from a garden of a large mansion that was not far from her tent dwelling.
"And I also saw her go to the graveyard where she spent some time sitting in front of some grave," Arthur finished briefing Tommy about the stuff they had found out. "Did you look at the grave? Whose grave was it?" John asked Arthur. "I don't know. Just a grave." Arthur shrugged, and John wiped his face. "That could have been important!" John said. "Oh, and I remember seeing her go to church once on Sunday." Arthur added.
Tommy had spent the past few days recovering at home, being alone was always something he enjoyed, though he preferred traveling in a wagon over being cooped up in the house on watery lane. He kept himself busy by reading the papers, smoking, drinking whisky and of course… those little magical spoonfuls of morphine that made all of his pains go away. Even the pains about France.
When his brothers returned to inform him of their findings he seemed focused on his newspaper whilst sitting in an armchair in front of the fire in the living room. A few cushions behind his back to support his ribs. His face was rather battered and bruised, but he was healing, things were getting better and at least with the help of the morphine he was able to breathe a little easier. "Of course it's fucking important." Tommy snapped, quickly closing his newspaper and using it to swat Arthur around the head. This certainly caused Tommy more discomfort than it caused Arthur. "Fuck." He grumbled to himself, reaching for the nearly empty bottle of morphine on the table beside him and quickly slurping a spoonful down himself, quickly followed by a sip of whisky.
"She lives in a tent!" Arthur said after he got swatted with a newspaper. "She seems to live the old way. What do I know? And speaking with a dead person is definitely not a thing for a spy." Arthur tried to rationalise his mistake of not checking the grave. "We still don't know who she is. I have not really talked to her besides ordering drinks. I don't know. Maybe if you want to watch her, you should bring her to Small Heath. Maybe find her a room or sumthin'. Fuck, I don't know. You have always been the brains, Tommy." Arthur got up and went to pour himself some whisky.
"But if we knew who the dead person was Arthur, we could find out more about the fucking barmaid." Tommy spoke slowly, almost like he was speaking to a child and shook his head before lighting one of his cigarettes. He couldn't wait until his ribs were better so he could carry on about his life. "Thank the mighty lord I've got enough brains for the lot of us." Tommy went on about his rant. Was he being an arsehole, yes, but the frustration wasn't really at his brothers, it was more at the situation he found himself in. Like a caged animal unable to leave these 4 walls until he was well enough.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and John got up. "I'll go get it." He said and when he opened the door, Marta stormed in. "I didn't get fucking paid. Besides your fucking few quid as an advance. What the fuck?" She ranted as she stormed into the living room and then froze as she looked at Tommy. "You..." She deflated a little when she saw that he looked like he got run over by a dozen horses. "You look like shit."
Tommy let out a soft sigh as the brash barmaid stormed into the living room. The more she acted like a desperate woman the more he was starting to think this was all just coincidence. Either that or she deserved a lead role in one of those fucking black and white movies. "I've been preoccupied." Tommy stated, smoking on his cigarette rather violently, his frustrations where growing and there was fuck all he could do about it in his present state. "You." He pointed at Arthur. "Give her her wages." Tommy then pointed at John. "You-go see if Mrs Riley has a room in the B&B... and get me some more fucking Morphine." He added, grabbing the empty bottle and throwing it at John, which of course caused a painful stabbing in his ribs.
Arthur's eyes widened when he saw the woman storm in. He nodded to Tommy. "I'll go get the money. Don't shoot the money messenger." He disappeared into the house, leaving his brothers and the woman in their living room. It would take some time to count the money. John looked at Tommy and then felt the bottle hit his chest. He almost did not catch the glass bottle, but he managed in the end. He saw that Tommy was pretty aggravated. He decided not to say a thing. He just passed Marta and did not forget to get really close to her and collide his shoulder with hers, making her stumble. He was really getting a room for a possible fucking rat?
Marta remained in the room with Tommy. "May I sit?" She asked him and pointed at a free chair. Tommy continued to furiously smoke on his cigarette, it was obvious his mood was not optimal. He'd been scheming and plotting for days. Trying to figure out a way to get the bastard inspector off their backs. He needed to speak with Moss himself, get to the bottom of all of this shit. "Yes, sit." He said, gesturing to the chair whilst his eyes followed John from the room. That morphine couldn't come quick enough.
Marta sat down on the chair and waited for a few minutes before speaking. "Well," she said. "Harry said that I should do something about my horse. Apparently, he has bitten Arthur twice along with some other guys who were stupid enough to try and pet him." Marta explained. "He said that I should find someplace to put him for my working hours." Marta bit her lip slightly as she spoke. "I think he is right. Midwinter gets pretty bored standing outside of The Garrison for days on end." She picked on her fingers for a little bit and then looked up at Tommy. "Harry said that you had horses, and stables. Do you think it would be possible for Midwinter to be there? At least when I am working?"
"Hmm." Tommy hummed, sitting back into his chair slightly. The few minutes of silence was just what he needed, a chance to calm and catch his breath after his outburst at his brothers. "Sometimes Arthur deserves to be bitten." Tommy responded, smoking the last of his cigarette and stubbing it out in the ashtray rest on the table beside him. "He can stay with my horse." He then added, reaching carefully for his glass of whisky. "We have a stables down by the docks, he will be well looked after." Tommy added, watching her with a rather curious expression.
Marta nodded and then sat back on the chair. "Thanks It will be better for a stallion to have fellow horses and a stable. There will be less bitten customers." She looked at Tommy when he was looking at her. She had never thought about it, but Tommy Shelby was a really attractive bloke. He had crystal blue eyes and dark hair and full lips, and the bone structure. A true leader, Marta thought.
"I'm sure Harry will be thrilled." Tommy spoke, and found himself simply staring at Marta as he tapped his hand rather impatiently against the arm of his armchair. Where the fuck was John with that morphine?
"Is there something on my face?" Marta asked and rubbed her cheek with her hand as Tommy seemed to ignore her question. She didn't know why the man was looking at her so intently.
"John's gone to get you a room at the bed and breakfast near The Garrison." He then stated, ignoring her question about her face. "Us Shelby's take care of our employees... provided we have their unwavering loyalty."
Marta sighed softly and blinked her eyes. "A room? You didn't have to." She shook her head slightly but really was happy about the news, imagining that it would be nice to sleep in a bed again. "Thank you, Tommy. Really." She smiled and looked at Tommy's face. "You really don't look very good. Have you tried herbs?" She asked him. "You know, like calendula and stuff? It's good for cuts and bruises. And instead of morphine, maybe try some lemon balm? It's good for nerves too."
"Like I said, we take care of those that are loyal to us." Tommy responded. Getting rather impatient with his brothers he slowly forced himself up from the armchair, having to use the arm of the chair as support. For a man that was always so dangerous, he looked rather weak right now. He slowly made his way over to the window of the living room and peered out the curtains, his other hand holding his injured ribs as he watched the people of small heath making their way up and down the street. "I don't put much faith in witchcraft." He then stated, releasing the curtain and facing back to Marta. "Are you fucking loyal to us Marta?" He then asked abruptly.
Marta took a deep breath and looked at Tommy. She did not quite understand why he was so fixated on the loyal part. She smiled and shook her head. "It's not witchcraft. It's true. Herbs can help. I think that morphine is from a plant too. I think you should really give those herbs a try." She pointed out and then thought for a bit. "Loyal?" She repeated and shrugged. "I guess so, I haven't stolen any money from the till." In her mind, she said a small 'yet' to herself. Maybe if her wages were late again and she was desperate enough. She would grab a quid or two. "I don't know if that's what you want to hear."
"When you work for this family there is a certain trust." Tommy stated, watching her for a moment. He couldn't say he shared John's thoughts that she was a spy for the police. To him the odds were ridiculous. She'd arrived before any mention of the guns being in their possession. Of course he would investigate her history and family, but he was certain she was just a common traveller. "Come here." Tommy then said, remaining standing by the window and gesturing her closer.
Marta looked around the Shelby house. It was not much, but it looked very cosy. She hoped that one day she would get a house like this. She did not know if she would be able to fill it with a family like the Shelby family, but it was nice to dream. She was so deep in thought that she almost forgot that Tommy was there. When Tommy told her to come to him, she didn't understand why at first. "Alright?" She said apprehensively and then got up from the chair. She made a few steps towards Tommy and looked at him. "Is everything okay?" She looked at the man and tilted her head to the side.
Tommy simply nodded his head when Marta questioned if everything was ok. When she came to him his bright blue eyes gazed into hers, made even more bright in contrast to the dark bruises scattered across his pale face. He was healing, but it would certainly take time. His hand slowly reached one of her stray hairs, carefully tucking it over her shoulder with his shaky hand. He needed that fucking morphine.
"You see out that window?" Tommy spoke, his voice quiet as their faces remained close. "Every person in this city is a solider to us... they are loyal to us." He explained. "And those that are not loyal to us no longer walk this Earth. Do you understand Marta?" He asked, his voice still quiet."
Marta looked at Tommy and wished he would listen to her and use the herbs for his bruises and cuts. And maybe use them for his pain and nerves too. Tommy didn't look that great, given his state. That was true. The young woman flinched a little when Tommy moved his hands towards her face. She calmed down when she saw that Tommy only wanted to tuck her stray strand of hair away.
Arthur was coming back from the room. He did not enter the living room right away. Instead, Arthur grabbed a glass and placed it on a wall. He then pressed his ear against the glass to eavesdrop on Marta and Tommy. He hoped that he would find out how his brother really felt about the new lady.
"I can't really see from the window because you are standing in front of it, but...I think that I know what you mean." She responded with a small shrug and let out a soft sigh. Tommy had of course noticed the woman flinch as he reached his hand towards her, understandably of course. Their faces remained rather close as she spoke, his eyes watching as her delicate lips pronounced each word. "I hope you do." He responded. It was best for everyone. Tommy didn't particularly like killing women, but if the situation ever required that action he wouldn't hesitate. "I want you to keep an ear open in The Garrison, anything you hear about this new Inspector you come straight to me, understand?" Marta listened to Tommy and then nodded. "Right." She hummed and looked around the room in order to avoid staring into Tommy's piercing blue eyes the whole time. He was starting to make her a little bit nervous, and she did not know why.
When Arthur didn't hear anything spicy, he decided to put the glass back where it was and come back. "I've got the wages!" He said loudly and came into the room. "There ya go, your money." He looked at Tommy and then at Marta. "What were you two discussing?" He asked as if he hadn't been listening the whole time.
Tommy hardly reacted as the door swung open and Arthur returned, though his bright blue eyes stayed fixed on the woman - and he wasn't sure why. His heart was usually empty, but there seemed to be something... a flinch perhaps. "Witchcraft." He then responded simply to Arthur before his eyes finally broke away from Marta and moved to see John suddenly appearing in the doorway, his head spinning slowly like an owl.
Marta took a step back from Tommy and then grabbed the money Arthur brought. John leant against the doorframe to the living room as he spoke. "Mrs Riley said that she didn't really have any spare rooms for Marta, and she was also pretty mad that she would have no business in the rooms if she had a regular tennant. But she said she's got a nice room in the attic. Marta can move there immediately." John nodded and then looked at Marta.
"That's good." Marta said and a gradual smile appeared on her face. Perhaps the Shelby's weren't so bad after all. Maybe Tommy wasn't all too bad. After all he had found her a bed, aswell as a home for her horse. "Can I take Finn with me to help me pack the camp?"
Tommy listened as John arrived and spoke, simply nodded his head to Marta after John explained the situation at the B&B. "Finn!" He called out, the should shout felt like a sudden punch in the ribs. "Now where's my fucking morphine?" He queried as his eye darted back to John. "Well," John said and scratched the back of his head. He put his cap in his pocket and sighed. "I ran in to Polly... and when I told you that I am buying you morphine, she said that I shouldn't do it or she'll tell Lizzie that I've gone to Marlena when she was not in town. Sorry Tom. Maybe you can drink some tea instead?" John looked at his brother. He was a bit scared of what would ensue.
Tommy's eyes snapped to Johns, his face emotionless, yet his chest slowly started to heave as he struggled to keep himself calm, especially in his current state. As his temper grew his pain seemed to fade, replaced by the boiling of his blood. "You fucking what?" He spoke, his voice low at first.
Finn had been bored in his room, lounging upside down as he read some stupid cartoon book. These things didn't make any sense. When he hear Tommys bark he quickly jumped up, his feet heard throughout the house as he scampered down the stairs and burst into the living room. "Yeah Tommy?" He spoke. When Marta saw Finn, she smiled. "Finn!" She said and then walked towards him and threw her hand around Finn's shoulder "You'll come and help me to pack my camp. I'll live in town from now on." The woman smiled and patted Finn's shoulder. "I'll buy you a lollipop or two." She was happy to be going to pack, but she also had the feeling Tommy was about to explode and wanted to get herself and Finn away from the ticking time bomb.
Finn gave Marta a smile, before his expression quickly changed to one of concern as he could see Tommy was about to kick off. "Yeah quick, let's go." He said, ducking between his brothers and practically pulling Marta from the room. The moment he made it in to the kitchen he heard China smashing against the wall.
"You fucking what?!" Tommy yelled again as the vase he had suddenly launched at John shattered against the wall. "Un-fucking-believable." He continued to rant. "Tommy!" Arthur said and carefully placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Come on, come and sit down. You can get more of the whisky." Arthur kept his distance from Tommy and covertly nodded to John to get the fuck out before Tommy boiled over again. "How about you just sit down. I can put the leg rest under your legs. You can rest, resting is fine," Arthur rambled.
"I don't want to fucking sit Arthur." Tommy responded, pushing his brother's hand from his shoulder. If he was strong enough he would have been holding John against the wall by his neck. "You think I give a second thought to you and your fucking whores John?!" He barked. "Unbelievable, unbelievable." Tommy then muttered to himself, finally moving as he fumbled for his jacket from near the fire.
"Tommy! Tommy, don't be ridiculous!" Arthur was quicker because his ribs worked better and grabbed the jacket. "Don't go anywhere. I am sure that Polly would have something even better than morphine. She would not just let you suffer, right John?" Arthur was trying his damndest to keep his younger brother calm. He would go to hell and back to do it. Arthur was tough with enemies. But he loved his brothers and the rest of the family. Tommy scuffled with his brother over the jacket for a moment before suddenly releasing his grip. "I'll get it my fucking self." He then spoke, managing to stride to the kitchen despite the pain in his ribs. As he made his way through the kitchen he swiped his pistol from the table.
"Tommy, you are hurt!" John said and sighed. He watched Tommy. In that moment he looked like someone else completely. Arthur watched on too. He did not know what to do to help his brother and in the end, he sighed. "John'll go get the morphine. We don't care what the whores think, do we JohnBoy?"
Tommy stopped by the front door, sucking in a heavy breath. His outburst was taking its toll and his skin was starting to pale, a thin bead of sweat appearing on his forehead after over exerting himself. "You've got 10 fucking minutes John." He stated, releasing his grip on his gun and tossing it back onto the table.
"I am going... I'm going." John said and then sighed heavily. He rubbed Tommy's shoulder on the way out and then walked to the first shop to buy the morphine. When John returned Arthur snatched the small bottle from him and brought it over to Tommy. He was not happy about it. But he did not want Tommy to be in pain, and he didn't want his brothers to fight or get hurt because of morphine. "Have a nice rest eh Tom?" Arthur's said hopefully. He sat down on an armchair because he wanted to stay with Tommy while he mixed alcohol with morphine. Arthur sometimes mixed alcohol with snow, but that was okay, right?
Tommy had waited rather impatiently for his brother's return and once John had returned with the morphine he took a large spoonful straight down his throat. Immediately feeling the pain and stress absorb in to his body, his brain slowly stopped going haywire. "I don't need you to watch me Arthur." He then stated, lighting up a cigarette. "Go fetch Moss, I need to speak with him."
Arthur sighed and then got up from the armchair. "Right, I'll be right back," Arthur sighed and walked out on the street. He huffed and kicked the nearest stone on the ground. Arthur walked to the police station and told Moss that Tommy wanted to speak with him. When he was returning, he saw John talking to some lady in the distance. Arthur shook his head. He felt like going to train and beat someone up in the ring. "Hmm." Tommy responded simply, his mood seemed to improve after some morphine and time alone. He had a fairly frustrating meeting with Moss though once he arrived at the Shelby house. There was little information gained about the inspector, but enough for him to start his digging and formulating a plan.
______________
Marta had Midwinter tied up in front of the house and turned to look into the house once more when she heard the shattering china. "Oh shit, are you sure we're supposed to leave? I think we should help John or the situation?" She suggested and looked at Finn as she petted Midwinter. Midwinter had been resting his hind leg and napping a little bit. The stallion reluctantly opened his eyes and gently nudged Marta's chest.
Finn was glad they'd managed to dip out just in time. "You don't wanna be in there right now." He said, hearing the echoed yelling coming from the house. "It's best to just leave them to it… so where are those lollipops?" Finn then asked with a cheeky smile, ignoring the commotion.
Marta gasped when Finn asked for lollipops. "Wow." She replied and shook her head. "So, you are not doing it because we are friends?" Marta then quickly added and faked being a bit upset. "Tsk. Very well." She then said with a small laugh and patted his arm. "Let's go to Artillery Square, I'll buy you a lollipop." She told him and untied her horse. It was not a long journey and once she returned from the store Marta gave Finn one lollipop. "One now, one after the job. And don't suck on it now. We'll be riding." Marta then mounted her horse and offered the boy her hand.
Finn was rather glad to hear all the shouting disappear as the started to right down the street. He'd always enjoyed riding since he was a young lad, there was something about the way the wind blew through your hair. "Why can't I have it on the horse?" He asked curiously as he took her hand to help him up.
"You're riding behind me." Marta said and then helped him up. "I could put my head back for various reasons. The lollipop would get stuck in your throat, and you would choke, and your brother Tommy would shoot me and throw me in the cut," Marta nodded again as she fixed the reigns ready to ride once more. "Who would buy the lollies then, huh?" She asked the boy. "Hold on. Marta the pulled his arm and put it around her waist so he wouldn't fall of.
Finn had been about the pop the lolly in his mouth when a small frown developed on his face and he placed it quickly into his pocket for the time being. Choking didn't sound fun. "Yeah Tommy wouldn't like that." Finn then said with a small laugh as he moved his hands to hold her waist.
Marta clicked her tongue and made Midwinter trot and even canter. She put her hand on Finn's to check if he was still holding on tightly. They were at her camp soon. She let the boy get off the horse and smiled. "Can you grab the clothes from the line right there?" She pointed at a clothesline that had seen better days. Marta pulled out a backpack and some blankets from the tent. Then she could pack the tent up.
Once they arrived at her camp Finn popped his lolly into his mouth and jumped down from her horse. "This is where you live?" He asked, looking around and taking it all in. It wasn't much, but it seemed cosy. "Yeah so long as there's none of your underwear." He replied, laughing a little childishly.
Marta huffed and looked at Finn. "Are you afraid of ladies underwear or what?" She asked him and then took a good look at the clothesline. "I think you're fine. I don't wear much underwear anyway." She sighed and then continued taking the tent apart. It was strange to be leaving this place, but she knew that she would feel better in the attic.
"Well, yeah I suppose I am." Finn replied, laughing to himself as he started taking her clothes off the washing line and putting them on a small box. He wasn't very good at folding so it turned into a small heap of clothes. "I don't need to know how much underwear you wear Marta… Tommy might though." He then added with a small laugh.
"Finn!" Marta said and threw a rag at the boy. It hit his back. She walked over to him. Marta thought that he was being cheeky. "Take the clothesline off. I'll fold this." She shook her head. As she was folding the clothes, she thought for a bit. "Do you really think that Tommy would like to know how much underwear I wear?" She kept folding the clothes. "He seems like he would not touch me with a three meter long pole," Marta shrugged and packed the clothes.
"What?" Finn responded with a laugh, picking the rag up from the floor and throwing it back before he started untying the washing line. "I've seen the way he looks at you." He then said with a small snigger. "I know my brother."
"Look at you," Marta said and shook her head. "Little looks specialist." She picked up the rag and put it in the big backpack as well. She tied the supplies and clothes to the horse's saddle and then looked around. The clearing was now empty. She sighed softly. It was good that she was moving away. She would be ever further from her stepfather. She then saw some herbs she had told Tommy about. She picked them and tied them together. "You'll be riding on your own, alright? Midwinter has enough cargo like this. I don't want to break his back." She explained and smiled at the youngest Shelby.
"Sometimes when Tommy looks angry, he isn't really angry." Finn said, finding the whole situation rather amusing as he watched her bag away the last of her things. He was a little confused as to what she meant about riding in his own. "Do you have another horse?" He asked, finishing off his lollipop and putting the stick back into his pocket.
"Sometimes Tommy looks angry, but isn't." Marta chuckled and shook her head. "Well, I should be careful when Tommy looks mad then. I don't want him to pounce on me and ravage me," Marta laughed. She shook her head and looked at Finn. "You are riding on your own, I'll walk." She winked and then walked up to Midwinter. "Do you want me to help you up?" She smiled at the boy and patted the horse.
"He looks mad most of the time." Finn explained. "But you've got to look at his eyes. You can tell a lot by his eyes." He went on, before glancing up at the big horse. "I can run back." Finn then said. He was used to running around the city on behalf of his family, he was a pretty quick runner and could seem to go on forever.
Marta hummed and looked at the young blinder. "You know what? Let's both walk." She offered the boy and talked to him the whole way. She also picked more of the herbs. When they arrived at the city, she looked at Finn and smiled. "Thanks for helping me." She said and then grabbed the boy by his cheeks and kissed his forehead. "Give this to Tommy. Listen carefully. He should crush these yellow flowers and put the crushed up paste on the cuts he has. And then these green leaves of this plant, he should steep in hot water and drink like he would tea." Marta then winked at the boy. Finn enjoyed their walk back to the city, Marta made him laugh and didn't treat him like a little kid the same way his brothers did. He knew they were just trying to protect him, but it was nice to spend time with someone that wasn't his family. "Crush the yellow flowers... put them on his cuts." Finn repeated, concentrating for a moment before he heard Tommys raised voice from inside the house once more. "You know he will tell me just to shove these up my arse right?" He then replied with a small laugh as he took the flowers.
Marta tilted her head to the side as she heard Tommy too. "Yeah?" She hummed. "He might. If he does, give the flowers to your aunt Polly or put them in a vase?" Marta smiled and patted the boy's shoulder. "Just tell him I sent them. He'll be mad at me. Even more than he is now." Marta spoke then patted her horse and began walking to the B&B. "Have a good night, Finn!" She called out and smiled contently to herself as she walked down the street.
Finn nodded his head as Marta patted his shoulder, giving her a warm smile seeming unphased by the yelling coming from the house. "Goodnight Marta." He called after her, giving her a way as she headed down the street with her horse and belongings.
_________________
Polly had come home home in a huff after her altercation with John and she looked at Tommy and then at the morphine bottle. "Who did you bully into buying it for you?" After Moss had left Tommy had pulled out a notepad, jotting a few notes down to remember lines of enquiry that he wanted to follow up. It was a helpful way to keep track of the thousands of thoughts in his head. He set the notepad down as he heard Polly's voice, noticing the broken vase was still scattered on the carpet from his earlier outburst. "I didn't bully anyone Pol, I simply got what I fucking asked for." He said plainly as he returned his pen to his pocket. "You'd do well to remember that."
"Maybe you should try some penicillin instead?" Polly shrugged. She then poured herself a glass of whisky and looked at her nephew. "Did you find out anything new about the inspector? I've heard John and Arthur whispering something about the new barmaid. What was that about?"
"And what the fuck is penicillin going to do Pol." Tommy responded, lighting one of his own cigarettes as she sparked up hers. "Chester Campbell." Tommy then spoke. "Chief Inspector Campbell of Belfast - he rid the city of crime and the IRA. And now he's here on behalf on the king and Churchill to find the stolen weapons from the BSA factory." He continued, taking a spoonful of morphine between drags of his cigarette. "I have a plan to send him back to Churchill with his tale between his legs."
"Maybe leave you saner," she said and then sighed. "Maybe the penicillin would leave you saner for your task to send Campbell packing. If you get hooked on morphine again, Campbell might leave here with your head in his leather bag. He'll then show it to Churchill and Churchill will put it in a museum." Polly lit a cigarette for herself and took a puff.
"I am fucking sane Polly!" Tommy snapped. "How do you think we all made it back from France ey?" He asked, though he didn't wait for a response to the question. "Campbell will not have my head, nor will he have a noose around my neck. You wanna know why? Because I'm Tommy fucking Shelby and it's about time the world was fucking good to us. That's why those guns fell in to our fucking laps!" He barked, his face reddening, before going rather pale once more after exhausting himself. His frustration wasn't so much at her, it was being cooped up in this fucking house.
Polly let Tommy yell. She knew her family very well. She knew that Tommy did not mean half the things he said. "Right... Well." She looked around and sighed. "I am just giving you options on how to get out of the French morphine ride. If you were more of a believer, I would suggest herbs."
"I'm fine as I am." Tommy said, gesturing to his legs before letting out a sigh. With his spare hand he squeezed the bridge of his nose for a moment, taking a deep breath. At Least the morphine made it painless to breath. Painless to think.
After parting ways with Marta outside the house Finn then made his way into the living room after waiting for the yelling to subside. He held the flowers out to his aunt Pol. "Marta picked these, said you needed to crush up the yellow ones and put them on Tommys cuts."
Polly looked at the herbs and smirked. "Aha, someone else is a believer, I see." She grabbed the herbs and carefully examined them. "Calendula and lemon balm. For scratches, cuts and nerves." Polly looked at Tommy and smiled. "Someone has your best interest in mind, Tommy. Where did you say you found our new barmaid?" Polly asked and looked at the herbs some more. "And why were you with Marta, Finn? Isn't she a bit old for you?"
Tommy seemed to go rather quiet as the morphine finally took its desired effect, finally numbing his pain and emotion. He simply smoked his cigarette as Polly and Finn discussed the flowers. "She was stealing from our pub." He then replied simply, atleast finally feeling like he wasn't going to explode.
"I was helping her move." Finn responded to his Aunt, then explaining the details of their journey across the city in great detail.
Polly turned to Tommy. "Are you alright with Finn riding around town with someone who stole from our pub?" Polly shook her head and then looked at Finn. "What if she steals our young blood?" Polly hummed and got up from her armchair. "I'll go prepare the flowers for Tommy tomorrow." Polly smiled and then went to the kitchen.
John and Arthur returned home after being in Garrison. "Finn! You smell like a lady," Arthur sat down in an armchair instead of Polly. "Who's the lucky one, huh?" He laughed as he was a little bit drunk.
"He was fucking working." Tommy said, his tone once again dry and he stubbed out his cigarette and poured a large glass of whiskey.
"She's nearly as old as you Aunt Pol." Finn replied cheekily, ducking under his Aunts arm and rushing out to the kitchen, he was getting hungry.
Once in the kitchen he ran in to Arthur and John, giving Arthur a playful shove. "Piss off Arthur." He said cheekily before calling back to the living room. "What's for tea Aunt Pol?" He called, helping himself to a slice of bread.
Polly laughed and turned to look at Finn. Sometimes he reminded her of young Tommy before he went to France. Finn just still had his boyish charm. She was so happy for that. There was at least one ray of sunshine - Finn. "I am coming to make some. I'll probably use the lemon balm while it is fresh." Polly hummed. "I hope you'll drink some, Tommy! I guess you wouldn't want to make Marta upset." Polly chuckled to herself.
"I'm not drinking it - I'm not fucking drinking it." Tommy said to himself, shaking his head as he rest back his head and closed his eyes for a moment.
Arthur and John talked about the Garrison being full and the business being fine. "It almost seems like the copper took a break," John nodded. "Maybe he fell into the cut." John mused and lit his cigarette.
"No I meant proper fucking Tea Aunt Pol, I'm starving." Finn exclaimed, chewing on his slice of bread and perching himself on the kitchen counter.
"Starving?" Polly sighed and gave him a quick clip around the ear when he swore. "Well then, It's good that we've roast pork in the oven. If you stop eating the bread, you can make a sandwich out of it. How about that?" She asked the young boy and pulled the pork from the oven. "John, Arthur, come eat too before our growing boy devours all the meat," Polly made sure that she saved a slice of meat for Tommy. "You all know that I make proper roast on Sundays!" Polly shook her head and then went to make the hot tea. She poured everyone a cup, even Tommy. She left it on the table by his side. Tommy was stubborn, but he could not drink only whisky! Or at least she hoped.
Tommy still had his eyes closed when Polly came in with his tea, he had his feet propped up on the foot stool looking like he was finally properly resting, but his mind was still working away. He
"Yeah ok Pol." Finn said, jumping down off the counter and quickly rubbing his stinging ear before taking a seat at the kitchen table, not without getting into a small scuffle with John on the way. "Piss off John." He grumbled, his elder brother trying to get him in a headlock whilst Finn punched him in the ribs.
Polly looked at the boys. "Stop fighting around the dinner table!" Polly said as she was cutting the meat. She hummed and put the meat on the plate along with bread slices. She found some apples in the basket so she put those on the table as well. She made one sandwich for Tommy and left it next to the tea. She then went to eat with the rest of the boys. "I'll make soup tomorrow, a nice one with bacon and all that." She promised as they all started to eat.
Following a filling dinner Finn had gotten to bed early, he was fairly worn out after his stroll across the city with Marta. Tommy didn't seem to touch much of his food, he mainly seemed to sustain himself with whisky and morphine, in fact he had never seemed to eat much at all since his return from the war.
Chapter 5: Lips & Diggers
Chapter Text
Polly kept the promise. For the next day's dinner she made a delicious soup with split peas and pieces of bacon. There were also some vegetables in it. Polly also baked bread. The last one to come back home that day was Arthur. It was an eventful day for him. He was helping Marta in the pub because Harry had caught the flu. Arthur sighed as he sat down at the table. "Fuck. It was a fucking long day, let me tell you." He told his brothers at the dinner table. "Pouring beers and booze, wiping tables... I have no idea how Harry does it every day." Arthur grabbed a bowl and poured some soup for himself. "It would be the most boring day if there wasn't for the weird thing that happened with Marta."
Thankfully for Tommy, come the next day the pain from his injuries was starting to subside. He'd still indulged in his little bottle of morphine sporadically throughout the day, but found himself relying on it less and less. After Harry's contraction of the flu he found himself heading to Charlie's yard, checking in the horses and spending a while whispering to midwinter in Romani before heading home to rest. "First honest day's work you've done since the war brother." He found himself saying whilst pouring them both a large glass of whisky. "What happened with the barmaid?" He asked curiously.
Arthur poured himself some more soup and then looked at Tommy. "Well." He said and picked up his spoon. "First, she asked me how much do I think a funeral wagon costs." Arthur shrugged and then began eating. "That's not the weirdest thing, though." Arthur nodded as he tore a piece of bread for himself. "We were working and suddenly, some dapper bloke walked into the Garrison. He had longish hair and beard like a goat. Marta immediately knelt down behind the bar. I first asked her whether she wanted to blow me. She didn't want to."
John butted into Arthur's riveting story: "How strange."
"Shut up, John." Said Arthur. "She told me to shut up, of course and then leaned her back on the bar while hiding behind it. I must say that she looked scared. The weirdest thing was that the bloke asked for her. He asked whether anyone knew a girl named Marta Cabrera. The patrons said nothing and Marta was shaking her head at me, so I said nothing too. When the man finally left, Marta got up and drank half a bottle of the lingonberry schnapps that nobody drinks..." The man sighed. "What even are lingonberries?"
How curious of a situation. Tommy listened intently, trying to put the pieces together. Perhaps it was someone she owed money, perhaps someone she'd stolen from. Perhaps someone she'd stolen a funeral wagon from. He mulled the situation over and took a swig of his whiskey. "I don't know what a fucking Lingonberry is Arthur." Tommy replied, finishing off the rest of his whiskey before he grabbed his coat and hat. Deciding this was a more pressing situation than his soup. Without another word to the rest of his family he made sure he had his gun in the holster beneath his coat and stepped out in the chilly Birmingham evening air. It seemed he had to do everything himself and as he walked down the street he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and smoked as he walked, in search of the barmaid.
Polly looked at Tommy as he quickly got to his feet. "Tommy the soup." She sighed though as he was gone before she could finish speaking. Polly had not seen Tommy eat many times after he had returned from France. She just hoped that he was eating during the day. Alone.
"Whatever lingonberries are, they must be fucking disgusting when nobody drinks the schnapps." John shook his head and happily ate his soup.
Meanwhile, Marta had made herself at home at the bed and breakfast. Mrs Riley had seemed very nice and had even helped Marta move into her attic room. Once everything had been situated she smiled to herself as she saw it whole. It was amazing. It looked like heaven. She ran towards she bed and flopped onto it back first. She laughed. The bed was soft like a fluffy cloud. She then went downstairs and talked to Mrs Riley for a while. Marta managed to get free breakfasts in exchange for watering the garden and other flowers every day.
After finishing up her day at the pub Marta was fresh from the bath. She needed it. For one, being at The Garrison all day made her feel all grimy and disgusting and she also wanted to forget what had happened at the pub with the arrival of that wicked man. She ran a comb through her hair and fell into her bed, sighing softly. Everything was going well for her. She had a home, her horse had a home and she had a job. She could buy new clothes and maybe go to church every sunday. She could put things right if she earned enough money for it.
Tommy had been out the door before Polly's words reached his ears and he found himself marching the streets of the city. Did his ribs still hurt? Yes. Did his body still ache? Yes. But simply being out of the house for the first time in two days was medicine enough. People often darted out of his way when they saw him at this time of night. A cloud of smoke followed him as he walked and he first checked the bed and breakfast. He walked through the front door and simply held a hand up to old Mrs Riley who watched him disappear up the stairs. Within moments he was at the attic and knocked his fist loudly against the door.
Marta yawned as she stretched in her bed. She hoped that she would have a day off soon. She wanted to spend her whole day in her new comfortable bed. Marta opened her eyes when she heard the loud knocking. "Shit." She whispered to herself and then rolled off the bed. Marta was wearing a white camisole and some underpants, she was very clearly ready to call it a night and sleep. Her hair was still wet after the bath as she opened the door. "Yes?" She looked at the person and when she saw it was Tommy she partly hid her body behind the door. "Hey. Tommy. What's the matter?" She focused on Tommy's eyes as Finn instructed.
The moment the door was open Tommy stuck his foot between the door and the frame, just in case she had something to hide and panicked at the sight of him. For a split second his eyes lingered on the straps of her night top before he carefully pushed the door open and walked past her, careful not to knock his ribs on the door. "You tell me Marta." Tommys spoke as his eyes glanced around the room, always taking in every detail of his surroundings before he looked back to her. "What happened at The Garrison?"
Marta stepped aside from the door so that she didn't get hit. She gulped and looked at Tommy. For a while she had no idea why the man was there. It was actually pretty late, even for her. She put her arms across her chest after she had closed the door. Marta gasped and shook her head a bit when Tommy asked her about The Garrison. He couldn't have known, right? He wasn't there. Or was he? It would not be the first time she did not see him. The first time was when she came to steal. "Harry caught the flu, so... Arthur came and helped me. We did good. If the money is off... I let Arthur count the till so... It's maybe off because of that." She looked at Tommy. It didn't look good. It didn't seem like Tommy was happy with the answers. "And... And if it's because of the missing lingonberry schnapps. Listen, no one orders it and I find it quite nice."
"The money wasn't out." Tommy replied simply, his eyes focusing on hers, looking out for any sign of emotion or deception, yet all he could see were panic and fear. "And I don't care about the fucking Lingonberry schnapps." He added, silence filling the room for a moment as he took a step closer to her without averting his gaze for even a second. The silence in the room seemed to swell before he finally broke it with another sentence. This time a question. "Who was the man you were hiding from?" He then asked, his voice without its usual harsh tone. Even possibly showing a hint of compassion.
Marta had nodded, she was glad that the money was alright. She wouldn't want to be the one to pay it back or get fired because Arthur wanted to go for a quickie with a whore on his way home or because his math was not mathing. She was looking at Tommy and she could almost feel the time ticking.
It felt like a countdown. To what the time was counting down to, Marta didn't know. She just felt anxious. She felt that it was no good and took a small step back from Tommy. Maybe she should've asked Finn more pointers. She had no idea what his expression meant at that moment. Finally, she gulped. Fuck. He knew! How?! It wasn't the biggest problem, but... Marta shook her head. "N-n-no one." She said and turned to open the door for Tommy. "You should go, it's late."
Tommy noted the panic that instantly strewed across her face and as she stepped away to open the door, he took a step closer, showing no sign of heading to leave. "Lucky for you I don't sleep." He stated, that wasn't strictly true. But sleep was hard for him, and when he did finally sleep he was haunted by dreams of war. He carefully rest his hand on the door, slowly pushing it closed. "Who was the man Marta?" Tommy repeated, keeping his hand against the door despite the pain it caused his ribs to do so.
Marta looked at Tommy with her eyes wide. She heard the door click and with that click a huge sense of dread spilled itself inside her stomach. Her mind was going through so much. She was trying to make up another lie. She was trying to look for a way to flee, because that was really what she did when the going got tough. Her breath picked up and she just stood there, trapped. After a bit she huffed and said: "It's my step-father..."
"Your stepfather?" Tommy repeated, simply nodding his head in acknowledgment before he turned away and paced across the room a few times. "Is that why you needed to know the price of a funeral wagon?" He asked, looking back at her he could see the emotion on her face. Marta looked around and upon Tommy's question about the funeral wagon, she brought her fist down and hit a dresser. She was a bit annoyed. "Arthur." She whispered to herself and noted to herself that she would not speak about anything important in front of that man. "Yes. And no..." She sighed, feeling like she was being interrogated. Maybe she was. She rubbed her face with her hands and stood in front of the door. It seemed it would be impossible to get Tommy out the door before he would just strip her bare of all her secrets. "How much is the funeral wagon? Arthur didn't know?" Marta asked.
"50 pounds, maybe more." Tommy responded, rubbing the bruised bridge of his nose as he let out a small sigh and closed his eyes for a second. He always came across too strong, sometimes he couldn't help it. There was a burning desire to protect those that were part of his business... part of his family. "If you're bringing trouble to our doors we need to know Marta." Tommy said, his expression seeming to soften as he reached out slowly and held her cheek in his hand, stepping yet again closer. "We need to know so that we can help." Marta saddened. Atleast 50 pounds? It seemed impossible to think she would never be able to save that much. She looked down at the floor for a bit and shook her head slowly. Why was a funeral wagon so expensive? It was for a funeral and it was to be burnt anyway. The woman visibly flinched when Tommy reached out to her. He had her effectively backed against the door through which he came in. She sighed once more and looked into Tommy's eyes. "You can be sure that the only door I'm bringing trouble to is mine. I wouldn't bring it to yours. I would never put Finn in danger." Marta said as she closed her eyes briefly and gently nuzzled her cheek in to Tommy's hand. It was quite nice and warm.
Tommys hand remained on her cheek, his finger gently stroking her skin as his blue eyes looked down into hers. He could see the disappointment and the mention of the wagon cost. But why was she so desperate for one? "Your door is my door when your stepfather is walking into my pub." He spoke, his voice soft and quiet. "Tell me Marta, why you were hiding and why you need a wagon." Marta closed her eyes and gulped. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to cry. It seemed, however, that she didn't have the power to avoid either of those things. "Because I hate him." She whispered. "Because he hurt me, and he had no right to bury my mother the way he did. She should've been buried the same way all her people are." Tears rolled down Marta's cheeks as she spoke. She couldn't not look Tommy in the eye. She was stealing from pubs to get her mother out of a grave, she was a really pitiful robber. As Marta started to cry Tommy carefully stroked her cheek bone with his thumb, gently wiping away her tears. This woman could not be a spy, or else she would be the best actress the earth had ever seen. He knew what he needed to do. First he would deal with her mother, then he would deal with the stepfather.
Tommy slowly nodded his head, watching as the emotion swelled from her before he slowly put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her slowly into his chest. Marta took that as an invitation. She carefully hugged Tommy and sobbed into his chest for a bit. She felt so small in front of him. But she also felt like she was not alone in her moment of weakness. Meeting the Shelby's had been good to her. She found a friend in Finn and she had to admit that even if Arthur was terrible at keeping his mouth shut, he was quite funny. Especially when he couldn't figure out some things in the pub. Tommy continued to hold Marta against his chest, despite the nagging pain in his ribs as he did so. Hearing her cry seemed to spark that fire inside of him again, but he didn't let it show. His hand reached to the back of her head, holding her there for a moment. He'd never noticed the gentle smell of her hair before and he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Tomorrow you will wear black." He spoke softly, his plan already formulating in his head. Tommy would go with curly to the site of her mothers grave, he would handle things like he always did for the best interests of his family and friends.
Marta hadn't known it before, but she really needed that hug, and Tommy turned out to be a great hugger. Marta looked up at him after he had kissed the top of her head. "What?" She thought she hadn't heard him quite well. "Tomorrow?" She asked him and shook her head. "But I've got almost no money." Marta shook her head. "I mean the grave digger said he would help me retrieve her for 10 quid. But like you said, the wagon is just too expensive."
"A gypsy woman does not belong in the dirt Marta. I know men who will dig out the grave... and I have plenty of wagons." Tommy whispered, his lips almost forming a small smile as she looked up at him. Something had drawn him to her the first time he'd notice her stealing from The Garrison and after she'd gulped down her words he lowered his head and softly kissed her lips, his eyes closing just for a moment.
Marta's lips patted as she stared at Tommy. It was so unexpected. She didn't expect him to help her like that. "Oh, well... I-." She wanted to thank him and offer to repay him, but he kissed her. "Hmm!" Marta closed her eyes and hummed in surprise as she then put her hand on the man's cheek. Marta tried to be careful not to hurt him because he was still black and blue or mostly blue.
People often saw Tommy as an angry criminal. But he lived and breathed and felt like any normal man. But this feeling - this feeling he hadn't felt since before France, that foreign flutter in the pit of his stomach. As her hand found his cheek he let out a soft hum, his face was still tender, but in that moment he didn't care. Once he slowly pulled away he wiped another tear carefully from her cheek. "Wear black." He said softly, finally moving to the door and pulling it open. "Finn will meet you outside The Garrison in the morning."
At the back of Marta's mind, she remembered that Mrs. Riley said 'No male visitors at night' though Marta hoped that Tommy was an exception. She looked at him when he pulled away and nodded. "Right." She stepped away from the door and let him open it. "Thank you." Marta then said and smiled a little bit. "Good night Tommy."
"Good night Marta." Tommy said with a small nod of his head, his heart feeling much lighter as he left the B & B.
Marta let out a breath and then walked over to her bed. She fell back first and pulled a blanket over her body. Marta looked up at the ceiling and sighed softly. She was strangely giddy. She could give her mother a proper burial for her kin. Marta bit her lip gently and then touched it. She had to admit that it was nice to be kissed by Tommy. She smiled to herself, dug herself further under the blanket and then closed her eyes.
John and Arthur were really curious. They were also worried for their brother. So, they were standing in front of the B & B and waiting. "I think he will stay the night. Let's go home." John said as Arthur looked at his pocket watch and then at John. "It hasn't been that long and he's hurt. It takes time to get dressed like that."
When Tommy suddenly emerged into the street he was greeted by his brothers waiting for him and shook his head as he lit a cigarette. "Did Polly send you?" He asked, walking past them in the direction of Charlie's yard.
"Nah, Tommy. We were worried." Arthur said and then followed Tommy. John followed along too "Polly just didn't like that you didn't eat the soup." The younger brother stated. "So, Tom. How did the interrogation go? How was she?" Arthur asked with a smirk. "Did she tell you everything? Even about the grave?" The two brothers followed Tommy and they were eager to learn what had happened in the B & B and what Tommy had found out about their barmaid.
"Worried eh?" Tommy spoke as he smoked his cigarette and continued in the direction of Charlie's yard. In his mind they had no reason to worry. He was fully capable of looking after himself, just as he looked after the rest of the family. "Yes she told me everything, and there was no interrogation, sometimes you just need to talk to people like normal beings." He explained. When they arrived at the yard they were quickly greeted by a rather confused looking Charlie. It was late, but he knew better than to question what they were up to. "I need Curly to get one of the funeral wagons ready for the morning, Charlie." He spoke, walking to midwinter and giving the horse a gentle pat as he whispered to him. "And I need to burrow you for the night, you're a good man with a shovel."
"What was there if no interrogation, Tommy? You look too happy. Or well, at least happier than at the family dinner. I won't tell Polly you liked meeting Marta better than Polly's soup if you spill." John asked with a smirk as he sucked on a toothpick. Arthur smiled too as he expected Tommy to share what he had found out. They were both quite surprised, and so was Charlie, when Tommy said they needed a funeral wagon. "Did you kill someone Tommy? Someone from a Gypsy family? Someone from Lees perhaps?" Charlie asked.
Midwinter smelled Tommy's hand and his clothes. Firstly, because he could faintly smell Marta and secondly... Maybe Tommy had brought him an apple or something nice? "We fucking talked John." Tommy responded, stroking the horses long nose. "We talked like civilised human beings." He added, giving the beautiful horse a firm pat before turning back to his brothers and Charlie. "I haven't killed anyone Charlie, we are on a rescue mission." Tommy explained.
"Curly fetch us some whisky, and not any of that cheap shit we sell to the men in Newcastle." Tommy called out, and soon enough curly came blundering back with a bottle of whisky and a few glasses, setting them on a stool "Here-ya go Tom - the good stuff Tom, like you said Tommy." Curly spoke fast with a quick bit of his head.
"Thank you curly." Tommy said, opening the bottle and pouring them each a glass. "There is a gypsy woman wrongfully stuck in the earth, and we are going to rescue her." He explained, looking to John and Arthur as he picked up his glass. "That was the grave you saw the barmaid visit."
"A rescue mission," Arthur repeated and looked at John if he had the slightest idea what Tommy meant by that. John had no idea. While Curly was retrieving the whiskey, Arthur paced around. He needed to think. He thought that if he thought hard enough, something would come to him. What rescue mission? Arthur leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Upon hearing that a gypsy woman was wrongfully stuck in dirt, Charlie turned his head slightly and spat on the ground. "What a disgrace. Who would do that?" He shook his head. "People don't hold nothing sacred these days." Charlie turned around and went to retrieve a few showels. He was ready to help.
"Is it family?" John asked. He went to grab a glass of whisky and whilst Arthur was leaning back on a stable door, Midwinter stuck his head out and bit his shoulder. "Fuck!" Arthur shouted and quickly moved away. "What's with that fucking horse and its fucking agenda..."
"A man that is owed a bullet Charlie." Tommy responded, taking another sip of whisky while Arthur tried to figure out what they were discussing. "It's her mother John." He then said, throwing his cigarette onto the ground before pointing to one of the small trucks. "Charlie we will drive the truck out to the graveyard, should be enough room in the back for a casket. John you will go with Charlie, help him dig. Curly, Curly!" He then called out again and the large man came rushing back. "Prepare the funeral wagon, make sure it's perfect, and get the big stallion ready for the morning. We will pull the wagon out to the fields on the edge of the city in the morning." Arranging a gypsy funeral within such a short amount of time took careful planning. "The horse says you need to take a bath Arthur." Tommy then stated dryly, it wasn't strictly true, but Arthur needed to learn to give the animal some space. "We will take my car and meet them at the graveyard. Everyone understood?"
Curly nodded quickly and many times. "Sure thing, Tommy. It will look lovely for a woman, Tommy. It's good it's still autumn. There will be some nice flowers. The big stallion will be ready." Curly was not the sharpest of men, but he was the best stable hand of the British Isles. He ran away to pick a nice wagon and began to decorate it.
Charlie looked at John and called him up to help with the shovels and get into the truck. "Wait, how do we know which grave it is?" Charlie asked and looked out of the truck. John sighed. "We don't really know because Arthur didn't read the name. I guess we'll look for a Romani name." John waved from the truck at his brothers. "Sure, Tommy! We'll start the digging."
Arthur sniffed himself as he was massaging his bitten shoulder and muttering something under his breath. "Fucking horse. I hope the owner doesn't bite that much as well. Fuck." He looked at Tommy. "What are we doing Tommy?" He asked and turned to look at the horse that looked like it was watching him. Arthur narrowed his eyes.
Tommy picked up a few lanterns and placed them in the back of the truck, shutting the door and patting the side a couple times. It was dark and would be difficult to see. "She mentioned a gravedigger, if they are any other men up there will be able to tell us the name... but if we are alone it will be a Romani name, there shouldn't be many headstones bearing a Romani name." He said before shoving Arthur a few paces in front of him. "Come on, get in the fucking car.." Tommy said, fed up with Arthur's ramblings. Thankfully his car was parked in the garage a few minutes walk away from the yard.
"Good." John said. "Would not be happy if I dug up someone else. Digging up the right one is strange enough. See you, Tommy." John turned to Charlie and nodded. They set out on their journey to the graveyard. It was not the greatest way to spend the night, but Charlie was determined. The customs dictated fire. And fire every gipsy should get.
"The wrong grave and you might find yourself a nice watch John." Tommy responded dryly, holding his hand up to the boys as the went off in the truck.
Arthur looked at his brother and walked to the garage. "Polly will be pissed. She is most likely waiting for us right now. She is waiting for you to come back to your soup." Arthur smirked. "So. What did our barmaid do to deserve the help of Peaky Blinders, Tommy?" He asked. "You don't do things for free most of the times."
On the short walk to the car Tommy glanced back at Arthur. "Polly needs to learn that I am not a child Arthur... I'll eat when I'm fucking hungry." He spoke, getting carefully into his car so as not to cause himself too much pain and fired up the engine. The new car was his pride and joy and he loved the sound of the rumbling engine. "I'm helping her in the same way I would help Harry, they're our employees. We look out for them." He said as he started to drive, soon catching up with the truck and following them out to the graveyard. But perhaps it was more than that, the soft flutter of his stomach when their lips had touched suggested so.
"Polly is just worried, Tommy, she said that she hasn't seen you eat a bite since you came back from France, and to be honest, I only see you drink too." Arthur climbed into the car with Tommy. He closed the door before he spoke. "Well, it seems like I should look out for her too, if you don't mind." Arthur smirked slightly, he was just teasing Tommy, trying to keep the mood light before entering the graveyard.
"Like I said, I eat when I'm hungry. That's all Arthur." Tommy responded as he drove them to the graveyard. He was getting rather bored with the worry his family kept expressing for him. Tommy was far from fine, but he had accepted this new way of life.
"You're trying to fuck us over!" John was already out of the truck. He was mad. "20 pounds for showing us to the grave of Marta's mother?" He shook his head.
"Like I said, my dear friends. Someone already wants to dig her up for 10, so if you want to dig her up, you're paying 20." The gravedigger smiled and took a swig from his flask of rum. "I have never seen more than one person wanting to dig up one body. So, are you going to pay or are you going to get the fuck out of here? You're disturbing the dead people's rest."
When they arrived at the graveyard Tommy turned off the engine and climbed carefully out of the car, lighting a cigarette as he listened in on the conversation. Most situations could be solved by a pistol, and sometimes a bullet and he had little patience in his current condition. He pulled the weapon from his holster and marched towards the gravedigger. "You'll tell us the name, or you'll be joining the dead in the dirt." He spoke clearly and simply, pulling back the hammer of his pistol with a threatening click.
The grave digger was smirking at John until he saw the gun and heard the click. He leaned back and put his hands up. "So much trouble for one stiff, fine." The man said as he put his hands down. "It's Vera Mirga." He pointed in the direction that led to the graveyard's wall. "She's right there in the corner. Just like all the foreigners and weirdoes." The grave digger shrugged before grabbing his rum and taking another sip "Anything else?"
The gravediggers words struck a bitter cord with Tommy. How dare he talk of their kind as weirdos and foreigners. "Yes infact there is." He stated, and within a blink of his eye his temper snapped and he had struck the man sharply in the face with butt of his gun before ripping off his hat and pressing the blade against the man's cheek. It hurt Tommy's ribs to do so, but you didn't get on Tommy Shelby's bad side and not have to pay the price. The digger fell down and began screaming. "No! Please! Stop, stop! Don't hurt me!" The man put his hands up again. "Come on, sir, I've got a wife. I've got a wife and a newborn kid at home, sir. Come on." He was pleading with Tommy. The gravedigger was ripping off everybody because he wanted to help his family. He had always had a big mouth. It was probably the right time he got punished for it.
"Tommy." Charlie said. "Punch him in the face and let's go. He is not worth it. This is a rescue mission." Charlie unloaded the shovels and handed one to John. "Vera Mirga." He repeated the name to him and let him look for the grave as he picked up another shovel and a lantern.
Tommy pressed the razor blade into the man's cheek, losing himself for a moment before hearing Charlie's plea. "You don't fuck with the Peaky Blinders." He warned, before releasing his grip on the man. "Get out of here." He demanded, standing up and giving the man a chance to run away as he returned the cap to his head. "Let's get digging boys." He then said, catching his breath as he reached into his jacket pocket for his morphine.
Once the digger was free he jumped to his feet and ran away. He even left his rum where it fell out of his pocket as he rushed straight back home to his wife and his child.
"Good evening." Spoke John when he arrived at the grave in the corner of the graveyard. "This is going to be a long night." He said and shook his head. John took his cap off and put it on the headstone. He also took his overcoat off and began digging. Charlie joined him mere moments later.
"I guess that you'll sit this one out Tommy, eh?" Arthur asked. "I don't think you should be diggin' when you're injured. You can be the look out." Arthur smiled and gently patted Tommy's shoulder.
Tommy eyes carefully followed the injured gravedigger as he disappeared off into the night and took a moment to catch his breath. His temper seemed exceptionally short these days and he lit another cigarette to steady himself. "We dug tunnels in France JohnBoy, this is light work." He spoke, exhaling his smoke in a large cloud. "Alright brother." He said as Arthur patted his shoulder. Tommy leant against a nearby tree, his eyes scanning the graveyard every now and then for signs of anyone else in the area. Though it would certainly be a bleak day for anyone that tried to interrupt them. As the other men dug Tommys mind drifted back to Marta, that mysterious woman who seemed to have managed to work his way into his mind. Made him feel, at least something other than anger, for the first time in years.
The three men worked quickly. When one of the shovels hit wood, Charlie ordered them to be careful. It would be much easier to retrieve the body in its coffin. "Tommy spoke about a nice watch, but there's nothing in here." John said. "No gifts, nothing to send off the person with." He added quickly as they dug around the coffin to make room for them to pull the coffin from the ground.
Tommy continued to play his part as look out, and when he heard the sound of the shovel striking wood he moved closer with a lantern so it would be easier for the other boys to see. "Arthur hold this." He then said, handing the lantern to him. "I'll bring the truck round." He then spoke, returning a few minutes later with the vehicle so it would be easier to move the coffin.
Arthur held onto the lantern, holding it high to spread as much light as possible. "The coffin is nothing great too. Seems like someone was really rushing to get this one in the ground and he wanted to make it as cheap as possible."
Charlie shook his head. "If I were not in a grave, I would spit, because this is almost evil." The man said and moved the shovel out of the way. "Arthur, put the lantern down. We'll lift the lady." He nodded and watched as Arthur jumped down in to the ground to help them. "Lift on three. One, two, three..." It took more tries than one, but in the end, the coffin was out of the ground next to the truck. The men then needed to load it and put the dirt back to not raise suspicion.
Tommy couldn't do much to help in his condition, he knew lifting the coffin would certainly cause him a fair amount of pain. But he was used to pain these days. He opened the truck doors for them and once the coffin had been slid inside gave them all a firm pat on the shoulder. "Good job, good job boys." He spoke.
"I hope Marta will be happy." Arthur said and nodded.
"Oh, of course. Marta, this is your dead mother. Be happy." John shook his head and patted Arthur's houlder. "Let's go home, it's so late, it's early. I have children to greet." John nodded. He had many children. He was happy for that. But he also thought that they could use a mother. Ada and hired nannies could not take care of them forever. The children would grow up and go wild, more than they already did.
Tommy couldn't help himself but let a hint of a smile cross his lips at John's comment. His brother could be rather comical sometimes, mainly when he didn't mean it. "We did a good thing here gentlemen." He spoke. "Charlie, you take the truck back to the yard. Arthur, John, let's get home before Polly loses her mind." Tommy then said, giving a nod to Charlie and putting his hand on John's shoulder as they walked to his car. "We can find you a wife, brother, someone to take care of the children.
John nodded. "Would be for the best," he said. "I mean. Maybe I can find someone on my own. I will know best who can handle my children. There are not many women that can. Ada can, but she is a Shelby. John and Arthur got into the family car while bickering about John being a lot to handle as a husband too. Arthur was of the opinion that the children were nothing compared to him.
"Will do, Tommy. I am sure Curly had already decorated the wagon properly." Charlie said and then drove the truck back to the yard. There he managed to put the coffin inside the decked out wagon. Curly walked him through the thorough decoration process that included painting roses onto the wagon. Curly had a huge heart.
As Tommy drove them back he listened to his brothers talk. It was worrying him how little they had seen of Ada recently, but he knew she sometimes liked to distance herself when things started to get a little 'dirty'. "If you find yourself a woman that you don't have to pay, I'll be impressed JohnBoy." He said as they reached the garage. Their adventure had taken its toll on Tommy and he was starting to feel more pain from his ribs, and like they often did at the hour his hands were starting to tremble.
It wasn't a long walk from the garage back to the house, and by the time they got back Tommy was certainly feeling the effects of the evening. Morphine and whisky would certainly help him get to sleep and once they entered the house he went straight for the bottle, pouring himself a large glass with his shaky hand. Once his ribs were better everything else would get better, at least that's what he kept telling himself.
_______
Back at the Shelby home on Watery Lane Polly was pacing from left to right. "Finn? Did Arthur and John tell you where exactly they were going?" She asked the youngest boy as she poured herself some tea and sipped on it with her eyebrows knitted in worry. It was strange. The Shelby brothers were probably up to something. She looked around the room and went to grab a candle.
Finn was lounging in front of the fire with a comic book and a lollipop when he heard his Aunt Pol call to him. "I dunno Aunt Pol." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Think they went after Tommy, maybe."
"Come here, Finn," Polly said as she placed the candle in the middle of the table. "Let's ask someone else where they are." Polly nodded and waited for Finn to join her. "Give me your hands and I want you to ask yourself, in your mind, where did your brothers go."
Finn did as he was asked and quickly got up, leaving his comic book behind. "Er…ok Aunt Pol." He said as he sat down and took her hands. He'd never had much of an experience with second sight before, but he closed his eyes and tried to see inside his mind. "It's just dark." He said before opening his eyes again.
Polly opened her eyes after Finn tried asking for the answer for quite a short time. "I saw a field." She said and shrugged. "It's not much better than dark." Polly then patted Finn's hands. "You should probably go to sleep." She smiled at the boy as she got up.
Finn watched his aunt carefully. "I heard them talking in the kitchen earlier, something about Marta and a funeral wagon." He said as Polly patted his hand. "Do you think they're in trouble, Aunt Pol?" He asked, a subtly way to dodge her call for him to go to bed.
"Marta and a funeral wagon." Polly sat back after she had put the candle away. "Marta, a funeral wagon and the fields, Sounds like someone has died." She shook her head slightly and then grabbed a pack of cigarettes, lighting one swiftly. "Let's hope that it was no one dangerous."
Finn simply shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed so didn't really have much of an idea to put the pieces together. All he knew was that if his brothers were together they would be fine, no trouble was too big for the Shelby's when they were all together. "Aunt Pol, have we got any cake?" He asked hopefully, drumming his fingers against the table as she started to smoke.
Polly looked at the boy and narrowed her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to go to sleep?" She asked him and smiled. "You can have the cake tomorrow. I baked a Victoria sponge cake. Now come on, sleep is in order. Don't make me help you change and read you a bedtime story." Polly warned the boy. "I'll wait for the rest."
"Ohhh Aunt Pol." Finn responded with a groan, leaning his head back over the chair and rubbing his face quickly with his hands. Much like Tommy used to when he was frustrated. "One slice of cake and then I'll go to bed?" He tried to bargain, but knew he was likely out of luck. Polly could be firm when she wanted to be.
Polly sighed and looked at the boy. She had spent a lot of time with him and Ada during the war. He was almost as persuasive as Tommy. "Since tonight's special, you will get a slice. But don't tell John." Polly went to the pantry and brought a slice of cake to Finn. She poured him some tea with it as well. "There you go. Still lemon balm from Marta." She then remembered to give Tommy the calendula paste she had made from the other plants that were sent to them by the barmaid.
A smile cracked across Finn's face as his Aunt announced he could have some cake before bed, grinning as he suddenly sat up a little straighter. "Thanks Aunt Pol." He chirped, quickly digging in to the cake. The cup of tea was left neglected, he wasn't really a fan of tea, especially this lemon stuff.
"You are welcome. But don't think that this will happen often." Polly said with a slight smirk and enjoyed her cigarette. It was true that she also didn't want to be alone with her demons. All Shelbys had their demons.
Finn devoured his cake in seconds and once he was done decided not to try his kick by asking for seconds. "Good night Aunt Pol… don't wait up too late." He said, kissing her cheek as he passed and took himself up to bed. Polly wished Finn good night and after a few minutes she heard the rest of the brothers enter the home. She got up and walked to the hall. "Where have you been?" She looked at the men. "And where did you pick up all that dirt?" She shook her head in disbelief as she let Tommy get to the whisky. "Can someone explain what is going on here?"
_______________
"Sorry, Polly." Arthur said as he looked at his boots and nodded to himself. The dirt on his shoes was a little extra. John mumbled something about kids and then excused himself to go and check on them. He got absolutely slammed by all of them. They wanted new shoes. Some of them just wanted a cuddle. It was a lot.
"Take off your shoes Arthur." Tommy said, gesturing at the man's feet before slamming back his whisky and pouring himself another. The tremors in his hand slowly seemed to subside as he consumed more of the amber liquid. "We were digging up a grave Pol." He said simply, taking a seat at the kitchen table and lighting a cigarette. "Goodnight John." He then said as John rushed off to check on his children.
"Why were you digging up a grave?" Polly asked and then went to pour them all some tea. "Explain." She asked. "I tried to find out on my own but I was not that successful." Pollu sighed and then looked at Tommy mainly. It was usually him who made all the plans.
Arthur got out of his shoes and went to drink some of the tea. He stretched his hurting back. "We dug up Marta's mother. She was in the dirt even though she's gypsy. I don't know how Tommy got that information from Marta, but I guess he had to have used his charm." Arthur smirked and then sipped on the lovely tea.
"My God." Polly said. "Speaking of Marta." She walked up to a cabinet and grabbed a small container of the calendula paste. "This is what I made from the calendula she had sent you." Polly then handed it to Tommy.
Tommy let Arthur explain the situation as he this time sipped his whisky rather than drinking it in one gulp. "We did a good thing Pol." He then spoke once Arthur had finished, exhaling a lungful of smoke before she handed him the paste. "I don't have need for your potions Pol." He then said, carefully pushing himself up to his feet. For once he felt like he needed to rest, ready for sleep, though he wasn't sure how long that would last or if his dreams would plaque him once more.
"They are not my potions. They are Marta's." Polly state with a small smile and then shook her head as she noticed Tommy leave the paste on a nearby end table. "Good night." She said and then went to sleep herself. Arthur tried to ask for something sweet, but Polly said that there was nothing and that it was late. Arthur was a bit sad, but his back hurt so he thought that it would be better to go to sleep.
_________
Marta's dreams had been rather topical. She was running through sunny fields of wheat. She heard her mother's voice calling to her and she could faintly see her in the distance. She was always so beautiful. Marta never knew how much they looked alike. Suddenly, Marta tripped in her dream. The field bent and turned into a hill. She rolled down that hill earning many hits from bumps. It began to rain and storm. And just when the storm was going to drown her, she could hear the water splashing and a horse neighing. The horse was white and it was surrounded by shining light.
Chapter 6: Wagons & Camisols
Chapter Text
The morning was somber for Marta as she was putting on her black clothes. "This used to fit better." She hummed to herself as she put on a long black skirt. She had to fix it a few times because she thought that it looked bigger on her than before, but she made it work in the end. Her room was a mess as she looked through all of her clothes to put together a funeral outfit. She had found some clothes that belonged to her mother, Marta had stolen them from her step-father's house when she ran away. Other than her skirt, she put on a black shirt and threw a black scarf around her shoulders. She topped it all off with a hat and a long black pearl necklace. When she walked out on the street she tripped just a bit because instead of her riding flats, she put on boots with a small heel. She walked straight to the Garrison, where she was supposed to meet with Finn.
Finn had been woken early by Tommy and was still rather tired as he waited outside the pub for Marta. He put his hand over his mouth and let out a small yawn as he heard the slight clicking of heels against the streets. When the woman got closer he bowed his head a little, taking off his cap. "Tommy said he won't be long." He announced. It was rather strange seeing her dressed in black.
Marta looked at Finn and smiled at him a little bit. "Good morning." She patted his shoulder because he really looked tired. "Wanna hear a secret?" She asked him and she almost told him about what happened yesterday with Tommy before she was distracted by the sound of hooves and turned around.
Her lips parted when she saw the whole squad. Marta could not believe that Tommy rode her horse and that he managed to put this together overnight. She came closer to the whole squad and petted the big stallion while looking at the wagon. She could not believe it. It was beautiful. She then walked over to Midwinter and whispered, "Traitor." She looked up at Tommy. "That's my horse." She informed him while patting Midwinter.
A little while after Marta had first met with Finn the sound of hooves and wheels crept closer to The Garrison. Tommy was riding Midwinter, and behind him was his large stallion pulling the funeral wagon. Then behind that the truck they'd used the previous night which had Arthur, John and Curly in the back.
Tommy had atleast managed to get himself to sleep the previous night, but had once again been woken by his dreams in the small hours of the morning. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect and got himself dressed for the day in his black suit and tie. Even though it was a funeral he would never be without his gun, and made sure it was holstered under his jacket. He'd been at Charlie's yard for most of the morning, making sure everything was perfect. Curly had done an impressive job of the wagon with such short notice.
"What's the secret?" Finn asked quickly, though she seemed distracted by the arrival of the procession and he followed after her.
Tommy remained atop midwinter as Marta approached, he felt at home on a horse and kept hold of the reins and let a smile cross his lips as she looked up at him. "He prefers me." He replied, offering his hand down to her so she could climb up. They had a short ride out to the rolling hills they'd chosen for the burning.
"Hey, hey." Finn kept pestering, following after Marta tugging her arm before she was helped up on to the horse with Tommy. "What's the secret?" He asked again but he was cut off by Tommy. "Go get in the fucking truck Finn." Tommy instructed simply.
Marta looked mildly offended when Tommy claimed her horse and shook her head. "That's not true. He does not." Marta turned to look at Finn and winked at him because she would definitely tell him later. He looked very boyish and cute when he wanted to know the secret so badly. Marta then looked back at Tommy and accepted his hand. She got comfortable behind him, although it was a bit strange to share her horse and not be the one holding the reins. She was not sure what to do with her hands. "Enough black?" She asked Tommy.
"You prefer me, don't you boy?" Tommy spoke in Romani, patting the horses neck after he'd helped Marta climb up. "Perfect." He then responded. She certainly looked the part for the funeral, and the extra care she'd taken in getting herself ready certainly made her look most flattering. Keeping one hand on the reins he reached for her hand, placing it around his waist, though he was a little apprehensive of her holding his other side. He was feeling better everyday, but there was still a little pain.
"Don't betray the hand that feeds you apples." Marta quipped in Romani too. She did not know much Romani. Her mother had taught her some things. She was a good mother, she left out all the swear words to Marta's chagrin. Marta was not as pliant as others would be when they have their hands being led and placed. It was thanks to her being on her own for some time. You just can't trust everybody that fast. Sometimes it's even better not to trust at all. In the end, she rested her hand on the man's waist. "Who's going to take care of The Garrison?" She asked him.
Tommy let out a small chuckle as she threatened the horse. "Go on." He hummed softly in Romani, and the horse started to trot forward. He really did seem to have a unique connection with the animals. "The Garrison can remain closed for one day, private family function." He added. Harry was still rather unwell with the flu so wasn't able to work.
John nudged his brother Arthur as he watched his brother help the barmaid on to the horse. "Does Tommy want the girl or does he secretly want to goad her into selling the horse?" John smirked and Arthur chuckled. "Both." Said Arthur, they were all ready to go when Arthur helped Finn to climb on the truck.
Finn made his way to the truck, a little irritated that he didn't get to hear the secret, he just hoped she wouldn't forget. "He's using the horse to get the girl." He then said, as he sat down beside Arthur.
"If a funeral wasn't enough, he is using the horse, just to be sure." John nodded and patted the top of the truck to signal they were ready to go. "Are you jealous, Finn?" Arthur smacked Finn's chest. "She was calling you a nipper like a week or so ago." Arthur reminded him.
"Ouch! Arthur!" Finn wheezed, the air knocked out of him by the sudden smack and it took him a little while to catch his breath. "I'm not jealous." He then said, giving the eldest brother a firm elbow in the ribs. "She's too old for me."
"That's right." Arthur said. He thought that Finn could use someone his age. But at the same time - if Finn thought that Marta was too old, what did that make Arthur? Ancient?
"Hmm." Finn hummed, glancing between his brothers as he straightened his cap. "John, you look like shite." He then stated, his brother looked exceptionally tired.
"I have good reasons to look like that," John hummed and during the ride, he had his cap pulled down to shield his face from the light. "I dug up a grave and then tried to put my children to sleep. I managed. But then I had to get up two hours later." John said with a yawn. He rested the whole way to their destination and then climbed off the truck just like his eldest brother.
Marta nodded. It was good that she didn't have to work that day. Not that she would be great at it. She could imagine that she'd be quite tired and not quite present after the funeral. "Good... Thank you Tommy." She said quietly. "Did you use the herbs I had sent you?" Marta couldn't help but ask.
"No." Tommy responded simply as he guided the horse down the street, it would be a short ride out to the location for the funeral on the south of the canal. "I've been rather busy." He then said, realising that he should have perhaps come up with a better excuse for not using the paste Polly had put together.
Marta shrugged her shoulders a little bit. "Well." She tried to sound like she was not disappointed, but it did not really work. "I guess I won't send you any more then." She said. "But well, with your reputation I wouldn't be surprised if there was someone else who had sent you something better." When the whole procession stopped at the designated spot, Marta got off the horse and went to pat it. It was a nice place. She thought.
"Preparing a funeral didn't leave much time for potions." Tommy responded, his voice lacking its usual toughness as he slowed the horse to a halt. Once Marta had jumped down he climbed down carefully, hitching Midwinter to a fence post as Charlie pulled the wagon into position. He pulled off his cap which still had a few specks of blood on from the previous night and flattened his hair, custom for funerals, it was rude to wear a hat so he placed the cap into his jacket pocket. "I didn't get a better offer, don't worry." He then spoke, gently holding his arm around her waist for a brief moment.
"You will look scarred and ugly when you're older. I won't." Marta huffed and shrugged, he was a grown man, if he didn't want to use the paste then who was she to force him. What she said wasn't strictly true, but there was no time to look for the truth just now. Marta looked at the wagon again and saw Curly adding flowers to it. It was better than she could've imagined. The flowers were really pretty and so was the funeral wagon.
"Maybe you shouldn't have had so many kids John." Finn said innocently before jumping out the back of the truck and joining Tommy and Marta.
"Get that off." Tommy said, moving his hand from Marta's waist to pull the cap off the boys head.
"Time will come, and you'll know that making them is easier than raising them." Arthur told Finn and patted John's shoulder. He then pulled his cap off too. He made his way over to Charlie and they added some more wood to the wagon.
"Sorry Tommy." Finn mumbled, flattening his hair down and standing between Tommy and Arthur. This is as his first funeral and it was all rather a lot to take in, but the wagon certainly looked beautiful.
Marta looked at Finn with a small smile that did not quite reach her eyes. She felt a bit nervous for some reason. This was all she wanted to do. It was why she was stealing in the first place, yet there was a sense of closure and an end that she could not imagine before. "I'll just go over and say goodbye if that's okay?" She looked at Tommy.
Tommy nodded his head when Marta announced she wanted to say goodbye. "Of course, and place anything that you want to go with her inside." He spoke, there was an usual sense of calm and understanding in his tone and he held his hands infront of himself, standing with his brothers and watching from a distance.
Marta nodded. "Right." She hummed and gulped. The young woman felt like crying from that moment on. She walked towards the wagon and walked up the stairs. She stopped in the doorway before entering the wagon. Marta knelt next to the coffin and took off the hat she was wearing. There was a scarf on it which she removed and placed across the coffin. "I am sorry it took so long." She spoke softly and started crying immediately. "Thank you for waiting." Marta nodded. She pulled out a coin and placed it on the scarf. "This is for some candy like we always used to buy." Marta covered the coin with the hat and nodded. "I love you. I hope we'll meet again." She then got up and walked out of the wagon. She was very openly crying, but she just couldn't stop.
"Do you think she liked the roses?" Curly asked Charlie and Arthur as he watched Marta disappear into the wagon.
"I think you did a grand job Curly." Charlie responded, patting the man on the shoulder before giving him a gentle push towards the wagon so he could start to drench it when a very tearful Marta emerged.
Tommy watched on as Marta said her goodbyes, he could see she was upset from the movement of her shoulders as she knelt beside the coffin. Death was unrelenting, and in the end it came for them all. Part of himself had died in France, but perhaps they had met for a reason. Perhaps they could help every other grow. Or was it all wishful thinking. When he saw he begin to return from the wagon Tommy walked forwards, wrapping an arm around her to try and offer some comfort. "Are you ready?" He asked, nodding his head to Curly to start pouring some petrol over the wagon to help it burn.
Marta walked towards Tommy and just leaned into him. She had to have looked pitiful at that moment. It was in stark contrast with how she acted when Tommy caught her in The Garrison. It seemed like having a bed and food and a stable for her horse made her a little bit sappy and soft. Marta nodded. "The wagon looks really nice." She croaked. "Everything is perfect." Marta added. "Thank you." She said between sobs. When she looked to the side, she saw Finn and the rest of the Shelby brothers. She saw that they in some way understood what she felt at that moment and that there was no shame in that.
Curly made a quick work of drenching the wagon. He walked back to Charlie and sniffled. "Curly?" Charlie said.
"It's the petrol." The big man said. It wasn't the petrol, but Curly could try to be tough guy.
"It was no trouble." Tommy replied quietly, simply holding her against his body as he watched Curly drench the wagon in petrol over the top of her head. He moved slightly so she was by his side and reached inside his pocket for a box of matches. With one swift swipe a match was lit and he held it between his fingers. "Do you want to do it?" He asked, watching the fire dance between his fingers.
Marta nodded and then looked at the at the box of matches. "It really takes just one?" She asked Tommy and then took the box from him. She sniffled and tried to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. She let out a small breath and then nodded. "Yeah. I think I can manage." She hummed and opened the box. She fished out a match. "So, I just stand back and throw it in? Just one?" Marta bit her lip.
"Just the one." Tommy confirmed with a nod.
Marta made a small step forward and moved her wrist to strike the match. Marta threw the match into the pile of wood that was drenched in petrol. She took a step back to Tommy as the whole wagon caught on fire.
Tommy watched in as Marta stepped forward and threw the match into the wagon. Immediately the flames consumed the wood, swallowing it as the fire danced in his eyes. "In the bleak Midwinter." He then spoke with a small bow of his head, words that were echoed by both John and Arthur.
Marta let out a sigh of relief and watched the wagon burn. She still cried a little but it was at least equal part relief and grief. Marta turned to Finn. "You good?" She asked the boy.
Finn moved to Marta's side, himself on one side, Tommy on the other. "She's free now Marta." He said quietly, offering her a small smile before his eyes watched the flames.
"She is free now." Marta repeated. She put her hand around Finn and rubbed his arm. She bit her lip and tried to wipe her tears again. Marta felt strange. She was so devastated that this was truly the end, but also happy that she managed to save her mother from the dirt, even though she got a lot of help from the Peaky Blinders themselves. She wrapepd herself in the black scarf she had around herself.
Marta had no idea, but there was someone watching them. On a hill, quite far away from the funeral site, were three men on horseback. One of them had longish light hair and a beard like a goat. He watched most of the funeral process with binoculars. Once the wagon was burning, he rode off.
Finn gave Marta another smile as she rubbed his arm. He wanted to make her feel better, but he knew it wouldn't be easy. "Aunt Pol made some cake to have at The Garrison." He said, hoping it would cheer her slightly.
Whilst Finn spoke with Marta Tommy returned to the other men. "Good job Curly." He spoke, patting the gentle giants shoulder. "You did a good job. Now let's go and get drunk."
"Hmm," Marta hummed and looked at Finn. "That sounds good." She smiled a bit and hugged the boy. "You are looking forward to that cake too, huh?" She tilted her head to the side, then went to thank John and Arthur. They both looked tired, but John looked especially exhausted. "Thank you." She then thanked Charlie too, even for taking care of Midwinter. Truthfully, the horse looked much better now that he had a stable stable.
"Yeah, Aunt Pol makes the best cakes." Finn said, it was true, they were better than the bakery at Garrison Alley at least.
Marta went to thank Curly as well. "I loved the flowers, Curly," Marta nodded. "My mother Vera would've loved them too." Marta turned to Tommy. "Can I get a cigarette at The Garrison?" She asked. "Please... also, I still have your matches." She shook the matchbox, holding it between her tumb and pointer finger.
John seemed to be struggling to keep himself awake and held a hand over his mouth as he tried to hide his yawn. He definitely needed a nap, or some fucking whisky. "Hmm." He hummed with a nod after Marta thanked him and returned his hat to his head. Perhaps he could get some sleep in the truck in their way back into the city.
Tommy then also returned his cap to his head, making sure it was straight before he took the matches from her "Here." He said, handing her some coins. "Ride back with Finn, send him into the shop." They would certainly need plenty of cigarettes for the day ahead.
"Come brother." Arthur said and then led John into the truck. "You need to get some sleep." Arthur then closed the door of the truck. "Good night." He said and then went over to Charlie and Curly. "Poor John, looks like he had spent his night in hell with a few demons who poked him with toys."
Marta gasped when the matches got taken away from her. She wanted to use those as a leverage for the cigarettes. "Right, Finn? You can go to Midwinter. I don't think he'll bite. He's interested in eating the plants now." She looked at her horse, then, she looked at Tommy. "How will you get back?" She asked Tommy as she held the coins in her hands.
"Alright." Finn chirped, heading over to the horse, though he was rather tentative around him. He was a big horse after all and he didn't want to get bit like Arthur.
Tommy looked over his shoulder as Arthur helped John into the truck. "I'll go back with Arthur and John." He said, looking back at her. There was silence for a moment as he looked into her eyes, they glistened from the tears she had cried as his mind replayed their kiss as he gazed down at her.
Marta looked up at Tommy and bit her lip as she nodded. "Good." She wiped her eyes. They were very red from all the crying. She looked at the still burning pile where the wagon once stood. She sighed softly and then took a step towards Tommy and hugged him. "Thanks again." She hugged him carefully and rubbed his back. There was something very comforting about hugging Tommy. She hoped that even with the funeral now done, she would get more hugs in the future.
As Marta looked up at him with her red eyes Tommy placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Something about her brought out his gentle side, a side he hadn't seen for a long time. When she suddenly hugged him he took a few moments to relax before he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close for a moment and resting his chin on the top of her head. "There's no need to thank me." He spoke, he had just wanted to help.
Marta let go of Tommy slowly. "We'll buy some cigarettes and some candy." She smiled a little and then walked off to her horse with Finn.
"Be ready for Whisky." He called after her as she started to walk back to the horse. "Enough of that and I might even ask you to dance." Tommy said, a flash of his old cheeky self surfacing for a moment as he watched her and Finn mount Midwinter. "I might even fucking dance." He then spoke to himself, reaching for a cigarette and lighting it before walking to the truck.
Marta let out a small laugh when she heard Tommy that he might ask her to dance. She did not know if it was bad that he was laughing on a funeral day, but just the thought of her and Tommy dancing seemed a bit funny when she imagined it. Then she thought that her mother would probably be glad that she can smile even on a day like this. During the time Marta's mother was ill and was mostly in bed, they had a lot of laughs between eating candy and looking through fashion magazines.
"Ready to ride?" She asked Finn as she untied Midwinter. Marta mounted the horse and helped Finn on. "Are you in the mood for candy?" She asked the boy.
Finn was waiting a safe distance from the horse, he didn't know much gypsy, but he was speaking to him softly. "Yeah." He replied, taking her hand as she helped him up. "And yeah again." He then said, letting out a small laugh. The kid would never turn down sweets of any kind.
"Let's go before some meddling kids buy it all, then. Hold on tight." Marta said and the put Finn's hands around her waist. She clicked her tongue and brought Midwinter to a trot and even canter to get a headstart on the men in the truck.
"Let's go." Tommy announced as he climbed into the front seat of the truck with Charlie. "To The Garrison Charlie." He instructed." Rolling down the window a little so the smoke from his cigarette would blow into the street.
A short while later, Marta and Finn arrived at the Artillery Square. Marta left the horse tied at the shop and went to mildly ransack its cigarette and candy supply with Finn.
Finn left the shop rather content with his pocket full of sherbet lemons. He unwrapped one and popped it straight into his mouth. "Aunt Pol says my teeth are gunna fall out if I keep eating so many sweets." He said with a laugh.
Marta looked at Finn as she put a piece of chocolate in her mouth. "I have been eating candy all my life and my teeth are still intact," she shrugged and then led the horse and the boy to the Garrison. She tied Midwinter in front of the pub and then walked in behind Finn. She was carrying the cigarettes, while Finn took care of the sweets.
The Shelby men had pulled up outside the pub a short while before Finn and Marta, the door was open and Polly had been organising some food throughout the morning with the help of Ada. "Arthur get some drinks." Tommy spoke, walking to the woman and kissing his younger sister's cheek. "Ada." He said. His sister had been rather distant recently, and he had a sneaky suspicion it had someone to do with a man. Though which man he was not sure. "Nice of you to join us." He then spoke.
John slept the whole time. He was so out of it Arthur was a bit worried. Thankfully, the man woke up when they arrived at the Garrison. John looked much better and was even ready to get involved with some drinks. Arthur nodded to Tommy's request and went to pour many glasses of whisky. He was smiling. Yes. Funerals sometimes turned into the greatest parties. He was ready for that.
Ada looked at Tommy and, with her chin up in defiance. "Well, I was told this was a really important funeral. It's supposed to be the showcase of us being considerate to the Small Heath people who work for us." Ada nodded. "I want to see the people we should be considerate of."
"Us?" Tommy repeated. "Work for us?" He went on. "You do still want part of this family then. You're not growing too ashamed of the Shelby name?" Tommy said, taking two glasses of whisky from the bar and handing one to Ada. "And we are considerate to all those of Small Heath, every man is a soldier to us here, and every woman our spy." Life has certainly changed for them all in the last few months, his methods had grown more dangerous, the business was growing and the money in the safe was steadily increasing. But there was more to come.
Ada sighed and then grabbed the glass. "I am still considering my options." She told her brother. Ada turned around to see who came in. "Aha Now it makes more sense," Ada sensed that there was something more behind her brother's act of charity. There was a woman.
"So if you just clean your teeth it will be ok?" Finn said, though when he opened the door to the pub Finn grinned as he saw Ada and immediately rushed over. "Ada!" He said cheerfully, unaware of the deep conversation Tommy was holding as he hugged his big sister.
"Exactly." Marta said and then saw Finn run off to his family. She nodded to herself and went to put the cigarettes down on one of the table. She took one packet and opened it to grab a cigarette.
Meanwhile, Ada hugged her brother back and turned to him. "I smell lemon. Are you eating candy?" She asked the boy. "If you eat too much, you'll turn into a Porky Blinder." Ada teased gently with a small smile.
"Hey I won't get fat." Finn said with a small laugh, tickling his big sister's side. After the seriousness off the morning he was feeling a little excitable. "I can't get fat when Tommy gets me running all over the city to help him. I'm gunna be a Peaky blinder Ada." He said with a grin.
"What makes sense Ada?" Tommy replied quickly, though they were suddenly interrupted by Finn and Tommy took a gulp of his whiskey and was rather glad Marta had diverted his attention away. Marta used the moment when Tommy wasn't talking to his sister and tapped Tommy's shoulder with her finger. "Do you still have the matches?"
When they were children Tommy would retrieve water from the canal in a bucket so that their mother could boil it for tea. He was small and not so strong, so little Ada would help him carry the bucket back to the house. She always helped carry the bucket. But now he worried that she would not want to help him anymore, she wouldn't help carry the bucket and if she wouldn't help with the bucket he worried she would drift further from the family. Tommy felt the tap on his shoulder and slowly turned around, it took him a moment to nod his head as he tried not to let Ada's attitude effect his mood. He reached for the match box and swiped a match before shielding it with his hand and lighting both her cigarette and his own. He then slid Marta a glass of whiskey and held it up to the ceiling. "To Vera." He announced to the room. "May she now rest in the clouds." The words 'To Vera' then suddenly rang out around the pub.
Polly was sitting at the bar and smoking her cigarette. She was watching everyone and everything. She was mostly interested in how the talk between Ada and Tommy would play out. She was expecting Ada to get up all mad and leave. It didn't happen. She curiously watched on and was surprised when she saw that the barmaid just tapped Tommy's shoulder and got her cigarette lit. Normally, strangers wouldn't dare to touch Tommy. Except when they wanted to fight.
Marta leaned down to put the end of the cigarette against the flame and then took a puff. "Thanks." She said and then grabbed the whisky from Tommy. She sighed softly. "To Vera." Marta said too. It was nice to see her mother remembered, even by strangers. She took a sip of the whisky and made the same face she had made when she drank Tommy's whisky after he had caught her stealing. She knew she'd probably have to switch to the Schnapps.
One he had drank from his glass Tommy returned his glass to the bar, watching Marta curiously as she smoked her cigarette. He hadn't seen her smoke before. It suited her. Her long slender fingers pincering the small white stick. "And now she is free, we celebrate." Tommy said softly, his hand stroking her arm for a moment. "It's the gypsy way." He added with the slightest of smiles.
Marta took another drag from the cigarette and looked around the pub. She saw John, Charlie and Arthur drink. She saw Finn eating some more candy and eyeing the cake that was sitting on one of the tables. She smiled. She felt like getting a bite of something too, but she would probably try and stick to the savory sandwiches she had seen on a different table. "Well, if we celebrate, I think I should pull out the lingonberry schnapps. I am definitely not able to suck on that petrol you call a nice drink all day." Marta patted Tommys shoulder and turned around to find out that there was a woman in front of her.
"No one else drinks that shite, so knock yourself out." Tommy said with a gesture of his hand towards the bar. It would be a good day - and then the thought was pushed from his mind as his pushy sister made her presence known once more.
"My name is Ada." Ada said and offered Marta her hand. She had a firm handshake. It scared Marta a bit. "I am Tommy's sister." She added. Marta understood the origin of her handshake and spoke politely. "I am Marta. I am the new barmaid here."
"I see," Ada looked her up and down. Marta had no idea how she deserves this much scrutiny.
"Do play nice Ada. Marta is part of the company now." Tommy said, a certain warning in his tone as he picked up his whisky glass once more and took a large gulp.
Finn was certainly making his impression on the table of food Polly had laid out, and carried himself a large plate of sandwiches, cake and biscuits over to a table near the corner.
"When did that came to be?" Ada asked and looked at Tommy. Marta felt strange. She was standing between Tommy and Ada, yet she wasn't a part of the conversation. "Did you consult with the family Tommy? What do Arthur or John have to say about that?"
Meanwhile, Arthur and John saw Finn carrying the plate of food to the corner. "He'll be as thick as you soon, John." Laughed Arthur and took another gulp of whisky. "Let him be, he's a growing boy. Am I right, Finn?" John called out and laughed with Arthur as he saw his brother eat the cake and other foods.
Marta got whisked away by Polly. She said she wanted to talk to her, so while Ada was interrogating Tommy, Marta went with Polly to the private room. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Marta asked. This was strange.
"Did something happen?" Marta sat down opposite Polly in the private room. "Do you want me to bring more cigarettes or something." Marta asked.
These fucking women. Tommy thought to himself. Men were simple, yet women were cold and cunning, calculated. And they never missed a trick. It was why he was happy to have two strong women in Polly and Ada as part of the family. But god knew they tested him sometimes with their sharp wits. "She's employed as a barmaid Ada." Tommy replied, remaining calm with his words for now. "She works behind the bar of our pub. I trust her." He added before Marta was quickly whisked away by Polly.
"Arthur! John! Come here." Tommy called and as quick as the words left his lips they were at the bar "Tell Ada what you think of the barmaid." He said simply, lighting himself yet another cigarette.
The men came to the bar and were quite confused when they were asked about Marta. "I don't know Ada. She can pour beer and booze. I think she is a good barmaid. And Tommy didn't say that she would steal from the till or something. I think she is alright." John shrugged. "I mean if she works like that some more, I would even ask her to watch my kids."
Arthur stood next to his brother "I mean she looks good… good for the customers. They like her and that's good for the business, Ada."
Curly grabbed some food too and went to sit with Finn. "It's a nice party," Curly said.
Finn had been stuffing sandwiches into his mouth as quickly as he could swallow when curly joined him. "You did a good job with the wagon curly." He said with a mouthful of food.
"The boys like her." Tommy spoke, finishing the rest of his whisky before putting the glass down on the bar. "The boys like her, and you will treat her kindly Ada. Understand?" He said, nodding his head to dismiss Arthur and John before his eyes moved to the door of the private room, hoping at least that Polly wouldn't scare her off.
Ada sighed softly and looked at Tommy. "Alright then." She would still talk to Polly about Marta. She was sure that Polly would have more information and with her second sight, she would see right through the girl. It was important to know who her brother was bringing to the business and family. Not to mention being brought close to Tommy's heart. Any more pain there and Ada worried Tommy wouldn't survive.
"She looks good. Good for the customers," John made an impression of Arthur and laughed as Arthur tried to put him in the headlock right there at The Garrison in front of their whole family and friends.
"Thank you." Tommy responded with a nod to Ada, though he hoped Polly would be playing nice and wondered what they were discussing. He returned his attention to his whisky and kept an eye on the door to the private room.
Finn looked from Curly to his wrestling brothers, letting out a laugh at the sight of Arthur trying to get John into a headlock. "Get him back John." He called, edging his brothers on. It was certainly entertaining to watch them fight.
Marta soon walked out of the private room and went straight to the bar to grab the bottle of lingonberry schnapps. Polly walked out too and went to sit at the bar with her cigarette. Marta poured Polly some of the schnapps before clinking the bottle on the glass and taking a sip herself straight from the bottle. She hummed and finished her cigarette off and put it out in the ashtray. When the door to the private room swung open and the two women reappeared he was happy to see that they were both living and breathing. Not even that, they went to share a drink together. "Everything ok ladies?" He asked, leaning an elbow on the bar and glancing from one to the other.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Tommy." Polly shook her head with a subtle smug smile and took a sip of the lingonberry schnapps. "Do you know, Marta?" Polly asked the barmaid. Marta just shook her head. "No. I have no idea." She smirked at Tommy and then reached for the pack of cigarettes to get another one.
Ada went to sit back to her table. She moved a plate of sandwiches over to herself and ate some of those pieces too. Being the smartest Shelby just made her really hungry.
John growled and then began to fight back. He and Arthur managed to tumble to the ground as they wrestled with one another. Charlie who sat alone was watching those two with a smirk. Curly was confused, but he kept eating his sandwich.
Finn was laughing as he watched his brothers wrestling on the ground. "Go on John, get him." He encouraged.
Tommy had a rather confused expression etched on his face as he looked between the two women. He didn't like being out of the loop, but at least they seemed to be getting on. "Ok... ok." He said softly with a nod of his head before he pulled off his cap and placed it on the bar and walked over to Arthur and John. "Enough." He said simply, grabbing the scruff of Johns neck.
"This is not the end Arthur!" John said and laughed as he got pulled off his brother. He didn't try to wrestle him any more. John patted Tommy's shoulder to show him that he was okay and that there would be no more fucking fighting.
"Yeah. Yeah, dad. You're losing your touch John." Arthur snickered and got up from the floor.
Tommy shook his head at Arthur's sarcastic comment. Being the head of the family wasn't always fun and games. "If you wanna fight you go outside." He said to them before he returned to the bar, sitting himself into the seat beside Polly. "What are you up to Pol." He spoke, his voice low. Tommy lit his cigarette and reached for his glass.
Polly turned to Tommy and shook her head.
"I still have no idea what you're talking about. We had a friendly talk with Marta. And she's got a very interesting heart line." Polly reached for a bottle to pour herself and Tommy some whisky.
"What did you discuss in your friendly talk Polly?" Tommy spoke, he was rather curious about the whole situation. Why had she wanted to speak to Marta alone, and what had they spoke about?
Polly smiled and took a sip of the drink. "I just told her what she needed to know and I also said that I am sorry for her loss. And then I did some palm reading." Polly put her hand on Tommy's shoulder. "I didn't say anything bad."
Tommy stayed silent for a moment, he knew his aunt noticed things that his brothers wouldn't and when she put his hand on her shoulder he seemed to relax a little. "Okay, okay." He said slowly, nodding his head before raising his glass to her. "To family." He spoke. Tommy couldn't understand what exactly about their private conversation had made him so nervous, perhaps he didn't want Polly to scare her off.
"To family." Polly said and took a sip of her drink. "Don't worry. If I thought that Marta was strange or dangerous, I wouldn't bake the cake." She smirked and then went to speak with John and Arthur.
"Thank you Polly." Tommy said with a small nod of his head, he was glad that his family seemed to be accepting Marta. He hadn't felt the same since the night he had kissed her, and once Polly had left him alone he found himself sat resting an elbow on the bar. He swirled his whisky in the other hand as he watched Marta talk with her youngest brother. She made Finn laugh, and that made Tommy smile. When she looked across the room at him he locked eyes with her, a simple gaze.
Marta had grabbed her drink and gone to eat some of the sandwiches. "How was the cake, Finn?" She asked the youngest Shelby with a small smile.
Finn had finally filled himself up, his stomach now feeling rather full as he ate his last sandwich. "Aunt Pol's cakes are always the best." He said, smiling at her. "You need to try some!"
"Okay. Okay." Marta nodded and when she finished her sandwich, she went to grab a piece of cake too. It was delicious, just as Finn said. "This is very good. No wonder you eat so much of it."
"It's even better than the cakes from the bakery." Finn replied, looking around for something to entertain him. Now that he was fed and Arthur and John had stopped fighting he knew he would grow bored quickly.
"Because Polly definitely bakes with love, Finn." Marta smiled and finished her cake. She looked around. She would happily get some more of the schnapps.
In the meantime, Charlie and Curly went back to the stables because the horses there needed care. They told Marta they would be taking Midwinter.
"Yeah and a clip around the ear." Finn replied, laughing softly as he thought back to Polly baking in the kitchen. He would always try to stick his finger in the mixing bowl to eat some of the sweet cake mixture, and then would always be met with a swat of Polly's hand.
Marta smiled at Finn and then sat back in her seat. She stretched her leg and put it on another free seat. She then lit another cigarette and turned to look at Tommy.
Finn was lovely. Marta was glad that she managed to befriend him when she began working at The Garrison. He was still a boy, which she didn't see as something that would make him less than his brothers. She was sure that Finn's older brothers were glad that the boy hadn't experienced the war. Marta was sitting on her chair. She brought the cigarette to her lips as she looked at Tommy. He was so hard to read for her. She could mostly see what the other Shelby's were made of. But not Tommy.
Tommy raised his glass of whisky to his lips slowly, maintaining eye contact as he sipped from his glass. He could feel a certain tension between them and that rather content expression remaining in his face.
Marta got up from the chair and walked behind the bar to pour herself more of her drink of choice. "Do you want some more whisky?" She asked Tommy as she put the bottle of lingonberry schnapps back down.
"Most certainly." Tommy had responded and gave her a small smile as she refilled his glass. Once upon a time Tommy would have been the life and soul of a party, but these days he was different, a little withdrawn perhaps as he choose to sit back and watch people enjoy themselves rather than join in himself.
The day flew by and by the evening, Marta was drunk. Somebody (Arthur and John) began singing songs and Marta found herself dancing with Polly and Ada.
Tommy stayed sat at the bar most of the afternoon, occasionally refilling his glass. By the time the evening arrived with a fair amount of whisky flowing through his veins he found it easier to relax, unwind, loosen up. After watching the ladies dance for a while he slowly pushed himself to his feet and approached Marta from behind, placing a hand on her waist to signal his arrival. "May I have this dance?" He asked, his tone quiet as he whispered to her.
Marta laughed as she spun around with Ada. She only stopped to get more drinks or to have a cigarette. She saw Finn close himself off in the private room after she saw him yawning in the few hours prior. Marta put her hand on Tommy's as she grabbed her from behind. "Oh sure." She said with a nod and a smile as she placed her hand on the man's shoulder.
Back before the war Tommy used to enjoy dancing, but this was the first time since his return from France that he had asked a woman to dance. He was rusty. Tommy took her hand as she turned to face him, the other resting on the small of her back as they started to sway.
"So, I suppose that you had enough whisky?" Marta asked him and smiled prettily. She liked to dance. Maybe it had something to do with her gipsy origin. When she was drunk, her body was much more relaxed. Before, when Tommy touched her, she would flinch and be a bit more careful around him. It didn't have much to do with Tommy being Tommy. It was just that she learned to be careful around men since she didn't meet many good men.
"Hmm." Tommy simply hummed in response to her questions and soon found the rhythm returning to him as they slowly danced around the open floor space of The Garrison. There was something about the way as she was moving in his arms that made that strange sensation he'd been feeling since their kiss grow inside his stomach. "Tell me what Polly said to you." He whispered into her ear as they danced.
Marta blinked her eyes and shook her head. "I won't." She said and looked into the man's eyes. "Unless if you had some very very effective interrogation tactics. That could make me spill." She nodded.
"You won't?" Tommy repeated, a soft hum following his words. "What to do about that." He spoke to himself as he moved his hand slightly lower down her back towards her backside.
Marta looked at the man and then stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "She told me that if I hurt you, she would stab me in the neck." Marta nodded and kissed Tommy behind his ear.
"Hmmm." Tommy hummed after Marta had whispered into his ear. Of course she had. Tommy might have been the head of the family, but Polly was the protector and she would always look out for her boys. "Now that certainly sounds like something Polly would say." Tommy agreed, looking down at Marta with his bright blue eyes as they continued to sway.
Marta nodded and bit her lip. "Definitely going to remember that," Marta winked at the man and twirled under his hand. She looked over at the Shelby brothers and saw John and Arthur smiling.
A genuine smile crossed Tommys lips as Marta winked at him and he held his hand up as she twirled under his arm. He couldn't find any words, and enjoyed the sense of calm he felt as they danced together. It didn't even cross his mind that there was anybody else in the room as he pulled her closer to him, holding her closer as he rest his chin on her shoulder.
Marta danced close to Tommy and after some time. It was high time they all went home. Marta's legs didn't work as well as they used to. The alcohol was really getting the better of her.
"Oh God," Marta spoke as she walked out of The Garrison. "My head is spinning." As the Shelby's eventually called it a night they stumbled from The Garrison. Finn was exhausted and was being carried on John's back and Tommy was holding Marta's arm to make sure she didn't fall. "Let me walk you back." He said, feeling much lighter after a day of whisky and an evening of dancing.
Marta laughed and nodded. "Right. Right. Good. It's that I don't even know where to go." She shook her head and held onto Tommy as she let him lead her. She heard Arthur and John shout something at Tommy but she didn't understand them. She was focusing on taking one more step and then one after the other and then one after that.
"Remind me never to let you near a bottle of schnapps." Tommy said, deciding it would be best to wrap his arm around her back to steady her rather than holding her arm. "Cmon, not far now." He said, thankfully the bed and breakfast wasn't very far to go, though he certainly wasn't looking forward to getting her up the stairs.
"But the schnapps is so good," Marta said with a nod. "It has fruit in it, it must be healthy." As they arrived outside the B&B she hugged Tommy as she stopped with him swaying slightly as she held on to him tightly. "Do you want to stay with me tonight?" She mumbled into his shoulder. "I could like really, really use some cuddles." Marta bit her lip slightly after she spoke.
"Easy there." Tommy said, letting out a soft chuckle as he held on to her to keep her from falling over. "You're asking me to stay with you?" He then spoke, using his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.
Marta nodded. "Uhm." She hummed. "I would really like that." Marta smiled at the man and then carefully unwrapped her hands to get going again. She was getting tired. She was getting tired very quickly. "I hope Mrs Riley will be okay with it." She said.
"You would really like that?" Tommy repeated her words with a nod of his head as they started to walk again and he carefully took her hand. "You are exceptionally convincing." He said, another chuckle escaping his lips as they reached the door of the B&B. "You don't have to worry about Mrs Riley, not with me." Tommy then spoke, pushing open the front door and helping her inside.
"I haven't even started convincing." Marta nodded. "I could try and say pretty please. You wouldn't be able to resist that." Marta hummed and looked at the staircase. "Oh no." She shook her head and then leaned down to unlace her boots and take them off before she held onto the railing as she began her ascent to her attic room.
"And how could I possibly resist that?" Tommy replied, finding her drunk state rather amusing as he followed her up the stairs, staying close incase she tripped. He himself was drunk, but not quite in the same state she was. Then again his tolerance for alcohol was rather high these days. "Almost there." He said, grateful when they reached the top of the stairs.
"That's right. You could never resist that. Even Tommy Shelby can't resist a pretty please from me." Marta nodded to herself and then let Tommy inside her room. "Don't mind the mess. I didn't know what to wear." Marta put the light on and went to move around a pile of clothing and other things. "I wanted to put some golden rings in my hair but I remembered that I had sold those." Marta nodded and then took her black scarf off her shoulders.
Tommy was rather glad there weren't any more steps to navigate once they had made it to the room, he wasn't sure Marta would have made it much further. For the second time he found himself in her room. The mess didn't bother him. He'd grown up surrounded by mess from 4 boys their Aunt had tried desperately to keep up with. As she removed her scarf Tommy moved closer, taking the scarf from her hand and discarding it onto the pile of clothes on the floor. "I don't mind the mess." He said softly, reaching for her cheek.
"You're making the mess worse." Marta looked at the scarf falling down and then covered Tommy's hand with hers. She nuzzled her cheek into Tommy's hand and looked up at him. "Thanks for accepting the invitation." Marta made a small step towards Tommy and leaned on him. "I don't know how I'd be able to sleep if you didn't come here with me." She shrugged.
"I can make more mess." Tommy said, his voice quiet once more as she nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "You won't sleep much standing up." He then said, reaching for his tie and slowly undoing it before dropping it to the ground alongside her scarf.
Marta looked at Tommy's tie and nodded. "Right. You're right." She hummed and then walked over to her bed. She shed her shirt and her skirt which left her in her underclothes. "Take off what you want and come to bed." Marta hummed as she flopped onto the bed and dug herself under the covers.
A cheeky smile worked its way across Tommys lips as he watched Marta remove her skirt. For someone that was so drunk she was still elegant. He didn't speak, he merely watched as she made her way into bed. Tommy pulled off his jacket, then his waistcoat. Then his fingers quickly unfastened the buttons of his shirt. He dropped each item to the ground. The right side of his body was still heavily bruised from his beating, the dark purple bruise across his ribs was surrounded by several smaller ones. Not to mention the other scars that peppered his skin. Some were knife shaped, overs bullet shaped. Each one telling its own story of a man that he had killed, or one that had tried to kill Tommy. Tommy then released the belt holding up his trousers before carefully climbing into her bed.
Marta watched Tommy from her bed and tilted her head to the side when she saw the bruises. "That looks painful." She stated and then lifted the covers so that Tommy could get under those. "I thought that I would just put my head on your chest but..." Marta shrugged. "I can offer you mine if it'll hurt less?" She asked Tommy and moved to lie down close to him.
"It looks worse than it feels." Tommy hummed in response, it was a lie of course. The pain was substantial. But he was no normal man and pain, whether it was physical or mental was something he lived with everyday. He moved underneath the covers and moved his arm around her, pulling her head onto his chest and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Alright." Marta said as she but her lip. "If you say so." She moved up and gently kissed the man's lips. Then, she carefully made herself comfortable on the man's chest. Marta then closed her eyes. She was ready to get some sleep. The Garrison couldn't be closed forever.
Tommys eyes closed for a moment as she kissed him, like he was savoring the moment before he slowly opened his eyes. His hand gently stroked her arm as she lay against him. "Goodnight Marta." He whispered, holding her close. Though sleep rarely came for Tommy, and when it did he was haunted by his dreams.
"Good night Tommy." Marta said quietly and she was sleeping within a minute of two. The whole funeral and the drinks afterwards just made her exceptionally tired.
During the night, Marta felt a bit hot. She removed her camisole which soon joined the pile of clothing on the floor. She also tossed and turned in the bed, ending up with her back facing Tommy. She had scars on her whole back which looked quite gnarly. They were long and pink.
Tommy listened to Marta's breathing grow slower and deeper as she fell asleep and continued stroking her arm gently as she slept. He hadn't yet slept when she removed her undergarment and rolled over. Thankfully it meant he could lie on his uninjured side and he wrapped an arm around her stomach as his eyes carefully examined the scars on her back. Eventually sleep overcame him, but come sunrise his dreams had caught up with him. He started quickly murmuring in his sleep, his hands shaking as a thin sweat coated his forehead. Inside his mind he was back in the tunnels, fighting for his life.
Chapter 7: Bombs & Babies
Chapter Text
Marta slept peacefully after removing that pesky undergarment. She slept till the sunrise because that was when she heard Tommy murmuring something. She felt him moving around a bit. Marta opened her eyes and turned to see Tommy. "Tommy?" She whispered, not wanting to startle the man "Hello?" She said. "Are you alright?" She kissed his forehead twice and then his cheek.
Tommy's breathing started to get a little sharper as he battled the soldier in his head. Inside his dream he could hear a soft voice in the distance but he couldn't seem to reach it. Suddenly a gunshot seemed to jolt him awake and he immediately sat bolt right up in the bed, struggling to catch his breath.
Marta put her hands on Tommy's cheeks and caressed them with her thumb. When Tommy finally woke, Marta had no idea what to do. "Tommy, are you quite alright?" She asked him. Marta pulled the covers towards herself to cover her chest. She placed her other hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Did you have a bad dream?" She asked him as she rubbed his shoulder gently.
It took Tommy a moment to remember where he was and to realise what had happened. Those fucking dreams. "Every dream is a bad dream." He replied, trying to center himself and catch his breath as he reached for her fingers that were resting in his shoulder.
Marta bit her lip. She moved closer to Tommy and rubbed his shoulder some more. She took his hand then. "That's terrible, I am sorry." Marta looked around the room. "Can I help you somehow?" She blinked her eyes. It was really not great to have bad dreams like this. She hated bad dreams and couldn't imagine having those every night.
Tommy closed his eyes whilst he took a deep breath. "There is no help." He spoke between exhaling and inhaling again. "There is no help, only whisky and opium." He explained. Though it wasn't an accurate statement. Sometimes whiskey made things worse and on the rare occasion he indulged in Opium he would wake up with cold sweats the next day. He slowly relaxed back into the bed, leaning back against the cushions and headboard.
Marta played with Tommy's fingers as she listened to him. It made her a bit sat that she couldn't really help. "Well, maybe trying the lemon balm tea wouldn't hurt?" She said and then shook her head with a small chuckle.
"You women and your fucking potions." Tommy mumbled with a slight shake of his head, for a moment he rubbed his face in his hands. He felt so tired but why couldn't he just sleep.
"Forget about it." Marta let go of his hand and turned her back to him to get out of the bed. She reached for her undergarment before slipping it on.
"I just don't see how tea would help." Tommy spoke to himself and when she went to get dressed his eyes followed her, he recognised the scars on her back and was almost certain his father had given him some of the same treatment back in the day. "Who lashed you?" He asked softly, staying in the bed.
"I said forget about it Tommy." Marta shrugged her shoulders and moved her camisole around in her hands to put it right. When Tommy asked her about the scars, she momentarily froze and then put the camisole on. "My stepfather." Marta answered and turned around. She crawled back on the bed. "And I took it, in the name of love." Marta kissed Tommy's forehead. "Are you hungry? I'm going to the kitchens to get breakfast. No one will know that I grabbed one more egg, one more slice of bread, or that I borrowed a spare pair of cutlery."
Marta let Tommy decide and meanwhile, she focused her attention on a tattoo on Tommy's pectoral. It looked a bit like the sun. Curiously, she reached out to touch it.
"Your fucking stepfather." Tommy repeated to himself, shaking his head before she leant down and kissed his forehead. He was finding himself starting to feel rather protective of the barmaid, and god help her bastard stepfather if they ever crossed paths. As she reached for his chest Tommy let out a slow breath, the feeling of her fingers against his skin was something he could get used to. "Some toast would do." He spoke quietly, his lips moving to hers.
"My fucking stepfather," Marta nodded and made sure to add a little bit of Tommy's accent to the words "fucking stepfather". She then gently ran her fingers over the tattoo. She had always been curious about tattoos. She thought that they were pretty and that they could speak volumes about the man's experience. "I mean, what do you do when your gypsy stepdaughter starts running off to roll around in a hayloft with another immigrant?" Marta shrugged and looked up at Tommy. "You beat her. Because that will surely make her stop." Marta rubbed her nose against Tommy's and then leaned down to kiss his lips.
"You're picking up the Birmingham accent." Tommy spoke as she danced her finger over his tattoo. It was one he had gotten when he had returned from France. A steady sunrise to try and remind him that better days would come and the nights didn't last for ever. "Children shouldn't be beaten." He then spoke, he had been beaten by his father as a child and vowed to himself that if he ever had kids they would not receive the same treatment. As she moved closer and kissed him his hand slowly moved up her back, pulling her closer to him.
Marta hummed into the kiss and then placed her hand next to Tommy to prop herself up. She wanted to be close to him but she didn't want to fall on him because of the bruises he had. She would tell him to use some herbs for those too, but it seemed like Tommy wasn't a big fan of herbs and potions. The only potion Marta would gladly bewitch Tommy with would be love potion. Marta kissed Tommy gently and then pulled away so that she could get dressed. "I'll go grab toast for you." She smiled and then slid on some clothes and shoes. She was out the door in a few seconds.
"Thank you." Tommy hummed after she slowly moved her lips away from his. This was foreign territory for him. Usually he found women on Montegue street to satisfy himself. But this was different. There was certainly something that was drawing him to her. When she left he reached for his cigarettes from his jacket, and sat smoking in the bed waiting for her to return.
In the kitchen, Marta talked to the cooks while grabbing food. She was quite hungry. It was always good to eat something after drinking. She didn't forget to grab toast for herself and Tommy and instead of a cup of tea, she grabbed a huge mug. It was less suspicious than taking two cups. With this look, she returned to Tommy.
Marta opened the door with her elbow. "I am back." She had her hands full and managed the close the door with her elbow too. "I brought tea." She announced and then placed the mug on the nightstand. "If you don't mind sharing of course." Marta smiled and then held the plate in her hand as she sat down on the bed opposite to Tommy. "I grabbed a few slices of toast but if you want something else. I don't mind sharing." Said Marta before shoving a forkful of egg in her mouth. "The breakfasts here are good. Mrs Riley is nice enough to let me have them for just watering her plants here and there." Marta mumbled with her mouth half full. She nodded before shoving some more food in her mouth.
"I normally prefer whisky for breakfast." Tommy joked. He never seemed to be seen eating, like he was some mythical man that never slept and never ate, only to ever consume alcohol. He stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray on the nightstand and took a slice of toast, taking a small bite as he watched her eat. "Mrs Riley's always taken care of people, she's a good women."
Marta tilted her head to the side and shook her head at Tommy. "Oh God, whisky for breakfast?" Marta kept eating and then looked at the food and Tommy. "Would you like a piece of an egg?" She offered him and smiled a bit. She felt a bit bad for inhaling the food while Tommy was watching her. "Yeah. She is really nice," Marta nodded.
Tommy took time to eat his slice of toast and shook his head at her question as he placed the untouched crusts back on to the plate. "No thank you." He said, and once he'd eaten he rested back against the pillows. It was strange to have company in the mornings, but he was enjoying it.
"Okay." Marta shrugged. It seemed weird that Tommy would eat so little. He didn't look that thin. Arthur was thinner and she had seen him scarf down a sandwich or two at The Garrison. "Who's going to help me at The Garrison today?" Marta asked and licked her lips. She finished the full plate except for toast and Tommy's crusts. "Would you like one more?" She offered it to Tommy. "I don't suppose you'd let me run it myself. Due to my past crimes. However, I must say that except this one guy I sent to hell, I've been nothing but a saint," Marta crossed herself.
"I thought I could be your assistant." Tommy said, gesturing to himself before he shook his head at the offer of more toast. "But I did have something more important than work we need to deal with first." Tommy said softly, reaching for her hand and pulling her closer.
Marta put the plate on the nightstand. "Hmm!" Marta nodded. "Very good, I could use an assistant like that." Marta said. "If ladies come to The Garrison? The pub could make so much money." Marta looked at Tommy's hand and then moved closer. She was a little bit confused. "You've got something more important? What is it?" She asked Tommy.
"The Garrison is no place for ladies." Tommy spoke, smiling softly as she moved closer to him. "This is more important." He said, their lips meeting once they were close enough and his hand moved around her waist, then lower on to her backside as he kissed her more passionately.
"What am I then, if not a lady?" Marta asked him curiously but before Tommy could answer he had pressed his lips against hers and she closed her eyes as she kissed Tommy back. She put her hands on the man's cheeks and moved to straddle Tommy. Marta ran her hand through Tommy's hair and tugged at it gently. She could get used to mornings like this.
"Tommy! Tommy!" Arthur and John could be heard from the outside and soon the whole door shook in its hinges because they oh very gently knocked on it.
Tommy let out a soft chuckle against her lips, opening his eyes for a moment to look up at her as she straddled his lap. "You are my barmaid, you don't count as a lady." He teased softly and kissed her again, enjoying the way she loved her fingers through his hair. When he suddenly heard his brothers at the door he pulled his lips away. "Fuck off!" He ordered, this was certainly a moment he didn't want to be interrupted.
"Oh, I don't count as a lady?" Marta sat back on Tommy's legs and shook her head. She got off him and went to open the door for his brothers. "What's going on?" She looked at the two. They were both really surprised that Marta was dressed. They did not think that she could have gotten dressed this quickly if she were naked. "Tommy, it's the Lee's!" Arthur stuck his head in the door. "They left a note." He stuck his hand with the note into the door as well.
When Marta got up Tommy let out a frustrated sigh. His brothers certainly picked their moment. "Fuck." He spoke to himself when she opened the door. It better be important or there would be hell to pay. Tommy didn't get up, mainly because he couldn't get up particularly quickly. "Pass me the fucking note." He said, holding out his hand to arthur.
Arthur and John came into the room. John smirked when he saw clothing on the floor. "It looks like it stormed here." John said as he sucked on a toothpick. Arthur walked over to Tommy and gave him the note. The note wasn't friendly. It contained something along the lines that the Lees would put a bomb into the Shelby's home or someplace they went to often. "It's not good Tommy. We wouldn't interrupt if it was nothing." Arthur looked at Marta who got comfortable in an armchair with her tea.
Tommy snatched the note from Arthur's hand. The tensions with the Lee family had steadily risen over the last few months, mainly stemming from the Shelby boys mother being called a whore and a cursed horse. Things had steadily boiled over from there. He shook his head as he quickly scanned the note. "Bastards." Tommy said, screwing the note up in his hand and throwing it at Arthur. "Fucking bastards." He continued ranting to himself as he finally admitted that he had to get up and started rummaging around for his clothes.
Marta got up from the armchair and picked out some of Tommy's clothes. She couldn't find his tie, though. Where did that one go? "Can I get the Garrison keys?" Marta turned to Arthur. "Someone has to open or there will be a riot or a strike or the customers will find a different pub." She outstretched her hand expecting to get the keys right away.
"What should we do Tommy?" Arthur asked as he watched his brother. John was eyeing the lone toast on the nightstand.
"They're sending us on a fucking scavenger hunt." Tommy spoke, mainly to himself as his mind went into overdrive thinking of places they would plant a bomb for them to find. "John!" He stated, pointing to John after he'd pulled on his trousers. "Go to the betting shop and make sure no one goes inside-I mean fucking no one John, until I get there. Arthur go tell Polly and Finn not to leave the house. If it was there it would have gone off by now. "I'll check The Garrison." He then said, pulling on his shirt a little too vigorously causing his ribs to hurt. Tommy held his side for a moment, closing his eyes before he seemed to feel a bit better and buttoned up his shirt. For now they were the only logical locations he could think of, or the most likely in that instance.
Arthur gave Marta the keys and Marta was soon ready to go. She got dressed too. Arthur and John nodded. "We're going Tommy!" Arthur said and then pulled John along.
"Let's go?" Marta looked at Tommy and then walked out of her room. She had the key to the pub and she had no idea what was on the note. And she was still a bit annoyed about what Tommy said about her not being a lady.
"Be careful." Tommy warned his brothers. If they followed his instructions everything would be fine. He didn't bother trying to find his tie, if there was a bomb in Small Heatg he needed to find it, and his tie could wait. "Give me the keys." He said to Marta as he followed her down the stairs. "You should stay here." He then said, that softness seemed to have vanished from him and his usual thick exterior had returned. Business was business, and this was serious business.
Marta walked quickly down the stairs. She wrapped herself in her coat as she walked out into the cold morning air. "I don't think I should. I am a barmaid, like you said." She shrugged and kept walking a few steps in front of Tommy.
Arthur and John split to go look themselves. John hoped that someone wasn't stupid enough to go rob the betting shop.
Tommy pulled on his jacket as they stepped outside, this certainly hadn't been the start to the day he'd expected. He let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're not cross? You can't be cross." He said as he continued to march down the street after her. "You weren't fucking cross 5 minutes ago." He pointed out.
"I wasn't called a barmaid five minutes ago," Marta pointed out. "At least I know what you really think of me. The Garrison is no place for ladies." She did her best impression of Tommy's accent and even voice. "But you are not a lady. You don't count. You are my barmaid." Marta let out an annoyed sigh and moved the key around in her hand. "I am so stupid." She hissed to herself.
"Marta." Tommy said, walking behind her, though when she didn't stop and continued her rant he spoke louder this time. "Marta." He repeated, grabbing her hand so she would at least stop and listen to him for a moment. "Marta, they were empty words." He said, holding her hand as his other hand held her chin so she would look at him. "You are not stupid." Tommy then said, letting out another sigh. "It was a fucking joke."
Marta tried to snake her hand out of Tommy's hold. When she couldn't she at least tried to get her chin out of his hold, that didn't work too. She decided to look at him. Marta huffed. Tommy's eyes seemed so annoyingly pretty to her. They were also very persuasive. "Well." Marta began. "Well it wasn't your best fucking joke then." She told Tommy and then looked away for a bit.
"I will endeavor to be more funny in future." Tommy responded simply, though there wasn't much sense of amusement on his face. Business was back with a bang and he needed to act quickly. When she looked away he let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry I upset you… now please give me the keys." He said as he let go of her hand and held out his palm.
Marta looked down at her and Tommy's shoes. She felt a little ashamed of how she reacted, but she just didn't want to fall into the same snake pit her mother had fallen into. A pretty woman marries a capable looking rich man who turns out to be a terrible asshole who only wants the woman because she is pretty and he can show her off. Marta handed the keys to Tommy. "Why do you want the keys? I can unlock doors."
Tommy watched the way so looked at their feet, it reminded him of the look a young Ada used to give when they had gotten in trouble. "Hey." He spoke softly, his hand touching her chin this time a little more softly. "I'm sorry I upset you." He repeated before his attention turned to the pub. "And if you use the keys the whole fucking place might blow." Tommy explained before putting them safely away into his pocket. He picked up a brick from a pile of rubble at the roadside and took a few steps closer to The Garrison before using it to smash one of the windows near the front of the pub. Some of the Lee's had been in France and he knew they had a habit of using tripwires and hand grenades.
"Right." Marta said, "I am not mad at you." She shook her head and then furrowed her brows. "I mean. The place might blow anyway? I don't know how to run a pub." Marta said to herself and then looked around. She did not notice what Tommy was doing, but she noticed that the door of the pub was cracked. "Look. We don't even need the keys. The pub is open. Arthur probably forgot to lock it yesterday." Marta made her way to the door and put her hand on the doorknob to push the door open.
As Tommy smashed the window he took his eyes off of Marta. The world seemed to freeze as her hand reached for the door handle. "Marta don't fucking move!" He suddenly shouted. "Don't move-don't move! You need to stay very still. Promise me you won't move!" There was a sudden urgency in his voice.
Marta looked over at Tommy and stopped moving. "What is going on Tommy?" She asked and inspected the door again. "Oh, it probably wasn't open the whole night. It's chipped. Someone had broken in." Marta looked up at the chipped paint from when someone wanted to force the door open.
"I have a lot of enemies Marta." Tommy said, trying not to show too much panic despite the fact that her life could quite possibly be in his hands. "Now promise me you won't move." He said, pulling off his jacket and using it to clear the ragged edges of broken glass around the window frame.
"I am not moving, okay?" She watched him break the glass away and gulped. "I just want to say that I am not paid for this." Marta stood like a perfect statue in front of the door. The request seemed ridiculous but Tommy looked genuinely scared and the talk about enemies didn't calm Marta down at all.
"Ok...okay." Tommy said, giving her a small nod of his head before hoisting himself through the window. Inside the pub it was still fairly dark and he carefully scanned the pub before he started to move around, slowly heading towards the front door. A wire was tied around the doorknob. It had no give so that when someone pushed the door open, a grenade tied to the tripwire would become active and go off in seconds. It was quite a twisted situation, Tommy was on one side of the door with the grenade, Marta on the other. "Tommy, is everything alright in there?" Marta asked as Tommy was quiet for a bit of time.
"Fucking bastards." Tommy said to himself as he neared the door, he crouched down carefully and inspected the trap whilst rolling up his sleeves. "It's nothing to worry about... have you twisted the handle?" He then asked, his voice surprisingly calm given the circumstances.
"I haven't touched anything." Marta said and waited in front of the pub. Some locals watched her standing in front of the pub. They were confused. Some men that frequented Garrison also came. "Not yet!" Marta told them. "The-the beer is not here yet. The car got stuck somewhere outside Birmingham and it'll take time. You'd be awfully disappointed. Come noon, it will be all great. Come at noon." Marta told the locals and smiled. She had to look pretty strange doing that. It seemed more like she had drunk all the beer. "Yeah. I will also sweep the floors so you feel like true gentlemen." Marta nodded and then waved at the man as they left, all confused and without beer.
"Ok." Tommy said, his mind ticking quickly as he tried to think of the best situation. There was no way to disarm the grenade without the pin being pulled. "Ok-Marta I need you to move back okay? Back to the fucking alley." Tommy instructed. "Make sure the streets clear."
Marta sighed softly and then nodded to herself because Tommy wouldn't be able to see her. "Sure. I can step aside, there's nobody here," she said. "But what are you doing in there?" She asked while she made a few steps away from the door. She naturally went to look into the window Tommy had broken earlier.
"There's a hand grenade on the back of the door Marta." Tommy finally said to her. He hadn't wanted to make her panic before she was a safe distance away. Fortunately there was a canal that backed on to The Garrison and he was pretty sure he would be able to throw it far enough to make it in to the water.
"A hand grenade!?" Marta said and peeked into the pub. "Why is there a hand grenade in the pub?" Marta sighed and then began to climb into the pub to get to Tommy. She sighed softly as she got into the pub.
"Marta I told you to go to the alley." Tommy said, still crouched near the grenade as he glanced at her. "Just cover your ears ok?" He instructed, pulling his sleeve up a little further before finally taking a deep breath and grabbing the grenade. The pin pulled immediately and he barged out of the pub, taking one step out of the door before launching it into the canal. "Take cover!" He called, incase there were any patrons of small heath nearby. Marta quickly covered her ears and watched on as Tommy ran out of the pub with the grenade. She waited for the boom before she took her hands off her ears and went to hug Tommy.
Tommy watched as the grenade thankfully made it into the water before exploding, the sound somewhat muted by the water. He took a couple of steady breaths as he felt Marta's arms suddenly wrap around him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he continued to watch the water. The Lee's had done it now, and his plan was all falling into place.
"I don't get paid enough for this." Marta put her head against Tommy's chest for a bit before shaking her head. "Can I clean up here, check everything and open now?" Marta asked Tommy and looked at him. "Or are there any more surprises?" She sighed softly and then let go of Tommy to grab a broom. She began sweeping the floor and under the tables. "Are you alright?" She stopped for a bit and looked at Tommy.
Tommy kissed the top of her head softly as she rested it against his chest. "A lot of people would rather I was dead. Let me check the rest of the building before you open." He said, taking a breath and rolling his sleeves back down after she went to pick up a broom. "I'll send someone to fix the window, check on the betting shop, see Polly and Finn, then I'll come back and help you work the bar." Tommy said, and in between all of that he needed to start putting his plan into motion. It was almost time to make their move on to the race tracks. "I'm fine Marta." Tommy then responded simply, though he was certainly worried that the Lee's could have left more traps lying around, but he didn't want to scare her.
"Okay." Marta said and then let Tommy do his thing while she swept the floors and went to check the change behind bar. She was sure to look down and see if there were wires or something else. Marta went to check on the private Shelby room and found a gun and a razor hat there. She had no idea whose it was, so she just put the hat on her head and brought the gun behind the bar. She wiped all the tables and moved the chairs closer to the tables. Then it was time to see how much alcohol they still had after yesterday. There was sadly no more lingonberry schnapps.
Tommy systematically checked the whole pub was clear, moving from room to room and making sure each room was free of traps before he returned to the bar. After finding The Garrison was clear his mood had lifted somewhat and he let out a soft chuckle when he returned to the bar to find Marta sporting a cap. "Now you look like a Peaky blinder." He said, leaning against the bar for a moment and lighting a cigarette. Tommy was always dressed in his finery, and wearing just his trousers and shirt felt rather strange.
"Well." Marta nodded and put some empty bottles away. "I found the cap in the private room along with this." She carefully placed the gun on the bar making sure that it didn't aim at either of them. "I don't know whose it is." She smiled and shrugged. "Probably John's?" Marta poured Tommy a glass of whisky and then looked for something to pour herself. "I hope someone will bring in some more supplies soon. There is no lingonberry schnapps. You can't have a pub without lingonberry schnapps."
John seemed to have a habit of leaving his pistol lying around for Finn to find, so it wouldn't have surprised him if it was in fact his. "Looks like Johns." Tommy replied, exhaling his smoke over the bar before he reached for the pistol and examined it. He usually holstered his pistols, but in his haste to get dressed he hadn't picked up his holster so he placed the gun down the back of his trousers. "Keep the cap, it suits you." He said, giving her a small smile. The Peaky Blinders sourced most of the stock for the bar, it was mainly stolen whisky and cigarettes that they stored in their warehouses along the canals. "I'll send Finn by later, write him up a list of what you need and I'll get Charlie to bring a delivery along later." He then said, this was usually the stuff that Harry and Arthur would deal with. "And the only person that drinks the schnapps is you, I think we can do without".
"I will probably give the cap back to John and buy my own." Marta shrugged and listened to what had to be done in the pub. "Right, that sounds good. Finn will help me." Marta smiled and then turned around to move around some bottles. When she heard that there would be no lingonberry schnapps she turned her head back. "Can I go on strike because of that?" Marta asked.
Tommy shook his head as he exhaled a lung full of cigarette smoke. "You'd have to take that up with your union rep." He joked lightheartedly. On the exterior he was calm and collected, on the inside he was deep inside his mind figuring out the best solution to their probably with the Lee's and his planned expansions for their businesses.
"Or I can just write up a sign that says: No service today. And let the men pour their own drinks." Marta walked to Tommy and smiled. "I mean. If you thought you'd have a perfect worker in me." Marta shook her head. "Come on, you took me in because I stole from here." She smiled at Tommy when she was close to him. Marta carefully took his cigarette from him and took a puff from it.
"Hmm." Tommy hummed in contemplation. "You stole from me to try and get money to by a funeral wagon, now that's all taken care of I'm sure you will be a model employee." He said, his eyes following his cigarette as she took it from his hand. "Don't push your luck." Tommy warned lightheartedly as he stepped forward and kissed her cheek. "I will send Finn." He added before heading for the door.
Marta chuckled and shrugged. "We shall see." She told Tommy. "I guess that you've got a recipe for employees that are not model employees?" She teased Tommy and moved her head to let him kiss her cheek. "Have a nice day." She told Tommy and kept Tommy's cigarette. After that, it was just work. The men Marta sent away before, happily came back and were eager to get some beer. "Right away." Marta smiled. It was strange to work on her own, but she managed. She went to check if there wasn't too much glass next to The Garrison, when she was walking back in, she noticed someone on the street. She hoped that she was wrong about who it was and quickly walked into the pub.
Tommy had glanced back at Marta and gave her a small smile when he left the pub. That woman was going to cause him a lot of trouble, but there was something about her that kept drawing him back. He took the short walk to the betting shop, and with the help of Arthur and John made sure it was clear before they opened it up for the day. He next went next door to the Shelby house, checking in on Polly and Finn. Tommy made sure everything was in order before sending Finn off to The Garrison to help Marta and once the younger boy had left the house he sat down at the kitchen table and poured himself a whisky before taking his cigarettes out of his pocket. "Those fucking Lee boys." He spoke to Polly.
"John's fucking children." Polly said with a sigh and then went to light her cigarette. "They actually barge in here when Arthur and John were checking the betting shop." The woman shook her head. "You know? These kids are out of control. John needs to get married. And we also need to take care of the Lee's." Polly looked at Tommy across the table. "And you had better not start having kids too. First John, then..." The woman sighed. "Bombs and babies."
Tommy rubbed the bridge of his nose as Polly ranted about the children. It was true, they ran circles around John and certainly needed a mother at home. But it was all part of his plan, all part of the bigger picture. First he needed a war, then everything else would fall in to place. "I have a plan Pol." Tommy spoke, taking another sip of whisky before his eyes darted back to her at the mention of himself having children. "Bombs and babies ey? Not if John and Arthur have anything to do with it." He then spoke, still a little bitter that they had been forced to interrupt his morning.
Polly nodded at Tommy's mention of a plan. "Well, what is the plan, Tommy?" She asked her nephew and watched him. She furrowed her brows at the mention of bombs, babies, John and Arthur. "What happened with John and Arthur?" She had more questions than answers at that point and it wasn't good.
"A war Polly, we need a war." Tommy spoke, swirling his whiskey around his glass before he sank it down in a gulp and got to his feet. It was time to start putting things in to motion. He got up and went through to the living room, moving the rug away and pulling up a couple of loose floorboards to reveal one of the stolen Lewis machine guns from the BSA factory. This would certainly help. He chose to ignore her question about John and Arthur, some things were left unspoken.
"A war?" Polly got up and walked over to the door to the living room. She blinked her eyes and watched Tommy pull the machine gun from under their floor. "Tommy are you sure you can keep the war... contained? Are you sure it won't come to bite us in our collective Shelby's ass?" She took a drag from her cigarette. "And I might have to ask John and Arthur what happened."
"I'm sure these old boys will help keep it contained Pol." Tommy said, inspecting the weapon and making sure everything was in order.
He set the machine gun down on the sofa and looked over at his Aunt before simply shaking his head. Polly always made it her business to know the ins and outs of everyone's private life's, it was a rather irritating trait of hers. "Finn is at The Garrison, tell him that once he has taken Marta's list to Charlie I need him to run down to the police station. Tell him to report to Moss that he's heard gunfire near the fields at Friar Hill. Rapid fire Pol." He said before picking the gun up and placing it in a large hold bag. To an untrained eye it would simply look like he was packed for a vacation to the city of London.
Polly sighed softly and then nodded. "Right. I'll put on my best dress and go to Garrison to catch Finn." Polly put the cigarette out. "You do what you need to do. And be careful, Tommy. Please." Polly said and then went to put on her nice clothes. Soon, she was on her way to The Garrison. To an untrained eye, it simply looked like Polly Gray was ready for a great day and night out.
At The Garrison Marta hummed to herself as she brought more beer to the men. She then looked at the door when the youngest Shelby brother came in. "Aaah, my favorite Shelby." She said. "Don't tell Tommy." She added with a small laugh.
Finn had run over to The Garrison, and was grinning as he ran up to the bar and saw Marta. "I will definitely tell him that." He chirped. "Tommy said you had a list for me?"
The barmaid shook her head and put her arm around Finn. "Well, okay. But before you tell him. I need you to run to your uncle Charlie. I have written the list of things that are needed here." She walked with the boy to the bar and handed him the list. There were many ordinary things like booze and beer. However, Marta also tried her luck with including two bottles of lingonberry schnapps. "I'll give you some money for candy when you come back, okay?" Marta told Finn and kissed his forehead.
Finn took the list, glancing at it though that wasn't much use. His reading wasn't quite up to scratch just yet despite his Aunt and sisters best efforts, academically it took him a little longer to learn than most kids his age. His lack of schooling certainly didn't help. "Yeah ok Marta." He said, nodding quickly and pushing the note into his pocket.
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you the secret yesterday," Marta pulled Finn to the door of The Garrison and then leant down to whisper in his ear. "Tommy kissed me the night before the funeral." She moved away from Finn. "I swear it's true." Marta crossed herself as she nodded.
Tommy left the gun in the bag for a few minutes as he too went to change, looking much more himself when he left the house in his suit, coat and hat. Walking along the street as he carried the heavy bag. Little did the Lee's know they were falling into his hands. He was expecting a visit from a Mr Kimber in the next few days, they had been fixing races without his knowledge and he didn't expect him to be happy when he found out. Which was of course perfect.
He made his way to the Friar Hills and standing less than a half a mile from the Lee camp he slowly removed the machine gun from his bag and unleashed hell fire into the sky. His hope was that this would shift suspicion of the guns back to the Lee's and at the same time whip them up into a frenzy. Simply perfect. After unleashing a full round of ammunition and hearing plenty of shouts and screams from below he returned the gun to the bag and carried it back to the Shelby house.
Finns eyes went wide when Marta announced that Tommy had kissed her. "Yuck." He replied, letting out a laugh.
Marta looked at the boy in front of her and tilted her head to the side. "Oh, come on. Yuck?" She shook her head and then turned the boy so that he'd face the door. "I'll be sure not to tell you any more secrets. Now shoo, you've got much to do." She gently pushed Finn out the door and then went back to doing her job.
Polly came over to The Garrison and Marta at least had someone to talk to besides the patrons. They were nice, but Marta did not know much about coal and steel. She knew a lot about con and steal, though.
Arthur and John came to the pub too. They went straight to the private room and there was a buzz about John wanting to tell his family something. He was drinking a lot of beer to get the courage.
Finn was stopped by his Aunt on the way out of the pub and took in the instructions carefully. "Rapid gunfire? Friar Hills... ok Aunt Pol." He said before glancing back at Marta and giving her a quick wave before he went about his errand. First he stopped by the police station, passing on the information he'd been given which caused Moss and the new Inspector to spring into action to go and investigate the use of the stolen weapons. He then went to Charlie's yard and gave him the note with the order for the pub before he headed back. Charlie would deliver it with Curly later.
Tommy made his way back to small heath, returning the gun beneath the floorboards in the living room of the Shelby house and covering it with the rug before he too returned to The Garrison. As he swung the doors open he seemed in a much lighter mood, firing off that machine gun had given him a burst of adrenaline. "Whisky!" He called out, seeming rather smug with himself as he joined Polly at the bar. "A glass of your finest whisky, barmaid."
Marta worked and talked to Polly from time to time and refilled her drinks. She was curious about where Tommy had gone. She hoped that she would see him soon. He promised that he would help her run the bar.
She was pouring some more beer when she saw Tommy walk in. She put the beer on the bar in front of her and then looked at Tommy. "Maybe try asking again and more nicely?" She nodded and put the beers she had poured on a tray. "Next time with a please?" Marta smirked and went to serve beers to the patrons.
"Something is up," Polly said. "John and Arthur are in the private room and John is chugging one beer after the other. He said he wanted to tell us something, so... We should head to the room momentarily or John will combust from the tension." Polly held her cigarette and took a puff from it. "Deal with your staff and let's go."
Marta walked back behind the bar and searched for the best whiskey. She just felt like the best one would be the most expensive one, so she poured Tommy that. She herself didn't drink whiskey. It tasted like petrol to her.
Tommy leant on the bar, watching her with a cheeky smile on his face, very much similar to Finn's. "A glass of your finest whisky, please, barmaid." He corrected himself as she served some of the other punters. "There's always something up with John." Tommy then said rather dismissively. He was in a rather spritely mood and didn't really want to be dealing with John's drama.
"Thank you." Tommy replied as Marta placed the glass in front of him, he took a sip before proceeding to pick up the rest of the bottle. "That will do nicely." He then said before leading Polly into the private room. "What's the problem John?" Tommy spoke, setting the bottle in the middle of the table and choosing to remain on his feet. He wanted to get right to the chase and get back to the bar.
Polly turned to look at Tommy. She then looked at Marta too. She found it strange. Normally if someone did this to Tommy, he'd be mildly offended. But with Marta, he did correct himself and even remained in a good mood. Polly thought that she'd have to investigate this further when the stuff with John had been dealt with. Polly got up from the barstool and went to sit in the private room.
John looked like he was ready to spill his secrets and Arthur was just nursing his drink and wishing his brother was back to his normal self so that they could bicker and fight like they always did. It was not as much fun to make fun of John when he wasn't pushing back.
Marta watched Tommy and Polly disappear into the private room. "Oh, no. My whisky." She said and shook her head. It was time to do what all the bartenders did when they were bored - polishing glass.
Tommy remained standing, finishing his glass of whisky and setting it on the table next to the bottle. "John!" He repeated, his patience wavering as he refilled his glass before taking a step closer to his younger brother. The man looked like he might pass out at any moment. "What is it you are so desperate to share with us all?" He asked, reaching inside his pocket and lighting a cigarette.
John sat up and fixed his coat. "Well, Tommy. My children are running circles around me. They run around barefoot in the streets and they are out of control. They need a mother." John nodded. "So, I found myself a girl and I want to marry her. And I want your blessing." John looked at his brothers and Polly. "It's Lizzie Stark."
Arthur thought that it was a bigger bomb than the hand grenade in the morning. He couldn't help himself. He laughed quietly. He tried to muffle it with his hand.
And Polly, Polly was surprised too.
Tommy watched as his brother struggled to get to his point, and when he finally did his eyebrows raised and he had to let out a small cough to stop himself choking on his cigarette smoke. "Lizzie Stark?" Tommy repeated. "Lizzy fucking Stark." He said once more, looking at Arthur with the same amused expression. Tommy stepped closer to John and slid his glass of whisky to him. "Drink John." He instructed. "Infact have the fucking bottle John." Tommy went on, reaching for the bottle and placing it down beside the glass. "Drink until that thought leaves your head, cause Lizzie Stark is a whore John... and a whore can't help you raise your children when she's lying on her back." He said, finally letting out a chuckle. This must be a joke, or John had officially gone mad.
"I don't want to hear about this Tommy!" John said. "Lizzie is good. That thing is in the past. People can change. Lizzie has changed and she will change. Like with religion!" John was trying to make his point while he poured himself some more whisky.
"Finding God while being horizontal is common but it has little to do with religion John, let me tell you." Polly said and shook her head.
"I won't listen to you calling her a whore. And if I hear anyone else call her that, I will put my revolver in their throat and shoot the word back in." John said, even though he had forgotten his revolver at The Garrison yesterday. "Please, Tommy. Accept her into our family. You've practically accepted Marta!"
Tommy could see his brother was desperate and he wanted to help him, but it was part of the plan. "We will find you a woman John-a nice woman that you don't have to pay." He said, giving John a firm pat on the shoulder. "But it cannot be Lizzie Stark." Tommy then confirmed, choosing to ignore his comment about Marta before his grip tightened, so that he was holding a fist full of John's jacket. "And you threaten to shoot me again you'll be shoveling shit with Curly for the rest of your days. You understand me?" He growled in a low voice before giving his brother a firm shake and pushing him into the backrest of his chair.
John sat back into his chair and shut up. "Alright, Tommy." He shook his head and mumbled something incoherent to himself. He drank as instructed and found himself feeling rather sad because he knew that Lizzie Stark was a good woman... and she was nice to his kids. "I need someone to watch my kids a few days from now. The nanny will be traveling to a funeral. I would ask Ada, but Polly said that Ada can't do it. So, can Marta do it or does she have the privilege of choosing what she wants to do?"
Tommy could feel his good mood slowly slipping away as John spoke, that temper of his starting to bubble away. Without warning he gave John a rough clip around his ear. "Choose what you want to do John!" His voice rose. "Choose what you want to do and walk away from this family. We're not forcing you to be here!" He ranted, tossing his cigarette down onto the ground and quickly stubbing it out with his foot. Call him a hypocrite, but he wouldn't hear a bad word about Marta. "There is a bigger picture. A bigger picture that you cannot see because you do not have the burden of running this fucking family! So go, lay with your whore, marry her for all I care." He finished, his chest heaving as he quickly glared to Polly and Arthur. "Anyone else anything they want to get off their fucking chest?!"
John got up from the chair and then walked out of the private room and the pub. He was not really going to Lizzie. He just didn't feel like being in the room with Tommy and the rest of the family. Instead, he went back home to his kids. He would drink there and then sleep.
Arthur watched the whole situation unravel and after Tommy asked whether someone wanted to say something he said: "I'll go get more mild." He had witnessed many of these arguments within the family as the eldest brother. He didn't think that it would make John leave the family.
While Marta was pouring the mild for Arthur, she saw the door to the pub open. "Shit," she said and quickly crouched behind the bar. Her stepfather was there again. She gulped and sat down on the floor. Her stepfather walked in in his posh clothes, with his posh cane and with his longish hair nicely groomed. "Gentlemen, hello. I come here again to ask whether you've met anyone named Marta? Or if you know where she might be?" He smiled and leaned on his cane.
There was silence before an old man called out: "There's no Marta. Leave the same way you left a few days ago, pompous bastard."
Marta's stepfather wasn't happy about that. "Very well, gentlemen." He nodded, "I am offering a great sum of money to the person who will ascertain the whereabouts of my daughter."
Tommy remained in the private room for a few minutes, hastily pouring himself a large whisky from the bottle John had left behind and lighting himself a cigarette. There seemed to be a strange silence as he drank, most of the pub had likely heard his shouting, but now the silence was broken by a new voice and the mention of Marta's name. Tommy looked to Polly before he stepped back into the pub. Everyone fell silent at his arrival. "I'll take your money." He spoke simply, exhaling some smoke and holding out his hand for the cash.
Marta looked up from where she was sitting behind the bar. She just hoped that no one would be stupid enough to take money from her step father. Many things ran through her mind. What if one of the patrons just needs money and he'd be okay with ratting her out to her step father? She was really just a barmaid to them. Tommy would surely find another right? Marta gulped. This was not good. Marta gasped when she heard Tommy inquire about the money. After the gasp, she covered her mouth with both hands so that she would not make more sound. Tommy had to have been joking right? Right?!
"Aaah!" The posh man turned around and looked at Tommy. "You see, gentlemen, someone is smart here. Hello." He told Tommy. "My name is Reginald Blenkinsop, you might've heard of me. Now this money shall be yours if you tell me where my lovely daughter is." Reginald pulled out a bunch of cash from his pocket.
"She was hear a few days ago." Tommy spoke simply, getting right to the point. "She stole from the bar. When I caught her she said she was stealing money to pay for a train ticket to London." He lied, though he was a very convincing liar. "So London she must be." He spoke, his palm still open to receive the cash.
"Curious." Blenkinsop said with a small smile. "That is very curious." He hummed. "Very well then, London, that's where she is." Blenkinsop gave Tommy the bunch of money and then nodded towards the crowd in the pub. "Thank you gentlemen, for your help. And thank you too." He looked at Tommy. He was on his way to the door when he stopped and turned back around. "You know. It's strange, because I could swear that I saw her yesterday, on the rolling hills around Birmigham, next to a burning wagon. Maybe I am just getting old. Goodbye, my gentlemen...'' With that, Reginald left. Marta felt sick, still hiding behind the bar.
"Curious indeed." Tommy responded, taking the bundle of cash into his hand. He was not worried, he had conquered most foes and above all he was thrilled he had managed to avoid leaving a bullet in the man's skull. Once he had left Tommy checked the window, watching as the pompous man walked away from The Garrison before he walked over to the bar. He placed the wod of cash onto the bar. "You can come out now." He spoke, still trying to calm himself down after his encounter with John.
Marta stayed behind a bar for a bit more. She gulped and then carefully got up from the floor. Marta poured a pint of mild and walked to the old man. She placed the mild in front of him. "That's on me." She smiled. Marta picked up all the empty pints and went to pour the mild for the men. She still had goosebumps because she really hated the encounter.
"I'd like some mild too," Arthur moved his pint on the wooden bar. Marta nodded and filled his up too. After serving the beers she busied herself with pouring some of the liquor the customers requested.
Tommy found himself leaning against the bar, watching closely as Marta tried to carry on as usual. But he could tell the encounter had thrown her off of her stride. What to do, what to do? He thought to himself as he sipped his whisky. So many of his plans were in motion, yet this was another that he had not accounted for. But he would happily deal with it. He would deal with it for her.
Once everyone had their beverage and it was a bit calm, Marta leaned on the bar and rubbed her face with her hands. She shuddered a bit. Then it was time to keep working. Marta picked up a rag and wiped the counter and also the bar. When some of the patrons left, she went to wipe the tables and move the chairs closer. "Where is Finn?" She asked Tommy. "I promised him some candy, for helping with the alcohol list."
Tommy drank and observed like he often did, taking in everyone's expressions, reading their moods. He could tell the encounter had shaken her up a little, yet she carried on. Kept working. "I don't know." Tommy replied checking the time on his pocket watch.
A few minutes later the doors swung open and in strolled Finn, looking rather proud of himself for getting his errands done. "Tommy, I just heard that inspector say he was gonna go rough up a few Lee boys." He said, grinning with the news.
Marta worked the bar and generally kept herself busy from thinking about what her stepfather would do next. Maybe he'll search London and come back. Maybe he knew that Tommy lied. There were just so many options. A steady stream of customers came into the pub and it got pretty crowded. Marta did her best to serve them all quickly.
"Excuse me, love, step aside," Marta gently nudged little Finn to the side because she needed to pass him.
"Sorry Marta." Finn said as he moved out of the way before Tommy ruffled his hair.
"Good job Finn, good job." Tommy said, deciding to help Marta behind the bar serving some of the other men in the pub. He glanced at her, just seeing her face made his mood lighten a little.
Marta passed Finn to serve some mild to the customers. They also requested some whisky, so Marta walked back behind the bar. She was happy to see that Tommy was already behind the bar. She let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you." She nodded and rubbed Tommy's back when she passed him to pour the whisky. Marta would make a habit of putting her hand on Tommy's back or his hand when working around him behind the bar. Once she served the whisky, she looked at Finn. "And what would you like, nipper? Orange juice?" She asked him with a grin.
Tommy gave Marta another small smile as she brushed her hand against his back, she made him feel lighter with each touch. He continued to help behind the bar, every so often having another sip of his whisky, maybe in another life he could have been a simply barman with a stress free job. Though knowing Tommy he would drink all the profits with his affinity for whisky.
"I'm not a nipper." Finn replied, sticking his tongue out at her a little as he perched himself on one of the bar stools before looking at his older brother as Marta touched his hand. "Tommy? Is Marta your woman now?"
"Then how come you look like one?" Marta stuck her tongue out at Finn too and quickly washed some glass. It was a busy day at The Garrison. She felt like the patrons did not care about the morning hand grenade incident and they were just happy that their local pub stayed in one piece. "Might need to change the kegs soon, we'll see." Marta said. She said it mostly to herself and then turned to look at Finn. She looked at Tommy too. "Should I leave for this talk?" She asked the two.
"No, no it's fine." Tommy responded to Marta before setting a small glass of mild on the bar for the young boy. "We are friends Finn." He then responded.
"What? Friends that kiss? You didn't come home last night either-so-so were you both together?" Finn asked, a little excited by the idea of Marta joining the family.
Tommy was a little stuck for what to say. They hadn't really discussed things, they had just started to slowly happen and he looked to Marta for some help.
Marta listened to Tommy. Then, when Finn got excited and Tommy quiet, Marta looked at both and said. "Well." She started, "Yes Finn. We are friends that kiss. I have only met you and Tommy and the rest of you lot recently. So, for now. We are friends that kiss." She smiled at Finn. "Also, yes. We were together last night. Tommy was too drunk so I walked him home and he drunkenly insisted that he wanted to stay with me at Mrs Riley's B & B, And... I mean. I kiss you on the forehead all the time? Are we friends? I think we are."
"Friends that kiss." Finn repeated, picking up his glass with both hands and taking a sip of his mild. "Do you kiss on the lips? That's abit gross." He teased, finding this all rather amusing.
"I was hardly the one that was too drunk." Tommy stated, giving her a gentle shove of his elbow. "Now enough prying Finn." He said, not wanting the conversation to continue. "John's nanny is going away for a few days, he wanted me to ask if you'd be able to help him look after his kids. Harry should be back to work tomorrow."
She didn't want to, but Marta chuckled when Finn began asking for details. She was especially amused by his outlooks on kissing on the lips. "Oh, Finn. I can assure you, there are worse things than people..." Marta wanted to scare the boy a little bit, but Tommy felt like it was time to knock the kiss-talk off.
Marta looked at Tommy and listened to what he wanted to say. "Does he have many kids?" She asked him. She saw some of the men wave at her, wanting their refill on the drinks or that they wanted to pay. "I'll be there in a second." She called out and began pouring more mild.
"What else do they do?" Finn asked curiously, moving to his knees on the barstool.
"You could say he has a few." Tommy responded to Marta's question, giving the men a rather intense stare, silently telling them to shut up and wait their turn.
Marta looked at Tommy and shrugged. "Well, if he's got a lot then he won't notice if some get lost." She bit her lip. "I haven't dealt with kids much yet. Except this one." Marta nodded towards Finn and then leaned towards the boy. "You know Finn. People kiss all sorts of things. You can believe me that lips are not the worst of them." Marta nodded with a small wink.
"Well if you can handle Finn you might stand a chance with some of John's." Tommy joked, in truth they were quite the handful compared to Finn, at least he did what he was told.
"Don't tell me you kiss her toes Tommy." Finn teased, finding the whole topic rather hilarious.
All of a sudden the doors to the Garrison burst open with a loud bang and a small gang of well dressed men were standing in the doorway. A man with slicked back hair walked a few steps into the centre of the pub. "Is there any man here named Shelby?" He called out, though no one seemed to pay him much attention so he aimed his pistol at the ceiling and let off a shot which caused instant silence to fall across the bar.
Chapter 8: Tarts & Pikeys
Chapter Text
"I said! Is there any man here named fucking shelby!" The man with the slick backed hair barked loudly.
Marta gasped and gently grabbed Tommy's hand behind the bar.
John walked into the pub and Arthur emerged from the crowd of patrons. They both looked at Tommy.
Finn certainly wasn't laughing when the gunshot went off and he scampered over the top of the bar to crouch down behind Marta. His name was Shelby, but he certainly had no business with this man.
As John and Arthur suddenly appeared Tommy finally spoke, giving Marta's hand a squeeze. "Marta, get these men a drink." He said as he walked around the bar. "The rest of you, go home." Tommy instructed, and soon enough the pub was empty of its patrons and lit himself a cigarette as he sat down at a table in the centre of the pub, Arthur and John joining him. "You wanted men called Shelby, well you have 3 of them."
Marta had quickly helped Finn over the top of the bar and put her arm around him. She looked down at the boy and then nodded towards Tommy. She was glad she had washed some of the glass. It was pretty much ready. She just poured a few glasses and put the bottle on the tray. Marta looked down at Finn and then left the safety of behind bar. She placed the tray on the table and looked at the men. There were four of them. And the man with slicked back hair just looked creepily to Marta. She was glad she could run off to behind the bar and just put her arm around Finn.
When Marta bought over the drinks Billy Kimber's eyes followed her, a rather lustful expression on his face. "I've never approved of women in pub, but when they look like that." He spoke and it took everything inside of Tommy not to pull out his own gun. Tommy simply cleared his throat and took a sip of his whisky whilst his eyes scanned Kimber and examined him closely.
"Right I never heard of ya, and then I did hear of you, some gypsy razor gang and I thought to myself, so what. Then you fucked me over - so now you have my undivided fucking attention." Kimber explained, his Essex accent rather strong. "And which one am I talking to, who's the fucking boss."
Arthur nodded to Marta when she brought over the booze. He felt like he would need some more of that. But, of course, he was a gentleman. He moved the glasses from the tray to the men. Then he grabbed his. He listened to the man and clenched his fist as he heard all of the smart jabs at them. Arthur looked at Tommy out of the corner of his eye. When Tommy was silent, he spoke. "Well, I am the oldest."
Marta watched the situation unfold. She felt like the Shelby brother's could deal with the slicked back guy and his little pal next to him. It was the two men standing behind them she was worried about. "Have you ever seen the man?" Marta whispered to Finn.
Finn stayed quiet and rather attached to Marta as he remained hidden behind her. "It's Billy Kimber." He whispered. "He runs all the races."
"Ha, clearly." Kimber responded to Arthur's questions, sitting forward a little in his chair whilst Tommy continued to take in as much of the man's body language and words as he could. The way in which people spoke often gave away more than the words themselves.
When Mr Kimber expressed that he was not surprised that Arthur was the oldest. John thought that it was not nice at all to call his eldest brother old. "Are you laughing at my brother?"
After the other brother chirped up Kimber kept his lips parted in disbelief for a moment. "He's the oldest." He said, pointing to Arthur. "You're the thickest." Kimber added. "I'm told the boss is called Tommy, and I'm guessing that's you, cause you're looking me up and down like I'm a fucking tart!" Kimber said quickly.
Tommy seemed to remain rather unphased, his poker face in play. After a few moments of silence he took a drag of his cigarette. "I want to know what you want." He then spoke.
When Kimber said nothing, a slim man next to him said: "There were suspicious betting patterns at the races, a horse called Monaghan Boy. He won by a landslide twice and then finished the race last with three-thousand pounds bet on him."
"And which one am I talking to?" Tommy asked, sitting forward in his chair slightly. "Which one of you is the boss?" He said rather sarcastically.
"I'm Mr Kimber's business advisor and accountant." The man in glasses responded and Mr Kimber seemed to have lost his temper. "And I'm the fucking boss!" He raised his voice as he stood, slamming his hand against the table which made Finn jump. "Right end of parley, you fixed a race without my permission - you gypsy fucking scum! I'm Billy Kimber, I run the races! And you fixed one of 'em, so now I'm gunna have you shot against a fucking post!" He threatened, pointing a finger at Tommy who remained looking exceptionally calm in his seat.
"And what's wrong with the races?" Marta whispered to Finn and held his hand. She could see that the boy was truly quite scared. He wanted to be a little blinder, but it also seemed like he had a long way to go. He was only around twelve or thirteen, right? Marta had to cover her mouth when she heard Mr Kimber speak. His choice of words was just too funny for her.
"Tommy gave a horse cocaine so it would win... he made quite a bit of money I think." Finn whispered, peering under Marta's arm to see what was going on.
"Well, I hope he doesn't give cocaine to my horse." She whispered back to Finn. She watched on with him. It was quite exhilarating. She was quite worried for Tommy and the boys. Kimber looked like he was about to blow. The only thing he was missing was foam in the corner of his mouth because he had one serious vein on his forehead from shouting too much.
The accountant didn't look surprised with Mr Kimber's antics. He remained seated when his boss was almost halfway out the door.
As Kimber went for the door Tommy finally got up from his seat, the sudden movement drawing the attention of the two men who had been lingering in the shadows and they immediately drew their pistols and aimed them at Tommy. He held up a hand to his brothers, signaling for them not to react. "Mr Kimber." Tommy spoke as he removed a bullet from his pocket and tossed it to the older man. "Look at it - it has my name in it." He said, whilst Kimber held the bullet up to the light to see Tommys name carved into the metal.
"It is from the Lee family. You are also at war with the Lee family Mr Kimber, am I right?" Tommy asked. His plan was coming together perfectly. All these pawns in his little game and they all had no idea he was pulling all the strings. Kimber took a few paces back towards him. "The Lee's are attacking your bookies and stealing your money. You're men can't stop them. You need help."
"Perhaps we should listen to what Mr Shelby has to say." The accountant said and watched Tommy speak. He was more of the brains of their arrangement, unlike Kimber, who was the muscle. Or well, he had the muscle to do all the things he wanted to do.
John and Arthur were listening too. Tommy was their brains in this. They were the muscle behind his operations and they were bloody good at it. But they were also curious as to how it would turn out. They of course sprang to their feet when the men aimed at Tommy and both watched the men like hawks.
"Mr Kimber. We can take time to reflect, it might be good to arrange a second meeting." The accountant said.
Marta was worried for Tommy. Also, she had no idea what she would do if shit hit the fan. If this was going to happen often? She would have to at least learn how to shoot. For now, she was holding onto Finn's hand.
"Sit down." Tommy said under his breath to his brothers, giving them a threatening glance before he looked back at Kimber. The two men behind seemed to slowly lower their guns. "The Lee's have been doing a lot of talking at the fairs. They are saying your racetracks are easy meat because the police are busy with the strikes." Tommy explained before pointing at his brothers. "Now we have connections. We know how they operate. You have muscle. Together we could beat them, divided maybe not... it would be an honor to work with you Mr Kimber."
There was silence as Billy processed his advisor's words with Tommys. Finally he spoke again. "People don't work with me, they work for me." He stated before reaching into his pocket and throwing a £1 coin on the floor. "Pick it up, pikey." He demanded.
There was silence again as Tommy seemed to do rather well at hiding the rage on his face, a few long breaths to steady himself before he reached down for the coin.
John almost wanted to pick the coin up for his brother, but in the end, Tommy was the one to pick it up. Kimber's helper looked at Kimber and it seemed that the man was happy with what he saw. It seemed like they managed to find common ground at least for now. It was time to leave.
"For your ceiling." Kimber spoke once Tommy had picked up the coin.
"Well thank you Mr Kimber." Tommy replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tone as he placed the coin in his pocket. Beneath his poker face he had wanted to put a bullet in the man's forehead. His eyes stayed fixed on the man as he and his companions left the pub, he certainly didn't like the way he looked at Marta.
Once they had left Tommy picked up his glass of whisky, drinking it in one gulp before placing it on the table. "Tomorrow you both go and get a nice haircut. We are going to the races boys." He said, fairly content with how the meeting had gone. The weekend was Cheltenham Races, and that's where his plan would start.
Marta watched the men leave and locked eyes with that Kimber guy for a second. She was surprised she didn't get hair gel all over her from this stare down only. She sighed and then patted Finn's back. Marta immediately opened the nearest bottle of gin and poured herself some. When she looked at Finn, she poured him some gin too. Gin was made from plants. Plants can't hurt a kid. "Drink." She told him and moved the glass towards the boy.
Finn glanced at the gin, finally able to breath now the men had left. "I don't think..." and then he decided against his words and picked up the glass, screwing up his face as the strong liquid touched his lips.
Marta patted Finn's back. "That's good, love. I don't think they'll be back." She said and then went to grab a broom to sweep the pieces of plaster that had rained down on the ground. She had her work cut out for her, she thought. She had to pull all the empty and half empty pints from the tables. At least the pub was now calm enough for her to change the kegs too.
Arthur nodded. "I need a haircut, eh?" He said and then took a sip of the whisky too. "There could be some pretty girls at the races." He smirked and wiped his mustache.
"Slick fucker, Billy Kimber," John spat and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He felt like he needed to calm down after this. "You let him make a fool of you, Tommy, why?" John wanted to know.
"I need you looking sharp brother." Tommy replied, refilling his whisky before looking to John. "And sometimes John, it's better to swallow your pride in the name of good business." He explained. "Let Kimber think we are thick gypsies, he will treat us so, and then underestimate us. That's his downfall." Tommy explained and when Marta started sweeping the floor he went over to her. "Are you ok?" He asked, placing a hand on her back.
Marta turned to look at Tommy. She nodded. "Yeah, I am alright." She looked Tommy up and down to make sure he was okay. "I would ask Finn, though." She looked at the boy. "Oh, and I hope that Midwinter does not get his haylage with a side of cocaine. I am not fond of horse racing. It's dangerous." Marta shrugged. Once the plaster was cleaned up, she could move onto pulling the glass from the tables.
When Tommy went to check on Marta, Arthur noticed. He looked at the two and then looked at his brother John and waggled his eyebrows. John looked at the pair too and smirked before sitting down more comfortably and drinking his whisky.
"Finn is a Shelby, he's fine." Tommy responded before taking a sip of whisky. "And what makes you think I would give your horse cocaine?" He asked curiously, unaware of his brother's gawping.
As Marta was placing the pints on a tray, she shrugged. "If you say so. He did not look fine to me." She hummed to herself and then looked at Tommy. "Because that's what you do to make them win races or perform better? Finn told me that." Marta shrugged. She didn't want to rat Finn out, but she also didn't know that maybe Finn wasn't supposed to tell her, or anyone. "I don't want drugs and races near my horse, because it's my horse. Horses die often during races, much more often than in fields while working. It's cruel."
"Finn come here." Tommy called, ushering the young boy over. Finn instantly made his way over to Tommy and glanced at his other brothers. "Yeah Tommy?" He asked curiously. "Are you ok?" Tommy then asked and Finn quickly nodded. Shelby's weren't supposed to be scared. "Yeah I'm fine Tommy." He replied.
"See, he's fine." Tommy said before looking back to Marta. "And midwinter isn't a race horse, so won't be given cocaine." He added. "Everyone happy?"
"He isn't, that's true." Marta sighed softly and nodded. "Happy." She looked at the two, but mostly at Finn, because she saw that he was quite scared when Kimber was in the pub. Men and their tough exterior bullshit. She then picked up the tray of pints. She went back behind the bar and began to wash all of those. She hoped that watching John's kids would be easier. But she also felt like it was just wishful thinking. "But at least the pub is quiet for now." Marta whispered to herself.
"Good lad." Tommy said to Finn and once Marta had gone to clear away some glass he wrapped his arm around the boys shoulder. "Now get yourself home, Polly will be worrying. It's getting late." He said.
"Alright Tommy." Finn replied, giving his brothers a wave before he waved to Marta. "Good night Marta." He called before he ran off home, a little quicker than usual after the encounter with Kimber.
John looked over at Marta and then spoke. "Is that my cap?"
Arthur began laughing. "Took you long enough!"
Tommy joined his brothers back at the table and filled them all up a glass of whisky. "A good days work there chaps." He said before he drank.
"Good night, love!" Marta called out and waved at the sweet boy. She let out a soft sigh and then made quick work of washing the remaining glass. She then leaned on the bar and watched the three men. Marta then shook her head and went to change out the kegs so that Harry would not have to do it the next day. She left him a note that Charlie should be dropping some supplies off.
"Am I off the clock?" Marta asked Tommy and walked over to their table to maybe sit down for a while, or go home if they had something important to deal with. Tommy gave her a small smile and confirmed with a nod of his head.
Arthur and John drank their whisky and felt much more at ease. "It's going to be fucking crazy, brother." Arthur said.
Tommy was feeling rather upbeat again. The day had been a great success. The Lee's would be working themselves up after his stunt this morning, and come Saturday evening Kimber would be eating out of the palm of his hand. When Marta spoke he nodded his head and patted the chair beside him. "Cheltenham fucking races. That's where we make our move brothers." He explained, taking another sip of his whiskey. "Soon enough we'll be running all the races from Cheltenham to the Scottish border." Tommy said, smiling as he raised his glass to his brothers.
"Right! Yes! Peaky fucking Racers!" John shouted and then took a huge gulp from his glass. "There must be nice chicks at the races. Rich," John nodded. "I could make a fortune befriending one like that. My kids could have new shoes and toys!"
Marta smiled, put John's cap on his head, and then sat down on the chair next to Tommy. She poured herself a glass of whisky. She sniffed it suspiciously and then took a small sip. Her whole face wrinkled with that. No. She still was not a whisky girl. But she dared herself to finish the whole glass. She was not a pussy. She could hold her whisky.
John fixed his cap. "I also noticed that my revolver is missing. Has anyone seen it? I would not like if Polly aimed it at me like she always does."
Tommy chose not to get into it with John about women and his kids, though he made a note to himself to send Polly shopping for some new shoes and toys for them the next morning. Sometimes they fought, but the Shelby's always took care of eachother. Atleast he wasn't still talking about Lizzie fucking Stark. "Polly will shoot you with that fucking gun if you leave it lying around again John." Tommy said, glancing at Marta and letting out a small chuckle as she screwed up her face at the taste of the whiskey. "That's an expensive bottle, you're supposed to enjoy it." He said and took out his cigarette, handing one to Marta before lighting his own. Tommy then reached inside his jacket, he'd been carrying John's revolver around most of the day. He placed it down on the table. "You left it in the private room last night. Misplace it again and you'll be using a spud gun." Tommy threatened lightheartedly. "Or I'll tell Pol, I'm not sure what would be worse."
John looked at Tommy and looked genuinely relieved when Tommy pulled out his gun. He took his gun and put it in its holster. "Both sound terribly embarrassing to be honest, Tommy. Won't happen again, if I can help it." John sipped on his whisky and did not scrunch his whole face like Marta.
"Says who?" Marta shook her head and tried to come to terms with the taste of the whisky. There were some things that just weren't for her. The whisky was one of those. Marta accepted the cigarette and let Tommy light it for her. She took a puff, sat back in her seat to get more comfortable, and then looked at Tommy. "So, when will you teach me how to shoot?" She did not even ask if Tommy would do that. She hoped that it would give her better chances at actually learning.
"You will help it John, cause that gun could save your life." Tommy said, even more so these days as they made themselves more enemies. "Says me." Tommy then replied, smiling softly at her as he lit her cigarette. He then slipped his hat from his head, placing it down onto the table and running a hand through his hair. "Teach you how to shoot?" He repeated, taking a sip of whisky. "Now that depends on who you want to shoot?" He then added, rather curious by her desire.
"Teach me how to shoot." Marta repeated too. She leaned back some more and used an empty chair opposite to put her legs up on it. She was surprised that there were more questions. Marta shrugged. "I mean, anyone who'd try to hurt me? Or your family? Or steal from the bar? Like if Mr... what was his name? Kimber. What if Mr Kimber was just a lunatic that came in to shoot a few of our patrons and steal money and you lot weren't here? I would not be able to defend myself or the pub," Marta tried to explain, pointing with the hand she held the cigarette in. "So?" She began. "If I am to watch John's kids tomorrow. Maybe we could ride to the fields afterwards and you could teach me how to shoot?" She nodded as she looked at Tommy.
"Ride to the fields?" Arthur said. "Can we come too?"
Marta looked at the eldest Shelby and asked: "You like to watch?" She took a drag from her cigarette. When she saw Arthur's reaction, she just began laughing.
Tommy listened as Marta explained her reasoning, it made perfect sense, but carrying a gun wasn't as simple as just pointing and shooting . It was living with the knowledge that you would watch the soul leave someone's body after they had been shot. It changed a person. After a few minutes of contemplation he nodded his head. "Ok... I'll teach you how to shoot." He said and drained the rest of his glass of whisky.
As Marta burst into laughter Tommy's smile grew, she was a breath of fresh air and he was certainly starting to enjoy her being around. His hand rested on her thigh as they sat, drank, smoked and laughed until they were all rather drunk once again.
"I need to be careful around this one I see!" Arthur said, while John was patting his shoulder. John was almost rolling on the floor laughing. The only bigger joy he got after making fun of his brother was the joy he got when someone else was making fun of his brother.
Marta felt like she had just won a prize. She nodded. "Good." She said and then grabbed her whisky. "To well protected pubs and armed barmaids." She chuckled to herself and took a sip of the whisky which was still disgusting. Tommy chuckled as his brothers laughed. Life was so serious sometimes, especially since France. But these rare times where they all lost themselves in the moment were his favourites , when he felt like his true self again. "To well protected pubs and beautiful armed barmaids." Tommy spoke, tapping his glass against hers and giving her a small wink.
The whisky got Marta rather drunk quite fast. "Alright. Alright. We should close down for the night." Marta rubbed Tommy's hand and got up from the chair. She let out a small sigh as she saw the world bend around her. "Oh my..." she said to herself.
A little while later when the whisky was gone Tommy watched as Marta got up, swaying a little. "Arthur, lock up." He said, tossing Arthur his keys as he got to his feet, placing his hand around Marta's waist. "We have business to attend to." He said, kissing her cheek as she gained her balance, determined that tonight they would not be interrupted.
Arthur caught the keys after fumbling with them for a bit. "I'll lock up, Tommy! You can be sure of that!" He nodded and then waited for when his brothers and their barmaid would leave the pub.
Marta put her arm around Tommy and leaned into him. "God, my legs don't work as well." She laughed a little and then walked out of the pub. "Thanks for locking up, Arthur. Good night!" She called. "Good night, John!" She wrapped her arms around Tommy and kissed his cheek. "And you're coming with me again?" She asked him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
Tommy gave his brothers a wave of his hand as he and Marta made their way out the front door into the street. "If you'll have me?" He responded, giving her a cheeky smile as his hand moved down her back whilst they walked.
"I mean if Mrs Riley won't kick me out then I don't mind having someone to sleep next to." Marta kissed Tommy's cheek and walked through the streets. It was quite cold at night and the streets were much calmer. "It's been a long day..."
"You don't have to worry about Mrs Riley." Tommy said, when it came to Tommy he was well used to getting his own way. He could see she seemed to be feeling a little cold and removed his coat, draping it over her shoulder. "Everyday is a long day." Tommy then said. When they reached the B&B he pushed open the door, holding it open for her. "After you, beautiful barmaid." He stated, bowing his head slightly.
"This one felt longer." Marta said and then wrapped Tommy's coat around herself. "Thank you." She walked with him to her new home and walked in. She smiled and then pulled Tommy in. "Let's go. But we should be quiet." She nodded and momentarily put her pointer finger on Tommy's lips to really make him silent. Marta then carefully walked upstairs. Her room was still a mess. And Tommy's tie was still somewhere in the pile of clothing.
Tommy found himself feeling rather cheeky as Marta ushered him to be quiet, he had never been very good at doing what he was told. "Mrs Riley." He suddenly called out as they made their way upstairs. "We will not be disturbed! By order of the Peaky blinders." He called out, though he wasn't sure anyone would hear. By the time they'd made it to Marta's room he couldn't help himself and quickly pulled her close, closing the door with his foot and kissing her quickly.
"Tommy!" Marta called out and looked at the man in disbelief. "Come on, shh." She tried to make him quiet, but it didn't work. It seemed a bit funny to her in her general drunkenness. "You can't do that!" Marta then gasped when she was pulled. She kissed Tommy back and placed her arms around his shoulders. Tommy's coat just slipped off her and disappeared onto the floor.
"We can do whatever we like." Tommy whispered against her lips as he moved his hands and lifted her, carrying her to the bed and laying her down before he continued to kiss her. Thankfully his ribs were starting to pain him less, though in that moment he hardly cared as he carefully climbed on top of her.
Marta nodded and held onto Tommy as he carried her to the bed. She kissed him back. Marta actually very much enjoyed how close she was with Tommy, but she also felt very drunk and quite tired. "Tommy?" She said and licked her lips. She looked up at the man. "I am sorry, but..." She put her hand on the man's cheek. "I really want you, but not like this. I mean, not this drunk- I like you." She said and kissed his cheek and jaw. "I really do. But I just don't want to do this drunk now." She hoped that Tommy wouldn't be mad or something.
"Hmm." Tommy hummed against her lips when she spoke his name, his eyes still closed as he kissed her. As she continued to speak he opened his eyes, struggling to hide his disappointment, he had certainly been in the mood. He was silent for a moment before he softly kissed her lips. "Ok-ok." He said, giving his head a small nod before he slowly got to his feet.
The young woman sat up on the bed and looked over at Tommy. "You-you can stay if you want to... by all means. It's not that I don't want you here. I just..." Marta shrugged as she looked at the man. She was a bit torn. Would she lose Tommy over this? Was she supposed to just let it happen to stay in the spotlight? "I'd be really happy if you stayed. It's late."
Tommy took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. Since he'd gotten back from the war it wasn't often that he found himself in the mood. He felt like his little bubble had been burst, but it wasn't her fault. She was right, they were both drunk. The subtle tremor seemed to return to his hand and he reached for his coat that had been abandoned on the floor. "It's ok, I should go." He said quietly.
"Tommy, no, wait." Marta got up from the bed carefully. She walked over to Tommy and hugged him. "This is not what I wanted. I am sorry. Please, stay. It's alright." She put her hands on his cheeks and looked into his eyes. "I-I mean. I will..." Marta had no idea what to say. She didn't want Tommy to leave. She felt like she would lose him. She would lose someone again.
Tommy let out a soft sigh as she rushed to him and placed a hand on his cheek. He was silent, his face rather blank as she spoke before he finally gave her a small nod. "Alright." He said, kissing her forehead softly. "Alright I'll stay." Tommy agreed, dropping his coat back down from his hand, the desire for sex seemed to have vanished as quickly as it had come.
Marta let out a relieved sigh and nodded. "Thank you." She kissed Tommy's lips before she grabbed Tommy's coat and put in on an armchair. A tie was a tie but she didn't want his coat to get all wrinkled and dusty from the floor. "Take off all you need and come to the bed?" She smiled at Tommy and went to remove her own clothes before getting into the bed, opening the cover for Tommy to join her.
Tommy simply nodded, silence filling the room as she got back into bed. He removed his jacket and placed his pistol on the bedside table before removing his waistcoat, shirt and trousers before finally joining her under the sheets.
Marta bit her lip and then smiled as Tommy got ready for bed. She lay down in the bed and covered Tommy up. She put her head on Tommy's chest and drew patterns on his pectoral. "I am sorry." Marta mumbled again.
"You have nothing to apologise for." Tommy whispered in response, his arm wrapping around her to pull her closer as her finger danced lightly across his chest. Sleep didn't seem to come easy for Tommy that night, and as the daylight started to sneak through the window he carefully slipped out from under the sheets and started to get dressed.
Marta's fingers stopped moving across Tommy's chest when she passed out. She slept quite well despite all the booze she had drunk during the evening and night.
Chapter 9: Toerags & Tea Parties
Chapter Text
When Marta awoke she felt when Tommy began moving around and the bed grew much colder. "Tommy?" She mumbled sleepily. It was apparent that she would need another shut eye to really get going. "Will you come save me from John's kids when y' have time?" She tried to at least fully open her eyes, although she wished nothing more than to close them again and sleep for one more hour or so.
Just as Tommy was pulling on his hat he heard Marta mumble his name and he stopped by the door, slowly making his way over to the bed and leaning down to kiss her head softly. "If I have time." He replied quietly. "Go back to sleep, it's still early." Tommy then said as he picked up his gun from the table beside the bed.
"Just come and say hello?" She offered and smiled contently when Tommy kissed her head. "I will sleep more." Marta then said and nodded, then placed her head back on the pillow. She hummed loudly. "Have a nice day?" She said before passing out again. She had no idea whether she would see Tommy soon. But she hoped she would. For now, she just wanted to sleep.
"Sleep well Marta." Tommy said softly, pulling on his cap as he left the B&B. As he reached the outside air he pulled his coat around his chin and instead of heading back to the Shelby house he took a walk along the canal to try and clear his head.
Marta woke up after a few hours. She had to wash. She used cold water because she needed to wake up and get rid of her puffy, sleepy eyes. Marta then got dressed and walked down to the Shelby house. "Hi," she told John. She looked at his kids. One was very small and was perched on John's hip. It was a little boy. Other kids were running around dodging between variou items of furniture. John handed over the youngest. "Good luck," he said. "Food is on the stove!" He called out and then left. Marta felt like she was stuck in a rolling barrel. Katie, the eldest daughter, was quite nice. But the middle children were Satan's spawns. They were running around and beating one another. "Stop it!" Marta tried to calm them down. She soon found out that the youngest boy would only be calm and not fuss when she carried him. She knew that it was going to be a long day.
After his walk down the canal Tommy stopped at Charlie's yard, checked on the horses and then finally made his way home. The Shelby's owned 3 of the houses on the terrace. One which himself, Polly, Finn and Arthur lived in. The house next door was for John and the children. Down from that was the betting shop. Before long they would have a house each, he was sure of it. As he reached his front door he could hear the commotion coming from next door. Those children had no discipline and Tommy seemed to keep out of things for fear of loosing his temper, but he didn't like the idea of Marta handling them fighting by herself.
Jack and his younger sister Anna were the main instigators of trouble in John's house. Jack loved winding up his sisters, and Anna loved fighting with her brother. Anna had been pestering Jack all morning and finally this time it was him that had snapped, the 5 year old boy grabbing a poker from beside the fire and charging at his sister with it, screaming a matching war cry.
As Tommy came through the door he saw the chaos unfolding. "Ey!" He barked, causing the young boy to freeze before Tommy yanked the poker out of his hand. "Timeout Jack." He demanded, grabbing the boys shoulder and marching him to the corner of the living room. Tommy didn't agree with hitting children, most people would beat children with belts or wooden hair brushes these days.
Frantic steps neared the room as Tommy led the boy to the corner of the room. "Tommy!" Marta said and walked over to the man. "What happened here? I am so sorry. I went to the kitchen to make tea with Katie and those two had been..." Marta sighed as she moved the youngest boy higher on her hip. "They had been making a mess all the time, so I didn't think that they could make a bigger mess." Marta looked at Tommy and rubbed his arm. "I would tell them a spooky story about the Canal man but they wouldn't listen." She smiled at the man.
The youngest boy that had his permanent perch on Marta's hip was probably the nicest of the four children. Katie was nice enough, but she more often than not got roped up into her sibling's shenanigans. The youngest boy just sat on his perch and enjoyed himself. He sometimes tugged at Marta's hair or tried to stick it in his mouth. He just lived his best life as a toddler.
"Who's the Canal man?" Katie asked and tilted her head to the side. Marta looked down at the girl and said: "You don't know about the Canal man of Birmingham?" Katie shook her head. "Well, Katie... Anna and Jack should listen too, because the Canal man watches all the children in Birmingham at night. Sometimes you can hear him walking around because his steps sound all squelchy from the canal water." Marta nodded. "And when the Canal man sees that the children are bad or that they aren't sleeping…" Marta took a deep dramatic breath and shook her head, "the Canal man makes a small X on their door with mud. And in the morning..." Marta looked at little Anna, "the children's shoes are all wet and muddy from the canal water!"
"He tried to hit Anna with a fucking poker." Tommy responded, still holding the young boy's arm as he stood him in the corner. Jack wasn't really used to being disciplined and started to freak out. "Uncle Tommy, uncle Tommy stop!" He said trying to dig his feet into the floor so he would be harder to pull. "I don't care about the stupid canal man, my dad is a Peaky blinder." He continued stubbornly.
"Jack that's not nice. That's very bad," Marta said. "You can't do that. What if you hurt Anna?" Marta walked over to the boy and tried to help Tommy put the boy in the corner. "I believe the Canal man knows you very well by now. And unlike other people, he is not scared of Peaky Blinders." Marta tried to reason with the boy. "Anna, Katie... go grab some tea. It's in the kitchen alright? I'll be right there." Marta told the girls. She sighed. She didn't really have experience with kids. And she surely didn't have experience with kids who wanted to hit other kids with a poker...
"Anna wasn't being very nice to me!" Jack shouted back, he had an exceptionally short temper, much like his uncle Tommy. He certainly didn't like the idea of time out and put up quite the fight.
"You'll stand here for 5 minutes Jack, or I'll go and get your father and I'm sure he'll give you worse than a timeout. You'll behave yourself for Marta, understand?" Tommy said simply, holding the boy in place for a moment so he'd settle down.
"You'll stand here, Jack, just like uncle Tommy tells you. And I'll tell Anna to be nice to you, okay?" Marta said as she bounced the small boy she was holding a little bit. "If she is bad again. She is going get a time out too. Don't you worry." Marta watched Tommy deal with the boy. She was glad that he came in.
"Thank you," she told Tommy. "Katie told me she should be working on her handwriting and reading. That the nanny does that with her. I can help her, but I need to get Anna and Jack to play nice." Marta moved her head to get her hair out of the tiny Shelby's mouth. He immediately tried to eat it again.
Tommy kept his eye on Jack as the young boy wriggled around in the corner, he had ants in his pants and rarely stood still for more than a few seconds. "Jack and Anna never play nice." He replied, still with one eye on Jack. "I'll get Polly to come over and give you a hand ok?" He suggested, just as Jack seemed to have had enough of standing in the corner.
The moment Tommy had taken his eyes off of him for a second Jack bolted out the back door to go and play in the street behind the house.
"Jack!" Marta called out after the boy, but alas, he was already gone. She sighed. She felt utterly useless. "I am sorry, Tommy. I know I am supposed to do it on my own because the nanny does. I don't want to annoy Polly." Marta said with her eyebrows knitted together. She was a bit upset. It seemed like taking care of the kids was worse than taking care of the whole pub with 30 men in it. The only thing Marta accomplished here was to keep little William from crying.
"The nanny's been helping with the kids since Anna was born, she's had plenty of practice." Tommy explained. "Polly won't mind giving you a hand, she's good with Jack." He said, Jack was like a mini Tommy so she was well used to his ways.
Tommy then went next door, walking into the kitchen to find Polly. "Pol?" He called out, wondering if she was home.
Polly walked out of her room with a cigarette. Her hair was all crazy and it seemed like it was a good night for her. "Yeah?" Polly asked and looked at Tommy. "What's wrong? Something is burning?" She wanted to know.
"Well if Jacks got anything to say about it something will be burning." Tommy said, he didn't have much patience for children himself. "Could you give Marta a hand with the kids?" He asked.
"Sure." Polly smiled and scratched her hair. She looked at Tommy. "You seem quite annoyed. What is it?" Polly asked. "Is Marta bad in bed?" She tilted her head to the side. Polly hummed and took one more puff from her cigarette before putting it out in an ashtray.
"I'm not going there with you Polly." In truth Tommy was still rather frustrated by the lack of action last night, and that frustration had niggled at him most of the night and morning. He'd hardly slept and that didn't ever help.
Polly nodded. "Aha. I see. It has to have been really disappointing," She smiled. "I'll go get dressed and then I'll help Marta," Polly said and then disappeared into her room to get dressed. She washed her face too to look more fresh.
"Enough of that Polly." Tommy said with a shake of his head after she had gone he got himself a couple of slices of bread and jam, eating them quickly before heading back out. He had things to prepare for Cheltenham races and lit a cigarette as he walked down the street.
Whilst Tommy was fetching Polly, Marta sighed and looked at the toddler in her hands. "This is not going as well," she went to speak with the two girls. She didn't forget to tell Anna off for being mean to Jack. "You two have to be nice to one another. You are brother and sister." Marta said and sighed. "When you are older, you should look out for each other."
Jack was out in the alley that backed into the house, he often enjoyed hitting stones along the concrete with a stick to help pass the time.
After Marta talked to the girls, she let them have a tea party. She was a bit worried about the boy. So, she decided to step out of the house and look. She smiled and tried to be nice to him. "Jack?" She bit her lip. "Are you alright?"
Jack glanced up at Marta as he continued hitting the little stone around the alley way. "Yeah?" He said as he looked at her. "I'm ok." Jack then said with a small shrug of his little shoulders. The boy looked like a mini version of John and was spotting his own little flatcap.
Marta looked down at the boy. "So, do you like your sister?" She asked. "I think you do, Do you like Anna?"
Jack looked down at his feet, taking to kicking the little stone as he swung the stick in his hand. "She's annoying." He stated whilst he started swinging his stick against the wall. Jack got bored easily and found rather odd ways to keep himself entertained.
"But you like her, right?" Marta asked the boy and then let out a small sigh. "I am supposed to help Katie with writing and reading. What would you like to learn? You might be too young for writing and reading but you could learn how to tie knots?" Marta asked. "I could teach you that." Marta offered.
Polly appeared at John's house soon. It was almost empty. The boys were nowhere to be found and the girls were drinking tea.
"No not really." Jack replied, not really looking at Marta as he continued to play with the stick and the stone. He'd never gotten on particularly well with Anna, they were rather close in age and had always butted heads. His sister was sly and Jack always got sucked into her tricks, he was always the one that got in trouble. "I don't wanna learn nothing." He then added, giving the stick a rather big swing into the stone. It was like slow motion as the stone skipped up off the concrete floor and soared straight through the living room window with a loud smash.
Marta was trying really hard to get to the boy, but it didn't really work. She watched him play until the stone smashed the window. "Oh no." Marta said.
Polly jumped when the window broke. She quickly ran out of the door and looked at Marta and then at Jack. "Who was that?" Polly asked. "Who broke the window?"
Jack was still holding the stick in his hand with a slight look of shock on his face as the window smashed, his eyes a little wide as he quickly dropped the stick onto the floor when his Aunt Polly appeared. "It wasn't me!" He said with a quick shake of his head and pointed at Marta. "It was the lady!" He said, wanting to get away from the scene of the crime, he went to run inside and tried to duck under his Aunt's arm. Jack was like lightning and was often never seen in the same place twice.
"Wait wait wait!" Polly said and caught the boy by the arm. She pulled him into the alley and looked at him. "Is that really true?" She asked him.
Marta looked at Polly and the boy and thought for a bit. "Yes, Yes it was me. I'll... I'll talk to Tommy and he'll... He'll deal with it from my pay?" Marta nodded and then looked at the boy.
Polly looked at the boy and then at Marta. "Well, If you two say so," Polly shook her head and then let go of the boy. She had no idea why Marta decided to take this one but it was none of her business. "But you can help Marta clean the mess up, right? Be nice," the woman smiled and walked into the home.
Marta looked at Jack and nodded. "You heard your aunt," she walked right behind her and finally passed the toddler over to Polly before she then got a broom and some other stuff to clean the broken glass with.
When his Aunt finally let go of him Jack looked at the mystery woman with a rather curious expression on his face, tilting his head a little as he looked at her. He had a rather sweet face when he wasn't being naughty or overly annoying. She'd certainly saved him from some more trouble, and that counted for something. Jack suddenly ran off, but returned a few moments later carrying a small bin.
"Thank you, Jack." Marta nodded and smiled at the boy when he brought over the bin. She didn't want him anywhere near the broken glass but she was glad for the bin. She made sure to clean up the mess properly and then moved the bin over to Jack. "You can put it back where you took it. Thank you again. That really helped me." Marta smiled and went to put the broom back down.
Meanwhile, Polly managed to put the youngest one down without him making much fuss. She talked to the girls and overall managed to calm everything down.
Marta then could sit down with Katie and work on her reading and writing.
Jack had stood and watched as the woman swept up the broken glass. He still wasn't too sure why she had taken the blame, after all it had been an accident, he hadn't broken the window on purpose. "You're welcome." He then chirped when she thanked him, before he carried the bin back to the kitchen. Once he'd put the bin down he noticed Anna playing tea parties at the kitchen table with a few of her dolls, and he rarely missed an opportunity to annoy his sister. As he passed he quickly snatched one of her dolls of the table and let out a laugh as he ran through the house with it under his arm.
Marta watched Katie read and write. She was happy that the girl was getting at least some sort of schooling. It wasn't very common. Marta was taught to read and write by her mother. She had no idea how did her mother learn that but... She was glad that she passed her knowledge onto her.
Marta jumped when she heard shouting.
Polly got up. "Stop! Stop. You two!" Polly walked after them. Anna of course didn't like her things being taken so she ran after her brother calling him all sorts of names.
Jack always found it rather comical when his sister chased after him, she got so mad so quickly and it made him shriek and laugh as she chased him. He was so focused on not getting caught by his sister that he didn't register his Aunts instructions and he ran a loop around the ground floor of the house before he ended up back in the kitchen, giggling as he ran to the other side of the table to keep out of his sister's reach.
Polly had none of it. She walked straight over to the boy and when he was too focused on his sister. She snatched his arm. "That's enough, Jack. Give the toy back," Polly told him. "Give it back. Or I am telling your father and you will be shovelling shit with Curly sunrise to sunset," Polly shook her head. "You act like this infront of Marta? You are being very naughty. What will Marta think about us?"
Marta watched the situation unfold while trying to work on the letter "t" with Katie since that was a little bit of a struggle for her. Her "t" looked like more of an "l". It wasn't back, but it needed work.
Jack was taken by surprise when Polly grabbed his arm, it hurt a little as she held him tightly, though it made him tighten his grip on the doll and Anna had started crying. "Only babies cry Anna!" Jack shouted, screwing up his face a little as his frustration grew. He hated being so little where people could just grab hold of him. He wanted to be big and strong like his Dad. "Aunt Pol." He winged, his legs going limp as he tried to slink to the floor in an attempt to escape under the table. "I'm not shoveling shit, that's gross… like Anna."
Polly was holding the boy despite him trying to escape. "No, no, no. You will give the doll back, or I am calling John and you are shoveling shit before you even try to be rude to your sister again. Give the doll back, Jack. NOW!"
"No Aunt Pol!" Jack's voice rose as hers did, the frustration seemed to be bubbling over for everyone and he let out a frustrated groan before throwing the doll at his sister rather aggressively. "I'm not going to Uncle Charlie's." He said stubbornly. Out of all of the children Jack seemed to struggle most without the love of his mother. He often butted heads with his father and John didn't really know how to deal with him.
"What if we just went for a walk?" Marta got up from the table. "Would you like that, Jack? I can take you and your brother and we can go for a walk. Maybe stop at The Garrison to see if your dad is there? Maybe he would give us some money and we could buy some candy. How about that?" Marta bit her lip. Candy worked for Finn.
Jack contemplated the offer for a few moments, his breathing rather quick and sharp after loosing his temper when he threw the doll. "Only if there's candy." He finally agreed, looking up at his Aunty who still had hold of his arm. "Let go now Polly?" He asked, getting out of the house was probably just what he needed. He'd been cooped up all morning.
Polly looked down at the boy and said: "You can go outside. But you will bring candy to BOTH of your sisters," she nodded and then let the boy go.
Marta smiled and then went to pick up the smaller Shelby. "We're going outside!" Marta nodded and then prepared the boys with their shoes and coats with Polly's help.
"Hmm." Jack hummed to himself, but he knew better than to argue with his Aunt. She was always rather firm. His mood seemed to change from grumpy to excited rather quickly though and he ran to the hallway. "I'll get my boots." He called to Marta, sitting down on the floor and pulling them on, though he had no idea how to tie his shoelaces and nearly tripped over as he ran back to the kitchen. "C'mon lady, let's go." He said, pulling on her top.
Marta leaned down towards the boy and then looked at his shoelaces. They were tangled. "We need to tie these, okay?" She smiled and then added: "And call me Marta," she said. "That's my name." Marta tied Jack's shoelaces and then they were really ready to go! "Let's go. The sooner we get to your dad, the sooner we'll get the candy." Marta smiled… but more so she also wanted to see Tommy.
Jack managed to stand still just long enough for Marta to tie up his shoelaces and at the mention of getting to his Dad quickly so they could get to the shop he quickly ran to the door. "Ok, quick then Marta." He said, flashing her a sweet smile as he tiptoed to reach the door handle and pull the front door open.
Marta hummed and followed the boy. "Yeah. Quick," she grabbed young William perched the toddler on her hip before she walked through the streets with the two. She made sure to watch Jack. She did not want to lose the boy. The journey to The Garrison was short and quick thanks to Jack almost running to get there.
Jack always stayed ahead of Marta, he didn't get to go to The Garrison much as he was usually made to stay at home with the nanny. If they went out it was usually to feed the ducks at the nearby pond or go and play in the fields. When they got to the pub he struggled to push open the doors, they were rather heavy for his little arms. "Hurry up Marta." He called back to the lady carrying his brother.
"I am coming," she called on the boy. "You will look for your dad and ask him for a bit of money, okay? It's for candy for you and your sisters." Marta rubbed the boy's back and then helped him with the door once she was close enough. She didn't want to stay in the pub with the kids for too long. If The Garrison wasn't a place for a lady, then it definitely wasn't for kids. Marta walked into the pub and looked around in search of the Shelby's.
Whilst Marta was watching the children Tommy had finished up some of his plans. This included ordering a new suit for the races for the Chinese tailors. After he had finished up his jobs he checked on the betting shop, making sure everything was in order before he headed to The Garrison for a well needed drink.
Harry was just grabbing the stuff Charlie had delivered that morning. The Garrison really needed to stock up. "Whiskey, rum, gin... and three bottles of lingonberry schnapps." Harry didn't know why the schnapps, but he wasn't the one to ask questions.
Tommy lit a cigarette as he entered the pub. "Whiskey for me Harry." He said, his eyes naturally scanning the pub to make sure everything was in order.
Harry nodded and then poured the whiskey. "I see you managed not to burn the pub down when I wasn't here. Does Marta still work here, or did something happen? The pub was clean and all the money was in its place. I was surprised." He moved the whiskey over to the man.
"Marta's looking after John's kids, the nanny is away." Tommy said, giving Harry a nod in thanks as he took the glass and raised it to his lips. "She seemed to do a good job, everyone seemed happy with the service." He then said before taking another puff of his cigarette.
"Good," Harry nodded. "I'll be happy when she's back. It was good to be able to stay home for a few more days after the worst of the flu hit me." Harry said and then kept pouring beer and booze to the patrons.
"She'll be back sooner rather than later if those kids have anything to do with it." Tommy said, though then again they could end up sending her running for the hills. They certainly had a way of getting under people's skin.
Harry shrugged. "We'll see. Maybe she will feel like she is ready for her own kids after watching someone else's. That would not be great for the business, but maybe good for her. I don't understand women, and I am married."
Marta certainly wouldn't be having kids any time soon if she wouldn't even have sex, Tommy thought to himself and simply let out a hum in response to Harry before draining the rest of his glass. "I'm with you there, I don't understand them either." He said, pushing the empty glass towards Harry for a refill.
Harry refilled Tommy's glass as John and Arthur came to the pub. They were in a good mood. "Hello, Tommy... how was your night?" John asked. "Marta didn't even look that tired."
Tommy instantly took a sip of his whiskey when the refilled glass was placed in front of him and stubbed out his cigarette as he heard his brothers. He gave them a glance before looking back to his whiskey, swirling it around the glass. "Apparently she was too drunk." He stated simply, he didn't really want to get into the finer details.
Arthur nodded and patted Tommy's shoulder. "Happens all the time, brother," he sat down at the bar. "Well, maybe let's not make her too drunk next time." John chuckled and then ordered himself some whiskey.
It certainly didn't usually seem to happen to Tommy, that was for sure. "Yes, very funny, very funny." Tommy said, his tone exceptionally dry as he finished off yet another glass of whiskey.
"It's not like there aren't other girls," Arthur said and then drank some whiskey.
John drank his whiskey as well. "Oh no." John then said abruptly. He didn't usually meet his kids at the pub. "Help."
"Ok, ok." Jack said with a quick nod of his head and the moment the door was open he went rushing into the pub.
Tommy heard John's plea for help and glanced at the door, seeing little Jack barrelling towards them followed by Marta and little William. "You made them, you deal with them." Tommy said under his breath, his patience was particularly thin today, mainly due to his lack of sleep… or lack of sex.
"Dad!" Jack called excitedly as he rushed over. "Uncle Arthur!" He then said, running into his uncle's leg. Jack was still holding a grudge against Tommy after the mornings timeout and Arthur was always the fun uncle.
Arthur turned to the door. "Aaah! Who's that?" He looked at the small boy who came to him. "Is that my strong nephew, Jack? Show me your muscles, come on?!" Arthur got off his seat. "Yes! You'll be a boxer. Same as your uncle." Arthur patted the boy's shoulder.
Jack was a nimble little boy and bounced on his toes a little, holding his little fists up to act as his guard before giving his uncle a few quick punches to the leg. His technique for his age was rather impressive. "Yeah uncle Arthur I'll be a boxer like you!"
"That's right!" Arthur said happily. He picked up the boy. "Look at Jack Shelby! The future best boxer in the north!" Arthur laughed and then ruffled the boy's hair. "That's my nephew. But you know. Sitting around pubs won't make a good boxer out of you."
John wanted to disappear. He just gestured for Harry to pour him some more booze.
"Hello," Marta smiled as she walked over to Tommy. "We couldn't make Anna and Jack play nice, so I decided to take these two outside. I'll probably take the girls tomorrow." Marta nodded and bounced William a little. "How have you been?" She asked. "I managed to break a window." Marta was determined to cover for Jack to the end.
"Only god himself can make Jack and Anna play nice." Tommy said, looking at his whiskey for a moment rather than Marta. He was being dramatic, he knew it, but perhaps his pride had taken a little bit of damage. "I'll send Charlie round to fix it." Tommy then said, taking a sip of his glass, it was nothing new at John's house. Something was always getting broken.
Marta watched Tommy. This was it. What she was worried about was happening right in front of her. Tommy wouldn't even look at her. Apparently, being around Tommy had its rules and conditions, and Marta had managed to break one.
"Right. Thanks... boss." Marta then looked at the older child. "Jack, come on. We're going. Aunt Polly will be worried."
Tommy finally glanced at Marta when she called him boss, yet he seemed to remain silent as he took out a cigarette and lit it before looking back at his whiskey. It wasn't her fault, it was his fault. His mood and his head weren't right.
"You need to take me training Uncle Arthur!" Jack said, dancing around on his toes like he was in the ring as he kept his little fists up. He gave his uncle a couple more jabs to the leg before jabbing his Dad in the knee. "Dad-dad we need money for candy." He said, still moving around like a little boxer.
"You can bet I will soon. When I have time," Arthur smiled at his little nephew.
John looked down at his son. "Money for candy?" John sighed. "What do boxers need candy for?" John looked through his pockets and then fished out change. "There you go. Buy some for your other siblings as well, okay?" John nodded and then hoped that his kids would leave the pub.
Marta looked at Jack when Tommy finally looked at her. "We've got the money now Jack, say goodbye nice and loud and let's go buy some candy," Marta nodded and then moved to the door.
"Thanks Dad." Jack chirped as he put the coins in to his pocket. "I'm not getting any for Anna though." He then mumbled to himself before he gave his Uncle Arthur another punch to his leg. "What about tonight Uncle Arthur?" Jack suggested. His Dad and Uncle always seemed to be so busy, and he wasn't sure exactly what it was that they did, he just knew that his Dad was never at home. "Uncle Arthur please?" He said hopefully, ignoring Marta's pleas to leave for a moment.
Arthur sighed and looked at the boy. "You need to sleep at night, little boxer, you know?" Arthur said. "I will see how the work goes and when you least expect it, I'll come in and take you training, right?" Arthur patted the boy's head and smiled a little. "Now go get some candy to get strong and agile..."
Marta sighed and then walked over to Jack. She carefully grabbed his hand and said: "You heard your uncle, love. We should go," she gently tugged on the boy's hand. "Sooner we leave, the sooner will your dad and uncle be finished with their work and they'll take you to the ring. Okay?"
Jack seemed a little downtrodden by his uncle's response, a small frown on his little face as Marta took his hand. "The always say - later Jack." He said, getting a little frustrated as he kicked a foot at his Dad's leg. "But you never do."
John looked down at the boy and then got off his barstool. "Listen here, Jack," he crouched down and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I am sorry I can't be with you all day every day. But I have to take care of you and your sisters and your little brother. I have to make a lot of money for all of you. I promise that one day, I'll be able to be with you all the time. Or I'll get you a mom who will love you and will be with us all the time. For now, you have to be the big brother. You have to take care of your sister's and your little brother. I love you. You know that, right?" John nodded and booped Jack's nose. He then kissed his forehead.
Jack tried to listen to his dad as closely as he could, though he struggled to pay attention for longer periods of time, but he got the gist of what his father was trying to say. "Ok Dad." He replied, looking up at him with a slightly happier expression before looking up to William perched on Marta's hips. Jack then gave Arthur one last little punch before he ran to the door.
Marta smiled and looked back at the boy who was almost out the door. When she turned back, she stood face to face with John. "Next time you watch my kids and you want to take them somewhere, don't pick the pub." Marta didn't understand. John looked a bit annoyed. "I thought..." Marta tried to say.
"No. I don't think you thought about it," John said, "next time. No pub, especially this one. You've seen what happens here. You've been here when Billy fucking Kimber came. So keep my kids out of here. You even took the toddler here. Toddlers don't go to pubs." John went to sit back on his barstool.
Marta was a bit shocked. What was wrong with all the men today? Jack was acting up. Tommy wouldn't look at her. AND now John? What was next? "Toddlers are usually with their parents." Marta mumbled quietly before walking out of the pub, catching up to Jack.
Tommy glanced up when John started ranting at Marta, he did have a point, the pub wasn't a particularly safe place for the kids, but she also had a point that perhaps John did need to try and spend abit more time with his children. Once she had left he looked at his brothers. "She wouldn't sleep with me." He said, perhaps it was damaged pride or ego. But something felt off inside himself.
Arthur looked at Tommy and took a gulp of his whiskey. "Well, it's strange that someone wouldn't sleep with you." Arthur patted Tommy's shoulder. "You were always the ladies man, though less openly a ladies man than our boy John." Arthur smirked and then shrugged. "Should I ask her about it? Carefully?" The eldest brother asked. "I am very good at insti...insta-investigating," the man offered and nodded. "Maybe it's something on her part."
"Maybe she's a virgin," John said.
Tommy contemplated his brothers words, perhaps indeed she was a virgin, that would explain her reluctance for drunken sex. "Hmm." He hummed, mulling over his thoughts. "I'll speak with her." He then said, he didn't want his over eager brother interfering.
"But if you don't feel like speaking to her, I can do it. I wouldn't mind. I am nice, right?" Arthur smiled and then took a sip of his whiskey. "I've always been great at talking."
"You're nice in your own special way brother." Tommy responded, giving his eldest brother a firm pat on his shoulder. "We need to discuss the plan with Kimber." He then said, standing up and signaling to Harry. "Bring us a bottle of whiskey Harry." He said, this was something they needed to discuss in private.
John got up and patted his eldest brother too. "That's right. you are nice in your own special way. Especially to my eldest boy," John smiled. He grabbed his half full glass and walked into the private room. Arthur followed them soon after. "I am the oldest. I am very special. I should be taking care of you lot." Arthur closed the door behind himself. Soon, Harry came in and went just as quickly, leaving the bottle behind him.
"If you could look after yourself we might trust you to look after the rest of us." Tommy said with a small chuckle, taking his seat at the head of the table and lighting a cigarette. "Thanks Harry." He said as the barman set down their bottle.
"I have no idea what you mean," Arthur shook his head. However, he had the idea. He had issues like many men that went to war. He had his demons and sometimes they came to bite him in the ass. Many times in the boxing ring, he just got into this sort of trance and he couldn't stop. It got scary many times.
After Arthur had spoke Tommy just shook his head and let out a small chuckle. He then reached over the table and opened the bottle of whiskey, pouring them each a generous measure. "So, Kimber." He then spoke, it was important they were all on the same page with this. "It's important we get him onside in order to take over his pitches." Tommy explained. "His arrogance will be his downfall. He believes we are clueless gypsies. When we go to Cheltenham we will steal back the money the Lee's take from his bookies, and when I return it to him he will help us gain a legal betting license." He explained.
Arthur and John leaned over the table and listened to Tommy. They were nodding. "How do we steal the money from the Lees? Do we beat them up?" John asked Tommy with a smirk.
"You beat them black and fucking blue." Tommy replied, taking a gulp of whiskey. The more he could add to the fire with the Lee's the more Kimber would believe in their common enemy. The enemy of my enemy if my friend. Or so they said.
John laughed and then downed his whiskey in one go. "Good. I haven't beaten someone in a bit. I think I might even be getting rusty!" He smirked and then poured himself some more of the whiskey. "Ahh," he sat back and nodded. "I hoped that we would get some action," Arthur smirked.
"Well get some practice in John Boy, it's going to be a big day." Tommy explained, giving his brother a nod. It was a day he was certainly excited for. It was to be the first step in growing their legitimate business.
John laughed and then poured his brothers some more booze. He was so excited about the races. He also felt like they should put Kimber in his place for being mean earlier. John didn't like Kimber throwing the coin on the ground. He supposed that Tommy didn't like it either.
Tommy clinked his glass of whiskey against his brothers. If his plan went well soon the Lee's would be in their pocket and Kimber would be out of the picture. It was a methodical plan that he was sure would work.
Chapter 10: Gum & Handfuls
Chapter Text
Jack had run outside the pub rather content now with the promise of boxing and candy. "Hurry Marta." He said, excitedly running off ahead.
Marta sighed and then walked a bit quicker. "Right, alright, Jack. I am coming." She looked at the little boy in her arms. "At least you are nice to me," she smiled and gently caressed the boy's cheek.
Jack gave Marta a cheeky smile as she brushed his cheek and after a short walk they had reached the shop. He tiptoed at the counter and pointed at the glass jar of sherbet lemons. "Can we have some lemons-and-and some bubblegum please." He asked, bouncing on his toes a little from his excitement.
Marta waited for the boy to buy his candy. She looked around the shop and then back at the boy as the lady behind the counter put some sherbet lemons in a package for him.
"So, honey," Marta said. "Do we have enough candy for your sisters too?" She asked the boy and ruffled his hair. "Hmm?"
Jack handed the lady the money and grinned at Marta as he rammed the sweets into his pocket. "Yep." He replied sweetly, popping a piece of gum into his mouth and chewing it for a few moments before blowing a large bubble.
"Good," Marta smiled. She offered her hand to the boy. "Let's go home now. Polly will surely be worried and the girls will be glad to get the candy long before dinner." Marta hummed a song to herself on their way home.
Jack took Marta's hand, happily skipping alongside her with his pocket full of sweets, blowing the occasional bubble as they made their way home. Once they got back he let go of her hand and rushed inside. " I got sweeties." He called out to his sisters and he set the lemon sherbets on the table. Once Anna arrived to take a sweet he couldn't help himself and laughed as he took the gun from his mouth and smushed it into her hair.
Marta walked into the Shelby's home and smiled when she saw the boy offering sweets to his sisters. Poor Anna came very close. She was holding the candy in her hand when she felt the sticky gum in her hair. "NOOOO!" Anna screamed bloody murder. Polly, who was sitting in an armchair right there, jumped and got up. "That's enough!" She shouted. She very quickly walked up to Jack and turned his pockets inside out and took the candy from him.
Jack found Anna's reaction to the gum hilarious and let out another laugh as she started to scream, trying to pull the gum out of her hair only seemed to make it worse. Though what he didn't find as funny was his Aunt Pol immediately snatching the remaining gum from his pockets. "Hey! Aunt Poll, that's mine!" He said, trying to reach for the bubblegum she had taken from him.
Marta carefully put William down and went to help Anna with her hair. She would try to take the gum out of the little girl's hair. She had nice hair. It would be a pity if they had to cut them just because of a piece of gum. Marta used a lot of warm water and soap for the hair. It wasn't helping. "Wait, I'll go look for something that might help us honey. I am so sorry..."
Meanwhile, Polly grabbed Jack by the back of his neck and dragged him over to a corner of the room. "I've had enough of your shenanigans today! You will stay here for a few minutes and then you'll say sorry to your sister!" Polly led the boy into the corner and held him there. She would stay there with the boy if she needed, but this had to stop.
"Ouch, ouch." Jack squeaked as Polly grabbed him by the back of his neck, his little feet sliding along the floor as he tried to protest. But the little boy certainly wasn't strong enough to stop the fully grown woman dragging him to the corner. After his long day of causing mischief he was steadily frowning rather overtired, that often made his behavior worse before it got better with the inevitable crash. "I don't want timeout Aunt Pol." He said, unable to get away from the corner with her holding him. "Uncle Tommy already gave me a timeout."
Polly held the boy and watched him. "Did he? He didn't do a very good job at it then! You are still being naughty." She shook her head. "I am not happy you have to have this timeout! But you... why would you do that to your sister? Do you hate her that much? I've seen all kinds of things kids do to themselves, but you?" Polly gulped.
Jack started getting a little worked up and steadily tears started growing in his eyes. Processing emotion was hard for him. His dad was right, he needed a mother to help settle him down. "Anna's always nasty to me, but, but you all never see it." Jack tried to explain, getting a little short of breath before hastily rubbing his eyes. "You always just give me trouble, not her."
"You have to tell us when Anna is nasty to you," Polly sighed. "If you tell us instead of beating her and putting gum in her hair, then we will give her trouble. You can be sure." Polly held the boy for a little bit more before releasing him and checking on how Anna's hair looked. She hoped that she wouldn't have to cut the crying girls hair.
Jack seemed to slowly calm down after Polly's words. He certainly took after his dad by reacting before thinking. Once Polly let him go he went out to the kitchen to get some of the sherbet lemons, deciding it would be better to stay away from his sister for the time being. He could still hear her crying upstairs.
Polly looked at the girl whose hair was getting treated by Marta. "How's it looking?" She asked with her brows knitted together.
"I mean. We are getting somewhere. I used a bit of vinegar and hot water and prayers," Marta said prayers very quietly. It was a bitch to get the gum out. Polly tried herself after Marta talked about her methods. They managed to get most of the gum out.
After sucking on a few sherbet lemons Jack played with William on the living room floor. His favourite toy was their wooden horses that they pretended were galloping across the ground, though he soon started to feel rather tired from his busy day and fell asleep on the rug with one of the horses held loosely in his hand.
Marta walked out of the bathroom when Polly offered to deal with Anna's hair further to avoid cutting it off. She took Katie with her. "You'd like me to read you a fairy tale?" Marta asked the little girl when she talked about the fairy tale for a bit. "I can do that, yes." She saw that Jack was already asleep. She handed Katie a pillow and a blanket. She then took William and sat him on the lap before reading the story.
Anna came out with her hair all wet. She wanted to listen to the story too, so she sat down next to an armchair Marta used. Slowly, everyone except Polly fell asleep, even Marta. She was loosely holding the book, but she firmly held William who fell asleep against her chest.
Even in his sleep Jack didn't seem to properly switch off, he moved a lot, murmuring as he fidgeted in his sleep. Eventually he ended up curled up like a small dog in front of the fireplace.
Polly prepared some tea for herself. She was just resting at the table. The living room was eerily quiet, but she hoped that it was because everybody was sleeping.
The three eldest Shelby brothers had stayed at the pub drinking. It was their favourite pastime. Arthur spoke about the ring and how the younger boxers weren't as great. John managed to tease his eldest brother relentlessly, resulting in them almost fighting multiple times.
"Enough. Enough." Tommy said as his brother nearly started fighting for the 4th time. "You two are worse than the kids." He said, his mind wondering to Marta. He hoped they hadn't made her pull out her hair just yet.
Arthur laughed. "That's why Jack is like he is. He is just like his father. And maybe a little bit like his uncles. He is a Shelby through and through."
Tommy was feeling rather drunk after they had nearly finished their second bottle of whiskey. "God help us all." He said, chuckling softly before finishing off yet another glass of his favourite beverage. "We should go and rescue the women." He said, pushing himself to his feet and swaying slightly which caused him to knock the table and push another chuckle from his lips.
John got up too. "Yes, yes, let's go. I can help with my kids. Everything will be alright," he laughed and then helped Arthur too. Arthur looked like he was walking on stilts. He had these slim long legs that wobbled around when he was drunk. He looked funny while walking drunk. "Good night Harry!" John called out as he walked out of the pub. "Aah, nice and cold. The night is nice and cold."
"John, help with his kids?" Tommy repeated, finding the phrase rather amusing as he patted Arthur firmly on the back. "Did you hear that brother?" He asked. As they reached the night air it seemed to make his stomach warm from the whiskey. Tommy exhaled, watching his breath turn the air into what looked like smoke before pulling his coat around his chin and pushing his hands into his pockets as they walked. Time like this together was nice, laughing and joking, even if it was at someone else's expense.
Once they reached their street he noticed that none of the lights seemed to be on in the Shelby house, they must have all still been at Johns and he wanted to check on Marta before he went to bed.
"Shut up you two, or I'll fight you." John said. He had no idea, but it was probably the thing his son Jack would say in that situation too. John walked into the door and looked around. "Oh well," he said. "It's very quiet here. Maybe Polly and Marta killed the kids and went to London," John hummed and then walked into the kitchen.
Polly sat there with her tea. "Good evening to you too," Polly said. "Marta told me she was reading the kids' stories. So maybe she killed them with her boring rendition?"
Meanwhile, the children didn't move around much and nor did Marta. She was calmly sleeping in the armchair with the toddler on her. The only thing that changed was that the book had fallen out of her hand.
The amount of whiskey Tommy had drunk seemed to make everything a little more funny than usual, it certainly helped to loosen him up. Everything was always so serious and once they had caught up with their business it was nice to unwind. "More like the kids killed the women." Tommy responded, bouncing off the door frame as he entered the kitchen. "Ah, Polly is alive." He said, chuckling as he gestured to his Aunt.
Polly's eyes widened. "Are you drunk again?" She shook her head and then poured a cup of tea to Arthur who was trying to do so, but he wasn't very good at it at the given moment. "Thank you, Pol." Arthur hummed and then drank his tea.
"No, never." Tommy responded, struggling to stop himself from chuckling as Arthur tried to pour himself a cup of tea. He took a cigarette from his pocket and seemed to search around in his other pocket for an awfully long time before he pulled out his lighter. It took a few attempts to get it lined up but finally he was smoking his lit cigarette.
Jack was a fairly light sleeper and as the men returned home he stirred a little, rolling over and rubbing his closed eyes. "Dad?" He said quietly, struggling to open his eyes eyes.
John walked over to his son and picked him up. "Aaaah, whose that here? Is that my strongest boy? How have you been?" John asked the boy and bounced him a little bit. "He put gum in his sister's hair." Polly said and sipped on her tea.
Jack let out a small murmur as he was lifted up from the rug, putting his head into his Dad's shoulder which moved up and down slightly as his Dad bounced him. His little arms hung around his Dad's shoulders as he finally managed to open his eyes a little. "Aunt Polly is lying." He said quietly, rubbing his tired eyes with his fists.
"Oh sure," Polly shook her head at Tommy. When he couldn't light his cigarette properly, he was drunk. She then looked at the little boy who tried to call her a liar. "I am lying, right?" Polly said. "John. I think that Jack would benefit from going to Charlie's and helping with the horses," Polly nodded and then got up. "He's got a lot of energy, so... He'd be helpful."
John looked at Polly and then at his son and then at Polly and at his son again. "You put gum in Anna's hair? Where is she?" John looked around. He wanted to go have a look at his daughter.
Jack let out a small sigh, thankfully he was too tired to try and kick up too much of a fuss. "I don't wanna help Curly with the shit Dad." He mumbled, giving his aunt Polly a rather angry looking frown, an expression that wouldn't have looked out of place on his fathers face when he was a boy.
Tommy slumped down into a chair beside Arthur, his mind flashing back to when they were boys and he laughed as he recounted a memory, giving Arthur a shove. "Remember when John put gum in your hair Arthur, you were bald for weeks." He said, chuckling to himself at the picture in his mind.
"I looked terrible!" Arthur said and shook his head. He drank his tea and lit a cigarette. "I looked like a shaved dick," Arthur sipped on his tea. "Where's the rest of the kids?" Arthur asked. "John has more, eh?"
Tommy hit his brother's arm rather enthusiastically. "You did look like a shaved dick." He agreed, chuckling to himself before he helped himself to a mouthful of Arthur's tea. "Yeah where are the rest Pol, where's Marta?" He asked. "And where's the whiskey?"
Polly looked at Tommy and walked over to bring them more cups so that they all could help themselves to their own tea. "There is no whiskey, and Marta and the rest of the kids are in the living room. They are probably asleep. I am not sure. Marta read stories for the children and didn't come out of the living room."
Tommy looked a little dumbstruck by Polly's comment. "How can there be no whiskey?" He said whilst clumsily pushing himself to his feet, there was always whiskey. "Let's get these kids to bed ey?" Tommy then said, atleast wanted to relieve Marta for the night. He was sure she wouldn't want to wake up on Johns sofa surrounded by his kids.
"This is not my house. I believe John doesn't have whiskey here," Polly said and then watched Tommy get up. Arthur got up too: "Yes. Let's get kids to bed," Arthur nodded. Polly was surprised at how much the men wanted to take care of the children just now. "Oh, well. You can take the kids to the bed. There's nothing wrong about that." Polly went with them just to see how the men would do at getting the kids to their beds.
John looked at the boy and then at Polly. "Well," he said. "Why wouldn't you help Curly with the horses?" John bounced the boy around some more. "I mean. You shouldn't put gum in your sister's hair, even though she sometimes is a bit mean to you. You must be nice to ladies. Or you won't get married. You know?"
"Cause it's smelly." Jack replied, though it wasn't really that that bothered him. It was more the idea of being punished for his behaviour. "But you put gum in Uncle Arthur's hair?" He then said before lowering his voice a little and whispering in to his dads ear. "What's wrong with Uncle Tommy? Why's he laughing?" The young boy then asked curiously, it was rare to see Tommy laugh.
"I did put gum in uncle Arthur's hair, but I am very sorry for it. Your uncle Arthur didn't look good for weeks, couldn't get any ladies and was very sad. I didn't like seeing him sad, you know?" John nodded with a small smile. "Uncle Tommy had too much whiskey to drink. It's like when you eat too much candy."
"So all the whiskey made him happy?" Jack said, resting his head back on his Dad's shoulder. The tiredness was coming back over him like a wave. "I miss Mum." He then said quietly, enjoying the rare time alone with his father.
"All the whiskey made Tommy happy. Yes," John said. When he heard that Jack missed his mother he looked into the boy's eyes. "I miss her too. It would be much easier to have her here," John kissed the boy's forehead. "Let's get you to the bed, okay?" John bounced the boy as he moved him over to the kids' bedroom.
Jack held on to his dad as he carried him to the bedroom. His mother had died when William was born, so Jack hadn't been much older than 3, but he could still remember the way she would sing him lullaby's to get him to sleep. By the time they had reached the bedroom Jack was nearly back to sleep, his little body rather limp as his father bounced him.
John smiled as he carried his little boy to the bed. He at least took the boy's day clothes off before putting him down in the bed. He covered him with love and then kissed him on the forehead. He then nodded and went back downstairs.
When Tommy and Arthur reached the living room Tommy took in the sight for a moment. Marta was fast asleep sandwiched between 3 sleeping children. It seemed they'd all done a great job of wearing eachother out. It seemed to take him a while to figure out the best way to get all three children up. "I'll take the little one." Tommy whispered to Arthur, mainly as he knew William would be the easiest to carry and he carefully tried to pick the young boy up, though it was rather difficult when he was seeing two Williams.
"Yes. And I'll take Marta," Arthur said, "Katie... one of the girls. I don't know which one." Arthur mumbled because he also saw many girls sleeping on that couch. He was very confused.
When Tommy tried to pick William up, Marta noticed. She thought that Tommy was someone who wanted to take the kid away. She held the little boy tighter as she opened her eyes. "Tommy?" Marta tilted her head to the side. "Tommy, what are you doing?"
Tommy gave Arthur a sharp punch to his arm at his comment about Marta. If Tommy couldn't take her to bed, his brother certainly couldn't. He then reached down to try and pick up the little one which seemed to wake Marta. "I'm taking him to bed." He whispered, or tried to anyway.
"Ow, fuck." Arthur yelped and held his arm for a little bit. It didn't hurt but Arthur was drunk and he took it badly.
Marta smelled just whiskey. She couldn't even smell Tommy's usual smell over the whiskey. "You are drunk," Marta told him. "I'll take him to the bed. I was just sleeping," Marta blinked her eyes and then carefully got up. She looked back at Tommy and smiled. "But you can help me if you want to," she offered.
"Arthur shush, you'll wake the kids." Tommy whispered before looking back down at Marta. "I can carry him, it's ok." He said, picking up the little boy who seemed out for the count, though he seemed to sway a little as he straightened up.
"Tommy, it's alright," Marta got up and rubbed the man's arm. "Please be careful with him, okay?" Marta asked and then picked up Anna. "I'll come with you," she nodded. She left Arthur in the living room with Katie. He tried to pick her up, but in the end he ended up sitting next to the eldest kid. "I am quiet," Arthur said. "I am quiet so I don't wake the kids."
"I am careful." Tommy said, carrying the boy against his chest. As he went up the stairs he occasionally bounced off of the wall as his shoulder hit against it, but he managed to get upstairs without too much of an issue and the child was thankfully still asleep.
Marta nodded and checked on Tommy as she walked behind him. She went to put the girl in her room. She didn't forget to cover her properly and all. She sighed softly. Tommy looked good with William. It was the way he was holding the boy that really stuck with Marta. Tommy was really good at taking care of his family, Marta thought.
She waited for Tommy in the hall, smiling softly.
Tommy lay William down and made sure he was tucked in, which took him a few minutes thanks to the whiskey. Then he finally made his way back to the landing, straightening his hat as he leant against the doorframe for a moment. "Busy day?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.
"Busy, yeah," Marta smiled. She was a little bit tired. "Probably not as busy as yours, though." Marta nodded and then walked over to Tommy. She sighed softly and then stood on her tiptoes to hug Tommy tightly. She just wanted to hug him, because she grew used to it and liked it very much.
Tommy had run a few errands throughout the day but he doubted things had been as busy for him as they had been for Marta. Atleast he hadn't been juggling 4 kids. He was a little surprised when she hugged him, and he unfolded his arms and wrapped them around her as he tried to keep his balance, swaying slightly from side to side. "I doubt that." He replied softly.
Marta hummed and held onto Tommy who swayed like a young tree in the wind. She smiled and then looked up at the man. "It wasn't easy. Especially to keep Anna and Jack from killing each other. And I feel like I might forever walk with one of my hips cocked out after holding William on it… but I guess it was worth it." Marta gently slipped Tommy's hat from his head and put it on her head. She then walked downstairs to get Katie. Katie surely needed proper sleep in her bed too.
"It's good practice." Tommy sometimes needed someone to stop him from killing, though that was in a more literal sense of the word. Of course that would depend on whether they could make it past this little blip. "It suits you." He said as she placed his hat on her head and once they'd made it downstairs, thankfully Tommy hadn't tripped, he watched as she tended to Katie.
"I know," Marta fixed the cap some. Katie woke up when she wanted to take her to her room. "Hi, it's late. You should go to sleep," Marta told her. The girl nodded and said that she could walk over to her room just fine. "Goodnight then, Katie," Marta smiled.
"Are you a virgin?" Tommy asked rather abruptly.
Marta was suddenly rather shocked by Tommy's questions and turned to look at him. "Where did that question come from?" Marta asked Tommy.
"What's a virgin, Marta?" Katie asked quickly from the bottom of the stairs.
"It doesn't matter Katie, go to bed." Tommy instructed, pointing to the door before he put his hands in to his pockets and waited for the young girl to leave. "Are you going to answer the question?" Tommy asked.
Katie sighed and wished Marta good night again. She left for bed. She knew she could ask aunt Polly tomorrow. She would surely tell her.
Marta looked at Tommy. "I am not a virgin Tommy."
"I knew it!" Said the couch. Or well, Arthur, who managed to lie down so well that Marta didn't see him at first glance.
"Arthur go grab some more tea," Marta said and then helped Arthur up. "Thank you, Tommy. I thought you were taller," Arthur told Marta. The cap probably confused him.
Marta then looked back at Tommy. "If you asked because of yesterday. I already apologised. I was drunk, my head was spinning a bit and I didn't feel up to it. If that's why I've been getting cold shoulder all day. Then... Then at least I know my worth around here."
"Shut up Arthur." Tommy snapped at the man suddenly but into their conversation, he hadn't even realised he was there. Tommy seemed to stumble slightly as he took a hand from his pocket and rubbed his face. Perhaps it had hurt his pride because he had wanted there to be something between them, and he'd spent the whole day working himself up over it. "Marta…” He said quietly, though couldn't seem to figure out what to say, his mind was struggling to formulate his words. "I just thought." He said, and then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."
"Yes, Tommy?" Marta walked up to the man. She grabbed his cheeks. "Listen to me okay," she hummed and then kissed the man's nose. "I like you a lot. You helped me more than you can imagine and I am thankful for it. You've got the prettiest eyes I've ever seen... But yesterday just wasn't the day I wanted to fuck you," she nodded. "It's that easy. There's nothing personal and I am more than certain that I won't be able to keep myself away from you for long."
Tommy let out a soft sigh as Marta held his cheeks, it was difficult for him to focus those bright blue eyes on her, and they were certainly a little more glassy than usual. "Ok… alright." He said in reply, his hands finding their way to her waist before he kissed her softly.
Marta pulled the cap off her head because she didn't want to cut Tommy. She stood on her tip toes and kissed Tommy back. "I can tell you every day if you want to," she offered. Her hands moved to the man's hair and gently tugged on it. "Fucking kids," she hummed. "They are two handfuls."
"We are all handfuls." Tommy responded, murmuring against her lips as she grabbed his hair. He hadn't slept well the previous night and was starting to feel his heavy eyelids trying to close, which of course he continued to fight.
Marta looked up at the man and rubbed his arms. "Let's get you to bed, huh? Let's tuck you in too," Marta smiled and then gently pulled Tommy's hair. "You sleep next door, right?" She nodded. She said goodnight to Polly and then walked out of the home with Tommy.
"Yeah-yeah next door." Tommy responded with a slight nod of his head, letting out a hum as she pulled his hair. As they left John's house he wrapped his arm around Marta's shoulder and stumbled out the front door. "Goodnight Arthur." He murmered to his brother as they left.
"Goodnight," Arthur mumbled as he passed out on the rug in the living room. He had a teddy bear under his head that served him as a pillow.
Marta let Tommy lead the way in terms of opening the door for them. She only knew the Shelby house from when she barged in and asked for her pay.
Tommy kicked off his shoes as he made it inside. Finn must already have been asleep and with Polly and Arthur next door the house was rather quiet for a change. "Are you coming to bed?" He asked, reaching for his tie and pulling it a little looser.
Marta looked at Tommy and then looked around the house. It was quite cosy, she had to admit. Her room at Mrs Riley's was a mess compared to this house. Marta believed that the Shelby house was so clean and cosy thanks to Polly.
"To your bed?" Marta asked. "Well, if you want me there then sure. Otherwise, I can tuck you in, give you a kiss and go home," she offered with a smile.
"I would like you there." Tommy replied with a drunken nod of his head before he staggered his way up the stairs. When he opened his bedroom door it showed no sign of anyone ever sleeping there. The sheets were perfectly made and each item had its place, even the items on his dressing table. His clothes all hung neatly in his wardrobe or were folded in his dresser. You wouldn't think anyone had ever even set foot in the room. "Can you pour me a whiskey?" He asked as he started to struggle with the buttons of his shirt. His decanter of whiskey rest on his bedside table with two clean glasses. Not that the second glass was ever used, but it was there just in case.
Marta smiled and nodded. She then walked a few steps behind Tommy, making sure that he wouldn't fall down the stairs. She walked into his bedroom and took it in. It was way too clean. It was in stark contrast to her bedroom. There was no clothing on the floor and no clutter anywhere. But Tommy's bed looked reasonably comfortable. "Oh, sure," Marta said and poured Tommy some more of the whiskey. She knew he had enough of it already, but she didn't want to argue with him. He looked tired.
"Allow me," she smiled at him and gently grabbed his hands to stop him. He was fumbling with the buttons and it looked like he would soon tear them off.
When Marta came to help with the buttons of his shirt he relaxed a little, lowering his shaky hands. Those fucking shakes always came at night. "Thank you." He said softly, watching with his glassy eyes as she unbuttoned his shirt.
"It's alright," Marta looked up at the man with a small smile. She made sure to unbutton all the buttons carefully. Once she was done, she gently grabbed Tommy's hand and kissed the back of it. She saw that it was shaking and she knew the kisses probably wouldn't help the shakes, but it was a small thing she could do. "Here we go," Marta nodded. She went to look around Tommy's room. She wouldn't touch anything, she just wanted to know if there was something interesting.
Tommy looked down at his hand when Marta carefully kissed it, letting a small sigh escape his nose. "It's been like that since France." He said quietly before she seemed to start looking around his room. Tommy took off his shirt and carefully placed it in his wash basket, most of his clothes went to the dry cleaners and were sorted out by Polly. He then went for the whiskey, carefully lifting the glass before he downed the lot and lit a cigarette.
Marta nodded to Tommy's words. "It has not been very long since France, huh?" Marta asked. She looked at a few trinkets that had their place in the room. "Maybe you just need more time to recover. Don't be hard on yourself. Sometimes the best thing you can do is wait and give yourself some time," she then looked at Tommy. He was so attractive. Marta pulled Tommy's cap out of her pocket and carefully straightened it out, minding all the blades. She then put the cap on top of a small dresser.
"I look forward to my payday," she said. "I'll buy myself something nice," Marta nodded. "Maybe some new clothes." She said as she pulled her sweater off.
Tommy shook his head at her comment about France. It had been a year, but sometimes it felt like only a few days. It haunted them all in its own way. It was hard to forget 4 muddy and bloody years in the trenches and tunnels. "You will need a dress for the races." Tommy spoke, tapping the ash from his cigarette into an ashtray beside the bed before he finally sat down on the mattress and pulled off his socks, the cigarette hanging from his lips.
Marta turned to look at Tommy. "I am going to the races?" She asked him and walked closer to Tommy. "I am not a fan of races, though," she wrinkled her nose a little bit. "And I am not fan of Kimber. I can buy myself a nice dress, though. And I guess I'll survive the races." Marta sighed. She could do it for Tommy.
"You are going to the races." Tommy repeated, his words slurring slightly as he lay back on the bed with his cigarette still between his lips. "You are going to the races with me." He said. "And we will pretend to be Billy fucking Kimbers biggest fucking fans."
Marta licked her lips and then sighed. "Right," she hummed. "You can be glad I really like you, I wouldn't do it otherwise," Marta said. She began pulling her clothes off. She tried to somehow fold it and place it somewhere in a neat pile. She contemplated keeping her camisole on, but in the end she took it off and that left her in only her underwear.
"You really like me, ey?" Tommy replied, moving his head so he could see her undress from the bed as he lay on his back smoking his cigarette. "Wow." He hummed to himself as watched her remove her clothing. It was the first time he'd seen her almost completely naked. "I'm too drunk for sex." He then teased as he watched her standing in the middle of his room.
"I really like you," Marta said to herself with a small shake of her head. She would never have guessed that she would fall for a man after her experience with her only male figure being a total idiot. Marta laughed, although she really liked the wow Tommy let out. She supposed that Tommy had seen many women naked. "I know you're too drunk for sex, Tommy... I just want to be comfortable. You don't have to look, if you're too drunk," Marta shrugged.
"No no." Tommy said, pulling his head up a little and propping himself up with his elbow. He found himself taking in all her beauty as she remained standing in front of him whilst he continued to smoke his cigarette. "I was pretending to use your excuse, I'm hardly too drunk." He corrected himself quickly.
Marta ran her hand through her hair and shook her head at Tommy. "Not too drunk to watch then?" Marta hummed. "Scoot," she told Tommy as she neared the bed. She wanted to get under the covers of the bed since she was starting to get a bit cold.
Tommy has a rather content look on his face as he watched her run her hand through her hair, she was truly beautiful, both inside and out. He moved over a little, holding up the sheets so she could climb underneath. "Never." He hummed softly, welcoming her to the bed with a soft kiss.
Marta climbed into the bed and sighed contently. "Warm," she said to herself. She then kissed Tommy back and wrapped her arms around him. "Why have two beds when we often sleep in one?" Marta looked at Tommy and shrugged. "Isn't that a waste?" Marta moved around to get comfortable in Tommy's bed. "Would you like to lay your head on me today?"
"Are you saying you want to move in with me?" Tommy asked, their lips hovering together for a moment as he spoke, a cheeky smile etched on his face. He tucked some of her hair behind her ear and ran his hand down her back, her skin was soft despite the scars. There was nothing he wanted more than to make love to her, but after the previous night he decided it was best to leave the ball firmly in her court to save himself any further embarrassment.
"Wouldn't that be scandalous," Marta chuckled. She then shook her head. "As much as I like to sleep in the bed with you, because you're always very warm, I want to keep my room at the B and B." She purred when Tommy touched her back. She kissed Tommy's cheek and forehead. "Ready to sleep?" She asked.
"I'm deeply offended." Tommy joked lightheartedly, the whiskey definitely helped him to relax. But she was right, the room at the B&B was good to keep hold of. When she kissed his cheek and head he found himself cuddling against her shoulder. The whiskey certainly doing its job in helping him to finally drift off to sleep before he could even respond to her question.
Marta smiled and then looked at Tommy. He really did look sleepy at that point. She bit her lip and then, very quietly, she mostly hummed a song her mother used to sing to her. When the song ended, Marta closed her eyes and soon fell asleep too. She felt very warm and safe in Tommy's arms
Chapter 11: Nightmares & Boxers
Chapter Text
Tommy seemed to sleep soundly until the sun started to rise. As usual his dreams turned to nightmares and he soon found himself fighting in the tunnels inside his own mind. This time at least he did not win his fight and as the gun against his head was fired Tommy sharply sat up, his face sweaty and his breathing sharp as he took a moment to identify where he was. “Fuck, fuck.” He said to himself, quickly rubbing his face with his hands, forgetting that Marta was even in the bed with him.
Marta woke up right when Tommy sat up. He managed to tear the covers off her. Marta blinked her eyes and then touched Tommy's back. "Tommy?" Marta sighed. "Tommy are you alright?" She knelt on the bed and placed her hands on Tommy's cheeks. "Tommy. It's me, Marta," she said as she looked into his eyes. He looked like he was looking right through her. He seemed to be looking into the distance. What he saw, Marta didn't know.
Tommy took a couple quick breaths, seeming to steady himself as he came out of his nightmare and into reality. “He got me… he fucking got me.” Tommy murmured, his eyes seeming to focus a little as he calmed down to see Marta knelt beside him holding his face. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a couple of deep breaths. It was embarrassing for him to show weakness like this and he tried to brush it off when he opened his eyes. “I’m ok.” He then said, patting her hand before he wrapped his fingers around hers and pulled her hand slowly away from his cold face.
Marta smiled softly and was just happy that Tommy's eyes again looked like they saw her. "Who got you, Tommy?" Marta asked him as she let him take her hand off. She still watched him, though. She was worried for him. But he was a grown man, she didn't want to make him feel like a child.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
“The fucking Fritz.” Tommy said, it was a term they’d used in the war to identify their German enemies. His nightmares were something that he rarely talked about, as was his time with the Small Heath Rifles, but he trusted her enough to be honest, atleast to some extent. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and finger. “Sometimes it lasts all night.” He spoke, his voice rather low as he looked at the wall opposite his bed. “And I lie here, and I can hear them with their shovels and their picks.” Tommy continued to explain. “And I pray that the sun will come through the curtains before they breakthrough. No I don’t pray, I fucking hope.” He said, his eyes still staring at the wall like it was drawing him in and he took a shaky breath. “And sometimes it’s happens, the sun beats them… but mostly the shovels beat the sun.”
Marta looked a bit confused. Who was Fritz? Marta moved around the bed and listened to Tommy. She bit her lip as he talked about his dreams and his trauma. It felt a bit sad to her. She knew she couldn't help him. Marta moved closer to him and hugged him from behind. She closed her eyes. "That sounds horrible, can't imagine how horrible it must be for you," Marta kissed Tommy's shoulder and nuzzled it. "I wish I could help you, Tommy," she said honestly, "but I am worried that all I can do is just hope that the sun beats them every time."
Tommy closed his eyes as he felt Marta’s arms wrap around him. He’d never had anyone care about him like this before, it was an alien feeling. “I used to dig tunnels.” Tommy explained, reaching his hand up to her cheek as he kept his eyes on the wall. “We would dig from the trenches, in the mud and the blood and set mines and bombs.” He explained, it felt strange talking to someone that wasn’t his brother’s. Though Arthur had been a machine gunner and John, John had been a fusilier. But thankfully they had all served together in the same unit. “Sometimes we would make it far enough before they knew we were there… other times they would find us first.” Tommy explained , his skin still seeming rather cold to the touch as he recounted his tale.
"Thank you," Marta said. "Thank you for telling me and thank you for what you did for us ladies.” Marta turned to Tommy and kissed his cheek. She then gently rubbed his shoulders. She didn't know what else to tell him. She couldn't even imagine the terror. Marta hugged Tommy again and sat with him for a bit. "If you ever have more to tell me. You can tell me… I'll always be here."
Speaking about the trauma out loud seemed to help him feel better a little quicker than usual. He reached for his cigarettes and lit one, inhaling deeply as she rubbed his shoulders. It helped, it all helped. “And now we have a country full of women looking after fucked up men.” He spoke. It was true. The war had changed everyone in its own way and the women held them all together. For the Shelby’s it was Polly, but every family needed a Polly, else the men wouldn’t survive. Their heads would always be in France. He slowly nodded his head, taking another deep inhale of his cigarette before he offered it to her. “I need to wash.” He then said, finally pushing himself up from the bed.
Marta huffed. She shook her head at Tommy's comment on fucked up men. "I think us women can handle you lot," Marta said. She then accepted Tommy's cigarette and took a puff from it. "And I need to go to the B & B to change. And then I am off to watch the kids once again." Marta nodded and then began to put her clothes back on. "So, shall I expect a huge pay packet that will pay for a nice dress and maybe something nice under the dress?" Marta asked.
Tommy opened the top drawer of his bedside table once he had stood up, inside was a rather substantial amount of cash and he took out a £10 note. “That should be plenty for a nice dress.” He said, handing it to her. He contemplated his plan for a moment as he poured himself a quick glass of whiskey to start the day and push the nightmare firmly from his head. No, no don't do it. Tommy told himself. He had seen the way Kimber had looked at her in the pub, but he cared out Marta too much to allow her to become part of a business deal, he wouldn’t do it. That was final.
Marta looked at the ten pound note. She held it in her hands and then looked at Tommy. "Wow," she nodded. "That's a lot of money," Marta hugged Tommy. "I'll be the prettiest lady at the races!" Marta slipped her shoes on. She then went to kiss Tommy's cheek again.
“You won’t need a nice dress for that.” Tommy said softly as she hugged him. In his eyes she would be the prettiest woman there regardless of the dress she was wearing, in his mind that was clear.
Marta seemed to blush slightly at Tommy’s comment. "Have a good day, I have to go now. The kids might already be roasting Polly on a firepit in the middle of the room!" And with that, Marta was gone. She was thinking about what dress she would buy.
Tommy’s eyes followed her as she rushed out the room, part of him wished they could simply lay in each others arms all day, but she was gone before the thought settled in Tommy’s mind and he went through to bathroom to get washed and dressed for the day.
Marta went to quickly change in her room. She then practically ran to the John’s house, hoping that the kids didn't take it down when she wasn't there.
For most of the family the day was already in full swing and Jack had been delighted to see his Uncle Arthur sleeping on the sofa in the living room when he had come downstairs in search of food. Like a little lightning bolt he jumped up onto his Uncle's chest. “Uncle Arthur.” He said excitedly, trying to wake the sleeping giant. “Can we go boxing today?” Jack asked, poking his uncle's face to try and wake him.
"Aaaah!" Arthur opened his eyes and sat up. "Oh my fucking God," the man said and looking at the boy. "Jack. You can't jump on people like that." Arthur took a few deep breaths because he needed to figure out whether or not he had a cracked rib. "Have you seen your uncle Tommy?" Arthur asked.
Jack let out a giggle as his Uncle startled awake, Uncle Arthur was always one to make him laugh and the little lad perched on his lap. “Oh my fucking god.” He repeated with another giggle before he shook his head. “Nope, I haven’t seen uncle Tommy.” The boy replied before pulling at Arthur’s hand to try and get him up.
"Nooo!" Arthur said and then carefully got up with the boy. "You can’t run around saying that, okay?" Arthur said. "You don't say the stuff I say, okay?" Arthur patted the boy's head. "I need to go drink some water." The man nodded and walked to the kitchen. The girls were already preparing breakfast with aunt Polly. Anna had her hair covered with a scarf. She was rather scared.
Marta knocked on the door and walked in. "Good morning," she said with a small smile. "Good morning, Anna. Good morning, Jack."
“But can we go boxing uncle Arthur?” Jack asked again, desperate to get the answer he wanted to his question as he followed his uncle into the kitchen. Anna looked a little funny with the scarf wrapped around her head and he had a quick nose to see what Polly was making before Marta entered the room. He pretended to be surprised like Arthur had been when he’d abruptly woken him up. “Oh my fucking god!” He proclaimed, a cheeky grin on his face.
Marta's eyes widened. "Oi, those words!" Marta shook her head and went to Jack. "This is not how a gentleman talks, Jack." The woman rubbed the boy's shoulder. "The food is done," Polly said and then made a few portions. "Everyone sit down, now. First we eat," Polly sighed softly.
"You heard Polly. First we eat and then we might go boxing if something doesn't come up.” Arthur picked up the boy and sat him down at the table. "Proper boxer has to eat to have muscles. Show me those muscles, come on!"
“So uncle Arthur isn’t a gentleman?” Jack asked before he was picked up and placed down on a chair. He gave Arthur a grin and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, trying to show off his little arms. “Look, big and strong.” He said, quickly digging into his food once it had been set down in front of him. “Is Anna bald now?” He then asked, curiously looking at his sister’s scarf-covered head, recounting Tommy's story about Arthur’s head being shaved thanks to his father’s gum incident.
Anna threw her cutlery on the table and got up. She ran to her room and loudly closed the door. Polly looked at the girl while giving Arthur a plate of food. "Jack. That wasn't very nice of you," Polly said, "and no, she isn't bald now. She's got hair." Thankfully, the boy didn't put the gum so far up the poor girl's head. So, Anna's hair now was shorter. It more or less resembled Ada's. However, Anna was a girl, so she was still getting used to that.
"Marta, sit down," Polly said and placed food in front of the woman. If Marta could sleep with Tommy in one bed, she could eat with the family.
"Arthur is... Arthur," Marta smiled at the eldest Shelby and then thanked Polly for the food.
Jack watched Anna as she quickly ran off upstairs and shrugged his shoulders “So why’s she wearing a scarf on her head?” He asked curiously as he quickly ate his breakfast.
"She wants to have a scarf on her head, let her have a scarf on her head," Polly nodded and then went to light a cigarette for herself. She looked at the eating family. She was happy to see it grow.
“But she looks like an old lady.” Jack said with a shrug, and soon enough his plate was empty.
Tommy had gone to the betting den once he was ready for the day, business was going well and they were taking in a fair amount of cash each day. He went over some numbers with John before offering to go and see how the kids were getting on with Marta, leaving John with Finn to oversee the shop. Finn needed to start learning the ropes. He walked into John’s kitchen, smiling to himself at the sight of Marta sitting having breakfast with the family. Polly must like her to allow that.
Marta began eating breakfast whilst she chatted with Katie. She promised that she would take her and Anna outside if Anna felt up to it. She then also asked where little William was. "Still asleep," Katie nodded.
"Tommy! How did you sleep, eh?" Arthur turned to look at his brother. "Come sit with us. Have a proper meal for once."
“Whiskey and cigarettes are a proper meal brother.” Tommy responded, though he did help himself to a slice of toast from the table and leant against the counter, watching as his family sat and ate together.
Marta chuckled when she heard Tommy's outlook on food. She turned her head to look at him and then she waved at him with her fingers before she returned to her food. She hoped that the day would be good. That there would be less shenanigans from the children perhaps.
Polly looked up when she heard some soft cries. "Aha. The most recent Shelby had woken up," she put her cigarette down and then went upstairs to pick up the little boy.
Tommy gave Marta a slight wink when she chuckled at his response, waving his toast at her for a brief moment. “I hear uncle Arthur is going to take you boxing today ey Jack?” Tommy then said, knowing that Arthur’s worst nightmare would be looking after the boy with a head full of last night's whiskey.
Marta was smiling all the way because of Tommy's little wave with the toast. Polly noticed, of course. For now, she was taking care of the small Shelby. She dressed him and brought him downstairs. "Say good morning to William," Polly said to everybody.
Arthur choked on his food instantly. He coughed a bit before taking a deep breath and a gulp of tea. "Boxing, today?" Arthur asked, still a bit shocked. He could almost see how Jack's face lit up. "I don't know Jack. Are you sure you want to go today? It's warm," the eldest brother tried to reason with the small boy.
“Good Morning William.” Jack said excitedly, kneeling up in his chair and continuing to pester Arthur. “Yup, I’m sure, I gotta practice so I can be as good as you.” The little boy said, desperate to spend some time at the boxing gym.
Tommy finished most of his slice of toast and tossed the crusts on to any empty plate on the table before checked the time on his pocket watch . He wanted to go and check on Ada, she had been awfully distant recently and he had a sneaky suspicion it had something to do with a certain communist.
"Good morning, William," Marta smiled as she looked at the little boy. Polly handed William over to Marta since it seemed that the boy didn't mind sitting on her hip. Polly needed to do the washing up. "But who will help me wash all of the dishes?" Polly asked. "I think you should help me, Jack? How about that?" Polly asked as she picked up the plate containing Tommy’s crusts from the table. She gave the young man a swat on the shoulder. “Thomas, you’re worse than the kids.”
Arthur looked very hopeful. He did want Jack to help Polly so that he could quickly disappear to The Garrison or somewhere else. He really wouldn't be the best at taking care of the kid, regardless of the present hangover or not. Arthur wasn't much of a kid person when he tried. He was effortlessly funny around them, but he couldn't take care of them if he put his mind to it.
“Not me.” Jack responded, shaking his head at his aunt's request. “That’s a girl's job Aunt Pol.” He added quickly. It was true in his mind, he never saw his Dad or any of his uncles doing the washing up.
Tommy gave his Aunt a small shake of his head after she had hit his arm. “I need to go.” Tommy announced pushing himself away from the counter and walking to Marta, he kissed her cheek before giving Arthur a small smack across the back of the head. “Let the kid box Arthur, it will be good for the pair of you.” He said before heading out the door.
"But girls really like when boys do their job," Polly said. However, when she saw that Tommy told Arthur to take the boy boxing, she was sure that Jack would not wash any dishes. "Katie, please," Polly smiled and then patted Katie's back once the girl joined her.
Marta hummed in content when Tommy kissed her cheek. "Have a good day in the sun," Marta told Tommy. She then watched little William as he ate toast. It seemed that the Shelby’s had an unmatched affinity towards toasted bread. "Is that good?" She asked the little boy. "Ye," the boy nodded, sending the crumbs from his mouth flying.
Tommy let out a small hum before waving goodbye to the rest of the family. He hoped for a good day, but if the rumours were true to could indeed end up with both Tommy and Freddie killing eachother.
"I am supposed to buy a dress for myself, Polly," Marta smiled at the woman. "Do you about some nice shop that would be affordable, but have nice dresses that look more expensive than they are?" She asked. Polly thought for a bit and then recommended a shop to Marta. "It should be alright for the races," Polly said. Marta had no idea how Polly knew about the races, but she didn't ask. "Maybe the girls can come with me and help me pick a dress? And then I can take them to buy candy or some snacks?" Marta offered. "That would be nice!" Anna called from upstairs.
Arthur took a deep breath. He thought for a second and then got an idea. "Right! Alright," Arthur said. He then got up. "If you want to be a boxer. You have to train. We'll go to the gym. No! We'll run to the gym, how about that?" Arthur nooded trying to make the boy excited. Because... if he managed to wear the boy out before noon, he could eat lunch in peace and then hopefully run away to The Garrison while the boy is sleeping.
Little Jack was absolutely thrilled at the idea of finally being taken to the boxing gym and let out an excited cheer. “I’ll go get changed Uncle Arthur.” Jack said, quickly dashing upstairs and returning a few minutes later wearing some shorts and a vest.
Arthur nodded and then walked over to a pitcher with some coffee. He didn't even grab a cup. He just drank the coffee straight form the pitcher. He drank it all. He knew that the day was going to be long. "You ready?" Arthur asked the boy. "Now let's run to the gym. Can you keep up, little Jack? Can you keep up?" Arthur began running on the spot.
“Aye, I’m ready Arthur.” Jack said, bouncing excitedly on his toes a few times before they headed out. Jack was a rather speedy child and took off down the street towards the gym.
Arthur wasn't ready for how quick the boy was. He was just like Finn, it seemed. Arthur ran too, his long legs helped him with that. He almost didn't break a sweat and managed to keep up with his nephew. "Good boy, Jack. Head up, chest forward, knees up..."
Jack had a wide grin on his face as he ran with his uncle,he took many little steps compared to his uncle's long strides. He normally wasn’t very good at listening to instructions, but when it was something he wanted to do he took note of everything his uncle had said and kept his head up, chest forward and knees high as he ran.
___________
Ada was just eating breakfast. She had been eating some huge breakfasts lately, but well, during war they didn't have much food, so now she wanted to eat more when she had food, right? When Tommy arrived at Ada’s house he wrapped his fist against the door. “Ada?” He called out. “Ada, are you there?”
"Yes!?" Ada called out and put some jam on toast. She took a bite out of her toast and then reached into a jar of pickles and took a bite of a pickle too. "What's going on, Tommy? Did Polly want something?"
“Where is he?” Tommy said simply, stepping through the door the moment Ada had opened it. His eyes quickly scanned the kitchen, looking for any sign that Freddie was, or ever had been in the house.
"Who?" Ada asked with her mouth half full of toast, jam and gherkin. "Where is who, Tommy?" The woman hummed. "And good morning to you too, how was your night? I have heard that you spend your nights at the B&B now. Did Mrs Riley make a brothel out of it?"
Tommy continued to look around the kitchen before he peered through to the living room. “Funny Ada, very funny.” He replied to her comment about the B & B. Tommy finally looked back at her when he couldn’t see any sign of Freddie. “Freddie.” He then stated coldly. “Where the fuck is Freddie Thorne Ada?”
Ada kept eating as Tommy looked through the house. Ada shrugged. "I am not his mother. I don't know," Ada licked her lips. "He's probably working. Somewhere in a factory like any other normal member of the working class. Working dusk till dawn for unfair wages," Ada put the food away. "Anything else?"
“You’ve been sleeping together.” Tommy stated, looking back at his sister with a rather unimpressed expression. “He’s a communist Ada, he will bring trouble to this house.” He said, he was concerned for his sister.
"And you've been most likely sleeping with the Gypsy girl you made a whole funeral for. I don't see any problem here. Freddie believes in the cause and I do too," she shook her head. "And I've also heard that Billy Kimber came to our pub. And that he did so because of you. How is that different? You are bringing trouble too, Tommy!"
“So it’s true?” Tommy said, eyeing his sister closely. “Freddie will get you killed, Ada. I protect the family, I do what’s best to earn us money so that none of you have to work in the factories.”
"You will get yourself killed, Tommy," Ada quickly cut her brother off and shook her head. "Don't tell me what to do. Freddie is a good worker. And he does a lot for the other workers. There are rallys Tommy. There will be a revolution. It is apparent." Ada leaned back on the kitchen counter.
“I do what I do for the good of this family Ada.” Tommy responded, he didn’t want to get into a massive fight, but he wanted his sister to understand the danger she was placing herself in. “The revolution will fail.” Tommy then said. “And when it does the state will show no mercy in its prosecutions Ada. Freddie is a leader, They will hang him and they will hang you at his side.”
Ada shook her head. "I always listened to you, Tommy," she said. "And I always trusted you. Maybe it's now time you trusted me. I know what I am doing." Ada sighed. She was starting to feel rather sick.
“I know enough.” Was all Tommy said, he wouldn’t explain himself. “Be careful Ada, and visit Polly.” He said, pointing a finger to her before he left and made his way back down the street.
Once Tommy was gone, Ada got up from the table and went straight to vomit. The breakfast probably wasn't the greatest idea, it hadn’t yet dawned on her that their way be something else that was causing her to feel unwell.
Tommy took the short walk back to John’s house, a little frustrated by his encounter with Ada. Why wouldn’t people just fucking listen to him. He thought to himself. When he arrived at the house he walked through the door and instantly started rummaging through John’s small pantry for a bottle of whiskey.
Marta had enjoyed shopping with the girls. She was done quickly. The moment she walked into the shop, she saw a dress she had to have. After the shopping she still had some money left so she bought sweet and savoury pasties. She ate those on the street with the girls and tried to tell Anna that her hair looked pretty so that she didn't wear the scarf.
Once she returned to John’s home she let William toddle and crawl around while she braided Katie's hair. The small boy crawled over to the pantry and wrapped his little arms around Tommy's leg. "Hai." He hummed.
Tommy managed to find an old dusty bottle of whiskey in the back of John's pantry and pulled it out when he felt the little arms wrap around his leg. “Ello William.” He spoke, feeling that pent up anger fade slightly as he looked down at the little boy's face. “Come here.” He said as he picked the boy up, holding him on his hip as he poured himself a glass and set the bottle down.
________________
Arthur was glad that it was morning. There would not be many men in the ring gym because they had to work. Arthur opened the door for the boy and let him run in. "Welcome, Jack! This is the ring!" Arthur smirked and then took his jacket and cap off.
Jack was panting softly when they reached the gym and when Arthur pushed open the door he looked around in awe. “Wow.” He whispered to himself, running towards the ring and peering over the side of the canvas. “I’m gunna be a champion one day uncle Arthur.” He said with a grin.
"Damn right you'll be!" Arthur said and unbuttoned his shirt, which left him in a tank top. "Now drop down and give me five push ups, my boy. Come on. You can do five of them," Arthur smiled. He was going to wear the boy out. Hopefully.
“I can do 10 Uncle Arthur.” Jack said confidently before he dropped down managing to get his press ups in, even though the last few were a little bit slower.
Arthur watched the boy and smiled. "Good, good. Next time do seven. It's better to do less and then maybe do some more if you have it in you. You don't want to hurt yourself. That's the opponent's job!" Arthur looked around the gym. "Can you do some skipping rope boy? I can jump for hours..."
“I wouldn’t let them hurt me uncle Arthur.” Jack replied confidently before he got up from the floor, looking a little red in the cheeks now. “I’ve never done skipping before.” He then said, not really sure how to do it. “I thought that was for girls?”
"A skipping rope, my boy. Builds your stamina like crazy," Arthur said with a smile. He pulled a rope and then shortened it for the boy. He picked a differen one. "You can jump with your legs together, or you can switch your legs like a horse when it is trotting," Arthur showed the boy how to do it. Arthur was truly very good at it.
“What’s stamina?” Jack asked as he picked up the rope and examined it for a moment before swinging it over his head and trying to jump over it, but it got tangled in his feet.
"Uuuh..." Arthur hummed and then helped the boy untangle the rope. "Stamina means that you won't get tired. And if your stamina is better than the bastard that is boxing against you... He'll get tired and you knock him out." Arthur nodded. "You can train this."
Jack was excited when his uncle pulled over the punch bag. His father had taught him some of the basic moves and he moved into a fairly good boxing stance and raised his fists up to create his guard. “Like this uncle Arthur?” He asked, bouncing in his toes a little.
Arthur turned around with the bandages and laughed a little bit. "It's not bad for a novice," Arthur sat down on the floor and then began cutting the bandages so that they would fit the boy's little hands. "You'll be flying above the ring floor, when you learn."
Jack continued bouncing around on his toes, pretending he was avoiding invisible punches whilst his uncle focused on the bandages. “What’s that?” He asked curiously, before deciding he was rather hot and quickly pulled off his vest so he was just wearing his shorts and trainers.
"They are bandages," Arthur said. "They are for your hands. They will make your wrists stronger and for now, I am trying to make sure your knuckles won't get too beaten up," Arthur said. "Show me your hands."
Jack listened to his uncle carefully and held out his hands. “Like protection?” The young boy asked curiously.
"Like protection!" Arthur said and then began wrapping the boy's hands. He made sure to do it properly - not too tight, not too loose. "I will teach you how to do this next time. Alright? I'll make a champion out of you and I'll get you some better bandages. Some that fit, at least."
Jack's eyes followed his uncle's hands as he wrapped the bandages around him, he found it all very interesting and once they were secure he got back into his boxing stance and gave the punch bag a few jabs. For such a young boy he had a surprisingly strong punch, there was certainly a lot of Shelby in him.
Arthur finished the wrapping and then went to stand aside. He wanted to see the boy throw a punch. Arthur like what he was seeing. "Good boy. Aim for the centre of the bag. Try to throw the punches there."
Jack did as he was told and punched the centre of the bag, his Dad had always taught him to not just punch your target, but to punch through it and that was helping him hit the bag a little harder than most kids his age. After a little while Jack’s arms were feeling rather heavy and his hair was now flat against his forehead with how much sweat had gathered on his little face.
"Good!" Arthur encouraged the boy, giving him some pointers here and there. After the boy punched for some time, Arthur felt that it was a good time to stop. "Good. That's all for today. Ey? Now. As a good boxer, you need to rest up." The eldest Shelby nodded. By the time they were done Jack was rather worn out. Perhaps it was just what he needed to keep his energy from bubbling over. “Thanks Uncle Arthur.” He said, catching his breath and running his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.
Arthur brought over a towel and wiped the boy's face. "Good. You'll be good. Let's take you home. You should wash and go lie down. Come," Arthur put clothes on the boy. He added his jacket because he didn't want the boy to get too cold too fast and catch a cold thanks to it. "Do you want me to carry you too?"
Jack's hair looked a little messy after his uncle wiped him down, a content smile on his face, though his eyes certainly looked tired. “Can I ride on your back?” He then asked before drinking some more water. It turned out boxing was thirsty work.
Arthur hummed and then wrapped the boy in his jacket properly. "Alright then," he smiled. "I'll allow it. You gave boxing a really good shot," Arthur hummed and then let the boy climb on his back. "Come on." Arthur began walking towards the Shelby home. It was nice to box with the boy. Arthur did not know that he could have fun with his nephew. And he succeeded in making the boy tired, which meant that Arthur could go to the pub once he had brought the boy home.
________________
William had laughed when Tommy picked him up. He hugged his uncle happily and even reached for the glass. He thought that it was apple juice!
Marta finished Katie's braids and then looked around. "Shit!" She said and then jumped to her feet. "William?" She began looking for the boy.
“I’ve got him.” Tommy called back, taking a sip of his whiskey before moving his glass out of William’s reach. “This is just for big Shelby’s.” He explained before he carried the boy across the kitchen and poured him his own glass, though William’s contained apple juice rather than whiskey. “This is for little Shelby’s.”
Marta walked out of the living room. She overheard the girls repeating: "Shit!" They then laughed. "Oh, there he is," Marta leaned in the doorway. Seeing Tommy with William like this made her feel all sorts of things. Especially when Tommy gave the boy juice so that they drank the ‘same’ thing. "Good," Marta smiled. She went to kiss Tommy on the cheek. "Polly went to buy herself cigarettes. She'll be back soon." Marta leaned towards Tommy and whispered. "If you meet Anna, tell her you like her new hair, please," Marta winked.
Tommy glanced at Marta and smiled slightly as she kissed his cheek. He then passed the juice to William and picked up his own cup. “To your good health.” He then said to the young lad, clinking his glass against William’s and leaning back against the counter. “Polly cut it?” He then assumed, taking a sip of his whiskey after he’d spoken.
Marta nodded. "Yes. She had to, Jack put gum in Anna's hair. We tried very hard to get it out but it wouldn't come out. So, Polly cut the girl's hair. I was so sorry. Had I known, I wouldn't have let the boy buy the gum. It's terrible to cut somebody's hair like that, let alone a young girl's hair. I threw a tantrum when my stepfather told my mother to cut my hair." Marta shrugged.
“That boy.” Tommy said, watching William drink his juice before Tommy drained the rest of his whiskey. Better. He told himself. “What to do, what to do.” Tommy contemplated, interested to see if the young boy's trip to the boxing gym with Arthur would help with his behaviour. “John should be back from the betting shop soon, I was thinking we should go for those shooting lessons.” He suggested.
Marta tilted her head to the side and nodded. "Sure! I'll be happy too," she hummed and wiped William's mouth because he had juice all around it. "Shall we take horses? I think that Midwinter would love to stretch his legs a bit."
“I’m sure the horses would appreciate the ride.” Tommy said, he could do with a few hours outside of the city. Things on the business side were getting more dangerous too and having another armed member of the family around could surely only be a good thing.
Marta nodded. "I also went to buy the dress. So, I have the dress now...and a hat, and shoes, and maybe something else. And then the girls wanted pasties and I wanted pasties. So, in terms of money, I have no money anymore." Marta shrugged with a sheepish smile. "But I am looking forward to the shooting lessons."
Polly came home. "Well, well, well... Arthur is still not here I see." Anna stuck her head into the kitchen: "Jack is still not here?" She asked and then went to grab some apple juice.
Tommy nodded his head, he was happy she had managed to get her dress sorted, the races were coming quickly and there was lots to do. Though John and Charlie had most of it under control. Tommy set down his glass and took Williams from him once it was empty and reached into his trouser pocket, handing Marta a few shillings. “For the pasties.” He said before looking over at Polly. “Ada is unwell, I told her to come visit you later.”
Marta took the money and put it in her pockets. She saw Anna running off to the living room to get her scarf on her head. Marta shook her head. When she looked over at Jack, she saw that he definitely had been doing a strenuous activity.
Jack was rather content as Arthur carried him home on his back, he felt like the king of the castle being so high up. “Will I get to have a proper fight one day?” Jack asked as they neared the house, resting his chin on his uncle’s shoulder and placing his arms loosely around Arthur’s neck.
Arthur carried the little boy and listened to him. "I am sure you will get a proper fight one day, my boy," Arthur nodded. "The world is made up of assholes. It would be really strange for you not to run into one of them."
“Assholes like the Lee boys?” Jack asked curiously, contently perched on his uncle's back as he was carried back to his house.
"There may be bigger assholes than Lee boys," Arthur told the boy. He carefully crouched to let the boy get off his back when they arrived back at the house. "But you do need a bath," Arthur nodded and patted the boy's back. "Or you'll smell like your father," Arthur added under his breath with a smirk. Arthur brought the boy home. "Hello," he announced to everybody. "We're back. This one needs a bath and then a bed. As his new coach, this is what he needs."
“I don’t need to go to bed yet Uncle Arthur.” The little boy then said with a small laugh, he certainly did seem a little less energetic than usual though. He noticed his sister suddenly dart off, and wondered what she was up to.
Polly just nodded. "Well, let's hope that she shows up."
“Likely not whilst I’m here.” Tommy said under his breath, bouncing Will on his hip to make the little boy a little more comfortable.
"That is true," Polly said. "She'll come in the evening when she'll think that you're in the pub," Polly looked at Jack and nodded towards Arthur. "I'll go heat up some water for him. You get ready for a bath, Jack." Polly left to start heating the water up and she wanted to pick out some clean clothes for the young boy. Arthur went to look for something to eat in the pantry.
“Yeah dad is abit stinky.” Jack responded and for once did as he was asked and went to go upstairs to get ready for a bath.
"You look very good holding a small kid," Marta told Tommy when he bounced William. The boy giggled at all the bouncing. "It suits you," Marta smiled. She looked back to see Anna. She came out of the living room with her scarf on her head. She went to drink her juice.
As Jack reached the living room he couldn’t stop himself from going to pull the scarf off his sister's head. “What’s that for?” He asked curiously.
"Don't touch it!" Anna hissed and put her hands over her head. "It's your fault! You put gum in my hair and now I have ugly hair," Anna got up and then ran into the kitchen. "Uncle, Tommy. Jack is being naughty again," Anna fixed the scarf on her head and then crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Tommy had never really thought about having children and gave William a glance before handing him to Marta. “Here you take him.” He said, giving her a small smile before getting himself a refill for his whiskey.
Marta outstretched her hands and brought William over to her hip. "Hello, little fellow," Marta smiled and kissed the boy's temple. She bounced him a little bit more. "Would you like some more toast?" She asked the little boy. William just shook his head and rested his little head on her the same way he had done it with Tommy.
John soon entered the kitchen rubbing his eyes. "I don't want to see any numbers anymore..." he said and went to pour himself a glass of whiskey.
Jack held the scarf in his hand, trying to get a peak at his sister's hair. There was always carnage in the Shelby house and it was mainly at Jack’s hand. He quickly hid the scarf behind a cushion and ran upstairs to his aunt Polly when he heard his sister telling on him.
When Anna ran into the kitchen Tommy glanced at her, sipping his whiskey. “Well that’s new.” Tommy stated sarcastically. “Ah look, right on time.” He then said as John entered the house, gesturing to the child’s dad. “You can tell your father all about it.”
Anna looked over at her dad upon Tommy showing her that he was home. "Daddy! Daddy. Jack is being naughty again. He messed up my hair and now he wants to make fun of me," Anna hugged John. John looked down at his daughter as he drank his whiskey. "Well," he said and then ran his hand through her hair. "The hair doesn't look half bad, I think." He smiled and hugged the girl back.
Marta looked at Tommy. "That's our chance to run away," she nodded. Arthur walked out of the pantry eating cake. "And now you can take care of the younger nephew," Marta said and handed the little boy over to Arthur. "Oooh, kek," William hummed and tore a bit of cake from Arthur's piece. He stuck it in his mouth immediately.
“I think you are right.” Tommy said, finishing his whiskey and leaving the empty glass in the sink. Rather happy to be leaving the kids with Arthur and John. “Let’s go get you shooting.” Tommy then said, patting his legs as he pushed himself away from the counter.
Marta nodded and then took Tommy's hand. "Let's go to Charlie's to get the horses," Marta nodded and gently pulled Tommy out of the house. It was high time she left. Much as they stole her heart, they were a lot to handle and she was ready to enjoy some quality time with Tommy and learn a new skill.
Chapter 12: Bullets & Haylofts
Chapter Text
Once they stepped outside Tommy gave Marta's hand a soft squeeze before he let go to light a cigarette as they walked. "Are they really that much work?" Tommy asked curiously, he was used to the nanny dealing with them and when she wasn't around it was John's responsibility.
"I don't know. Maybe I am a bad influence. However, yesterday was really a lot for me. Especially with Jack and Anna in one space together," Marta shrugged. "I am probably not good with kids, some people just aren't."
Marta looked at the street in front of them. She hummed as she watched all the people around. "I am always best with the youngest of siblings."
"They don't need much influencing." Tommy replied, offering her a cigarette after lighting his own. "William certainly seems to like you." He then said, rather looking forward to getting out of the city for a few hours.
Marta took the cigarette and let Tommy light it. "He is like a tiny Finn," Marta nodded. "They are both young and cute," Marta nodded and took a puff from the cigarette.
Once they got to Charlie's yard, Marta immediately found a bucket with apples and grabbed a couple. She went to pet Midwinter. "Hello, you beast... Look at you. You got better." Marta smiled. Midwinter looked much more muscular, because he got better haylage and feed. Marta turned around to look at Tommy with a smile. "Come look!"
Tommy flicked his cigarette into the road once he had smoked it, feeling rather relaxed now after his conversation with Ada. It was nice to be out doing something that wasn't business or family related. He said hello to his horse, Monaghan's Boy, or just Monoghan or Boy for short if he wasn't racing, and gave the large black horse a firm pat on his nose as he spoke to him in Romani. When Marta called him he approached Midwinter, saying the same gypsy phrase as he said hello. "He certainly looks good, almost good enough to race." Tommy teased, picking up an apple and holding it out for the horse.
Marta punched Tommy's arm. "Don't even joke about that." Marta shook her head and then went to take Midwinter out of the stable once he had eaten the apple from Tommy. Marta began grooming the horse. "He's not a race horse... Look at how big he is. Racing horses are a bit slimmer," Marta mumbled to herself. "Good boy..." Marta hugged the horse. She went to put a saddle on the horse and talked to Mid during that. "Which one are you taking?" She asked Tommy.
Tommy showed little reaction when Marta hit his arm, other than the slight snigger on his face. Once midwinter had taken the apple he stood back and pointed to his muscular black horse. "Monaghan." He said, before he let out a whistle and suddenly Curly raced around the corner. "Curly fetch me a saddle and some reins will ya?" Tommy then said, his eyes then gazing across the canal for a moment. It had been a while since any trouble had come along the waters… just as it had been a while since Tommy had rode a horse with a saddle. He usually preferred to ride without.
Marta hummed and put the reins on the horse. She then looked at Monaghan and couldn't help but go say hi. She then waved at Curly. She thought that Curly was just lovely. "Hello, race horse," Marta hummed and petted Monaghan gently. She then walked over to Tommy. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him.
Tommy continued to gaze over the canal for a moment. His mind elsewhere before Marta's kiss seemed to pull him back to reality. "Hmm." Tommy hummed, he was sometimes a man of little words, but he had a rather content look in his eyes when he looked down at her. "Do try and keep up won't you." Tommy said cheekily before he kissed her lips.
"So, where will we go to shoot?" Marta asked and rubbed Tommy's shoulders. She kissed him back and leaned into him. "I'll make sure you're tired when we come back home," she chuckled and then went to mount Midwinter. It seemed like Monaghan was ready. Curly made sure of that.
"We will follow the canal down to Stockfield." Tommy said, it was only a few miles down the canal from Small Heath. But the ride along the water was one of his favourites. He put his arm around her shoulder, his hand rubbing her upper arm a couple of times. As Curly led out his horse Tommy kissed the top of Marta's head before he walked over to his horse, holding the reins before effortlessly pulling himself up. His ribs were finally not causing him any pain. Tommy made himself comfortable and watched as Marta mounted Midwinter. "Ready?" He asked.
"Ready!" Marta called out with a smile. She patted Midwinter who let out a happy huff. She then clicked her tongue to make the horse move. It was just like coming home. Marta let Tommy lead the way, walking next to him but riding a bit slower. Tommy looked very majestic on his horse. To Marta, he was... He was something different. She had never met a man quite like this before.
Tommy had always had a natural affinity with horses, and he made riding look effortless as he commanded in Romani for the horse to go onwards. He had one hand on the reins, the other relaxed at his side as he rode. Tommy checked over his shoulder every now and then, making sure Marta was ok as they left the smoke and factories behind, heading into a less dense and greener part of the city.
Marta watched Tommy. She didn't need to steer Midwinter around too much. She trusted him. They were together ever since Mid was small and... They were just a great duo, so instead she could watch Tommy.
"It looks nice out here," Marta said and let Midwinter walk a bit faster so that they would ride next to Tommy properly. "Have I ever told you that you're really different?" Marta said. "I mean, a good different."
Tommy settled his horse into a casual trot as they continued on their path and when Marta rode up beside him he gave her a curious look. "Not many have described me as, a good different." Tommy responded curiously, he wasn't quite sure what she meant. Most men feared him, as did their wife's and children. Others thought he was the devil.
"Well, I do," Marta nodded and looked where they were riding.
She felt very natural on horseback. Maybe it was Midwinter, maybe it was as she had been riding for a long time... It made her feel free too. She clicked her tongue to switch to canter with Mid. She rode a bit ahead and then turned back. She was just having fun.
Tommy watched as she rode in ahead for a few strides before turning back. He then removed his hat and placed it inside his jacket pocket before placing both hands on the reins. Tommy squeezed his heels against his horse. "Faster." He then hummed in Romani, and Monaghan took off in the blink of an eye, racing past Marta as he charged onwards.
Marta laughed when she saw Tommy and Monaghan race past her. "Come on, Mid. Let's try to show them how it's done!" Marta clicked her tongue and rode hard. She was trying to catch up to Tommy and Monaghan's boy. She didn't know if it was possible. But she would try. Midwinter needed to get his energy out.
Tommy continued to charge on, his horse was fast, very fast. Once a few minutes had passed he slowed up slightly to a speed more comfortable for his horse's endurance and kept checking his shoulder to make sure Marta was ok.
"See?" Marta said when she finally caught up to Tommy. She was a bit out of breath because her heart was beating fast. "Midwinter is not a race horse. He's a horse for women and children." Marta smiled and licked her lips. "Monaghan's Boy is really, really good," Marta nodded and patted Midwinter. "You did well, my boy..."
Tommy rubbed his horse's neck as he relaxed into a trot. He was certainly proud of his horse and that was evident on his face. "Curly takes good care of him, keeps him in good shape." He explained before leading the horse to the left, moving away from the canal to a large open clearing lined with trees. "Here's the spot." He said, slowing Monaghan to a stop and jumping down. "Stay boy." He said, patting the horse's head.
Marta slid off her horse and tied the reins. She used a slipknot. The horse could always run away. "Good boy," she kissed Midwinter's muzzle and then walked over to Tommy. "So?" She asked. "How does one shoot a gun, Mr Shelby?" Marta smiled prettily. She was there to learn and would listen to Tommy.
Tommy walked over to a nearby tree and knelt down for a moment, pulling a pocket knife out of his ankle strap and glancing back over his shoulder. That damned smile of hers. "Point, and shoot." Tommy said simply, standing up slowly with the knife in his hand and carving a small X into the tree, around the same height as an average man's heart would be.
Marta tilted her head to the side and shrugged. "Well. It can't be that easy, otherwise everyone would do it," Marta watched the man carve into the tree. She folded her arms in front of her chest. She looked around at the nature. A small smile still played on her lips. "Am I going to learn how to fight a man with a knife too?" She teased.
"It's not the shooting that's the hard part." Tommy said, turning back to her and removing his gun from his holster. "It's the knowing that every time you fire a bullet you've got a man's life in your hands." He explained, making sure the gun was empty before he held it out to her to get a feel for.
"Right," Marta took a deep breath and then carefully took the gun from Tommy. "It's a gun," she said as she inspected the weapon. She was careful, still. "I would rather kill a man than a horse," she shrugged and then looked at Tommy. "So, I'll be shooting at the tree?" She blinked her eyes. "From where?"
Tommy watched her as she looked over the gun, there was something about the cold metal in his hands that always got his blood pumped. He didn't enjoy killing, but sometimes it was necessary. Sometimes death was well deserved. "Here will do to start." He said, glancing back at the tree before he moved around behind Marta wanting to make sure she knew how to aim and shoot before he put any bullets in. He kept watching over her shoulder, standing close behind her so she could feel his warm breath on her neck. "First you hold the handle, not too firm, not too loose." He explained. "Then you aim, line up the barrel with the target."
Marta took a deep breath and then looked behind herself when Tommy stood there. She let out a small breath and then nodded. "Right, right. I can do it," she said and then held the handle of the gun. She tried to aim but she really didn't know why. "Hmm," she hummed to herself. "How do I aim again?"
"Here." Tommy said, reaching around to hold her hand to help her line up with her target. "You want to keep your wrist strong, and your elbow locked." He explained, closing one of his eyes to make sure she had everything lined up properly. "You only ever place your finger on the trigger if you are prepared to shoot... just incase." He explained, his voice soft and low.
Marta bit her lip when she felt Tommy behind her. She licked her lips as she listened to him. "Okay. Alright. I get that," Marta hummed and kept the finger away from the trigger. "That would be pretty dangerous to have the fingers on there." Marta nodded.
"Then when you are ready you take a deep breath." Tommy explained, remaining close behind her as he slowly moved his hand away. "Move your finger to the trigger...Then 1...2...3... bang." He whispered.
Marta took a deep breath because Tommy told her and because he still was very close and his breath tickled her ear. She slowly moved her finger to the trigger, counted to three in her head. She then tensed her body and pulled the trigger, but nothing seemed to happen other than a faint click.
"Good." Tommy said, moving away slightly, seeming to break the tension as he pulled a box of bullets out of his pocket. "Now time for the real thing." He said, taking the gun from her hand and showing her how to load the bullets into the chamber.
Marta turned her head to Tommy. "You didn't put any bullets in?" Marta shook her head. "I was so nervous!" She let out a big sigh and moved her shoulders around to get some of the tension out. "Fuck you," she let out under her breath as she watched Tommy load the gun.
"Fuck me?" Tommy said, a cheeky look in his eyes. "I wanted to make sure you weren't going to turn around and shoot me." Tommy said, giving her a slight smile as he loaded the weapon for her. This time standing back to give her space and lighting himself a cigarette. "Now imagine that tree being someone you want to send to the gates of hell."
"Fuck you," Marta said louder and nodded. "With my inexperience with guns, I would probably manage to shoot myself sooner than shooting you," Marta nodded. She then looked back at the tree. Marta did all the things she did when the gun was not loaded. As for the person she wanted to send to hell... She just imagined her stepfather. She took a deep breath, moved her finger to the trigger, counted to three and pulled it. She was surprised at how the gun kicked back.
Fuck you, How he wished she would. Tommy thought to himself. There was something about watching her fire the gun that was sending him crazy, though of course his face didn't show it, just his eyes. He didn't so much as blink when the gunshot went off, just simply took another long drag of his cigarette. "Lean in to it, anticipate the kick back." He said as he watched.
"Lean into it," Marta gulped and then aimed again and did all the counting. She pulled the trigger now knowing that the gun would love to take her whole arm off.
She tried one more. She hit the tree but it was way off the x.
"That's a good warning shot." Tommy said smartly, seeming rather relaxed as he stood back and watched, puffing away on his cigarette.
"Stop being a smartass and show me," Marta said and then aimed the gun at the ground to carefully give it to Tommy. She wanted to see exactly how Tommy aimed and she wanted to make him nervous. That's why she stood right behind him, just like Tommy did before.
Tommy took the gun when Marta turned around, he knew there were 4 bullets left. Once the gun was in his hand he quickly took aim at the tree, firing off 3 quick shots which all hit the dead centre of the X. A few birds got spooked and started flying away due to the noise and with the last bullet he looked at her over his shoulder at her, keeping his gun aimed at the target as he fired the last bullet without even looking. "Simple." He said, lowering the gun.
Marta licked her lips. Then it was time for her to be impressed. She was. But she didn't want to gush over how good a shooter Tommy was. "Bitch," she said and shook her head a bit. "Alright. Alright. Seems like you had a lot of practice," she smiled. She looked around. "There's a hayloft over there, you know?"
Tommy followed her eyes, a certain enthusiasm in his eyes as he recalled her tale of sneaking out to a Hayloft when she was young with a fellow companion. Though this was important work. "I thought you wanted to learn to shoot." He stated, quickly reloading the gun for her before handing her back the gun. "Hit the target and perhaps I'll allow you a break from all this hard work."
"I mean," Marta said and shrugged. "I did learn how to shoot. I don't know how to shoot well, but I can shoot." Marta bit her lip. It didn't help. She got a reloaded gun. "Right," she hummed. No fun times in the hay for me then. She thought to herself and then pointed the gun at the tree. She tried to aim as much as possible for a clean shot.
"You're not going to be able to save your life firing off warning shots." Tommy said cheekily, taking another couple of steps back to give her some space. "Deep breath, steady yourself... bang." He then said, watching her closely.
Marta wanted to retort something funny, but it wasn't funny. She was running out of bullets fast and she was so close to the x but not quite close enough. She tried and tried and... She got really close once.
"Better." Tommy hummed, seeing that she was making a bit of progress. It was certainly a huge improvement on where she had started. "Imagine that tree is Billy Kimber… if you don't shoot him in the heart you'll not be able to stop him shooting me." He said, trying to up the ante a little.
Marta turned to look at Tommy. She shook her head a bit and then aimed for the tree again. She took a deep breath and tried not to overthink the situation. She was on the last bullet and she felt that her hand was getting tired already. She pulled the trigger. "Wow!" She had to go check if she really hit the x that well!
"Well look at that." Tommy said, stretching out his arms for a moment as he took a few steps closer, examining the bullet holes by running his finger along the wood. "You saved my life." Tommy said, taking the pocket knife from his pocket once more and using it to pry her final bullet out of the wood. It took a few seconds and when he popped it out into his hand he gave it to her, it had squashed abit on its impact with the tree. "Your first kill."
"I did it!" Marta said and pointed at the tree like an excited kid. "I shot the x!" She smiled from ear to ear as she looked at the tree. If it was a real man, he would've been dead by now for sure. The tree had so many holes in it.
She then let Tommy carve into the tree a bit and took the bullet from him. She looked at it momentarily and then laughed out loud as she hugged Tommy. After that she pulled away and instead kissed Tommy enthusiastically.
Tommy couldn't help but smile at her reaction, she was obviously proud of herself. Infact he was proud of her too. When she kissed him in that way his smile stayed on his lips, his arms moving around her back. "How about that hayloft?" He murmured against her lips, his eyes still closed before kissing her again.
Marta kissed Tommy back and held him close. She hummed happily and rubbed her cheek against his. She kissed Tommy's neck before kissing him again. "You want to check that hayloft out?" She smiled prettily and then gently tugged Tommy in the direction of the hayloft.
"I do." Tommy responded softly with a small nod of his head. "I really fucking do." He added, his heart feeling like it was pounding a little faster in his chest. When she kissed his neck he let out a content hum and gave her a small wink when she pulled him in her direction.
Marta felt a surge of energy. It was just like the old days when she could drag a boy to a hayloft and feel better than at home with her stupid stepfather. Good thing about today was that she wouldn't get beat up for this. Marta climbed up a ladder that led into the hayloft. The hay was soft as she crawled on it.
After they had climbed the ladder Tommy quickly pulled off his jacket and waistcoat, dumping them to the floor before he joined her on the hay. It made him feel like a young man again, like he had before the war. There was something about this woman that brought out that side of him, he lowered his lips to hers whilst his hand caressed her body, his over hand beside her head to steady himself.
Marta smiled and looked at Tommy. "Welcome to my world," Marta said and then kissed Tommy's lips. She then moved her head down to kiss Tommy's jaw and even lower to kiss Tommy's neck and bite on it just a bit. Meanwhile, she moved around to remove her coat. She had her classic wrapped scarf around her body under it. She kissed Tommy's lips again and began taking his shirt off.
Tommy let out a content hum as Marta started to kiss his neck, his eyes gazing into hers before she started to unbutton his shirt. His hand roamed down her waist, then her thigh as his breathing got a little faster. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" He spoke quietly, something about the way she was lying on her back in the hay beneath him made his stomach jump.
"Hmm," Marta looked up at Tommy when he asked her. She managed to unbutton his shirt. She thought for a second with another hum. "I don't think you have," she shook her head. She helped Tommy take his shirt off. "But you... you look different. And it's so attractive," Marta said. She rubbed her nose against Tommy's and bit his lip gently. She wrapped her arms around Tommy's body. She kissed him afterwards.
"For that I apologise." Tommy responded, his voice still quiet and low as he threw his shirt to the side. The bruises on his ribs were fading now, a light greenish colour rather than the deep purple they had been before. As she bit his lip he let out a soft moan, his kiss intensifying as the passion and lust started to grow, his hands starting to move along her body quicker as his body neared hers.
"I forgive you," Marta whispered between the kisses. "But be better at it next time," she added. She touched Tommy's shoulder so that she could sit up. She untied the knot on her scarf and pulled it off. Then she pulled Tommy back down and wrapped her leg around his body.
A little while later Tommy rolled onto his side, his cheeks a little red and his breath rather short. "Fuck." He murmured to himself, laying back in the hay and catching his breath as he put his arm around Marta, pulling her into his chest.
Marta let out a breath and then nuzzled Tommy's chest. "Fuck indeed," she said and cuddled with Tommy. She looked up as the rested next to Tommy. Fucking in the hay was great. The only downside was the hay. She felt that she had some in her hair.
Tommy shuffled to his side, running his hand down her body as he looked at her, a rather mesmerised look in his eyes before he kissed her softly. He noticed some hay in her hair and carefully pulled it out. "Better." He stated, before giving her another soft kiss. The light was starting to fade outside as the sun set. "We should head back."
Marta looked at Tommy and kissed him back. She closed her eyes when Tommy picked the hay out of her hair. "Thank you," she mumbled. She sighed softly. "What if we stayed here?" She asked Tommy and then straddled him. "Wouldn't it be nice? It's calm here? It's quite warm. There are no Kimbers and coppers and... It's just us, and the horses." Marta caressed Tommy's cheek.
Staying here didn't seem like such a bad idea. But he had responsibilities. Responsibilities to his family to keep them safe. "Hmmm." Tommy hummed as she stroked his cheek. "As pleasant as that sounds, Arthur would likely be hung within a week." Tommy explained, straining his neck to kiss her lips softly between sentences. "I'm not sure I could live with that." He explained with a hint of humor in his tone. Though he certainly lived day to day with much more on his mind.
Marta sighed softly and then kissed Tommy back. She kissed his forehead and nodded. "Right," she bit her lip and then got off Tommy. "I guess we have to go," Marta licked her lips. "I guess I would miss Finn and the rest," Marta shook her head. She began to put her clothes back on, picking the hay off it here and there. Tommy was right. He couldn't just run away with her. The Kimbers and coppers maybe weren't here, but they were where Tommy's family was.
Tommy propped himself up on his elbow, watching as she started to dress. "You'd miss the rest?" He repeated. "Even fucking Arthur?" Tommy said, a little chuckle forced out of his lips before he carefully got to his feet and pulled on his trousers.
Marta thought to herself. She sat down and began to intricately wrap the scarf around her body. "Yeah," she nodded. "Even Arthur," she smiled. "I mean, he's always been mostly nice to me." Marta finished wrapping the scarf around her. She fixed it some more before putting her overcoat on.
Tommy couldn't take his eyes off of her as she carefully dressed herself. He pulled on his shirt and started to do up the buttons, it's getting late and the usual hand tremors had returned, though not as bad as they could be. "You don't dress like other women." He stated.
Marta looked at Tommy as she dusted herself off. "I don't?" She asked. Marta then shrugged. "Is that bad?" She was curious. She peeked out of the hayloft. She smiled when she saw the two horses happily munching on grass and low branches. When she looked back at Tommy, she picked up his jacket and waistcoat. She dusted the hay off.
Tommy didn't take his eyes of her and wore a rather content expression on his face whilst he struggled a little with his top button. "Not bad at all, just different." He spoke.
A slight smile appeared on Marta's face. She walked up to Tommy. "Aha, so good different? Just like you are good different. I mean, I wanted to buy a shirt and a different skirt than the lacy one I wore to the funeral. But I don't know. It's not really my priority. I want to enjoy my pay, just once..." she hummed. "Do you need help?"
Tommy shook his head gently at her suggestion of help. Why were the buttons always so fucking small. When she started to mention purchasing clothes Tommy finally managed his button and pulled on his waistcoat. "Thankfully I don't pay for suits. My suits are on the house." Tommy explained, pulling his jacket on and making sure everything was in order before looking back to her and winking. "Or the house burns down."
Marta shook her head at that. Suits on the house or the house burns down. "You are really different, Thomas Shelby," she said. She then climbed down from the hayloft. "Maybe one day, I will have suits like you do," she hummed. "Or pretty dresses. Pink ones from Chanel and other expensive places," Marta bit her lip and walked towards Midwinter. "Look at you," she said to the horse. "You've been good."
"Different indeed." Tommy said quietly to himself, taking a deep breath to reset himself before climbing down the ladder. "I've already given you money for a nice dress." He said, patting Monaghan when he reached him. "How many more dresses could a woman need?" He teased.
Marta sighed softly and then looked at Tommy. "One for every day of the week and a few spare ones for special occasions," she teased back. Marta unhitched Midwinter. "I mean. I can't possibly wear the dress to The Garrison every day," Marta said. She mounted her horse with a small sigh. "The men would go crazy."
Once he had patted his horse Tommy mounted him, holding the reins in one hand as he watched her with Midwinter. "On second thoughts. No nice dresses for work." Tommy said, reaching for his pocket and lighting a cigarette. He certainly didn't like the idea of the pub goers gawping at her.
Marta nodded to herself. "See? That's why women need many dresses and clothes," Marta hummed. "Men just can't handle them in their best clothes every day," Marta smirked and then clicked her tongue. Midwinter huffed and then began moving. He felt like showing Marta that he didn't like standing in one spot for long, so he was a little bit naughty on the way.
"Hmm." Tommy hummed in agreement, exhaling his smoke through his nose before clicking at his horse. Monaghan was keen to get some energy out so on the way back at points Tommy would surge ahead and circle back so Marta wasn't alone. He could see Midwinter was acting up a little and spoke firmly in Romani which seemed to calm the horse down slightly.
Marta was not surprised by Mid's shenanigans. Sometimes he just felt like being naughty. He would move his head frantically and bolting from a spot whenever he pleased. "You want to run around?" Marta asked the horse and then clicked at him. She would ride hard with him through the fields, making him run in circles.
Tommy got his horse to stop and sat atop him, watching as Marta rode midwinter around the field. He was certainly a beautiful horse, in the same way she was a beautiful woman. "Don't get too dizzy." He called to her, smiling softly.
Marta stopped Midwinter after riding for a bit. "Better?" She asked the horse, only for him to stand on his hind legs. It was not to throw Marta on the ground. It was his last bit of being naughty. After that, he was more or less calm. Marta was breathing heavily as she rode to Tommy. "We'll be okay now," she nodded and gulped. "Someone got jealous that I didn't bring him any hay."
When midwinter rose on to his back legs Tommy instinctively jumped down from his horse, it was never something you wanted to see when someone was sitting in the saddle. As the horse seemed to be more calm after getting its energy out Tommy walked towards him. "Good boy." He spoke in Romani, petting the horse's head before looking up to Marta. "Are you ok?"
"I am alright," Marta smiled at Tommy. "You don't have to be worried," she winked at him. "I am used to his tricks, right there, Mid?" Marta patted the horse. "You gave Tommy a fright," Marta told the horse. "Was it worth it?" Midwinter huffed as he nuzzled Tommy's hand.
"Ok, if you say so." Tommy responded, giving Midwinter a final pat as the horse rubbed against him. He then climbed back onto the saddle of Monaghan's boy. "Race you back?" He then suggested with a competitive twinkle in his eyes.
Marta laughed and sighed softly. "Alright, alright. We can muster some speed," Marta bit her lips and then clicked her tongue. There was no way she would win without a proper head start, and she didn't feel like playing fair. "Heya!" She made Mid run fast.
Tommy actually watched for a few seconds as Marta took off, giving her a fair head start before he squeezed his horse with his heels and took off in pursuit. Monaghan made running look effortless as they rode after midwinter. "Faster boy, catch 'em." Tommy commanded.
"Come on!" Marta hummed. She kept her body low to go through the wind better. She was sure that Tommy would soon catch up to her. She was at least trying and she felt that Midwinter was keen on running fast. However, he really wasn't a race horse and it showed.
Monaghan seemed to arise effortlessly, he was a majestic horse when he got going and soon enough he was alongside Marta. "Is that all you've got?" He said, flashing her a quick smile before squeezing his heels to send his horse faster.
Marta looked at Tommy. She smiled back at him, but she didn't react to his taunting. In fact, she slowed down to a nice steady canter. Midwinter must've been tired from when she ran in circles with him and this mad dash was just taking more from him. Marta didn't want to wear the horse out completely and hurt him in the process.
Soon enough Tommy noticed that Marta didn't seem to want to play his game anymore and slowed up a few minutes before they arrived back at the stable at Charlie's yard. He dismounted Monaghan Boy and handed the reins to Curly. "Make sure he gets a nice feed and some fresh water." Tommy instructed, lighting up a cigarette as he waited for Marta to arrive.
After a few minutes, Marta rode into the yard and patted Midwinter. "Good boy," she whispered. Marta got off the horse and petted it some more. "You must be tired, I know," Marta nodded and then took care of her horse. She took the saddle and the reins off. She brushed through Mid's coat and even used some hay to dry out the sweaty coat on his back where the saddle sat. She gave Midwinter an apple or two... or three... and led him into his stable. "I'll give feed and water to your horse too, miss! Don't worry!" Curly called out while taking care of Monaghan Boy.
Tommy sat himself on a bench by the canal with his uncle Charlie, smoking a cigarette and sharing a few glasses of whiskey as they caught up briefly regarding the races and the stolen guns. But Tommys eyes couldn't stay away from Marta, watching her closely as she tended to her horse. After a final drink Tommy rose to his feet. It was getting dark and tomorrow was a big day. "We should get back." He said as he walked up behind her.
Marta smiled at Curly and then petted Mid's muzzle. She talked to Midwinter and petted him some more before she heard Tommy. She turned around and smiled. "Alright then," she nodded. She looked at Midwinter who was slowly falling asleep. He had been already resting his hooves when Marta tended to him. Marta walked over to Tommy and put her arm around his waist. "I am getting tired too," she shrugged. Tommy and all the riding had worn her out good. "Riding horses and men is hard."
"It seems you are both tired out." Tommy replied, putting his arm around her shoulder as they walked from the yard, sniggering a little at her comment. "We certainly had a nice time in the hay." He stated, feeling at ease and content with this lovely woman under his arm. "You are prepared for the races?" He asked as they walked back towards the streets of the city. It had certainly been nice to escape for a few hours.
"We certainly did," Marta nodded. "It was nice to go back to the country. I've spent so much time there. And with my job now, I was in the city far too much." Marta shrugged. She looked up at Tommy. "Oh well, you know. I think I am. I've got the shoes, I've got the dress, the hat. And I think that I could shoot someone if necessary. And I just hope no horse gets hurt during the races," she bit her lip. "I am not gonna look if that happens." Maybe she was being a little too childish about it, but she was not lying when she said she would rather shoot a man than a horse.
Tommy always enjoyed the races, but this was strictly business and of course he didn't like it when horses got hurt. But it was the way of the world and it made him money. "I doubt we will have much time for watching the racing." Tommy said, this was a business trip, and there was certainly big business to be done.
Marta shrugged her shoulders and hummed. "Alright," she bit her lip. "I'll just wait and see how it will turn out," Marta nodded, "there's no point thinking about it and imagining how it will all play out there." Marta rubbed Tommy's back and then looked at him. "Can you tell fortunes, Tommy?" She asked with a small smile. "I mean. Polly had looked at my palm at the Garrison after the funeral," Marta looked at her hand. "She said that I had an interesting heart line. I can't really remember which line it was." Marta couldn't really tell fortunes. Her mother promised that she would teach Marta when she was older.
Tommy reached his hand inside his jacket and took a couple of cigarettes out of his silver box, he held one out to Marta and once she had taken it lit his own with a matchstick. He raised an eyebrow slightly as she spoke. All he did was think about the way things would turn out. He had plans for his plans and was meticulous in conducting his business. Though he made no comment on the subject and exhaled a lung full of smoke as she spoke of fortunes. "People make their own fortunes." He stated, though he was certainly mindful of Polly's third eye, she was very rarely wrong.
Marta wrinkled her nose and took the cigarette from Tommy. "Alright," she hummed. Once her cigarette was lit, she took a long drag. "Not really a romantic idea of everyone making their own fortunes," she looked up at the man as she smoked. She then rubbed Tommy's back and said. "I think I should go to sleep. I need to get my beauty sleep before the races. I might have to get up early to do something with my hair, probably." Marta stood on her tippy toes and kissed Tommy's cheek. "Good night Tommy," she hummed before she walked to her humble dwelling at the B and B.
Tommy looked at Marta with a curious expression as she continued on the topic of fortunes. "I think it's best to do things for yourself, rather than putting faith in old wives tales." He commented, his view of the world had changed a lot over the years. He had always hung onto his Mothers every word when she had told them tales of what the future would hold, though things had changed, the world was cruel and cold. She nudged his mind away from thoughts of his Mother as she kissed his cheek, he was certainly looking forward to seeing how she would turn out in the morning. "Good night Marta." He spoke softly, his hand resting on her lower back for a moment. His eyes followed her as she walked, watching her disappear around the corner before he finally headed back to the Shelby house. There had not been enough whiskey consumed to be ready to go to sleep.
Once inside Marta looked at her room. It was truly a mess. The only thing that looked tidy was her table where all the new clothes for the races were still packed in their boxes lined with tissue paper. Before going to sleep, Marta tidied up everything else. She found Tommy's tie in the process. It was most likely still there from the first time Tommy had slept over after the funeral. He did not ask her about it yet, so she decided to keep it. She was quite tired after that, so sleep came to her very soon.
Once he had returned home Tommy sat by the fire with a bottle of whiskey, methodically going over his plan for the races. He was certain it would all go perfectly, but he had to be sure. Sleep finally came for him with the help of his amber coloured friend and after waking to his usual nightmares Tommy went about getting ready for the day. There was a lot to do.
Chapter 13: Races & Whores
Chapter Text
Once Tommy was dressed he headed to Charlie's yard, making sure his men were aware of the final details. They would travel in the trucks and whilst Tommy and Marta were rubbing coats with the posh lot, the Peaky blinders would be ruthlessly stealing back the money the Lee's had been fleecing from Kimber's bookmakers. Arthur would then meet him at the back entrance to the VIP area and Tommy would handle the rest. Once he had settled everything at Charlie's yard he headed to his garage, starting up his car and drove to the B&B to pick up Marta.
Marta had woken up early to take a bath and make her hair look nice. She was really trying to look presentable for the races, and she loved the new clothing she had. She spent the most of her time getting ready just looking herself over in the mirror while still in her underwear. The stockings were smooth and she thought that once in the dress she would look like a princess. She slid into her green dress and added the finishing touches like shoes, a hat and a scarf for her shoulders. She was ready.
"Marta! I saw Mr Shelby's car outside," Mrs Riley called out. She was sweeping the staircase of the B & B. Marta was just putting a little bit of lipstick on. She had a bit on her finger which she dabbed onto her lips. She turned her head to the door and quickly wiped her finger. "Yes! Tell him, I'll be downstairs in a bit," Marta said and checked herself out in the mirror again. She pinched her cheeks gently to make them a little red before leaving her room in her whole beauty.
She walked down the stairs and thanked Mrs Riley when she commented on her outfit.
Once Tommy had arrived at the B&B he turned off the engine of his car. He often wore nice suits, but this one was new. A perfectly fitted black suit with matching waistcoat, and for once he was without his cap. He leant against the bonnet of his car and lit himself a cigarette and after a few minutes Marta appeared. For a moment he was speechless, she looked mesmerising. After a few moments of silence he pushed himself away from the car and exhaled slowly, his smoke lingering in the air around him. "Wow." He stated, his eyes slowly looking her up and down. "You look... beautiful.
Marta tilted her head to the side and smiled at the man. "Good morning," she said. She looked at Tommy and it took her a while to see that there was something missing. It hit her after a few seconds. He did not have his cap. He looked lovely without it because his eyes weren't shieldid by it. "Thank you, Tommy. You don't look half bad yourself," she walked over to him and hugged him. "Are we ready to go?" She asked.
Tommy tossed his cigarette on to the ground and stubbed it out with the underside of his shoe as Marta neared him. When she hugged him he gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. "We are ready to go." He said, smiling down at her before he reached his hand for the passenger door, pulling it open so she could climb inside.
"Do you like the colour?" She asked Tommy. She smiled when she felt him kiss her. She looked at the man and rubbed his back. Marta got into the car carefully and fixed her green hat. "I think that now you know why it all cost so much," she chuckled and sat back in her seat. "I can't say I'm really look forward to meeting Kimber again," she looked at Tommy. She was being honest. "It's going to be a hard day," she shrugged. "Finn was scared of him and all that," Marta shook her head.
Once Marta had climbed into the car Tommy gently shut the door before heading round to the drivers side. He started the engine and adjusted his mirror before looking over at her again. "Money well spent I would say." He spoke with a soft tone before releasing the handbrake and starting their journey to the races. It was a fair drive, hence the early start. "Finn is scared of most people." Tommy then stated, watching the road as he drove, though he still gave Marta the occasional glance. She was looking rather easy on the eye and it gave him a warm feeling in his stomach.
Marta shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Fine then." She didn't think that Finn was scared of most people. He wasn't scared of her when she offered to take him to Artillery square all those nights ago, when he was too drunk to get Tommy, Arthur and John cigarettes. Marta looked over at Tommy when she felt him looking at her. "How long do we drive? I am just asking because I'd love for other people to have something to look at. Don't look at me with those eyes," she chuckled and looked back at the road.
Tommy decided it was best not to discuss Finn further after Marta's short tone. He rested his elbow against the door frame as he drove, the road soon opened out as they left the smoky city behind. "About an hour more." He said, making a quick glance at her. "I don't want too many people gawping at you." Tommy then added quickly, looking back to the road and shaking his head with a small smile on his face as she laughed.
"But can you do something about the gawping?" She asked Tommy. "What if Kimber gawps at me all the time?" Marta asked. "Am I allowed to punch him in the face or something?" She bit her lip. She did not feel like making Kimber's day better by her dashing presence and intelligence. "Will there be booze at least?" Marta tilted her head to the side.
Tommy contemplated his response for a moment. Of course he cared for Marta, more than he cared for most. But he had seen the way Kimber had looked at her when he had arrived at The Garrison, and he couldn't help thinking that her presence would certainly sweeten the deal. This was business after all. He shook his head slightly. "No…you cannot punch him." Tommy said, taking a hand from the steering wheel and placing it on her leg. "I will look out for you, I promise." He said. "And there will be booze, once our business is done." Tommy added, giving her leg a small squeeze.
Marta sighed loudly. "No punching and no booze until the deal is done?" She hummed. "It's going to be a long day," she looked down. She bit her lip and put her hand down on Tommy's. "You can be really glad I like you very much," Marta said, "otherwise I would punch you in the face and then I'd punch Kimber," Marta tapped the tip of her finger on her temple. She thought that what she had said was pretty smart.
A smile teased the corners of Tommy's lips when she placed her hand over his, and he turned his hand to entwine their fingers together, squeezing her palm gently. "Why do I deserve a punch in the face?" Tommy asked curiously, raising an eyebrow as he glanced across at her.
Marta's cheeks turned slightly pink when Tommy turned his hand and entwined their fingers. She gently held onto him. "Hmmm," she thought about his question. "You don't really deserve it now. But if something comes up, you'll know," she chuckled a little and squeezed his hand back. His hand was warm. As she looked back on the road, she couldn't help but think that being around Tommy just felt like home...
After Marta had squeezed his hand he gave her a small smile. "I'll make sure to stay out of trouble." He joked softly, lifting her hand towards his face and giving it a soft kiss before lowering her hand back to his lap. "We don't have far to go now." He announced.
"As you should," Marta said. She nodded. She looked over at Tommy when he kissed her hand. "Good," Marta replied after Tommy gave her heads up. "I think we both look ready for the races. I didn't want to tell you, so you don't get too cocky... But you do look pretty too," she told him as she looked out of the car. The scenery changed. They were surely getting closer to a city or some sort of place with more people.
"I look pretty?" Tommy responded, glancing over to her with his icy blue eyes sparkling in the summer sun. "Tommy Shelby looks pretty." He then added, nodding his head and chuckling to himself as he turned off the main road and instead of parking his car with the other visitors to the racetrack, seemed to drive around to the back of the track, to the area where the trucks would bring the horses. He pulled up beside a couple of horse carts and turned off the engine. "Welcome to Cheltenham." He said. His mood was light, like he was excited as he sprung from the car and went to open the door for Marta.
Marta chuckled and then nodded. "I think Tommy Shelby looks pretty," she nodded. "But maybe I am crazy. Look at me, I lived in a tent a few weeks ago," Marta shrugged and looked around to see all the people. They had reached their destination. There were many pretty ladies and dapper men. "Wow," Marta whispered.
When she saw the horse carts, she couldn't help but joke: "Are you looking for a hayloft back here, or?" She smiled to herself and thought that her joke was very good. Once out of her car she took everything in. "Oh, look, Tommy. That horse over there, ain't it pretty?"
"There's nothing wrong with a tent." Tommy stated as Marta got out of the car, he then shut the door behind her and checked the time on his pocket watch before pushing it back inside his jacket. Her joke seemed to go over his head, as of the moment they had arrived his mind was focused on business and he placed his hand on her lower back and started to guide her towards the stables. "Come on." He said, leading her through a door that clearly stated 'Staff Only'
Marta felt like a kid at the fair. Everything just looked amazing to her. From the horse carts to the men that handled the horses. Even though this was a place for horses, everything looked so clean and nice. Oh, how she would love to have stables like that one day. "That horse looks just like you," Marta chuckled as she saw one very special horse with bright blue eyes. She had never seen a horse like that.
As they walked through the stables it was apparent that this was a busy affair, jockeys and horses were preparing for their races and people seemed to be rushing around them. "Well then at least the horse is pretty." Tommy said, but he hardly gave the horse a glance as he hurried her through the stable and out into a long corridor.
"It had blue eyes," Marta put her arm around Tommy. "I love it here," she whispered mostly to herself. She then looked at Tommy. She thought that he was... gone? Distant? Marta thought that he was really different from how he acted just a few minutes ago. "So," she hummed, "who am I? A barmaid? A childhood friend? Someone you picked up on the way?" She asked quietly.
Tommy lit himself a cigarette as they walked, well more like marched, down the corridor towards a flight of stairs. The excitement was building, this was going to be a good day. He took a long drag of his cigarette before he looked across at Marta and continued his brisk pace. "Excuse us." He said, using his arm to force his way between a couple that were mingling ahead. "Once we are upstairs, you are Lady Sarah of Connemara." Tommy explained. "You got lost when you went looking for the boy riding your horse-er-Dandy Flower." He explained as they started heading up the stairs at a swift pace. "If they ask about me, say that I'm Prussian, don't speak a word of English."
Marta's eyes widened as Tommy gave her all the instructions. "Do you think I pass as a Lady of Connemara?" She whispered to him as they walked up the stairs.
"That's why I gave you so much money for a nice dress." Tommy spoke, giving her a pat on the back to gee her up before putting a smile on his face and beaming at the security guard, a smile that matched the idea of a foreign man who had no idea what was being spoken of.
"And what even is a Prussian? Are you sure you aren't making that up?" Marta put on a smile when she saw the security. "Oh, no," she mumbled to herself with the stiff smile still on her face. "Good morning, sir," she said. "I am very sorry. But I think I got lost..." she began spinning yarns like a true professional. "Oh, uhm. He is Prussian. He doesn't speak a word of English. Which really helps sometimes." Marta nodded. "You don't sound Irish," the security said. Marta took a deep breath. "Oh thank you!" Marta said. "I've been to many countries and I always bring an accent with me. Last time I went to Cuba and..." the security got tired of it and just let them in.
Once they had been allowed into the VIP area Tommy seemed rather content that at least the first stage of his plan was a success. His eyes scanned the room, there were many people dancing. Others congregated at the bar, and some sat at tables. "I still prefer The Garrison." He stated, giving her a small wink.
Marta took a deep breath and walked in with Tommy. "This was worse than stealing from the Garrison," she said. Marta smiled at Tommy and looked down at the people dancing. "Yeah. This is a bit crowded," she looked at Tommy. "I preferred the stables," she shrugged and put her arm around the man. She looked at the many ladies. She thought that her dress was up to par with theirs. She did not feel so out of place.
Tommy leant against the railings for a moment, finishing his cigarette. He would die for a whiskey right about now, but business came first. His eyes seemed to scan the people below and once he was happy he had everything sussed out he looked back at Marta and straightened himself up. "Do you dance?" He asked.
She tilted her head to the side and shrugged. "Well," she hummed. "Since I am a Lady, I'd say yes," she nodded. "But I am sure that a Lady is used to being asked properly. What does a Prussian say to that?" Marta chuckled and looked down at all the people again. She thought she could try and dance.
Tommy's cheeky smile returned to his face and he took one of Marta's hands into his, moving it towards his lips and kissing her skin softly. "Lady Sarah..." He spoke softly. "Of Connemara, will you dance with me?" He asked. "That is what a Prussian would say."
Marta chuckled as her cheeks got pink. "Lady Sarah of Connemara," she repeated. She felt like Tommy was being too much of a gentleman. It was funny but it left her body all tingly. "Let's go. I still don't know where a Prussian is from..." Marta hummed and then walked to the dancefloor with Tommy. It was full of dancing happy people. She hoped that she would be skilled enough as a dancer for a room like this.
Tommy smiled and squeezed Marta's hand as he led her to the dance floor, he seemed brimming with energy from the excitement of the day. Once they'd reached the centre of the floor he turned to face her, keeping his hand in his and placing his over on her waist. "Prussia is in Northern Europe." He finally responded.
"Wow," Marta marvelled at Tommy's knowledge. "I would not know. I can't read a big map," she smiled. "I am glad I managed to learn how to read books and letters. Books were easier, letters worse because everyone writes differently. However, I wanted to know what my stepfather sends out to his mistresses. It was interesting reading." Marta placed her hand on Tommy's shoulder and smiled at him. "I hope we don't mess up," she said, "what is the plan anyway?"
"I can teach you to read a map." Tommy stated, she had his attention for the first few minutes as they danced. Tommy was quite the dancer and moved his feet quickly along with the music, occasionally holding his hand higher for Marta to twirl underneath. He seemed distracted now though, his eyes scanning the room and moving them closer to the other side of the dance floor. Kimber was not sat too far away and he wanted to be noticed. "You don't need to worry about the plan." He spoke softly, twirling her again as he kept a relaxed smile on his face.
Marta nodded. "I hope it will be just as much fun as you teaching me how to shoot," she winked. She danced around the whole dancefloor with him. Tommy was very good at leading them and making sure that they didn't bump into people. She was just enjoying the dance. Marta twirled under Tommy's hand with a smile. "Yeah, fuck the plan. This is fun," Marta did not notice Kimber. She was too busy taking in Tommy and the dance.
Kimber was smoking a cigar, paying the minimum amount of attention to his accountant as he explained the situation with the Lee's. Though his eyes and mind were elsewhere as he watched the woman in the green dress twirl on the dance floor. The barmaid. He thought to himself. Though his blood pressure seemed to spike when he noticed whom it was she was dancing with. "Roberts. The Peaky blinders are here." He announced, sitting forward in his seat as he smoked his cigarette.
Roberts was face first into counting all the money and every loss they would endure, because of the Lee's. If it were his money, he'd be mad, but it was really just numbers to him. He got to play with numbers and he got paid for it. He looked up and found Tommy Shelby in the crowd. He looked at the woman too, briefly. "Yes. Told you Mr Kimber. He's got some balls, that one." Roberts looked back at his numbers.
"And she's got some body that one." Kimber responded, his eyes glued to the woman despite the presence of his wife sitting right beside him. She was well used to it by now. He sat forward, smoking his cigar intently.
Tommy of course had noticed Kimbers position long before he had asked Marta to dance, and there was a reason he had chosen to lead her to this certain area and twirl her at the moments he had. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was noticed, but he paid Kimber no attention, simply he continued to smile as they danced. "Map reading certainly doesn't match up to shooting."
"Oh, I don't think it does. There are not any maps in the forest. And there aren't any haylofts in houses with maps," Marta shrugged and then twirled some more. She had no idea that someone was looking at her, let alone that someone she would know from The Garrison would be there. She completely forgot about Kimber being at the races. The atmosphere, the horses... It was much better than thinking about Kimber.
"Indeed." Tommy said, placing a kiss on Marta's cheek as he slid his hand into his pocket and then checked the time on his pocket watch. Now he just needed Arthur to come through. Without warning he started to lead Marta back across the dance floor rather swiftly.
Marta gasped when Tommy held onto her a bit more tightly. "I feel like we are not dancing to the rhythm," she said. Sure enough, they bumped into a few people before they stopped at a door. It opened after a bit of time. And there he was, Arthur Shelby. He was slightly out of breath. He dropped a few bags of money on the floor. "We got every penny back. We chased them down like rats," Arthur hummed and looked at Marta. "Nice dress. Why don't you wear that to The Garrison instead of the scarf?"
As Arthur spoke to Marta Tommy quickly gathered the bags of cash from the ground, placing the straps over his shoulder before giving his brother a firm grasp of his shoulder. "Good, Good." Tommy said, over the moon with how this was all working out. "We're gunna be legitimate businessmen by the end of the day." He said with a nod, patting Arthur's shoulder. "Buy the boys a drink, is anyone hurt?" He then asked.
"Some cuts and bruises, but they'll survive," Arthur pointed at his bloody cheek. It was strange. The blood didn't look like it was his. "We'll enjoy the drinks. Maybe we can bet on some, safe bets," he winked at his brother and at Marta. Marta looked at the bags full of money. "That's a lot of money," she nodded.
"I've seen some free champagne at the bar. I'll be there," Marta said to Tommy.
"You do that brother." Tommy responded with a nod of his head, giving his brother another firm pat on the shoulder. He then looked back at Marta. "Alright, off you go Lady Sarah." Tommy said, a rather serious expression on his face now as he started to stride across the room carrying the heavy bags of cash. His arms casually shoved people out of his way. "Excuse me." He spoke lazily, giving one man a rather firm shove that caused him to knock over some glasses on one of the tables. Tommy didn't break stride and once he was at Kimber's table he dropped the backs down into the centre with a loud thud before tipping the full contents of the last onto the table. "Your money Mr Kimber."
Marta nodded and then slowly walked over to the bar. She smiled at the bartenders and at some of the other man in front of the bar. Her smiles earned her a glass of champagne or two. "Thank you," she smiled and took a sip. Champagne was good. She could watch Tommy drop the money on Kimber's table.
Roberts looked at all the money. Mr Shelby was abrupt, but truth be told, he did what he had promised... Roberts looked at Mr Kimber. He himself was curious about his reaction.
Kimber seemed rather thrown by the sudden exchange, sipping his glass of champagne as he watched the pikey dump his money on the table.
"Rescued from the Lee brothers and returned to you with a request for a fair hearing." Tommy spoke clearly as he helped himself to a seat at the table and took a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it before he spoke again. "Your own protection is failing you Mr Kimber. Your boys are taking cuts." Tommy explained, pointing his cigarette at the men standing behind him before taking a long drag. "I want to suggest that from now on, you contract out your racetrack security, to the Peaky blinders." Tommy went on, and Kimber seemed too stunned to speak. "We'd be saving you a lot of money Mr Kimber... a lot of money. In return, you give us 5% of the take, and 3 legal betting pitches at every race north of the river Severn. Rising to 6 after 1 year, if we are all satisfied with the service."
There was silence again as Tommy took another drag of his cigarette, flicking his ash into the ashtray as he exhaled. "What do you say Mr Kimber?"
"I say you talk business to my accountant, I wanna dance." Kimber responded simply, placing down his now empty glass of champagne and making his way to the mysterious woman in the green dress. "Your man said it was alright for me to have this dance." He stated, holding his hand up to her.
Marta was watching the exchange at the table. She turned to the bar, when she saw Kimber looking at her. When she peeked over her shoulder, she saw him coming. She rolled her eyes and finished the rest of the champagne and looked at Kimber. "That's funny," she nodded. "I don't have a man." She shrugged.
Kimber kept his hand out, expecting her to take it. "I was under the impression you were with the pikey." Kimber spoke, leaning closer to her and speaking into her ear. "Then it must be my lucky day. Now come and dance."
Marta took a deep breath and tried very hard to not kick Kimber in the balls right then and there.
"And at the bar I was under the impression that you thought Peaky Blinders were a gypsy scum..." Marta accepted Kimber's hand reluctantly. "As a gypsy scum myself, I can't help but wonder if every man like you is..." she wanted to call him a hypocrite so bad. But she didn't want to mess it up for Tommy, "...capable of such acts of charity."
Kimber's patience was running low, if it wasn't for the woman's beauty he would have forced his will already. "This is not charity." He responded, his hand had still been hanging in the air, and his patience had finally run out and grabbed her hand. "I'm merely admiring a woman's beauty. Now. You will dance with me." He demanded, squeezing her hand. "Or I will take that money your pikey boyfriend laid down on my table and force every single coin down his throat."
Marta took a deep breath and looked at Kimber. "I will dance with you. Lead the way," in her mind, she found every single name she could call the man. Lead the way if you can. She also wanted to tell Kimber that Tommy would manage to swallow all the coins. Or that Tommy would force the coins down Kimbers neck. Her mind was very creative with the insults. She more or less saw her stepfather in Kimber. She placed her hand on the man's shoulder and let him have the dance.
"Good choice." Kimber spoke, placing a rather firm hand on her waist as they started to dance, he seemed to keep his face close to her own, breathing steadily near her ear as they danced.
Roberts smiled. He was pleasantly surprised by Mr Shelby's skill in negotiation. He was also shocked by his employer's attitude. Yeah. Poor Mrs Kimber. It was always like this. Roberts didn't really know what Mr Kimber saw in the lady that was there with the Blinders. What kind of lady would come with them anyway? "How many men can you put into action Mr Shelby?"
Tommy hoped for the love of god that Marta wouldn't cause a scene, this was an important deal. It was unfortunate that Kimber seemed to have taken a special interest in her, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made in the name of business. His eyes watched the exchange from his seat at the table as he smoked his cigarette, before his mind was pulled away by Roberts and he turned his attention back to the accountant. "There's a lot of men out of work at the moment... 2 guards for every bookie." Tommy responded confidently, flicking the ash from the end of his cigarette into the ashtray.
Roberts nodded. "On every meeting? That seems like a bit of a stretch. What is the catch, Mr Shelby? If there is one?" Roberts asked. He looked at poor Mrs Kimber who seemed to be bored out of her mind.
Tommy kept his attention on Roberts, hoping that Marta was atleast refraining from socking Kimber in the nose. "We have contacts with good people amongst the gypsies." Tommy explained, smoking his cigarette steadily. "We'll always know when the Lee's plan to attack, with all the strikes and troubles, you can't really depend on the police." Tommy said, disposing of his cigarette in the ashtray and leaning forward in his chair. "Anyway, we're more honest."
Roberts nodded to himself and fixed his glasses on his nose. "Very well then," he looked over at his boss. He saw that he had some issues regarding the dance. Roberts looked over at Tommy. "I see your partner is a strong willed individual?" The man blinked his eyes.
Tommy simply nodded his head, it seemed they had a deal. He relaxed back into his chair, seeing that Marta had finally allowed Kimber to dance with her. Thank god. "More like a Przewalski." Tommy responded, referring to one of the native species of wild horse. That was certainly how Marta could be.
"Short in stature and temperamental," Roberts hummed and took a sip of his drink. "Looks about right," he watched the two dancing. He was mildly convinced that the woman would sooner or later step on the man's foot just to get away from him. Roberts wasn't a ladies man by any means, but he had more respect towards women. He at least respected their autonomy.
Tommy didn't speak, but simply nodded his head. He reached for yet another cigarette, he needed it to take the edge off because seeing the way Marta looked so uncomfortable was making him want to put a bullet in the man's skull.
Marta rolled her eyes to herself. She then began dancing. She looked away from the man and her face said it all. She was "stoked" to be dancing with Mr Kimber. One, two, three... She counted in her head so that she didn't have to think about anything else. But then it hit her. "Why aren't you dancing with your wife?" Marta asked. "I would dance with her in a heartbeat. She is a real beauty."
Kimber lowered his nose closer to her neck, breathing in the scent of her perfume as they danced. "My wife bores me." He stated simply, giving her hip a firm squeeze before releasing her and without saying a word went back to the table. "Looks like you two have made a deal, so let me throw a small condition in the mix." He stated as he sat down, glancing over his shoulder at the woman in the green dress that he had left on the dance floor.
"We made good progress with the deal," Roberts said and then looked at Kimber. He then looked at Tommy. "Uh," Roberts gulped. "And what might be the condition, Mr Kimber?" Roberts took his glasses off and took a sip of his drink.
Marta turned to look at Kimber after he got a bit too close for her liking. If her looks could kill, Kimber would drop dead. She went back to the bar. She was much nicer towards the bartender who was nice enough to give her a cigarette. Ash and cigarette smoke was better than hair gel and whatever cologne Kimber reeked of. Marta took a long drag from her cigarette and let the smoke come out of her nose. It very well masked the dreaded stench of Billy Kimber. She hummed to herself and just waited. She talked to the bartender with a smile. "No, I don't know that joke..."
Tommy watched Marta as she made her way back to the bar before his attention was turned back to Kimber and Roberts.
"2 hours. Alone with your lady." Kimber stated, picking up a glass of champagne as he watched the woman in green light a cigarette. He liked the stubborn ones. "Or there is no deal." Kimber added, sensing Tommy's dislike of the proposal.
Roberts wasn't a fan of the proposal either, but it was Kimber's money. He looked over at Mr Shelby. The ball was on his side of the playfield.
Tommy exhaled smoke from his lips slowly. Now more than ever did he want to unleash that bullet. But Kimbers time would come. Now it was time they all swallowed their pride. He didn't respond, but simply stood from his chair and walked towards the bar, towards Marta. "Whiskey." He spoke to the bartender. "Irish." Tommy quickly added, inhaling some of his cigarette as he waited before placing a soft hand on Marta's waist.
"So? How's the deal going?" Marta asked Tommy.
"So listen... we're gunna go for dinner at Kimber's house." Tommy said, smoking once more. "He has a place a couple of miles away. I have some business to settle first with his accountant... so you'll go on ahead." Tommy hated it, he hated everything about it. "With Kimber." The whiskey arrived and Tommy placed some coins on the bar before taking a gulp.
Marta tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows. "Go ahead with Kimber?" Marta asked. "Right," she said. "You will give me your cigarettes then. Or your gun," she said. "Kimber is just like my stepfather, only worse because he apparently wants to fuck me. So..." she sighed and looked at the man. "Champagne," Marta told the bartender and then gulped down the whole glass in one go.
"You won't need a gun." Tommy responded, sighing softly as he took another gulp of his whiskey. "The deal is I give him two hours with you. He thinks he is a ladies man. He thinks he can seduce you. Whenever you want, just kick him in the balls." He spoke softly, he hated that it had come to this, but he needed the business. It was a good deal. Tommy then reached in to his jacket pocket and took out his cigarettes, holding them out to her.
"Do you think I won't?" Marta asked Tommy. "If you'd rather I stab him with a butter knife I find at his house, then so be it," she snatched the cigarettes from his hand. "And lighter as well," she hummed and put a cigarette in her mouth. "Two hours, great," Marta was nervous. Two hours was a lot. She danced with Kimber for maybe three minutes and he was already too close for comfort.
"I'll kick him in the balls and then I punch YOU in the face," she huffed.
Tommy could see she was annoyed, and rightly so. He didn't hesitate to take his lighter from his pocket and handed it to her. "Being part of this family, sometimes we have to make sacrifices Marta." Tommy said softly. Of course he didn't like the deal, but revenge would come soon enough, he was sure of it. As she spoke of punching him in the face he simply nodded his head, finishing his glass of whiskey and leaving it on the bar before heading back to Kimber.
"I should've called Kimber a hypocrite a long time ago," Marta said loudly. She lit the cigarette. She was ready to light one after the other. A burning cigarette wasn't much of a weapon, but it was a weapon nonetheless. She licked her lips. Tommy was maybe doubting that Marta was capable of all she threatened to do... Marta was more than happy to prove him wrong.
Tommy rubbed his temple quickly as he heard Marta call after him. He knew the situation was wrong, and Polly would kill him for it. But business was business and needs must.
"Do we have a deal?" Kimber asked. "As a sweetener you can try your luck with mine." He said, tilting his head in the direction of his own wife.
"Yeah we have a deal." Tommy spoke, glancing back at Marta. "Two hours?" Spoke Kimber.
"Yeah." Said Tommy simply. He needed whiskey.
Mrs Kimber got up from the table. She was disgusted. She was revolted. She felt ashamed. She would not fuck the stranger. There was nothing that could change her mind.
"Side bet, £20 says I have her fucked in one." Kimber spoke in Tommys ear, which caused him to give Marta a sorrowful looking glance. With that Kimber departed, gesturing to the door as he approached Marta. "After you my lady." He spoke.
Marta took a deep breath and then looked at Kimber. "Sure," Marta hummed and then walked with Kimber. They didn't really take the same route as they did with Tommy. That made Marta sad. She would not see the horses. "Do you have horses Mr. Kimber?" Marta asked.
Kimber was at least a gentleman in the way he opened doors for Marta and allowed her to exit before himself. Soon enough they were back at his car. "I have race horses." Was his simple response as he held open his car door. "I didn't catch your name." He then spoke.
"Oh," Marta smiled and then got into the man's car. "I would like to see those horses," she said. "I have a horse too," she added. "Ma...Mah name is Sarah," she remembered what Tommy had told her. The Prussian was a bit out of equation since Kimber knew who Tommy was. But she still didn't feel like giving the guy her own name. "Your accountant is not coming to the dinner?" She asked.
"They are all at the track." Kimber replied, giving her a smarmy smile as he started his car. "We have no more business at the track… Sarah." Kimber said, putting his hand on his thigh in a more dominating way than Tommy had done.
"So," Marta took a deep breath. "I see you don't like your horses as much," she looked at the man from the corner of her eye. "They are just business to you," she nodded. "You know," she took a deep breath, "maybe the way you treat your horses shows how you treat people around you," she looked at the man and then tried to move his hand away.
**********
Back in the VIP area Roberts looked at Tommy and then at Mrs Kimber. "Well," he said and nodded. "I will take my leave Mr Shelby. It was a pleasure dealing business with you," Roberts nodded and then left for his car.
"Pleasure." Tommy replied simply, what a sad use of the word. He thought to himself. He gave Roberts a nod of his head as he left, and soon enough it was just himself and Kimber's wife left at the table. "I suppose we should leave." Tommy spoke simply, already finding himself desperate for a cigarette and as they made his way out with Mrs Kimber in tow he snatched a packet from a man who had been about to light his own. "Give me that." He then demanded, snatching the lighter from the man's hand before giving him a rough shove back into his seat.
"Right, we should," Mrs Kimber said. She looked bored and sad and disappointed. It was something in between. But it was a feeling she knew very well. She blinked her eyes at the man's antics. "We're sorry. He's just nervous. His first races..." Mrs Kimber said and nudged Tommy.
"Yeah, my first races." Tommy mumbled under his breath, stuffing the cigarettes and lighter into his pocket before tossing the man a pound coin and heading out to his car without another word to Mrs Kimber.
"He is nervous, yes," Mrs Kimber quickly joined Tommy in the car. "Are you quite alright?" She asked the man. "Is it something with the girl? Is she not a whore?" Mrs Kimber was curious. "I am surely not."
"I'm fine." Tommy said simply, though it took him a few attempts to get his car key in the ignition. He needed to keep it together, he needed to keep his temper under control. Else he would ruin the deal. He took a deep breath and finally managed to start his car. "No, she is not a whore." He started to drive, though he had no idea where to go and after a few miles of silence he pulled over on a long country road and pulled one of the cigarettes from his pocket.
Mrs Kimber felt like asking the man if he really wanted to drive. She didn't know what the other option would be because she could not drive a car. "I am not a whore either. Just so you know," she huffed. "I was a milliner. A very good one, independent. I made this hat myself," she pointed at her hat. "I am sure he told you to try your luck."
Tommy gazed out the window as he smoked his cigarette, his mind purely on Marta as he watched the grass moving in the wind. "It's a very pretty hat." He stated, his eyes fixed on the grass before pulling his pocket watch out of his jacket and checking the time.
"Thanks, you know," she leaned back in the seat. "I mean. He buys me clothes and jewels... But he is such an ass. I've seen so many girls with him... It's terrible. If she's not a whore, it'll be bad."
Tommy continued to watch the grass gently blowing in the countryside air as Mrs Kimber spoke. "God's honest truth… I have no idea what she is." Tommy said, finishing his cigarette and tossing it out of the window before he quickly started the car up again.
"You don't know people you go to races with?" Mrs Kimber asked and then held onto the door handle as the car sped through the countryside. "He has got about an hour still," she said.
"It's complicated." Tommy responded simply, his knuckles almost white due to how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel. "I don't care about his hour, tell me how to get to the house." He said, driving down the street as quickly as he car would go.
"The fastest route is to the left here. Then up the hill and to the right," Mrs Kimber blurted out. She looked at the man. "How complicated is it? Is it your wife?"
Tommy was driving like a madman, the speed of his car kicking up plenty of dust behind him as he followed her directions. "My wife?" He repeated, taking the sharp left turn a little too quickly. "I hope, perhaps, one day." He said honestly.
Mrs Kimber held onto the handles in the car as she looked at the man. She nodded. "Alright. Alright then. You see that tree there? To the right there. It will take us right to the back entrance."
Tommys eyes scanned the road for the tree she was pointing at. "Thank you." He said, though he certainly looked a little stressed as he continued to rush in the direction of the Kimber estate.
"It's only been an hour," the lady said and looked at the road. She braced herself for another turn. "We're almost there," she said. She saw the back of the estate. There was no gate, just a yard.
************
Once Marta and Mr Kimber were in the car the man had started to drive, deciding to loosen his grip on her thigh slightly. Perhaps he was being just a little bit forward, surely his usual charm would work just fine. "I treat my associates well. My wife gets any clothing or jewellery she asks for. I treat those that I care about well." He said as he drove, it was only a short drive to his estate.
Marta looked around the car. She looked for something she could use as a weapon if need be. She was going through many ways she could get out of this if she needed. Marta felt that spinning yarns and lying was the best. "Well, yes. You scared my son at the pub. Not that you should care about him of course..."
"Your son has no reason to be scared." Kimber replied, looking across at her with a rather hungry look in his eyes. "That's if his mother plays nice." He then said, placing his hand on her leg again, though this time a little softer than his previous grab. They soon approached the long driveway to his estate and he drove the road that led to his large mansion.
Marta huffed and shook her head a little bit. "Great," she said with fake enthusiasm. Fuck this man. She hoped that Kimber would stop his pursuits if he thought that Marta was much older than she looked. The man was crazy. Marta looked at the mansion. Yeah, Kimber was just like her stepfather. They were these two pompous bastards. She wondered if Kimber knew him. "Do you have gardens? I like flowers and... herbs."
"We have more important dealings than flowers and herbs." Kimber responded as he pulled up outside his large estate. "Have you ever been in a house this big?" He asked, showing off his expansive assets as he led her to his large drawing room.
"Do we..." Marta hummed to herself and then carefully got out of the car. She looked at the huge house. She didn't feel good from the look of it alone. She looked over at Kimber and then followed him through the house. "I have," she told Kimber. "And I stole from there too," she added. She purposefully walked slower than usually. She also pointed at a statue or a painting asking about the value.
"A whore that steals." Kimber spoke to himself as he walked through to the drawing room, there was nothing new there. "That painting is worth more than my car." Kimber then stated, pointing out of the window as he went over to the record player to start some music. "There are your precious flowers."
"If you'd rather call up a whore that doesn't steal, you can go ahead. I can wait here and look at the flowers," Marta walked over to the window and looked at the gardens. They were pretty. She had to admit that. Marta was also sure that Kimber had nothing to do with the flowers. It was probably done by an architect or someone with taste. "Wow. I wouldn't think that a painting can cost that much. Don't worry. I won't steal it. It's far too heavy to carry," she looked at Kimber as he was fiddling with the record player. She grabbed Tommy's cigarettes and pulled one out to light it.
"Why would I want another whore, when you are so beautiful Sarah?" Kimber asked, finally managing to get the music playing and he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and took off his jacket. "You showed me up back at the races, you need to teach me how to dance." He said, taking hold of her hand and pulling her closer.
Marta looked at the man. She felt a sense of dread creep into her stomach and chest, and Tommy's fucking lighter decided not to work. She put the cigarette away and then found herself close to Kimber. She looked up at him and then looked at the record player. "Oh, well. The music is far too slow for how we danced back at the races, Mr Kimber. Whoever dances this slowly?" She carefully tried to pull away from him.
Kimber pulled the woman close to him, so that their chests were touching and he held her there, his hand holding her waist as he pushed his nose against her neck, breathing in the smell of that perfume again. "People that want to be close to each other dance to this music." He stated.
Marta gulped and looked up at him. She was tired of this. She didn't want to be close to that man. "And you think, I want to be close to you?" She asked him and shoved him away. Her heart was beating fast. She looked at the man and took a step away from him. She didn't want to back herself into any corner, but she also didn't want to be close to this one...
When the woman pushed him away Kimber felt his temper falter and he stroked his moustache as he walked over to his bar. Why wouldn't anyone want to be close to him. He asked himself. The time for niceness was over and he took a glass from the shelf and held it in his outstretched hand before dropping it to the floor with a crash. "Oh look, I dropped something. Pick it up." He demanded.
"Fuck," Marta whispered to herself and then looked around. She saw the pool pocket full of pool balls. Hitting a guy with one could hurt. She felt like that would be the thing that could keep Kimber away, maybe even knock him out cold. She jumped at the glass shattering. Marta looked at him and shook her head. "Pick it up yourself," she said, "or call a maid. It's your mess, not mine." she told him.
"You're a fucking barmaid!" Kimber raised his voice, his chest seeming to rise as he pointed down at the shattered glass. "If I drop something you fucking pick it up! I want to watch you pick it up!" He went on, his temper rising at her defiance as he marched closer. "Right you little slag! I've tried to be nice!" He shouted, grabbing hold of her wrist and shoving her body over the pool table. "If I drop a fucking glass-on the floor- you fucking bend over and pick it up! Ok?!"
Marta jumped again as the man raised his voice. She was momentarily taken back to the times when she and her mother lived with Blenkinsop and... It wasn't nice. It was not a situation she wanted to be in. "I am not YOUR fucking barmaid!" She shouted back at him and reached into the pool pocket. She managed to get one ball out before she was bent over the pool table, but the ball was just too slippery and it left her hand just as quickly. "No!" It rolled away from her and she tried very hard to reach for it. She was also squirming to get Kimber off her or to somehow snake out from under him.
Kimber forced one hand against the back of her neck, pushing her face down against the table whilst his other roughly tried to pull up her dress. "You stupid fucking whore." He barked, his hand then quickly trying to unzip his trousers.
Tommy raced into the estate like a mad man, his car screeching to a halt before he jumped out without even turning off the engine and burst inside. One of the male members of staff tried to stop him but he simply shoved the man out of his way. "Get the fuck off me!" He snapped before bursting open the doors of the drawing room. "No sir, no!" The staff member called after him, quickly following him into the drawing room.
Kimber was distracted by the sudden commotion and loosened his grip on the barmaid's neck. "What the fuck are you doing here?!" He yelled, rather taken aback and confused by the Pikey's sudden arrival. "I've got another hour!"
"Just wait." Tommy said, holding up a hand, he seemed rather breathless after the race to get here, but he was glad to see Marta seemed somewhat unscathed. "Listen to me-just listen to me." He said, catching his breath quickly as he stepped forward with his outstretched hand. Tommy hadn't thought this far ahead, he hadn't planned what he might say if he did manage to make it here on time. "I was going to let you go through with it-but in the end, my conscience got the better of me. She looks good on the outside...but." There was a small pause as Tommy look at Marta apologetically before going back to Kimber. "She has the clap."
"Bastard." Marta tried to pick herself up from the pool table before she was held down by the back of the neck. She kept reaching for the ball and she managed to get a good grip on it when Kimber finally let go. She held the pool ball in her hand. She saw Tommy. She was mildly relieved. She saw the butler and even Mrs Kimber.
They were all watching Tommy. Even Marta was surprised and somewhat curious as to what Tommy had to say. When she heard it, she gasped softly and then looked at Mrs Kimber and Billy Kimber himself. "Y-yeah," she said quietly as she fixed her dress with one hand. She let go of the pool ball and tried to fix her hair a bit too.
Kimber suddenly looked very uncomfortable and straightened his shirt as he took a few steps away from the woman, as if merely being close to her would infect him.
"When you took a shine to her… I thought I'd use her. Someone told me she had the clap and I thought… what the hell." Tommy explained, finally catching his breath as he lowered his hands to his sides. "Call it my better nature. She's-er-she's a whore." He said with a soft sigh.
Kimber looked dumbfounded as Tommy took a step closer to Marta, placing a hand on her waist. "Just-just go and wait in the car."
"Yeah. I can walk on my own," Marta said and then quickly walked away from the room on her unsteady legs. "Good bye," she told Mrs Kimber and the butler. She went through the mansion and down the grand stairs. When she got outside, she took a few deep breaths and put her hand on her chest. She felt her heart beating fast and her chest and neck felt tight. She climbed into Tommy's car and just waited. Her mind was swirling like water in a drain and she just stared out of the car window.
Tommy did his best to smooth things over with Kimber, though the man seemed so embarrassed that he would likely never speak of the situation again. As he walked from the drawing room he gave Mrs Kimber a small nod of his head as thanks before jogging down the steps to his car.
He paused for a moment when he reached the outside air and sucked in a deep breath before pulling open the driver's door. The engine was still running so he simply released the handbrake and started to drive. He didn't know what to say, no words seemed to find him and he could tell she was furious. "I'm sorry." He finally spoke, taking a hand from the wheel to rub his face.
Marta had no idea what she felt. She was glad Tommy was there and that they would go home. She didn't want to see Kimber ever again. Not that she thought he would like to see her again. Marta was equally scared and also a bit mad at Tommy. One of her legs was bouncing up and down on its own. Marta didn't say a thing. She had no idea what to say. And maybe her being silent was much more scary than her shouting at the top of her lungs.
Tommy had plenty of experience dealing with angry men, but less so pissed off women. The silence was deafening as she chose to ignore his statement and he drove on for a few minutes. He stole the occasional glance at her, each time noticing a different part of her body language that indicated how upset or angry she was. "Marta… I said I'm sorry." He spoke again, just in case she hadn't heard him the first time.
Marta heard Tommy as if he was outside of the car and she was locked in. She huffed and rubbed her thighs. "Stop the car, will you?" Marta asked Tommy and waited for him to do so. She then climbed out of the car and took a few wobbly steps away. She took deep breaths to calm herself down as she looked into the distance.
Tommy let out a small sigh as she finally responded to him, and he quickly obliged. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine, deciding it was best to give her a few minutes to herself before going chasing after her. "Fuck." He spoke to himself, rubbing his face with his hands for a few moments before he watched her walk a few metres away from the car.
Marta blinked her eyes. She felt them getting welled up with tears. She didn't want this. She didn't want to be like this. It was okay, right? Nothing happened. She dealt with the Peaky Blinders. She shot trees and she would beat a guy with a pool ball. Marta sniffled and then began to frantically wipe the tears away. "No, no, no..." she whispered to herself.
Tommy watched as she started to move her hands around her face, he could see she was upset. But he wasn't sure if his presence would make things better or worse. Things probably couldn't get much worse. He told himself and decided to get out of the car, shutting the door softly behind him as he walked up behind her. "Marta…” Tommy spoke softly, not wanting to scare her. "Marta… I'm sorry." He said once more, tentatively placing a hand on her back.
When Marta heard Tommy, she turned around and just slapped him across the face. "You fucking let him take me away!" She shouted at him. She fumbled with Tommy's lighter and then threw it against Tommy's chest. "And your fucking lighter didn't even work!" Marta sobbed as she looked at Tommy. "I tried to be rude, I tried to lie about my age, about having a child and he just wouldn't stop!" Marta covered her eyes with her hands. "He is just like him. He is just like Blenkinsop. That bastard. Right in front of his wife and he is not ashamed." She wiped her eyes.
Tommy hadn't expected anything less than the firm slap across his face. At Least he deserved it. His cheek seem to redden rather quickly, though he seemed unphased by the stinging pain and bent down to pick up his lighter after she had flung it at him. He took one of the cigarettes he had stolen from the man at the races from his pocket and placed it between his lips, there was a certain knack to the way his lighter worked and within a second the cigarette was lit and he held it out to her. "Here." He said softly, like the lit cigarette was some modern olive branch.
Marta looked at the cigarette and contemplated taking it for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't want it," she said. "I feel sick of him and I feel sick of myself. I just feel sick. I just want to go home," she closed her eyes for a bit, bowed her head and just let the tears fall. She felt them running down her face. She felt like a little kid.
Tommy let out a small sigh when she rejected his cigarette. He lifted it to his own lips and took a deep inhale. Tommy couldn't figure out whether he was coming or going, first she wanted to stop, now she wanted to go, she complained about his lighter but she didn't want to smoke. Women. He told himself. Though he knew he had had his part to play and that was obvious by his stinging cheek. Tommy rubbed his red cheek with his hand for a moment before he spoke. "Home where Marta?" He asked softly. "Back to the tent home…or home with us?" He asked. "Because we all care about you…and I'm sorry if I made you feel like we don't." Tommy spoke, taking a small step closer to her, though he knew he was putting himself in the danger zone of another slap.
Marta looked at Tommy. At that moment, it spoke volumes that he gave her a choice. She let out a big sigh and wiped her eyes again. "I don't want to go back to the tent," she shook her head, "beds are good, beds are better." Marta made two small steps towards Tommy before hugging him. "I care about you all too," she whispered. "I told Kimber that Finn was my kid."
Tommy felt a weight leave his chest as Marta stepped forwards and hugged him, he held her close, cradling her head into his shoulder and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "God knows the boy needs a mother." Tommy said, half joking to try and lighten her mood somewhat. "Let's go home." He then said quietly, squeezing her comfortingly before tossing his cigarette to the floor.
Marta chuckled softly against Tommy's chest. "Finn can be my son whenever he pleases," she nodded. "Yeah, let's go home," she said and then wiped her eyes for the last time because she was done crying. She moved to the car and got in. When Tommy joined her, she moved to sit close to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes.
Tommy gave her head another kiss before she straightened herself out and walked back to the car. He took a moment to himself to stare out across the field and centre himself before he got back into the car. Thankful at least that she wouldn't be leaving them all… leaving him. He started the car up and proceeded to drive back towards Birmingham. Once he'd gotten up to speed on the main road he took a hand from the steering wheel and wrapped it around her shoulder.
The rumble of the engine now felt nice and calming to Marta. She had no idea that Tommy was truly afraid that she would leave. She just felt like he was big enough a person to just let her choose. Marta put her arms around Tommy's waist and rested her head on him.Tommy smelt much better than Kimber and she soon drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 14: Books & Ladders
Chapter Text
Tommy tried not to disturb her as she slept against his shoulder whilst he drove them back to Birmingham. He felt a little odd, it had surprised him that he had cared so much for her. Tommy didn’t even light a cigarette for the remainder of the drive as he didn’t want to rummage in his pockets and wake her. It was best that she rested. Once they were back into the city he rubbed her shoulder with his hand, he needed it back to change the gears. “Marta, wake up.” He said softly, his hand rubbing along her back as he pulled it back to the steering wheel.
Marta hummed and nuzzled her face against Tommy's shoulder. "Are we home yet?" She asked the man and looked out of the car. Her eyes were a little puffy from all the crying and sleeping. She sat back on her seat properly. Marta thought to herself for a bit and then turned to look at Tommy. "I liked watching John's kids better," Marta said. "If I ever have to go to races again, I won't go past the stables. I'll just wait there and pet horses," she bit her lip. "And... I helped Katie with reading, but... What about Finn? Do you think someone should help him too? I am not the best reader in Birmingham, but I think I could teach him."
“We’re nearly home.” Tommy responded, his voice quiet. He wasn’t used to the guilty sensation in the pit of his stomach. Tommy then nodded his head as she explained her feeling about the races, he wouldn’t be taking her again in a hurry. As they pulled into Small Heath Tommy drove towards his garage. “Do you want me to drop you at the B&B?” He asked, knowing that he would most certainly be spending the rest of the day in The Garrison. “You can ask Finn, but he doesn’t have much interest in education.” Getting the boy to school had always been a tough task, he didn’t seem to be able to sit in a classroom. Some kids just didn’t belong in a chair behind a desk and Finn was one of them. The young lad much preferred helping his brothers and getting into mischief on the streets.
Marta looked over at Tommy and shrugged. "Where are you going?" She asked him and bit her lip a little. Most of her lipstick was gone by now. She didn't really know how Finn would react to the reading. And she didn't feel like asking him, maybe she could lie? Maybe she could say that Tommy said he should do it? But then... wouldn't that make her a terrible person? "Yeah. I'll try with Finn. I'll probably have to find something he would be interested in enough to read about it. You know... as his mother..." Marta chuckled to herself.
“I’m going to go to The Garrison.” Tommy replied, taking a turn down watery lane. The boys would likely be celebrating their day at the races, and Tommy needed a stiff drink. He reached over and rubbed her leg gently. “You’d have to fight Polly for that title.” Tommy joked, glad that she seemed to be a little better now after her sleep.
"I'll go with you," she hummed. "I'll help Harry out a bit and maybe it will take my mind of things," she bit her lip a little and put her hand over Tommy's. She rubbed his hand. "Oh," Marta nodded, "that would be a vicious fight, which I would most likely lose." Marta nodded. "Polly is a different kind of woman. I can't really fight her for anything. And I don't want to. I'll be a mother to someone else, when the time comes," Marta shrugged.
“You don’t want to get on Pol’s bad side.” Tommy agreed, turning off the road and pulling into his large garage. He quickly climbed out of the car and opened the door for her, offering her his hand to help her up. “I watched her claw out a man’s eye when we were boys.” Tommy then said with a small chuckle.
Marta climbed out of the car and fixed her dress. "Well, you are the Peaky Blinders. No wonder she would do that," she looked up at Tommy and fixed his jacket slightly. "Thank you for coming back for me," she told him. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for all of this. Dresses, races, saving me from a bad man... helping me with my mother's funeral, giving me a home," she shrugged. "You've done so much for me."
The fact that she was thanking him for rescuing her from a situation he had created made that guilty feeling swirl once more and he shook his head slightly as she fixed his jacket. “I shouldn’t have let him take you back there.” Tommy stated, in his mind he deserved far worse than the slap she had given him. “You don’t have to thank me for anything Marta.” He said.
Marta gently rubbed Tommy's arm and nodded. "Okay," she smiled at him. "Let's go," she said. "I am craving some lingonberry schnapps," she hooked her arm around Tommy's. "I almost forgot." Marta handed Tommy's cigarette case back to him. "I finally tidied up my room. I even found your tie," she chuckled.
Tommy put his arm around Marta as they started to walk to The Garrison and slid the cigarette case back into his pocket. “Thank you.” He spoke, placing a kiss on her head. “I didn’t even realise it was missing.” Tommy then replied honestly. In truth he had far too many ties to notice the disappearance of one. Once they reached the pub he pushed open the door. It was loud inside The Garrison, they all seemed to be in a splendid mood after their violent afternoon at the races. Some of them seemed a little more bashed up than others. “Whisky please Harry, and one of those schnapps things.” He said as he took out a cigarette and lit it.
"Wow, it's full here," Marta squeezed past the men with Tommy and then greeted Harry. "Do you need any help?" Marta asked Harry. She then touched Tommy's shoulder before walking behind the bar to help out Harry. She carried a tray full of mild to a table. "You look just like my late wife!" An old man who frequented the Garrison said when Marta brought over the mild. "She was a real beauty. Blonde with long legs!" The man said. His eyes weren't as good as they used to be. "Really?" Marta laughed and then walked back to the bar to get her schnapps. Whilst Marta went to help Harry, Tommy gulped down his whiskey and smoked a cigarette, leaning against the bar. It had been a good day in terms of business and he scanned the busy bar for any sight of his family.
Finn emerged from between two men’s legs carrying half a glass of mild that Arthur had bought him and ran over to Marta. “Hey Marta, you look posh.” He said with a grin.
Marta clinked her glass against Tommy's and then took a sip of her schnapps. It was good. It was sweet. It was just the drink for her. She then looked over at the boy. "Hey, Finn," she smiled at him. "Do you really think so?" She twirled a little bit and then ruffled Finn's hair. "You look like a proper gentleman," Marta nodded and then couldn't help but fix Finn's hair and his jacket.
“Cheers.” Tommy hummed as he clinked his glass against Marta’s, emptying it in one gulp before holding it out for Harry to refill. “Finn, where's Pol?” He then asked.
“Yeah I do.” Finn said with a sweet laugh, before she started fixing him up. She really did look nice, Once she was paying attention to his jacket he reached up to smooth his own hair down the way he liked it. The Peaky way. “I dunno.” Finn then said with a shrug of his shoulders.
Marta looked at Finn and when she thought that his jacket was to her liking, she nodded to herself. "How's your reading, little Blinder?" She asked Finn. "Maybe you could practise sometimes, what do you say?" Marta asked Finn with a smile. She then looked over at Tommy. "I could go fetch her. Maybe she is with Ada. I heard you say she was a bit sick," the barmaid shrugged.
"You know, my mother always said that when a young girl is sick and faintish, it is always because she..." Marta shut her mouth. What if it was true? She couldn't possible tell Tommy that Ada was pregnant, could she? "Uh," Marta chuckled. "I forgot the rest of what my mother used to say." She smiled a little and then busied herself with cleaning glass. She had no idea if her mothers words were true in this situation. But it also made sense to her.
“I don’t need to read.” Finn responded with a shrug of his shoulders. “I just gotta know numbers ain’t I Tommy?” The younger boy said. He didn’t have much ambition beyond doing the odds at the betting shop and helping his brothers.
Tommy was sipping his whisky. “I mean if you don’t wanna do anything but work in the betting shop all your life.” He said with a shrug before his eyes suddenly snapped to Marta. “What did you mother used to say Marta?” He asked, placing his glass down with a rather serious expression on his face.
"Just the numbers, you say?" Marta asked Finn. She nodded. "I'll remember that when you are rich," Marta tapped her temple. "I will let you sign a contract with big pretty numbers. But the contract will say that you are giving me all of your money. You will never know you just gave me everything. Or I guess you will, when you'll live in a tent." Marta smiled at Finn. She then looked at Tommy. Tommy's eyes... They were hard to look at when one wanted to lie. It felt like Tommy was gazing into her soul and finding something rather horrid there. "Uhhh," Marta gulped, "can't remember?" She said, She was very unsure and quickly busied herself with pouring mild.
“I can’t sign nothing if I can’t write letters.” Finn then said with a cheeky wink and another shoulder shrug. He was just looking for any excuse not to learn. His experience of school hadn’t been great, hence his non attendance.
“You’re a terrible liar Marta.” Tommy stated, pushing himself away from the bar and tossing his cigarette on the ground as he walked out of the pub, marching in the direction of Ada’s house.
"Only when you're around," Marta looked at Tommy and then watched him leave the pub. She sighed softly. This was not good. She gulped. She then looked at Finn. "Finn," Marta tilted her head to the side. "Would you like to learn to read with me?" She asked. "We can get you some books you'd like to read." She leaned on the bar. "Reading is a really good skill," she nodded. "And girls love it, you can read them poems." She winked at the boy.
“Oh Tommy looks mad.” Finn stated as his eyes followed Tommy out the door, he was wearing that face that he wore when he was going to kill someone. He then looked back up at Marta. “Only if it’s not boring.” He then finally agreed. Marta sighed. "Do you think I made him mad?" She asked Finn and then thought for a second. "Hmm, well. I know who has books that are not boring. But we would have to steal those. Are you in?" She asked Finn. Her bloody stepfather had a nice library at his house. He hardly ever used it so... It would not be hard to break into it, right?
Finn shook his head a little and climb up onto the bar stool and took a sip of his mild. “Nah, Tommy just always gets mad.” He said. Finn also didn’t mind the idea of stealing, but he didn’t understand why they needed to. “Tommy has plenty of money, we could just ask him?” He suggested.
Marta narrowed her eyes and shrugged. "I mean. I know that Tommy has money, but Tommy is not here," she sighed softly as she polished glass. "It would be a great adventure," Marta smirked. "But I understand if you're scared, little nipper," she shrugged, still keeping that smirk on her face. “Hey I’m not scared.” Finn said, giving her a playful shove before he quickly finished his mild and jumped down from the stool. “Come on then.”
"Right," Marta chuckled and then looked at Harry. "I am off. I'll come tomorrow," she grabbed Finn's hand and led him out of the establishment. "I need to go and change quickly. We'll meet at Charlie's yard. We'll have to take the horse," Marta smirked and then patted Finn's shoulder. "This is going to be fun." Marta said. She quickly went to change to the B & B.
Finn was certainly up for the adventure and happily followed Marta out of the pub. “Alright.” He said, his accent sounding a lot like Tommys as he nodded his head. “I’ll meet you at Charlie’s yard.” He repeated, making sure he had the plan firmly in his head.
Marta put on her old clothes and grabbed a small extra scarf for Finn. Once she got to Charlie's yard, she told Charlie she would be taking Midwinter for a ride. "Are you ready Finn?" She winked at the boy and quickly got Mid ready. "We'll ride more or less to my tent home site," she was quite excited. It was always nice to steal stuff from her stepfather, and if it helped Finn... She would be even happier. "Are you sure you are not scared? There will be dogs. Big ones."
Finn was sitting on an old barrel waiting for Marta to arrive and jumped down when he saw her. “Yeah I’m ready.” He said, rather excited about their adventure. “And I’m not scared.” He added quickly.
"Good," Marta smiled. "It's good the dogs know me," she got on the horse and reached down to help Finn. "What are you two up to?" Charlie asked. He was a bit confused. "Nothing big Charlie," Marta said and pulled the boy up.
Finn nodded as Marta explained the situation with the dogs, in truth he was a little nervous, but like Tommy said he needed to start being brave. Shelby’s didn’t show fear. “Yeah-nothing uncle Charlie.” Finn repeated Marta’s words after she had helped him into the horse. “Just going for a ride.”
Marta chuckled. "Don't worry Charlie!" She shouted and then clicked her tongue at Midwinter. She began the ride to her stepfather's estate. "We will go through the back," Marta said. "The window to the library will be open. It's nice and warm today. We'll go through the back because that's where the ladder is. And the dogs... but like I said. The dogs are nice. You'll see. You'll have to listen to me, though. If something goes horribly wrong. You will run. Even if you had to leave me there. Do you understand?"
Finn nodded along with the plan, though a frown did appear on his face when she spoke about leaving him behind. “Why would I have to leave you behind?” He asked, not liking the sound of that one bit.
"In case someone caught us, of course," she said. "I got out of my stepfather's house many times, even when I was in trouble," Marta said. "But my stepfather doesn't know you. And I don't want him to hurt you. Firstly, I care about you Finn and Blenkinsop is a mean bastard. And secondly, Tommy would fucking kill me if you came back with even a minor scratch. So, you will have to promise that you'll run when I tell you to."
Finn continued to frown to himself. He didn’t like the way this plan seemed to be going, he’d been excited and now it all sounded a little too dangerous for the sake of a few books. “Marta… I don’t know about this.” He said.
Marta turned her head slightly. "It will be alright, Finn. I am just trying to make sure you'll be safe," she hummed. "You can always wait with Midwinter and I can go on my own," Marta offered.
“But you need to be safe too, Marta.” Finn said, feeling a little uneasy now. “Why don’t we just go back? We can get some money from Tommy and go buy the books tomorrow?”
Marta looked at the estate in front of them. "Because we're here, Finn," she looked at the boy. "And this is personal, so..." she sighed softly. "If you want to come with me, you can. If you don't want to come, you don't have to. And if you don't want to wait for me, you can take Mid back to Charlie's." Marta slid off the horse.
“Wow, that's a big house.” Finn said to himself, a little taken aback as he looked up at it and when Marta slid off the horse he thought for a moment before he followed her. If it was going to be dangerous he didn’t want her to be alone. “I’m coming with you.”
"It is," Marta nodded. She then smiled when Finn said that he would come with her. "Good," she said. She grabbed his hand. "Let's go." She led the boy to the back gate. It was getting dark by a minute. She heard the dogs barking. They were two big German Shepherds. "Hades... Zeus... It's me. It's me you two," Marta crouched to pet the two. "Shush, stop it, you two." She petted the dogs who recognised her voice and scent immediately. Finn followed Marta as she took his hand and led him to the gate. When the dogs suddenly appeared his eyes went a little wide. “Wow they are big dogs.” He whispered. Finn had always wanted a dog, but Tommy and Pol had always said no.
"Silly pups," Marta petted the dogs some more and then grabbed a stick and flung it across the yard. The dogs went to chase after it. "Come quick," she pulled Finn along. She grabbed a small ladder. "See that window?" Marta whispered. "That's where the treasure is."
Finn watched as the big dogs ran off after the stick and tried to keep as quiet as he could as Marta pulled him along. “Yeah I see it.” He whispered quietly and started to climb up the ladder to the window.
Marta held the ladder steady for Finn. "Check if someone is in the room, will ya?" She smirked and then watched him climb up. Once she was sure that Finn was safely inside. She climbed up the ladder too. The library room was lavish, with comfortable seats and gold statues. It was just like she remembered. The only difference was that it was cold because no one kept the fire on in there. Marta's mother used to do that.
Once Finn had reached the top of the ladder he peered through the window, checking the coast was clear before he gestured for Marta to follow him and he carefully climbed in through the window.
Marta swung her leg over the windowsill and looked around the room. "So," Marta whispered. "We have to be quick now," she walked over to one of the bookshelves. She was looking for a few specific books. At the same time, she tried to listen out for any signs of the maids or anyone else coming. They would have to get out quick if that was the case.
Finn helped Marta through the window and started to look around, being careful not to touch or break anything and made sure to keep his footsteps quiet. “What are we looking for?” He whispered. Not that he was much help, he could hardly read the names of the books.
"We are looking for my mother's bible. It is red," Marta said. "We are looking for a book of stories called Arabian Nights. That one is blue," Marta bit her lip. "And for a few more. I can't remember the names, but if I see them, I know that it's those books." Just as she said it, she found one. She smiled and put the book in her bag. She made quick work of going through the bookshelves. "Look into that box, if you want... there's probably money."
“Red… red.” Finn said to himself. “Red and blue.” He repeated as his eyes scanned the walls of books. But he soon gave up the search for the books at the mention of money and started looking around the room for valuables.
Marta stuck all the books she wanted into her bag. She felt like she had enough of them. At one moment, she also thought that she had heard footsteps in the corridor. "Finn," Marta whispered. "Quick, we have to leave," she told the boy. She quickly made her way over to him and turned him in the direction of the window.
Finn froze for a moment when Marta called his name and quickly stuffed some cash into his pockets before carefully moving to the window. “You go first.” He whispered. Finn knew he would be quicker.
Marta looked at Finn. "Fine, but you have to be quick," Marta began to climb down when she heard the telltale sound of a doorknob turning. She looked down and jumped down the rest of the way. "Come on, Finn!" She looked up at the window, holding the ladder in place.
“I’m always quick.” Finn whispered, waiting until Marta was at least halfway down before he quickly climbed from the window, just managing to vanish down the wall as the door was opened.
A maid ran to the window and looked down. "R-robbers! Robbers!" She shouted. "They stole..." she turned around. She saw all the valuable statues in their place. She tilted her head to the side. "HELP!" She kept screaming.
Marta waited for Finn under the ladder. "Come, quick." She took the boy's hand and then practically dragged him across the yard and to her horse.
“Oh shit, oh shit.” Finn said as he heard the maid screeching. He jumped the last few rungs of the ladder and quickly ran alongside the woman as she dragged him back to midwinter.
Marta grabbed the reins and jumped into the saddle. She saw someone running out to the yard as she helped Finn. She was relieved that it wasn't her stepfather. He would most likely recognise her. And that would be bad... given that she should have been in London. With Finn behind her on the horse, she clicked her tongue and gently squeezed Midwinter to make him go fast.
Finn hurried up onto the horse and held Marta’s waist tightly, he didn’t imagine this would be a casual ride back into the city. “Fuck that was close.” He said, letting out a rather relieved laugh.
Marta rode hard with Finn behind her for a bit. "It was..." she said when she slowed down. She placed her hand over Finn's. "But we bloody did it, good job," she laughed a little bit and patted Finn's hand. "We've got all the books and we can buy candy for the money. We can eat it while reading," Marta took a long detour through the forest. She wanted to make sure they were not followed.
Finn was just glad they had managed to get away without getting caught. It was starting to get late now and he was feeling a little tired and rest his head against Marta’s back. “You won’t laugh at me for being bad at it will you?” He asked rather childishly, he was worried people would think he was dumb for not being able to read.
Marta bit her lip as she rode with Finn through the forest. She felt him lean on her. She smiled at that. She gently rubbed the back of his hand. "Don't worry. I would never laugh at you. I care about you, Finn," she nodded. "And I believe that you'll be great," Marta said. They got to Charlie's yard after an hour or so.
“If you say so.” Finn responded. He was starting to feel a little bit chilly and hungry, the ride back seemed to go on forever and he was rather relieved when they arrived back at the yard and he quickly jumped down from the horse and went to warm his hands by Charlie’s fire.
Marta slid down from Midwinter at Charlie's yard. She made quick work of getting the saddle and bridle off the horse and getting him into his stable where he already had some nice feed and water. Then Marta walked over to Finn. She gently rubbed his arms. "You doing good, icicle?" She asked him and smiled. "Let's warm up a bit and then I'll walk you home. I am sure Polly will be worried. And maybe I'll find out what Tommy had been up to."
“It got cold pretty quick.” Finn replied, rubbing his hands together pretty quick over the fire. “I think Pol was making stew for everyone.” He said, having a vague memory of her mentioning it in the morning. “They will probably all be staggering home from the pub.” He then said with a small laugh, feeling a little better now his hands were warm.
"See? It's already looking better for you," Marta nodded and patted Finn's back. "You can go home, stuff your belly full of warm stew and go to sleep." She leaned closer to Finn and spoke a bit more quiet: "You can go to sleep with some money in your pocket for tomorrow." Marta smirked and then got up. "Come on. It's best I get you home soon or Polly will tear me in two." She remembered Tommy saying something about not getting on Polly's bad side. She felt like this was the right time to finish the adventure.
Finn was rather happy with the way their night had gone, and he was certainly looking forward to spending his earnings tomorrow morning first thing at the sweet shop. “Yeah ok.” Finn said with a nod before they started walking back to the house. It was only round the corner and they were back in a few minutes. “Come in for tea?” He said as he pushed open the door.
"Good," Marta followed the boy. "Do you know your alphabet Finn?" She asked him just out of curiosity. She had no idea how much the boy already knew how to read. "I mean, I am not sure if..." Marta didn't really know if she wanted to butt into their family stew time or something.
Finn had shrugged his shoulders as he pushed open the door, thinking about his knowledge of the alphabet. “I know abit.” He said, trying not to embarrass himself too much. When the door was opened, a very angry looking Polly emerged from the corridor. "Where have you been!?" She looked at Finn and Marta. "Inside, now." She ushered both of them inside the house, pulling Finn through the door by his earlobe.
Finn was a bit taken aback by the atmosphere. He was expecting them all to be celebrating. “We just went out for a ride… what’s going on?” He asked, looking from Polly to his brothers as he rubbed his pink earlobe. Arthur and John were already sitting at the table. They both drank tea. They looked a bit worried.
Chapter 15: Bar fights & Jail cells
Chapter Text
Ada had been at the cinema. She was intently watching a black and white film with the most respectable actor of that age. She was so engrossed in the film... and she could also eat as much popcorn as she wanted because she was a Shelby.
After leaving The Garrison Tommy made his way quickly to Ada’s house, knocking furiously on the door and once it was clear she wasn’t there he let out a frustrated sigh. He then vaulted over the small fence at the front of the house and went to her neighbour, banging on the door and quizzing them on Ada’s whereabouts.
"Mr Shelby, Ada... she left half an hour ago," the neighbour said. She was still mixing dough in a bowl because she was preparing bread for dinner. "I think she went to the pictures. She talked about some man named Valentino," the woman shrugged. "I hope you'll find her."
Tommy listened to the details the neighbour gave him and nodded his head. “Thank you Mrs Roberts.” He said, muttering to himself as he walked back down the path. The cinema was only a few streets away and he was there in a few minutes. When he arrived he walked straight past the ticket desk and into the screen. He spotted the silhouette of Ada’s head and stopped in the aisle beside her. “Tell me what’s going on Ada.” He demanded, unphased by the disturbance he was causing to the other film watchers.
Ada turned her head and sighed when she saw Tommy. It wasn't good. She ate some more of the popcorn before turning to Tommy. "The two men are fighting for the heart of the lead female. Now sit down before they stop the film," Ada said and then looked back at the screen. She shook her head at her brother's antics. She was not a kid anymore. She wanted to enjoy her film.
Tommy didn’t utter a single word, he just seemed to turn on his heels with that dangerous look of anger on his face and his all from the screen. A few moments later he was upstairs in the film room. He shoved the operator out of his way and pulled the plug from the projector. “Sir-sir you can’t.” The man said helplessly. “Shut up.” Tommy barked, pointing a threatening finger in his face before he walked back out and down to the screen, standing impatiently at the end of Ada’s isle. “Fucking tell me!” Tommy demanded.
Ada kept watching the movie until it stopped very abruptly. "He's got to be kidding me," Ada shook her head. The other people in the room slowly got up and left because they didn't want to witness the dealings of the Peaky Blinders. Ada placed her popcorn next to her and said: "Nothing is going on. I am pregnant." She looked into Tommy's eyes. She was not particularly scared. She just felt like Tommy overreacted.
Tommys fears were suddenly confirmed by Ada’s abrupt announcement. His face was stern, his breathing steady but you would sense the anger radiating from him. He knew it would be Freddie’s, and he knew he had to do something about it. He didn’t say another word to his sister and turned to leave. Tommy knew the bar that Freddie liked to drink in.
"Off you go!" Ada shouted after Tommy. "Just go. Cut him up and throw him in the cut. Your friend!" She got up from her seat and shouted: "OY! I am a Shelby too! Put my fucking film back on!" Ada sighed and sat down. She moved the popcorn back over to herself and resumed eating it.
Tommy slammed the door of the cinema room behind him. His temper was short these days, and after his deal with Kimber and Marta this had sent him over the edge. There was a small pub not far from The Garrison that alot of the factory workers visited after work. He was almost certain Freddie would be there. But what would he do when he got there. Time would tell. He entered the pub, his eyes quickly scanning the room, and there he was. The man who had impregnated his sister with his bastard.
"It's the honest truth, Freddie. Marx wrote it in the Capital clearly... There will be a revolution..." Freddie nodded. It sounded nice. A revolution. Everyone would share everything. No bad conditions in the factories like Engels described in his works...
"And then, we will make them pay us what they should pay us. A strike!" One man said and some other men around his table shouted: "A STRIKE! Wooo!" People drank beer and laughed. They tried to unwind after a long day in the factory. Freddie though had this bad feeling. It felt like someone was burning a hole into his head. He turned around and saw Tommy. He had no idea what the issue was, other than Ada would tell Tommy that Freddie had been visiting her.
Tommy was still without his cap and didn’t want to open fire in a crowded pub, as as Freddie turned to face him he lost all conscious thought. His fist was clenched at his side and he grabbed the front of Freddie’s shirt to pull him up before punching him in the head. Freddie blinked his eyes quickly when he saw Tommy. "What's..." he didn't manage to say much because he got punched. "Fuck, Tommy. What the fuck..." Freddie doubled over and then looked back up and grabbed Tommy by the lapels of his jacket. "Let's not fight here at least!" Freddie hissed and shook Tommy a little. "YEAH, you lot. Take it outside!" The bartender shouted.
Tommy had lost it and simply seeing Freddie in the flesh was adding to his rage. “You don’t fucking tell me what to do.” He snapped and when Freddie grabbed the front of his jacket Tommy gave him a solid headbutt. Tommy didn’t care that people were watching, he didn’t care that he’d put himself in a stupid situation. He just wanted to make Freddie hurt.
Freddie didn't want to fight at first. But when Tommy went all in on him, he punched back. He punched back hard. After recovering from the headbutt he punched Tommy straight on the apple of the cheek. He then also pushed him away. The people at the pub had no idea what to do. The men didn't really want to get into the Peaky Blinders' business.
Tommy had dazed himself slightly with the hard butt of heads so he didn’t see Freddie’s punch coming until it was too late to dodge and despite his best efforts he took the punch straight to his cheek. After Freddie pushed him back Tommy reached for a chair, grabbing it up from the ground and swinging it through the air at Freddie.
Freddie rubbed his forehead where their heads collided just a few seconds ago. He looked at Tommy. "Not the chair, Tommy!" He shouted. "Property of the people," he said and tried to dodge the chair. The bartender was done with these two. If they wanted to kill one another, sure, they could knock themselves off. But if they wrecked his pub? That was a different story. He reached under the bar and pulled out a shotgun. He fired a warning shot.
Freddie had managed to duck out of the way of the swinging chair which seemed to infuriate Tommy further and when the sudden shotgun shot went off that was the final straw. He felt like he could burn the world. “Are you gunna fucking shoot me?!” Tommy barked, tossing the chair to the ground before looking back at Freddie. “All your fucking comrades here and the only man that will help you is the fucking barman.” Tommy taunted, giving Freddie another hard shove.
"That's enough, Tommy!" Freddie said and then walked up to Tommy to hopefully get him in a headlock. He wanted to escort him out of the pub before the police would come. He didn't want that. The coppers in town didn't like him and he didn't want to be jailed.
“You don’t tell me what’s enough.” Tommy growled as they started to wrestle, Tommy trying to duck from underneath Freddie’s arm whilst trying to grab hold of the other man himself. Tables were being knocked over and drinks were crashing to the ground whilst the other men seemed lost at how to handle the situation. Freddie didn't even notice that a young slim man slipped out of the pub. He ran to the police station and told everyone there what was happening at the pub. It, of course, attracted the attention of Inspector Chester Campbell. He got up with a sly smile. "May I please assist you with this?" He asked with a small smirk and then he went with the other officers straight to the pub.
Like Freddie, Tommy was too caught up in their fight to notice one of the other men rushing from the pub. They seemed to go blow for blow, each taking punches at each other any chance they seemed to have enough space to move an arm. "What did I do?" Freddie said. "I thought Ada told you that we were together," Freddie spat out some blood because he had bitten his own tongue. He shoved Tommy and ducked under Tommy's hand that was swinging to hit him. Freddie tried to throw another punch at Tommy, when he heard the copper's whistles and yelling. "Fuck!" He shouted.
Tommy was breathing heavily, there was a ringing in his ears and it wasn’t because of the coppers whistles. It was down to the anger swirling inside of him. He kept a tight hold of Freddie’s shirt, punching him hard after he’d spoken. “You put your fucking bastard inside of her!” Tommy yelled, and then came another punch and another as he unleashed his rage on Freddie.
The pub was suddenly empty as the patrons left. The steady stream of them kept the coppers outside for a bit more. "What?!" Freddie shouted. It took a second before it hit him... because Tommy was hitting him a lot. Ada was pregnant. Ada was pregnant with his child! The coppers ran in with their whistles and batons. They quickly separated the two. Campbell came in last. He was smirking. "Good evening, gentlemen..."
It seemed to take a lot of effort for the coppers to pull Tommy off of Freddie. He had well and truly lost it. As two men dragged him backwards and up onto his feet he managed to free one of his arms for a moment, pointing it at Freddie. “I’ll fucking kill you for it.” Tommy threatened. But it wasn’t a threat, it was his word. “Calm down Tom.” Came the firm words of Moss, he was paid handsomely by the Peaky Blinders to turn away from their troubles, but his hands were tied now Campbell was in town. Tommy’s chest was heaving as his attention was finally diverted to Campbell and he didn’t say a word, he just tried to catch his breath whilst another copper had Freddie pinned down against a table.
"I see we had a small brawl in here," Campbell looked at the two men. They both looked like they had seen better days. "Was it a political brawl? No, I don't think so. I see two working class men," the inspector chuckled to himself. "Mr Shelby and Mr... Mr... Thorne isn't it? One rallies, one... Mr Shelby what is it you do?" Campbell asked.
Once Tommy had caught his breath enough that he didn’t look like he was about to explode one of the officers loosened their grip on Tommy’s arm, Tommy then quickly wiped some blood away from his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. “What I do is none of your concern inspector.” He stated plainly. It was the first time their paths had crossed since his beating, with everything else that had been going on with the Lee’s and Kimber the guns had been pushed to the bag of his mind.
Campbell wasn't phased. He smirked some more. "Take comrade Thorne to the police station please. We wouldn't want him and Mr Shelby to get into more trouble," the inspector moved a chair away from the table. He sat down. "So, Mr Shelby... What you do is my business. From what I know, you live off your war pensions and some illegal business?"
“I am a businessman.” Tommy stated plainly, watching Campbell closely as he took a seat. He gave Moss a rather unimpressed expression before looking back at Campbell. “But I know all about you Inspector. I know you didn’t fight in the war, you stayed at home sipping tea while the rest of us went to fight. I know you sleep with the whores in the Chinese district because the only ladies that will have you you have to pay…and I know that Mr Churchill is probably getting very upset you are yet to find his guns.” Tommy stated. He needed this inspector to realise he was perhaps better connected than he had assumed. Tommy wasn’t stupid, he knew he was playing with fire, but he doubted Campbell would lose his cool infront of this many of his colleagues. He wasn’t alone like he had been last time. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.” He said, going to take a step towards the door.
The inspector listened to Tommy. He didn't like the way he spoke to him. But yes, he didn't want to lose his cool in front of his colleagues. He also didn't want to give Tommy the satisfaction. Once Tommy turned to leave, he got up. "Oh no, Mr Shelby," Campbell said and placed his hands in front of the man. "You were making trouble with the comrade, do you remember?" Campbell almost chuckled to himself. "I know that you have been busy chasing your communist sister and a fast woman around, but rules still apply to you. You are being arrested." Campbell nodded towards Moss.
Thankfully Tommy seemed to have managed to calm himself down slightly from his explosiveness and even forced out a small chuckle as Campbell stepped in front of him and announced he would be arresting him. “If you start arresting every person that has a scrap in a pub you’ll be a very busy man.” Tommy spoke, his icy blue eyes locked into the inspectors.
The inspector looked at Tommy. He stopped smiling for a moment and then he spoke. "First two men at the pub, then gypsy ladies at bed and breakfast.” Campbell nodded and then went to one of the cars. He called Tommy a slick bastard in his head once or twice. The man was getting on his last nerve. He didn't care about the bitch that worked at his pub. He just wanted to make Mr Shelby a bit more nervous and strip some of his self-assuredness. "Let's go then Tom," Moss told Tommy.
As Campbell gave his last dig Tommy almost snapped, but he couldn’t let the inspector see that he was getting under his skin. He had a rather vivid vision of smashing in the man’s skull with the poker near the fire. That must be where Jack got it from. Once he was gone Tommy took another deep breath, moss pushing him out of his daydream. “What exactly is it I am paying you for Moss?” Tommy then said in a low voice, turning to face the man.
Moss looked at Tommy and shrugged. "You tell me," he said. "I can't go against an inspector who came here on Churchill's orders. Maybe you should try and charm Churchill, I don't know." Moss muttered. He just wanted to go back to the station and do the usual. Nothing much. "Don't make this worse for yourself and your lot. I'll let you and the comrade go before sunrise," Moss grabbed Tommy's arm and nudged him towards the exit. "Come on."
Charm Churchill. Perhaps Moss was on to something. “Alright, alright.” Tommy finally agreed with a sigh as Moss led him towards the door. It wasn’t until the evening air hit him that he realised just how much damage himself and Freddie had done to each other. His knuckles were certainly rather sore and his lip felt a little bigger than usual, accompanying a few cuts and bruises that were darkening in his face. “Get word to Polly will ya, she was making stew.” He stated, he’d been looking forward to announcing the good news to his family after an evening of whisky. How the night had changed.
Moss nodded and loaded Tommy into the truck. "I can do that," Moss said. They drove to the station. Once they got there and locked up Tommy and Freddie in separate cells, because they had no time for more fights, they could deal with the next thing. "Officer! We had some gardener come in from just outside Birmingham. The Blenkinsop estate... He said that a woman and a boy stole books and a sum of money from the mansion's library..." a young, eager officer blurted out. Moss took a deep breath. He sighed. "Is that the same Blenkinsop who said that someone stole the dead body of his late wife?" The young officer blinked and nodded. "Yes." Moss was done.
Tommy handed over his pistol to Moss once they had arrived at the station. He seemed much calmer after the short ride in the back of the truck and once they’d locked him in one of the cells he took off his jacket and waistcoat before rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He had been a troublemaking teen and had spent much of his youth in and out of the station, they were probably rather thankful that he had gone off to war. He folded his clothes and placed them by the door before walking to the back wall. It didn’t take him long to find his name etched into the brick and traced his finger across it. Upon hearing the commotion outside he moved back to the door, pressing his ear against it to try and over hear the conversation. Blenkinsop… he knew that name. And then it all clicked. A woman and a boy… and a dead wife. Tommy let out a groan, rubbing his face in his hands. There was little he could do from here.
Moss massaged the bridge of his nose. "And do they have them?" He asked the young officer. "The-the books?" The officer said, unsure. "NO! The woman and the fucking child!" Moss shouted. The young officer shook his head no. "No," he peeped. Moss nodded. "Then it is settled. We will start looking for them tomorrow. I am not going to send all of my men to fucking countryside for a few books and change! I'd rather lock up every whore and every fighting slob in this bloody city than serve to the posh cunt whenever he loses a tissue." Richard Blenkinsop was not a good person, even the coppers knew it.
Tommy was listening intently and let out a relieved breath when they didn’t seem to have to culprits. But it sounded an awful lot like Marta and Finn if you asked him. What the hell were they thinking. Tommy went over to the small basin and filled his hands with cold water, splashing it onto his face to clean away some of the blood and soothe his bruises before he washed his knuckles. They didn’t look great, but he supposed Freddie’s face looked worse.
Freddie did the same. He also had to spit some more blood out. But he didn't care. He was going to be a father? He felt like he had to go to Ada first thing in the morning. He wanted her to know that he cared and that he was happy about the child. Freddie hoped that Tommy would come around. They had grown up friends after all.
Tommy couldn’t get Moss’s words out of his head, charm Churchill. He thought to himself, slowly starting to pace up and down the small cell. How would he manage that? Atleast some time alone here would give him plenty of time to think.
Chapter 16: Porridge & Runaways
Chapter Text
"Sit," Polly told the both of them and then placed some cups in front of them. "Your brother got arrested, because he got into a fight in a pub. It wasn't The Garrison so someone called the coppers. They should let him out before sunrise." Polly poured Marta tea before pouring some to Finn as well. She then went to reheat the stew for the third time.
"Fucking Moss, we pay him and he does this. He wouldn't even come here himself that bastard. He sent some young kid, who was mumbling something about having other cases to deal with," Arthur shook his head. "Someone stole books in the countryside. Whoever cares about books..."
Marta licked her lips and carefully placed her bag with the books on the floor next to her chair. She then looked at Finn and smiled. She hoped he would not spill. "Thank you, Polly."
Finn quickly obliged his Aunt's request and sank into a chair quickly, and when she announced that his brother had been arrested he glanced around quickly. “Tommy?” He asked, that wasn’t possible and then seemed to go a little quiet at the mention of the books from the countryside.
"Do you have any other brother, Finn?" John smirked. He looked around the room and then got up from the table to go grab some whisky. He poured himself some before pouring a glass for Arthur as well.
Polly came in with a steaming pot of stew. She placed it in the centre of the table and then brought in plates. She was eerily quiet when she poured the soup. She placed a plate in front of Finn and then in front of Marta. "Are you sure..." Marta spoke, but she was silenced by Polly's. "Eat. All of you." Polly sighed softly. She knew she probably would not sleep. She would wait for Tommy.
“Fuck off John.” Finn responded,giving the elder man a small punch to the arm. “Tommy can’t be arrested.” He stated, it was fact, that was the reason they sent so much money into the police’s lap. “Aunt Pol what’s happened?” Finn asked curiously as she sorted him a bowl of stew.
"God's honest truth, Finn. Tommy was arrested… and watch your language or you’ll be brushing your teeth for bed with soap!" Polly said once she poured stew for Arthur and John as well. She herself sat down with a cigarette. She leaned back and shook her head. She was in deep thought. If Tommy really got arrested now, could he get arrested in future? What happened to Moss that he would arrest him? Or did someone pay him more money than the Peaky Blinders?
Marta looked down at her stew and then began eating. She reckoned it was really good. "It's really good, Polly," Marta smiled at the woman and thanked John, who poured her just a little bit of whisky.
“Tommy can’t be arrested Aunt Pol.” Finn responded before giving her a sheepish apology after her threat to wash his mouth with soap before he sunk his spoon into the stew, blowing on it before taking a mouthful. “What the hells happened, where were you two?” Finn quizzed, it was such a mystery to him and he looked quickly between Arthur and John.
John looked at his little brother and chuckled like he always did. He then mixed the stew around and began eating. "Alright, Finn, that's enough," Arthur said.
"Where were you by the way?" John asked Finn. "You could have saved Tommy from being arrested, but instead you went for a pony ride with Marta. Which brings us to... Marta. Where were you?"
Marta looked up from her stew. "Fuck off, John. Don't call my horse a pony. Tommy left the Garrison and he looked mad. If he beat up someone, he got arrested. Or he was tired after a long day, and said that he got arrested so that he could rest."
“I could’ve stopped Tom being arrested.” Finn couldn’t help but laugh, he wasn’t sure how they had expected that to happen. “How about where the fuck were you two?” Finn then snapped back, digging his spoon in to his stew. He was fed up of being the scapegoat.
“Finn!” Polly gave the boy one last warning, rolled her eyes and then looked at the men. "Will you please stop?" She asked them. "Tommy got arrested. End of story. I hear one word from you again and I swear to God..." Polly sighed. "Finish your stew and then go to bed, it is late. John, your kids will love to see you I believe."
Marta looked at all of the brothers and then at Polly. She herself was scared of Polly. It was true.
John finished his stew and then left while muttering something about being sent to his bloody kids whenever something went down.
“Well where were they Pol?” Finn seemed to sound a lot like Tommy at that moment. What he was saying was true. Where had Arthur and John been when Tommy needed them, probably knees deep in a bottle of whisky. He shook his head to himself and finished off his stew, placing the spoon down into the bowl as he stood up.
"Finn," Polly sighed softly and put her cigarette down. She walked over to the boy and put her hands on his cheeks. "They were not with Tommy. That's for sure. It's not your fault that Tommy is arrested, okay?" She told him and kissed his forehead. "Tommy has been arrested many times. I am sure that he will be fine." Polly patted Finn's arms. "Now off to bed."
"May I stay here with you? And then I can maybe go wait for Tommy before sunrise?" Marta asked Polly as the woman dealt with Finn.
Polly looked at Marta and nodded. "I won't sleep anyway." Polly cleaned up and then sat back at the table. She put her legs up and grabbed her cigarette back.
Finn took a few deep breaths following the interaction with his Aunt. His brother's words had rattled him, that was for sure. They treated him like a kid yet in situations like this expected him to be a man. “Thanks for dinner Aunt Pol.” Finn spoke, getting up to his feet. “Goodnight.” He then said before looking to Marta. “Goodnight Marta.” Were his final words before he headed upstairs to his room.
Marta stayed up with Polly and just before sunrise she walked to the police station. She leaned on a wall next to it and just waited.
Come the early hours of the morning Tommy also hadn’t slept. He’d tried, but had spent most of the night pacing up and down the small cell waiting for morning to roll around.
The very same young officer who wanted to deal with the riveting case of stolen books had the honors of letting Tommy go. "Mr Shelby?" He said. "You are free to go, sir." he nodded. Before Moss left, he told him that he should let Mr Shelby leave first and let the Thorne guy go like half an hour after that. He also mumbled something about them fighting right in front of the station which was probably important.
Tommy had been waiting rather impatiently for the cell door to open and quickly gathered his jacket when it did. “Where’s my fucking gun.” He asked bluntly as the young cooler escorted him out of the station. The officer looked at Tommy. He thought for a few seconds and then nodded. "I am sorry. I'll go fetch it," he ran off to an office and retrieved the gun. He brought it over to the man and presented it to him. "Is this the one?" He asked and blinked his eyes.
“Yeah that’s the fucking one.” Tommy said, taking the weapon and making sure everything was in order before he was released out onto the streets of the city moments before the sun had started to force its way through the morning smog.
Marta was leaning on the wall. It was really early in the morning and she had pulled an all nighter. She really felt like she had gone mad. She probably had gone mad for the man. She blinked her eyes and shook her head at herself. When Marta heard the station door creak, she smiled. "Tommy," she called out and waved at the man.
As Tommy stepped out of the police station he slipped his pistol into the holster inside his jacket. He felt rather rough after being awake all night. His face also seemed to show the signs of his fight with Freddie. There was the odd cut and bruise that peppered his face. The whole situation still had him rather on edge. Though when he heard Marta’s voice he seemed to soften slightly. “Why are you awake?” He asked as he rummaged in his pocket for a cigarette.
The woman tilted her head to the side and then walked up to Tommy. "I brought Finn home last night and Polly said that you were arrested and... She wasn't sleeping either, so I stayed up with her. We talked a little bit. I mean. I wanted to see you. You left The Garrison so abruptly yesterday." Marta looked at Tommy's face and she also caught a glimpse of his knuckles. They looked busted. "You don't look so good. What happened?" She definitely wouldn't tell Tommy about the adventure with Finn. She would be mad to do that.
Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose, he still seemed a little on edge and looked back at the station. If he saw Freddie walk back out those doors he probably wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him. That was why he should probably go home. “Ada’s fucking pregnant.” Tommy muttered before he started walking back to the house. “And why were you stealing books from your stepfather?” Tommy then stated rather simply, his eyes gazing off down the road.
After hearing the news, Marta quickly began to walk with Tommy to catch up with him. She nodded. "So, my mother was right," she hummed to herself and then looked at Tommy. "But is that bad? Do you not like kids? I mean. Ada. She is old enough to have a kid if she feels up to it." Marta shrugged her shoulders and kept walking. Oh, no. How did he know? He couldn't know that, right? Marta decided to use the fact that Tommy wasn't looking at her: "I don't know what you're talking about." She shook her head. It was easier to lie to him when he wasn't gazing into her eyes with his piercing blues. The only thing that was a bit worrying was that the stolen books were still on the floor next to the Shelby's dining table.
“She’s having a bastard with a fucking communist.” Tommy grumbled in response, he was still simmering over the news of the baby. He was certain this revolution would turn out badly for all involved, and he didn’t want to see his sister in prison down to Freddie’s views. He then turned to Marta once he got to the front door of the Shelby home. “I heard the coppers saying a woman and a young boy broke into your stepfather's house, and you’re telling me that’s not you?” He then said before pushing open the door, it was still early and the house was quiet. Tommy then walked over to the kitchen sink, getting himself a glass of water and a wet rag to clean some of his small cuts.
"I mean," Marta said as she followed Tommy, "my mother had a bastard child with an immigrant... and look how I turned out," she mumbled. Marta stopped right in front of the door when Tommy turned to her. She gulped. She sighed softly and then followed him inside the house. "So, what? No one caught us," she hummed quietly. "I had it under control and Finn didn't have to do it." Marta walked over to Tommy and gently took the rag from him. "Allow me," she looked up at him with a small quilty smile. She began dabbing the cuts on his face.
"We should've stayed in the hay," she said quietly. "We would be riding horses, bathing in the ponds, stealing vegetables from gardens..." Marta mused.
“You didn’t get caught, but you were seen.” Tommy stated, shaking his head slightly. He couldn’t talk about babies anymore, he couldn’t think about Freddie because he was starting to drive himself a little bit mad. If he didn’t have a family to feed that sounded like the perfect life. “Hmm.” Tommy hummed as she started to clean him up, leaning back against the counter. “And who would keep this roof over everyone else’s heads?” He proposed.
"It's hard not to be seen," Marta shrugged. "Especially when Blenkinsop's house is full of maids. I don't know why he needs so many. I think he fucks them. He did that when my mother got ill." She bit her lips as she remembered some of the things that happened at the Blenkinsop estate. Marta was sure that she would get revenge on the bloody bastard. She didn't know how and when, but it would happen, eventually.
Marta sighed softly when Tommy mentioned his family. "I don't know," she shook her head. "Maybe Finn? He is the closest thing to you," Marta proposed. She then retrieved the calendula paste she had given Tommy when he got beaten up first. She put a little bit of the paste on the cuts. "Let's look at your knuckles now, hmm?"
“Well I’m that case it sounds like a stupid thing to go out and do for the sake of a couple of books.” Tommy wasn’t particularly impressed by the risk, but he couldn’t exactly lecture about breaking laws when he tended to break a dozen a day. “Finns only a boy.” Tommy then stated. “I thought you said Polly stayed up with you?” He then asked, his eyes looking for sign of the woman. He was rather surprised she hadn’t been there to collar him the moment he got in the door. Tommy wasn’t keen on the paste, but he didn’t fancy fighting her over it right now. “My knuckles are fine.” He then said, he wasn’t used to being fussed over.
"They were my mothers books, therefore they are mine. It technically wasn't a theft. I was just taking them back," Marta shrugged and then looked back at the pile of books in a bag. "With a stroke of luck, there might be some pictures of my mom or me, or something..." Marta sighed. "Not for long he isn't," Marta told Tommy, "the boy grows by the day." She smiled.
"I did," the voice of Polly sounded from the staircase. "I went to take a piss and then grab my cigarettes. You look like you've fought ten men and not just one. What happened? And how were you arrested when we pay for Moss's kids shoes?"
"If fine means absolutely destroyed, then yes. They are fine," Marta shook her head and then made quick work of cleaning the knuckles and putting the paste on those as well. She saw the way Tommy ever so slightly wrinkled his nose when she put the paste on him.
“Let me deal with it next time.” Tommy asked, giving her a slight frown as she started tending to his hand. His fingers seemed a little shaky, but that was mainly from the pain caused by the force he’d used to hit Freddie over and over. When he heard Polly’s voice he looked up from his hand. “He can’t go against the fucking inspector.” Tommy stated simply, that was the main reason he had ended up in the jail cell and stood away from the kitchen counter as he took a few steps closer to Polly. He was sure she already knew about Ada. She knew everything. “Were you going to tell me about Ada?”
Marta shook her head. She didn't want Tommy to deal with her stepfather for her. "The only thing I can do is not take Finn with me next time," she looked up at the man and then stepped aside when she was done with tending to Tommy's knuckles. She leaned on the counter next to him.
"Aha," Polly nodded and then put her cigarette in her mouth and lit it. "The fucking inspector... Can we do something about him? Did you hatefully make up a plan while in the cell?" Polly asked and then sighed softly. "I was," she nodded, "provided the right time would come. Anyway, who beat me to it?" Polly walked over to the kitchen counted and began making tea.
Tommy too reached inside his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He was still quietly simmering over the whole situation, his temper was certainly feeling a lot shorter than usual. Finn needed to start contributing to the family business, but they didn’t need unnecessary trouble right now. “Well I thought about shooting him in the forehead.” Tommy responded bluntly, the man was starting to become a nuisance. “Ada told me.” He then stated.
Polly nodded while warming up the teapot. "Right, that's a good plan if you want to end up in a noose," she hummed. "I believe an accident would do the inspector better." Polly brought the teapot to the table along with the cups. "Ada told you. That's curious, but alright," Polly sat down to the table.
Marta yawned a little as she was leaning against the counter. She had her little nap in the car on their way from Kimber's house, but staying up all night wasn't really her forte. She treasured her sleep now.
Tommy rubbed his face with his hands, like the ladies he had been up all night and he was feeling a little more snappy than usual. “I didn’t really give her much of a choice.” He said, finally sitting down at the table. “What the fuck do we do about them Pol.” He asked, she was better at dealing with Ada. Tommy got too angry when Freddie was involved.
Polly sighed softly and poured Tommy a cup of tea. "There are a few possibilities," Polly hummed. "But I am sure that the possibilities that would suit us won't suit the two. Did you tell Freddie Thorne that Ada was pregnant before you beat him to a pulp? Because if you did, then he either ran away from the city or he is now with Ada planning their revolutionary future," Pol nodded to herself and took the last puff from her cigarette. She frowned when the kitchen door opened and she saw one of the littlest Shelby's. Tommy picked up the mug once Polly had poured him tea and rose it to his mouth. “Hopefully they'll run off before they get arrested.” He stated, but he was fairly certain if he was to see Freddie again he wouldn’t be able to hold back his anger. Tommy took a sip of his tea and placed the cup back down. “You need to talk some sense into her Pol… before it’s too late.”
Jack was always one of the first children awake and after pestering his father enough he shooed him out of the house to go and get Polly to sort him some breakfast. The little boy came through the kitchen door, his feet shoeless and still in his pyjamas.
Marta looked at Jack. "Good morning, Jack," she smiled. "Have you practiced your boxing?" She gently tapped her fist against the boy's shoudler.
“Good morning.” Jack chirped, bouncing on the toes of his dirty feet. “Yeah, yeah I been practicing.” He said, holding up his guard and throwing a few air punches before he tugged on his Aunt’s sleeve. “Aunt Polly can I have some porridge?”
"Talk some sense to her," Polly repeated and shook her head a little bit. "What is this sense, in your mind?" The woman looked down at the boy and nodded. "You surely can. Go sit down," Polly walked over to the stove and began preparing the porridge. She decided to prepare some more, just in case there were some more rogue and hungry Shelby's coming in. "And by the way," Polly asked. "What about you and Marta Tommy?" Polly looked back at the man. "How did it go at the races?"
“She needs to get rid of the child.” Tommy stated unsympathetically, taking another gulp of his tea. With all the headache that Ada had given him he hadn’t really given the races much thought. “We now have 3 legal betting pitches at every race north of the Severn. So it went well.” He said, giving Marta a small glance as he thought about Kimber.
Jack grinned. “Thanks Aunt Pol.” He said cheerfully as he climbed on a seat beside his Uncle Tommy. Jack rarely sat on his backside, instead he knelt in the chair.
Polly mixed the porridge. She nodded. "Alright," she said. "I can try, but I don't know if I'll be able to change her mind, especially if she had made it up already. She is a Shelby after all." Polly put some porridge in a bowl and placed it in front of Jack. "Would you like something with the porridge? Like butter or?" She asked him.
“Ummm-ummmm.” Jack seemed to contemplate the question rather seriously and rubbed his chin. “Jam please.” He said with a smile.
Polly looked down at the boy and waited patiently for him to choose his topping. "Jam it is, only the best for the growing boy," Polly patted the boy's shoulder and then walked over to the pantry to retrieve the jam. She loved all her Shelby's equally as opposed to Marta, who seemed to love all her Shelby equally.
Marta yawned again and then looked at Polly when she asked about her and Tommy. She calmed down a bit, when Polly seemed to be interested in the Kimber business rather than in Marta and Tommy's business. Marta frowned a bit upon Tommy's comment about Ada's child. She didn't know the full story surrounding Ada and her kid, but... It was still just a kid. Marta looked over at Jack with a smile. She had seen Finn kneeling on the barstools at Garrison. It seemed like something the Shelby's did.
Tommy simply shook his head to himself at Polly’s statement. He was over discussing the matter now. Time would tell and he was sure Polly would be able to deal with it. He heard Marta yawn and placed a hand on her arm. “You should go take a nap.” He said.
"Hmm," Marta hummed. She looked up at Tommy. "And so should you," she said as she gently placed her palms on Tommy's cheeks, trying to mind all the cuts and bruises. Marta then moved closer to Tommy and kissed him on the lips.
Jack had a rather cheerful smile on his face and after his Aunt patted his shoulder his eyes followed her to the pantry, though he soon got distracted and pointing at Marta as she kissed his uncle. “Uncle Tommy has a girlfriend!” He suddenly announced.
Tommy knew it would be hard for him to sleep, sleeping at night was hard enough but trying to sleep in the day would be 10 times harder. “I’m ok.” He said softly before she kissed him.
"Alright," Marta nodded a little after the kiss. She smiled softly and kissed Tommy again. "I'll go take that nap and then I'll help Mrs Riley with watering the plants. If you go to the Garrison, tell Harry I'll come in later," she rubbed Tommy's arm and then made her way over to the door, ruffling Jack's hair in the process.
Tommy managed to give Marta a small smile as she rubbed his arm. “Sleep well.” He said, sitting back in his chair and rubbing his face once more. Was it too early for whisky? What a silly question, it was never too early for whisky.
"Does he now?" Polly emerged from the pantry with two jars of jam. "Who is the lucky one?" Polly joked. "And would you like apricot jam or strawberry jam?" She let the little devil choose.
“Uncle Tommy and Marta kissed! They did Aunt Pol!” Jack said, bouncing on his knees a little before pondering which jam he would like. “Er-ummmm… Strawberry please.” He then said with a cheeky smile.
Marta made a quick way to the B and B where she greeted Mrs Riley. She climbed up the stairs to her room and dove face first into the bed. She was out cold within minutes.
Polly smiled. She opened the strawberry jam and scooped some of it into the boy's porridge. She left the jam open in case the boy wanted some more of the jam. "Uncle Tommy and Marta kissed," Polly repeated the boy's words and tried very hard to look surprised. "Do uncle Tommy and Marta kiss often?" Polly asked using Jack's wording. She looked at Tommy with a smile.
Tommys eyes followed Marta as she left, it showed a lot that she had stayed up and waited for him at the station. He then looked quickly back to Polly, letting out an obviously fake laugh. “Very funny Polly.” He said, neglecting to answer the question. “Your Aunt thinks she’s funny Kid.” Tommy then said and decided to pick up the newspaper from the table to scan the headlines.
Jack laughed to himself and immediately dug into the porridge that had been put infront of him. He took a large spoonful before deciding he wanted more jam and dunked his porridge coated spoon into the jar, scooping out a large amount before plopping it onto his porridge.
Polly smiled and then leaned back in her chair to look at Tommy properly. "See, Jack? Uncle Tommy does not want to tell us if he kisses Marta often, which means he kisses her very very often," Polly nodded to herself. "Meeting her has done you good, Tommy," Polly got up and patted the man's shoulder. "Would you like some porridge too? But I guess you can only have it with apricot jam..." Polly asked Tommy before she saw the door open.
It was Katie. Like her brother, she was sent by John to get herself some food. "Good morning," she said. Unlike her brother, she was fully dressed. "Aunt Polly? May I get some money for the pasties we got with Marta? I don't want porridge for breakfast."
“Tommy and Marta sitting in a tree.” Jack started to sing, completely the nursery rhyme as he swayed side to side, giggling to himself. “Uncle Tommy is in love.” He said with another laugh before he returned his attention to his porridge. When his sister came into the kitchen he stuck his tongue out at her.
Tommy continued to scan the paper, ignoring the taunts form his Aunt and nephew. “I’m fine thank you.” He responded plainly, Tommy never seemed to eat much. It was a wonder the man lived on his routine of whiskey and minimal sleep. In reality he was simply waiting for Harry to open the pub so he could go for a drink.
Polly laughed at Jack's rendition of the nursery rhyme and then grabbed a big mug from high up on the shelf. "You have to sing that to Marta next time you see her. She'll be very happy." She fished some coins from it and gave them to Katie. "Here you go, buy some, but next time ask your father for money, yeah?" Katie just nodded and was out the door.
Arthur came downstairs. He was fully dressed in his three piece suit, but he looked like he just got up. His eyes weren't all the way open yet and his voice was somehow even lower when he hummed: "Mornin'."
Jack nodded his head quickly at his aunts request. “Yeah ok aunt Pol.” He chirped, finishing off his bowl of porridge rather quickly and when Arthur arrived he let out a squeal and jumped down from his chair, quickly rushing to his favourite uncle. “Uncle Arthur!” The kid said excitedly, hugging the man’s leg rather tightly.
Tommy peered over his paper at his Aunt, shaking his head at her before his attention was moved to Arthur, it looked like they’d had an enjoyable night celebrating judging by his appearance and the gradual increase of the number of Johns children appearing. “Morning.” He spoke back.
Arthur almost jumped when he felt the boy wrap around his leg. Oh, he loved his nephew dearly, but he was in no shape to train him today. "Morning, Jack," Arthur said and then carefully picked the boy up and sat on the chair. Once his eyes got a little more focused, he saw that his nephew's mouth was covered in red jam. "Did you bite into a dead chicken?" Arthur asked the boy.
Polly smirked. She was curious as to how the relationship between her nephew and the barmaid would turn out. One was certain, her nephew had a bit more glow, now that he had met someone. He also tended to smile more, Polly reckoned.
Jack was quite content sitting on his uncles lap. “Dead chickens don’t bleed that much Uncle Arthur.” He said innocently. But the reason he knew that was a story for a different day. “My face looks like uncle Tommys.” He then said, pointing across the table at him reading the paper.
Tommy didn’t seem to avert his eyes from the paper. “Wipe that smirk off your face Pol.” He said as he read.
Arthur blinked his eyes. "Dead chickens..." he said and then patted the boy's shoulder. "You should get something to wipe your mouth with," Arthur looked at the table and then saw a crisp white dishcloth. He wanted to use that.
"Over my dead body, Arthur," Polly walked over to the table and took the clean dishcloth away from the tall man. "Use this one," she handed him a slightly more dirty discloth to use. Polly then looked at Tommy and shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Polly shook her head. "Would you like some porridge Arthur?"
“Well if they’ve been dead a while.” Jack then said with a small shrug and allowed his uncle to wipe off his face.
Tommy finally placed the paper down as Polly snatched the dishcloth from Arthur, he needed to speak with his brother about Ada, but he didn’t want to bring it up infront of any of the children. “I’m calling a family meeting this evening, I want everyone there.” He said, and then looked to Polly. “Even Ada.” Tommy then added.
"I don't want any porridge, Pol," Arthur grabbed the used dishcloth and wiped Jack's mouth. "Much better. Now, you can go outside and find yourself a wife." Arthur patted Jack's back and threw the dishcloth on the table. "Alright, brother. I will be there and I'll bring Finn and John with me."
Polly nodded. "I will try to bring her in, if I can find her." Polly looked around and then hummed: "I should bring the other two over as well." She then went to John's house and brought Anna and William with her. She was sure they would be hungry now too. The nanny was supposed to come at ten.
“I don’t need a wife yet Arthur.” Jack said, giggling as he reached up and poked his uncles moustache. “I’ll be there too.” He then said, clapping his hands together. He’d never been to a family meeting before for good reason.
“She doesn’t get a choice Polly, she needs to be there.” Tommy decided that perhaps it was best to allow her sister to tell the family herself. They needed to figure something out in order to keep Ada safe… but he did still want her to be happy. “Here comes trouble.” He then said as Polly arrived with William and Anna. Not that Tommy had favourites, but he had a soft spot for Little William.
"You will be in the cut if you don't stop poking me, you little devil," Arthur pinched Jack's side and laughed. "The meeting is for the big Shelby’s I think. You need to grow a little bit more before you can come to one. You'll have to be as big as me!"
“But I dunno how to swim.” Jack said innocently, plus he wasn’t sure you’d really want to swim in the cut. It was pretty dirty. “And I am big-look.” He said, quickly jumping out of his uncle’s lap and whilst his sisters attention was momentarily on Polly he gave her a sharp jab to the arm to show how strong he was.
Polly walked over to Tommy and handed William over to him. "I'll just give Anna some porridge," Polly nodded and then went to the stove. Meanwhile, Anna dragged the chair farther away from uncle Arthur. It was not because she didn't like Arthur. It was because Jack was there. She didn't want her hair to be full of porridge.
Tommy took hold of William, placing him on the table and giving the small boy a quick tickle before moving him to his lap.
William giggled and then hugged his uncle as much as he could with his little hands. He was happy. He had someone to hold him. The only thing that would make his day better would be apple juice and a piece of cake.
“Someone’s a cuddly little monkey this morning.” Tommy said as he gave William a squeeze and bounced his knee a little.
"Ow! Jack! Stop!" Anna screamed loudly. She was looking for the nearest thing she could fling Jack's way. Thankfully, Polly was there to put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't react to his teasing, he will grow out of it faster," Polly put the bowl of porridge in front of the girl.
Anna’s reaction seemed to entertain Jack and increased his cheeky mood. “I’ll never grow out of it.” He said, laughing to himself before scanning the room to see what mischief he could get up to.
"Monkee?" William bounced up and looked around to see if there was any monkey in the house. The nanny showed him a monkey in a children's book. He hoped to see a real one one day.
Tommy continued to bounce William on his knee. “Can you make a monkey sound little William?”
William shook his head and cuddled his uncle. The bouncing was very good. He liked that.
"Come here, boy, show me your muscles." Arthur called Jack while pouring himself a cup of tea to start the day. The next thing he would drink would probably be whisky. "We could play cards today, Tommy," Arthur nodded to himself. "That is if you don't have other plans. You know, with Marta or something," Arthur waggled his eyebrows as he watched at his younger brother dealing with a small child.
Tommy glanced away from William to look up at Arthur. “Why would I play cards with you? You always cheat at cards.” He stated. They had been competitive kids and Tommy still didn’t like getting beat by Arthur.
Jack was just about to pester Anna again before he was distracted by Arthur and went running over to him, showing off his little biceps. “One day I’ll be big and strong, I will.” He said with a nod of his head.
Arthur smirked and fixed his moustache with his fingers. "Aahh, so you've got plans with Marta. I see, I see." Arthur then turned his attention to Jack and his muscles. "When did those muscles grow, eh? You are almost as strong as Finn!" Arthur looked at Jack's little biceps and nodded. "I trained you good."
Katie came back from the bakery with a bag full of pasties. "I am back!" She said. "I met dad and Lizzie," she said and sat down to the table. "I also met Marta. She was probably going to the pub."
“Uncle Arthur makes monkey noises every time he talks.” Tommy said to the young boy with a nod of his head, though it was predominantly to wind up his brother. “I don’t have plans with Marta.” Tommy then said, standing up with William on his hip. “We have business to deal with.” He then said, passing the young boy over to Polly.
“I’m stronger than Finn.” Jack argued, holding up his fists and bouncing around on his toes like he was in a ring. “I’ll beat up Finn, I will.”
"I don't make monkey noises!" Arthur said to defend himself and then looked at little Jack. "I would not say that in front of Finn just yet. He might throw you in the cut himself." Arthur got up and fixed his clothes. "What business, Tommy?"
Polly took the small boy from Tommy. William was a little sad, but he would soon get over it. Especially if the nanny showed him more animals in the children's books.
“We need to go pay Moss a visit.” Tommy said as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked a mess and could do with putting on some clean clothes and having a quick wash to get that jail dirt out of his hair. “Be ready in 10 minutes.” He said before vanishing upstairs.
"I am ready..." Arthur said and then shrugged to himself. Arthur thought that Tommy always took time to make himself look more presentable. He was the pretty brother. Arthur, on the other hand, loved his hair getting all messy when he punched the shit out of someone.
With both his uncles leaving Jack frowned and whilst everyone was distracted he ran past his sister eating her porridge and gave her another punch on the arm.
"Ow!" Anna screamed when Jack punched her. The young girl growled, picked up the half empty bowl of porridge and flung it at her brother. "I hate you!" She screamed some more. At that moment, the nanny came.
Tommy was quick to wash and get changed and could hear the commotion brewing downstairs, grateful he seemed to have picked the right time to depart.
Jack was fortunate enough to duck just in time and the bowl hit the wall behind him, smashing with a loud crash as porridge painted itself down the wall. “You’re in big trouble Anna!” Jack shouted at her, he wasn’t taking the fall for this one.
Polly was quick to hand William over to the nanny and told Katie to go to John's house. She looked at the two sinners. "Who did this? Did you throw the bowl Anna?" Polly asked her. "You can't throw bowls..."
"And he can do everything, alright!? Because he is a boy!?" Anna screamed and then ran out the door.
Arthur watched it all unfold. He was shocked.
"This is a problem," Polly said and looked at the open door and porridge coated wall.
Jack was quick to point at his sister. “She threw it.” He said loudly, not hesitating to throw her under the bus. I’m his mind he had done no wrong and was hoping she was the one that would get in trouble for a change. As Anna suddenly ran off he looked abit disappointed. “Aunt Pol you gotta put her in the corner, she was naughty.” He said.
Polly looked at the young boy and said: "I'll put her in the corner if she ever comes back. What if something happens to her, Jack?" Polly looked at the boy.
Jack didn’t seem all too phased by his sister running off and shrugged his shoulders before he glanced at the porridge covered wall. “I dunno.” He said, not really understanding why it was his fault she’d run off.
Polly sighed and looked at the wall. "Go next door and tell the nanny that Anna will come home soon, alright?" Polly said and then went to grab something to clean the porridge off. She was sure that the wall would need repainting. She didn't want it to get all moldy.
Tommy emerged from upstairs and looked around the room, he didn’t want to get involved. Infact he didn’t even know what to say and simply picked up his cigarettes from the table and headed out the door. “C’mon Arthur.”
Arthur looked at Tommy and then walked out the door with him. "Anna ran away," he said. "Should we tell John or something?" Arthur asked Tommy.
As they stepped outside Tommy lit a cigarette. “Where did she go?” He asked, stopping at Johns door and banging his fist loudly against it.
"I don't know. She just ran off," Arthur looked around. He tried to see if Anna was somewhere on the street.
The door to John's house opened. The nanny peeked out. "Hmm. Mr Shelby?" She looked at Tommy. "Is everything alright?" She blinked her eyes. She hardly ever dealt with the other Shelby's. It was probably for the best.
“Alright Aunt Pol.” Jack said with a quick nod before he went running back home still barefoot and in his night clothes. When he got to the door he ran under his uncle Tommy’s arm. “Anna ran away.” He stated to the Nanny before dashing off to cause more trouble.
Little Jack seemed to take the words out of Tommys mouth. “Well there’s that.” He said. “Is she here? And where’s John?”
The nanny sighed as she took in all the information. She let Katie put all the pasties on a plate so that the other siblings could eat some if they wanted and she let William settle down on a blanket by the couch where he had some toys and children's books. Before the nanny replied to Tommy she turned to look at Jack. She was small in stature and quite slim, but God, her voice was very authoritative. "Jack," she called out to the boy, "before you do anything else, you will go wash your face and change out of your night clothes. I will check."
After this, the nanny turned back to the men and spoke much more softly: "No, Anna is not here and I'm afraid that John, Mr Shelby, I mean, is not here either." She shook her head no. "I have no idea where he is."
Katie peeked out of the kitchen. "I saw dad with Lizzie maybe 15 minutes ago. I think dad went to the pub."
Jack froze when he heard the Nanny call his name. She was fairly similar to his Aunt Pol. “Ok…ok.” He said, sticking his tongue out at her once she had turned around, but he did as he was asked and rushed upstairs to change.
“With Lizzie hey?” Tommy said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Why wouldn’t people fucking listen to him. Moss could wait, he told himself. “Katie keep an eye out for your sister. Cmon Arthur.”
"Will do, uncle Tommy," Katie called out and smiled. It was not often she got to speak to uncle Tommy, but she knew that he meant well for everybody. He just had strange ways of showing it.
Arthur was completely frozen too. When the nanny gave strict commands to the young boy, he almost wanted to fulfill them himself to be in the nanny's good graces or to get praised. Praise played a huge role in Arthur's life. He wanted to be a good brother, good soldier... "Coming, Tommy..." Arthur said and then followed his younger brother. "So, John was with Lizzie, eh? I mean. How does that boy do it.."
“Good girl.” Tommy said, giving her a small wink before he walked down the street, continuing to smoke his cigarette. First fucking Ada, then Finn and Marta, now fucking John. Atleast Arthur still did as he was asked, did what was best for the family. “You’re a good solider Arthur.” Tommy said, patting his brothers shoulder. “Yesterday was a good day for the Shelby Company, that was down to you leading our men.” Tommy said as they walked. “And John, fucking John.” He then said with a shake of his head. “We need to find him a wife, a proper fucking wife.”
Arthur seemed to stand a little taller when he was called a good soldier and leader. "Thank you, Tommy. It really wasn't that big a deal. I just beat up some guys and... yeah." Arthur shrugged and followed Tommy. "A proper wife, you say?" Arthur thought about it. He didn't know many ladies who would pass as wives for John, mainly because he didn't know many women he hadn't slept with... Sharing was not caring in this case.
"What about you, Tommy?" Arthur asked. "How about a double wedding?" He gently nudged his brother.
“Well you did a good job either way brother and what makes you think I want to get fucking married?” Tommy said as they reached The Garrison and took a breath before he pushed open the doors, not really giving Arthur a chance to respond. “John!” He called out to the quiet pub. It’s not that he didn’t want to marry Marta, he just didn’t want to be pestered about it constantly.
"I just want to see you happy, Tommy," Arthur decided not to push this matter further. His brother seemed to have a lot on his mind that day. Arthur didn't feel like stirring the already overflowing pot too much.
"So, these are from last month. And this is from the month before. Are you sure you can manage?" Harry was showing Marta the Garrison books. He needed someone to go through them and count a few things. Arthur wasn't the greatest at keeping the books in order, so from time to time, someone had to do it. "I mean. Sure," Marta said. "It's just numbers, right?" They both looked at Tommy when he appeared in the pub.
After a little while, John walked out of the private room. "What's going on?" He asked. "I came to have some mild."
“I’d be happier if people stopped giving me headaches.” Tommy stated, his eyes catching Marta and Harry discussing the books before John appeared. “Is she here?” Tommy asked bluntly. He seemed particularly snappy after his restless night. Lizzie wasn’t a bad woman, but he hated the idea of his brother marrying a whore, let alone a whore that he had also slept with.
John furrowed his brows and pulled a toothpick from his mouth. "Is who here?" He asked Tommy and leant on the doorframe.
"Good, off you go," Harry mumbled towards Marta. "I feel like something is going to go down," he handed her the books. Marta looked at Tommy and his brothers and decided it was for the best to go to the back and count away. So, she went to the storage room behind the bar, sat down to a small table and began checking the books.
“Fucking Lizzie.” Tommy stated, his patience was certainly shorter than usual and he hadn’t yet had a whiskey to sooth his racing mind. He was staring at his younger brother with a frown on his face and didn’t notice Marta slip out to the back.
"Why would Lizzie be here?" John asked. "I mean. She's got work to do. She mentioned learning how to use a typewriter or something..." John shrugged. He had met Lizzie maybe two hours before. They went to the B and B and, well, enjoyed each other's company for a bit.
“Because your daughter, the one that’s not run off this morning, said she saw you both near the pub.” Tommy explained. “Harry do me up a whisky will ya? He then said, he needed it.
Harry nodded without a word. He saw that this was serious. He poured the whisky and placed it on the bar. He didn't want to listen in on the conversation, but he stayed behind the bar and polished glass.
Arthur sensed some trouble too, so he inconspicuously disappeared into the storage room. He felt like Marta could use some help with the books or maybe even some company from the funniest Shelby.
John blinked his eyes. "Well, Lizzie is not here. We were just headed in the same direction," John nodded. "I'd like some mild Harry, please," he added.
Tommy quickly grabbed John by the back of his neck, pulling the man’s head closer to him and growling into his ear. “I need you to start stepping up John. Things with the company are gunna start moving quickly and I need your head in the game, not stuck on some whore.” He said before giving John a small shove away.
John looked at his brother and nodded. "I have my head in the game!" When he was shoved, he fixed his clothes and shook his head. "Who pissed in your porridge this morning?" John asked Tommy and then took a sip of the mild. "And what did you say about a runaway daughter?" John asked, tilting his head to the side a bit.
“I spent the night at the fucking police station.” Tommy responded bluntly, reaching for his glass of whiskey and gulping it down in one. That helped soothe the anger simmering inside his stomach for a moment and he then quickly lit a cigarette. “I dunno, Jack winding Anna up as usual.” He then replied, taking a deep inhale from his cigarette. “Family meeting here at 6pm. Go find your daughter and don’t be fucking late.” He then said.
"Wait, wait, wait..." John said. "You're saying that Jack had annoyed Anna so much, that she ran away from home?" John sighed. "Oh my God," he said. "Well, do you think she will come back? We have to find her. She is just a kid." He rubbed his face. "Fuck, I'll be here," he said to himself. "I don't know what to do with those two, Tommy..."
“That’s what I was told.” Tommy said, holding his glass out for Harry to refill. He didn’t know if this was a regular thing, or wether Anna did this often. He couldn’t imagine a kid her age would get far, plus no one would hurt a Shelby unless they had a death wish. “Go wake up Finn if you want help looking for her.” He then added.
"Yes, I'll have to do that, thanks for telling me, Tommy. I'll be back at six," John chugged the whole glass of mild before walking out the door. He wasn't the best dad in terms of being with his children often, but it didn't mean that he didn't love them.
“Alright.” Tommy said with a slight nod of his head. A few hours of peace and quiet would do him the world of good, though something about the way the day was going was making that feel unlikely.
Harry nodded and poured some more whisky for Tommy. "Rough night, eh?" Harry asked. "I've heard about the fight," he nodded.
“What did you hear about the fight, Harry?” Tommy asked, finally sitting down at the bar and sipping on his drink in between drags of his cigarette.
"I heard that the Peaky devil roughed up a commie in the commie pub," Harry shrugged. "And that the coppers came in to deal with it, because all the blokes in the pub were fucking pussies. Heard it from some geezers that were outside on the street. They hollered something at Marta about you being the devil himself and whatnot. She told them to shut their traps and get a job."
“So I’m the devil now.” Tommy said to himself, unable to stop himself from scoffing slightly. But it was nice to hear Marta had stuck up for him, he didn’t want her ending up in trouble for her loyalty though. Some people were best left ignored.
Harry tucked the corner of his dishcloth behind his apron. He put his large palms on the counter behind the bar and looked at Tommy for a bit before saying: "I don't know, Tom." Harry tilted his head to the side slightly. "I don't see any horns and I didn't hear the sound of hooves on the floor either." He shrugged.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed simply in response, flexing his bruised knuckles a little before gulping back the rest of his whiskey. “I should have a mild.” He then said, sliding the empty glass to Harry. It was only lunchtime and he was sure the day still had plenty of surprises in store for him, he would stay sharp until the family meeting.
"Right. Trying to keep it light," Harry smirked and then began pouring the mild. "You don't look so bad after the fight. I've seen worse here." It was not often that Harry spoke to people like this, but Tommy was a decent man. He placed the mild in front of Tommy and then added: "What did you put on all of the cuts? Iodine? They are kinda yellow-ish."
Tommy simply nodded his head slightly when Harry asked about keeping it light. He then took a sip of the mild, it certainly wasn’t as good as whisky but it would do. “I dunno, Marta put some gypsy stuff on them.” He then said, he hadn’t been bothered enough to fight her over it.
Harry nodded. "Gypsy stuff," he huffed a bit. "I guess every woman has her potions ready," Harry leaned back on the counter behind him. "My wife is a nurse," Harry said. "Now, I am no whinger. So when I cut myself, I usually just pour whatever hard liqour I find over it. But Sue? Nah. I get the iodine treatment first and the Sue treatment right after that. It usually goes something like: Harold, you 'ave to be careful... Next time ye cut your whole finger off."
“You’re not wrong there.” Tommy replied, taking another sip of beer. It was quite nice to be able to relax for a moment and have a normal conversation. “How is Sue?” Tommy then asked, he didn’t seem to see Harry’s wife all too often.
"Sue is doing good. Sometimes she's sick and tired from the job, but who isn't." Harry shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "God bless ladies and their potions. What would we do without those sometimes."
Tommy glanced over his shoulder, looking to see if he could catch wind of Marta or Arthur. He was certain Marta was likely pulling her hair out. “What would we do indeed.” He said to himself, returning his attention to his beer.
Marta walked out of the storage room. She looked at Tommy and Harry and went to sit down at the bar next to Tommy. "Lingonberry schnapps, Harry," she smiled at the man and then pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Do you have money?" Harry asked. "Nope, take it from my pay, I guess," Marta smiled at the bartender. "Alright, then," Harry said, "but you had enough money to buy cigarettes," he pointed out. "I stole these from Arthur," Marta smiled a little and then lit a cigarette for herself. "I made him copy the book records and... he didn’t notice."
“I’ll get these Harry.” Tommy said, taking some change from his trouser pocket and placing it down on the bar as Marta sat down beside him. There was something about her presence that lightened his mood, made him feel warm rather than the cold anger. “Don’t let Arthur know they are his, he’ll fight you for them.” Tommy then joked.
"I intend to keep them," Marta nodded and hummed as she took a drag from her cigarette. "I wanted to sleep till noon, but someone was fucking in the room under me very loudly, so I washed and came to work instead," she said.
Meanwhile, Harry busied himself with locating the one of two or three bottles of lingonberry schnapps in the pub and pouring Marta a drink.
Tommy felt like he had a rather good idea when it came to who had been keeping Marta up, but he didn’t feel like getting into that conversation. “You don’t look like you are working particularly hard.” Tommy then pointed out, giving her a small wink before sipping his drink.
"Oh, shut up," Marta gently punched Tommy in the arm. She chuckled. "I was just doing books at a pub I used to rob," Marta said. She heard Harry huff with a smile and a small shake of his head. Marta then took a sip of her drink. "Had I been smarter, I could've come here, pose as an accountant and steal that way. But I am not a good enough actress."
“Well that hurt.” Tommy said, pretending the punch had been strong enough to injury him as he rubbed his arm before placing his hand on her thigh. Slowly the idea of fucking her loudly in the B&B started to work it’s way into his mind and sounded much more appealing than visiting Miss. “They say looks are more important than brains these days.” Tommy then teased.
Marta looked down at Tommy's hand and smiled. She would put her over his but her hands were full. She was holding a cigarette in one and her drink in the other. She took another sip of her drink before saying: "Oh, and they say it when they see you, huh?" Marta chuckled.
“Oh no.” Tommy said with a slight shake of his head, she was able to get him out of that sulking mood rather easily. “I have the brains and the looks.” He then said, moving his hand a little higher up her leg. “They say that about you.” He then added with another small wink to match his cheeky smile.
"How humble of you," Marta hummed and placed her drink on the bar. She turned towards Tommy a little bit more before putting her foot on the bottom part of Tommy's barstool to be a bit closer to him. She quite liked his hand on her thigh. "You have the looks, huh?" She gently grabbed Tommy's jaw and gently turned his head to one side and then to the other. "Isn't it a bit of a curse, though? Being so smart and so pretty. It can attract less pretty and less smart ladies." Marta rubbed her leg against Tommy's.
Tommy couldn’t help but smile a little as Marta took hold of his jaw and seemed to examine his face. “The bruises are just to make me look tough.” He said, his tone lowering a little as she got slightly more intimate with him whilst his hand now moved to her inner thigh. “I haven’t been cursed just yet.” He then said softly.
"Hmh," Marta nodded to herself and bit her lip when she felt Tommy's hand travelling further up her leg. "Ladies love tough guys, huh?" She asked. "I imagine you've had many..." Marta leaned into Tommy's space even more and rubbed her nose against his. "We'll see about a curse, if you make me mad." She leaned in to kiss him a few times, but always leaned back when it would seem like they would finally kiss. Suddenly, the door to the pub opened and in came Moss and his young nervous colleague. "M-Marta Cabrera?" The officer said. "Y-you are coming with u-us..." the officer stuttered.
Tommy went to lay a gentle kiss on Marta’s lips before he heard the door open. Upon seeing Moss and hearing the stammering young officer Tommy jumped up from his feet. That rage seeming to return to him. “No she’s fucking not.” Tommy said, standing infront of Marta, his eyes looking like they could kill the young officer just by the way he was looking at him. “Have you lost your fucking mind Moss.” Tommy then quickly spat out, pointing a threatening finger at Moss.
Marta sighed softly and then slid off her barstool. She rested her forehead against Tommy's back for a moment. This was such a good moment between them too. It just felt so right. Marta mentally cursed herself for going to steal the books.
The young officer looked over at Moss as he didn't know what to do. He blinked his eyes a few times and then looked back at Tommy. "I am sorry, Tom. But someone was robbed and he said that the girl might be a suspect. Listen, the bloke is a piece of shit. We just want to ask the girl a few questions. She'll be back before you even notice she is gone."
"It's alright," Marta whispered to Tommy. She stepped out from behind him. "I'll go," she rubbed Tommy's arm. "Tommy, look at me," she said, "it's okay. I'll be back soon."
Tommy couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of the situation, he was furious with Moss especially. “I am sorry Tom.” He mimicked him, lowering his threatening finger and holding on to Marta’s hand. Tommy then ignored Marta’s plea to try and get him to calm down. Moss was close to finding himself floating in the cut. “You’re starting to test my fucking patience Moss.” Tommy then spoke up, his voice booming as his scowl deepened. “I pay you to turn a blind eye to our business, and here you are fucking that for the second time in 24 fucking hours!”
Marta felt Tommy's hand around hers and she thought that Tommy was holding her rather firmly. It didn't hurt, but it was firm hold.
Moss let out a sigh. "Is she a Shelby, Tom? I don't think she is. So... Please just let this be over and then we can talk about everything. I promise nothing is going to happen to her and we will go back to how it was before." Moss was just trying to do his job. He wanted to do it peacefully. If he didn't do this then...
"I-I am sorry to interrupt, but..." The stammering officer said. "If we don't take in the ma'am for questioning. Mr Blenkinsop could file a complaint to people much higher than we all are and one more inspector could come. We are not happy with the current one either." He said. "Mr Shelby. I am asking you to be reasonable."
“She’s a good as a fucking Shelby.” Tommy stated rather aggressively. All he wanted to do in that moment was grab the stammering young man by the neck until his eyes went red and his lips blue. “You shut up!” He demanded, staring at the young man for a moment. “The grown ups are talking.” Tommy then looked back to Moss, letting out a scoff. “Me be reasonable? How about you be fucking reasonable and do what I fucking pay you to do! Make the case go away and get out of my fucking pub!” It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a demand.
"The case will go away after we ask her the questions. That is my final word, Thomas. I am not a magician. You either let the lady come with us, or we will bring reinforcements, or catch her somewhere else. It won't be as nice as it is now," Moss knew he was probably getting beat up later. However, he had an inspector roaming his station. That meant some cases just could not go away as simply as they normally would.
"That's enough, I think, gentlemen." Marta said and then reached for her lingonberry schnapps. She finished her drink and then pried Tommy's hand from her hand. "I am going," she said.
Tommy simply stared at Moss, his chest heaving as he tried to keep himself with some sort of composure. It wasn’t until Marta spoke that it jolting him momentarily from his rage and he released her hand. “If she is not back here within one hour I will burn your fucking station to the ground and make sure you’re inside.” He threatened, infact it wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.
Marta rubbed Tommy's back and nodded. "I'll be back soon," Marta smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss Tommy's cheek. "We'll have to talk later," she whispered in his ear and smiled. She then walked over to the young officer and Moss. "Do you have any weapons, miss?" The young officer asked her. "Do I look like I have weapons?" Marta asked. The young officer shook his head. "Didn't think so," Marta hummed and left the garrison with them.
As Tommy kissed her cheek he didn’t seem to take his eyes off of Moss who had gone rather quiet following his outburst. He reached inside his jacket and took out his gun, placing it down on the bar beside him just to show that he meant business. “1 fucking hour.” He repeated as a final warning to Moss, or he would unleash his fury on the lot of them. Tommy watched the door as they left, muttering to himself before taking his pocket watch from his jacket and setting it down on the bar beside his gun. He would watch it intently.
Moss sighed and then held the door for the woman and for the young officer. Thankfully the journey to the station wasn't long.
Chapter 17: Questions & Poems
Chapter Text
When they arrived at the station he let the woman sit down while he filled the forms. "My name's Marta Cabrera. I work at The Garrison. So a barmaid, I guess," Marta volunteered the information. She was not scared. Moss looked scared after what Tommy had said to him. And the boy with a stutter that was also an officer? He was shaking in his boots too.
“How long have you worked at the pub known as The Garrison.” Came the voice of Campbell as he walking into the room, smoking casually on his pipe
Moss and the young officer looked at one another. This wasn't good. If the inspector got himself involved and the girl was not cooperative, then the one hour Tommy gave them would not suffice.
Marta turned her head to look at the inspector and rolled her eyes as she turned back. "Well," she said, "I don't know exactly. A few weeks? Three? I guess." She sat back into the chair to remain calm.
“3 weeks.” Campbell repeated to himself with a nod of his head and decided to help himself to a seat opposite her, continuing to smoke his pipe. “And how long have you known the infamous Peaky Blinder, Thomas Shelby.” He then asked, using the word infamous rather sarcastically. Campbell didn’t care much for the books, but he wanted information about the blinder’s organisation aswell as information about the guns.
Marta furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Moss. Why was this copper here? Did he like literature or what? Marta turned her attention back to Campbell and said: "Three weeks," she nodded. "But I did find out that we are actually related. My mother was the great-great-granddaughter of Tommy's great-great-grandfather's cousin twice removed," Marta completely made this up. And yet, she presented it to Moss, the officer and to the inspector as an amusing fact.
“I suppose it’s common practice amongst the gypsies to fuck their relatives.” Campbell responded bluntly, he wasn’t here to play games. He needed information. “Three weeks seems a small amount of time to develop such an intimate relationship.”
The woman tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "I have no idea what you are talking about, inspector," Marta shrugged her shoulders. "I am just a barmaid," she added. "The only one I have an intimate relationship with is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," Marta nodded. She had time for games. In fact, she had nothing but time for games.
“Thomas Shelby is a man we are extremely interested in, henceforth we know where he has been, who he has communicated with… and who he has fucked.” Campbell said, his tone shifting to one of more seriousness. “So do not fucking lie to me.”
"That sounds obscene, doesn't it?" Marta asked and shook her head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are jealous, Inspector," Marta said. "That you're not jealous of Tommy, but rather jealous of me," Marta spoke with this carefree attitude. "And why is Tommy's sex life important to you? It's not like it is a part of his job."
Campbell had lost his patience and stood up abruptly, slamming the palms of his hands down onto the table. “Thomas Shelby is the beginning, middle and the end of every dark dealing and crime in this godforsaken city.” He barked, his voice becoming rather stern. “Every minute detail of his life is important to my case! I will not put up with your lip. If you’d rather we can arrest you now and you can spend a few days adjusting your attitude.” He threatened, and it wasn’t any empty threat. “Understand this, I have the prime minister's ear and I will not hesitate to hang you for burglary if you do not start becoming more useful.”
Marta looked up at Campbell and listened to him raging. She shook her head. "With all due respect, you are overestimating Tommy. He's not this omnipotent and definitely doesn't have his skilled fingers in every single dark dealing and crime. "I didn't come here to be useful to you. I came here to answer questions that these two gentlemen want to ask me," Marta nodded towards Moss and the officer. She then looked at Campbell closely. "I have a feeling that you want to hit me, inspector. Do you just want to get it over with? If it'll make you feel better."
“Then you obviously do not know the man you share a bed with as well as you think you do.” The inspector stated before shaking his head at her childish attempt to get a rise out of him. “Has Mr Shelby ever mentioned weapons stolen from the BSA factory in your presence.”
"Sharing a bed is not strictly accurate," Marta corrected the inspector, "at least in your sense of the words..." Marta smiled. She looked over at the young officer, who was very confused. He'd love to know what the two really shared.
Marta turned her attention back to Campbell. This time, she was completely lost. She had no idea. "I am not sure I've ever heard Tommy even say the word factory."
“The timing is curious.” The inspector stated. “The weapons were stolen 3 weeks ago, the exact time you say you first started working in The Garrison.” He said, perhaps she was an accomplice.
"The timing is curious," Marta nodded. "But I don't really know much about weapons, so..." Marta shrugged. "I can't say anything about this, since I don't know anything about this," it was probably the only time Marta was ever honest to a copper. Yuck.
Suddenly, the young officer got up. "Alright. That's enough. I think this miss is innocent, we should release her now," the officer nodded. The hour was coming to its end and he didn't want to burn. He really didn't. He had a girlfriend to propose to.
Tommy was still sitting at the bar, his eyes fixed tightly on his pocket watch that he had set on the bar. The only times he had moved were to signal to Harry for a drink, he had gone back to whisky. There were 5 minutes left and he abruptly stood up, grabbing his pistol, gulping the rest of his drink and picked the pocket watch up, still holding it in his hand as he took the couple of minute walk to the station.
“Hmm.” The inspector grunted before the young man spoke. He hated to admit but he was right, they didn’t have reason to hold her and he simply took his leave and returned to smoking his pipe as he went back to his office.
Marta took a deep breath and then got up. "It was a pleasure, gentlemen," she smiled at the both of them. "I'll go before the Peaky Blinders pull a Guy Fawkes," she said and then let the young officer lead her out of the building. She had to admit that when the inspector went all hanging and shit, she was a little worried. However, she got out of this just fine. She now just had to get to Tommy before Tommy got to the station.
Tommy was standing outside the station, his eyes fixed on the pocket watch in his hand as his eyes followed the second hand around the watch face. 30 seconds. He then looked up at the building and back to the watch, time was quickly running out.
"Thank you," Marta smiled at the officer and then walked out the door. She looked at the street and then smiled when she saw Tommy. "Hello," she walked a bit faster towards Tommy and then hugged him. She rubbed his back. "I am alright," she told him. "I told you I would." Marta looked up at Tommy. "You came to pick me up, just as I did for you," Marta gently knocked her fist against Tommy's chest as if she was giving him a bro fist. "Look at how great a team we are," she nodded. "Now. I guess we got interrupted?" Marta hummed and placed her hands on Tommy's cheeks. She stood on her tiptoes to give him a big kiss. She didn't care if the old geezer Campbell was watching them from a window. He had nothing on her. Moss was watching. He hoped for the love of God that Tommy would let it slide for this day. He didn't want to deal with it now.
Tommy still seemed to be quietly simmering. There would be consequences, that much was for sure, but the station would stand for now. After Marta had kissed him Tommy straightened his cap, taking her hand as they started to walk back to The Garrison. “What did they ask?” Tommy eventually spoke, still rather tense.
A sigh escaped Marta's mouth. Moss and the kid really stole their thunder. It would be a lie if Marta said that the exchange at the Garrison didn't leave her slightly hot and bothered. "They asked me where I worked and then the old geezer came in and began asking about you," Marta shrugged. "He said he wanted to know every minute detail of your life, because apparently every little crime and deal in this city was your doing. Then he asked me about some weapons from a factory, but I didn't know anything about those, so. Yeah. That was all. I annoyed him relentlessly and even made up that we were related."
That old bastard. Tommy thought to himself. “He thinks too highly of me.” Tommy commented. There were many things that happened in this city that were directly caused by Tommy, and many things that happened only because he said they could. But he certainly wasn’t behind the strikes and the rallies. “I don’t know anything about any guns.” He then lied, his face remaining rather cold.
"Me neither," Marta shrugged and then looked at Tommy. "But, on second thoughts, I do know about these guns," she chuckled and then stood in front of Tommy. She gently ran her hands up and down Tommy's arms. "Hey," she said, "come on," she looked up at the man. "I know you are tired and annoyed. You can talk to me about it. I can help with more than just cuts and bruises. I believe that with my gypsy witchcraft and charm, I can heal the soul too."
“You do eh?” Tommy asked, trying his best to lighten up a little bit his face was still rather stoic. “So where are they?” He added when she stood in front of him. "Oh, they are here and here," Marta held onto Tommy's biceps. "Right under my very hands," she waited for Tommy to look at her. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. Tommy’s hand reached up to his nose, clenching the bridge of his nose between his fingers and closing his eyes for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and lowering his hand. Everyone seemed desperate to piss him off today and he wasn’t sure how much more he could withstand before he truly snapped. “My soul will always be damaged.” He then said, it was his truth. Part of it would always lie in the tunnels in France.
Marta hummed and just looked at Tommy. "Okay." It was hard to admit that she couldn't truly heal him. "If I can't heal the soul... I can provide good company with my gipsy witchcraft and charm?" She offered instead with a smile.
“You’re a funny one.” Tommy said. He felt bad that her obvious efforts to try and lighten his mood kept getting met by his rather blank expression. “That sounds… lovely.” Tommy then finally said with a small nod of his head before spotting Finn making his way across the pub. “Eh Finn!” Tommy then called. There was no time like the present for a little retribution, that would likely make him feel a little better.
At the moment he heard his brothers call Finn came running over. “Hey Marta.” He said, a little pink cheeked. “Alright Tommy?” Finn then said.
Tommy didn’t respond to the question he simply set about his instructions. “Go find Arthur, then I want you to go round up a few men from Watery Lane. Give them all a couple pounds to go throw some bricks through the coppers windows… set fire to a couple cars. You understand?” Tommy explained whilst Finn enthusiastically nodded his head. “Yeah-yeah ok Tommy.”
"Hello, Finn," Marta smiled at the boy and patted his shoulder. "You look like you've just ran a mile," she told him. She then listened to all the instructions as her eyebrows rose slightly. "Are you sure you can do this without getting arrested again?" Marta smiled. "Or do you think that Moss got the message and... you won't get arrested?" Marta asked.
Finn gave Marta a smile when she patted his shoulder. “Aunt Pol needed some flour from the shop.” He explained, Finn didn’t seem to walk anywhere, it was always a run.
“Moss needs a reminder of where his retirement fund is coming from.” Tommy stated simply. He didn’t normally act out of anger or retaliation. Normally his plans were methodical. But this was necessary. “Chop chop Finn, Family meeting at 6.”
Marta licked her lips and nodded. "Okay," she said. "I might go work on my retirement fund," she patted Tommy's back gently and then went to help Harry as the pub got a little bit more crowded. She jumped behind the bar and served the patrons. Some of them she now knew because they came in regularly, like the old man that told her that she looked like his late wife when she wore the pretty dress. His name was Bernie.
Tommy watched as Marta headed back to the pub. There was an hour or so until the family would be assembling, and he certainly needed to try and clear his head before them before he blew a gasket. Once she and Finn had gone he took the short walk to Charlie’s yard and spent the next hour riding his horse along the canal.
Marta didn't see Tommy in the pub. She found it strange, but she didn't want to run around the city looking for him. Plus, Harry was really busy with all the people.
"I don't get it, Polly. Why do I have to attend a family meeting?" Ada asked. "If Tommy starts preaching, I am out," Ada nodded to herself as she walked with her aunt to the pub. She looked around the street. There was some commotion because the police station was apparently under an attack and some cars were burning. Birmingham at its best, Ada thought.
Tommy’s head felt slightly clearer after his ride, though he still had that simmering feeling in his stomach. He just hoped the meeting would go well so he could drink whiskey, relax and try and sleep. He made the walk back to the pub and smoked a cigarette, happy to hear some distant commotion. When he entered the pub he signaled to Harry to bring a bottle through and went straight into the empty private room, continuing to smoke his cigarette.
Ada walked into the pub. She saw it was quite full. Polly slowly and gently placed her hand on Ada's back before leading her to the private room. Ada made sure to sit as far away from Tommy as she could. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tilted her head to the side. Soon, Arthur came in, he looked like he had been running. Running he had been, away from the coppers and burning cars. "Why is the whisky not here?" He asked, whisky was just the beverage to drink after a run.
John was the last one to come in. It was because he had been looking for Annie. He came in late. "Sorry." He said and sat down. He normally just chewed on his tooth pick, but today it was cigarette day.
Tommy remained sitting at the head of the table, silently smoking on his cigarette. When the ladies entered his expression didn’t change, he simply tapped the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray. “Pol… Ada.” He spoke when they entered the room. Ada was scowling at him, he hadn't expected anything less. Tommy shared Arthur’s view of the whisky situation, he didn’t understand what was taking Harry so long. “Did you find her, John?” Tommy finally spoke, cutting through the tense silence before inhaling on his cigarette again.
"No, I didn't," John said and looked at the table. No whisky. What was this? Was it this serious that they couldn't get whisky.
"Who did you lose?" Ada wanted to know.
"Annie, she ran away after Jack annoyed her or something and she apparently threw porridge at him," John sighed.
"Your daughter ran away?" Ada shook her head. "Terrible."
Marta came in with the bottle and a few glasses. She set it on the table and looked at the Shelby's. "Do you want anything else?" Marta asked.
Tommy was surprised to hear Annie was yet to return, the kids normally seemed to come back after a few hours when they got hungry. “We will find her John, we will get the boys out searching.” Tommy stated, taking a deep breath as he tried to ignore Ada’s dig. “Something you’d like to say Ada?” He then asked, reaching forward and pouring a few large glasses of whisky as Finn came bursting in the door. Like Arthur he looked a little out of breath. He hadn’t quite followed Tommy’s instructions to the letter, he’d joined in smashing up a few cars himself and it had been rather fun. “I think we are good… thank you.” Tommy then said to Marta. He wanted her to stay, but she wasn’t officially part of the family unless they were to be married.
Marta nodded and then took a step back, bumping into poor Finn in the process. The private room was reasonably large, but not inflatable. "Sorry, love," Marta said and put her hands on Finn's shoulders to steady him. She patted his shoulders once she was sure he was okay and left.
"I am pregnant," Ada said when Tommy asked. "It's Freddie Thorne's child and I am keeping it and I don't care who you send to me to try to convince me otherwise." Ada nodded to herself. She didn't drink the whiskey for obvious reasons.
John and Arthur were surprised. "So, that's why Tommy had to ruffle Freddie's feathers yesterday?" Arthur asked and blinked his eyes.
Finn gave Marta a smile as she squeezed past him, he didn’t often sit at the table, merely lingered at the side. Though his expression quickly changed from a grin to a look of shock at Ada’s announcement. “But-but Freddie’s a Comie?” He pointed out, looking rather confused.
Tommy remained scarily silent in reaction to Ada’s announcement, he simply continued to stare across the room at her whilst taking occasional gulps of whiskey.
Ada looked at Finn. "Yes, Finn. Freddie is a communist. And I am a communist too. Also, I am an individual human person, so I can have a child with whoever I please," Ada nodded. "When you decide to have a child, you'll be happy to choose with whom you'll have the child. Maybe because you are a man. But... It's better to have a child with someone you want to have the child with." Ada nodded.
Finn looked between Ada and Tommy, he didn’t want to get on either ones bad side. They both seemed to wear looks that could kill. “Umm… right.” The young boy then said with a small nod of his head as he stepped back so he was leaning against the wall.
Ada was well aware of Tommy’s views of the situation. He’d made them rather clear. But he was interested to hear what Polly had to say. She always came out with what was best for everyone, even if it wasn’t what they wanted to hear. “What say you Pol?” Tommy then asked.
Polly sighed as she was asked about her outlook on the situation. She didn't want to seem like she was siding with everybody, but she had her own experiences to draw from. "Well, Ada. I am sure that Tommy told Freddie why he was beating him up. So, did he come to visit you?"
Ada bit the inside of her cheek and said: "No. But I am not surprised! Tommy is so mad at Freddie that I wouldn't be surprised if he paid some men to follow me and to watch the house!"
Polly shrugged. "I don't know, Ada... There are many more good men. If Freddie isn't coming back, the child will be a bastard and they will call you a whore."
Ada shook her head and got up. "Oh, of course!" She looked at all of them. "Well, if you want to dictate who we can and can't marry, let's get this over with. John, you can't marry Lizzie, Tommy, you can't marry the barmaid and Finn and Arthur can't marry anybody, just because we said so! This is just mad!" Ada shouted and then walked out of the private room.
“I haven’t paid anyone Ada.” Tommy called out after her, he’d tried desperately to keep this meeting civil, keep his opinions to himself yet she had blown up anyway. They had been similar kids and they were even more similar now with their tempers as adults. As the door swung shut Tommy’s grip tightening on his empty whiskey glass and in a moment of weakness he launched it at the wall, a sudden loud smash ringing out before he put his elbows onto the table and rubbed his face with his hands.
When the glass suddenly smashed Finn jumped, deciding this was a good moment to duck out of the room and he quickly followed after Ada. “Ada?” He called out when they got outside to see her marching down the street. “Ada!”
Ada was fuming as she was walking down the street. If someone did as little as ask her what the time was, she would probably just smack the person across the face. Ada stopped and turned on her heel. "What!?"
Finn had broken into a jog to try and catch up to his sister, but when she abruptly turned around and looked like she was about to hit him with her handbag he ground to a stop. He had jumped a little as she shouted. “I just… just wanted to say I miss you.” He said, looking a little worried that she might flip out at him.
Ada sighed as she looked at the young boy. "I miss you too," she told him. She went in for a hug. "You are my little brother," she whispered into his ear. "But you smell like petrol, what have you been doing?" Ada asked Finn.
Finn was relieved to see Ada but him rather than hit him and gave her a loving squeeze. “I was just doing some work with Arthur.” He said, looking up at her with his cheeky smile. It was much like Tommy’s.
"Work," Ada nodded. "So something Tommy had told you to do," Ada caressed Finn's cheek. "Be careful doing that, okay? You don't want to get into trouble." Trouble was in Finn's eyes, it seemed. Like in Tommy's sometimes.
“You know Tommy just cares about us all Ada? Right?” Finn said, he was rather clueless in all of this. But he knew that without Tommy there would likely be a lot more chaos with just John and Arthur in charge. “I’m a quick runner, I won’t get in trouble. Promise.” He added with a quick nod.
"He's got a strange way of showing it, Finn. I know that Freddie will come when he'll think that Tommy's wrath had blown over just a little bit," Ada shrugged.
“I heard him talking… saying they were starting to round up the communists. I think he just doesn’t want you getting in trouble Ada.” Finn then said with a small shrug of his shoulders. But who really knew what Tommy was thinking.
Ada sighed softly and shrugged. "I'll just wait and see if Freddie comes back, for now," Ada hugged her brother once more and kissed his forehead. "Go back to the boys. They'll be looking for you soon."
Finn gave Ada a tight squeeze when she hugged him again. “Be safe Ada.” He said, smiling up at her before he ran off back to the pub.
Back in the private room Arthur sighed and patted Tommy's back. "Well, I'll go get dark mild for everybody. I feel like we all need it." Arthur stepped out of the room and instructed Marta to pour the mild straight into a bucket. No need for glasses. Arthur could distribute the beer.
Tommy didn’t need mild, he needed enough whisky to tranquilise a horse, and they also had a child to find. He reached for the whisky bottle and gulped down a fairly large amount before quickly wiping his lips on his sleeve. “Well at least she’s not just pissed off at me now eh Polly.” He stated, lighting another cigarette.
Polly shook her head and looked at Tommy. "And you have to come and ask about who you are going to marry as everyone else."
Tommy shook his head to Polly’s comment, letting out a short scoff. “Permission from who? Myself?” He said. As head of the family Tommy didn’t need permission from any of them for anything, at least that was what he told himself.
"So, no what say you, Polly, this time, huh?" Polly asked. "I'll begin to understand Ada soon, it seems." The woman shook her head. "Well, well, well..."
“I thought she would fucking listen to you.” Tommy stated. “Cause god knows no one fucking listens to me!” His trembling hand was starting to set in, his plague from France. It seemed the lack of sleep was catching up with him and he stood up quickly. “Maybe one day you’ll all realise that the things I do, I do because I care about this fucking family!”
"I am done with this family for today," Polly got up and left too. She went to the bar and asked Harry for a better drink. She knew Tommy meant well. But she just felt like sometimes people needed to make mistakes to truly see the good nature of someone else's protectiveness.
Arthur gulped. "What a day. Everyone is mad and I lost my fucking cigarettes."
Tommy rubbed his face again as Polly left. Tensions seemed to be running high with everyone today. He took another gulp straight from the bottle of whiskey. “Arthur, go with John, have a good look for Annie.” He said, he needed some time alone and decided not to mention that Marta had stolen his cigarettes, but simply tossed him a few coins to go buy some more. “Take Finn with you. Curley and Charlie should be able to help, maybe Jeremiah too… and don’t bother asking the police for help, they’ll be too busy putting out fires.” The irony was that it also seemed to be Tommy that had plenty of fires to extinguish.
Arthur nodded and then patted John's back. "Let's go find the princess, okay?" He smiled and then helped John up. They left the room and headed out of the pub to get everyone together. They bumped right in to Finn as they emerged onto the street. "Come on, Finny boy... We're looking for your niece. Let's go for Charlie," Arthur threw his arm around the young boy's shoulders and walked with him.
“Alright Arthur.” Finn said, smiling a little. He liked being more involved with his older brother's antics.
After the brothers had departed Marta came into the private room after a few minutes. "Do you need anything else?"
Tommy sighed to himself as he found himself alone in the private room. The day had exhausted him and he was fairly sure it was impossible for anything else to go wrong. He’d already made his way through half the bottle of whiskey when Marta came in and he reached up to loosen his tie. There was a silent shake of his head as he rested it back against the wall after pulling off his cap.
Marta stood in the room and she didn't really know what to do. She had tried to make Tommy feel better, but she didn't know if she should try again. She was afraid of making Tommy mad or something.
Tommy reached for the bottle again, holding it in his lap for a moment before raising it to his lips. His hand seemed to shake slightly as he lowered the bottle back to the table. “Have you got a brush?” He then asked, his voice seemed a little quieter now. Lacking the anger.
Marta was a little bit confused. She blinked her eyes and tilted her head to the side. "A brush? A brush for what?" She asked Tommy. She saw his hands shaking. It wasn't the nicest of sights.
“I broke a glass.” Tommy then said, tilting his head in the direction of the shattered glass of the floor by the wall. He reached for his cigarettes and went to light one. There had to be a pause in his movement as he went to light it, his hand was shaking too much to run the match along the box and it nearly set him off again.
Marta looked over at the shattered glass on the floor. "I'll deal with it," she said with a smile. She then frowned a little bit. She became worried. "Are you alright?" Marta asked and walked up a little closer to him. "You are shaking a lot." She said.
Tommy kept his cigarette between his lips but dropped the match and box onto the table with a sigh, taking another deep breath. “It gets worse at night… Normally whisky helps, but… I dunno.” Tommy tried to explain but his tiredness mixed with the whiskey he’d already had seemed to slow him down slightly.
Marta hummed and then made a few more steps towards Tommy. She took the cigarette from between his lips and borrowed his matches. She lit the cigarette before offering it to Tommy. She held it in front of his lips. "I'll go get the brush, okay?"
Tommys blue eyes followed her closely as she lit his cigarette. When she placed it back to his lips he inhaled deeply, moving the cigarette away with his shaky hand. “Thank you.” He said softly, washing the smoke down with a gulp of whiskey. As she reached the door he spoke again. “You know… it’s not too late to run away from all this madness.”
"You're welcome," Marta said softly and then went to the door. As she was reaching for the doorknob, she heard Tommy. She blinked her eyes and turned to look at him. She sighed softly. "If a lemon kisses a beet, is it sour or is it sweet?..." she said. "If a bear gives a hug, will it turn into a rug?" She continued. "And then there's me and then there's you. I sometimes wonder... What will we do?" She concluded.
As Marta turned around he tilted his head slightly. He found her words curious, and rather confusing. Perhaps it was down the whiskey, or his exhaustion. But for the first time in a long time he couldn’t really understand what she was trying to say. “Is that good?” He asked, smoke blowfly slowly from his nose.
"It's a poem, Tommy," Marta said with a chuckle. "I don't know." She hummed and then left to get the brush. She briefly spoke to Harry. It looked like the Garrison had calmed down. Maybe some people left when they heard Tommy shouting. But it was their loss. If he wasn't shouting at them, they could've stayed.
Marta returned to the private room and began to clean up all the glassy mess.
Alone again, Tommy thought to himself once she had gone and pondered on her poem. The whisky wasn’t helping him make sense of it and once Marta had returned he had nearly finished the bottle. The day of stress and lack of sleep or food had taken its toll.
Marta got up from the floor. "I like you and all, you're the prettiest of the four Shelby's. But with all due respect, you look like shit right now," Marta told Tommy as she held the dustpan full of glass in her hand. "The pub is calm. I can tell Harry and I can walk you home. I don't want to hear you say you are alright. Even if you truly were alright... I would feel better if I could walk you home."
“There are actually 5 Shelby’s.” Tommy corrected her and tried to carefully get to his feet, though there was the expected small stumble. Once on his feet he finished off the rest of his bottle and placed it down. The world seemed to spin a little faster now. “You can walk me home.” He then said, swaying slightly where he stood.
"Then you are the second prettiest Shelby of all five. Girls need to stick together," Marta said and watched Tommy. She quickly put the dustpan on the table and rushed over to Tommy for support. Harry could get rid of the glass later. This was much more serious. She put her arm around Tommy's waist and placed his arm around her shoulders.
“I can do it.” Tommy mumbled, though in fact that was a stretch of his imagination. He definitely needed her support to stop his bashing into the doorframe.
"You can do everything you want. I am sure," Marta whispered to Tommy and smiled. She led him out of the room. "Harry? I am taking the rest of the day off," Marta called out. When Harry saw the way Tommy was swaying, he was okay with Marta's leaving.
It was a bit harder to get Tommy out of the double door of the Garrison, but once on the street, there luckily was nothing to bump into.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed as Marta helped him out of the pub, giving Harry a dismissive wave. He hoped there wouldn’t be any more drama at the house, he’d had enough for one day. As Marta helped him walk they passed a smoldering police car in the middle of the street and he couldn’t help but spit on it.
"Good good," Marta patted Tommy's back when he spat on a police car. The Shelby's house was closer than the B & B. So, Marta decided to take him there. "You should drink some water or tea before you go to sleep. Maybe it's time to try the lemon balm," Marta smirked. With Tommy weaker, maybe she could inflict some more of her magic on him. The calendula paste did him all the good.
“Whisky is fine.” Tommy hummed, he didn’t seem to be in a state to put more than a few words together and was silently hoping Polly had gone to bed or out to help the boys find Annie. He didn’t want to deal with her right now.Thankfully Polly was still in the pub. She was talking to Harry and some of the regulars. She didn't feel like going back to the Watery lane now. There was drama.
"I don't think whisky is the best thing now," Marta walked Tommy home and opened the door for him. "Let's take you straight to bed, huh?" She asked him with a smile.
Tommy stumbled into the kitchen, rather happy to see that Polly wasn’t standing with her arms folded in the kitchen. “Alright, alright.” He mumbled and pulled off his cap, tossing it down on the table before he headed up to his room.
"I am right behind you, Tommy," Marta told him. She hummed and fetched some water to put next to Tommy's bed, should he need it. She then walked up the stairs. She walked slowly, watching if Tommy was doing alright. She smiled to herself. It was nice to take care of someone. Especially Tommy, who seemed like he didn't let people take care of him much.
Tommy made it up the stairs with a slight sway, seeming to pause to catch his balance when he reached the top before he walked into his room. He took off most of his clothes. Normally he took great care over his clothing, but he merely tossed them onto a chair until he was just in his underwear before slumping onto the bed. “Lie with me.” He spoke finally, closing his eyes and stretching out an arm.
Marta was ready to drop the glass and catch Tommy if he was to fall. She patted his back and rubbed it once they managed to climb the stairs. "You are doing great, almost in the bed," she encouraged him. She put the glass of water on a table and then watched Tommy take his clothes off. It was quite a remarkable sight. "Please," she added for Tommy, when he asked her to lie with him. "Lie with me, please," she hummed and then looked around the room. "Clothes on or off?" She asked him.
Tommy let out a small hum as he struggled to keep his eyes open and patted his hand on the empty space behind him. “Lie with me…please.” He spoke slowly, managing to open one eye as he looked over at her. “Off… definitely off.” Tommy then added.
Marta let out a huff as she smiled and shook her head. "Of course. What Tommy wants, Tommy gets, if he asks properly," she said mostly to herself. She then proceeded to strip down into her underclothes. It was the fancy ones she had bought for the races. It also made her feel very good about herself. Marta just liked the way the underclothes hugged her body. She put her arms up and stretched with a small yawn. For sleeping purposes, the bra also had to go. Marta then tapped over to the bed and leant down to caress Tommy's cheek. "You'll have to move, tough guy," she said quietly.
A rather cheeky smile finally seemed to appear on Tommys face as he watched through one eye whilst Marta undressed. The underwear was alluring, yet without it even more so. As she approached he felt the anger from the day slowly fade away, something that rarely seemed to happen. “Yes ma’am.” He then said, managing to force open his other eye as he took a few attempts to move over to make room for her.
"Good boy," Marta nodded. "Thank you," she added as she climbed into the bed. She stuck her feet under the warm covers. She moved around to get comfortable in the bed and then she finally let her body just relax into the mattress. "Hmm," Marta hummed in content. "I don't mind the madness," she said. "That's what I meant to say with the poem. The world is mad, so why can't we and people around us be?" Marta shrugged.
As Marta settled herself beside him Tommy wrapped his arm around her, allowing her to use his chest as a pillow. He was drunk and exhausted and he knew sleep would take him soon. Rest was needed. Tommy planted a gentle kiss on her head before he whispered. “We’re all fucking mad here.” Then his eyes were closed and for once he fell into a rare dreamless sleep.
Marta placed her head on Tommy's chest and moved closer to him to throw her leg over Tommy's body. That way she was as close to Tommy as she liked. She chuckled at Tommy's remark. "I like it here," she said. After a few minutes, she looked up. She was sure that Tommy was sleeping. He looked so calm. All the anger from the whole day was gone. Marta smiled to herself. "I don't mind the madness," she whispered even though Tommy was fast asleep. "It's a part of your world," she added. "And I hope I'll have a place in your world for as long as I can. I feel like I belong here... with you." Marta closed her eyes and let the sleep take her too.
Chapter 18: Plots & Pencils
Chapter Text
For the first time in a long time Tommy didn’t seem to wake up with his usual nightmare. It was a more gentle start to the day. It took a while for his eyes to open and he reached his hands up to his face. The room seemed bright. Much brighter than normal. He let out a small groan as he reached for the glass of water on his nightstand, finally managing to peer through one eye before taking a large sip. Marta was still there. She had woken up a few hours before Tommy, but when she saw him sleeping so peacefully, she didn't want to wake him. So she had just closed her eyes and dozed off for just a bit more time. She woke up for the second time when Tommy began to move around in the bed. Marta huffed a bit and opened her eyes. She smiled a bit when she saw that the room was bright. "Noon," she said the same way she would say "morning". Yes. It was most likely too late to be in bed still, but the bed was warm, Tommy was warm, and it would feel so much better to stay in the bed than to climb out.
It took Tommy a short while to adjust to reality, he must have been completely exhausted and had never know himself to sleep in this late. “Noon?” He repeated, rubbing his face once more before collapsing his head back on to the pillow. Tommy let out a short sigh, there was too much to do for him to be sleeping in this late. “Do you know if they found Annie?” He asked, his eyes still adjusting.
"Noon," Marta hummed as she watched Tommy. She bit her lip a little and then shook her head. "No," she hummed. "But I hope they did. It's scary that she just ran off like that. I hope that she's alright," Marta chewed on her lip a bit more. As she was still lying on Tommy's chest, she began to again trace the tattoo on Tommy's pec with her finger. This time, she busied herself with counting the rays the tattoo was made of.
Tommy let out another soft groan as he closed his eyes. He could stay here like this all day. The way that her soft finger traced his chest made him never want to leave the comforts of his bed. But there were things he needed to do. “There’s never much reason when it comes to John’s children.” He stated. There was only one thing that could energise him enough to get out of bed, and that was to get some blood pumping. With that thought he gently moved some hair away from Marta’s face and once her eyes had looked up at him he started to kiss her, the intensity slowly building.
"Maybe Anna just got fed up with Jack's shenanigans. After the gum in her hair... I mean. I would be on short fuse too." Marta hummed. Thirteen. That's how many rays the sun on Tommy's pec had. "What..." Marta wanted to ask Tommy if he had any plans today. She, of course, hoped that there were no plans and she would have Tommy all for herself. She was effectively silenced with Tommy's kiss. Marta smiled into the kiss and moved to gently run her hand through Tommy's hair. She tugged at the dark locks gently as she kissed Tommy back.
Tommys mind was quickly moved away from any thoughts of John’s kids as their lips collided. The feeling of her fingers running through his hair brought a hum from his lips and he swept an arm underneath her to straddle her body over his without their lips losing touch.
Marta hummed in excitement as she was moved to sit on Tommy. She placed one of her hands onto Tommy's chest and kept playing with Tommy's hair with the other. She rested her bare upper body against Tommy's. When she ran out of breath she pulled away just a little bit. She looked into Tommy's eyes and she kissed his nose. "What's this for?" She asked him. "If I get this every time I am jailed, then I should start working on my criminal career." Marta leaned down and rubbed her nose against Tommy's nose.
As Marta leaned her body against him he held her closer, the sensation of their skin against each others made him kiss her deeper until she pulled away for a moment. “One of us needs to try and stay out of trouble.” Tommy then replied with a small smile on his lips, kissing her again before rolling over so that he was now on top.
"I robbed you many times successfully and once unsuccessfully. Trouble is my middle name," Marta held onto Tommy's shoulders and then placed her head on the comfortable pillow as she gazed into Tommy's eyes.
“Hmmm.” Tommy hummed, placing a rather serious expression on his face as he lowered his lips to hers. “You should be punished for all your thievery.” A slight smirk then appeared on his lips before he kissed her, far more intensely than he had before. Punishment was likely not the best word to describe what came next, in fact, it was the opposite as they lustfully shared Tommy’s bed.
Marta was breathless and all tingly from their shared labouring, when she asked: "So, do you have any plans for today?" She licked her lips and fixed her hair a little bit.
Tommy had gotten a little over excited and had been rather vigorous with his antics in the bedroom. He took a few moments to catch his breath after their rather intense fucking, his chest rising and falling sharply. “Not now you’ve taken up most of my day.” Tommy then stated, lowering his lips to hers and giving her a final kiss before he got up from the bed.
Marta bit her lip and looked at Tommy's shoulder. She made a split second decision and then moved her head forward and bit Tommy's shoulder gently. After that, Marta gasped. "I dare you to tell me that your day was bad," she looked at the man. She kissed Tommy back and then pouted when he left the bed. "Well, nothing bad would happen if I took up the rest of your day too," Marta hummed and lay on her side, watching Tommy. "How about that?"
Tommy let out a hum of surprise when he felt the distinct sensation of teeth against his skin. “It’s been terrible.” He teased, sitting back down onto the bed and gazing down at her as she lay on her side. His hand reached for her leg and he ran his hand slowly along her thigh. “Leaving John and Arthur in charge for the day… you have no idea.” He then said, leaning down and kissing her softly. “Birmingham would burn.”
Marta moved up to kiss Tommy back. She put her arms around him to keep him close just a little while more. "I don't care about Birmingham today," she shook her head. She kissed Tommy's lips and then moved down to kiss his chin and his jaw and his neck.
Tommys head definitely felt a little clearer after the cobwebs had been blown out and he knew there were likely things that would need his attention… like that family of his. But there was a way that she sucked him in that made him struggle to say no and once she had kissed him he let out a soft sigh as she kissed his neck. He simply wasn’t used to just doing nothing.
After hearing Tommy's sigh, Marta pulled away. "I guess I'll go to work," she said, "or if it's needed I will look for Annie. I've probably overstayed my welcome anyway," she smiled and then climbed out of the bed. She began looking for her underpants as she saw them flying through the air some minutes ago. Once she located them on top of a dresser, she looked for the rest of her clothes.
“No that’s…” Tommy stopped himself and pinched the bridge of his nose whilst Marta went in search for her underwear. He hadn’t meant to upset her, he just wasn’t sure he was capable of lounging around all day. Come to think of it he was surprised they hadn’t been disturbed sooner. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before deciding to light himself a cigarette, still naked as he watched her get dressed. “Marta, I didn't mean to upset you.”
Once Marta found her bra, she slid it on and then busied herself with tying the ribbon that held it together. It was not as easy. "I am not upset," she said. "You are right," she shrugged. "It's far too late and your brothers need guidance," she looked over at Tommy and smiled. She located the rest of her clothes and put those on too. "I see that the paste helped quite a bit," she hummed to herself. "You could use some more, though..."
Tommy couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of her as she dressed whilst he smoked casually on his cigarette. When she seemed to struggle with his bra he placed the cigarette between his teeth and stood up to help her, carefully tying it for her. “I don’t need anymore fucking paste.” He stated, removing the cigarette from his mouth and kissing the back of her neck before she went to put on the rest of her clothes. Though she stated she wasn’t upset, he couldn’t help feeling like she was. These woman could be hard to understand sometimes.
Marta let Tommy help her with the bra. She was glad he did that. The thing was quite hard to secure properly. "Thank you," she hummed as she put on the rest of her clothing. "I think that the deeper cuts could use some more paste, but I won't wrestle you to apply it." Marta shrugged. Once fully clothed, she walked over to Tommy and gently grabbed him by the jaw to tilt his head to one side and then the other. "Hm," she shrugged, "like I said. You'll just have to suffer with the cuts."
Tommy had never been used to having someone to care for him in this way. Of course Polly was always very capable of patching them up, but to have someone that showed a little more worry and compassion was different. “I’m sure I will survive.” Tommy spoke softly as she examined him and once she’d straightened his face he leant forward and kissed her softly.
Marta chuckled and kissed Tommy. "I should've put the paste on you when you were sleeping," she wrinkled her nose. Suddenly, loud screams and cries echoed through the whole home. Marta jerked her head towards the door. "What the hell...?"
“Over my..” But Tommys response was cut short and he immediately dove in to action. He grabbed his trousers and pulled them on, that would do for now. His gun was seemlessly grabbed from the nightstand before he went rushing down the stairs towards the source of the screaming.
Marta rushed right after Tommy. She was just making sure that she wouldn't tumble down the stairs and take Tommy with her.
"Naw! Nooo! I don't want to be here!" The source of the screaming was actually Annie. Arthur was gently holding her by the arm. "Let me go!" Annie was squirming and moving around. John was right next to them trying to talk to the little girl.
Tommy barrelled into the living room with his gun pointed into the room before quickly lowering it at the sight of his brothers with young Annie and he let out a relieved breath. Now noticing that the gun was perhaps a slight over reaction he placed it down rather quickly. “I thought someone was being murdered down here.” He stated, doing up his trousers properly and finding himself wishing he had brought down a shirt. “What’s happened?” He asked, raising his voice slightly so he could be heard over the shouting.
"We found Annie," John said and tried to keep the girl from running away again. "The conductor from the station informed us that Annie had tried to catch a train to god knows where. So we waited for her to show up again and that's how we found her," John explained the situation.
"Stop touching me! I don't want to be here! Let go." Annie kept struggling against Arthur's hold. She managed to free herself and she took off towards the door.
Marta sidestepped quickly to stop Annie from running out of the room and most likely out the door.
Tommys eyes took in the scene, quickly moving from one person to another and when Marta stopped the young girl from running off again he crouched down to her level, putting his hand on the little girls shoulder. “Annie… why did you want to get on a train?” He asked, trying to keep his voice quiet and soft to help her calm down.
Marta gently touched Annie's hair. It was a little matted from her being outside, but it was nothing a bath couldn't fix.
"Because I don't want to be here!" Annie shouted. Little angry tears were running down her cheeks. "Jack can do anything he wants and I am always the one that gets the blame or the one he does something to! I want to go somewhere where they actually like me. Where there's a better brother."
“Hey… hey.” Tommy said, his voice soft, which seemed strange that he could come across so gentle. He wiped her tears away with his thumb. “Your dad loves you too much to let you move away. We all love you Annie.” He said. “What do you suppose we do with Jack eh? Would it make you feel better if you picked a punishment for him?”
"No, it wouldn't. Because then he would be mad at me again," Annie felt utterly defeated. She just looked down and shrugged her small shoulders.
Marta sighed softly. She rubbed Annie's back to comfort her some more.
Tommy shook his head slowly, placing his hand on the little girls cheek. “He wouldn’t know Annie.” He said, trying to find a way that would cheer her up. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but jack’s not quite as clever as you.”
"Well, yeah," Annie hummed. "But daddy and Arthur are not as clever as you either and you don't annoy them all the time and you don't want to kill them with a fire poker!" Annie said and nodded.
John and Arthur just looked at one another and shrugged. "I mean, she's got the point," Arthur mumbled and went to sit down at the table.
Tommy let out a soft sigh and rubbed Annie’s arm. Atleast she seemed to have calmed down a lot. “When we were younger all we did was fight.” He explained. “Especially John and Arthur.” Tommy then whispered to her. “Because they weren’t as smart as me.” He added with a wink of his eye, a small smile working its way on to his face in an attempt to cheer her up. But the young girl was right, something needed to change.
Just as everything was starting to settle down Jack went running into the kitchen in his usual half dressed state, once again without shoes. “Aunt Pol, I’m hungry.” He called out as he entered the kitchen. Unaware of the situation ongoing in the living room.
Polly looked up from her morning paper. "Porridge or bread?" She asked the little boy. She was aware of what was happening in the living room, she just didn't want to deal with it before finishing her tea.
“Er-er.” Jack contemplated the question for a moment. “Bread.” He then said with a nod before he swore he heard his sister's voice from the living room and started gravitating towards the door. “Is Annie back?”
“I mean. I am not a boy," Annie sighed. "The fighting was okay at first, but Jack is just so strong and mean now. And if that wasn't enough, now he knows boxing!" Annie said desperately. When she faintly heard Jack's voice, she gulped and then hugged Marta. "Oh no, he's here." Annie buried her face in Marta's stomach.
Tommy glanced over his shoulder at John, he was the boys father and if it was getting to the point that Annie wanted to run away there was one thing for it. “Why don’t you go and spend the day with Marta… I hear uncle Charlie has a new pony that you could ride.” Tommy said as he slowly stood up. He needed to get dressed and go and see Jonny Dogs.
Marta looked down at the little girl and put her arms around her. Annie looked up at her when she heard about the pony. She nodded. "Okay," she hummed. "Let's go then?" Marta asked the little girl. "I'll buy us something on the way," Marta smiled and then gently took Annie's hand. "I'll bring her in the evening. So, in a bit," with that, Marta and Annie left out the back door.
John looked utterly lost. He did fight with Arthur when he was younger and he used to sleep in the stables at Charlie's yard when he didn't want to come back home, but he never wanted to take a train to leave forever in hopes of getting a better family with better siblings.
‘Thank you.’ Tommy mouthed to Marta, giving her arm a soft touch before he went upstairs to get dressed properly. It was becoming increasingly more important to the family that they found John a wife, and he had just the idea.
John sighed and went to the kitchen. "Morning," he said to Polly and the boy. "Did you sleep well, Jack?"
Polly didn't even look up from the paper. "I don't know," she shrugged, "how long has it been? A day or two? Maybe some monster from the cut took her."
“But it sounds like Annie?” Jack said curiously and tried to peak through the door before his Dad suddenly appeared. “Yeah-yeah dad.” He said quickly, trying to peak around him to spot his sister before looking back at his Aunt Polly. “And there aren’t monsters in the cut Aunt Pol, just bodies.”
“Well, the bodies from the cut do usually look like monsters by the time they get fished out,” Polly shrugged and put her newspaper down. She then got up from the chair and went to look for the bread and something Jack could put on it.
”Don’t talk about dead bodies while he’s eating, Polly,” John hummed and then sat back in his chair. He thought for a bit and then sighed loudly. He pretended to be a little upset. “I am worried for Annie,” he said and looked at Jack. “Are you worried?”
“Yeah I saw one once.” Jack said innocently, things like that didn’t seem to bother him. “There were maggots on his face.” He stated, moving his fingers infront of his eyes like they were little worms before he looked over at his Dad. Jack then shrugged his shoulders. “She is abit of a cry baby Dad.”
“Why is she a cry baby, Jack?” John asked the little boy. “Do you think that she is a cry baby just because or because you’re sometimes mean to her?” He sat back on the chair. “And what will we do if she doesn’t come back?”
Polly turned her head to Jack when she heard the boy talk about dead bodies. She shook her head and placed bread and butter in front of the boy. “Would you like some jam?” She asked.
“But she’s nasty to me too sometimes and I don’t cry all the time.” Jack replied, kneeling onto one of the chairs as he waited for Polly to bring him his breakfast. “Thanks Aunt Pol.” He said when she placed the bread infront of him and he picked up a knife, struggling to put butter on. “She’s a cry baby cause she misses Mum.”
John put his head in his hands. He hummed and rubbed his face. “What does Annie do to you, hmm? How is she nasty?” John looked at his son and then took the knife from him to help him butter the bread. “I miss mum too,” he admitted.
“Sometimes she doesn’t let me play with her toys.” Jack then said with a shrug of his shoulders again and watched as his dad buttered his bread. “It’s mean not to share.” He then pointed out before a small frown seemed to appear on his face. Jack hadn’t been very old when his Mother had died, but he could still remember the way she would hold him and sing to him to calm him down. He missed it. “I miss her too.”
“Which of her toys do you want to play with? I can buy them for you as well. And did you try to ask her and maybe wait until she is done playing with them?” John was asking the right kinds of questions. Maybe he should’ve asked those questions before, but it was never too late, right? He then placed the buttered bread in front of the boy. “Eat.” He told the boy.
“I like the colouring pencils.” Jack said, quickly following his fathers instructions and eating the bread infront of him. He quickly decided it needed Jam though and he dunked his slice of bread straight into the jam jar.
“Alright,” John hummed. He did not care about the jam jar. Polly did, though. “Next time, use the knife to put the jam on the bread, Jack,” she told the boy and put a cup of tea in front of him.
”I’ll go buy more colouring pencils then,” John got up and put his hat on. He looked over at his son. “Would you be sad if Annie did not come back?”
“Eh?” Jack said, looking up at his Aunt with a rather confused expression after she told him off for dunking his bread in the jam. He didn’t really understand what the issue was a look a large bite of his bread before looking back at his dad once the tea had been placed infront of him. “I dunno?” He said, he didn’t really understand what he would feel. His relationship with all of his siblings was a little strange, none of them ever showed each other much care.
"You don't put bread in the jar. You scoop the jam from the jar and put it on the bread. Otherwise the whole thing will get moldy..." Polly tried to explain this household essential thing to little Jack.
"I mean. If uncle Arthur left and never returned? I'd be so sad. I don't even know what I would do." John nodded. "I'd probably just cry all the time. And you know that I don't cry much."
“But you can just scoop out the mould Aunt Pol?” Jack responded before taking another large bite of his bread. He was getting a little confused by his Dad’s way of reasoning with him. “But Dad, no one would cry if I wasn’t here? So why would I cry if Annie wasn’t here?”
"That's not how mold works Jack, once it's in bread or jam, it's everywhere in it," Polly nodded. "At least that's what they said in the paper once."
"You think I wouldn't cry if you weren't here?" John blinked his eyes and then crouched next to him. "I wouldn't know what to do with my life, love," John nodded. "And William would cry to... And what about Arthur? Who would keep him in shape when boxing?" John said. "Everyone would cry if anyone from our family disappeared."
Jack looked down at his Dad as he crouched down next to him, it wasn’t often they had time together just to two of them. It felt abit strange. He shrugged his shoulders and wiped some jam from his lips with the back of his hand. “Ok Dad.” He said eventually, though he still wasn’t 100% sure he believed it.
"Good, good," John got up and then patted Jack's shoulder. "I'll be right back with the pencils," John said and then walked out the door.
Jack gave his dad a small wave before leaning forward and taking a sip of his cup of tea, carefully holding the cup in both hands whilst his eyes peered over the China at his Aunt. “Like maggots?” He asked curiously.
"Like maggots," Polly nodded and drank her tea too. "Very similar, but you don't see small bits of mold like you would maggots. They don't leave holes. Your eye just can't see them," Polly sighed.
Jack made a rather curious sound. Mold and maggots was an interesting lunchtime topic of conversation. Once he’d finished his bread he jumped down from the table. “I’m gonna go play now Aunt Pol.” He stated, and like that he was gone.
Polly wanted to tell Jack that he should wash his mouth and hands because they were all jam. But that didn't happen. The Shelby boys were just so quick.
Meanwhile, Marta spent the rest of the day with Annie at the stables. They helped to brush the horses while Curly and Charlie cleaned the stables and Marta made sure nothing happened to Annie while she rode the pony.
A little while later Tommy returned to the house after a rather successful meeting with the Lee’s. Everything was in place for the morning and with any luck come tomorrow afternoon most of the problems for John would be fixed. He just couldn’t know what was going to happen. When he entered the kitchen he paused for a moment, watching Polly as she tidied up from lunch. Things hadn’t been left well last night and he was curious as to wether she was still annoyed with him. “How’d you do Pol?” He asked as he poured them each a whiskey.
Polly turned around when she heard Tommy. At least the house seemed slightly calmer now. She looked at him. "You slept well today, huh?" She asked and smirked. She was washing the plates. "And Marta slept well too," Polly quipped.
Tommy pushed a glass of whisky towards Polly and sunk down into a chair, he was feeling a little more fresh in the head than he had done when he woke up. It was amazing what a good nights sleep could do. “I did.” Tommy responded simply. “And I don’t speak for Marta.” He then added and took a sip of whisky before drinking some of his whiskey.
"I saw it," Polly said. "I wanted to go grab the laundry from your room but I was surprised to see that you were still fast asleep." She shrugged and then sat down across from him. "Any news?"
“Pol how many times. Please don’t come in my room if the fucking doors shut.” Tommy said with a rub of his nose. “Well come tomorrow afternoon John will have himself a nice wife to help look after the children… but you can’t let anything slip. He cannot know until tomorrow.”
"Well, I am sorry!" Polly said and shook her head. "I wanted to be nice. It was not like I heard anything from the room. If I did I would not go in. But... It was quiet." Polly drank the whisky and then her eyes widened. "Really?" She asked. "Who's the wife?"
Tommy tried to force the vision of his Aunt seeing both himself and Marta lying naked together fast asleep. “Just knock. Please.” He stated before bracing himself for a rather intense reaction. “Esme Lee.” He then said calmly before taking another sip of whiskey.
"I don't know the girl," Polly said. "But she is a Lee! Do you think it's a good idea? And the Lee's agreed?" Polly wanted to know everything now! She was curious. "And if there's a wedding I should go... I need to fix my hair."
“We were at war with the Lee’s because I needed us to be Polly.” Tommy stated. He’d had this all planned out for months, it was all part of his plan for Kimber. “The only way John will walk into a Lee Camp is if he thinks we are there for a fight… we wouldn’t be there for a fight if you were there Pol, so the men will go in the vans. I’ll get someone to drive you and the children.”
“John's wedding, I can’t believe it. I know it is the second one, but it's a happy occasion." Polly nodded. She never said no to a good party.
“I’m sure there will be a big party afterwards.” Tommy said with a small nod of his head. He just prayed John would not make too much of a scene when the penny dropped.
"Well, then I have to go fix my hair!" Polly smiled. "Good. I am looking forward to that. I hope the kids like her and it will all calm down now," Polly nodded.
Annie soon ran in the door and straight into the kitchen. "The pony is so nice!" She nodded. "And Marta let me ride her horse too!" The girl was practically bouncing in her spot.
Tommy smiled to himself and shook his head as Polly rushed to make sure she was ready for the party. No one else would get warning, he couldn’t risk John finding out about his plan. When the door opened a little while later Tommy had just started a new glass of whisky. “You had a good day with Aunty Marta then eh?” He said to the little girl, using the phrase before really registering what he had said and he sat up a little straighter in his chair.
Annie nodded her head eagerly. “Yes! It was a good day with Aunty Marta and the horses. I hope I can go ride the horses more often with aunt Marta. Her horse was so big and scary. But I managed,” Annie nodded and put her chin up. She was proud of herself.
Marta came in too. “Hello,” she smiled at Polly. “We’re back. The pony looks nice.”
“Aaah, auntie Marta,” Polly smirked, suddenly appeared with her freshly brushed hair. She would put rollers in it later to try and refresh her curls. “Would you girls like me to make more tea?”
“Yeah,” Annie said. “But… is Jack here?” She asked.
Fuck. Tommy thought to himself. These kids didn’t miss anything, but he couldn’t help but smile as he looked up at Marta a slowly took hold of her hand. Squeezing it gently in his. “I’m sure Marta would like that.” He commented, and shook his head to himself as Polly arrived. Tommy glanced around, you often heard Jack before you saw him, so he mustn’t have been too close by.
“I would like some tea as well,” Marta nodded and then looked down at Tommy and squeezed his hand back. “She was brave. And Midwinter was really gentle with her. He was probably glad to be carrying someone lighter than I am.”
Annie got up and then opened the backdoor to the outside alley. “Jack?” She called out. “Heeey, Jack!” She called out some more. She then closed the door and went to wait and see if he’d appear.
Tommy lifted Marta’s hand to his lips and kissed her skin. He was glad she had been able to help, she was fairly good at this ‘family’ business. “And you’re not heavy.” He corrected her quickly.
Jack had been outside in the alley when he heard his name being yelled and he quickly followed the noise and rushed into his Aunt Pol’s house still grasping the stick he had been playing with, and still shoeless. Infact his feet were so dirty they looked like he was wearing black shoes.
“How do you know?” Marta asked Tommy and then her mind took her to their previous activities. “Yeah. You know,” Marta hummed and patted Tommy’s back gently. She then looked at Jack who came in, looking like he just came back from the field. “This is going to be interesting,” Marta leaned down and whispered in Tommy’s ear.
Annie gulped and looked at her brother. She stood tall in front of him. “Hello, Jack,” she told him. “I don’t like it when you keep poking and punching me in the arm,” she nodded. “I am sorry that I threw that bowl of porridge at you. I won’t do it again. I went to ride horses with auntie Marta today. I would be happy if you joined us sometimes.”
Tommy couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle as Marta realised what he had meant by his words. There was a certain lightheartedness that she bought to his life, and he didn’t hate it. He was certain he could feel Polly’s approving eye burning into the back of his head. Then little Jack came rushing into the kitchen and he was a little confused by Marta’s comment until he saw little Annie take centre stage.
Jack was a little confused like his Uncle Tom and raised an eyebrow as he swung his stick at his side. It seemed to take him a while to digest what she was saying before he finally spoke. “Well-well I don’t like it when you won’t share your pencils with me… but the horses sound fun.”
Annie was watching her brother Jack, just as she had watched Marta’s horse at uncle Charlie’s yard an hour ago. She took a small step back when Jack swung the stick. She listened to Jack and nodded. “I just don’t like that you leave them dull or broken sometimes. But it’s okay. We will probably have to take turns riding the pony too,” Annie smiled a little bit and then looked over her shoulder to see Marta’s reaction.
Marta was watching the exchange too and when she saw Annie looking at her, she just winked at the young girl.
Annie looked back at Jack and outstretched her hand towards him. “Let’s share then?” She asked him.
Even Polly was confused. She was ready to take the stick away from Jack, or at least comment on the state of his feet. But she was absolutely shocked. It did not happen to her very often.
“I don’t break them on purpose.” Jack said with a shrug of his shoulders. “You’re just more gentle than me.” He then added. Jack was certainly a typical ‘Jack the lad’ and was rather overzealous with everything. When his sister outstretched her hand Jack looked at it for a minute before finally dropping his stick. He spat in to the palm of his hand, in his eyes it wasn’t a proper handshake if there wasn’t spit. “Let’s share.” He then said, shaking his sisters hand firmly.
Tommy like his Aunt was dumbfounded and simply sipped his whisky as he watched the interaction before pulling Marta silently closer and whispering into her ear. “How did you?”
Marta smirked and moved closer to Tommy. “I’ll tell you if you let me put the paste on you,” she whispered back with a chuckle.
“And you are stronger than me,” Annie shrugged. “It would just be better if you sharpened them afterwards.” Now that they were not just shouting at each other and pushing one another around, they could talk about things. Annie sighed a little when she saw that Jack spat on his hand. But it wasn’t a proper handshake without spit, so she spat in her hand too and shook his brother’s hand too.
“Jack, honey, not to butt in, but you should take a bath,” Polly nodded and smiled at the two children.
“But-but.” Jack started, he usually spoke to quickly that he tripped over his words and once they’d shaken hands he wiped the spit off on his shorts. “If we ride ponies with Marta, then-then you can come boxing with me and uncle Arthur and you will be strong too.” He said before his Aunt Polly chimed in and he quickly darted out of her reach. “I don’t need a bath.” He said quickly.
“I suppose I will have to live without knowing.” Tommy said, smiling to her before he sank his whiskey and stood up. “Let’s go to the pub.” He said, knowing how much Jack hated a bath, this was their time to leave.
“I don’t like boxing. But I can be the referee?” Annie shrugged and smiled at her brother. She then looked at aunt Polly. “I will have to take a bath too,” she said and then looked at Jack. “And I don’t really want to either, but I think that aunt Polly would be happier if she didn’t have to change the sheets tomorrow.”
Jack contemplated his sister's proposal for a moment, he supposed that would work out fine and shrugged his shoulders. “Okay… but I’m still not having a bath.” He then said with a mischievous smile, giving his Aunt Pol a glance. “Unless we can have sponge cake after?”
“I can work out a sponge cake. You really do need to take that bath. Look at your legs, I can’t even see them against the floor. They are all black,” Polly smiled and then caressed Jack’s hair. “You need to look good for tomorrow,” Polly said, “because tomorrow is a new day.” She smiled and kissed the boy’s hair too.
Jack looked down at his legs and let out a small giggle as Polly stroked his head. “They are a bit black.” He finally agreed. “Bath and then sponge cake.” Jack then said with a nod of his head before he grabbed Annie’s hand a little more gently than usual. “C’mon.” He said, whisking his sister upstairs to the tub.
Chapter 19: Flying Pigs & Wrestlers
Chapter Text
As Marta and Tommy walked side by side towards the pub she rolled her eyes. “You are sometimes more difficult than the kids, do you know that?” She said and playfully punched Tommy in the arm.
“That is a bag of lies.” Tommy stated as they proceeded down watery lane and he lit himself a cigarette before taking her hand. “And it’s not nice to hit men when they are not permitted to hit you back.” He pointed out.
Marta sighed and looked at the man as she held his hand. “Well, I am sorry, Mr Shelby. I won’t hit you again,” she spoke in a higher pitched voice as if she was impersonating the women on the streets who moved their children away when Tommy was walking by. “And I did not tell you that you can’t hit me. I’ve taken a few slaps before. You would not be the first one and probably not the last one to do it.”
Tommy shook his head at Marta’s attempt at an impression. “Very funny.” He said, though the smile quickly faded from his face as she spoke about being hit. “I would never strike you, and if any man ever touches you again they will leave this Earth with a bullet lodged between their eyes… in fact they wouldn’t have any eyes after I was done with them.”
Marta looked at Tommy and nodded. “I didn’t think you would,” she hummed and put her hand around Tommy’s waist to be closer to him. “I let Annie ride Midwinter,” Marta said. “And before she even sat on the horse, she had to stay on the ground and make Midwinter come to her. I told her that with horses, as well as some people, you just have to tell them what you want. With horses, you just have to feel and not pretend, with people, well, you usually have to tell them. And then you need to make the first move. And if you do everything right then they will come around…” Marta shrugged.
“Hmm.” Tommy said, letting the angry thought slip away once Marta wrapped her arm around him, and in turn he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and planted a kiss on her head. “Now are you talking about me or a horse?” He then asked, he was learning more about Marta everyday. But he was still always surprised by her poems and analogies.
“Now I am talking about how I made Annie tell Jack exactly how she felt,” Marta looked up at Tommy and then looked back at the street. “And without putting the paste on you…” she sighed. “Look at me, I can’t even keep my leverage,” Marta shook her head. “Sounds like my criminal days might be over after all, now I will be a horse riding instructor for children.” Marta bit her lip. “Do you like children?”
“I see.” Tommy replied with a slight nod of his head, keeping his arm wrapped around her as they walked and he occasionally smoked his cigarette. She made him laugh, and that was special, not many people made him laugh. After letting out a chuckle he kissed her head again. “I don’t mind children.” He responded, deciding it was best to remain neutral. Did he wake up every day of his life wishing there was a child clambering over him, most certainly not. But he would be lying if he didn’t sometimes think about a little mini Tommy running around. Perhaps he’d just always thought he would never find someone to have children with.
“You don’t mind children,” Marta replied and shook her head. “What is that supposed to mean?” It was more of a rhetorical question. “Do you want to have children?” She asked him. This was not rhetorical. She did not really know about where she stood on this topic. She did not really think about whether she would have someone to have children with, she mostly thought about how she would bring them up and that she would want them to have a more stable life than she had.
“I just…” Tommy couldn’t really think of the words and flicked his finished cigarette into the street as they walked. This certainly felt like the longest walk to The Garrison he’d ever experienced. “I suppose I never thought I would meet someone where that would ever become a question.” He answered honestly. “Would I be mad if that woman I lay with last night told me she was one day pregnant… No, no I don’t think I would be.”
Marta had no idea that Tommy would be so honest about it. She expected something along like this: “Maybe one day, yeah.” Or: “Never at all.” Or: “Maybe with the right person when the time was right.” She did not know how to process that Tommy said that he most likely wouldn’t be mad if SHE was pregnant one day. But she also felt that it would be good to say something. “Oh. Okay.” That was all she could muster at the moment.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed, his mind now instantly telling him that he’d been a fool to be so honest. They finally reached the pub and he took his arm from her shoulder to pull open the door. “I was talking about the woman I fucked down by the canal by the way.” He stated, his face remarkably straight before he gave her a small wink and walked up to the bar.
He would not be mad. Marta thought that it was good. She just didn’t feel like elaborating on the topic. She got an answer to her question. She found out more than she bargained for, but that was alright. She whipped her head around to look at Tommy as her jaw dropped. When she saw him wink, a fucking boulder fell off her chest. Marta shook her head. “She’s a lucky lady then,” Marta chuckled and then went to say hi to Harry. She walked behind the bar and asked him whether he needed any help.
“A very lucky lady.” Tommy spoke, that cheeky smile etched on his face as he watched her whisk away behind the bar to lend Harry a hand. Then his attention was stolen by his brothers. “There you are you rascal.” Tommy stated, rubbing the top of Finn's head. “I’ve a job for you.” He said, leaning down and whispering into Finn’s ear.
“Yeah I got it Tommy.” Finn said, giving Marta a quick wave before he went running off out of the pub with a very important job.
“Boys.” Tommy then said, leaning against the bar where his brothers were both sitting drinking.
Marta shook her hand and then went to help Harry. She was supposed to bring more booze from the back as the whole lot of Birmingham men got paid that day. Maybe this was the day someone else would fall in love with the lingonberry schnapps. One could never know! On her way to the back she waved back at Finn. She probably had to remind him of her plan to teach him how to read.
"Tommeh!" Arthur smiled and looked at his brother. "You were sleeping so long, we thought you'd run off somewhere!"
“I decided to take the morning off.” Tommy responded, giving his elder brother a shove with his elbow. “And you two managed to survive the day without me, someone said they’d seen a flying pig outside The Garrison.” He said, signaling to Harry for a glass of whisky. He didn’t realise how much he needed a break after the recent business and dramas, and tomorrow would be a good day. It would be a day for family and celebrations.
"A flying pig?" Arthur asked his brother and then moved his glass towards Harry. He did want some more whisky too. Harry was in a good mood, so he poured all three present brothers a whisky. "There you go boys," Harry said and then looked at Marta, who was now bringing more of the booze. She immediately started pouring some for the waiting patrons.
“A flying pig brother… pigs were flying.” Tommy said, thinking perhaps Arthur may have already had one too many whiskeys to comprehend his sarcasm. Tommy picked up his glass, lifting it to the air slightly. “To family.” He toasted.
"To family!" Arthur shouted and then drank the glass of whisky like if the whiskey was water! Wooo! "Listen, listen," John said. "Brother and brother..." John nodded. "Jack wanted me to buy them more colouring pencils, because Anna doesn't share them with him. I didn't know which pencils they liked so..." John cleared his throat and then pulled out a stack of various packages containing various types of colouring pencils. Some even were from Italy or something. "Do you think they will be able to choose from this?"
Tommy too gulped back his whisky in the same fashion as Arthur, though with less enthusiasm and returned his glass to the bar, expecting them to be refilled. When John placed the stack of packages on the bar Tommy raised an eyebrow. “I think so, JohnBoy.” He then stated, feeling rather sorry for his brother's desperate attempt to help his children. “Though Marta the peacekeeper already seems to have a handle on the situation.
"Did she kill the kids?" Arthur asked. "From what I saw, it was the only way one could make them stop fighting," he nodded and then looked at the colouring pencils. He shook his head. "Colouring pencils." He hummed.
Harry poured more whisky for the men. And then stepped aside so that Marta could come pour beer. Marta was not listening. She had a lot on her mind. She poured a beer. She put some money in the till and pulled out change to give back to the man.
John furrowed his brows, when he heard Arthur. He then looked at Tommy. "What do you mean Tom?"
“No, she didn’t kill the kids, Arthur.” Tommy said, swatting his brother around the ear before taking a drink of his whisky. “Something about the horse coming to her…” Tommy understood this didn’t make much sense, he still didn’t really understand how she’d done it. “All I know is they shook hands and agreed to share.”
John blinked his eyes. "I don't want to go outside," John shook his head. "There will be a whole lot of pigs flying," John said and then looked at Marta. "Marta! Come have a drink!" He called out to her.
Marta looked up from the beer. "Just a second," she nodded and then brought a beer over to a table. Bernie, the old man, was sitting there. "There you go, Bernie. Dark mild, like always," she smiled at him and then squeezed past the patrons to the bar. "What's the occasion?" Marta asked and then looked at very drunk Arthur who was rubbing his head.
“It certainly has been a day for flying pigs.” Tommy stated, sipping his whisky and lighting a cigarette. He needed to tell Arthur about the plan, but he couldn’t have John hearing news of it. He’d have to wait until John had gone. As Marta came over Tommy gave her a small smile. “John kept the stationary shop in business for another year.” He joked, though he’d probably spent enough money for that to be the case.
"Well," Marta said. "I see that," she smiled as she saw all the colouring pencils. She put her arm around Tommy's waist and kept herself close to him for a bit.
John let Harry pour them some more whisky and then handed Tommy, Arthur and Marta a glass. "This is a thank you for whatever you did with my kids."
Tommy felt warm when Marta put her arm around him and he rubbed her shoulder whilst smoking his cigarette which he then stubbed out in the ashtray before picking up his whisky. “To gypsy witchcraft.” Tommy joked, giving Marta a smile.
Marta picked up the whisky even though it was probably never going to be her drink. She raised the glass when Tommy and Arthur did. "To gipsy witchcraaaft!" Arthur shouted and then gulped down the whiskey.
Marta shook her head. It didn't seem like witchcraft to her. But she didn't complain. She took a small sip from her whisky. Yeah. It tastes the same as always, just like petrol.
Tommy patted Arthur’s shoulder after they had drank to his toast. “Why don’t you take those pencils home JohnBoy?” He suggested. “We should all get a good night's rest, tomorrow is a big day. You’ll need your strength.”
"I am strong!" Arthur said and looked at Marta. "I am strong, Marta, right?" He asked and then smiled at the woman drunkenly. He hoped that Marta would say yes and praise him for his strength. He would lap up all the praise.
John sighed and then nodded. He put all the coluring pencils back into his pocket. "You are probably right. I left at around noon, so it's high time I returned," John patted Marta´s shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Thanks again, I’ll go," he nodded and then went home to his kids.
"Good night, John," Marta said. She then turned to Arthur. "Well, of course you are strong Arthur. You carried all the money at the races, right?"
“Goodnight JohnBoy.” Tommy hummed as his brother left and watched to make sure he was out the door before looking back at the others. “But I am stronger.” He then stated, giving his brother another playful shove of his shoulder. “Tomorrow is a big day Arthur. I found John a wife.” He then announced. “So put on your best suit in the morning, gather all the boys at Charley’s yard. Bring some weapons, I need John to think we are going for a fight.”
"Do you want to fight to decide who's stronger?" Arthur asked and stood tall next to Tommy. When he heard that John had a pending wife. He smiled. "Good!" He patted Tommy's shoulder. "I am not going to say anything other than we're going for a fight then!" Arthur smiled again. "Harry, another drink!" He hollered.
"Not for me," Marta said and showed the men her half full glass of whisky. "Still getting through mine," she shrugged.
“I don’t need to fight you, I know who is stronger.” Tommy said, he knew Arthur likely wouldn’t let this one go, but he did enjoy the sibling banter. Tommy drained the remainder of his whisky and placed his glass next to Arthur’s for a refill before looking across to Marta. “I asked Finn to speak to Ada. If you want to come tomorrow you can meet the ladies at the house, they’ll be leaving a little after us… so you agree the kids should come?”
"You are scared of getting bested by your older brother Tommy. Come on. Let's walk out of the pub. Marta can be the judge of who is stronger," Arthur gently nudged Tommy´s arm with a smirk.
Marta looked at Tommy and smiled. She nodded. "Okay," she licked her lips. "I will come," she bit her lips and then thought about the kids. She tilted her head to the side and then shrugged. "Maybe they could come to the ceremony? Perhaps the nanny could come too and then take them home? I think that the party will hardly be a place for Finn, let alone William..."
Tommy felt like he couldn’t turn down the challenge, their fights were more like wrestling matches but he was still confident that he would beat his brother. “I will leave the details in your capable hands.” He said with a smile and patted her shoulder before he removed his cap and his jacket, placing them on the stool.
Marta furrowed her brows when she saw Tommy, and then also Arthur removing their caps and jackets. "Is this really necessary you guys?" She asked them and shook her head.
"Don´t worry, Marta. Tommy will come back to you in one piece," Arthur nodded and rolled up his sleeves. "And if not..." Arthur shrugged. "I'll deal with that too."
“I can’t have him thinking he is stronger, there would be a mutiny.” Tommy stated. “But we do need a referee, ain’t that right Arthur?” He said whilst also rolling up his sleeves.
"Mutiny," Marta repeated and shook her head. She took a sip of her whiskey. She had no idea, but it seemed like it would be a long night with these two. "Yes, Tom. We need a ref because you tend to cheat," Arthur nodded and then looked over at Marta.
"Okay, alright. I´ll be your referee," Marta licked her lips and then watched as both men got ready to fight. "Normally John would be the referee, or all three of you would fight?" Marta asked. "And don't forget there's a wedding tomorrow. You both need to look good."
“I do not cheat.” Tommy responded simply before he finished off his remaining whiskey. “And we are civilised men.” He added quickly, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before he started heading outside. “The referee doesn’t join in.”
Marta took a deep breath and walked out of the pub with the two brothers she leaned on the wall there and sipped on her whisky some more.
"So, you think you are a good sport, Tommy, huh?" Arthur asked. He looked as if he had coils instead of his feet as he bounced up and down in his spot. It looked so effortless, the man spent a lot of time at the gym using the jumping rope to get his stamina to a good level. "Come on, Tommy. You don't want to embarrass yourself in front of Marta." Arthur taunted Tommy.
Tommy didn’t spend much time fighting in the gym, but he was like a little terrier when it came to the way he fought. He was shorter than Arthur and had less of a reach, but he was strong as hell. There was none of the flash jumping to get himself going, in fact he stood on the street looking rather uninterested and ran a hand through his hair to keep it from his eyes. “Ready when you are brother.”
Arthur jumped a little bit more to pump himself up. He then quickly advanced towards Tommy, trying to get him into a headlock as fast as possible. If he used enough of the element of surprise, he was sure he´d be able to take Tommy down. He did not want to hurt his brother of course. This was just play fighting .
As Arthur advanced Tommy didn’t move until the last moment and ducked quickly under his brother's arm, his hands grabbing round his waist as his leg tried to hook around his brothers in an attempt to trip him over.
Arthur growled in surprise. He then tried to reach behind himself to somehow get Tommy off. He tried to pull Tommy´s body forward to get him in that headlock nonetheless. Maybe that would even make Tommy withdraw the leg.
Meanwhile, Marta just watched. She was smiling a little. Deep down, the three Shelby brothers who were in war, were still boys despite the horrors they had witnessed.
Tommy kept his feet firmly planted, his smaller height made him rather steady when it came to keeping his balance as they wrestled in the street. He finally got his leg wrapped behind Arthur’s and forced his weight forward to try and knock him down.
"Ahh!" Arthur let out a yelp as he felt himself lose his footing. There was only one thing left to do. He tried to hold onto Tommy to hopefully pull him down with him so that they could continue fighting on the ground. Maybe that was the place where he would be victorious.
Tommy couldn’t get himself out of Arthur’s grip and he tumbled to the ground with his brother. Though he didn’t seem to stop his scrambling and quickly wrapped his legs around his brother's waist and his elbow around his neck. “Give up.” He said a little breathlessly.
"Ne-never," Arthur croaked out and wiggled around to get out of Tommy´s hold. He could do this. He believed that he could get out of this situation even though his air was slowly but surely running out.
Marta came over to the men on the ground and said. "Are you done?" She blinked her eyes. She saw that Arthur was becoming redder and redder by the second.
Tommy let out a grunt as he tightened his hold to try and counter Arthur’s wiggling. They were both as stubborn as each other and he knew Arthur would rather pass out than admit defeat. For a small moment he tightened the hold on his neck before finally letting go and patting his brother's shoulder. “You’ll have me next time.” He said before he got to his feet and brushed himself off.
Arthur began coughing when Tommy finally let go. He knelt on the ground and coughed a bit. Marta was slightly worried. "Are you alright?" She asked Arthur after she had seen Tommy get up just fine. She offered Arthur her hand. The tall man accepted it and got up. "I think that it was a draw," Arthur said, "what about you, ref?" He asked Marta.
Marta was too stunned to speak.
Tommy went about tucking his shirt back in and unrolling his sleeves as he watched Marta help Arthur to his feet. “Not a chance.” He spoke as he finished straightening himself out.
"Alright. Alright. The referee went to help the winner, right Marta?" Arthur smirked and looked down at the shorter woman. Marta shook her head. "Tommy is the winner, but... is this really how you guys have fun?" Marta asked them and watched them both fix their clothing. "Aah! The referee was impartial! This is not fair," Arthur said.
"It's not true," Marta shook her head and walked over to the door to the pub. "I love all my Shelby equally," she said and then disappeared inside.
“Tommy is the winner.” Tommy spoke in third person as he extended his arms to show himself off as the rightful champion. He could understand that was probably a rather bizarre interaction for her to witness, but the Shelby’s weren’t a normal family. Their idea of fun was a little different. When she made her comment about loving them all equally though he raised an eyebrow and glanced at his brother. “Well that can’t be true.” He stated, not quite understanding her deliberate use of the singular phrase, Shelby. “Now come buy your champion a drink.” Tommy then said, giving Arthur a firm pat on the back. “I’ll allow Harry to take your money for a change.”
"Well," Arthur huffed and dusted himself off. "Let's go back inside then, the ref will pour us something good," he smirked and then put his long arm around Tommy. "Don't be jealous, all of us Shelby’s are pretty hard to resist." Arthur led Tommy into the pub and then called on Marta to pour them drinks.
Marta had already refilled her drink. Well, she swapped her whiskey for lingonberry schnapps.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed before following his brother inside. Once back at the bar he pulled his jacket back on and pulled his hat over his hair. “Two whisky’s please, referee, and make sure you make him pay.” He then said to Marta, tilting his head in Arthur’s direction.
Marta nodded and smiled at Tommy. She then poured two glasses of whisky. She looked at Arthur. “So? The money?” She asked him.
Arthur blinked his eyes. “You haven’t even given me the whisky?” He pointed out.
“Oh, I noticed. First the money, then the whisky,” Marta outstretched her hand towards Arthur with her palm up.
”Alright then,” Arthur dug his hands in his pockets and pulled out some change. “There you go,” he said as he handed the money to Marta.
“Well,” Marta counted the money in her palm and then pulled a penny out of the pile. “There you go. This is your change. Buy yourself something nice to wear.” She handed the men the whisky and went to put the money in the till.
Tommy lit a cigarette as the others squabbled. He’d found the whole evening rather entertaining. It was amazing the way a good night's sleep had seemed to lighten his mood He took his whisky from Marta, giving her a small smile. “Thank you barmaid.” He said before taking a swig.
“You’re welcome, gangster,” Marta looked at Tommy with a small smirk while she poured someone a pint of dark mild. People were slowly leaving the pub. It was calmer and calmer. Marta had time to lean back on the counter behind her and take a sip of her lingonberry drink. “Hmm,” she hummed contently.
Arthur seemed rather quiet after his defeat, and Tommy decided not to rub it in too much. He watched Marta as she worked and sipped on his whisky. When she leant back against the counter he spoke. “Long day eh?” He asked.
Marta looked at Tommy with a smile and walked closer to the bar. “It was not long, but someone had worn me out in the morning, and then I helped with horses at the stables… and taught Annie how to approach and ride a big scary horse.” Marta leant forward and spoke quietly. “I had to learn how to ride big and scary beasts too.”
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed as Marta spoke to him. “Someone eh? I’m sure I was asleep so it couldn’t have been me.” He stated, giving her a cheeky smile as she leant forward and spoke quietly to him. “I know Arthur can be quite scary, but he’s a teddy bear at heart.” He then joked, giving her a small wink.
“Asshole,” Marta chuckled at Tommy’s remark and shook her head. “Teddy bear you said?” She then asked. “Hmm. Thanks for the information.” Arthur leant forward too and asked: “Do you two need a room or something? The private room is empty, I think.”
Harry came over to say that the mood at the pub was dying quicker than a sick dog, so he told everyone they could order a last drink. Marta nodded to that. “Okay,” Marta smiled and then shook her head at Arthur’s comment.
Tommy couldn’t take his eyes off Marta and peered over his glass at her as he sipped his whisky before looking across at his brother. “Are you feeling a bit left out brother?” Tommy asked, patting a firm hand onto Arthur’s shoulder. “Perhaps we will find you a nice woman at the wedding.” He said.
“I almost thought you were inviting me into the private room, Tommy,” Arthur laughed and patted his brother’s back. “I mean. You are my brother. Sharing is important, but there are things siblings shouldn’t share.” Arthur shook his head. “No. Someone has to stay free to be able to work as a liaison with female businesswomen,” Arthur smirked and sipped his whiskey. “Luckily. I am the most handsome of the Shelby brothers. So.”
“You’d be so lucky.” Tommy said, quickly putting his brother into a playful headlock for a moment and giving him a thump on the chest. Life felt good, and Tommy felt light. Marta certainly had something to do with that. “I think we should let Marta have her say on who the most handsome Shelby is.”
"Hmmm," Marta looked at the two men. "Let me look at you both properly," she said and then looked from one man to another. She was keeping them waiting. She was building the mystery. She wanted them to feel the thrill of not knowing who she would announce as the most handsome Shelby. Marta narrowed her eyes a little and then nodded to herself. "I think I have made my decision," she nodded. "The most handsome Shelby is..." she prolonged the "is" for a bit. "William." She said finally.
Tommy, like his brother, had found himself etching towards the edge of his seat. The whisky perhaps had inflated his ego somewhat and he felt his stomach drop when she went to make her announcement before he let out a small laugh and slammed his glass onto the bar. “She doesn’t want to upset you Arthur.” Was his response. Of course she didn’t want to cause him any further embarrassment this evening.
Arthur huffed and looked at Tommy. "Or she wants to get paid at the end of the week," Arthur shook his head and then sighed. "But I must admit that little William is our pretty boy," the eldest Shelby finished his drink.
"Maybe if you two were little, I would choose differently," Marta nodded. She then laughed to herself. She imagined little Tommy and little Arthur in their little suits with their little caps with toy whisky bottles, guns and cigarettes. Marta then went clear some glasses from the tables and bring those to the bar.
“No, she definitely doesn’t want to upset you.” Tommy stated with a nod of his head before he looked across the bar at Marta and took her hand. “You would still choose me, right?” He asked with a cheeky smile on his lips.
Marta tilted her head to the side and smiled cheekily at Tommy. She stood on her tiptoes and leant over the bar. "Are you really jealous of little William?" She asked Tommy and put her hand on his cheek. "Like I said,' Marta said and kissed Tommy´s lips. "I love all my SHELBY equally," she winked at him.
“Yes.” Tommy replied with a simple nod of his head. “Yes I am.” He added. “And I will have to deal with him accordingly. When she spoke again another smile crossed his lips and he reached for her hand, holding it loosely in his.
"Oh, no," Marta tried to appear worried for the little boy. "What will you do? Take away his children's books?" She asked and held Tommy´s hand.
"Alright, we´re closing. Go home to your kids and wives, you can continue drinking later..." Harry shouted at the last few patrons who were brave enough to oppose their wives' wishes to return home early. He felt like going to sleep at a sensible hour that day. He needed to count the till and deal with the closing things.
“I’ll do far worse than that.” Tommy said, giving her hand a small squeeze as he heard Harry’s call for last orders. “As we don’t seem to have any kids or a wife, I suppose we will just have to stay, eh Arthur?” He spoke, lighting himself another cigarette.
"What will you do?" Marta asked and then looked over at Harry. Harry overheard Tommy's comment and just huffed. "I'll stay Harry. You can go now, if you want to. I'll wash the glass and all that. You don't have to worry..." Marta offered. She didn't feel tired at all.
Harry looked over at the two Shelby brothers. He wanted to know that it was okay to leave from those two as well.
“You go home to your wife Harry.” Tommy said as he held his empty glass of whisky out to Marta. “I’m sure this beautiful barmaid here can take good care of us.” He said, giving his woman a soft smile as he tilted his glass in her direction.
Harry just nodded and then took his apron off. He patted Marta's shoulder and said: "Good night." Marta just nodded and then took Tommy's glass from him. She took Arthur's as well, when he handed it to her. She poured the two men whisky and then said goodbye to some of the leaving patrons. It was time for her to clear more glass from the pub's tables.
“Thank you.” Tommy said as he took the fresh glass of whiskey and took a large sip. These were his favourite times in The Garrison, when it was quiet and they had the place to themselves.
"Marta." Marta turned around and smiled when she saw probably the eldest patron - Bernie. "What's the matter?" She asked him. "I am okay to walk home, but I think I need help to stand up. Once I am up I am like I was in my prime, but them knees bother me," the old man nodded. Marta nodded too and then gently held the man´s forearm as he stood up. "Thank you, barmaid," Bernie placed a coin into Marta´s hand and then began walking to the door. He really walked quite swiftly to be honest, at least swiftly for his age. "Good night, young gentlemen," the old man said and walked out the door. Mata looked at the coin and put it in her pocket.
Tommy sat conversing with his brother at the bar as the last stragglers left the pub. Though they were deep in conversation he still couldn’t stop himself stealing the occasional glance at Marta, and watched her as she helped the old man to his feet. When Bernie bid them Goodnight he tilted his cap. “Goodnight Mr Henry.” Tommy said before smiling at Marta. “I think you have an admirer.”
Marta picked up a few more pints and carried them behind the bar. "Oh, another admirer?" Marta shook her head as she washed the glass. "I must say that old Bernie might be my favourite from the bunch of admirers here in the pub. He told my stepfather to fuck off when he came here, he told me I look pretty in my green dress and he always respectfully asks whether it is okay for me to bring the beer to him. And he tips, though sometimes," Marta fished the coin from her pocket. "Sometimes it isn´t pounds," she showed the coin to the two brothers. It was a little dirty, but it was most likely gold.
Tommy listened closely as Marta spoke. “Hmm.” He hummed, squinting slightly as she held up the gold. “Am I gunna have to ask old Bernard Henry to drink somewhere else?” Tommy asked, his most joking… most likely.
A chuckle escaped Marta's lips. "You leave Bernie alone, alright?" She said, "He was a patron long before I was a barmaid. I am also sure that he comes here because it is closest to his home," she put the coin back in her pocket. "And he's even older than Arthur!" She added before she walked over to the till and began counting the coins.
“Alright, alright.” Tommy said, holding his hands up slightly to show he meant no harm. In Fact he liked how the men in the pub had accepted her as one of their own and as he returned his attention to his whisky and gave his brother a small nudge with his elbow.
Arthur was in a power-saving mode at that point. He was leaning on the bar with his eyes closed, slowly dozing off. When Tommy nudged him, however, he suddenly jumped. "Yes, Tommy? What's the matter?" He looked at his brother. He would be ready to go and burn a pub if need be.
Marta made quick work of counting the money. She put some money in the bags that were prepared under the bar for this very use and put some money there. She left some change in the till for the next day too.
“You should go to bed brother.” Tommy stated, rather amused by Arthurs sudden reaction to his nudge. “Tomorrow is a big day.” He said with a smile.
Arthur nodded. "I probably should go," he admitted. "But you two lovebirds should go to sleep too," Arthur chuckled and then got up from his barstool.
Having not woken up until lunchtime Tommy couldn’t help but feel he would struggle to drift off to sleep. Sleep was usually hard for him as it was. “Lovebirds eh?” Tommy said before he finished off his glass of whisky and lit a cigarette.
"Lovebirds," Arthur patted his brother's back and then limped out of the pub.
When the door closed Marta looked at Tommy and smiled. She poured herself a glass of her favourite drink and then walked from behind the bar. She placed her glass on the bar and leaned towards Tommy. "Hello, pretty boy, may I join you? You're sitting here, all alone..."
Tommy shook his head to himself as Arthur patted his back and stumbled from the pub. “Goodnight Arthur.” He called out to him once he had reached the door. His eyes then returned to Marta, simply watching her as she made herself a drink. He exhaled the smoke from his lungs slowly as she leant forwards. “Pretty boy?” He then spoke, letting out a soft chuckle before he held up his empty glass. “If you can get the pretty boy a drink I’m sure you can join me.”
"Alright," Marta reached for the bottle of whiskey and poured some for Tommy. She got seated on the barstool next to Tommy and looked at him. "So, how come a pretty boy like you is here all alone?" She asked Tommy and reached to comb her fingers through the short hair at the back of Tommy's head.
“Alright.” Tommy repeated her words with a small nod of his head, his eyes drawn to her as she poured him a drink and they never left her as she moved around the bar and came to sit beside him. His hand swirled the whiskey around his glass as she reached for his hair. “I overheard some old bloke saying there was a pretty barmaid here… but I can’t seem to find her.” He teased with his cheeky smile on his lips.
"Hmmm," Marta hummed and stopped playing with Tommy's hair. "A pretty barmaid you say... A pretty barmaid for a pretty boy. Let's see," she turned to look behind herself and then looked left to right. Then she shrugged. "Yeah. I am sorry. No pretty barmaid in sight," Marta sighed and shook her head. "What a pity. You are stuck with me," Marta clinked her glass against Tommy's and went to take a sip from her drink. Before she did that, she stopped herself and offered Tommy her glass. "Would you like to try this?"
“I suppose you will have to do.” Tommy said softly, reaching for a stray piece of her hair and tucking it behind her ear before he leant forwards and kissed her lips gently after she had cheersed his glass. He kept his lips close to hers and when she offered him a sip of her drink he slowly moved back, shaking his head and letting another small chuckle escape his lips. “No, no, not at all.”
"We have to make sacrifices," Marta wrinkled her nose. She tried to nuzzle Tommy's hand that was moving her hair out of her face. She hummed into the kiss and then tilted her head to the side. "Are you sure you don't want to try it? It is really good," she nodded and then just kept offering him her lingonberry schnapps. "I am sure the barmaid would tell you too."
“I’m certain I do not want to try it.” Tommy said, moving his face away from her glass. He was a creature of habit, and lingonberry schnapps was not a part of his habitual agenda. “I like whisky.” Tommy then stated, lifting his glass and taking a gulp. “I’m not sure if you’d noticed?”
"Men usually like whisky," Marta shrugged and played with her glass for a little bit. "What would I have to do for you to try the schnapps?" She asked him. "Or are you too scared of a lady drink?" She teased him and rubbed her leg against his.
Tommy watched her closely and when she rubbed her leg against his he slowly ran his hand up the inside of her thigh. “I’m very scared of the lady drink.” He responded. “But I have an idea that would make me less scared.” Tommy then added, kissing her softly before he gradually started to kiss her firmer, his grip on her thigh tightening slightly.
"An idea?" Marta hummed and then leaned forward to kiss Tommy back. "You don't have to be scared with me," Marta mumbled and let go of her glass. She put her hands on Tommy's cheeks. She kissed him back, letting one of her hands fall to his shoulder which she gripped tightly to keep Tommy close. She pulled away when she was out of breath. She rubbed her nose against Tommy’s. She thought for a second about what Campbell said. Tommy and her had met not so long ago, but how could she possibly keep herself away, when Tommy made her feel so good?
Tommy’s lips remained slightly parted when Marta pulled back slightly, though their faces remained close and with one hand still on her thigh his other reached for her cheek, stroking it with his thumb before he kissed her lips again, his lips then moving to her other cheek, then her neck as he kissed her skin.
Marta hummed and then leaned her head to the side when Tommy moved his lips to her neck. She moved her hand to Tommy’s hair and gently tugged at it. “Are you still scared?” She asked him with her voice all breathy. She was thinking that maybe they should have locked the pub. She had no idea who would dare come in, but… the Shelby family was everything but never predictable.
Tommy was fairly certain they would not be disturbed, it was late and he hardly paid the thought any attention. “Terrified.” He whispered against her skin. The mood had taken him rather quickly and he slowly got to his feet, his lips returning to hers. He wanted to bend her over the bar.
Marta slid off the barstool and put her arms around Tommy’s shoulders. “You are scared of a lady drink,” she said quietly. She ran her hands over Tommy’s chest and opened some of the buttons of his shirt. “But you’re not scared to make out with a random barmaid,” she told him. When she felt that he was gently guiding her to the bar, she didn’t protest.
“I am.” Tommy hummed against her lips, kissing her fiercely as she ran her hands over his chest. “Turn around barmaid.” He then spoke against her lips as his hands moved to unbutton his trousers.
“Please.” Marta added. She managed to open all the buttons of Tommy’s shirt. “Turn around, barmaid, please.” She offered Tommy the way he should ask her to do something. She gave him one more kiss before she turned around and leant on her elbows.
Tommy could feel his heart quickly forcing blood around his body, tingling with anticipation. His lips lingered against hers as she spoke to him. “Please.” He repeated softly before she finally turned around. With one hand he forced down his trousers and with the other placed his hand against her back.
Marta nodded to herself. To hear Tommy say please after hearing how he dealt with cops and other people was refreshing. It made Marta feel somewhat special. She arched her back slightly more when she felt Tommy’s hand there.
To get fuck bent over a bar was definitely a new thing for Marta. She didn’t know about Tommy, but she certainly enjoyed it.
Chapter 20: Threats & Rage
Chapter Text
After getting her breath in check, Marta managed to put her clothes back to their previous state. She reached for her drink and took a sip. “Do you do this often?” Marta asked.
Once they had both climaxed Tommy was feeling rather hot and bothered, and exceptionally grateful that Marta had unbuttoned his shirt before he had pulled up her skirt. He took a few deep breaths through his nose before finally moving and pulling up his trousers. “Every Thursday night.” Tommy then responded with a cheeky glint in his eye.
Marta shook her head at his reply and fixed her hair. "We should lock it up here and go home," Marta sighed softly and looked around the pub. It was clean, thank god. Marta walked up to Tommy and gently helped him button his shirt.
“Home eh?” Tommy replied as he looked down and watched as Marta buttoned up his shirt. He dreamed of a big house in the country, with maids like the posh people had, and his own stables and stable hands for his collection of horses. His dreams were far from his family home on watery lane. And he knew he would get there. But would Marta be a fixture in that home, he hoped so, with perhaps their own children. That part he could not control.
"Eh," Marta replied and made sure to button all of the buttons properly. "Hmm," she then hummed and ran her hands across Tommy's chest to smooth out the wrinkles of his shirt. Marta looked up at the man and tilted her head to the side. "You seem to be in a very very deep thought," Marta told him. "What are you thinking about?" She asked. "Not remembering the lady from the canal I hope."
As Marta smoothed out his shirt Tommy reached one of his hands up to hers, clasping her fingers between his. “I was just thinking of that barmaid.” He said softly, moving her hand to his lips and kissing it gently. “And what the future could hold.” He said, letting go of her hand and reaching around her for the remainder of her drink. Their bodies remained close as he raised the glass to his lips, knocking back the remainder of the schnapps. His face remained stoic and he slowly returned the glass to the bar. “Disgusting.” He then said with a small smile.
Marta was looking up at Tommy and she was listening. She smiled and shook her head a little. Was she dreaming? Was she still in the tent having wild and wonderful dreams about her boss who was her boss only because she tried to rob his fucking pub? Her eyes followed Tommy's hand. She waited for his verdict. His face gave nothing away. It was strange. Her face always contorted when she drank whisky. Marta rolled her eyes. "Oh shut it," she said. "You would not kiss me if it were that bad." She grabbed Tommy's hand and gently tugged at it. "Let's go. I need my beauty sleep."
Tommy chuckled before he picked up his own glass and finished off the rest of his whisky before he picked up his jacket, pulled it on and reached into his pocket. He removed two cigarettes. “One for me.” He said as he placed one between his teeth after running it across his lips a few times. “And one for you.” He then said as he passed her one. “And I think it’s time you had some of these.” Tommy then added after retrieving a set of keys for The Garrison from his pocket and holding them out for her.
"Aah, thank you," Marta said. "Light? I still don't know how to work yours," she put the cigarette in the corner of her mouth. It almost fell out of her mouth when Tommy presented her with the keys to the Garrison. She blinked her eyes as she pulled the cigarette out of her mouth. "Are you sure?" She asked him. "I tried to rob you about three weeks ago," Marta heard Campbell in her head saying that 3 weeks is too little for that kind of relationship. She licked her lips as she looked at the bunch of keys.
“Light.” Tommy repeated with a nod of his head and went to light her cigarette but stopped short when she pulled it out of her mouth. “I trust you.” He then stated, clicking the lighter again and deciding to light his own before going to light hers. “Are you saying I shouldn’t?” He then asked curiously.
Marta took a deep breath and then put the cigarette back in her mouth. She gently brought Tommy's hand with the lighter to her cigarette. "No, not at all," she took a long drag from her cigarette before blowing the smoke out. Finally, she took the keys from Tommy. "It's just new," she nodded. "I've never really had keys to anything," she shrugged. "A tent doesn't have keys..." she joked.
Tommy inhaled from his cigarette as he lit Marta’s, and once it was smoking he clicked off his lighter and pinched his cigarette between his fingers, pulling it away from his lips and exhaling slowly. “Good.” He then said with a nod. “New is good.” Tommy then said, slipping the lighter into his pocket before he walked to the door. “Now come and lock up the pub barmaid.” He said, looking back at her with his cheeky hint of a smile as he pulled open the door.
"New is good," Marta repeated to herself with a small smile. She smoked her cigarette and then turned to look at Tommy. She tilted her head to the side and chuckled. "Right. Move out of the way, second favourite patron," she said and wrinkled her nose. She walked out the door, let Tommy walk out too and then closed it. She picked out the right key, put in in the locked and locked up the pub. She checked whether it was truly locked before looking at Tommy. "How about that?"
Tommy quite liked the way she bossed him around, it was so often him that was giving the orders, to receive one was… well… different. “Yes ma’am.” He said, leaning against the wall as he watched her lock the doors. “Perfect.” He said, clapping his hands together before pushing himself away from the wall and smoking as he started to walk.
Marta looked at the door again and then turned around on her heel and began to walk with Tommy. "I slept in, but it was still an eventful day," Marta said and nodded to herself. "I really loved teaching Annie how to ride Midwinter." She thrust her hand in her pocket and took a puff from the cigarette. "All of you Shelbys have a great relationship with horses. I suppose Arthur too. If you don’t count Midwinter."
“Every day is eventful in Small Heath.” Tommy stated, glancing back at her and waiting for her to catch him before they walked together. “Tomorrow will be no different.” He said. It was to be an exciting day for John and his kids, despite the fact that he currently had no idea this time tomorrow he would be a married man. “Perhaps your future lies in teaching children how to ride.” He then suggested, it sounded like a fairly fun and legitimate way to make money.
Marta giggled at the thought of her teaching children to ride a horse. "Yeah, I mean. I like kids and I like horses," she nodded. "It would be fun to try it," she bit her lip. "Maybe even rich kids needs to learn how to ride their thirty ponies, eight fillies and three stallions..." she shrugged. She then nudged Tommy's arm with her elbow. "If you need to perfect your riding skills, first lesson's for free."
“I’m sure I could teach you a thing or two when it comes to…” But Tommys words were cut short when a car slowly approached them. It gave Tommy a bad feeling and he reached for Marta’s hand, stepping in front of her as the car came to a stop and a man emerged from the passenger seat smoking a familiar pipe. Tommy’s body language instantly changed, he went from relaxed to suddenly on guard as the engine of the car remained running. He couldn’t make out the driver. “Mr Churchill is growing impatient Mr Shelby.” Came the thick Belfast accent.
The barmaid was making up a contradiction, because she felt like she knew where the gravity of Tommy's offer was going. She looked over at the car before being covered by Tommy's body. She could see his whole disposition change and she carefully tried to step out from Tommy's shadow and maybe, just maybe to step in front of him. Marta blinked her eyes. The fucking copper, ruining a perfectly perfect day. "Good evening, inspector," she said. She didn't understand. Churchill being impatient? What?
Campbell smoked his pipe surely and Tommy’s grip on Marta’s hand seemed to tighten somewhat, despite his facial expression remaining rather straight and blank. He hid his anger well, but inside his body was burning at the mere sight of the man. Campbell looked the barmaid up and down, Shelby seemed rather protective of her that was for sure. “I’m beginning to fear that if you don’t give back those stolen weapons soon, I will be replaced.” Campbell stated.
“I don’t have your guns.” Tommy stated simply, but the inspector ignored his comment in the same way he had ignored Marta’s greeting.
“That would be the finish for me, that’s for sure. I just hope for your sake that your decision to return those guns comes before my dismissal.” The inspector continued, smoking on his pipe again and watching Tommy’s reaction closely.
"Is it the same guns you had asked me about when I was at the police station?" Marta asked Campell and made a few more steps to actually see the copper properly. "I had told you then that Mr Shelby had never talked about those. I mean. Maybe you are simply barking up the wrong tree," Marta's blissful lack of knowledge about the whereabouts of said weapons was in full swing. She wanted to call Campbell a lousy policeman, but that could be too much. She felt like Campbell was at a loss and he threw it on the working class people of a different culture.
Campbell’s eyes moved from Tommy to the woman for a moment. “You know so little of the man you allow to bend you over a bar.” The inspector responded dryly, taking a step closer to the pair as his eyes fixed back on Thomas. He then pointed a firm finger at Tommy. “If I were to be fired, and it were to be your fault… I would do things that would shame the devil.” He stated.
Tommy stayed miraculously still, despite the swirling rage inside him and tightening his grip a little more on Marta’s hands. Though he was certainly prepared to move for his gun at a moments notice.
The inspector then let out an evil sounding chuckle. “On my last day in power for example, I would see to it that you and your scum brothers had your heads caved in with shovels.” The inspector spoke, venom in his tone as he stepped closer to the pair. “And your barmaid, and your sister too. That baby inside of Ada Shelby would be of no consequence to me.” He spoke firmly. “The only one to be spared would be your little brother Finn. He would however be lifted as a juvenile and placed in that part of an adult prison where men have the most appetite for a boy like him.”
"I know enough," the barmaid said. Marta took a deep breath, when she heard that the man had seen them in the pub. Jealous. She thought to herself. Definitely jealous. "Did you follow us to the hay-," Marta wanted to retort when the inspector started going on and on about his plans for the Shelby family, if the guns didn't appear somewhere.
She kept calm... until that bastard mentioned Finn. "You spiteful, sadistic piece of crap..." Marta made an effort to step forward. She wanted to tear the man into pieces right then and there!
“Shut up.” The inspector demanded simply, holding a firm finger in her direction.
Tommy, much like Marta, wanted to rip the man limb from limb. As Marta went to step forward he tightened his grip on her hand.
The inspector stepped closer, as if he was challenging for a reaction. “That would be a dark day indeed Mr Shelby, if my dismissal came before YOUR decision to hand back the guns.” He stated, punctuation the word your with a finger pushed in to Tommys chest. “Know this…” He said as he took a few steps backwards. “The clock is ticking.” Campbell warned.
Had it not been for Tommy's hand that was holding her, Marta would have enough wrath in her to initiate, sustain and complete a strangulation. That man was evil. He was not a man. He was evil incarnate. "And they say Tommy is the devil," Marta said and spat on the ground when she saw that the inspector would be on his way to leave.
With Campbell's final comment Tommy’s restraint was exhausted and the moment the inspector had turned his back he tossed his cigarette to the ground and grabbed his gun from its holster, within the time it took to blink he had it aimed at the back of the man’s head, his finger resting dangerously on the trigger.
She also heard some rustling as Tommy pulled the gun out. "No," she whispered to Tommy and squeezed his hand. Campbell was a sick bastard, sure. But kick a cop and you have ten raiding your house. Kill one and.... ten will oversee your execution.
Tommy was starting to unravel as the inspector walked away, his eyes glazed over and his chest quickly rose and fall as he tried to keep enough control to stop himself from shooting the evil bastard in the back go the head. If it wasn’t for Marta he may have done just that. Once the man was safely inside the car Tommy finally lowered his pistol and he took a few more heavy breaths before returning his gun to the holster.
Marta gulped as the car rolled away. She was so glad that Tommy didn't shoot the man. She did not feel like seeing a splattered brain for the first time that day. She let out a heavy breath and then turned to look at Tommy. He seemed to be completely gone. His body was standing there, but she felt like his mind was on the moon. Marta stood on her tiptoes and hugged Tommy tightly.
Tommy didn’t take his eyes off the car until it had turned the corner and was out of sight. When Marta hugged him he didn’t seem to move for a long moment. His chest still moving rather rapidly before letting out a rather long breath from his nose. The rage inside him was intense, but he didn’t want to scare her. “Come on.” He said simply before he started to walk.
Marta's eyes followed Tommy's retreating form. It was like someone had replaced the playful young man for a cold blooded beast. She was momentarily stunned before she jogged to keep up with him. "Tommy, wait," she said and picked up the pace just a little bit more. Before she could reach him, she thought for a second. "Do you have them?" She asked in Romani. "Do you have the guns?" She repeated the question. Still in Romani, but this time more quietly.
“Not here.” Tommy stated plainly in English, he needed to get in the house and more importantly he needed a fucking whisky. He kept up his brisk pace and flung open the door to the Shelby house, walking straight to the cupboard and pouring himself a large glass of whisky that he emptied in a couple of gulps before refilling the glass with his shaky hand and taking another large gulp, though this time he left some of the amber liquid in the glass… at least for a moment. He lowered his head for a moment as he placed the glass down and gripped ahold of the kitchen counter, taking a deep breath to try and centre himself. That fucking bastard.
Marta tried very hard. But just as she couldn't keep up with her horse when he decided to take off, she couldn't keep up with Tommy. The door to the Shelbys house practically bounced against the wall and slammed shut in front of her. She took a deep breath and let out a deep sigh before opening the door. She was annoyed, just a little bit. But she didn't let it show and didn't slam the door on the way in. She closed it gently. Marta walked into the kitchen and waited. She didn't want it to be true. She didn't want the guns to be a Shelby business for the sake of the Shelby family. And there was one more purely selfish reason. She didn't want the guns to be a Shelby business, because that would mean that Tommy had lied to her and Campbell was right about her not knowing Tommy properly.
Tommy didn’t even hear the door close after Marta had entered the kitchen. There was an intense ringing in his ears. He was squeezing the counter so tightly his knuckles were white and he quickly moved a hand and finished the whisky in one swift gulp before he sent the glass flying across the room and smashing against the wall. Next came the heat, it seemed to rise up through him and the only way he could counter it was to quickly fumble to pull off his jacket which he also threw across the room into a heap. The little outburst seemed to release some of his anger, though he was still steadily simmering as the inspectors threats rang through his ears. Like Marta, it had been the mention of Finn that had pushed him over the edge.
Marta was at a loss. There was silence. There was nothing. It's funny how nothing can make you feel more than thousand words. It all depends on the context. And the context of this situation was most likely the worst thing that Marta had experienced. Still, she wanted to know. She took a deep breath. "Are-." She didn't manage to finish her question because a whisky glass went flying across the room, smashing into many tiny pieces of glass. Marta let out an audible gasp. She covered her mouth quickly after that. She was a bit shocked. Then the jacket flew. Though Marta wasn't afraid of Tommy, She was just surprised.
Tommy slowly started to regain his composure to some degree. This hadn’t been part of his plan. He reached his hand up to the back of his neck, holding it firmly for a moment before moving his hand to the bottle and leaning back against the counter. “I do have the guns.” He spoke in Romani before he took a swig of whisky straight from the bottle.
With one short exhale, Marta felt like all air got knocked out of her lungs. It was not from the lack of air, but she felt the very centre of her chest tighten, almost painfully. She took a deep breath and she had half a mind to speak, but nothing came out of her mouth. She didn't even know what she would say.
"Pour me some of that, will you?" Marta said and then went to sit down at the table. She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. She almost had it. She was almost something better than the silly, stupid gypsy girl. She must've looked so dumb in front of Campbell. And it hit her all at once. She squeezed her eyes shut for a bit. She didn't have time for crying just then. "What were you thinking?" She said quietly. She looked up at Tommy. "Do you at least have a plan?"
Tommy obliged to her request without speaking and retrieved two fresh glasses from the cupboard. He knew he would need to clear up the broken one before the kids came rushing in in the morning. But that could atleast wait. He poured two large glasses and slid one across the table to Marta, though he couldn’t bring himself to sit down just yet and paced across the kitchen for a few minutes. “Of course I have a plan.” He stated, running a hand through his hair whilst he held his glass of whisky in the other hand.
Though his plan seemed to be changing quickly. He’d first hoped to be able to sell the guns quickly, but Polly had warned him not to be greedy. “You’re not that naive Marta.” Tommy then spoke simply, leaning back against the counter and taking a gulp of whisky before he lit a cigarette. His hand was still shaking, though not as much as it had been when he had first entered the kitchen. “I’m the leader of The Peaky Blinders. We fight and smuggle, we rob and bribe. We cut out men’s eyes with razor blades and burn down pubs. We fix fucking races and throw bodies in the cut. And you are surprised that I stole some fucking guns?” He then stated. “When people say I am the devil they are not wrong.” He then added, exhaling smoke in to the kitchen. Was he foolish to believe he deserved anything better from his life, was he foolish to think he could spend his life with the perfect woman. Well he doubted very much that she would want that now.
Marta nodded and went to take a sip when Tommy said that he indeed had a plan. That was good. If he had a plan, there was a chance right? He had a plan with the races and it worked, despite all the pitfalls.
When Tommy tried to assume her level of naivity. She couldn't help but feel her chest and now even her stomach tightening. She put the glass down and nudged it away. Something in Tommy's voice felt so cold and even slightly patronising. How dare she trust him? How dare she believe that there could be something better for her? "Some guns," Marta repeated. Tommy made it sound like he nicked Moss’s old rusty gun from the trenches. "Only some guns even Churchill is interested in," she kept her voice low. She was on the edge, but she didn't want to shout. If Campbell was still lurking somewhere... "You guys stealing something doesn't really surprise me. It's just that you've left me in the dark. You let me fight for you when you know that what I am saying is utter nonsense. Maybe I am naive," Marta shrugged. She got up from the chair. "Maybe it's the thing I am made for. You can be glad that I-," Marta shook her head and sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow," Marta turned to leave.
For a man that was usually so careful with his words and so methodical in his planning Tommy felt a wave of guilt as he saw the disappointment appear on Marta’s face. “What was I supposed to do Marta?” Tommy asked, taking a step closer. “We were there to steal motorbikes for a buyer in Liverpool. But the men took the wrong crates and Christmas came fucking early.” He said, holding his arms out in defeat before swigging back his whiskey. “When I first met you I hadn’t even told Arthur and John, and now, well now perhaps I didn’t want to drag you in to all the mud.” He said, letting out a defeated sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. Always in the fucking mud, he was stupid to think he ever deserved to belong anywhere else.
Marta turned around. "You could've told me," Marta said. "You could've told me when I left the police station," she shrugged and shook her head a bit. "When you met me, you told me everything about how my trouble was your trouble and you needed to know why Blenkinsop was coming to The Garrison. Don't you think that the situation you are in now had become my trouble too when we... When we spend so much time together? I am grateful for everything you gave me, but I think you should try and trust me with everything, not only the keys to The Garrison." Marta sighed and then continued. "Not to mention, how it made me feel."
Finn had woken up rather suddenly. He was sure he’d heard something smash downstairs. It was likely Arthur coming home too drunk from the pub. That’s what he had convinced himself of until he tried to get back to sleep and was sure he could hear Tommy’s voice rising up the stairs, it sounded like he was upset… no angry. Then there was another voice, much softer than Tommy’s. He quietly got out of his bed and made his way down the stairs before he appeared in the kitchen door, almost standing on the broken glass. “Is… is everything ok?” He asked, sounding a little concerned as he tried to understand what was going on.
Tommy was still pinching his nose when he heard Finn’s voice and he pointed in his direction without even looking. “Just go back to bed Finn, everything’s fine.”
Marta's head snapped to the kitchen door. "Watch out for the glass, Finn," Marta told him. She looked at the boy properly. They had probably woken him up. "Tommy is right, Finn," Marta smiled at him. "It's really late. Whatever we are discussing can wait for tomorrow. We'll go to sleep soon, too," she nodded. Marta had a soft spot for Finn. He was the first Shelby she got to know better and they were quite the burglar duo. And Finn was also so young…
Finn came to a stop when Marta pointed out the broken glass to him, he’d nearly stood on it with his bare feet and took a few steps back to stay clear of it. He looked between the two of them. Marta looked upset, Tommy looked angry. Marta had helped Tommy smile again and he hoped Tommy hadn’t ruined things by upsetting her. “Ok.” Finn said quietly with a small nod of his head. “Good-goodnight.” He then spoke softly, giving Marta a small wave before heading slowly back through the living room. He couldn’t bring himself to head upstairs just yet though and sat down on the stairs to try and listen to what was being said in the kitchen.
Tommy kept a hold of the bridge of his nose, looking down at the floor as Marta ushered Finn off to bed and once he heard the boy leave he finally moved his hand away and looked across the room at her. “I should have told you.” He then agreed with a sigh, holding his hands out to his side for a moment. “I should have told you.” Tommy repeated and took a swig from the whiskey bottle before putting it back down on the table. “I care about you… in a way I haven’t cared about a person in a very long time.” He admitted, being honest with his feelings was rare for Tommy. “With Blenkinsop I wanted to protect you… and the guns, I suppose I was trying to keep you out of my trouble.”
"Good boy. Good night," Marta told Finn and waved at him with a smile until the boy was out of the kitchen. She let out a loud sigh and then looked at Tommy. She could not believe his words for a moment. He agreed? This was somehow a new thing for Marta too. A minute ago, Marta felt like rushing out the door of the Shelby's house and crying her eyes out. But when Tommy told her that he actually cared about her and he just didn't want to tell her because of that... well it was hard to be mad and upset after that.
Marta crossed the room, making sure not to step on the glass, and placed her hand on Tommy's shoulder. "There are things you can do and prevent and then some things you can't prevent. Everyone you care about is in the middle of your trouble. And you care about me, so..." she took a deep breath. "I would sometimes be happy to know which trouble I am in. Especially if it's something as dangerous as this."
Tommy let out a soft sigh as Marta walked closer to him and he closed his eyes for a moment as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He had been so angry and now that that anger had left him he just felt exhausted but he listened closely and slowly nodded his head. “Ok… ok.” He said simply, his crystal blue eyes had started to look a little more like his own, rather than the angry glazed over look he had previously worn. Tommy moved his head foreward slowly, resting his forehead against hers and closing his eyes for a moment as he let out another small sigh. “Ok.”
Marta watched the man as she gently rubbed his shoulder with her hand. He seemed to be more hunched over than before. It was probably all the adrenalin leaving him, letting his muscles relax. Marta closed her yes too as Tommy's forehead rested against hers. With her other hand, she grabbed Tommy's hand. "Okay," she repeated and stayed like this for quite a while. Then she gently rubbed her nose against Tommy's. "Like I told Finn, it's getting very late," she said quietly. "And tomorrow is a big day, so. We'll meet at the wedding?"
Tommy finally seemed to gain control of his breathing as they stood close to eachother in the kitchen and when she rubbed her nose against his he finally opened his eyes. He wanted her to stay with him, but perhaps she wanted some space after the evening's chaos. “We’ll meet at the wedding.” He then agreed with a small nod of his head before he squeezed her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing her skin softly.
Marta nodded her head and looked into Tommy's eyes. "Wear something nice," she told him. She hugged him shortly and then pulled away. "And good night," she said. "I'll tell the sun to move its fucking ass," she patted his arm, recalling the things he told her about the shovels and the sun.
The man rubbed his hand up and down Marta’s back gently when she hugged him. “Hmm.” Tommy hummed with a slight nod of his head at her statement about the sun. After he goods nights sleep through the previous darkness he doubted tonight would offer him the same relief. Especially after all the heightened emotions. “Goodnight Marta.” He then said as she left through the door.
Marta then nodded and made her way out of the kitchen of the Shelby's dwelling. She walked straight to the B & B, walking quickly as she was a bit worried that the old geezer might still be lurking in the shadows.
For a while Tommy just stood there watching after the door had closed behind her. This was a good thing, and he didn’t want it to become poisoned. There were a few swigs from his bottle of whisky before he carefully cleaned up the broken glass from the floor and retrieved his jacket. He dusted it off as he made his way upstairs. “I told you to go back to bed.” Tommy stated as he passed the youngest Shelby brother on the stairs, patting the boy's head as he passed him.
“I was just worried Tom… goodnight.” Finn then said, heading up to his Aunt’s room once Tommy’s door had closed. Occasionally the youngest Shelby brother would climb into her bed after a bad dream woke him in the night. This felt like a suitable time to seek comfort in his Aunt’s arms.
Chapter 21: Weddings & Cat Fights
Chapter Text
On this occasion the shovels beat the sun and Tommy was laying awake when sunrise came, watching the wall opposite his bed before it became light enough to get up. He washed and put on his best suit. There shouldn’t be a need for guns today, their quarrels with the Lee’s would soon be over when they became Kin. But you could never be too careful, especially with the fucking inspector lurking around. As he passed Arthur’s room he banged his fist on the door. “Arthur downstairs in 10.” He called to him before he went down to the kitchen.
Marta’s night was not the greatest either. When she came to the B and B, took off her clothes and fell into the bed, it took her a lot of time before she finally fell asleep. It took her hours to be honest. She hadn’t had this problem since she got her new home at the B & B, or occasionally in Tommy’s bed. When she finally fell asleep it was not as bad.
In the morning, Marta went through all her clothes and chose clothes that would be fit for the wedding. She didn’t have much clothes and she didn’t feel like wearing the posh dress she wore to the races. She picked a dark brown skirt, black shirt and she topped it off with some of her favourite scarves. She was looking forward to meeting with Ada, Polly and the kids. She had no idea if Finn was going with the men or if he joined them.
Arthur didn’t really want to get up. The bed was too warm. He managed to fall asleep again after he had been rudely awakened by Tommy. When he jumped out of his bed, it was almost ten. But he managed! No matter how late he had woken up, he always managed to get to the place on time.
Tommy was waiting rather impatiently in the kitchen for his brother and was pacing a little after having finished his cup of tea. The events of the previous evening played on his mind. Though that would have to wait. There was a nearly empty cardboard box of flowers on the table and when Arthur appeared he picked one of the white buttonholes up and tossed it to him. “Keep that in your pocket.” He stated, before putting one inside his own pocket. Most of the other men had already been round to collect theirs. “Come on.” He then said, there was no hanging around this morning and with that he was out the door and moments later banging on John’s house. “John!”
John was already up. Not because he would particularly want to be up early, but his kids had different ideas. They all jumped into his bed in the morning and they demanded to be spoken to. Even little William! He was trying to say something, but it was still mostly babbling. After a chat with his kids, John went to get dressed. He made sure his suit was nice, because he always wanted to look good. What if there was some perfect posh lady on the street, eh?
When he heard Tommy banging on his door, he went to open it. “What’s the matter Tom?” He asked.
Tommy was seeming rather impatient and banged his fist against the door again as they waited before it finally swung open. “Send the kids round with Pol, we’ve gotta go.” He stated, leaving both men as he started to walk down the street like he had something urgent to attend to.
John nodded to Tommy’s request and then turned his head inside the house. “Kids! Aunt Polly said that she would love to see you. You should go to her house now!” With that, John stepped out the door and closed it behind himself.
Jack had been playing rather nicely with his siblings when he heard his father’s shout. “Race you.” He said excitedly before he rushed out the door, half dressed and shoeless like always as he rushed into the Shelby kitchen.
Finn had woken rather abruptly when he heard Tommy banging on Arthur’s door. He had slept curled up at the foot of his Aunt Pol’s bed much like a cat would. He let out a small grumble as he stretched his arms before rubbing his eyes.
Polly turned around when she heard Finn move around the bed. “What happened earlier? It must’ve been a really rocking dream if I heard it here. Did Tommy and Marta argue?”
Finn slowly climbed up the bed, laying his head on the pillow beside his Aunts as he let out a little yawn. He was feeling rather tired after being awoken in the night. “I don’t know… Tommy was angry.” Finn explained, rubbing his eyes with his fist. “I think he was throwing stuff around the kitchen, there was glass on the floor.” He explained.
“Interesting,” said Polly. “Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that Tommy’s anger has already subsided,” Polly grabbed a book. She went through the pages. She read some of the text and then hummed. She placed the book back. “Come on, Finn. You have to get ready… Wash your ears and neck. There will be a party.”
“I hope so.” Finn said innocently, he didn’t particularly like it when Tommy was angry. When his Aunt told him to get ready he made one big stretch of his arms before he jumped out of the bed to go and wash, though he paused by the door and looked back at Polly. “Do you think Ada will come?” He then asked, leaning against the doorframe. She hadn’t seemed interested when he had visited her to extend the invitation from Tommy.
Polly went to pull out her favourite dress of the season when she heard Finn’s question. She thought for a second and then nodded. “Yes, I am sure she will,” she smiled at the boy and then heard commotion from downstairs. “Oh, no,” she said and then passed Finn on the way out the door.
Like his Aunt, Finn heard the sudden rush of footsteps downstairs and ducked out of the way as his Aunt passed. “I’ll go get ready Aunt Pol.” He said before heading off to his room.
Polly walked downstairs quickly. She saw Annie and Katie jumping on the sofa, William trying to toddle around, and Jack… Jack was probably face first in a jar of jam or something, Polly wasn’t sure. “I want to see everybody here! Now.” Polly shouted. She waited for the kids and then began to give them instructions. “You will all wash. I’ll help William. We will eat, and then you’ll go home and pick out your best clothes. Does everyone understand?”
Jack had been rummaging in the cupboards. “Got it.” He said to himself and ran into the living room holding a carrot like it was a gun. “Everyone put your hands in the air!” He said with a big grin having missed his aunt's instructions. “And give all your money to the Peaky Blinders!”
“I am surrendering,” Marta appeared in the living room. She came with Ada. They had met at the door. She put her hands up for a little bit and then gave Jack a penny. “I believe you should be getting ready,” she told the young boy.
“He should,” Polly said. She brought Katie and Annie with her. Preparing the kids went faster when there were three ladies to do that. In no time, the ladies were on the go. They had some delay, so men would get there first.
Jack was rather chuffed with his penny and held it in his hand before taking a big bite from the carrot. With 3 women nagging at them all the kids were ready in next to no time. Though Jack felt a little weird wearing his fancy shoes, he much preferred being barefoot. He pulled at the top button of his shirt, it felt tight around his neck.
Marta thought that the kids looked lovely, especially little William. He had a suit on and also a hat that was the same as his dad's and uncles'. The kids' nanny also joined them. She would take care of them after the ceremony. Marta and Ada talked. Marta asked Ada how her pregnancy was going. She was surprised that Ada wanted to talk to her. When they first met, Ada was a bit apprehensive. Maybe Polly had something to do with it.
Jack was getting fairly restless as they waited for the cars to arrive, continuing to fiddle with the button of his shirt but he couldn’t get it undone and let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s too fucking tight Aunt Pol.” The little boy spoke.
Polly looked down at the boy and tilted her head to the side. She crouched in front of him and tried to stick her finger between the collar of the shirt and his neck to show him that it's not that tight. But lo and behold, it was. "Language. You are starting to be just like your dad. Seems like you grew up too fast, or you're getting a little bit thick from the jam." Polly shrugged and then unbuttoned the very top button of the boy's shirt. "Better?" She asked him.
"I think you look even better with the button undone," Annie told Jack and nodded.
Jack felt the relief instantly when Polly undid the button and seemed to be a little less frustrated now he could move his head without feeling like he was going to choke. “Better.” He said with a nod of his head and gave his Aunt a playful push. “And I’m not thick.” He said with a small giggle. When the cars suddenly arrived he gave Annie a quick glance. “You look nice too Annie.” Jack said before rushing out to the car so he could claim the front seat. “Where are we going?”
When the cars arrived, Marta picked up William. "How are you doing, little blinder?" She fixed his hat and got in the car with everybody as William attempted to babble a response to her. The youngest Shelby liked Marta, and he especially liked playing gently with her earring.
"That's a surprise!" Polly said and let the boy sit in front. She made sure that everyone got into the cars and nobody got left out. Then she got into a car herself.
"I think so too," Annie nodded. "It's been a long time since I've worn my best clothes."
“I like surprises.” Jack said, smiling as he claimed the front seat. “I hope it involves sweets.” He said to himself as he gazed out of the window.
Marta looked over at Finn. "You are quiet. Is everything okay?" She asked him.
Finn got in the car and sat beside Marta, giving her a small smile. “Yeah, yeah I’m ok.” He said. “Are you ok? Tommy seemed a little… angry last night.”
Marta looked at Finn and nodded. "Yeah, Tommy was a little bit angry, but we talked about it and I believe that he is alright now," she smiled at Finn. "I am doing fine," she told him. "Don´t worry. I know that I promised you I would teach you to read properly. We can start tomorrow," Marta nodded. "I am just glad you did not step on the glass."
Finn nodded and glanced out the window before he looked back at Marta. Deciding to ignore her statement about his reading. “He didn’t throw the glass at you did he?” He asked, seeming a little concerned.
Marta bounced little William. She was looking straight ahead because she sat in the middle. When she heard Finn´s question, she turned to look at him. She was surprised. "No," she said. "He was not mad at me," she smiled at the boy. "But thank you for asking. If he did, I'd probably throw a chair at him, though." Marta winked at Finn.
“I was just worried you two were fighting.” Finn said honestly. He liked having Marta around, it would be a shame if her and Tommy were to fall out and he didn’t get to see her as much.
"Oh, Finn," Marta said and then put her hand around the boy's shoulder. "Don´t worry," she smiled at him. "So far, Tommy and I have been really good at talking things out." She nodded. She kissed the boy’s hair.
Finn managed a smile as Marta put her arm around him, and he rested his head against her shoulder. “Okay.” He responded.
Marta smiled. She felt warm. Maybe it was because she was covered with kids, but maybe she just felt like she had people that liked her and would be really sad if she left them. Yeah. She should've punched that inspector square in the face. Finn was her family now, no matter what.
______________
After leaving John’s house Tommy walked on ahead of his brothers and lit a cigarette. His mind was still mulling over the Inspectors words and he wasn’t sure how much control he would be able to show the next time their paths crossed. They soon arrived at Charlie’s yard and there was a small gaggle of their men congregating near the gates. Some holding hammers and steel poles, others with their own makeshift weapons. The engine of the truck was running and Charlie was sat waiting in the driver's seat. Tommy bent over and picked up a crowbar, turning around and holding it out to John.
John took the crowbar from Tommy. “That’s a lot of people, Tom. Is it because of the Lee’s or something?” John asked and then carefully swung the crowbar by his leg.
“We are paying them a visit, yes.” Tommy said with a nod of his head before flicking his cigarette on to the ground and gesturing to the truck. “In you get boys.” He instructed and took out his gun to ensure it had plenty of bullets loaded whilst he waited for them all to climb in.
“Fine, then,” John swung the crowbar and then walked to the truck with the men. He nodded at Charlie and got in the truck.
Once all the men had climbed inside the truck Tommy gave Arthur a wink and shut the door before walking around the front to sit in the passenger seat. “Take her away Charlie.” He spoke, unwinding his window and resting his elbow on the frame.
Charlie nodded and stepped on the gas. “Sure, Tommy,” he nodded and drove the truck safely through the winding roads.
Tommy watched out the window as they drove. The Lee’s camp wasn’t far, just on the outskirts of the city. “The next left up here Charlie.” He spoke when they were getting close.
Charlie made the turn. "Do you think it'll go well?" He asked Tommy.
“Here’s hoping.” Tommy responded calmly to his uncle and when the truck stopped he was the first to jump out and pulled open the back doors. “All ready boys?” He asked as one by one they got out of the back of the truck.
"Yes!" Said one of the men. John picked up his crowbar and was surprised that he was the only one who took his weapon. "Are we going to deal with the Lees?" He asked. He was a bit unsure.
“We’re gunna deal with them once and for all JohnBoy.” Tommy said simply and took his gun out of his holster. He wanted John to think they were fighting, they needed to get him near enough to the altar that he wouldn’t back out. “Let’s go boys.” He then said, giving them a nod as he led them into the Lee camp.
John kept hold of his crowbar and began walking with the rest of the men. The three brothers walked side by side, followed by the rest. As they entered the Lee camp there were plenty of men standing around, eyes following them closely. Some were holding guns and tensions certainly felt high. "What´s up, you dirty bastards?" John told his future in-laws and kin. "Which one of you said something so bad about my family, eh?" He placed the crowbar on his shoulder and stood tall in front of his gang of men. This was going to be a great fight. It would cost the Lee’s so much.
Tommy suddenly came to a stop and turned back to face John. “Johnboy.” He said, a small smile on his lips. “Before we go in to battle, there’s something you’re gunna need.” He said, nodding to Arthur and taking a white flower from his pocket to attach to John’s jacket.
John’s eyebrows furrowed. "What the fuck is this Tommy?" His voice cracked as he looked around. His head turned as he looked at every man in their little gang. They were pulling out the fucking tiny little flower pieces out too! "What the fuck!?" He felt like fleeing, and he tried to flee too!
“Smile John.” Tommy said, a smile growing on his face as Arthur stood close behind their brother to make sure he couldn’t run off and Tommy held John’s shoulders firmly with his hands. “It’s a wedding.”
John was shocked. His heart dropped into his stomach and just jumped around. He could feel it. "Whose bloody weddin’ Tommy?" His voice cracked again. "How could you do this? Why?" He saw the bloody Lees putting flowers on themselves too! He got got. He got swindled.
“Now if we told you, you wouldn’t have come.” Tommy said, moving his hand to hold his brother by the back of his neck. “There’s a girl in the Lee family who’s gone a little bit wild, and she needs marrying.”
"And my kids need a mother," John added. He sighed. "But it's the Lee’s. How am I supposed to marry some fucking mushroompicker!?" John asked and looked at his brothers. He knew that there probably was not another option. Tommy was able to surprise people. John was surprised.
"Have a drink John boy," Arthur butted in and handed John a flask. "There you go."
“A woman that needs a husband, and a man that needs a wife.” Tommy stated with a small nod, taking his hand from his brother's neck as he drank from the flask Arthur had given him. “I’ve already betrothed you, all you have to do is say I Do and the war will be over, and your kids will have a mother.”
"Fuck it," John said and then grabbed the flask then too. He took out the toothpick from his mouth for that. "You should see what you ́ll get with her, Johnny boy," Arthur nodded and smirked.
"You marry her," uncle Charlie said. "We’ll be kin. The Lee’s have a lot of men. They could help."
Tommy nodded his head along with both Arthur and Charlie’s comments. “If you back out now a war is going to break out here that will make the Somme look like a fucking tea party. You marry her our family and the Lee family will be united forever.” He said, patting John’s chest. “It’s up to you John. So what’s it gunna be, war… or peace?”
"And you will get a new car, John," Arthur added and nodded. He winked at his brother. He gently tapped his chest. "Come on, John boy. Her Dad will give you a bloody car."
John sighed and listened to what Tommy had to say. He also listened in on the thing with the car. He finally nodded. "Alright then," he said. "Al-fucking-right. Let´s do it," John wiped his nose and rolled his shoulders back.
“A nice fucking car.” Tommy said, a smile growing on his lips as John seemed to come round to the idea of getting married. “Atta boy John.” He then said, taking off his brother's cap and tossing it to Curley to look after.
Curly took the cap and put it in his pocket. Arthur took the toothpick from his brother and threw it behind himself. He patted his brother´s shoulder. "Right, John boy! Come on," Arthur laughed.
John nodded to himself and then rolled his shoulders some more. He began walking further into the camp with his brothers and men behind him.
As they continued to walk into the Lee camp the onlookers seemed to lower their weapons and as they approached one of the wagons. “Will he do?” Tommy asked, gesturing to John.
The woman seemed to examine him with her beady eyes for a moment before a smile appeared on her face. “He will do.” She stated, and the words were met by a cheer from both the blinder clan and the Lee boys.
The kids and the women arrived. They walked through the camp as more and more people from the Lee clan gathered too. Marta walked with William still in her arms and she was holding Finn´s hand. She was smiling. She was looking for Tommy most of all. “Daddy," William said when he saw his dad.
John smirked. Some Lee men quickly brought over some things to really put the altar together. This was happening. He was going to be a married man and he would do a service to his family. And he would get a bloody car!
Soon enough the altar was put together and Tommy gave John a final pat on the back to wish him luck.
Jack was taking it all in as they walked into the camp, all the wagons and horses. It was all pretty amazing in his eyes. When his younger brother spotted his Dad Jack's eyes scanned around for him. “Aunt Pol, look it’s dad!” He said excitedly, taking a few quick steps to run forwards.
"Yes, it is," Polly smiled as she walked slower with Ada. The youngest Shelby girls were looking around. They saw all of the pretty dresses he Lee ladies had. "Wow," Katie said. She was smiling. They also saw their dad!
Arthur gently grabbed Jack and smiled. "Hello, strong man!" He said. "Let´s get you to the front. You need to see all of this," he smiled. He could babysit for a bit. He didn't mind at all.
Jack found himself being suddenly stopped by an arm holding his own and looked up to see his Uncle Arthur. He smiled wide. “Uncle Arthur, everyone’s here?” He said as he glanced around quickly at all the guests. “What’s going on? Is it a party?” He asked, rather confused, we’d never been to a wedding before.
"It's far better than a party, Jack," Arthur picked the boy up. "See the lady in white there?" He asked him. "The one walking to your dad?" He looked at the lady as well. "That's your mum," Arthur said and looked at the boy. "I am sure she will love ya."
Tommy heard Jack’s voice and glanced over his shoulder and gave Marta a small wave when he spotted her. His stomach gave that unfamiliar warming sensation when his eyes fell on her. There must have been something in the air.
Marta did want to wave back, but her hands were literally full. Thankfully, the nanny came to the rescue and took it upon herself to hold William. "Thank you," Marta smiled. She let go of Finn and patted his shoulder. She walked over to Tommy. "Hi," she said. "Everything alright?" She asked him.
Finn walked along with Marta and then lingered near his sister once Marta had let go of his hand. He was a little overwhelmed by the number of people gathered and could get a little shy in some settings.
“All the better now you are here.” Tommy said, glad to see a smile on her face when she saw him. He hadn’t liked the way things had gone last night. Tommy slowly wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he watched Johnny Dogs take centre stage as the young Lee girl emerged from one of the nearby wagons in a lovely white dress. “Ada, you got my invitation?” He then said, happy to see she was there too.
"I got your invitation, you said that there was truce, right?" Ada looked at her brother with a small smile.
“Family Day.” Tommy responded to his sister, looking at her with a slight smile as he continued to rub Marta’s arm before his eyes moved back to John and Esme, he seemed happy enough with the woman he had chosen.
Marta leaned into Tommy when he put her arm around her. She was happy that the night had not ended up worse. She watched as the ceremony slowly started. She was happy for John and she hoped that whoever he was about to marry would be a good mother to the kids. They needed someone. They could have a mother AND a horse riding teacher. Even though everything was so pretty at the camp, Marta couldn't help but feel some eyes on her. She looked around. She saw a few of the Lee women looking at her. If there were two or three next to each other, they seemed to be talking. They seemed to be talking about her? Tommy’s hand rubbed her shoulder as he watched whilst Esme emerged from the wagon. She certainly looked hard enough to be able to handle John and the kids, yet he could see a certain compassion in her eyes.
Johnny Dogs started with the ceremony as John and Esme look their place kneeling at the altar, and soon enough he had reached the important bit. “Do you, John Michael Shelby, take Esme Martha Lee, to be your beautiful wife?”
Jack let his uncle pick him up and his eyes followed the woman in the white dress. “But my mum is dead?” He said, sounding a little confused. “Is she an angel now?” He asked innocently as the funny sounding man in front of his Dad started talking to the congregation.
"Uuh," Arthur wasn't a kid specialist. He maybe didn´t know how to word the thing he wanted to say. "Well, yes. Your mommy is an angel. But it's not this one," he looked at the boy. "Angels are meant to be up there," he pointed at the sky. "But sometimes. They send someone from here. To take care of the people they loved," he nodded. He thought that it was really smart.
“So… so Mommy sent that lady to take care of us?” Jack asked, watching the whole ceremony with an intent interest. He hadn’t shown this much attention to anything in his life and rarely stayed still enough to focus on anything for more than a few seconds, but this was all rather interesting to him.
Arthur nodded. "Yeah. She sent this lovely lady to take care of you, your siblings and your dad," Arthur smiled a little and made sure that the boy saw every second of the ceremony. He bounced the boy a little bit too. "Are you happy? Your dad looks happy." Arthur asked and smiled. He was so happy for his brother.
John looked over at the woman as she removed the veil from her face. He smiled and then turned to his brothers and men with a small smirk. Yeah. That was his fucking wife right there. "I do," he said with a nod.
“And do you, Esme Martha Shelby, take John Micheal Shelby, to be your handsome husband?” Johnny asked. “I do.” She responded, giving John a soft smile. “Now there remains one last part of the ceremony, it’s the mingling of the two bloods.” He said as he took out a knife and used it first to cut John’s palm, and then Esme’s. “Where the two families become the one family.”
Marta watched the ceremony, but her eyes were often pulled away from it. It was the women. This was strange. She had no idea what this was about. "Is it just me, or are the women staring at me?" She whispered to Tommy.
As Marta mentioned the women Tommy glanced over his shoulder. They did seem to be stealing occasional glances in their direction and muttering to each other . “Do you recognise them?” He asked quietly.
Marta shook her head. She looked at the women too. She let out a heavy breath. "I have never seen them in my life," she moved even closer to Tommy and tried to follow the mingling of two bloods. Meanwhile, she felt like her blood was freezing in her veins.
“Dad’s bleeding.” Jack pointed out, his hand pointing in his Dad’s direction. As the funny sounding man cut his hand. This was all rather strange. “But he does look happy… and I’m happy too cause we get a new mum.” He said with a sure nod.
Curious. Tommy thought to himself. Perhaps they were just admiring her outfit, or his dashing good looks. Who knew? But there was one thing for sure, with the families now united there shouldn’t be any trouble.
As the young couple held their bleeding palms together Johnny stretched out his arms. “I now pronounce you man and wife.” There was a big cheer from the crowd. “Come on John, kiss the bride will ya.”
Marta gulped, but then joined in cheering for the newlyweds! The nasty looks from the women aside, it was still a bloody wedding! And there would be a bloody party too. Marta just hoped that nothing bad would go down.
"He´ll survive," Arthur smiled and looked at the little boy. "And yeah, he looks happy," he looked back at his brother. "Yeees, John! Kiss the bride!" Arthur called out when Johnny told him to do it.
And John did it. He smirked a little bit more and then kissed his bride properly. He loved the cheers. He was happy. He just secured his children a mother and peace for his family.
As Johnny pronounced the couple as Man and wife Tommy moved his arm back from around Marta’s shoulder, joining in with the clapping and cheering. The smile on John’s face made him feel rather content with his decision.
Jack too joined in with the clapping and cheering. “Yeah go on dad, kiss her!” He shouted happily, laughing as his uncle bounced him up and down as he celebrated.
Polly and Ada cheered for John too. They immediately wanted to meet Esme! She was part of the family now. One more woman to talk some sense into the stubborn Shelby boys. Polly thought that it was just great. She needed back up, big time.
"Do you think we can go meet her?" Katie looked at her uncle Tommy. She did want to meet her new mother. She thought that they should at least say hi. "Will she like us? We've got our best clothes on," Annie asked.
"Kiss her some more! Come on," Arthur laughed and patted Jack´s back before putting him down.
The moment Jack’s feet touched the ground he ran forward, ducking through the crowd and flung his arms around his Dad. “Dad you got married!” He said excitedly.
John looked down at his son. "Hello, Jack," he said. "This is Esme," he nodded towards his wife. "Esme, this is Jack. He is my... He is our son," John smiled at the woman. He hoped that she would not try to run away. He hoped that Marta´s peace-making worked wonders and the kids would not kill his wife within the first few days.
Jack hugged his dad tightly and pushed his face into his arm for a moment before he introduced him to Esme. He looked up at the woman, she looked pretty. “My uncle Arthur said that my mummy in the sky sent you to look after us and be our new mum.” He said, letting go of his father and giving Esme a tight hug as his other siblings rushed over to meet their new mother.
John just hoped that all the kids would not scare Esme. He looked at her when Jack began talking about angels and the sky. "Yeah. My brother Arthur speaks a lot. He was dropped as a child," John smiled. He then saw his daughters coming to say hello to Esme too. And even the nanny came to introduce herself with William in her hands.
Tommy was enjoying taking in the sights and had pushed any thoughts about the women right to the back of his mind. This was family day after all.
Finn didn’t quite fancy following his sister and aunt up to meet the new member of the family and he lingered back to take everything in.
Marta looked around and saw Finn. She smiled. She left Tommy for a little bit. "You okay?" She asked him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You are here all alone," she told him.
Finn was leaning against a barrel just watching as people started to mingle and drink. He nodded his head when he heard Marta. “I’m ok.” He said. “I just… there’s a lot of people here.”
Marta nodded. "There is, she agreed. "And the ladies here keep staring at me as if I were a leper."
Finn’s eyes followed Marta’s to the group of women she was talking about. “Maybe they are jealous of seeing you with Tommy?” He suggested, women were jealous creatures.
"I mean, maybe." Marta looked at Finn. "You are very smart Finn. I didn't think of that," Marta patted the boy's shoulder. "I mean. Any woman would probably scratch my eyes out if that meant she'd get Tommy."
“I dunno what they all see in him.” Finn joked, feeling a little more at ease with the crowds now. People had started drinking and music was playing. “I think he’s pretty ugly.” He added with a chuckle.
“I dunno what they all see in him.” Finn joked, feeling a little more at ease with the crowds now. People had started drinking and music was playing. “I think he’s pretty ugly.” He added with a chuckle.
Marta cackled out loud when Finn said Tommy was pretty ugly. She put her hand on Finn´s shoulder to keep herself upright. "I mean, maybe," she rubbed Finn´s shoulder. "But you Finn, you are very pretty," she said. "Watch out before a lady here pulls you into a wagon," Marta nudged the boy’s arm.
A woman from the gaggle of Lee girls came over to the two. "You are a Mirga girl, right?" She looked at Marta. "My name is actually Cabrera, but yes. My mother was a Mirga," Marta smiled. The lady looked her up and down and said: "Uhm. Yeah," her face said it all. It was as if she was mocking Marta. She then left to talk to her cousins and sisters.
"What was that supposed to mean?" Marta looked at Finn.
Finn’s smile changed to a look of fear as she mentioned a lady dragging him into a wagon. “I don’t think I want that to happen.” He then said with a shake of his head. Though his expression changed again to one of confusion when the woman approached Marta. “I don’t know?” He responded. “What do they mean?”
"No idea," Marta shook her head. What was this? Did the ladies know something she didn’t? And why did they all look like they despised her? "Let´s have a drink, eh?" Marta asked Finn. "And let's forget about ladies and wagons for now," she nudged Finn and led him to the Lee’s with drinks.
“Yeah-yeah ok Marta.” Finn said, nodding his head and pushing himself away from the barrel he had been leaning on.
Once Marta had moved on Tommy was left with Ada, they seemed to manage some rather polite conversation without biting each other's heads off. It was family day after all.
"So, you and Marta?" Ada asked. "Is it serious?" She looked at her brother.
Tommy watched John introducing Esme to all of the children. They all seemed to be getting on rather well and Jack had even given her a sweet hug. It made Tommy smile and he then looked across at his sister whilst lighting a cigarette. “Serious?” He repeated. “What do you mean by that Ada?” He asked casually as he started to smoke.
Ada shrugged. "I mean what I say," she looked at his brother. "You don't usually cuddle and touch women outside of your room, except if you like them very much. This looks like the case." Ada smiled. "I am happy for you, if you're happy with her."
Tommy nodded his head along with Ada’s words. As children they had always been the closest, it was a shame adult life was growing between them. “I am happy.” He then stated, his eyes finding Marta through the crowd and he watched her from afar. Everyone seemed to have taken her into the family well. After watching Marta for a few moments he looked back to Ada. “Why don’t you come home Ada?” He then suggested, he missed having her around and he hated the danger her relationship with Freddie was putting her in. Though he was still surprised she hadn’t slapped him the moment she had seen him for their fight at the pub.
Ada looked at Marta too. She was talking to Finn. Ada was sure that Finn needed someone like that after she had moved away. Someone who wasn’t aunt Polly, meaning that some of his shenanigans would go unnoticed. Ada then looked at her brother. She smiled. She quite liked the way he looked at Marta. Ada thought that a truce was a good thing. She could always slap her brother the next day. This was John´s wedding day after all. Ada sighed. "I mean," she said, "I am happy where I am right now," she shrugged. "Freddie loves me and he loves the baby."
“I’m glad you are happy.” Tommy stated, that was true for sure. He just wished her choice didn’t come with the prospect of so much danger. “And how is Freddie?” He then asked, taking a beer that a passing Lee boy offered him with a nod of his head as thanks.
"He works for the cause, as always," Ada nodded and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "He is doing alright," Ada added. "He looked a bit roughed up when SOMEONE beat him up in his favourite pub, but he got through it." The Shelby sister also felt like drinking something. Today was supposed to be fun after all.
“Hmm.” Tommy said with a hum before taking a gulp of his mild. “Well at least he is ok eh?” He said and gave his sister a pat on the shoulder before he walked off to go and congratulate John and welcome Esme to the Shelby family.
Ada shook her head at her brother´s antics. "Yes. He is ok," she said and then let Tommy leave. She quickly went over to someone who had drinks. She was ready to have fun, at least for this day!
John was talking to Esme and he was making sure she had enough drinks. The kids came and went. They played with the Lee kids mostly. Except for William, the baby boy chose to stay with the nanny. But he did meet his new mum. He liked her. She looked kind.
Marta put her arm around Finn and walked up to one of the Lee men that was handing out drinks to everybody. "Do you have mild?" She asked him. Unlike his kin, the man was actually nice to Marta. And so were the other Lee men. When they bumped into her they at least had half a mind to say sorry or something. "He´ll take a mild," Marta handed the drink to Finn and then asked for dark mild for herself.
"So, are you here with the older Shelby or with this Shelby?" A woman asked her. "Or do you like both? You Mirgas always want something extra, you always want more. You´re just little greedy airheads." Marta took a sip of her beer and almost spat it out. "What the fuck?" She said out loud. "Yeah, what the fuck," the Lee girl said, "it´s a classic Mirga girl thing. You run off from your family. You want something extra and then you pay for it. I´ve heard one Mirga ended up in the dirt for being so stupid and marrying a gadjo, because he had money and a big house."
“Thanks.” Finn said as he took the drink Marta had gotten for him and rose it to his lips, taking a few sips as his eyes looked around. He certainly could see the party escalating quickly, it would be a good opportunity to steal himself some whiskey. He wasn’t really paying attention to the woman’s comments until he noticed Marta’s mild almost coming out of her nose. “You don’t want to piss my brother off by upsetting Marta.” He spoke plainly.
Tommy approached his brother, gesturing for Arthur to join them. He spoke with Esme for a few moments, welcoming her to the family before he gathered them each a glass and took a bottle of whisky from the makeshift bar the Lee’s had put together. He placed the glasses on a table and poured the 4 of them a large measure. “To family.” He said, raising his glass in the air between them all.
John put his arm around his wife Esme and smiled as he listened to his brother's welcoming his wife. He handed the drink to his wife. "To family." Said John. "To the peaky fucking blinders!" Said Arthur and knocked back the drink.
Marta licked her lips and shook her head to herself. "Come on, Finn. Let's go drink this somewhere else. If someone feels like running his mouth, then let's let them." Marta smiled and then gently grabbed Finn by the arm, turned him around and began to walk away.
"Yeah, yeah. Run away, Mirga girl. That's what you know best. You're always so tragic. You're always so naive." That really struck a nerve. Marta stopped in her tracks. "Hold this please," Marta said as she handed the boy her mild. She turned back and began walking towards the woman. "If you want to talk shit. Let me fucking help you open your mouth real wide. You BITCH!" And with that Marta punched the Lee girl. The girl retaliated. Suddenly, there was a fight.
Arthur didn't know that it was Marta. So when he saw a fight, he began chanting: "Fight! Fight! Fight! Wooo!"
Tommy chuckled at Arthur’s toast and took a large gulp of his whisky. He was conversing with John and Esme when Arthur announced that there was a fight and he turned around to try and see what was going on through the crowd. Fight? There shouldn’t be a fight. This was supposed to be a day of celebration as the family’s came together. Tommy headed in the direction of the commotion, and when he saw Marta fighting with another woman he quickly tried to pull them apart with the help of Johnny Dogs who had also been quick to respond.
Finn couldn’t get his head around the conversation, he didn’t know much about Marta’s past but the woman speaking to her certainly seemed to. When she handed him her drink he didn’t quite know what to expect, but when Marta suddenly swung for the other woman he let out a cheer. “Go on Marta!” He said, watching as the two women fought.
"Oh shit," John said and looked at his wife. He saw the commotion. But then... maybe he could save it? "So, you said you had many cousins right?" John said. "They are all there." He smiled, trying to charm his wife into not witnessing the fight.
Most of the men didn’t seem to make much effort to stop the fight, they just stood around the ladies and cheered them on. Seeing two pretty ladies fight was great fun. It was a great fight by their standards. The ladies went to the bitter end.
Marta punched the lady's face and pulled at her hair. Her opponent did the same as they fell onto a patch of rather hard soil. Marta saw red. She had no idea what had gotten into her, but something about the lady talking shit about her and her family and HER MOTHER of all people just made her act out on her emotions. She wanted to shut the lady's mouth.
When Marta felt somebody´s hands on and around her. She at first made an effort to free herself and keep fighting. But when her opponent was snatched away from her and her hands were getting tired, she let herself be pulled away. "You have no right to talk about me! You don't know me!" Marta shouted at the woman.
"Sod off, you stupid cow, I know the Mirgas! Your fucking lady ancestors went to a witch. They wanted to be pretty to get the rich men! The fucking witch cursed them to be the naive and greedy bitches they are now!" The Lee girl shouted back.
Marta was so mad. Her lip was busted. She had a nosebleed and she had a cut on her brow. But hell, she was so angry that the bitch could still speak.
Johnny had managed to pull the Lee girl away, and Tommy managed to get a firm grip around Marta’s waist. Thankfully he was strong enough to pull her up, and he didn’t stop there. He practically lifted her off her feet as he carried her away from the place the ladies had been fighting. “Enough.” He warned her. Tommy was irritated by the whole situation. A fight at a wedding was never good. Though his temper flickered dangerously as he heard the Lee woman shout. “Fucking enough!” He barked, holding Marta’s waist with one arm and pointing an intimidating finger at the Lee girl who was being held by Johnny. “You say another word to my woman and I’ll pull out your teeth. Do you understand? There will be no more fighting at this fucking wedding!” Most people seemed to fall silent at Tommy’s threat.
"Nothing to see here, my men," Arthur hollered when Tommy and Johnny seemed to get the fight under control. "I haven't seen you lot drink properly. Let's go drink, let's go," he put his arm around a random Lee man and promised him that he would drink him under the table.
"Be ready to pay for everything! Little Mirga girl," the Lee girl said finally and chuckled despite a few bruises already turning her face blue. She did shut up when Tommy told her and she let Johnny Dogs pull her away. She was done there. She wasn't going to cause any more trouble. Mirgas just need to know their place, that's all.
Marta´s heart was racing and she was breathing hard. She recognised that it was Tommy who was holding her back. She listened to the woman. She felt her head slightly spin from the blows. She didn't have the strength, but if she did, she would probably kill the girl. And another terrible thing was that Tommy was probably mad at Marta now. Stupid Lee girls. Marta thought.
Tommy had half a mind to shoot the woman between the eyes if it wouldn’t have sparked world war 2. He would have to speak with Zilpha, the matriarch of the Lee family to get to the bottom of this. He wouldn’t stand for it again. Though his immediate concern was for Marta. “Come on.” He said, leading her rather forcefully to a quiet area and guiding her to some hay bales. “Sit.” He then said.
The Lee family and the Shelby family went back to all the festivities. The fight, in some men’s eyes, was not as bad. There were worse things that could happen at a wedding. Maybe the older members of the Lee fan had their reservations, but complications had appeared, lasted, and ended fairly quickly. With a stroke of luck, nobody would remember the cat fight in the morning.
Chapter 22: Handkerchiefs & Buckets
Chapter Text
Marta walked with Tommy with her head bowed down. She was certain that Tommy would tell her off. But she thought that that was not fair! The Lee girl was walking all over her! Finn would tell Tommy. He was there. Marta looked at the hay bales and then hopped a little bit to be able to sit on one of those. She didn't say a word. She was just waiting for the hammer to fall.
Tommy took a few deep breaths and once Marta had sat down on the hay bale he crouched down in front of her and held out a handkerchief that he’d taken from his jacket. “You’re bleeding.” He stated, his voice a little softer than perhaps she would expect. Tommy wasn’t really one for giving first aid, he was often the one refusing to accept it.
Marta looked at the handkerchief and then gently took it from Tommy. She didn't notice before, but even her knuckles were a little bruised and cut. "I noticed that," she said. The blood from her nose was pouring out across her lip. She used the handkerchief to wipe that off. Thankfully the cuts on her lip and brow had already dried up. She thought that cleaning the wounds afterwards would be good. She didn't want them to get infected. "I am sorry," she said. "I didn’t plan to pick up a fight during John’s wedding celebration."
Tommy lit himself a cigarette as he watched Marta clean up her nose with his handkerchief. He inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled the smoke. Some more whisky wouldn’t go amiss right now. He let out a sigh and rubbed his neck before inhaling some more of his cigarette. “What happened?” He asked.
This was bad. Marta thought. Tommy seemed to be really mad. He was just too quiet for her liking. He was usually a bit more talkative with her. Well, except last time and except now. Was it exactly the thing the Lee girl said? Did Marta want more and was she going to pay for it now by losing everything? Marta sighed. "I was just there," she said. "The Lee girls wanted to know whether I was from the Mirga family. So, I said yes. And then I went to have a beer with Finn, and the fucking bitch just started telling me that the Mirga women are bad," Marta shrugged. "What was I supposed to do?" She sighed. "She told me that I was greedy, she told me I was tragic and... naive." Marta sighed again and looked at her shoes.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed, and remained silent after what must have felt like an age. He tossed his spent cigarette butt onto the ground and crouched down again, gently taking the handkerchief from her hand and wiping some blood from her lip. He didn’t really know what to say. He couldn’t berate her for her reaction, because he reacted far worse when people spoke badly of his family. They often ended up dead or missing an eye. “I don’t think you are tragic.” He spoke simply.
Marta felt bad. She was looking at the mud. The silence was killing her the same way it had killed her yesterday. She played with the handkerchief until Tommy took it from her and helped with wiping the blood a little bit. Marta looked into his eyes. It was all still too quiet for her liking. She thought she had seriously messed up. Suddenly, she blinked her eyes. "So..." she said. "So I am greedy and naive?"
“Well the first time I met you you did try to steal from me.” Tommy stated, a hint of a smile edging its way on to his lips. He lowered the hand holding the handkerchief and placed a hand on her knee, rubbing it gently.
Marta was not smiling. She grabbed Tommy’s hand and took it off her knee. "And I was doing all of that for myself, right?" Marta asked Tommy. "I wanted a new pretty dress, that's why I was stealing. Or because I wanted a better tent, or a new horse. I surely didn’t have a mother I wanted to rebury. That's how greedy I am!"
Tommy sighed to himself as Marta pushed his hand from her knee. He hadn’t meant to upset her further, he’d hoped his joke would have lightened her mood. “You are not tragic. You are not naive.” Tommy spoke, still crouching in front of her. “And you are certainly not greedy Marta.” He spoke truthfully. “But you do definitely need some ice for your nose.” Tommy then added.
Marta sighed. Everything had been awful since the day before. It was like the world wanted to make her feel miserable. "Do you think they have ice here?" She asked Tommy and looked up at him. Her eyes were glazed over. Not only because she was a little bit upset, but because her nose hurt. It was not the greatest pain, but it was sure as hell uncomfortable.
Tommy hadn’t seen this look in her eyes before, and it was giving him a rather uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like something bad was coming. “I highly doubt it.” He then said, standing up straight and offering her his hand. “But I’m sure Johnny Dogs will have a slab of venison you can use.” The gypsies often used raw meat to reduce swelling.
The woman shook her head. "I would rather not put meat on my face," she told Tommy. "I feel fine," she shrugged. "I just don't want to embarrass myself even further in front of your new family, or in front of myself to be honest," she sighed. She got up from the hay bale and took Tommy’s hand. "I’ll just drink some beer, it´ll take the edge off the pain. And I´ll get some calendula paste for myself later."
Tommy was rather relieved when she took his hand and once she was on her feet he gave her hand a soft squeeze. “I will always fight your corner Marta, know that.” He said, and he meant it when he said it. She made him feel a way very few had ever made him feel. “And I really think the meat would help.” He said as his other hand reached to gently touch her cheek. It wasn’t nice seeing her upset like this, and he certainly hadn’t enjoyed seeing her fighting. But needs must if it meant protecting your reputation and your families name, he could understand that much at least.
Marta looked at Tommy and nodded. "Thank you for that," she said and nodded carefully. She leant into Tommy’s hand, making sure that it was not touching anything that was tender from the fight. She closed her eyes for a bit. "I don't really want the meat," she mumbled and then opened her eyes to look at Tommy with a pleading look.
Tommy leant forward and kissed her forehead softly whilst his thumb carefully stroked her cheek. “Meat or whisky, that’s the doctor's orders.” He said, making a light joke in an effort to cheer her up.
Marta wrinkled her nose. She looked at her ‘doctor’ and huffed. "I mean the kiss helped a lot? Can I have another? And then maybe the whisky?" She asked Tommy. She could drink whisky if it meant avoiding the humiliation of having a slab of meat on her face.
Tommy moved his hand from her cheek to her chin, slowly tilting her head up and kissed her lips gently. He didn’t want to hurt her, so he was much softer than usual.
Jack had been having a whale of a time playing with the large number of kids at the camp, his white shirt now a dusty brown and the knees of his trousers were looking rather frayed from all their clambering around. He was rushing to get away from another young boy that he was playing tag with when he saw his uncle Tommy kissing Marta. “Ah!” He proclaimed, pointing at the two adults. “Uncle Tommy and Marta are married too!”
Marta looked into Tommy’s eyes and then closed hers as Tommy tilted her head up. She hummed into the kiss. She also didn't want to cut lip to get worse. But she was happy for the kiss. She carefully prolonged the kiss until she heard Jack. She looked over at the boy. "Uhhh," she hummed.
Arthur jogged over to them and handed them a full bottle of whisky. "There you are! You are not drinking! What were you doing? Someone saw you at the hay bales," Arthur nudged Tommy’s shoulder. "And Marta... The fight? You fought like a true Peaky Blinder," he oh so gently tapped his fist against Marta´s arm. "You really went for it. Bam. Bam..." Arthur was drunk. It was expected, his brother got married and he wanted to party.
Tommy chuckled softly as he heard Jack’s announcement. Perhaps one day. He told himself. “I don’t mind if I do.” He then said, taking the bottle of whisky from Arthur and removing the cork with his teeth as he kept his eyes on Marta. He spat the cork on to the ground and took a couple big gulps before holding the bottle out to her. “By order of the Peaky blinders.” He said, smiling at her.
Marta looked over at Arthur and patted his shoulder. "I actually got told off a bit for the fight," she smiled and listened to the drunk eldest Shelby as he talked about his new extended family. "The Lees will give us so many men. We can kick everyone´s asses! BY order of the Peaky Blinders! YES!" Arthur clapped his hands. Marta took the whisky bottle from Tommy. "By order of the peaky blinders," she said much more quietly than the two men and then took a gulp of the whisky. Her face scrunched as she swallowed the liquid. "Disgusting."
Jack came running past giggling to himself. He was rather over stimulated by all the excitement and as he ran past he gave his uncle a firm punch in the groin. “Bam bam.” He repeated his uncle's words with a cheeky beaming smile.
"OW! Fuck..." Arthur doubled over when his groin caught on fire. He went down to his knees very quickly. "Fuck..." He suffered on the ground.
“You’re not wrong there brother. Soon enough we will deal with Kimber and the racetracks will be ours.” Tommy said, things were going to start going their way. He was sure of it. “Big fancy houses and big fancy cars eh?” He said, giving his shoulder a pat before Arthur suddenly dropped to his knees. Tommy didn’t even get a chance to wind up Marta over her distaste for the whisky before trying to grab hold of Jack’s arm, but the boy was too quick. “Hey, you’re alright Arthur.” Tommy said, eventually helping to pull the man up to his feet. “You’ve had worse than that.” He pointed out, though he certainly didn’t envy him.
The excitement mixed with copious amounts of sugar was a little too much for Jack and the energy inside him was bubbling over as he ran through the groups of dancing wedding guests.
"Just let me lie here and focking die," Arthur said and waited the searing pain out for a bit before getting up. "Allow me," he told Marta and then took the whisky from her. He took a huge gulp from the bottle like if the whisky was water. "Fuck. He got me good that boy," Arthur craned his head and looked for the boy in the crowd.
"And they say that I am greedy," Marta nudged Tommy´s arm. "How many cars do you want Tommy?" Marta asked him.
Thankfully, it was getting so late, that the nanny quickly found a man who could take her and the kids back to Watery Lane. So, she was on a quest to snatch Jack from the party and take him and his siblings home.
Tommy helped his brother to his feet and gave him a pat on the back as he gulped down some whiskey. “Good man.” He said, still trying to hide his smile. Jack had certainly got him good. Tommy looked back to Marta. “One for each day of the week.” He stated. This wasn’t true of course, who needed a car for each day of the week.
Jack dashed over to the place where all the adults were getting drinks and asked the Lee man for some lemonade, which thankfully they had in a small glass bottle. He was pretty thirsty after all that running around.
The nanny let the boy get his lemonade and then picked him up from behind. "There you are Jack. It's high time we went home."
Marta chuckled and put her hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Well," she said. "I can only hope that you won't decide to apply this logic on the women too." She took the whisky from him and took a sip from that. It was still not her drink.
“I think there’s just the one woman for me.” Tommy stated, giving her another soft kiss before she took the whisky from him. He knew he should get back to the celebrations, but he was more than happy to watch from the sidelines. He wasn’t one for being the life and sole of a party, that was more Arthur’s job.
Jack let out a screech when he was suddenly lifted off his feet. “No! No, I don't want to go home!” He shouted, kicking his feet out to try and get down. Jack was having fun running wild with the Lee kids.
"It's high time you went to sleep," the nanny had no tolerance for nonsense. The baby needed to sleep, the girls wanted to sleep... Jack had to go to sleep too.
“No-No I’m not going!” Jack was getting rather upset quite quickly, it was common for him to act out when he was over tired. “I’m staying with dad! Put me down!” He shouted and with that bit his teeth into the nanny’s hand as she held him.
The nanny was holding Jack firmly as she carried him to the car. "Ow!" She screamed out when she felt the teeth sink into her hand. "That's enough!" She held onto Jack's arm with one hand, and with the bitten one, she gave Jack a few firm slaps on his bottom. "We are going home. You've been a good boy all day. Why does evening have to be your naughty time!"
"Good," she said. "Killing 6 people is not my forte," Marta put her arm around Tommy as she sipped the whiskey. She handed it back to him and put her head on his chest. She put her hand on his chest too and rubbed it gently. The whiskey helped to numb out the pain. But she was sure that she would be in pain the next day.
Arthur had to wait out all the pain before getting his party self going again. He danced into the crowd looking for one more bottle for himself.
“Just fighting them.” Tommy responded, giving her arm a gentle rub as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Once he took the bottle he took a large sip and watched as people danced. Ada certainly seemed to be enjoying herself.
"I could fight you, too," Marta said and looked at Tommy. "I think that maybe I'd be more successful than with the Lee girl," Marta smirked. "You wouldn't be there to pull me off her." She stuck her tongue out at him.
“Oh I would love to see you try.” Tommy said, giving her a gentle nudge as he took another gulp of whisky.
"Maybe tomorrow," Marta nudged Tommy's hip with hers. "In the bed perhaps," she smirked and then took Tommy's hand off her shoulders before walking into the crowd of dancing people.
Jack was a little spooked by the nanny’s reaction and his eyes went wind as she put him down and spanked his backside. “Ouch.” He cried out, still desperate to try and wiggle out of her grips as tears swelled in his eyes. “I just wanna stay with Dad.”
"Your dad is with his new wife now," the nanny crouched to look at the boy. "You can see him tomorrow, okay? You are a smart boy. You are just tired and being naughty," the nanny caressed the boy's cheek. "The faster you go to sleep, the sooner you'll see dad."
Jack took a few ragged breaths as the Nanny tried to calm him down by stroking his cheek. “But-but you didn’t even let us say bye.” He sniffled a little.
"Daddy is busy," the nanny smiled at the boy. "And don't try to tell me you were looking for your daddy. You went nowhere near him."
Jack let out a frustrated sigh and stomped his feet as they neared the car. He would likely fall asleep within two minutes of the drive, but in his mind at that moment he could have played all night.
When Marta walked towards the crowd Tommy hung back at the edge, sipping on his bottle of whisky and lighting himself a cigarette. He wasn’t usually one for dancing unless it was of use to him, like it had been at the races.
Marta moved into the crowd a little bit and then began to dance. She loved dancing. It was nice just to let go and sway to the rhythm of music. She looked around. Many of the Lee women and men were good dancers. It was a shame that the ladies hated her so much. She thought that she could be friends with them. Maybe she could learn more about the Mirga family without the unnecessary name calling.
Zilpha quietly made her way over to Tommy, her robes were flying around in the wind. "I believe the wedding went well," she said and smiled. She looked over the crowd with her dark beady eyes. "Even the party, despite the fight with your woman."
Tommy stood back and watched as Marta made her way to the middle of the crowd of dancers. In Fact he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was certainly unlike anyone he’d ever met before. There was something special about her. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Esme’s mother and he gave her a small nod before looking back at Marta. “Very well.” He agreed with a nod. John and Esme seemed to have experience a love at first sight moment and he was glad it had all worked out… if you excluded the fight. “Perhaps you could have a word with your ladies, I won’t have them running their mouths like that.” He said, it was a subtle warning. He felt a need to protect Marta.
Zilpha crossed her arms in front of her chest. She shrugged and looked at Tommy. "She is a Mirga. I knew it the moment I saw her. She has got the grace and beauty of the Mirga family. I believe I have met her mother before she married that rich bloke. The girl is a spitting image of her," the woman shrugged. "There is the rumour that the Mirga’s are beautiful because they went to a witch. And now they are cursed. It's either that or our female ancestors made that up because they were jealous of Mirga good looks. I don 't know what is the truth. But I’ll tell the women that the Shelby devil will throw them into the cut if they don´t stop pestering the Mirga girl."
“I’ve heard a lot about her mother.” Tommy responded, keeping his eyes on Marta as he spoke. “She speaks highly of her, she sounds like a good woman.” He added. “Polly read her hand Zilpha. If they contained a curse I would bet my horse Polly would have stabbed her.” He stated plainly, his eyes still on Marta.
"Sometimes they are not only pretty but smart as well," Zilpha shrugged. "It's not the greatest thing to be. If a pretty woman marries an ass, she can live with it, because she doesn't realise how big of an ass she married. But when she’s smart. I guess it weighs on the soul." Zilpha watched the Lee women. Nobody seemed to be saying anything to Tommy’s girl. They probably didn't want to be punched in the face. The woman´s beady eyes focused on Tommy for a bit. "If you say there is no curse, then there's probably no curse. Good luck, Thomas Shelby," with that Zilpha left Tommy.
What was it with these women and their fucking riddles? Tommy thought to himself, he could feel the woman’s beady eyes burning on his skin, yet he didn’t break his gaze from Marta. He wasn’t often a man of many words, he was always one to carefully listen and take things in. “There is no fucking curse.” He spoke simply to himself as the woman left him with his thoughts and took a big swig of whiskey whilst keeping a close eye on Marta.
Marta was dancing in the crowd. She thought she could faintly see Finn sitting at the makeshift bar and drinking something from a bottle.
Finn had managed to find himself a flask of whiskey that one of his brothers, likely Arthur, must have dropped. He couldn’t say he was enjoying the taste but he was certainly enjoying the warm feeling it was giving him.
Marta was in the middle of the impromptu dance floor. She danced with a few people. It was mostly men, because the women wouldn't touch her. Johnny Dogs was trying to tell her something, but she did not understand thanks to the music or his funny way of speaking.
A short while later Finn had finished the flask of whisky and got up to his feet, though they didn’t seem to be working the way they usually did and he stumbled into a hay bale. His head seemed to go over it first, followed by his legs sticking straight up in the air for a moment before he crumbled onto the ground on the other side. “Ah fuck.” Finn mumbled to himself, and tried to pull himself up from the ground with little success. He reached for the hay bale to try and hoist himself up but this only resulted in the bale toppling over him.
Marta jumped around and spun around. She laughed to herself a few times. The stopped spinning for a bit because her head was spinning a little. She saw Finn leave. She didn´t know where he went because her head was spinning and she couldn't follow him. She looked around. She saw Tommy. Her feet were a little wobbly, so she slowly walked over to her man. "Hello!" She told him. She wrapped her arms around Tommy. "You are so warm. You are always so warm," she buried her nose in his chest. "And you smell good." She nodded.
“Hello.” Tommy responded, a small smirk on his face as she wrapped her arms around him. She was drunk, and it was rather nice to see her relaxed. “I promise to always be warm for you.” He whispered, putting an arm around her and holding her against his chest.
The woman looked up at the man. She was still dinged up from the fight, but she was happy to be near Tommy. "Do you want to dance with me?" She asked him. "I would like to dance with you. Would you please dance with me, Mr Shelby?" Marta tilted her head to the side as she looked at him.
“I will dance with you…” Tommy spoke, though there was certainly an if and he tucked some hair behind her ear. “If you put some meat on your face on the way home.” He stated, smiling at her as his thumb ran gently along her cheekbone.
Marta squirmed in Tommy´s arms as he told her the conditions of their dance. In that moment, she acted more or less like the Shelby children. "But..." she huffed. "Okay then. But on the way home. No sooner."
“Alright.” Tommy said, nodding his head before quickly finishing off his whiskey and tossing the bottle to the ground. He moved his hand to hers, giving it a squeeze. “Lead the way my woman.” He said.
Arthur was pulled away by a Lee lady. "Wait wait wait, my brother just married your mother... daughter, nephew. I don´t know." Arthur shook his head. He looked around the camp. He saw the hay bales moving. "Wait, there’s moving hay over there." Arthur walked over to the hay bale and picked it up. "Aaah!" Arthur said as he looked at his brother. "Finn! Little Finn! My baby brotha..."
Finn’s eyes didn’t seem to be focusing properly when his eldest brother appeared standing over him. “Arthur.” He grumbled, still struggling to get up to his feet now the hay wasn’t covering him. “Arthur, I can't get up.” His voice seemed rather slurred as he spoke and finally rolled on to his back. “Everything’s… everything’s moving.”
Arthur laughed a little bit. He turned to the Lee woman, who was really disappointed by the lack of action. "That's my baby brother! He got drunk," Arthur looked back down at Finn. "Come Finn, come. I'll pick you up. You drank way too much whisky." Arthur crouched and then grabbed Finn’s arms. "Oi. Let's pick you up," he pulled the young boy to sit and then hoisted him up on the hay bale. "You need some lemonade or mild to drink. Good boy."
Finn held his arms up rather helplessly so that Arthur could pull him up, his body seemed like it had less bones in it than it should have. He was far floppier than usual. Once on his feet he leant against his brother, using him as a support to keep him upright. “I don’t feel so good Arthur.” He said, everything still seemed to be spinning and his face seemed rather pale.
Marta nodded and then quickly pulled Tommy into the crowd. She was very happy! "Come on, Tommy," she laughed and then wrapped her arms around Tommy. "Isn't this great?" She asked him and then began to dance.
Tommy chuckled softly, he’d drunk a fair amount of whisky, but that was nothing he wasn’t used to and though he was a little drunk, he certainly didn’t seem to be on the same level as Marta. “Fantastic.” He responded with a slight nod as he placed his hands on her waist, dancing not quite as enthusiastically as Marta.
"Don’t worry Finn, we’ll get you water or lemonade. You´ll feel better. You just drank too much. It wasn´t mild right? Whisky. The Shelby drink," Arthur patted Finn’s back. He was mostly dragging him because the boy was really really drunk. "Just a few more steps, Finn. Good boy. Good boy, Finn."
Polly was talking to Zilpha. They were exchanging some of their experiences with second sight. They were the regal matriarchs of the families. It was apparent.
As Arthur helped him walk Finn felt an uncomfortable sensation in his stomach. “Art… arthu…” But he couldn’t get his words out, and he couldn’t stop the inevitable before he was sick onto the floor infront of him, unaware that his Aunt’s shoes were in dangerous territory.
Arthur could only do so much. He helped his brother lean forward. He had been through this with John and Tommy too. But they never puked right on Polly. That was a first.
Being a regal matriarch isn’t easy. You help your family and keep them alive. But even with all the care, you can’t help them from making dumb decisions. Polly saw her little nephew and her big nephew coming. But she didn’t see Finn being sick on her shoes coming. After he was finished, she took a deep breath. "You are done." She told the boy with a threatening glare.
Marta didn’t care that Tommy’s dancing wasn’t as enthusiastic. She was just happy to be with him. There were no coppers, no Blenkinsops and no other issues whatsoever. It was just her and Tommy and the music. She loved it. Marta just wished that the night could last forever. After the whisky medicine, nothing hurt her!
Tommy felt all his stresses melt away as they danced. It felt like it was just the two of them on the earth, the world was their dance floor. He raised her hand and spun her slowly before he pulled her closer again, swaying in time with the music.
It took Finn a little while to straighten up again after hunching over to be sick, he still looked rather pale and was obviously still very drunk. But atleast the world seemed to have stopped spinning for a moment. He clung to Arthur so he wouldn’t fall down again, squeezing his brothers arm as he heard his Aunt’s threatening tone. “Help… help.” He said quietly before wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
Polly looked at the boy and shook her head. "You need help," Polly told him. "Your brother Arthur will help you," Polly looked at Arthur with her threatening look. "You will see to it that the boy is able to get home safe without being sick on himself on the way. I don´t know how you’ll do it. But you will. Or you'll both be shoveling shit at Charlie's yard for a month!" With that, Polly left. Probably to look for a water pump or something, to get the puke off her shoes. Thankfully, it was not her first rodeo.
Arthur sighed. He did not want to shovel shit. "Are you better, Finn?" The older brother asked his youngest. "Let's go. Let's go get you some of that lemonade. Maybe they will give you something to eat too."
Finn rested his head against his brother's chest and let out a small hiccup. “Aunt pol is mad.” He stated, his eyes rolling around a little as he struggled to keep them focused. “I don’t wanna - shovel shit Arthur.” Finn rambled, his words broken up by the occasional hiccup as they finally managed to get him a glass of lemonade. “I think I need some bread.” He then stated, swaying where he stood as he took a small sip of the fizzy drink.
Arthur sat Finn on some stray chair and watched him as the boy drank the fizzy drink. "You´ll get bread in a bit. The fizzy thing could make you sick again," he stood by his little brother and shook his head. "Welcome to the drunk state, Finn. You´ll get used to it." Arthur smirked and nodded. He wanted to pat Finn´s back but he was scared that he would get sick again. He could only stand there and give him his warm words of encouragement.
“I don’t think I wanna get used to this Art-Arthur.” Finn said, feeling rather sorry for himself as he sipped his lemonade. Unfortunately Arthur was right and within a few seconds he was being sick again, this time though at least it was on his own shoes.
Arthur nodded to himself. He sighed and then handed Finn a glass of water. "There you go. Wash it down," he looked at Finn’s shoes and poured some of the water on those too. "Much better," Arthur pulled a chair for himself too. He sat down next to his brother and looked around. "So, no more whisky for you. What will be your vice Finn? Ladies?"
Finn coughed a little once he finally seemed to have gotten everything up and sat back in the chair with a deep sigh. When Arthur handed him the water he took a sip, his mouth tasted rather gross. “I think my vice will be drugs.” He then said, partly joking, though he wouldn’t be rushing to drink whiskey again in a hurry. “Polly‘s gunna kill me.” Finn then mumbled and put his head lazily on Arthur’s shoulder. “You’re a good brother Arthur.”
Arthur laughed out loud. "Drugs are expensive, Finn. We would have to fix many more races to buy drugs. Ladies are cheaper... They can be for free if you play your cards right. But you'll have to be careful to pull-..." Arthur wanted to give Finn some good advice. Instead, he looked at his brother who leant on him.
"Well, thank you. And don't worry. Polly will kill us both."
“Tommy said we will all be rich… and then we can buy drugs and… and we won’t have to pay for women cause we will be rich and they will all come.” Finn slurred a little as he spoke, keeping his head resting on Arthur’s shoulder until he managed to look up at him. “I don’t wanna die Arthur.”
"Do you want to drink some more?" Marta asked Tommy as they continued to dance. "When you drink enough, the whisky is not so bad..." she chuckled and kissed him. "I mean it. After some of it, you can drink it like water," she nodded. "But I do also love my schnapps."
“The whisky is never bad.” Tommy stated. It was getting rather late now and there were plenty of men stumbling around the Lee camp after have one too many drinks. He hadn’t seen John and Esme for a while so he guessed they had slipped away to consummate their marriage. “I’m not sure you need much more to drink Marta.” He then said.
"Hmm," Marta pouted a little bit. "Okay," she said. "No drink for me then," she shook her head like a little kid. She yawned too. There weren´t as many people dancing as they used to too. Marta thought that they probably went to fuck in the wagons or something. Or that they were tired or drunk.
“You can have some water.” Tommy said, giving her a wink. He danced with her for a little while longer until they were one of the only ones left dancing and the man that had been playing his fiddle fell asleep with the instrument in his hand. “I think that’s our cue.” He joked. “Now let’s find you some meat.”
Marta looked around. Dancing without music was no fun. "I can get water. Water is not bad and it won't make me sick." Marta nodded. She held onto Tommy. However, when she heard about the meat, she wrinkled her nose. It hurt to do it. "Ow." She blinked her eyes. "But I will smell really bad."
“Come on.” Tommy said, taking her hand and leading her to the area Arthur and Finn were sitting. The party certainly seemed to be winding down and he handed Marta a cup of water. “Small sips.” He advised. “And we will wrap the meat in a cloth.”
"There is not a worse thing than to smell like a steak," Marta told Tommy and then sipped on the water. It tasted good. There was no alcohol in it. It didn't taste like gasoline, that's what whisky tasted like to her.
“I love the smell of steak.” Tommy teased softly, giving her a gentle nudge before his eyes fell on his two rather drunk looking brothers and he pointed at Finn. “How many times have I told you Arthur, no whisky for the kid.”
Arthur furrowed his brows. He looked at his younger brother and shook his head. "You're not dying, Finn. You'll feel dead in the morning, but with a proper grub in the morning you'll be alright by noon."
Arthur then looked at Tommy. "I didn't give it to him! I fished him out of the hay."
Marta found a group of vacant chairs. She sat down on one of those. With a stroke of luck, Tommy would forget about the steak.
“But you said-you said Pol will kill us both.” Finn said, starting to sound a little panicked now and when he heard Tommy’s voice he went rather quiet again, only the odd hiccup escaping his lips.
“You didn’t give it to him?” Tommy repeated before he crouched down in front of Finn and held his face in his hands. He was certainly drunk, you could see it clearly as day in his eyes. “How many times have I told you no whisky.” He said, giving his face abit of a squeeze before he stood up. “Johnny!” Tommy then called out, and soon enough Johnny dogs appeared from the darkness.
“Aye Tom?” The man asked.
“Fetch us a car and some venison will you?” Tommy stated and Johnny quickly ran off to carry out his instructions whilst Tommy stood up. “C’mon Finn. Let’s get you home.”
"I didn't mean it like that," Arthur tried to explain, but then Tommy came in to inspect the damage done on Finn. "I didn't. I am not mad. I wouldn't give a kid whisky. I found him drunk and I helped him. I helped him, Tommy. He wouldn't get out of the hay."
"There's nothing wrong with hay. Right, Tommy?" Marta called out from her chair. She had finished the water and... She lost the cup. She had no idea where that went.
"There's nothing wrong with hay," said Arthur and then got up too to help poor Finn into the car.
Tommy let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose upon hearing both Finn and Marta’s words. It seemed they were both as drunk as each other.
“I don’t want Polly to kill me Tom.” Finn pleaded as his brothers both pulled him up to his feet.
Tommy ignored his statement and once they had Finn up he handed the reins to Arthur. “Get him in the car, and then find a bucket.” He said before holding his hand out to Marta. “Do you need carrying too?” He then said, he didn’t really want to get into the hay conversation in front of his brothers.
Arthur first pulled Finn into the car and then found a suitable bucket. "Is that big enough, Tommy?" He asked his brother. "It seems big enough to me."
"Maybe I do," Marta shrugged. She was still sitting on the chair. She then accepted Tommy's hand and slowly got up. "But I want to sit on your lap, though," she demanded. "Please."
“It’s fucking big enough Arthur.” Tommy stated after giving it a quick glance, his patience was expiring and when Marta gave him her hand he pulled her up to her feet. “And someone has to drive us home, I don’t think I could see the road if you sat on my lap.” He then said, putting his hand around her waist to steady her as they walked to the car. “Where’s Pol, is she coming?” He then asked, looking at Arthur.
Finn rested his head against the window and cradled the bucket in his lap once Arthur had gotten him in the car, he really didn’t want to be sick again but he would be lying if he was worried about the car starting to move.
Arthur gave the bucket to the kid and then looked around. "I haven't seen Polly since Finn got sick on her shoes. Maybe she left with Ada?" Arthur asked. He then got into the car and leaned his head back. "What a day." He hummed to himself.
Marta huffed. "Oh no," she said. "I wanted to sit on your lap," she told Tommy. She was still drunk and she was getting tired and cuddly. Everything was terrible to her.
Tommy let out the deepest sigh of them all so far and held his face in his hands. “He was sick on her shoes.” He repeated to himself. Well fuck. Tomorrow certainly wouldn’t be a fun day to be Finn Shelby. “What a fucking day.” He repeated his brothers words and held the passenger door open for Marta. “You can sit on my lap when we get to bed, now in.” He said, his patience starting to waver with the world.
"I mean. One does not choose where he gets sick, Tommy," Arthur said. "The shoes were just there," he said. "I remember that I once was sick into someone's flower pots. I don’t think the flowers survived."
Marta folded her arms in front of her chest and huffed. "Fine," she said. She didn't forget to stick her tongue out at Tommy before she got into the car.
Johnny appeared beside Tommy with some raw meat wrapped in some parchment. “Thanks Johnny.” He said before placing it into Marta’s lap. “Hold that on your face.” Tommy then instructed before going round to the driver's seat and starting the engine. Thankfully it wasn’t far to get home. As he started to drive he looked back at Arthur. “You try telling that to Pol. I dare you.”
"Ew," Marta said when the meat landed in her lap. "That's not... I don't want to." She wrinkled her nose, which still hurt.
Arthur shut up immediately. He would not dare to tell that to Polly. He thought that it was brave to oppose Tommy now. He didn't have the balls to tell Polly. No. He didn't.
“Face. Now.” Tommy said simply and kept his eyes on the road. He’d had plenty to drink and usually wouldn’t drive, but with the state everyone else was in it seemed to psychologically sober him up.
Finn was dangerously quiet in the back of the car, taking slow breaths from his nose to try and keep himself from throwing up again. But after a few minutes of the car being in motion it was hopeless and he was sick into the bucket.
Marta huffed. But she would lie if the way Tommy was talking to her didn't send chills down her spine. She then very reluctantly pressed the meat against her face. It was not as terrible thanks to the parchment, but it was still not great.
Arthur patted Finn's back when he became sick again. "Good boy. That's what the bucket is for. The more you get out now. The better you'll feel tomorrow."
“Thank you.” Tommy stated when he saw Marta hold the meat against her face from the corner of his eye. Thankfully within 10 minutes they were outside the Shelby house and Tommy abruptly turned off the engine. “Everyone out.” He instructed, and climbed out of the car himself.
Marta got out of the car herself. She was still holding the meat against her face. She was getting progressively more tired with everything she did.
Arthur helped Finn out. They left the bucket somewhere. He helped him to get into his bedroom and even managed to get his clothes off him. Well, mostly. It was hard when he saw twenty buttons instead of two.
Finn wasn’t really too aware of what was going on, his brain didn’t seem to be working and he wasn’t really in control of his body. Once in bed and pulled the covers around his face and held his eyes shut. “Th-thank you Arthur.” He said, shuddering slightly.
Arthur patted the boy's chest gently and then found a fresh bucket for him. "There you go. A bucket," Arthur nodded. "Good night Finnyboy!" Arthur had half a mind to ride the pantry for something nice to eat.
“G-goodnight Arthur.” Finn murmured, promising to himself that he would never drink whisky again.
Tommy shut the car door behind him and watched Arthur stagger inside with Finn before he turned his attention to Marta. “Come on then meat face.” He said, gesturing her inside.
When Marta heard what Tommy had called her, she took the meat off her face and flung it at Tommy's chest. Then she walked into the house and she didn't forget to bump her shoulder against Tommy's arm, hard. It was not a nice thing to call a lady meat face. Drunk Marta certainly didn't like it.
Tommy caught the package of meat and chuckled to himself. She seemed to be in a rather delicate mood, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t find it rather amusing. When she bumped into him he shook his head slightly and followed her inside, Placing the meat on the counter. “Do you want some tea?” He asked.
"I do," Marta said. She then sat down at a table and stretched her leg. She put it on the chair next to her so that she could rest properly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Yes. She was in a delicate mood. Her nose hurt, and Tommy was calling her a meat face after not letting her sit on his lap. This was an outrage! "And if you ever call me meat face again, I'll kick you in the balls."
Arthur came into the kitchen with his arms full of bread, cured meat and other things. "I am so fucking hungry," he said and placed the food on the table. He went to grab a knife and a cutting board.
Tommy seemed to be finding everything rather amusing and chuckled as Arthur entered with an arm full of food. “I’ll have some bread.” He said as he filled up the kettle and lit the stove, he hadn’t eaten much the last few days. As he lit himself a cigarette with the match he had used to light the gas hob he glanced back to Marta. “I will bear that in mind”.
"Right, Tommy," Arthur said and then began cutting the bread in slices. He also started cutting the cured meat. It looked very good and it smelled even better.
Marta hopped up from her seat and went to hug Tommy from behind. "Yeah. Remember that. Pretty boy." Marta rubbed her face against Tommy's back.
"Get a room you two," Arthur said while stuffing his mouth full of bread and meat.
"I want some too," Marta looked at Arthur. She loved to eat. But sadly, food sources in the tent used to be slim. She moved away from Tommy to steal some of the meat from Arthur.
Tommy was smoking his cigarette and waiting for the water to boil when he felt Marta come up behind him and wrap her arms around him. “Piss off Arthur.” He stated plainly, holding a hand over Marta’s for a moment. He couldn’t help but notice how nice a diamond ring would look on her slender fingers.
Slow down Tommy. He told himself. “I’ll try not to forget.” He hummed to her and took the kettle off the stove when it started to whistle. There was no sign of Polly at the house, unless she had beat them home and headed straight to bed. “Was Pol’s door open?” He asked Arthur curiously as he made them tea.
Arthur had his mouth full of meat and bread when Tommy asked him. He was also trying to prevent Marta from stealing so many pieces of the meat. He loved the meat. "Hmhpf," he tried to speak. It took him a few seconds before he managed to chew through the food. "It was open Tommy, but I haven't seen Polly at the camp. Maybe she went to visit someone? Or she found a man for the night?"
Marta was smirking and quickly taking the meat from Arthur. She chuckled and took a slice of bread too. "Hey, tea boy," Marta looked at Tommy. "What is taking so long?" She teased Tommy.
“Who knows.” Tommy stated as he fixed up a few cups of tea. One thing was for sure, Finn would not have an enjoyable day after vomiting over her feet. Tommy was a methodical man and had to leave the tea to brew for a sufficient amount of time before he poured it from the tea pot. “Patience.” He spoke as he finally set a cup of tea in front of Marta. “Good things come to those who wait.” He spoke before taking a slice of bread and sitting down at the table.
Marta narrowed her eyes as she looked at Tommy pouring the tea for her. She then shook her head a bit and picked up the cup. She gently blew on the surface of the tea to cool it slightly. She didn't want to burn her mouth. Her face was messed up enough from the fight. She sipped from the cup and then asked: "No meat for you, Tommy?"
Arthur nodded as he prepared himself another slice of bread with thin slices of the meat. "You became a poet, brotha, a bloody good one. Just now." Arthur thought to himself that he should use this saying Tommy had used sometimes. But then, he would probably forget it, because he was drunk. He was skilled in his boozing, though. He hadn't vomited on anyone's shoes since he was 16.
“Bread will do for me.” Tommy said, taking a bite from a slice before taking a sip of his tea. He felt like he was currently babysitting two toddlers as he watched Marta blow on her tea and Arthur stuff his face with cured meats. Two grown up children. He shook his head to himself and chuckled a little before finishing off his bread and lighting another cigarette. “You know, I do speak some sense if you ever paid enough attention to listen, Arthur.”
Marta drank some of her tea and even managed to nick some of the thinly sliced meat Arthur had in front of him on the cutting board. Arthur wasn't pleased, but Marta was trying to fight her hangover before it even came. "I am tired," she then said.
"I listen!" Arthur said. "I would say that I listen to you most of all," the man nodded before he stuck the knife into the cutting board. He felt that the feast was done. The beastly hunger after beastly thirst was sated.
“Then we should go to bed.” Tommy replied, giving his bruised woman a soft smile as he got up and cleared away the plates and cups from the table before stubbing his cigarette out in to the ashtray. He gave Arthur’s shoulder a pat as he passed him. “I know brother, I’m teasing.” He said before offering his hand to Marta to help her up.
Arthur nodded. "Thought so, Tommy. Thought so," he said and then looked at his brother and at Marta. "Good night lovebirds. Don't break the bed."
Marta finished her tea and then grabbed Tommy's hand. She got up from the chair. She wrapped her arms around Tommy's waist and rested her head on his chest. "Let's go," she hummed.
“Shut up.” Tommy stated plainly, giving Arthur a swat around the ear with his spare hand once he had helped Marta to her feet. His other hand moved around her waist and he guided her from the kitchen and up the stairs. “You and Finn are both banned from whisky.” He said as they walked up the stairs.
"But you said that whisky was good," Marta said. "You did truly say that," she walked up the stairs slowly. She didn't want to tumble down. Tommy was a great help. "I mean. It's not that I am too drunk. Nuh-uh," Marta shook her head. She was really trying to convince Tommy.
Once they were in Tommy's room. Marta looked around and then said: "Sit down. Sit down on the bed."
“Whisky is good, but not if I have to carry you to bed every night.” Tommy said as he helped her up the final few steps. What a pair they made. He still wore a few light bruises from his fight with Freddie, and now Marta’s face was in a similar condition. “Yes, sit down on the bed.” He then said as he quickly removed his clothes before helping her with hers.
"But you are not carrying me," Marta shook her head defiantly. "I am walking. I am walking just fine." Marta tripped a little on the last step. Thankfully, Tommy was holding her. Tommy's room was warm and welcoming as usual. "No. I wanted you to sit down on the bed," Marta told her man. She watched Tommy as he removed his clothes and then stood still or even helped Tommy to remove hers.
Tommy chuckled to himself at Marta’s comment. She was much like a child in the way she helped him take off her clothes. He kissed her neck softly. “Don’t you think it would be best to lie down on the bed?” He suggested, thinking it was probably likely she would fall asleep in moments.
"Nooo," Marta shook her head. "I don't want to lie down now," she said. "I wanna talk and cuddle for a bit," she nodded and leaned her forehead on Tommy's chest. "Please," she hummed into Tommy's chest. "Just for a little while. Sit down..." she pleaded with the man. "I'll be good."
“Talk and cuddle?” Tommy repeated, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her shoulder. “What would you like to talk about eh Marta?” He said, his arm gently moving up and down her arm.
Marta quickly moved to sit on Tommy’s lap sideways. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Are you mad at me?” She asked me. “Are you mad at me for fighting the girl?” She asked him.
Tommy closed his eyes for a moment as she kissed his cheek. When he opened them he looked into her eyes and shook his head gently. “No.” He spoke, his voice quiet. “I’m not mad at you.”
"Good," Marta let out a relieved breath. "If you were, you wouldn't want to cuddle with me and that wouldn't be good. I like cuddling with you," she nodded. "I like cuddling with you because it's you." Marta kissed the man's cheek. "I would be lonely without you."
Tommy had a content smile on his face and continued to rub her arm gently. “I would be lonely without you.” He echoed her sentiment and after she had kissed his cheek he softly kissed her lips.
Marta smiled prettily and then brought Tommy closer to herself when he kissed her. She hummed happily into the kiss and ran her hand through Tommy's hair. She tugged at it too.
Tommy put a hand onto the bed and slowly lowered her back on to the mattress, their lips never seemed to break contact and once she was on her back he moved his lips away, slowly kissing down her neck to her collar bone
Marta pulled Tommy down with her. She was holding onto him for dear life and kept kissing him. Then, she wrapped her legs around his body. She chuckled when she felt his mouth on her neck. It tickled her. She looked down at him with hooded eyes as she kept playing with his hair. "Do you want to put your head on my chest tonight? It's comfy. I promise."
Tommy continued to kiss her skin like he was hungry. Well he was certainly hungry for her. He kissed her chest and her nipples as his hand reached between her legs. “I have a better idea for now.” He murmured to her.
Marta closed her eyes while moaning and enjoyed the treatment. She then opened her eyes when she heard Tommy speak. "Hmmm. You always have the best ideas in bed," she told him. She slowly spread her legs even more for him.
Tommy was passionate as they made love, perhaps more passionate and relentless in his love making than he had ever been. Once they had both been thoroughly satisfied he kissed her lips a little softer, his hair messy as it dangled over his forehead whilst he caught his breath.
Marta was drunk. But she still wanted Tommy to have a good time. She felt like maybe he had enough energy and vigor for the both of them. Marta looked up at Tommy and brushed his hair off his forehead as he kissed her. "I've never felt better," Marta hummed into the kiss. "You are just so good at this," Marta was really tired from the alcohol, the dancing, and the fighting.
Tommy had a content smile on his lips as Marta gently brushed away the damp hair from his forehead, he lowered his lips to hers before making himself comfortable beside her in the bed. “I love you Marta.” He eventually whispered to her ear, but alas, the whisky drunk woman was already asleep.
Chapter 23: Shootouts & Train Tracks
Chapter Text
"So you say you will go legal after this?" Marta asked Tommy as she was pouring mild for the men in the pub. It was all Tommy's men. They were supposed to be on their way to the races soon.
Tommy had really stepped into the business recently and after John’s wedding Marta felt like she had not properly seen him for a long time. Things had gotten busy, and Tommy had gotten even busier. She visited the Shelby kids, and even managed to persuade Esme to let the kids go riding the horses with her. Marta had been to the pictures with Arthur a couple of times when Tommy was busy and he didn't need John or Arthur. Marta felt like a part of the family, but she really wasn't.
During this time, she got a letter. She couldn't believe it when she read it for the first time. It was from her father. He sent her a letter from Cuba. It was a miracle that the letter even got to her. But even the postman in Birmingham now knew that Marta Cabrera had something to do with the Shelbys.
Tommy was sitting at the bar smoking his cigarette and occasionally taking a sip from his glass of mild, his eyes watching Marta behind the bar with a soft smile on his face. His mind momentarily drifted to the future, he knew she had found the past few weeks difficult. But once the day was done he was convinced there would be more time. They could start the rest of their lives. Today was the day he had been planning for a long time. They all knew it was coming, but nobody bar Tommy had known when. He’d spent the morning laying out his plan to the boys at the betting shop. Today they would join the National Association of Racecourse bookmakers and take over Kimber’s business. Marta’s words shunted Tommy from his thoughts and he let out a hum of agreement as he flicked the ash from his cigarette. “Today is the day.” He spoke clearly, giving her a small smile. “Kimber thinks we are going there to fight the Lee’s off for him. Little does he know that thanks to our John’s great efforts in the name of peace…” Tommy reached out and patted John’s shoulder. “The Lee’s are now our kin. So it will be us, and The Lee’s against Kimber’s boys… and I will deal with Kimber.” He explained, taking another sip of mild when the doors burst open.
"Tommy! Tommy!" Jeremiah ran into the pub. "There are cars coming. It's Kimber's boys!"
At the sudden exclamation from Jeremiah a look of surprise crossed his face. This wasn’t part of the plan. “Shit. Shit.” He spoke to himself, his mind working quickly to pull a plan together.
"It will be calm again then?" Marta asked some more and smiled. "I mean. Teaching Finn how to read is great. But I would love to go horse riding with you again... we could maybe... Maybe we could go back to the hayloft?" Marta looked over at Jeremiah and blinked her eyes. "What does that mean?" She asked Tommy and put down the dishcloth she had been holding. "Is it bad?" Marta furrowed her brows. She saw Tommy muttering to himself. "Tommy? Talk to me..." she said.
Tommy took a few deep breaths. The plan had been perfect, it should have been fucking perfect. He hastily squashed his cigarette into the ashtray and rubbed his face with his hands. “We’ve been fucking betrayed.” He spoke, his voice dangerously low before he lowered his hands and stood up. “Someone let slip. Kimber’s men are on their way here. All the Lee’s are on their way to Worcester… It’s just fucking us.” Tommy went on, his temper flaring at the thought of betrayal and he kicked his bar stool over.
Marta took a deep breath as she watched Tommy. She saw him get pretty mad pretty fast. "What are you going to do?" Marta asked. "I mean. If there's not enough of you. What is there to do?" Marta walked out from behind the bar. She had no idea how to deal with this. She hoped that Tommy would have an idea. But... she didn't want the idea to involve Tommy getting hurt or worse.
Tommy watched the bar stool fall to the floor, it seemed to help him think to have let his anger out, even if he was still simmering inside. “We fucking fight.” Tommy stated, his eyes then quickly looking around the pub. There were 9 of them… 9 to match up against Kimber’s gang. All they could do was fight. Then just like that Tommy was fishing out orders. First to Arthur and John to go and fetch as much ammunition and weapons as they could find. Then to Finn, they needed a look out and the little boy listened intently before rushing off to take up his post. Then finally as the pub was clearing out he looked back to Marta. “Go find Polly, Ada and Esme.” He stated as pulled out his revolver and made sure it was fully loaded. They didn’t have long. “You all need to get far away from here, somewhere busy, The Bull Ring should do.” He stated, hardly making eye contact as he ran over his contingencies in his mind, pacing back and forth before he checked the time on his pocket watch. There wasn’t long.
Marta heard Tommy giving out orders. It was like he had not really listened to her at all. Then she got her order like a good Shelby soldier. "Tommy," Marta walked up to Tommy and put her hands on his cheeks. "Look at me," she said. "If there's more then fifteen then... you must know that it is pointless to fight. You can only shoot as many guns and fight as many men..." she looked at the man. "Do you just want to throw your life away?" Marta asked as she stood close to her man. "I want you here with me."
The moment Tommy felt her hands on his cheeks there was a second of calm that washed over him. The anger seemed to leave his eyes and it was replaced by an expression rarely seen in his crystal blue eyes. Was it sadness, or hopelessness. But the emotion seemed to vanish as quickly as it appeared and he reached a hand up to hers, clasping it and squeezing her hand gently as he pulled it away. “We have to fight.” He said simply.
"You don't have to fight all the time, Tommy," Marta whispered to him and leant her forehead against Tommy's. "You don't have to fight till you die. The war is over," the woman whispered. "You can choose not to fight. You can choose who you want to be," Marta nodded and then looked back at him. She felt like there was nothing she could say that would make Tommy cave. It was terrible. He had given her an order and she felt like he was waiting for it to be executed.
“If we don’t fight, we die all the same.” Tommy spoke. To fight was the only option. His eyes seemed to have resorted to a rather emotionless glaze as he moved away from Marta and checked the time on his pocket watch. Once at the bar he poured himself a whisky and took a sip before he spoke again. “The one minute, the soldiers minute.” He spoke. “One minute of everything at once.” Tommy continued, reeling off in to his own mind. “And anything before is nothing. Anything after… nothing.” He took another sip of his whisky before looking back at Marta. “Nothing in comparison to that one minute. That was how it was in France, that is how it will be today.”
Marta looked down on the floor and sighed softly. She nodded. "Alright then," she sighed softly and then went to hug Tommy. "Nothing matters." She said and rubbed his back before walking out of the pub. She went to tell Ada, Polly, and Esme. Ada was not happy about it.
“Seems not, doesn't it.” Tommy whispered as Marta hugged him and he closed his eyes for a moment. That was the minute he wanted to freeze, to replay over and over again for the rest of his days. Then as he went to kiss her she was gone. He took a deep breath and reached for his whisky as the sound of rushing footsteps neared. “Tom-Tommy.” It was Finn and he was pink cheeked and breathless. “Tommy, they're here.”
Marta watched as the woman changed into black clothing. "Idiots..." she was spewing profanities here and there.
"Are you really sure this is a good idea?" Marta asked Ada as the Shelby woman instructed her to bring over a pram for Karl. Ada looked up at Marta and shrugged. "Do you have any other ideas or did your attempts to talk sense to Tommy work?" Ada asked. When she saw Marta shake her head she shrugged. "See?" Ada hummed. She pulled a short black veil over her face and began walking. "Come on. Two is better than one..."
Marta sighed and nodded. She went with Ada. This was madness and it needed to stop.
Tommy simply nodded his head and drained the remaining whisky from his glass as he walked towards the front door. His hand lingered on the youngest Shelby’s shoulder. “Go out the back Finn… run down to the house and meet the women alright.” He instructed and Finn obliged. With that Tommy stepped out the front doors, it was time for war. His men were congregated near the iron factory and he strode the street towards them. “Curly! If any Shelby man dies here today you bury us side by side.” He instructed. “Right men. You were all in the war so you know battle plans always change or get fucked up. So here it is, things have changed. We fight them here. Today. Alone.” Tommy spoke like a true leader. “We will get no help from the law today. Now they’re gunna come for the pub. That pub there is called The Garrison!” He spoke intently, pointing his revolver at their pub. “And now it really is one. And it belongs to us, right?!” There were cheers as the men prepared themselves for battle. Just like France.
“Now I reckon we are outnumbered 3 to 1… but it’s us boys. It’s us! The Small Heath Rifles, never lost a fight yet have we?!” The men were ready for war and Tommy gave them each a nod, his last nod to his elder brother. “John, take the flank with scudboat, just like in Saint Marie.” He ordered and a mere few minutes later the sound of approaching engines grew. The small heath rifles took their position, lined up ready for war with their fingers poised for action on the triggers of their weapons. But Tommy simply held up his hand to them, no one would fire until he told them to. “It doesn’t have to be like this Kimber.” He spoke as Kimber and his men neared.
"Too late for all that," Kimber said as he looked around. It was not exactly his favourite place to be at, but business was business. He wanted this pikey to pay. "You bit off more than you can chew, you toe rag. And now I'm gonna take over this shithole..." Kimber nodded to himself.
“Right?” Tommy responded, his solemn expression seemed to fade, replaced by his typical Shelby cockiness. There was always a trick up Tommy Shelby’s sleeve. The man made contingency plans for his contingency plans. The Lee’s were kin, but they were too far for help. Yet there was still kin in Freddie Thorne since the old friends had buried their hatchet. “Well if we have to use guns, let’s use proper guns eh?” He spoke clearly.
Right on cue Freddie emerged from the nearby factory, stolen machine gun in hand and a wide grin on his lips. “Sargent Thorne reporting for duty sir!” Freddie spoke, taking his place at Tommy’s side as he stared down Kimber’s men with his weapons of destruction.
“Now, you were saying something about being out gunned?” Tommy asked, his cheeky smile growing. And with that comment every man drew their weapon, they had themselves a stand off.
"Move!" Two female voices carried through the street. "Move aside," said the woman. It was Ada and Marta. Ada was pushing her way through the crowd of Kimber's men with the pram. Marta was right behind her. Everybody was so confused. Arthur looked like he’d just been slapped as his jaw hit the floor and Kimber alone had no idea what to do. He just stood there.
Marta and Ada stood between the two opposing sides. "I believe you call this no man's land," Ada added.
There wasn’t a single man that looked more confused than Freddie. That was until you looked at Tommy. This certainly wasn’t part of his contingency. Ada and Marta were supposed to be a mile away in the safety of The Bull Ring. Not marching a baby into the middle of a warzone.
“What are you doing?!” Came Freddie’s frantic shout as he continued to point the heavy machine gun at Kimber’s men. Tommy’s gun remained pointed at Kimber himself as he kept half an eye on him, and half an eye on his sister and Marta. “Ada! Marta!”
"Nothing matters to you, before and after the fight. But it matters to me," Marta looked at Tommy as she stood between the men with pointed guns. Karl was softly crying in the pram. He didn't like the quick ride from the house. He didn't like it one bit.
"Shut up and listen," Ada said as she looked at Freddie. She wanted to say something more and turn to Kimber's men. But she heard Freddie saying something or maybe it was Tommy. "I said shut up and fucking listen!" Ada shouted. "Now most of you were in France... So you know what happens next. I've got brothers and a husband here, but you've got somebody waiting for you. Now, I am wearing black in preparation."
Tommy was trying to keep his panic from his face. There stood his only sister, his only nephew and the woman he loved in between 40 aimed guns. This wasn’t part of the plan at all. “Marta you need to go.” He warned, his voice firm.
“Have you lost your mind?” Freddie called out to his wife but she quickly cut him off and all the men were careful not to shoot as Ada and Marta spoke.
"We all need to go, Tommy," Marta said. "You, your men, Kimber, his men, Ada and I... We all need to go. You all were in France but you didn't learn. This will only lead to more death..." Marta sighed.
"I want you to look at me," Ada looked at Freddie and then turned to the men. "I want you all to look at us! Who will be wearing black for you?" Ada asked. She spoke with emotion, yet she was keeping herself from sounding too emotional. "Think about them. Think about them right now."
There could be no leaving. There could be no standing down. Yet Tommy still lowered his gun slightly, pointing the barrel down from Kimber’s face until it was pointing at the floor.
"And fight if you want to but the baby is not moving," she looked at the man and then looked at Marta. "And we are not either!"
“She’s right you know… even the whore is right.” Kimber spoke clearly over the sound of the crying baby. “Why should all you men die? It should just be them who caused it!” And with those words Kimber stepped forward and simultaneously drew his weapon, shooting a single bullet straight into Tommy’s chest.
Tommy felt the sudden searing in his chest and stumbled backwards a few paces. The world seemed to move in slow motion.
Freddie stepped forward, the machine gun pointed at Kimber’s gang. “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” He yelled. “Ada move away! Move Karl away!”
Marta jumped when she heard the gunshot. She was quite close to Tommy, so she knew that the bullet flew right past her. She felt a hand pulling her away from the line of fire. It was probably Arthur. She was looking over at Tommy. She wanted to run to him.
Ada couldn't help but stay where she was. The pram with Karl was not in front of Tommy and Kimber and neither was Ada. They were on the sides.
Tommy had been shot before, but you never got used to the sudden feeling of impending doom or the feeling of all the air being forced out of your body. He was hunched over for a few moments as he caught his breath. The sensation of warm blood rushing from his chest and down his arm made his face feel cold, yet his head was full of rage. That bastard had shot him.
With that thought there was no hesitation as Tommy forced himself up straight and in the blink of an eye outstretched his arm and squeezed the trigger of his revolver firing one single bullet that shot Kimber straight between his eyes. It was a perfect shot and Kimber’s body hit the ground with a dull thud, the man’s sleazy smile still plastered on his face. “Enough!” Tommy barked, followed by a few seconds of silence as he caught his breath, looking slightly uneasy on his feet. “Fucking enough!” He took another moment to steady himself. Thankfully it seemed Kimber was a bad shot and had missed his heart. “Kimber and I fought this battle one on one… and he lost.” Tommy spoke. “It’s over. Now go home to your families.” With that Kimber’s men lowered their guns and retrieved their fallen leader's body as they retreated back to their vans.
Freddie kept his gun pointed at the men until they were out of danger before suddenly dropping his machine gun to the floor and rushing to Ada and Karl. “Oh Ada.” He said, checking on his boy before kissing her. “Fucking hell Ada.”
Ada sighed and walked over to pick up her baby. She bounced Karl and hugged Freddie with one hand before kissing him. "Fuck you. You shouldn't have done this."
Freddie kissed Ada and then Karl, rubbing the small boys back as their little family reunited. “If it saves me another beating from your brother it will be worth it.” He spoke lightheartedly, trying to disperse the tension.
Ada punched Freddie in the shoulder. "Let's go, before the coppers arrive. Let's go to The Garrison," Ada pulled Freddie with her. She walked, leading the way and carrying Karl.
Freddie gave Ada a cheeky smile and rubbed his arm as they started to walk. He pushed the pram beside her as his strong willed wife strode the streets of small heath back to the garrison. “I fucking love you Ada Thorne.” He spoke.
Marta watched on. She was so happy that Kimber didn't have shooting lessons with Tommy. She looked at Tommy dealing with Kimber once and for all. It was a good sign. Kimber would never hurt more women or men again. His woman would get some money as a settlement and she could start a new life. Maybe she would be a milliner again. Once the danger was gone. She walked over to Tommy. "Tommy, are you alright?" She asked him. "Tell me, where does it hurt?"
Tommy’s eyes were fixed on Kimber’s men until they had retreated to a safe distance before he finally lowered his arm and gun. His breathing was rather shallow and once Marta reached him he placed his bloody hand over the small hole in his jacket to try and keep some pressure on the wound. “I’m alright.” He spoke softly, his other hand resting on her hip. “But you could have been killed Marta… what were you thinking?”
"You can't keep fighting, Tommy," Marta looked at him. She tried to see the wound. She tried to see because then she would know how to help. "Please," she whispered. "You can leave France and crimes in the past. Let's be together and let's be happy. You don't need to fight your whole life. I love you," Marta said. "Please don't put yourself in more danger than it's worth."
Tommy took a moment to respond. There would always be fighting and dodgy deals to be made, regardless of how legitimate their business was to become. Tommy was ruthless and ambitions, there would be no limits to the lengths the Shelby Company Limited would rise to. But first he needed to get this bullet out of his chest. His other hand reached up to her cheek, his thumb moving softly against her skin. “I love you.” He spoke. “But there will always be someone who wants Thomas Shelby dead.” He added, his face starting to look a little pale as the wound in his chest continued to bleed.
Marta closed her eyes and looked down at their shoes. She sighed. She shook her head a bit. "I love you too Tommy, but…” she looked around. The men were gathering around Tommy and telling him that they should deal with the injury. "Sometimes I feel that the one who wants Tommy Shelby dead the most is Tommy Shelby himself.” With that, Marta left for the B & B. She would not serve the men drinks while they patched up Tommy, they could do that themselves.
Tommy couldn’t argue with her words. Perhaps once they had been true, but things could be different. Maybe things could be different with her at his side. It had never been part of his plan… but plans could change and she had changed some part of him. “Marta… Marta wait.” He spoke weakly as she started to walk but the men continued to fuss over him. “Alright-alright.” He finally agreed to let Jeremiah tend to him and they helped him inside the pub.
The men helped Tommy into The Garrison and grabbed him some whisky. He would need it, removing a bullet was a painful venture. A little while later the bullet was sitting in a cup of liquor on the table and Tommy was resting. A short rest before his next move, London would now be theirs for the taking and before long they would run every track in the country.
In her room, Marta was thinking about everything. She had Tommy on her mind. She loved the Shelby family and she loved Tommy. But was it enough? Was it enough to make her stay when there was always the threat of it all going to hell? Marta pulled out the letter from her father. ‘I understand if you have your own life in Birmingham, but if you don't, I would be happy to welcome you…’ Marta read the part many times. She then began to pack her stuff, but as she packed she felt like changing her mind, so she unpacked a few things and then began to pack up again. She did this a few times before all her things were packed. The only thing left was a bottle of lingonberry schnapps and Tommy's old tie he had left here all that time ago. Marta sat down. She began to write a short letter. It read:
Dear Tommy,
I love you. For a while, I felt like I truly belonged somewhere. I belonged in your world. I had my place in it. But your world has gotten bigger since then, and I am sure it will continue to grow.
I am not sure I have a place in this new world.
Please, take care of Midwinter; he is yours. He's always been. Tell Finn that I am sorry, but I won't be coming to our weekly reading session.
I still think we should've stayed in the hay.
Marta
Marta sniffled and wiped her tears as she placed the bottle of schnapps onto the letter. She then left her room with her stuff in the same bag she used to move from her tent home.
It was hard to leave for Marta. But she did it. She took all the money she had saved and left her B & B room. She had no idea what her future would hold but her heart ached for the Shelby she had met. She walked to the train station and waited for a train, whilst she waited she couldn't help but feel like somebody was watching her.
The inspector was lurking in the shadows. The day hadn’t been so much of a success as he had hoped for. After standing all officers down he had hoped the Shelby’s would have perished, victims of their own greed. Yet they still stood. Thomas would survive his chest wound… but would he survive a broken heart. He stepped out of the shadows smoking his pipe. “Running away?” He spoke in his thick Irish accent.
Marta turned her head to the man and then looked back as she waited for her train. "Not running away. Just leaving..." she replied. She had no desire to talk to this old dog right now. She was still wrapping her head around leaving Tommy and his family. She loved them all. She just knew, she had to get on the train. Otherwise, she would turn around and go say sorry to Tommy.
“No no no.” The inspector responded, wagging his pipe at her before smoking it again. “You couldn’t change the murderous Tommy Shelby, so you are running away.” The inspector had a sick smile on his face. He would enjoy this and the pain it would bring. “This will break his heart, you know.”
Marta took a deep breath and watched the old man. She saw him as something that definitely changed her relationship with Tommy. She would even say that this old copper was the first big problem they have ever had. When the copper told them he would kill all the Shelby’s all those nights ago… Something in Tommy changed and something changed in Marta. “This breaks hearts, yes,” Marta said. “Doesn’t it scare you? A broken-hearted Tommy Shelby?”
The inspectors smile didn’t seem to fade as she spoke, infact it seemed to grown between smokes on his pipe. “I should thank you. A broken hearted Shelby will be reckless.” He explained. “A broken hearted Shelby will be careless.” The inspector continued. “A broken hearted Shelby will be far easier to get a noose around his neck.” And with that final statement he turned to leave the platform.
Marta bit her lip. She saw her train incoming on the second rail track. She couldn’t leave the copper here with Tommy, right? She took a deep breath. “W-wait, inspector…” Marta took a few steps towards the copper and when she was close enough, she pushed him off the platform and into the rail track. She heard a crack. Perhaps he had hit his head on the rail? Then, she ran to her train. As she sat down, she thought, did she just commit her first murder? She did not even need a gun for it.
The inspector hadn’t seen it coming, and between the fog and the darkness no one else did either. He fell down to the tracks with a thud, his leg twisting awkwardly and snapping before his head hit the rails and the lights went out.
Chapter 24: Cubans & Heartlines
Notes:
Just a quick note about the timeline, all cannon events that occurred during the second and third series would have taken place (excluding Tommy getting his whole family arrested and the death of Father Hughes) just in a shorter period of time to fit our plot line.
Hope you are all enjoying :)
Chapter Text
3 Years Later
A lot has changed in Birmingham in the past few years. The Peaky Blinders changed too. They went from small to medium grade criminals to quite the businessmen. However, business on the edge of legality had its darker and dangerous sides. It was so dangerous it sometimes killed people. It was not only the people you hated that died, sometimes it was your loved ones.
“Are you sure we can trust these… Cubans? We don’t even know who their boss is. Only thing we know is that he’s got contacts with Al Capone…” Arthur walked behind Tommy. Arthur had changed, Tommy had changed… They were both older, the grizzled men of Birmingham. They arrived at a new establishment that was about to open in a few days. The name was Cosmos and it was empty, except for two men sitting by the bar. “The boss will be here soon,” they had a thick Cuban accent that was certainly out of place in the middle of the city.
The Shelby Company Limited was now a global name. There had been a lengthy battle for London and new relationships formed, and plenty of bodies that had followed their expansion. “We will see Arthur.” Tommy responded simply, smoking his cigarette as they walked.
In their expansion they had become one of the most wealthy families in the north of the country. Each now had their own house and fancy cars. John and Esme had a house in the country with plenty of space for their growing family to run around, and plenty of dogs to keep their ever growing number of kids entertained. Polly had her dream house that she now shared with her long lost son, Michael who had taken over most of the accounting side of their various businesses. Arthur had met a woman whom he had married.
Then there was Tommy. Alone with his maids in a house far too big for one man. Ever since that day with Kimber Tommy had grown cold and no one had spoken the gypsy women’s name in his presence after they had discovered the letter along with a bottle of schnapps and his tie. He had truly believed she had been the one, but she had left his heart aching and the smile she brought to his lips had not been seen in a very long time.
Michael followed behind the two brothers going over his notes. “I mean the figures look good Tommy.” He said, following the men into the new bar. The Garrison had been remodeled in the last few years, but this placed almost looked as good as their pub.
At the Cuban men’s comment Tommy checked the time on his watch. Tardiness was no longer tolerated. He was a busy man. Tommy took a seat in a rather comfortable looking arm chair and slouched back into it, a rather unimpressed expression on his face. “If he is not here before the agreed time he can take his deal, and shove it up your arse.” He stated plainly, pointing at one of the men. “Michael get us some whisky will you.” He then asked, lighting a cigarette before checking the time on his pocket watch.
The bar looked just so gaudy with all the chairs and armchair being bright coloured. There was a long bar. The bottles of alcohol had already been stacked there by the new employees. It was mostly imported stuff, American, Cuban… you name it. Was the import illegal? Yes. It was. But if he owner of the bar had a friend or a ex friend who had import and export in his hands. Maybe something could be done about it.
“We’ve bourbon here, American whisky. Not the gasoline y’all sip here,” one of the men said. He looked jolly. In fact, both the guards looked quite happy to be there. The British Isles were their new start somehow. Birmingham wasn’t the prettiest city to start a new life, but it was better than nothing. One of the men poured the bourbon for their guests. “And you should try the premium tequila. Our boss loves it.”
“American fucking whisky.” Tommy said to himself, shaking his head as he rested his pocket watch on the table so he could easily see the time. “American fucking whisky?” He repeated again, scoffing to himself and shaking his head once more as he looked to his brother Arthur who had sat down beside him at the table before his attention moved back to his watch. Two more minutes, that was all he would wait. Patience was not his strong suit these days.
‘Blood seeping through her clothes, a body lying on top of her. A searing pain in her thigh, and just a few words on her mind. My God, if I survive this. I will make sure it will never happen again.’
Marta shook her head at the fleeting thought and sighed as she drove her new car to her new bar. Some would definitely say that she was a new woman. She had new clothes. Her hair was nicely done. She looked a little bit older, more mature. Perhaps it was the clothing, or life experiences. She got out of her car, picked up a basket of exotic fruits, cigars and alcohol then walked through the back entrance of the bar. “Hello. I am glad we are all here now,” she said as if she was not the one late. She walked from behind the bar confidently. Then she saw Tommy. It was like someone had punched a hole into her chest. She placed the basket on the bar. “Pour me tequila,” she told her guard as she removed her driving gloves. Yes. She had gloves for driving a car now. She had well fitted dark red trousers and a cream white blouse with a pretty bow on the chest, and she had a long coat, because Birmingham was much colder than Cuba. Marta then sat down on the chair opposite to Tommy. She could see Arthur almost falling off his chair from the corner of her eye.
Arthur did want to wolfishly whistle when he saw that the “boss” was indeed a woman. However, then he noticed it was Marta. He was smiling and he couldn’t stop. This was too good, but he knew that Tommy might blow. He hoped that Marta’s guards were good guards.
Before Tommy could decide on another drink there was a voice from behind him that seemed to stop the world from spinning. His head didn’t turn in her direction and Micheal who had remained standing looking between them all with a rather confused expression on his face as he lowered his pen slightly.
“No.” Tommy stated plainly, scooping his pocket watch from the table, and as Marta sat he stood. “No fucking deal.” He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, and instead looked to Arthur. “And get someone to come burn this fucking bar down.”
Marta thought that the reaction could have been worse. Tommy could have shot her on the spot. She understood him. It was not easy to come back to the city. She was afraid to meet Finn again. They were good friends and Marta believed that Finn, being similar to Tommy, would probably be very mad. Marta looked up at Tommy. She pressed her painted lips together before speaking. “Sit back down Tommy, please,” she said. “Would you like a tequila or a cigar?” She looked at Tommy before she looked at Arthur. He looked like he would like a cigar or tequila, or both. Maybe an orange to top it off.
“I mean, Tommy… she is the contact to the big guy,” Arthur looked up at his brother. “We could use the contact and then burn the bar.”
The guards stood up from the barstools. The boss looked calm, so they just felt like showing off their strength so that the guy didn’t try any funny business. They were sure that their boss was armed. She rarely wasn’t.
“Shut up Arthur.” Tommy spoke firmly, straightening his jacket as he took a couple steadying breaths. What on earth was she thinking coming back to the city like this. It was certainly a curveball he hadn’t been expecting and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. When Marta spoke it was the first time his eyes looked at her properly. It was the same face he often dreamed of, the same face that had broken his heart and here she was back in his city with her fucking fancy new bar, her leather fucking driving gloves and her exotic fucking drinks. His face was expressionless and he didn’t give the guards a glance as they rose from their seats. After she had spoken in one moment of anger he kicked his leg at the table, sending her basket of drink and cigars crashing to the ground.
Michael seemed to be taking everything in. The business opportunity was a good one, but perhaps his mother’s warning of the gypsy women that had broken Tommy’s heart was the situation that was playing out infront of him. It was not something he wanted to involve himself in and he took a few steps back and closed his notepad when the table went flying.
Marta looked at Tommy. She hoped that Tommy would sit and calm down. They could make this work. It was just a deal about bringing a few crates of Cuban produce to Birmingham. She was sure that it would not be such a big deal. Tommy’s business empire was far bigger than Marta’s. She thought that Tommy could use another business partner. She hoped that Tommy knew that Marta wouldn’t sell him out. But he was just so mad. When the table went flying, Marta stayed sitting. She was calm. The table just rolled over. She looked at it and sighed. She put her hand up for the guards as they moved towards Tommy. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Marta’s hand.
Marta took a deep breath and then got up. “Very well,” she said. “I guess that you need time to think and reconsider,” Marta nodded. “I will give you time,” she hummed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper. “If you need to speak will me, I’ll be in the former Blenkinsop estate, now Cabrera estate.” Marta offered her hand to Michael to shake hands. She did the same with Arthur. She omitted Tommy, because he would probably break her arm. “It was nice seeing you,” she nodded and then turned to leave.
By the time Marta had shaken Arthur and Michael’s hands Tommy was on his way out of the door. He didn’t know what to think, or what to feel. Perhaps it was shock that had caused his reaction, shock as the thoughts of her returned after those years of loneliness. Once he had stepped outside he ran his hands over his face, letting out a harsh sigh of frustration as he waited for Arthur and Michael.
Michael was still rather confused by Tommy’s reaction to the meeting and wiped the look of surprise off of his face as the woman shook his hand. “It was nice to meet you, Miss Cabrera.” He spoke professionally before he followed the brothers out the door.
“The pleasure was mine, Mr Gray.” She told the accountant.
Marta let out a small sigh as she walked behind the bar. She finally took a sip of her tequila and then placed the glass on the counter. She looked at the mess. “Call someone to clean it up,” she said. “And send more boys here. I don’t want this bar to burn,” the woman nodded. She stayed in the bar. She didn’t want to meet Tommy on the street by the cars.
Once the men had appeared Tommy started walking to his car. There was only one person he needed to converse with about this new development, and it was Polly. He didn’t utter a single word to Arthur and Michael as he drove rather wildly, his knuckles white with the way he clenched the steering wheel.
Polly felt like something was up when she heard Tommy’s car stop by the house. She thought that they were supposed to make a deal? Making a deal usually took longer than this, right? She got up from the table and walked to the door to open it. “What are you doing here?” She asked as she looked at her nephews and her son. Tommy looked like he had seen a ghost. Could it be…?
Michael looked a little concerned as they arrived back at the doorstep of his home with his mother. He hadn’t much idea of what had happened in the past, but Tommy had hardly spoke as he drove and he gave his Mom a slight shrug of his shoulders as they entered the house.
Tommy went first, walking past Polly and heading straight for her drinks trolley. He looked at the crystal decanter of whisky and pulled off the stopper before pouring himself a large glass. “She’s come back.” He spoke, eventually breaking his silence before he took a gulp of his whisky and gestured to Arthur and Michael. “You two leave us.” He spoke before sinking down into an armchair.
Arthur sighed and then grabbed a glass for him and Michael. He poured them both whisky. He then led Michael outside to the garden. “This is fucking crazy Michael…” Arthur nodded. “But fuck does she look good in those posh clothes.”
“I’ve never seen Tommy look like that.” Michael spoke once they were outside and took a sip of his whiskey before he lit a cigarette and offered one to Arthur. He had adjusted to the family business well, and though his Mum had forbidden him from getting involved in any of the darker sides of the business he was still eager to dabble. Plus what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her… unless she saw it in her dreams. “So that was Marta?”
“Yeah,” Arthur said. “I have seen him like this only a few times,” the man nodded. “That was Marta,” Arthur nodded. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes and offered Michael one. “She came to us when we were just small criminals who fixed races and broke windows of cars and stole them. Fucked women and drank till our livers almost fell out. It was right after the war. I guess she was a breath of fresh air. She was especially a breath of fresh air for Tommy.”
Michael thanked Arthur and took a cigarette before lighting it with his own lighter. He nodded his head along with the elder man’s words. Michael was a smart lad, gathering and understanding information was a skill of his along with numbers. “So Tommy loved her?” He asked, and by the way Marta had looked at Tommy it seemed she had once loved him too. “So why did she leave?”
Arthur nodded. “I think he did love her,” Arthur said. “I would suppose that if Tommy ever loved someone it was Marta,” he blew out the smoke. He then looked at Michael. “Maybe he even loves her now. I don’t know. Tommy is complicated. And I guess Marta just got a little bit more complicated too. Before, she liked kids, she liked horses, she was a good barmaid. She was kinda funny too. She got mad quickly when Tommy teased her, but I guess that Tommy didn’t mind.”
“This whole family is bloody complicated.” Michael responded with a small laugh and took a sip of whisky. He’d never really drank before he had been reunited with his Mother. But the Shelby’s were influential people. “Hey Arthur. I was thinking maybe you could teach me how to shoot one night?” He then asked, his mind still mulling over the new information about Tommy’s past. But this was important to him despite his mother’s strict instructions not to allow him to carry a gun, though he knew one day it could save someone’s life.
"Damn right we are," Arthur nodded and patted Michael's back. He liked Michael. He was the man that looked at everything from the back seat. He did not go face first into a fight like Arthur, John and Tommy did... Like Finn now tended to do. They needed someone like that to do the counting. Before, he thought women should do it. Perhaps Marta or Polly, but then Marta left and Polly felt like enjoying her best years. "Aye, I'll teach ye, but don't tell yer mum. I don't want the tip of her fancy boots in my arse."
Michael let out a laugh as Arthur patted his shoulder. He felt at home with his real family, everything had started to make sense the day he had been reunited with his Mother. “I won’t tell her, don’t worry Arthur.” He then said with a nod of his head before he flicked his burnt out cigarette into a nearby empty plant pot. “How is Linda?” He then asked, chancing a glance through the window to see what Tommy and his mother were up to.
Arthur sighed when he heard his wife's name. Linda was a good woman, but he was probably not the best man, and it showed. "Oh, yes," Arthur said and nodded. "She is doing good. Baskin' in His glorious light and all of that," Arthur smiled. He had brought God into his life, but he had no idea if that helped him or not.
“God is good eh?” Michael replied with a laugh. He wasn’t too religious himself, as a young boy he was forced to attend church every Sunday with a rather nasty man by the name of Father Hughes. It was something Michael didn’t speak about. Nor would he. But it certainly changed his view on the church and its men despite how young he had been.
Polly had sat down at the table and nodded. “Pour me a drink as well, would you?” Polly hummed. She placed her hands on the table. “I am not surprised she’s back. I had dreams about her a few weeks ago,” Polly shrugged. “I don’t dream of people if they are not close. And I’ve also heard that Richard Blenkinsop died. They said he choked on food. He either really choked or someone stuffed a scone down his throat.” The woman tilted her head to the side. “What are you going to do? What did she want? Give me details, Tommy. Details.”
Tommy poured Polly a glass of whisky and held it out to her before he sunk back into the chair. He felt angry and confused plus rather insulted by the cheek of her to strut back to Birmingham without so much as a letter. “You could have warned me.” Tommy spoke simply before taking a large sip of his drink. “I don’t know-I don’t fucking know details Polly.” He responded, his frustration was evident as he clutched his glass tightly. “All I know is there was a new business setting up near the bull ring that wanted us to import goods and to sell us Cuban fucking cigars.”
”I could have warned you?” Polly asked and shook her head. “I don’t think I could, Tommy. If I had said I had dreams about Marta, then you would see to it that I never had dreams again,” Polly sighed. “If you don’t know the details. I can find out details. You said it was near the Bull Ring? And something about cigars?” She hummed. “I’ll see when the opening night is and I might go out for the night. And Cuban goods are hard to find, it’s good business. Not the right businesswoman, but a very good business.” Polly leaned forward and grabbed Tommy’s hand. She looked into his palm and hummed. “Of course.”
Tommy was obviously frustrated and gulped down his whisky as Polly spoke before hastily refilling his glass. “Well if you go take Michael with you… actually take someone that can fire a fucking gun.” He said, he didn’t know what to expect from these people. Nor did he know how Marta had resurfaced at the head of a Cuban gang with links to Al fucking Capone. He pinched the bridge of his nose before he felt Polly pulling at his hand. His fist was clenched and he let out a sigh as he slowly relaxed it. “What is it you see Pol?”
“I can fire a gun, Tommy,” Polly said. “I don’t think the thing that will stop Polly Gray is going to be Cuban immigrants,” Polly smirked and then looked intently at Tommy’s palm. “Hm,” she nodded. “You have a very curious heart line. What is more curious is that I know only one person that has the same or similar one.” Polly put Tommy’s hand back to the table. “We might need to swallow our pride, Tommy. If Marta really has connections to Capone, we will need her on our side. I would want to know if she ever met the Changrettas too.”
“Well just be careful, we don’t know much about these people.” Tommy said, watching as Polly examined his hand. When she mentioned his heart line he pulled his hand away and drank down the rest of his whisky. “She had her chance to be at my side Pol.” He said plainly. “She had her chance and she fucking left.”
Polly sighed and shook her head at her nephew. "You had a chance to have a normal life with her. You had a chance and you made different choices, Tommy. I mean. I felt that you two separated as the business with Kimber got more and more serious. And then you had the stand off." The woman shrugged. Polly wasn't reading someone's palm for the first time. If they had a similar heart line. It wasn't a coincidence.
“She can’t tell me to stop fighting. Stop the bad stuff.” Tommy then stated and got to his feet. “She doesn’t get to ask that of me, and then fuck off to Cuba to illegally smuggle goods back in to the docks.”
"Her leaving was all too strange, to be honest," Polly shrugged. "She didn't even say anything. Maybe she had a reason, Tommy. And maybe now that she is a bad guy herself, she will understand you more." Polly shook her head. "Do whatever you want. Just don't do things you would regret, or that would attract police, or that would kill you."
“A reason?” Tommy repeated; nodding his head as he got to his feet. “You wanna know what her reason was Polly?” He said as he took her neatly folded letter from his jacket pocket. Tommy still carried it with him after all these years. “She wanted to stay in the fucking hay. Not smuggle cigars.”
Polly looked at the folded piece of paper and then shrugged. "She couldn't stay in the hay, so she went to smuggle cigars." Polly shook her head. "I don't know Tommy. I am not her. Maybe she had more reasons she didn't want to tell you." Polly sighed. "But she is now here. She is doing business. And she has links to a vital person for us. If you want to kill her, do it after you have got a hold of Capone."
Tommy took back the letter and returned it to his jacket. Of course he didn’t want to kill her. But he was hurt. Like a wounded stag and she was the one who had caused his pain and sent him on his wicked path. Perhaps things would have been different. But he certainly couldn’t see things going back to how they were. “She’s probably fucking married anyway.” He spoke to himself as he picked up his car keys from the table. “Get Michael to take Arthur home.” He then said as he walked to the door.
"Right," Polly said and leaned back in her chair. She did not think that Marta was married, and if she was, it wouldn't be for long. Their hands spoke their truth. "Tell Marta I said hello," Polly called out after Tommy and then went to choose the most appropriate outfit for the Cuban bar opening. She then had to go to the city to ask around and find out more about it.
Tommy shook his head to himself at Polly’s final comment as he made his way outside. She always knew.
Out in the garden Arthur laughed and then patted Michael on the back. "My man has a posh taste," he nodded. "Good for you, Michael. You've got schooling and you're quite smart. Use that to get a rich wife," Arthur advised Michael.
Michael laughed at Arthur’s enthusiasm. He had always found the eldest Shelby rather funny, whereas John hadn’t seemed to take to him quite as well. Perhaps he had felt threatened by his arrival to the family. He heard an engine start in the distance and checked the window to see his mother was no longer in the sitting room. “I think Tommy’s gone.” He said, deciding atleast that they could now head back inside.
"Let's go inside. Tommy doesn't eat, so if Polly made a sponge it would still be there!" Arthur smirked and got up. He walked with Michael inside the house and asked Polly for the sponge. Linda baked sponge sometimes, but... It was not as good as Polly's.
Once the men were inside Michael perched on the kitchen counter as his mother sliced them some sponge. “Why doesn’t Tommy eat?” He asked curiously. Come to think of it he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Tommy eat at infront of anyone.
"I don't know," Arthur shrugged. "He seems to just live off of cigarettes, whisky, sex, and a little bit of mint here and there." Arthur.
"Oh, shut up you two. And tell me, how does Marta look like now?" Polly wanted the men to spill the tea, figuratively of course.
Michael found Arthur just as funny as ever and laughed softly as he took a slice of cake from his mum. “I dunno what she looked like before.” He then spoke, glancing to Arthur. “But she seemed… I don’t really know how she seemed.”
"You didn't help much, Michael," Polly smiled and then looked at the two taking a slice of cake. Arthur's slice was much bigger than Michael's but Polly didn't mind. She knew Arthur very well.
"She's got posh clothes now, Pol. I think she did something to her hair too," Arthur spoke with his mouth half full. "And she puts lipstick on now. And she drinks smuggled tequila."
“Well I’ve never met the woman.” Michael stated, giving Arthur a small kick with his dangling leg. “What was she like before?” He asked curiously.
Polly shrugged. "She was nice," she said. "She liked to take care of the kids and she helped at The Garrison as a barmaid."
Arthur took a bite from the sponge. "But she wore scarves instead of shirts," Arthur nodded. "Those with dangly golden bits. She had a horse. She left it here and gave it to Tommy. The fucker had bitten me many times."
Michael took everything in, she sounded like a lovely woman. Perhaps she was too nice for Tommy, or maybe there was something hidden beneath the surface that none of them could see. “Every horse tries to bite you Arthur.” He then pointed out before jumping down off the counter and washing up his plate. He liked to try and help his mum around the house.
"Oh! And she once fought a lady! It was..." Arthur began to talk and then slightly deflated. "It was at John's wedding..." Arthur looked down at the plate and then leant back in the chair. "Those were the good times," the man nodded. He then sipped on tea before looking at the clock. "I guess I need to go back home. Linda will be mad."
“She had a fight at John’s wedding?” Michael repeated, a little shocked, the woman sounded like an interesting character to say the least. “I can drive you.” He then offered.
"She did. And yes, thanks," Arthur said and smiled at his aunt. "Thanks, Polly," he then walked out of the house. "Let's smoke one more before we go, eh?"
“I’ll be late tonight Mum.” Michael said as he gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Isiah and I are going in to the city.” He said, giving her a smile before following his cousin outside. “You can smoke in the car Arthur.” He said, lighting one of his own cigarettes as he climbed into the driver's seat. Michael had never smoked before he met his family, and now he couldn’t stop.
Arthur didn't want to go home yet, but since Michael was so nice, he got into the car and lit a cigarette for himself. "Sorry, Linda doesn't like it when I smoke so, I usually smoke somewhere else," he shrugged. "The things I do for love and the love of God." Arthur smiled.
Michael couldn’t quite believe Arthur would change his smoking habits for his wife. If there was one thing the Shelby’s did well, it was smoke. “You can always join us for a drink if you’d rather avoid your wife Arthur.” He joked as he started to drive.
"Nah," Arthur laughed as he smoked, savoring every puff of his precious cigarette. He would have to hide the pack of cigarettes from his wife. He had to remember to do that. "I don't know if you two would want an old fart like me to tag along. Besides, Linda would be rather mad the next day."
“They keep telling me you are the life and soul of the party, Arthur.” Michael said, his cigarette hanging between his teeth as he lent over and playfully hit Arthur’s arm. “You’re not an old fart just yet.” He said. From the tales of his cousin he had heard he struggled to believe he would take orders from anyone other than Tommy, but Linda seemed to be training him up rather quickly.
"I was the life of the soul to the party, yes," Arthur nodded. "But that was a long time ago." A long time ago, in Arthur's vocabulary, meant about two weeks. "I am getting there rather quickly."
“She will have you doing the dishes soon enough.” Michael joked and with that he pulled into Arthur’s driveway and flicked his spent cigarette out of the open window. He could see Linda in the kitchen window and gave her a wave.
Arthur gulped once they were in the driveway. He threw his cigarettes into Michael's lap. "Hold onto this for me," he said and then got out of the car. He waved at his wife too. The cigarette in the driveway would cost him.
Michael was a little confused by Arthur flinging the cigarette into his lap and as he watched Arthur walk up the driveway he tossed the second cigarette from the window. He took a small metal bottle-like object from his pocket and poured some of the white powder onto the back of his hand, snorting it quickly before he backed out the driveway and headed to meet his friend. Cigarettes hadn’t been the only vice the Peaky Blinders had introduced him to.
Chapter 25: Dogs & More Cubans
Chapter Text
Once he’d left Polly’s house Tommy got into his car and drove to the Cabrera estate, by the time he had arrived it was getting dark and once he had pulled up at the end of the long driveway outside the house he shut off his engine. But he couldn’t bring himself to get out just yet. There were lights on in the house and he watched the windows for any sign of movement as he tried to come to terms with the fact she was actually back. Many nights he’d found himself at the bottom of a bottle of whisky wishing for her to return and help mend his broken heart. Yet now she was back he couldn’t feel anything but anger.
Marta was outside at the back of the house. She went to see the horses there. It was slowly getting dark, but she still thought that she would go see them and pet them. It was a good way of calming down after a long day.
The lights were on and someone passed in front of the window from time to time. It was the maids. Marta hired new ones after Blenkinsop died. Only one maid wanted to stay. Her name was Amber. Marta and she were thick as thieves ever since Amber helped Marta get rid of Blenkinsop. The dogs noticed Tommy though. They were the same ones that Marta and Finn met when they went to steal books. The German shepherds barked.
Tommy must have sat in his car for 10 minutes before he finally managed to force himself to get out of the vehicle. He took a deep breath and started to walk towards the front door. The dogs approached him barking and he spoke to them in Romani. ‘Quiet’ He said, and just like that they seemed to fall quiet before he grabbed hold of the large door knocker. The dogs stopped barking but followed Tommy to the door. They just wanted and needed to sniff him. He smelled okay to them, so they demanded pets.
The door opened a few seconds after Tommy had knocked. A blonde woman opened the door, she had huge doe-like gray eyes and was very young. "What do you need, sir?" She peeped. She was very soft-spoken.
‘Good boy.’ Tommy spoke in Romani as he pet the large German Shepherd behind his ear. When the door opened he straightened himself up and gave the maid a quick look up and down before he invited himself into the house. “The Cuban fucking gypsy.” He spoke simply, walking to the centre of the entrance hall and looking around the room.
Amber was pushed into the house. She was a little bit scared of Tommy. She hadn’t had a good experience with men. Or well, with one man. The man was Richard Blenkinsop. "Sir. You can't just walk in..." she told Tommy. "Who-who did you say you wanted?" Amber wasn't stupid, but she had never heard someone refer to Marta as The Cuban Gypsy.
Tommy didn’t seem to pay the maid much attention as he looked around the entrance hall, he was taking everything in - mainly to compare with his own entrance hall. He was sure his was grander. When the maid finally got his attention he looked to her with a rather blank expression on his face, he couldn’t even bring himself to use Marta’s name. “The fucking woman. I’m here to see the woman.” He said, pointing to a large drawing room off the entrance hall. “I’ll wait in here.” Tommy said and started to walk in that direction, one short whistle and the dogs seemed to follow him. “And bring me some whisky- proper fucking whisky, not that American shit.”
Amber took a deep breath as she saw the man walk in like he owned the place. The last one who walked around here like that got his fair share of cyanide in his eggs. Amber was told many times, that she needed to find her voice. She was the main maid here. She took a deep breath and raised her voice. "The dogs are not allowed inside, sir!" She turned to the dog. "Out, out, both of you. Shoo!" For a soft-spoken gal, she sure knew how to deal with the dogs. She closed the door once the dogs were outside.
"And, sir. If you are looking for Miss Cabrera, she is outside at the stables. I can show you to the stables."
Tommy stopped rather abruptly in the doorway of the sitting room and turned around to face the maid. He then took a couple of steps closer to her. His patience was running thin and he wasn’t much in the mood for games, for all he knew there could be people waiting for him in the stables after his outburst at the bar. “You will bring her here.” He said firmly, his voice rather demanding and cold. “With my fucking whisky. Before I start shooting people.”
All the fight Amber had in her got lost when Tommy turned around and walked up to her. Amber took one wobbly step back and listened to Tommy. "Alright," she said. She then rushed through the hall. She went to look for Miss Marta.
Marta was petting the only mare on the estate. Her name was Athena. Marta loved to stick to this theme. She had horses named Athena, Apollo, and Hermes since the dogs' names were Hades and Zeus. She heard Amber running to her. She told her about a strange blue-eyed man in the drawing room. Marta nodded and went with Amber.
"Erm, Miss Cabrera?" Pablo, the gardener stopped Marta on her way to the house. "Sylvia is still working on one of the rooms and I have to finish something too. Would you mind taking Maria inside... and maybe look after her?" Pablo pointed at his little daughter.
"Oh, sure," Marta nodded with a smile. She picked up the pretty two-year-old girl and walked into the house. Amber said that she had to fetch whisky. Marta nodded. She then walked into the drawing room still wearing the clothes she had been wearing earlier that day at the bar.
Tommy was waiting rather impatiently in the drawing room. If he thought too much about the situation he knew he would loose his temper again, but he also couldn’t quite understand why he had come here. Was it because of love. Or was it for business. Because in that moment he wasn’t sure he could face either. He was looking out the large window with his arms folded when he heard someone enter the room and closed his eyes for a moment. ‘Be calm’. He told himself.
Marta gently moved Maria so that she would sit higher on her hip. The little girl had blue eyes like her mother's and dark hair like her father's. Marta loved the blue eyes. She always envied people for them, because her eyes were hazel. Maria hummed softly. She was holding a tiny teddy bear in her hand. Marta walked over to the sofa. "I've heard you wanted to speak to me," Marta sat down. "You got comfortable, I see," she nodded. "I just want to ask you not to be too nasty to Amber. She'd been through a lot with Blenkinsop."
“I don’t fucking care about…” Tommy finally turned around when he heard Marta speak. Being in the same room as her felt… strange. For all he knew she had been dead. He had heard nothing of Marta Cabrera since the day she had left. Just as he was about to retort his eyes fell on the little girl and it stopped the words in their tracks. She looked a little older than 2… and it had been around 3 years since Marta had left.
Marta was sitting on the sofa. She was a little bit tired. She was glad to see Tommy. And she was glad to hear that there had been no attempts to burn her bar down yet. She felt like Birmingham could use something bright, something nice for the Cuban folk and other immigrants. The dancefloor at the bar was huge. Marta hoped that she would get to dance there during the opening night. Marta looked at Tommy and she could almost see the wheels in his head turning. Maria was reaching for Marta's hair and tugging at it gently. "You wanted to say...?" Marta asked.
Tommy stayed silent and standing as he watched the young girl attempt to play with Marta’s hair, much like William used to do. It made his heart ache for would could have been. His thought was completely pushed from his mind as he took a few steps closer, his voice seeming a little less aggressive and firm than it had been before. “Is she…?” He then pointed to himself. It was the eyes.
Marta watched Tommy. He was not as aggressive as he was at the bar. But maybe it was just because the child was there. Marta then gasped, she didn't think Tommy would think that... Marta shook her head. "No. No. She is not..." Marta looked away from Tommy. "S-she's, she's not even mine," she confessed. Now that Tommy brought this up... yeah. Marta had thought about having children... but somehow it just didn't happen.
There was a gentle knock on the door. A woman walked into the room. "I am very sorry, Miss Cabrera..." It was Maria's mother. "I didn't know Pablo asked you to take Maria in. I told him not to do it again, I am sorry..." the woman had a thick accent, just like every Cuban person that was close to Marta.
Marta shook her head. "Don't worry about it Sylvia. How does the room look?" She asked the woman. "Oh, it just needs the furniture and it's done," Sylvia said. "I am sorry again. Good night, miss..." Sylvia just nodded at Tommy and then left with the small girl.
Tommy let out a deep breath at the revelation that it wasn’t his child, though there was the slightest hint of disappointment in his chest as he finally took a seat. When the woman came in he watched the interaction closely, how curious this all was. Or was it all for show. Once the woman and child were gone he could feel that anger towards her starting to bubble in his gut. Calm. Be fucking calm. “Where is my whisky?” He then finally spoke, taking a cigarette from his jacket and lighting it.
Marta knew that Tommy wouldn't be mad if she told him that it was his child. But since it wasn't their child, then she knew Tommy would be mad all he wanted. "I don't know," Marta said. "I am not a barmaid anymore," she nodded.
Amber came in without a word. She had been crying, but she did find what she was looking for. The last fucking whisky bottle in this house. She placed the glass next to Tommy and then quickly left.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed at her response and he didn’t speak again until the whisky had arrived. His eyes seemed to move around the room and look at anything other than the woman sitting opposite him. When Amber placed the glass and bottle onto the table beside him he muttered a quiet thanks and poured himself a large glass, gulping half of it down in one swift gulp before smoking his cigarette again. “So what exactly are you?” He finally spoke after what seemed an age of deafening silence. “The lady of a fancy house with maids and immigrant workers?” Tommy spoke, still unable to meet her gaze. “A woman that smuggles cigars and wears fucking driving gloves?”
Marta was looking at Tommy. She had never seen his eyes move around the room so much. Usually, he would look his opponent straight in the eyes. She had seen him do that with Kimber. Marta got up and went to pour herself tequila. She stood with her back turned to Tommy as she poured herself a heavy dose of it. "I would call myself a business woman who has the best interest of her people in mind." She shrugged and then her eyes fell on a small box on the tray with alcohol. Today was probably not the day for drugs. "And the driving gloves are actually very nice," she added. "You wear good quality clothing too."
Tommy took another gulp of his drink and once Marta had gotten up his eyes finally rested on her as she poured herself a drink, though of course she couldn’t see with her back turned. He looked back down to his glass and swirled the whisky in his hand, watching the liquid spin. “You weren’t a business woman before.” He stated. “You were a petty thief.”
Marta turned around and walked back to the sofa. "You are sitting in my chair, by the way," she said. She then sat on the sofa. "I believe I was a thief, then a barmaid, then a lady and lastly an ‘almost’ accountant for a pub. List my resume correctly, please," she took a sip of her drink. "And if I remember correctly, you owned a pub and you fixed races for profit." Marta shrugged. "It turns out that my mother and I... I have the same taste in men she used to have."
Tommy made no indication to move when she stated that he was in her chair and simply kept swirling his whisky around his glass. “Hmm.” He hummed again before raising his glass to his mouth and draining the remaining liquid from his glass. That was when he finally looked at her for the first time, those crystal blue eyes seemed colder than the last time they had seen each other properly. “What is that supposed to mean?” He asked, his head tilting slightly. Her hair seemed different, her face seemed different. She seemed different.
Marta tilted her head to the side too. She smiled and then shrugged. "Well," she said. "My father invited me to come to Cuba three years ago," she said. "And when I went to Cuba, I was surprised to see that my father was actually a businessman. The Cabrera family has a long tradition of producing the finest cigars and selling them to the northern customers, who are willing to pay," she nodded. "My father was a businessman," Marta said with a small nod. "A similar one to you, I might add."
Tommy couldn’t bring himself to smile, infact he wasn’t sure he’d smiled since the day he had read her letter. She had opened his heart and then closed it firmly shut. “So you left to sell cigars in Cuba.” He said, nodding his head slightly. Cigars over a life with Tommy Shelby, a sensible choice some would say. But Tommy felt differently.
"I didn't know about the cigars," Marta shook her head. "I just thought I would find my family. I thought I would find my place," she shrugged. "I didn't find it," she took a gulp from her tequila. "And I got to know my father only to lose him," Marta looked down into her glass. "What can I say?" She asked herself. "Us Mirga girls always want more, but in the end pay the price." Marta looked up at Tommy. "I don't want you to pity me. Let's talk business."
“You had a family with us.” Tommy responded, sitting up a little straighter as he watched her closely. Something had changed inside her, he could see that clearly. “And I don’t pity you. And I don’t want to talk fucking business.” He continued. “You told me you loved me and you fucking left me with an old tie and a bottle of fucking schnapps!”
"You didn't look like it mattered to you," Marta shrugged. "After John's wedding, we hardly ever saw one another. You wanted to talk business all the time. Not with me of course, because why would you? I was at The Garrison, and I played with your nieces and nephews and talked to your brothers, but I still felt like something was missing. It was you of course. And what I said was true, I..." Marta sighed and shook her head. "You told me that it didn't matter. Not if there was a fight present."
“It mattered.” Tommy responded simply. “Of course it mattered.” He added, pausing himself for a moment and pinching the bridge of his nose before he looked back at her. “I just had to get us over the fucking line.” Tommy explained. “I had Campbell breathing down my neck, and Kimber, well fucking Kimber needed to be dealt with. You wanted to stay in the hay but the world doesn’t stop Marta.” He went quiet for a few minutes after that, returning his attention to his whisky as he realised that was the first time her name had left his lips in years.
"I know that now," Marta said. "That the world doesn't stop," she put the glass on the table and then walked over to the window. It had started to rain. Marta couldn't see outside, because it was already dark, but she could watch the droplets of rain fall onto the window pane. "And when it stops, it's usually because something bad has happened," she added and sighed. "What happened to Campbell?" Marta asked.
“So you understand why I had to fight?” Tommy asked, his eyes watching his whisky. He took a sip and looked up again once she had gotten to her feet and was watching the rain fall. When she asked about Campbell Tommy lit another cigarette. “He’s dead.” He responded. There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy in his tone. He had made Tommy’s life difficult over the years and nearly had him killed after he had been kidnapped from Ascot racecourse. “Polly shot him.” Tommy added, moving to watch her over his shoulder. “I heard you were the reason he had to walk with that fucking wolf head cane.”
"I do," Marta sighed and shrugged. "Because I had to fight afterward too." She nodded to herself. "Serves him right, bastard," Marta whispered. "I thought I had killed him. He came to laugh in my face, so I pushed him onto a railway track. I hoped that a train would go through there soon. I was not sorry at all. He said that you would be an easier target for him once I was gone." Marta walked over to the table with booze again. "Are you sure you don't want a cigar and tequila?" She asked Tommy. "It's good stuff, really..." she said. As it turned out, it was actually the day for drugs. Marta was not someone who enjoyed "uppers" like cocaine. She loved the "downers"... the opiates.
“What did you have to fight?” Tommy asked curiously. This was a strange feeling for Tommy. Once upon a time she seemed to know him better than he knew himself, and he cared for her in a way he had never experienced before. Now… Now it was almost like they were strangers. He shook his head at her offer. “I’m still a man of habit.” He stated. Whisky and cigarettes were his comfort blanket… and occasionally morphine or opium of course. With that thought he lit himself a cigarette as he watched her tinker with the drinks tray. “Campbell wasn’t wrong.” Tommy always had a habit of rubbing important people up the wrong way. If it wasn’t the noose that came close it was something else, Sabini, or Alfie, or the fucking Changretta’s. “It’s just a shame they found him before the train came.” He added, perhaps then Polly would have at least been saved from her trauma.
Marta opened the small box and pulled out a tiny tiny spoon. She scooped up a small amount of the powder and put it on the back of her hand. She snorted it as Tommy was speaking. She then wiped her nose to get the powder residue off. She took a deep breath. She picked up a bottle of tequila and brought it over to the couch. "It's a shame," Marta nodded.
"I mean," Marta said. "I fought off all of the big Cuban competition," she nodded. "My father wanted to make a deal with another businessman. But it was a fucking trap. When we arrived there... There were just bullets flying. Out of 18 of us, three people survived," Marta shrugged. "I had to return the favour."
Cocaine? No, Tommy told himself. There was pain in her voice as she spoke and cocaine didn’t help with pain. “You should smoke it.” He commented as she rubbed her nose. After she had left that had been his last resort in an effort to try and sleep before he burnt himself out completely. There were certainly less bodies in his wake when he had a good night's sleep. He didn’t really know what else to say at that moment. It was obvious life had been hard for her these past few years, but no one had forced her to go. That had been her choice and if Tommy had had a choice, he would have wanted her to stay.
"Thanks," Marta said as she heard Tommy's advice. She poured herself a glass of tequila and leaned back on the sofa. "Well," she took a deep breath. "Then it was... it was not easy, but it was simple. I killed a few men, I spoke to a few men, made a few deals with men. And... here I am," she looked at Tommy. "Hearing that the Peaky Blinders would like to have a chat with Al Capone himself." She nodded. "Today is probably not the day to make any deals, but I want you to know that if it's about the Changrettas, then I will support you and your family. Changretta might be the snazzy Italian American who tries to woo ladies with bruschettas and pasta and pizza and whatever else his cooks can cook, but he would never pick up a coin from the floor, not even if it would save his life."
“So that’s why you have returned to Birmingham?” Tommy asked, smoking his cigarette between sentences. “Because the Peaky blinders have business in Chicago?” He shook his head, it seemed their days of riding horses down the canal were far behind them. They had both changed, and the world had changed around them but one thing that would never change were small men with their big ego’s. “Luca Changretta is no worry of mine.” He then added.
"I missed the views," Marta said and shrugged. "How's Midwinter by the way? And Finn? How is everyone doing?" She asked. "And..." she licked her lips. "If he's not a worry of yours, then why do you want to speak with Al Capone?" Marta was getting more tired by the second. The drugs had taken effect and the decision to wash them down with the alcohol was not the best one she had made today. "And I also wanted to spread my business from America. Birmingham seemed plausible. I know it here. And I had personal stuff to deal with here too."
“That’s a lot of questions.” Tommy pointed out and took a sip of his whisky. He could see she was feeling tired. Opium did that to you. “For someone that vanished in the blink of an eye and returns out of the fog, you sure do ask a lot of questions.” It had been a long time and he didn’t know who she had been rubbing coats with. For all he knew Luca could have sent her here himself. Could he still trust her, he couldn’t be sure. With that thought Tommy got to his feet. “The horse is fine, Finn still can’t read, Arthur got fucking married and John could field a team for Birmingham City with the number of kids he now has.” He needed some time to process this interaction. “But don’t you forget we run this city. It would be a shame for that fancy bar to burn down if you tread on our toes.”
"Can I come and see Midwinter sometimes?" Marta asked. "Don't think I didn't miss everything," Marta got up to her feet again and made a small step towards Tommy. "I made a decision and I paid the price." She concluded. She then looked into Tommy's eyes. "Oh, I would never tread on your toes," she shook her head. "In fact... Should The Garrison need some specialty goods, we can draw up something. I am sure we'll come to an agreeable conclusion." Marta offered Tommy her hand.
“I don’t know… I don’t know.” Tommy responded honestly. He wasn’t sure he could live with her dropping in and out of his life to visit a horse… There was a time where he had thought she would be the person he woke up beside everyday and that still hurt despite his efforts to hide it. As she looked into his eyes they seemed to show a hint of his sadness, the pain that had followed him since the day she had left. “You should set up a meeting with Michael.” He then responded, he couldn’t even bring himself to shake her hand. Tommy instead took a business card from his pocket and placed it into her outstretched hand. On it listed each of the members of the company board alongside their titles. Michael Gray was listed as the Chief of Accounting. “Call the office, they can schedule a meeting.”
Marta's eyes were really just dull. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the drugs. Maybe it was because her life had been shit too and it was her fault. But her eyes had lost their little twinkle, the promise of mischief, good fun and lightheartedness she once carried with her everywhere she went.
"A meeting with Michael," Marta whispered and then looked at the business card she got instead of a handshake. Marta nodded. "Yeah. I guess I'll do that. If any Shelby wants to come to the opening night at the bar, they can. It will be fun." She took a deep breath.
Tommy watched as she looked at the business card and for the briefest of moments his mind flashed back to the way they used to lie together. So much had changed. He wished he had enjoyed those moments more whilst they were his. “Good night Marta.” He then spoke, and with that he was gone and the drawing room door shut behind him as he walked into the rain.
"Good night," Marta said as she looked at the business card. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes for a couple of minutes. She then placed the card on the table and went about her night routine. She climbed into her bed alone, like many times before. She remembered everything. She remembered how good it all had felt and even when it turned slightly sour in her mind. If she had known then, what she knew now…
Marta closed her eyes. She usually had dreams. There were nice dreams about Tommy. There were not-so-nice dreams about Tommy. But with the drugs and alcohol in her system, there was nothing. It was all just pitch black. One would think that this kind of sleep would be good and Marta would be well-rested. It could not be further from the truth.
Tommy returned to his big empty house and went straight to his office. He lit a cigarette and poured himself some whisky before taking a seat at his desk. Sleep was still a struggle and there was a lot inside his head that he needed to get out before sleep was even a thought. Over the years he’d formed a habit of writing down the full exchanges of interactions he had with gang leaders and minutes from meetings with important statesmen. It helped his mind to file things away and he couldn’t help but feel like Marta’s return wouldn’t be the only surprise they would be facing. Every detail was important, even when others would overlook it. That is what made Tommy different and he put his pen to the paper.
There was a knock on the door. “Come in.” Tommy then called. “Would you like some tea Mr Shelby?” His head maid asked him. “No thank you Frances.” The woman was persistent. “Or perhaps some biscuits?” She then suggested which caused Tommy to momentarily look up from his paper. “I’m fine Frances, thank you. You can go to sleep.” The elder woman hesitated for a moment, she tried her best to look out for the lonely man of the house, but he rarely accepted help. “Ok… Goodnight Mr Shelby.” She spoke, and with that she was gone.
By the time Tommy had finished with his notes his whisky bottle was almost empty. He picked up the bottle like he did most nights and carried it up to his bedroom, occasionally drinking from it as he stumbled through the house before collapsing onto his bed.
Chapter 26: Blood Crows & Bicycles
Chapter Text
Marta used to love to sleep, but now, she couldn't stay asleep. She was up at five o'clock sharp. She decided to go horse riding before breakfast would be done. It was strange to ride a horse after so long. It was even stranger to ride a different horse than Midwinter. She rode in the direction of the city. She used the same route she had used when she escaped with Finn after stealing the books. The morning air was cold, but Marta liked it. She took a detour to see the pond she used to live by in her tent. She could not decide if she was happier then or now. Perhaps she was getting too old to be happy.
When she returned to the estate, the breakfast had already been served. She sat down at the table and began eating. "Miss Marta, I found this in the drawing room," Amber brought her the Shelby Company Limited business card. Perhaps it was time to make the deal... Even without Tommy?
Marta felt like her head was heavy. It was from the drugs. After breakfast, she lay down on the sofa in the drawing room. She could almost see Tommy sitting in her chair. She could almost smell his scent in the air and she wished that he would be there. Marta decided to rest. She couldn't possibly go deal with the Shelby's while not having her head in the game 100 %.
"I am worried for you, Miss Cabrera," Marta heard Amber say. "You should stop with the drugs. I have nothing against alcohol. But I am worried that the drugs will cost you..." Amber nodded.
Marta sighed. "I am alright, Amber. I don't take them often. I have it under control," Marta hummed.
"It's because of the man from yesterday, right? I saw that he was trouble." Spoke the maid.
Marta laughed to herself. "Oh yeah," she nodded. "He is trouble, indeed." She asked Amber to bring her tea and a blanket. The Shelby's could wait. Her smugglings still worked. What Marta needed from Peaky blinders was for them to help her get the produce through all the checks. Peaky Blinders could do it. And she would give them a cut from the profit. And she would also supply The Garrison with produce, making it an even more desirable place.
Marta had wrapped the blanket around herself and tried to rest for a while, sleep was harder these days. She was starting to understand why Tommy used to be so tetchy after a bad night. Tommy was on Marta's mind, as she was lounging on the sofa. She played their talk in her head, over and over again. How Tommy had thought that Maria was his child. She was curious about what Tommy would do if she really had his child. As she was milling this in her head, a thought came through. Maybe that was what Tommy had wanted? A child would be something to keep him from the dangerous dealings? But then... Marta felt that if she was to have a child, she would've had one by now. She had been with her very first boy, then with Tommy, then a few men after Tommy… And still nothing. Maybe it wasn't her destiny to be a mother. That thought made her quite sad.
Eventually she picked herself up from the couch and then looked at the business card. She went over to the phone and called the office. She wanted to at least schedule a meeting, then she was planning on maybe going to check on the bar. That could make her somewhat happy.
“Good Morning, you’re through to Shelby Company Limited, how may I assist your call?” A woman's softly spoken tone came from the other end of the line. Lizzie had long left her old life behind, and in truth was very much enjoying her role as secretary to the company.
Marta heard the woman on the other end of the line. She was immediately curious. It was not Esme or Polly. "Good morning," Marta said. "I would like to make an appointment with Mr Michael Gray," Marta sat back on the sofa. She was really curious about what women were in Tommy's life now. She hoped that she would be able to meet them. It, of course, had nothing to do with jealousy. No. No…
“Ok ma’am, let me just check his diary.” Lizzie and Tommy had had their moments over the last few years. Every Thursday evening he would bend her over his desk, but there was no sentiment there. She always had the feeling he was imagining she was someone else. She kept things rather neat and tidy so it was only a few seconds before she had his diary open in front of her. “We have an opening on the 23rd December at 10am.” Lizzie spoke, Michael was a busy man and that was nearly a month away.
Marta furrowed her eyebrows. For one, making deals the day before Christmas was very on brand for Shelby's. Their willingness to deal business anywhere and any time was astounding. And two... A month was just far too long. In that time, the coppers would probably get the wind of her smugglings, and she didn't need that. "Do you think I could get a hold of Mr Gray personally? Any places he likes to go? Pubs?" Marta could use some lingonberry schnapps.
“I wouldn’t say so Ma’am.” The women responded softly as she ruffled a few pages to see if there was any earlier availability. “Mr Shelby likes everything to go through the diary, says it keeps everyone organised.” Though with that Michael had just arrived at the office and Lizzie waved her hand to stop him walking by. “If I could take your name perhaps I can see if he has a chance to call you back?”
Marta sighed and rolled her eyes. Mr fucking Shelby was keeping track on everyone. It was something Marta felt she should learn from the man. "The name is Marta Cabrera," Marta said. "I am a family friend of the Shelby family so... I hope that he'll have a chance to call me back."
“Marta Cabrera?” Lizzie repeated, looking up at Michael and shaking her head slightly. Polly had told her of the woman that had turned Tommy cold, she was the reason he wouldn’t look at her when they fucked. But sex was sex and business was business. “I see.” Lizzie then spoke. “Well I will pass on your message Miss Cabrera…” Michael was still standing at the desk and picked up his small pile of mail. “Just put her through.” He said and with that went through to his office. “In Fact he’s just finished his morning meeting, I’ll put you through now.” She then said, and the line went silent as the call was transferred.
"Yes, Marta Cabrera," Marta repeated and couldn't help but hear Lizzie's voice change ever so slightly. "I'd ask you to pass the message as soon..." Marta didn't get to finish. "Oh. Well. Thank you," Marta hummed. She moved to the edge of the sofa and pulled out a piece of paper should she need to make any notes or write down the meeting date. She hoped that she would get the friends and family discount and skip the line that stretched across Michael's schedule, though she knew with the way Tommy was acting that was likely impossible.
Lizzie kept her professionalism until she had put the phone down, sighing to herself as she slouched back in her chair. It seemed the bitch had returned, which likely meant Tommy would be much harder work than normal. “These fucking Shelby’s.” She said to herself before she lit a cigarette.
Michael had gone through to his office and placed his mail on the desk. He removed his jacket and hung it on his coat stand before he sat down at his desk. Before he could pick up the phone he lit himself a cigarette and slouched back in his chair whilst resting his feet on the desk. Then he finally picked up the phone. “Good morning Miss Cabrera.” He spoke clearly.
Marta was sitting at a small coffee table next to the sofa. She was ready for Polly's son to pick up the damn phone. “Come on, pick up,” Marta hummed to herself. The boy was truly taking his sweet time. That was for sure. “Mr Gray,” Marta said when she finally heard something from the phone. “Good morning. I have tried to schedule an appointment with you. I spoke to Mr Shelby and he said I should contact you.”
Michael had found himself suited to this side of the business perfectly. He was young of course, much younger than the Shelby brothers. But he was smart and certainly enjoyed the finer side of the life he found himself living. The drink, the women, and of course the drugs. But he also enjoyed the business and the numbers. “Aye.” Michael responded as his eyes looked at his feet on the desk. “I see your plan for a meeting yesterday didn’t quite go as expected.” He said before he finally sat up straighter and placed his feet on the floor. “What business did you want to discuss?” He asked.
“It was a little bit clunky, yes.” Marta was drawing shapes and patterns on the paper because there was nothing to be put down. She looked up when she saw Amber come in. The girl brought her tea. Marta didn’t remember asking for it, but she just nodded and mouthed “thanks”.
Marta let out a sigh. “I wanted to discuss the logistics of bringing premium Cuban goods to England,” Marta nodded. “The Shelby’s are great importers. Perhaps it’s because their goods don’t get seized?”
Michael listened to her words closely and nodded his head. “We have processes in place to ensure our goods do not get seized, this is true.” And they were extensive. There was a reason they were able to move large weights of opium up and down the canal from London to Liverpool, and why they rarely had trouble getting items into America. “But we mainly deal in exports.”
"You mainly deal with exports," Marta looked down at the paper and doodled on the edge of it. "And I believe you use the canal system..." Marta thought to herself out loud. "But I guess the boats sometimes have to return empty to be loaded again, correct? Perhaps when they're coming back, they could come back full of Cuban goods? I mean. You would of course get a sensible cut from the profit for your trouble."
Michael was quiet for a moment as he mulled things over. Most of the crates did indeed come back empty. If they could earn them some money on the return leg that was a good move for the company. He shuffled his papers and looked over the shipment schedules. “We have boats that return from Boston once a fortnight… say 8 crates. Would you be able to fill them?” Michael said, of course the decision wouldn’t come from him, it would have to be decided at a board meeting.
Now Marta had something to put on the paper. She thought that the offer was good. "I am sure that I'd be able to fill them. Do I talk numbers with you, or do you need to run it past one of the Shelbys?" She knew that the Shelby who'd have the final word would be Tommy. This complicated things, but she was determined. "And some of the products could even be delivered to The Garrison... You know, as specialty products." She said some, because if she said all of them, nobody would come to her bar.
“I will have to put together a proposal for the board.” Michael responded. Times had certainly changed and moved far away from backstreet handshakes in dark alleys. “But there would likely be a start up fee and a fee per shipment to cover customs costs.” And by custom costs he meant bribe money. He moved the phone away from his mouth and called to the secretary. “Lizzie.” Moments later the door opened. “Lizzie clear everyone’s diary’s tomorrow afternoon will you, I’m calling a board meeting.” He instructed her before putting the phone back to his ear. “Perhaps you could get some of those cigars and tequila dropped by the office?” He suggested. The goods would need to be sampled and he would gladly take that role upon himself.
Marta nodded. "Are the cost of the fees negotiable? I wouldn't want to pay a fortune." Marta inquired and then nodded. "I mean. I had everything prepared yesterday, but we all know how that went. When can I drop them off?" She asked. Planned on adding some oranges as well, should the kids or Finn want some. She wouldn't give tequila to a kid.
“I suppose that would depend on how charitable Tommy is feeling.” Michael said, in her case perhaps the chances of that were slim. “We have to weigh the risks but this could be profitable for us all. Have a good day Miss Cabrera, we will be in touch.” With that Michael hung up the phone and started sifting through his letters.
Marta made a face for herself and herself only. She didn't see a world in which Tommy would be charitable in her case. She couldn't run from negotiating with Tommy. It would hurt her, but no pain no gain. "Have a good day, Michael," Marta said and then put the phone down too. She guessed that it was time to go to the city to bring the samples to the Shelby's. She got up from the couch and called up Amber to prepare yet another basket of the Cuban products. She needed that deal. She didn't want to deal with the police herself.
That morning at Arrow House when Tommy awoke it was with his usual startle. He still dreamt of the tunnels and the sound of shovels. The shovels still seemed to beat the sun most mornings. After taking a few minutes to catch his breath he slowly got up from the bed, the room was rather blurry and he squinted his eyes and he took the empty whiskey bottle he’d fallen asleep holding from the bed and put it on his nightstand. After rubbing his face with his hands and letting out a small groan he forced himself up to his feet. These days, every day was a busy day.
Tommy washed and dressed before he made his way downstairs, pulling on his cap as he tackled the stairs. Francis appeared at the bottom. “Breakfast is re-.” But Tommy simply held up his hand. “No thank you Frances.” He responded and the maid practically chased after him as he walked through the house. “But Mr Shelby, you must eat.” She pleaded. She worried about him. “I will eat when I am hungry, Frances.” He responded simply and stepped into the brisk morning air and walked to the stables.
Tommy made his way out to the stables, if he wasn’t in his office at the house or in the city, he was often here or out in the fields. Sometimes it was good just to escape all the noise. Yet he couldn't seem to escape his thoughts of Marta. “Hello boy.” Tommy hummed in Romani as he greeted Monaghan, patting him and giving him a handful of fresh hay before he moved to the next stall and leant against the gate. Midwinter came straight to him and nuzzled his face against Tommy’s shoulder, and in turn Tommy reached his hand up and stroked the horse's neck. “And hello to you too.” He said, letting out a soft sigh.
Tommy pet Midwinter for a while. The stables had always been his calm place and in the past this is where he would come when he missed her. To be here with her horse. “Let’s go for a ride eh?” He spoke eventually. After fixing up the saddle Tommy was out in the hills with Midwinter. The countryside was good for him, it cleared his mind and eased his dark soul. Plus the Shelby estate had hundreds of acres to gallop.
Tommy continued on his ride through the fields, hills and streams on the estate until he came to a halt at a small camp near one of the small lakes. Johnny was boiling a kettle of water over a stove. “Cuppa tea Tom?” He called to the man.
“Go on then Johnny.” Tommy responded as he climbed down from the horse and gave him a pat to tell him he could go and graze on the grass.
"It's a nice horse, Tommy. Very nice," Johnny nodded. He busied himself with preparing tea. "You've not been here for a long time. What brought you here?" Johnny wanted to know. He was a good man to work with, but he was very curious.
Tommy glanced back at Midwinter when Johnny complemented the horse and nodded. “He is, he is.” Tommy spoke and let out a soft sigh as he sat down on a tree stump. “She came back Johnny. She fucking came back.” He replied, his eyes watching the horse but all he could see in his mind was Marta. “And she’s changed… She's different.”
"You mean the fucking firecracker?" Johnny smiled. "I knew she'd be back," Johnny nodded. “I expected her to come sooner though. Like a year and with a kid." Johnny handed Tommy the tea. "And how different? Did she get hotter?"
“Aye.” Tommy replied and took a cigarette out, rubbing it against his lips before he lit it and he gave Johnny a rather cold look when he mentioned a child and if she had got hotter. When he had imagined his future those years ago it had been just this. The countryside, a big fancy house with cars and stables. But it wasn’t alone. There were children and a wife… Marta. He could see the Shelby estate in the distance and it made him feel rather sad. “Just different Johnny.” Life had obviously been difficult, she’d lost that innocence and energy. “And she wears fucking driving gloves.”
Johnny shrugged. It was what he cared about in women. He wanted them hot and a good mother was usually good at taking care of the man too. "She's gone posh, eh?" Johnny laughed. "Maybe she could use a few days back in the tent... You know, the old way."
“Ay she’s gone posh. Posh and cold.” Tommy said. It was a curse that seemed to follow them both. As his mind whirred away he picked up a stick from the ground and retrieved a pocket knife, whittling the wood as they waited for the kettle to boil. He rarely had idle hands. “I don’t know what to do Johnny.” He eventually spoke. Johnny was a trusted friend and it was rare for Tommy to speak openly or admit he was stumped.
"Hmm," Johnny shrugged. "I guess she grew up," Johnny went to finish the tea and then put it next to him and Tommy. "Do you have any options?" Johnny asked. "Do you still care about her? At least a little bit?"
“She certainly has.” Tommy said, looking down at the stick that he was gradually sharpening into what looked like a tiny spear. Perhaps it was similar to how Tommy had returned from the war. A young enthusiastic, happy go lucky boy that seemed to return as a man without a soul. “I do….” Tommy then spoke quietly with a small nod of his head. “But she hurt my heart, Johnny.” It was perhaps the most honest Tommy had ever spoken.
”Pretty ladies do that,” Johnny nodded. Women break hearts. Johnny nudged Tommy’s arm with his elbow. “Maybe she can unbreak it again, you know,” Johnny smiled. “I really enjoyed seeing you with her at John’s wedding. Even though she gave me cousin a black eye.”
Tommy finished whittling his stick and stabbed the sharp end into the soft ground in front of him before Johnny nudged him. He rubbed his face with his hands before he picked up his cup of tea. “I don’t think she wants to Johnny.” He hummed in response. Tommy hadn’t seen the same look in her eyes when she looked at him. Before he could see the compassion they had shared, now it seemed to be a void. Perhaps that was why he struggled to look at her at first. Because he was scared of what he would see.
Johnny sighed. He was not the great matchmaker, nor the peacemaker… But he wanted to help Tommy. Tommy had been a good friend to him over the years. “Did you ask?” Johnny asked. “I mean. Maybe she is sorry she had left. And… I don’t know. You can just keep an eye on her for now. Small steps.” Johnny had heard some posh guy speak like this. Small steps and not jumping the gun and don’t be too hasty. All these fancy words…
Tommy shook his head and sipped his tea. “No I didn’t fucking ask Johnny.” He responded, having to remind himself to breathe. His temper was far shorter these days, and that made for a dangerous man. “I didn’t ask. Nor will I.” He then added. He was stubborn, and she had left him.
"That will be tough, then," Johnny shrugged and looked into the countryside. "Should I help you? Put in a good word for you... Mess her car up. Or steal her driving gloves?"
Tommy finished his tea and got to his feet before whistling to Midwinter and the horse galloped over straight away. “Take the fucking gloves.” He said, patting Johnny's shoulder before climbing onto the horse.
"I am going to!" Johnny said. "I am going to take them and I'll bring them to you," he laughed. It seemed like Tommy wanted to take all Marta's posh things. Maybe he would just leave her with a tent.
“Good man Johnny.” Tommy said. Then another thought struck him and he took a small metal tin from his pocket, it contained sticky brown opium, the stuff that helped him sleep and was perfect to smoke in a pipe. “Leave that where you find the gloves.” With that Tommy was gone and galloped off into the distance.
Johnny looked at the box. "That can be done," he smiled and then waved at Tommy. "Don't worry Tommy. Everything will sort itself out somehow. At least, Johnny now had a plan for the day. He would go look at the Cabrera estate. Maybe... Maybe the girl now had some pretty maids.
Tommy took Midwinter back to the stables and made his way back to the house to retrieve some of his belongings and file away some papers from the previous night. He bumped into Frances on his way to the office and held up his hand before she even had a chance to speak. “I’m not hungry Frances, thank you.” He stated as he marched past her.
Frances was done. If the man didn't want to eat... She would still have to cook for him if he changed his mind. It was the maid's struggle and she would be sure to keep Polly in the loop with the man’s latest antics.
Meanwhile at the Gray house Finn had overheard his Aunt’s late night conversation with his cousin Michael. He was sure he had heard Marta’s name and something about her being at the Blenkinsop estate. Finn never really understood why she had left, no one had told him much, but he missed her. In fact he missed the way they all used to be so close to each other. Ada now lived between London and Chicago, so he saw her rarely, and with everyone now in their own houses scattered around Birmingham he felt a bit lonely, stuck spending most of his days with his Aunt Pol. With that thought whilst his Aunt was in the garden he took her car keys from the counter and rushed out to her car. He’d certainly become more troublesome as he entered his later teens. Finn put the key in the ignition and managed to start the engine. He’d never driven before but how hard could it be, his brothers made it look easy. Once the engine was going he managed to get the car into gear, though it took him by surprise when he hit the accelerator and the car moved too quickly for him to react. Moments later there was a loud crash as he drove straight into an old oak tree.
Polly was making sure her garden would be alright in the winter. She took pride in it. The flowers were always nice and there was something about growing her own vegetables that made her feel very accomplished.
When she heard the loud crash, she ran to the front of the house. She saw her car. Or well... What was her car. "Finn!"
Finn’s hands were shaking a little from the sudden shock of the crash and there was a strange hissing sound coming from the front of the car from where the radiator was leaking. “Shit. Shit, shit.” He said quickly to himself, then he heard the yell of his Aunt and he quickly jumped out of the car, rushing to the other side so she couldn’t grab hold of him to beat him black and blue. “It was an accident Pol.” He said, holding his hands up innocently.
Polly sighed as she saw her car wrecked in the ditch and against the oak tree. “What were you thinking? Are you out of your mind? If you wanted to learn how to drive, I would teach you sometime. Or call Arthur to teach you. Where were you even going?” Polly sighed and went over to the boy. She didn’t want to beat him. She wanted to get him in the house, stop him from shaking and then call someone to deal with the car.
“I…” Finn hesitated and then let out a sigh, running his hands over his face much like Tommy did when he was upset or frustrated before peering through his fingers at his Aunt. “I heard you and Michael last night… I was going to see Marta.” He then said, letting out a sigh.
Polly sighed and walked closer to the boy. “What did you hear?” She asked him and put her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Finn. Tommy will be very angry…” Polly said. She then looked over at the car. “But if you really want to go, I’d suggest you take your bike…”
“I heard you both talking about Marta.” Finn said, relaxing a little when his Aunt placed her hand on him rather than slapping him around the face. “Why would he be angry?”
Polly sighed. “You know how Tommy is,” Polly said. “Marta left very abruptly and he loved her and she hurt him and he wants nothing to do with her, but at the same time he likes her very much… I guess.” Polly nodded and patted Finn’s shoulder. “Like I said. If you want to learn how to drive a car, tell someone. And if you want to go meet Marta, take a bike or a horse.”
“That sounds pretty complicated.” Finn said as he anxiously rubbed the back of his neck and whilst he glanced at his Aunt’s car. “I’m sorry about your car Aunt Pol… Uncle Charlie will be able to fix it right?”
"I guess so," Polly looked at the car. "And if he doesn't he’ll sell the spare parts and I’ll buy a new one. But you won’t touch that one, understood?" Polly asked the boy. She walked back into the house to call Charlie.
“Alright Aunt Pol.” Finn said with a quick nod of his head. After that incident he didn’t really want to get behind the wheel of a car for a while. Once she was inside Finn retrieved his bike from the side of the house and set off in the direction of the Blenkinsop estate. He had only visited it once before and it had been dark, so he only had a vague idea of where he was going.
Polly sighed softly and then watched as Finn left. She had no idea if it was good or not. She wouldn't tell Tommy about this. Of course she wouldn’t. What Tommy didn´t know would not hurt him, or anyone else.
Johnny had made his way to the Cabrera estate. It was a nice house. A big one... Maybe as big as Tommy's. He hid in the tall grass when he saw someone coming out of the house. It was a posh lady. It was Marta! He... He almost didn't recognise her. He saw her place a basket and the gloves on top of the car. She then went back into the house. That was his chance! He ran to the car and switched the gloves for the metal case. He admired the car for a moment before running into the tall grass again.
Marta walked out of the house for the second time. She gave the dogs some treats before taking the basket and pocketing whatever else was on the roof of the car. She got into her car and began to drive. There was something strange about this drive, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Tommy gathered his things and made the short trip into the city to the Shelby offices. “Morning.” He hummed to Lizzie as he carried a small briefcase into his office. It was a large room, nicely decorated with some rather expensive collectibles. Michael seemed to be busy as his door was closed. “Tommy.” Lizzie stated, following him into the office. “Michael’s called a board meeting tomorrow afternoon, he’s asked me to clear your diaries.”
Tommy simply nodded his head at Lizzie’s announcement. Board meetings were nothing unusual and once he had sat down behind his desk he lit a cigarette. “Make sure he writes up an agenda. The last meeting went on for hours.” He said as he started to file through some paperwork. These days he needed glasses for reading, one too many blows to the head the doctor had said. He pulled open the top drawer of his desk and took out his reading glasses, it certainly helped with his headaches despite how much he disliked the way they looked.
“Is everything alright Tommy?” She then asked, hovering by the door and Tommy looked up from his papers. She could sense something in the air and she had a feeling it was to do with this Marta woman.
“Everything’s fine Lizzie.” He then spoke before returning his attention to his papers. “Close the door will ya?” He then said, and she obliged, closing the door and returning to her desk.
Marta drove into Birmingham and parked her car further away from the Shelby Company offices. She didn’t want her car to get smashed with a brick or a tequila bottle in case she met Tommy there. She picked up her basket and began walking through the city. She looked around. She wanted to see what has changed and what stayed the same.
As Marta walked through the city, she could see women and children looking at her. She saw a few men looking at her too, she heard them whistling. She just shook her head. Birmigham did not change. The city may have got some new buildings, but the people were the same.
Once she found the Shelby Company Limited headquarters, she walked in. She looked around. Everything looked so… Neat? She smiled to herself. She then walked over to a lady that looked like a secretary. “Hello,” Marta smiled. “I believe we spoke over the telephone earlier this morning. My name is Marta Cabrera. Mr Gray told me to bring samples of the Cuban products. Shall I leave those here with you, or is he still in his office?” Marta was actually nice to Lizzie. She felt like pulling one of the chocolates from the basket and giving it to Lizzie. She must’ve had a lot on her plate.
Lizzie looked up from her desk when the front door opened and it all made sense when she introduced herself. This woman was the reason Tommy’s heart was so cold, and she could see why. “Miss Cabrera.” Lizzie repeated, stubbing her cigarette out in the ashtray with a hint of attitude. She looked at Michael’s door and it was closed, but she couldn’t hear that he was busy, yet that didn’t change her response. “I’m afraid Mr Gray is busy.” She said, glancing at the items in the basket before glancing at the door to Tommy’s office which also seemed to remain closed. There was a large golden plaque on the door stating his name and title as Director of the Shelby Company.
Tommy was still sitting at the desk in his office, his desk was quite the distance from the door and behind him was a huge portrait of himself with Monaghan Boy and Midwinter. He could hear Lizzie speaking in the distance but he couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, but there was definitely a second voice.
“Yes, that’s me,” Marta smiled. She didn’t quite like Lizzie’s tone, but she was not the one to shoot a person over their tone. She tried to look pleasant, because she was mostly pleasant. She followed Lizzie’s line of sight. She looked at one door and then at the other. It was Tommy’s door. Marta couldn’t help but smile to herself. This is what Tommy wanted, right? One mostly legal company, for their mostly legal business. She was happy for him. When she heard Lizzie say that Michael was busy. Marta decided not to question it. “Alright then, I’ll just drop the products here and be on my merry way. As I’ve heard, Mr Gray is a busy man,” Marta smiled. “Actually, before you give the basket to Mr Gray…” Marta looked into the basket and pulled out a chocolate in a beautiful packaging. “Take this for your trouble. It’s really good actually. Cuba is known for their cocoa and the chocolate is just scrumptious.” She handed Lizzie the chocolate. She meant well.
“Your reputation precedes you.” Lizzie said nonchalantly, seemingly rather uninterested in the woman and her basket of samples. Though if there was a way to Lizzie’s heart it was certainly chocolate and she took the beautifully wrapped package with a small mutter of thanks. “I’ll have it later with a cup of tea.” She then said, placing the chocolate down beside her.
"My reputation? Here in Birmingham?" Marta shook her head. "Nothing to write home about I guess. I poured beer here, robbed pubs and stole books." Marta was so happy that the woman took the chocolate and didn't throw it back at her. "That sounds like a nice way of resting after a long day, truly," Marta smiled and then looked around. "Very well, I’ll leave the basket here for Mr Gray. I believe that he’ll let you partake in the booze as well once he has tasted it. He won't be able to drink it all on his own. Have a good day, Ms....?" Marta didn’t know the woman’s name and she also didn’t want to insinuate whether she was married or not.
Lizzie hummed with a small nod of her head. She knew a lot about the woman and how she had left Tommy, and the fact that he did not speak of her was a bigger indication of how much she had hurt him than words could show. Lizzie got on very well with Ada and when she was back in Birmingham the women would often gossip over a few bottles of wine. “Miss Stark, Lizzie Stark.” She then said before moving the basket to the end of her desk. “I will make sure this gets to Michael.”
"Have a good day, Miss Stark. And if you want, come to the opening of Cosmos, the new bar," Marta kept the smile on her lips as she walked to the door. Once the door closed behind her, she found out what was strange about her ride. The cold air hit her hands. The gloves. She did not have her gloves. As she walked away from the company headquarters, she thrust her hands in her pockets and tried to find her gloves. The only thing she found was a metal case... with opium in it?
The moment Marta had left Lizzie couldn’t resist the chocolate any longer and unwrapped it quickly. There was a moment of joy as it melted in her mouth. It was good, she would give her that.
Finn had kept cycling in the direction of Marta’s house. He didn’t entirely understand what had caused her to leave, he just knew that he had missed her. Though he seemed a little lost and paused near a large embankment for a moment trying to remember where to go.
Marta left Birmingham in her car. She now knew why the steering wheel felt strange in her hands. It was much colder and it felt smaller. She was thinking about where she had left her gloves and how the opium got into her pocket. Maybe she was going slightly mad. Didn’t Tommy tell her to smoke her opium, rather than snorting it? She shook her head. Being back in Birmingham was really something else. Marta sighed to herself.
When she was passing an embankment . She saw someone on a bicycle looking rather lost. She decided to stop and put her hand on the gun she carried on her as she pulled her window down slightly. "Are you lost? Do you need help?" She called out. She tilted her head to the side. The person was quite tall. It was surely a man. Marta was ready to duck into her car if it was someone unfriendly.
Finn had dismounted his bike and was looking around feeling rather lost when the car pulled up beside him. It was a woman driving. Perhaps she could help. “Yeah I’m looking for the…” but he stopped talking when his eyes realised who it was behind the wheel of the car. “Marta?” He asked. She looked a little different. Her hair was different and her face… there was make-up. But he was sure it was her and he walked closer to the car to get a better look.
Marta narrowed her eyes to see a little bit better. She blinked her eyes. "Oh my God," Marta said. "Finn." She smiled and then put the handbrake on. She got out of the car and walked over to the boy. "It's really you," she said and then wasted no time before she hugged the boy. "You grew up so much." It was true. Finn was taller than her now. She had no idea about when that happened. Marta rubbed Finns back and then kissed him on the forehead. "Oh, I am sorry," she wiped the lipstick off him. "You are really a grown up now," Marta nodded. "How many hearts have you already broken, handsome?" Marta smiled.
The moment it was confirmed that it was Marta, Finn had pushed his bike to the ground and when she got out of the car he hugged her tightly. Life had seemed a little less fun and a little more lonely since she had gone. He let out a soft laugh when she wiped the lipstick from his head and hugged her again. “Not many.” He replied. Finn had certainly grown a lot in the years she had been gone. “Where have you been? Where did you go? Are you ok?” He asked all of his questions quickly as he thought back to the days they would ride to fetch candy from the store in artillery square.
"I was in Cuba," Marta nodded. "I went to meet my father," she said. "I am sorry for not telling you. But I felt… I felt like I was missing something the last month before I left. Tommy dealt business and I was just..." Marta shook her head. "I don't know. I felt empty." She looked down on the ground and then back at Finn. "I am alright. I am so happy to see you," she put her hand on Finn's cheek. She let out a small sigh. She felt like crying. "I am so sorry," she told him.
“Cuba?” Finn repeated. He didn’t really understand the politics behind her leaving, all he knew was he had missed having her around. “Tommy was pretty upset when you left… I think.” He said innocently. “I mean he didn’t really say much but - you know?” He went on. “I’m just glad you are home.” In his young mind her return meant things would go back to exactly how they had been, and that was an exciting thought.
Marta smiled and rubbed Finn's arm. "Where are you going on that bike?" Marta asked and went to look at his choice of vehicle. She picked up the bike from the ground and looked at it. "It even has the..." Marta used the bike bell and chuckled at the sound. "You are far from Watery Lane too," Marta smiled at the boy. She was glad that he spoke to her the same as he did before. She didn't have a chance to speak to many Shelbys. She especially feared meeting Polly.
“I heard Polly and Michael last night saying you’d come back.” Finn said, though he started to look a little sheepish and shrugged his shoulders. “We don’t live at Watery Lane anymore and I wanted to come see you so I thought I could drive Polly’s car… well I crashed it so then I had to take the bike… but I got a little lost I suppose. I couldn’t really remember where to go from here.” He explained.
Marta pinched the bridge of her nose. It just seemed absurd to her. "You crashed Polly's car, because you wanted to go visit me?" Marta shook her head. "Polly will kill me for more things than one, I see," Marta smiled at the boy. "Well, let's load this bad boy into the car and I'll take you to my estate," Marta nodded. "Do you want to drive? Or do you feel like crashing another car?"
“They all make driving look so easy.” Finn replied, though he couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on his lips. By god did his Aunt Pol scare the life out of him sometimes, but he was growing more troublesome each and every day as he grew through his teens. “She wasn’t as mad as I thought she would be.” He then said as he picked up his bike and tried to get it in the back of Marta’s car, it was a tight fit. “She didn’t even hit me.” He pointed out. It was strange her being back, it almost felt like she had never left. Well to Finn atleast.
"Driving is easy after a bit of practice," Marta smiled and watched Finn put the bike in. She looked around at the countryside. She was looking for stuff Finn could crash into, there was nothing. "Does she hit you more now?" Marta asked with care. She wouldn't question Polly, but she herself wouldn't hit Finn. "Come on, get behind the wheel," Marta patted the boy's back. "But wait for my instructions," she said and then got into the passenger seat. She closed the door behind her.
Driving certainly seemed a little more complicated than he had first thought, but maybe Marta could help him. He then shrugged his shoulders a little at her question about Polly. “Sometimes.” He then said, “We don’t live in the city anymore so she doesn’t have to deal with John’s kids so much… maybe she just doesn’t have as much patience as she used to.” He tried to justify it, but then again perhaps Finn was just more of a handful than he used to be. “And Michael’s pretty fucking perfect so there’s that.” He just wanted things to go back to how they had been, when the whole family had been together. Finn then looked over at Marta as she ushered him into the driver seat. “Are you sure?”
"I am," Marta said. "If I am to wreck my car, it will be my honor to wreck it with you," Marta nodded. She waited for the boy to get into the car. "Okay. I'll hold the wheel, the road is mostly straight, so. Don't worry about that," Marta smiled. "I will just need you to focus on your legs." Marta explained. "It's a new car, so... It doesn't need much to go. And we are light, so you'll just tickle the accelerator with your foot. A car is like a lady, I guess." Marta shrugged. "Handbrake down, and try to be gentle."
“Ok, alright.” Finn said as he finally climbed into the driver seat and turned the key to turn on the engine. He listened to Marta’s instructions and nodded his head before he pushed in the clutch and put the car into gear. This was where he had gone wrong at the house. “Slowly slowly, catchy monkey?” He then said as he let off the handbrake, slowly pulled out the clutch and gave the accelerator a far softer foot than he had done back at home.
"Actually yes," Marta smirked. "Catchy is a really good word for this. When you pull the clutch out, you'll feel the car kinda spring up. It feels like it wants to go. Then you'll add just a bit of acceleration to get it going." Marta waited for Finn to get the car going. "You are a natural. I stalled my car so many times before I got the hang of it." Marta smiled as she held the wheel gently. "Now add just a little bit more speed to this. Get your foot off the accelerator clutch all the way down, second gear, off the clutch, accelerator again."
Finn was concentrating rather intently as the car started to creep forward and tried to take in all the information Marta was giving him. He pressed the accelerator a little more to get them going. “Ok… ok.” He said as he then pushed the clutch back in and tried to go into second gear. The gearbox jarred a little as he hadn’t fully put in the clutch, but he managed to get it in the next attempt and started to drive a little quicker. “Third gear?” He then asked.
"A little bit more speed before the third gear," Marta smiled. "Then you'll repeat the process. Off the accelerator, the clutch all the way down, shift the gear, off the clutch and keep your foot on the accelerator." Marta watched the road ahead. They still had time before they would have to make a turn. She let Finn drive quite fast. "Alright, now, foot off the accelerator. Let her slow down, then clutch down, into second gear and I'll let you make that turn, alright?" Marta asked Finn. "Ready to take the wheel?"
“Alright.” Finn said, concentrating rather intently as he moved the car into third gear, this time thankfully without getting the gears stuck and put his foot back in the accelerator. He felt like he was getting the hang of this. Though then she gave him control of the wheel and he felt a little out of his depth as he steered carefully. “The brake-do I hit the brake?” Finn asked quickly, the turn seemed to be coming at him quickly and he felt himself getting a little flustered. He took hold of the wheel and took his foot off the accelerator which seemed to start to slow the car down rather naturally.
"No need, just clutch down, into the second gear foot off the clutch, let the hands do the work and after you've made the turn, you can accelerate again," Marta hummed and bit her lip. She was positive that they would make it out of the turn. It may be a little bumpy, but it would be alright. She was worried Finn would hit the brake too hard out of fear.
Finn's eyes kept darting across the road. The turn was coming quickly and thankfully the car seemed to slow a little before getting shifted back down into second gear and steadily turned the wheel. Thankfully he seemed to make it without too much drama and slowly pushed his foot back in the accelerator. “Was that ok? I think that was ok? Right?”
"It was okay, Finn," Marta smiled as she watched the boy drive. She nodded. "It's not bad, huh?" She asked. "Next time you steal a family car, you might have a shot at returning it," she chuckled. She let Finn drive all the way to the estate. "Just let her slow down and then gently brake with the clutch all the way down to stop. Put the baby in neutral and handbrake." Marta gave Finn instructions on how to stop the car with no drama. "And welcome to my home."
Finn managed to drive the car up to the house with minimal drama. He was slightly heavy on the brakes but at least he’d stopped the car before crashing into the house. Once he’d pulled up the handbrake he looked across at Marta with a smile. “Atleast that went better than with Polly’s.” He joked in his usually light heartedness. His eyes then fell on the house and he looked up at the large mansion, the last time he had been here it was dark and it reminded him a lot of Tommy’s house. “So you live here now?” He asked as he got out of the car.
Marta placed her hand on the dashboard to steady herself during Finn’s mighty braking endeavor. She looked back at Finn and nodded. "Oh, yes," she hummed. It definitely went better than with Polly’s.
"I live here now," Marta pulled the keys out of the ignition and walked behind Finn. The dogs came to greet them. They were friendly. They just wanted to smell Finn. He smelled familiar. Marta placed a gentle hand on Finn´s back and led him into the house. "Are you hungry?" She asked him with a small smile. "I am sure someone had cooked something by now."
Finn’s eyes gazed over the house as they walked towards the front door and he gave each of the dogs a quick scratch behind the ear. He was just happy that Marta was back. When she’d first become part of the family it had seemed to make everyone a lot happier and he hoped that things would go back to how they were. “Yeah I’m pretty hungry.” In truth, these days Finn was always hungry. It would seem he was growing an inch a day with the amount of food he consumed. “So what was Cuba like?” He asked as they stepped in the front door, his eyes looking around rather excitedly as he took everything in.
"Good. I'll take you straight to the kitchen," Marta smiled and then turned to look at Finn. "Oh. Cuba was bright. Much brighter than Birmingham, everything was white, cream or brightly coloured like red and blue and pink and green, even the houses. It's much warmer than Birmingham. People wear different clothes there too. The clothes are light." Marta gently steered Finn through the house to find the kitchen. There was a woman in the kitchen, putting some rice into a big bowl. When she saw Marta, she quickly greeted her: "Miss Cabrera! Hello. I see you are back. The food is done for lunch. Should I prepare you and the gentleman a portion?" The woman's accent was definitely not a Birmingham accent.
"No, Julia. I am sure you want to eat with your family for once. Please, go. I'll take care of myself and the gentleman." Marta nodded as the woman thanked her and left the room with the bowl of rice in her hands.
Finn himself had never been anywhere other than Birmingham. Birmingham was gray and cold, so it was hard to believe there was a bright warm world out there. “So why the fuck did you come back?” He joked, taking everything in on their way through the house. It seemed alive, much more alive than Tommy’s empty estate atleast. Once they reached the kitchen Finn smiled to himself and straightened his jacket. He couldn’t recall being called a gentleman before, it made him feel rather grown up. “Was that lady from Cuba?” He asked once she had left and quickly perched himself on a countertop, something he had always done since he was old enough to jump on to them.
"I missed you," Marta told Finn. It was the truth. She had missed Birmingham dearly. She then took her coat off and placed it over a chair. She went to prepare Finn a portion of the food. "Yes. The lady was from Cuba. And just so you know. She's got a husband and a kid," Marta pointed a spoon at Finn and huffed.
She then made sure that Finn had everything in his food. Some pork, rice, bell peppers and beans. "Food is served." Marta said and placed the bowl on a table in the middle of the kitchen. "If it's too much for you you can leave rice and vegetables. But you're not leaving until you eat the meat and beans."
Finn let out a little laugh and went to sit down at the table. “So she came back with you?” He asked. Finn liked the idea of seeing the world, that was until she placed the food in front of him. It didn’t look like anything he’d ever seen his Aunt Pol cook before. “What’s that?” He asked, pointing a knife at the pepper.
"Yes. They all came back to Birmingham to live here," Marta nodded with a small smile tugging at the corners or her lips. She then turned back to look at Finn. "Well," she said. "That's a bell pepper, a vegetable, in Cuba people cut them into these strips and cook them on the pan with a little bit of juice that comes from the pork. It's really tasty."
“Why did they all come back?” Finn asked curiously, deciding he would try the meat first. His Aunt Pol was a good cook, but this seemed quite different to British Food. He got some pork on his fork and ate it tentatively, it was flavourful…in fact it was delicious. “Wow that’s good.” He said, quickly digging back in for some more meat and steering clear of the peppers for now.
"They are here to try and make a better living," Marta hummed. "I promised them I'd help them. Two families live in the house for personnel so, most of them happily took the job as maids, gardeners or a stable boy." Marta prepared herself a portion. "I pay them well," she added. "How's the food?" She wanted to know. "Do you like the taste?" She sat down at the table and dug in too.
Finn gave Marta a smile across the table when she spoke of the families. “It sounds like they are lucky to have met you.” He said, continuing to eat some of the pork and rice. It did taste good. “Yeah it’s nice.” Finn then said, glancing back at her. “Is it not a good life for them in Cuba?” He then asked curiously as he tentatively cut a bit of pepper and put it on his fork.
"It was not for them," Marta tried. "Many families have no desire to leave the country. They think that at least they don't leave their home, even if their life is bad. The people I brought with me, they all wanted to go and try their luck somewhere else." Marta put a spoonful of rice and beans into her mouth when she saw Finn with the pepper. "It's not going to bite, you know?"
“That’s a nice thing to do.” Finn said with a nod of his head, still looking at the pepper rather curiously. He let out a sweet laugh at her comment. “It just looks… different.” He said before finally taking a small bite. He’d expected it to be a bit like a tomato, maybe because of the colour. But it seemed rather sweet. Finn chewed it slowly before shrugging his shoulders. “It’s ok.” He then announced.
"I'll pour you something to drink," Marta got up from the chair and then went to pour Finn some juice.
Suddenly, two Cuban men came into the kitchen. "Boss..." one of them started to speak Spanish when he saw Finn. The man told Marta that a maid had seen a man in the fields near the estate.
"Hey. Don't be rude," Marta spoke to the two men. "Speak English in front of the young gentleman. I trust him."
The men looked at one another and then nodded. "Well, alright. What should we do about the guy?"
“Thanks.” Finn then said, finishing off his plate of food rather quickly once he’d got over his fear of the peppers. When the men came in Finn looked up rather quickly, he didn’t understand what they were saying at first. Then it dawned on him that they were probably speaking in their own language, like gypsies often did. He was curious when they mentioned a man in the fields
Marta sighed. "Keep an eye out for him and if he shows up, capture him and bring him in. I'll ask him what he wants," Marta placed the juice in front of Finn. She looked at her two guards and added: "Now take your food and go."
These guards were the men that survived the ambush along with Marta. They all were injured, but they managed to leave the site and then gather enough flock to get revenge. Marta trusted them with her life.
Finn sat back in his chair, trying not to make it obvious that he was listening rather intently. He wondered who the man had been, perhaps Tommy was up to something. Who knew? But after Polly had warned him Tommy would likely be angry if he found out he was here he hoped it wasn’t. “So you’re the boss… of a Cuban gang?” He then said, it was all rather strange to him.
The men looked at the pots of food. They did want to eat, but preparing the food was just too much hassle. Marta huffed and then walked over to the pots. "Yes, Finn. I am the boss of a Cuban gang. Though sometimes I feel like somebody's caretaker. Oh, by the way, that's Pedro and Oscar. They are my guards. Guys, this is Finn Shelby. If there's one person in the Shelby family you don't touch it's Polly Gray, because that would make the whole family mad... And don't touch this one, because that would make me mad." She slid two bowls of food over the counter and watched the men pick them up. "Now fuck off," she added and went to sit back to Finn and her food.
“Wow.” Finn said, a little in awe. Considering when she had left she was merely a barmaid at The Garrison she’d certainly returned as someone of authority. Though he couldn’t see Tommy liking the fact there was a new gang in town. Perhaps that’s why Polly said he would be mad. The way she dismissed the men made Finn let out a small chuckle. “What’s the gang called?” He then asked curiously.
"The gang is called Cuervos Sanguíneos," Marta said quietly. "It means blood crows," Marta hummed. "Will you tell Tommy?" Marta asked Finn as she ate the food. She was curious. She probably wouldn't mind if he did.
“Blood crows?” Finn repeated. It sounded like a rather violent name, but who was he to judge? The Peaky blinders cut out people’s eyes with razor blades sewn into their caps. He then shook his head. “Polly said Tommy would be mad if he knew I was here. I’m not gunna tell him anything.” He didn’t fancy pissing off his brother.
"Uhm," Marta nodded. "I guess we got together in a bloody accident. But we came back to eat away at the ones that wronged us," Marta looked at Finn and then nodded. "Right. Good. I wouldn't mind."
“What happened over there?” Finn asked curiously before taking a gulp of the juice, it was good. “And what happened to your step father?” He asked curiously.
Marta sighed. "A business meeting went wrong," Marta shrugged. "My father and my friends died... And many of my father's men. I got shot in the thigh, but lived. Pedro and Oscar got their share of lead too." Marta finished her food. "My stepfather? Richard Blenkinsop? He died. Some guys just can't hold their cyanide."
Finn was a little in awe of Marta’s tale. She certainly seemed to have developed into a rather dangerous woman, but then again she had always been rather tough. “You got shot? Did it hurt” He then asked rather childishly before a smile grew on his face. “So you killed him?” He hadn’t been a nice man, and it sounded like he got what he deserved.
"It hurt like a motherfucker," Marta nodded. "I limped for 4 months after that. We were like cripples all three of us," Marta shrugged. "But then, we did what we needed to do. We made sure that no one fucked with us." Marta looked at Finn. She shook her head. "No. It wasn't really me. But I helped," Marta shrugged. "I was not sorry. It was personal. He did me and my mother so wrong. He deserved it."
“But you’re ok now?” Finn asked, he looked worried about her. It sounded like Cuba was just as eventful as Birmingham. “Sounds like he got what he deserved.” The teen then said with a nod of his head.
"I am okay now. You don't have to worry about me," Marta told Finn and rubbed his back. "Did you like the food?" She asked him and looked at him properly. He really did grow up. Maybe it was time to start treating him like a grown up. "He was a dick." Marta added.
Finn gave Marta a small smile and nodded his head. “Yeah, yeah it was really good.” He replied. “And that dick got what he deserved, and you got his fancy house.” He then joked.
Marta chuckled. "Now I have the whole library for myself. You're always welcomed here, Finn. I want you to know that," she nodded. "You can come in, have something to eat, ride the horses, play with the dogs... Read books." Marta shrugged.
Amber came into the room. She was smiling and carrying a small basket. "Miss Marta, special delivery from Dover." The top of the basket jumped slightly, as a blue kitty stuck his head out of it and meowed.
"Ahhh," Marta smiled. "Another animal for my menagerie," she went to pick up the kitty. "Oh. And you can play with this one. I name him Poseidon."
Finn listened closely, nodding his head along with Marta’s words. He really had missed her, she’d always been so kind to him. “That sounds like fun… just don’t tell Tommy.” He then added. Finn leant forward rather intrigued by the new arrival. “Hey kitty.” He then said as the kitten poked its head out. “He’s pretty cute.”
"I am not going to tell him. You are grown up now. What you do is your business. But... maybe listen to aunt Polly. She might be strict, but she means well most of the time. She is wise," Marta held the kitten in her hands. It looked quite tired. "Would you like to go sit down in the drawing room and pet this one?" She asked. "By the way, Amber. This is Finn Shelby. She is the brother of the man that was here yesterday. I assure you he is much nicer. And Finn, this is my closest maid, Amber."
“Alright Marta.” Finn said with a small nod of his head, he was enjoying stroking the kitten. Its fur was soft, it was calming. When she offered him to hang out in the drawing room he got up. “Yeah that sounds fun.” He then said and gave Amber a smile. “Nice to meet you Amber.”
The blonde maid nodded. "It's nice to meet you too." She said, "Would you like something to drink, miss?" She asked. Marta shook her head. "No, Amber. You sit down and eat. I’ll make us tea." Marta smiled and handed the kitten over to Finn. "Go upstairs, to the left. You’ll get back to the entrance and the drawing room is to the right. I’ll be right there."
Finn nodded his head as Marta passed him the kitten and listened to her directions. “Upstairs, entrance, on the right.” He repeated to himself. “Come on then Poseidon.” And with that he was gone with the little kitten.
Marta quickly made the tea. She made sure it was good for Finn. If there was someone who was closest to Marta´s child, it was Finn. Marta loved Finn. Marta placed the cups on the tray and carried them upstairs after telling Amber to enjoy her meal.
Finn managed to find the drawing room and sat down on one of the large sofas. The kitten seemed rather content to sit on his lap and Finn pet it gently.
Marta walked into the room and placed the tray on the small coffee table. "Do you drink your tea with milk?" She asked Finn and smiled at him. She would love for all the Shelby´s to be quite this close to her. She would happily invite Polly and Ada and even fucking Esme with the kids. They could run around the back yard. It would be so calm and yet so bustling here.
“Yes please.” Finn replied, giving Marta a smile. It was just nice to spend time with her again. She had always been so kind to him. The little kitten happily curled up in Finn’s lap and he continued to stroke him.
Chapter 27: Cricket Bats & Cellars
Notes:
I must say this is one of my favourite chapters of the whole story, enjoy friends!
Chapter Text
After lunchtime Polly came by the office. She walked in and went straight to Lizzie. "Lizzie? What was that?" Polly pointed at the crumpled chocolate wrapper.
Lizzie was rather mesmerised by the chocolates and was rummaging through the basket for another when Polly suddenly appeared. “You have to try one Polly.” She said, digging out two more. “Don’t tell Tommy, but they are fucking delicious.”
"Where did you get this?" Polly asked and then grabbed one of the chocolates. This one had an orange painted on the package. An orange chocolate... People made all sorts of things these days.
Lizzie popped a second chocolate into her mouth, closing her eyes for a minute as she enjoyed the sudden burst of flavour as it melted in her tongue. “The Cuban bitch.” She then stated.
Polly opened the chocolate and smelled it. It smelled really good. "Hmh," Polly hummed at the nickname for Marta. "She's a gypsy too, you know? What a mix..." Polly broke off a small piece of the chocolate and put it in her mouth. It was truly really good.
Lizzie decided to quickly correct herself. “The Cuban gypsy bitch.” She sniggered to Polly and quickly finished off the chocolate she was chewing.
Tommy’s office door suddenly opened, he’d finished with his paperwork for the day. His eyes instantly landed on the basket of goods on Lizzie’s desk. It must have been Marta she was speaking to. “Put that shit in the bin.” He stated coldly. Though he couldn’t quite understand what about the arrival of the basket of goods got under his skin, was it perhaps the fact that she had been so close and he hadn’t seen her?
Polly looked at Tommy. "It would be a waste."
Tommy walked closer to the desk and looked down at the basket. “Hmm.” He simply hummed. The whole situation was grating on him and his patience was shorter than ever.
Another door opened and Michael appeared. “I thought I could hear your voice.” He said as he walked to his mother and kissed her cheek. “I see Marta came by?” He then said, inspecting the basket.
Polly looked down at the basket too. "It looks like a good selection of goods. Lizzie loves the chocolates. Try it yourself, Michael," Polly handed her son the chocolate after he kissed her cheek. "There's fruit inside too. It's booze, cigars, chocolate and oranges." Polly nodded. She refrained from using Marta's name, but said: "Miss Cabrera certainly knows what's missing in Birmingham..."
Tommys eyes quickly burnt on Michael when he spoke Marta’s name. He wanted to beat him for it, yet he knew that would upset Polly. Everyone seemed so in awe of Marta’s goods and that seemed to irritate him. “This shit doesn’t belong in our city.” He said plainly, and there was one way to make sure it stayed like that. The bar had to go.
Polly looked at Tommy and shook her head. "Don't be like that Tommy. It's something new. Everybody will go crazy for it for a month. There will be huge money in it and then everyone will go back to whisky, cigarettes, sherbert lemons and apples." Polly looked at her son. "You've spoken with the woman?" Polly was curious.
“On the phone this morning.” Michael responded, sensing the tension radiating from Tommy.
Tommy simply looked at Polly, his expression blank and there was that dangerous look in his eye. She had been back in their lives for a mere 24 hours and the family already seemed to be willing to welcome her back with open arms. She hadn’t made things easy for him when she had left, so he decided that things should no longer be easier for her. Without a word Tommy walked from the office, headed straight for his car.
"Oh this doesn't look good," Polly said as she watched Tommy leave. "This will end badly..." Polly sighed. She didn't know if she wanted to walk after Tommy and try to talk to him. She looked at Michael.
Michael quickly looked from his Mum to Lizzie and back to his mother. “What the hell do you expect me to do?” He asked quickly.
"Well, I don't know. You're the accountant here. You've got common sense. Arthur is so immensely pussy-whipped he won't say anything to Tommy or Linda... You're the man here." Polly spoke.
“Yes mum, I’m the fucking accountant.” Michael said as he started walking down the corridor. “I don’t think I’m really qualified to stop Tommy burning down a fucking bar.” And with that Michael was out the door. “Tommy. Tommy!” He called after him, but Tommy was already in his car pulling away. “Tommy!” Michael came to a halt and rubbed his face in his hands. “Fucking Shelby’s.” He said to himself.
Tommy wasn’t thinking clearly, and the truth was whilst he had been in his office he’d drunk a fair share of whisky, so driving seemed a little harder than usual. Maybe he wanted to send a message. Maybe he just wanted to fuck up a perfectly good business opportunity. Maybe he just felt like being an asshole. All he knew was he soon found himself outside the new unopened bar in the city. There were kids playing cricket in the street and Tommy strolled over, he pushed some cash into the kids hand and took his cricket bat without a word before he walked to the bar and kicked down the door. The kid didn’t seem too worried, he could be 20 new cricket bats with the money the Peaky man had given him.
The bar was still calm. There were a few women doing the last touches. They wanted to present the bar to Miss Cabrera before it would open a few days from now. When the door made this loud bang, the women got scared. They screamed out when they saw the man in the doorway. "P-please sir, there’s no money here!" They shook their heads. "There’s nothing in here." They were very scared of the men. He looked like the devil with the way his eyes stared through them. The men that were supposed to guard the bar stood out the back. They were smoking. When they heard the shouting, they let out a string of Spanish curse words and ran in. There was eight of them.
Tommy paid no mind to the women, he hadn’t expected anyone to be here but it made no odds to him. “I don’t want your fucking money.” He spoke, mainly to himself as he marched to the bar. With the bat in one hand he jumped the counter and started swinging the bat against the bottles of alcohol that stood neatly on display. The adrenaline was coursing through him as he swung like a mad man, smashing anything he could reach.
The women looked among themselves and then thought that it was better to leave to fetch the guards. They met the men in the corridor. "What's going on?" One of the men asked in Spanish. "There’s a devil, smashing the bottles!" One of the women shrieked and ran out the back.
The men exchanged looks. The devil? They shook their heads and ran into the bar. Three of them were armed and the rest were pretty strong. One of those went to take Tommy down.
Tommy continued smashing bottles, he wasn’t usually one to act in haste like this without planning ahead. But he sensed someone behind him and quickly ducked under the larger man’s arm before he swung the bat at his head.
The man got hit. He fell to the ground immediately. The four remaining men who had no guns neared Tommy. They were much more careful than their unconscious colleague. The armed men didn't want to deal with this with guns. But the man was not giving them another choice. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot a warning shot into the ceiling. The boss was not going to like that... But the men didn't want to get obliterated by the devil with a cricket bat.
Tommys chest was heaving as the man crumbled to the ground, breathing heavily. He hadn’t noticed quite how many men had suddenly appeared but he straightened himself up when the gun fired, still holding the bat in one hand. “Are you gunna fucking shoot me eh?” He challenged before striking some glasses off the bar.
The men exchanged looks again. "He is fucking mad, isn´t he?" Someone asked in Spanish. "Yeah. A fucking madman, dude." Someone else replied in Spanish too. The men who had guns kept them pointing at Tommy. The ones without them went to take the bat from the man. Nobody wanted to kill a guy in the boss’s new bar. You can buy new booze, but cleaning blood from the cracks in the new wooden flooring would be a tough task. The men worked on subduing Tommy. "What next?" Spanish whispers carried through the establishment. "The cellar. And call the boss..."
Tommy stumbled slightly when the bat was pulled from his hand. He was fairly drunk but he still wasn’t stupid enough to try and start a gunfight with a group of Cubans. Plus by the time he reached for his gun they would likely react much faster due to their extra numbers. In hindsight, coming here alone hadn’t been his smartest move.
The Cuban men dragged Tommy into the cellar where they tied him to the chair. They were still a bit confused. Who was this guy? Was this guy the man that their boss had warned them about? He was different from them. He was scary. Once they had him secured in the cellar they put a bag on his head. “Someone better call the boss.” One of the men spoke in Spanish.
Tommy didn’t make it easy for the men that dragged him down the stairs. He resisted occasionally but he didn’t seem to say much. Tommy didn’t even speak when they secured him to a chair and placed the bag over his head forcing him into darkness. In fact he actually let out a small laugh. Atleast he felt a little better now he’d taken his frustrations out.
Marta poured Finn some tea and added milk. She brought the cup over to him and scratched the sleeping kitten. "He likes you," Marta said.
Before long the phone rang. Marta picked up the phone and put it to her ear. "Cabrera estate..." she said. Her expression changed quickly. Fucking Tommy. Marta didn't even have to ask for verification. A devil came in with a bat... "I'll be right there." Marta got up from the couch and looked at Finn. "If you want to stay here. You can. If you need anything ask Amber. Be gentle with her. She worked for Blenkinsop before. I have to go. Your brother went to vandalise my bar." With that, she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.
“I like him.” Finn replied with a sweet smile, he was fairly obsessed with the little cat. When she picked up the phone Finn tilted his head slightly, trying to listen in but he could only hear what Marta was saying. Fucking Tommy. He let out a sigh. “I’ll stay here… just… Marta I think he really missed you. He wasn’t the same after you went.”
Marta didn't want to be the bitch. Marta was offering fucking money to the fucking family. Marta fucking offered fucking Tommy Shelby a fucking alliance. And yet! Yet he still went to wreak havoc and destruction. Marta was fuming as she drove her car to the city. The ride usually took 20 minutes. She was there at 12. She was going on pure rage and frustration. She heard what Finn had said, and... She was sorry. She was sorry that she made Tommy feel bad. But this was not the way she wanted this to go.
When Marta arrived at the bar, she quickly assessed the damages. Well. She would not be paying any shipping fees if anyone wanted any. "Where is he?" Marta asked the men. They just pointed to the cellar. "And, boss... he hit Enrique in the head. We don’t know if... We don’t know if he’ll live." The woman sighed. She stood in front of the cellar door for a bit to get her rage under control. She took a few deep breaths and walked in. She didn't say anything. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of her heels on the hard concrete floor.
Tommy seemed to settle himself down a little once the men had left him. He was fairly surprised at their restraint. He’d been expecting to get a beating once the bag was put over his head. Yet there was nothing, nothing but the sound of silence soon broken by the noise of the door opening and approaching footsteps. Women’s footsteps. Tommy seemed to remain rather still, he didn’t speak, he merely sat and waited.
Marta stood there. She was still deciding what to do with Tommy. She sighed to herself and walked towards Tommy. She walked around him, checking how good a job her boys did with the rope. Tommy would not be able to get out of this himself. She replayed the situation in her head. She met the women from the bar. They were still on the edge a little bit. And the thing with Enrique... That was not good. He didn't have a family yet, because he was very young. He came here to have a better life and what did he get? A cricket bat to the temple from Thomas fucking Shelby. Marta felt that it was her fault. It was because of her...
After Marta circled Tommy, she stood in front of him again. She pulled the bag off.
Tommy was breathing slowly, his eyesight being taken seemed to intensify his hearing. It was almost like he could hear her heartbeat as she circled him slowly. Yet he seemed to stay remarkably still and silent. Then without warning the bag was pulled off his head, messing his hair slightly. There was a sudden brightness from the light that took him a moment to adjust to as he squinted down at the floor.
The woman watched Tommy. She let go of the bag, letting it fall to the floor. "Look at me Thomas," she told the man. She spoke calmly, but boy was she simmering. "I want you to look at me and explain." She demanded as she took a small step towards him to be a little bit closer. She had no idea what prompted Tommy to do this. She felt like he would avoid her... make her run around dealing with Michael. Wait a month just to get an appointment. Petty stuff.
Tommy blinked slowly as his eyes adjusted. The whiskey also didn’t help and it took his eyes a moment to see straight, but he did eventually look up at her. “Explain?” He repeated, his hands moving a little behind his back to see if there was any way he could get himself free, but it was futile and he quickly went still again. “Because I fucking can.”
Marta kept her hands behind her back and let Tommy speak. She did not like the explanation. In fact, it made her mad. So much for a pleasant afternoon. "Because you fucking can," Marta repeated Tommy’s words and nodded. She looked around the room. When she turned back to Tommy, she held her hand back and then slapped Tommy hard across the face. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving. This wasn't how she wanted the business to go.
"You killed an innocent guy. Because you fucking can!?"
Tommy kept his eyes fixed on Marta, he could tell she wasn’t impressed with his response, though he hadn’t expected her to hit him. His cheek was red and he stuck his tongue into the inside of his cheek. He hadn’t meant to wound the man enough to kill him. But in this line of work death was to be expected. Tommy then nodded his head slightly, his stubbornness consuming him. “Right, because I fucking can.”
"Hmm," Marta looked around. She saw a spare chair in the corner of the room. She grabbed it and dragged it across the floor. The chair scratched the surface and creaked loudly, for a moment she envisioned herself beating Tommy with it. It was what he deserved, but she refrained. "So," she said. "What do you suppose will happen now?" She asked Tommy as she straddled the chair. She looked at him. "You killed one of mine, you vandalised my bar... After I offered you, your company, and your family a deal. After this stupid cow went to deliver samples of the finest Cuban products to your office and gave your staff chocolate." Marta also wanted to tell Tommy that she had welcomed his brother in to her home... but Finn asked her not to tell, so she wouldn't tell.
Tommy had half expected her to start beating him with the chair with the way she dramatically dragged it towards him. He wasn’t thinking clearly, that was blatantly obvious. His business head was gone and his anger and hurt was guiding him… and the whisky. “I think.” Tommy spoke, with a lengthy pause as he tilted his head slightly and watched her with his cold eyes. “It would be a good idea to get me out of this chair before Arthur and John turn up and kill the rest of your men.” He stated.
Marta nodded. It was not the response she wanted, but it was to be expected from Tommy Shelby. "That's one option, yes," Marta nodded. "Second option is that I kill you," Marta said. "Third option is that I let my men rough you up, because what you did was stupid." Marta leant her head on her hand. "There can be more options if you’re willing to listen to people." Marta thrust her hand into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a pack of American cigarettes. She put one in her mouth and lit it. "And if you think the seven men upstairs are the last remaining men I have, think again."
“Oh you should definitely kill me.” Tommy said, tilting his head to the other side as he looked at her. He doubted very much that she would. “Because that would undoubtedly start a war.” He replied.
"Hmmm," Marta hummed before she blew the smoke out in Tommy’s direction. "Do you want to start a war Tommy?" She asked him. "Is that it?" She took her sweet time and smoked her cigarette calmly. "You can’t "not fight? Even with me?" She shook her head at him.
The scent of the cigarette had Tommy fidgeting in his chair a little, his body craved the nicotine and he had a feeling she was blowing it at him intentionally. “If I stop fighting I die.” He stated. It was true in the fact that without work and business to focus on Tommy would likely drink himself into an early grave, or give in to the visions of placing the barrel of his gun against his temple and pulling the trigger. Tommy had always mostly been a man of control, but he seemed to be losing control of his ability to control himself more day by day. “You chose to leave. You don’t just get to come back to my city and pretend everything is ok. Trying to woo us with your fancy fucking booze and your fancy fucking cigars.“
"I am not trying to woo anyone," Marta shook her head. "I just came home," she shrugged. "And I came home after I had tried to become something more than just your fucking barmaid," the woman shrugged and blew some more smoke in Tommy´s direction. "So," Marta said. "I already spoke about the offer to Michael, but since I have you hear, you have to listen. I am going to repeat it to you. You move goods through the canal system with little to no difficulty. I would like to make this more effective by filling the otherwise empty crates with premium Cuban produce. It would make sense. I am willing to give you a sensible cut from the profit... However, in the light of this very recent event, I am not willing to pay ANY start up fee."
Tommy moved his neck from side to side trying to distract himself from the desire to have a cigarette. The whisky in his blood yearned for it. He then softly shook his head. “No… no deal.” He said. Call him petty, but he didn’t want to make this easy for her. She obviously needed his boats more than he needed her business. “I like my crates being empty.”
Marta shook her head. In fact, she laughed a little bit too. "You have always been..." Marta thought for a second. "You´ve always been a stubborn one, huh?" She bit her lip. Then dropped the finished cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out with her pretty shoe. "I remember… I remember this one day when I started to work at The Garrison. Some Irish musicians came in and sang Rocky Road to Dublin..." Marta nodded. "So many people from the streets came in, bought beer and booze. There was so much money coming into the pub. And yet you still made the musicians stop and threatened to throw them in the cut." Marta smiled to herself at the memory. She got up from the chair and went to circle Tommy again. This time, she even dared to run her fingertips along Tommy’s shoulder. "You were younger then..." Marta had managed to soften him once before, but could she do it again?
Tommys eyes seemed to follow the cigarette butt as she dropped it to the floor before watching her as she got to her feet. He went quiet again, taking in her words and when she walked behind him and ran her fingers along his shoulder he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to breath slowly. “There’s no singing in my pub.” He eventually spoke, his voice a little quieter.
Marta nodded to herself. She could see small hints of gray in Tommy's hair. She thought that it suited him. He had always been and he always would be the most handsome man she had ever seen. "I know," she said quietly. "And that’s why there will be a lot of singing and dancing in my bar," Marta placed her palm, that was now without her driving gloves, on Tommy’s shoulder for a bit rubbing his shoulder gently.
There was something about the way she had her hand on him that seemed to soften him. It had always been her, and it likely always would be. “What are you doing Marta?” He said softly.
Marta closed her eyes when she heard her name escaping Tommy’s lips. Her chest felt somewhat lighter now. "I am trying..." Marta said as she opened her eyes. She leant to whisper into Tommy’s ear. "I don't want to fight you, but I can't have my men dying for nothing." She shook her head.
She then stood tall again. She dug into the pocket of her coat to retrieve a switchblade. She pressed the button on it, the blade jumped out of the handle with a click. Marta then crouched to cut the ropes that restrained Tommy. She was careful enough not to cut him.
“You’re trying?” Tommy repeated. Trying what, he thought to himself. Trying not to kill him perhaps. As she whispered to him he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. She still had a way of getting to him, softening him. As he felt the ropes fall away he pulled his hands to his lap, rubbing his wrists to ease the friction burn.
Marta was trying. She was trying not to get more of her men killed. She was trying not to get Tommy killed, because she thought his hot-headedness was clouding his judgement. She also smelled quite a bit of whisky on him, now that she was close to him. She was trying to make things right. She left because she didn’t see a place in Tommy’s world. She felt like this bubbly barmaid puppy that followed Tommy around and was trying to calm him down and hold him back from doing stupid things. She felt like this pretty thing tagging along. She did not want to be that. She rid Tommy of all the restraints and then closed the switchblade. She pocketed that. Marta was careful, though. She was watching Tommy closely. She didn't think he would try to kill her but... Tommy was a hard man to read, especially these days. Marta walked over to stand in front of Tommy.
After Tommy had rubbed his wrists he reached inside his jacket. His gun was still in its holster and he looked down at his chest for a moment as his hand moved down.
When Marta saw Tommy reach inside his jacket, she reached inside her coat. She wouldn't want to shoot Tommy. But if he pulled out his gun, she surely would pull out hers. She refrained from pulling her gun out, when Tommy put his hand down. She let out a small breath. "Would you like a cigarette?" Marta asked Tommy tentatively.
After rummaging through his pockets for a moment Tommy pulled out a fairly big wad of cash, he flicked through the notes and took out more than enough to cover the price of the damage he’d caused, and for her ceiling, before he placed it on her vacant chair. He leant back into his chair for a moment and let out a soft sigh. “Yeah, yeah I’ll have a cigarette.” He said.
Marta looked at the money and sighed softly. She then took her cigarettes from the pocket. She pulled out one and put it between her lips. She lit it with her lighter and then handed it to Tommy. "So," Marta said. "I guess the opening night of the Cosmos bar will be delayed," Marta nodded to herself and put her hands on her hips.
Tommy watched as she lit the cigarette, the light from the flame seemed to dance across her face. “Tah.” He said softly as he took it, taking a rather deep inhale. The smoke slowly appeared from his nose, instantly that niggeling in his chest was soothed. “It would seem so.” He said as he sat forward, resting an elbow on his knee whilst he took another long breath through the cigarette.
"Hmm," Marta nodded to herself. She looked at the money and picked it up. "What is this for?" She asked him and then counted the money. It was quite a lot of cash to be honest. She sat down and watched Tommy enjoy the cigarette. She leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to the side. Now that he was in front of her Marta had no idea how she went almost three years without really seeing Tommy. She had visions of him, of course. Every night when she fell asleep, she would see his face. She saw him even when she thought that her life was ending
Tommy slowly exhaled some more smoke from his nose. “Damages.” He spoke, his voice was soft now. He was tired and the whisky seemed to be wearing off. “Have you got any booze left?” Tommy then asked, crouching forward for a moment and rubbing his face with the palms of his hands.
Marta took a deep breath. "Right," she nodded. "I’ll use it to make sure that Enrique gets help, if he still needs it," Marta put the money in her pocket. "I do," she said and then walked over to the crates in the cellar. "Would you like the fucking American whisky or the fucking tequila?" She asked Tommy and looked back at him. "You look like you need some rest," she added.
Tommy glanced up at her, returning to the cigarette when she said he needed rest. He didn’t eat and he didn’t sleep, that was starting to take a toll on him for sure. But he didn’t know how to fix it, so he chose to ignore the statement. “I’ll try the American shit.” He then said, sitting back in the chair with a sigh. “You said he was dead?” He then said.
Marta pulled the whisky out and opened it. She still didn't like whiskey. However, there was no lingonberry schnaps in Cuba. Thankfully, though, she fell in love with the taste of tequila. She brought the bottle over to Tommy. "Sorry. I don't have a glass," she handed it to him. "I was not here," Marta shrugged. "And the men said they didn’t know if he’ll live. They are now probably waiting to see. There’s not much you can do."
“Thanks.” Tommy spoke quietly as he took the bottle and glugged back a big gulp. He was quiet for a moment. It had nothing on Irish whisky, it was softer… and there was vanilla or something that certainly didn’t belong in his favourite spirit. But it would do for now. He looked at the bottle for a moment, reading the label and glanced up at Marta. “If he’s still alive, tell them to take him to Dr Fields at the hospital in Solihull.” Tommy said, looking back at the bottle. A year or so ago he’d taken a bad beating, his skull had been fractured. But the doctor had saved his life. “Tell them I sent him.” He said as he looked back at the bottle.
Marta listened to Tommy and made sure to remember the name of the doctor and the hospital. She was glad for that information. Even though she had lived in Birmingham before, there were things she simply didn't know because she hadn’t needed to know these things before. Now, she had many more responsibilities. "Thank you, Tommy," she nodded. She let out a breath and unbuttoned the very top button of her blouse. That day, she wore a red blouse with black trousers. It was quite an eventful day. She tried to make a deal, met Finn and then... did this, whatever this was.
Tommy simply nodded his head at the thanks she gave him and took another gulp from the bottle of whisky. It made him feel better. His eyes were drawn back to her when she unbuttoned her blouse. It usually would have made him smile, but Tommy didn’t seem to smile anymore. “I…” But he stopped himself, returning his eyes to the whisky bottle.
Marta looked at Tommy. "You?" She tilted her head to the side. She shook her head then and got up. "You want to go home, right?" She nodded. "Come, I’ll uh... let you out and I have to bring Finn..." She bit her lip. Fuck. She promised Finn and she’d fucked it up.
When Marta got up Tommy’s words finally came out of his mouth. Perhaps it was the whisky. “I missed you.” He spoke, sighing softly to himself and he raised the bottle to his lips and froze, a frown appearing on his face. “Bring Finn where?” He then asked quickly.
Marta licked her lips. For a short while, she didn't know how to react. But then she smiled a little bit. She nodded, mostly to herself. "I missed you too, Tommy," she said. "I am glad to be back," she added.
"Errm," she scratched her head a little. "Well," she began. "Finn... I met Finn. He was hungry, so I took him to the estate and gave him lunch. And then I got a new cat and Finn really liked the cat, so I let him play with the cat, and then I had to come here."
“Why doesn’t anyone fucking listen to me.” Tommy muttered to himself. “They never fucking listen.” He placed the whisky down and pushed his hands against his knees to force himself up from the chair. There was a slight stumble as he caught his balance. It was probably silly for him to try and drive home, but no copper would dare pull over his car.
Marta looked at Tommy and put a gentle hand on his arm. "Are you alright?" She asked him. "Are you sure you want to go home on your own like this? You don't have to worry. Finn is safe. He is now probably passed out on the couch, full of the food someone cooked and he's being licked by the new kitten..." she sighed softly. "Don´t be mad at him please. He asked me not to tell you, but I messed up."
Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers as Marta put a hand on his arm. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes briefly. There didn’t seem to be any more energy left in him to be angry. His hand moved down to hers, he squeezed it for a moment before he moved it off of his arm. “Goodnight Marta.” He then said simply and made his way to the door.
When Tommy touched her, it felt like a surge of electricity went through her body. She remained standing, stunned for a little while, before her brain caught up with the reality. "You can't go first!" Marta made a few quick steps to get in front of Tommy. "If they see you come out first and without me, then they will shoot you on the spot," Marta said and then opened the cellar door and walked up the stairs in front of Tommy. "Are you sure you want to go on your own? I can take you home and I can have someone move your car. Or you can leave it here for the night."
Tommy went to stop when Marta suddenly burst in front of him. It took a few steps to slow his whisky filled body down. His shoulder occasionally bumped against the wall as they went up the stairs. “It’s not your job to worry about me anymore.” He spoke softly as they walked up from the cellar. “I’ll be fine.”
"I mean, I know, but..." Marta said and then sighed softly. She waved at her men. "Stand down. We came to an understanding, he won't do it again and we settled. I will explain everything tomorrow. If Enrique can be saved, take him to the hospital in Solihull, ask for Doctor Fields. " Marta quickly told her men everything they needed to know and made sure there were no weapons present. She walked Tommy through the bar. Once they were outside, Marta said: "It was never my job... I just worry. That’s... that’s just me, I guess?"
Once they reached the top of the stairs Tommy could tell simply by the look on the men’s faces that they wanted to kill him. He felt numb to everything, there was never guilt, just numbness. “You should have let them beat me.” He said to her in Romani after she had given her men their instructions and once they were outside he looked up at the darkening sky. “You needn’t worry.” Maybe he just needed a good break from everything to sort out his head.
Marta bit her lip and buttoned her blouse. "Drive safely," Marta said. She reached for Tommy and rubbed his back. "And have a good night," she told him and then walked to her car. She had no driving gloves to put on, so she just got in, started the car and drove off to her estate. She would have to take Finn back as she would not let him ride a bike in the dark.
That simple touch against his back made him draw in a steady breath, it made him feel warm for the briefest of moments. “Goodnight.” He spoke quietly as she walked to her car. Tommy watched her climb into her car and drive away, in fact he watched until her car had disappeared out of view. He placed his hands into his jacket pocket as he walked to his car. There seemed far less life in Thomas Shelby as he walked. He climbed into his car and after a short drive arrived home. Frances of course had rushed to greet him, tried to fuss him but Tommy simply dismissed her and headed to his office. His only request was for whisky to be brought to him.
Frances wasn’t happy. Whisky was not dinner. It has never been dinner, and it would never be dinner in her mind. So, she brought Mr Shelby the whisky, but she also brought him two pieces of toast. She planned on checking in the morning, and if the man didn't eat those... She would call Mrs Gray.
When Frances returned with his whisky Tommy had on his reading glasses and was typing a little slower than usual with his typewriter. The alcohol seemed to slow down his fingers. “Thank you Frances.” He said, his eyes breaking away from the paper for a moment as he pushed the plate of toast away and poured himself a large glass of the whisky.
Despite Finn’s worrying about the damage Tommy might have done he had been having a lovely time at Marta’s house. Amber had taken good care of him and by the time Marta returned Finn and the little kitten had both fallen asleep on the sofa in the drawing room.
Marta didn't want to wake Finn up. He seemed so peaceful on the couch. But she just had to take him back home, not wanting to get any further on Poly’s bad side. She slowly woke the boy up and brought a blanket for him to take to the car. Yes, Finn was a grown up, but she would let him have a blanket if that meant that their journey back to the city was at least a bit more bearable for him. She placed the new kitten on her armchair. The little creature didn't mind one bit. It just kept sleeping.
Finn let out a little grumble as Marta woke him up. He was quite content here and rubbed his eyes for a minute before letting out a small yawn. “Is Tommy dead?” He asked, he knew what his brother could be like. It wouldn’t have been a surprise. Eventual Finn sat himself up, yawning again and covering his mouth with his hand. “I could just stay here.” He then said, he wanted to. Finn got lonely spending most of his days with his Aunt. Michael was rarely home. It was boring. Atleast there was a little life at Marta’s house.
"Tommy is doing better… I think," Marta looked at the boy. She rubbed his shoulder a little bit. "Here, take the blanket. It's cold outside and you’ve been sleeping. You’ll be cold." Marta smiled as she watched Finn battle the sleep. "Tommy and I came to an agreeable conclusion," she told Finn. She then sighed softly. "Finn, Polly would be worried," she smiled sadly. "I would be happy to let you sleep over, but you have to tell your family first. So... I can take you home, you can tell Polly and then we can arrange something." Marta was trying to reason with the sleepy teen.
Finn was rather happy to hear that his brother wasn’t dead. “An agreeable conclusion? What did that look like?” He asked curiously and stretched out his arms as Marta rubbed his back before letting out a slight sigh. Finn missed the busy house on Watery Lane with John’s chaotic family next door. There was always something going on. Marta’s house reminded him a little of that. That was why he liked it.
"Oh, you know," Marta said. "We argued a little bit. It was a battle of wills for a second...'' She then didn't know how to proceed. What made the tenor of the conversation change again? Was it Marta´s touch? "And then, you know. We worked it out, I let Tommy have a smoke and drink whisky. And then it was done," she nodded. "Okay, get up, get up. We need to get you home before Polly burns this one down. You can come visit whenever, remember?"
“You let him?” Finn replied, letting out a small laugh as he finally got up to his feet. Tommy didn’t often need permission to smoke and drink. “So you two are back to normal now? Alright alright, I’m up.” Finn said and he did decide on picking up the blanket. He nodded his head at her last statement. “I will.” He said with a smile.
"I wouldn't say we are back to normal, but at least we can be in the same room without glass and bullets flying," Marta clarified before watching Finn pick himself up. As she walked him to the main door, Amber stopped them and handed the boy a wrapped sandwich. She wanted to hand one to Marta too, but Marta said that she would eat after she returned.
“Well that’s better than nothing I suppose.” Finn said, nudging Marta’s arm as they walked to the door. When Amber gave him the sandwich he gave her a thankful smile. “Thank you Amber.” He said. Finn was growing quickly and was mostly always hungry, so before they’d even reached the car he had unwrapped the sandwich and had started to eat.
"Oh, I think so, but he won't let me worry for him," Marta shrugged and then led Finn to the car. She smiled when she saw the boy already eating his sandwich. She let the boy get in and then started the car. Marta thought about Tommy. Was he really that mad about Finn being at her house or was he just so tired? She was so glad that she could find common ground with him to a certain point. He even helped her with Enrique. It truly seemed like he cared. And the fleeting touches they shared, and the fact he did not flinch from those... It felt right. Marta was deep in thought as she drove Finn.
“Tommy doesn’t let anyone worry for him.” Finn pointed out with half a mouthful of food. The sandwich was good, very good and he fell silent as Marta drove whilst he continued to demolish it. His mind drifted to his family after he’d stopped thinking about food. He hoped Uncle Charlie had been able to fix the car and it wasn’t still sitting in the ditch outside their house. “It’s just up here on the left.” He said as they got nearer.
Marta nodded and then steered the car to the left. As they approached the house, she could already see Polly outside. She was smoking. "Oh, no. This can't be good," Marta said and then looked at Finn. "What do you think? Should I even come out of the car? Will I get shot or something?" Marta asked Finn before she stopped by the curb.
Finn looked from Marta to his Aunt, it was dark so he couldn’t quite make out her expression. But she had been the one to tell Finn he should take his bike or a horse to the Cabrera estate. “I don’t think she would shoot you in front of me.” He said, giving Marta a warm smile before he got out of the car and placed the blanket on the seat. Finn gave his Aunt a small wave as he went to get his bike from the back of the car.
Polly threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it. She looked at Finn. "Good evening, Finn," she told him and watched him get the bike out of the pretty new car that did not go bonnet to bark with a tree. "Did you manage to get to the estate on that bike?" Polly asked.
Finn was a little weary of the way Polly had stomped on her cigarette. Sometimes it was hard to judge her mood. He didn’t think it would have impressed his Aunt to learn that Marta had in fact let him drive her car to the house following his earlier incident, so he just simply nodded his head. “Yeah-yeah I got there fine.” He said, forcing a small smile to try and cover up his lie.
Marta decided to get out of the car. "Good evening, Polly." She smiled and nodded. "I made sure Finn ate," she added tentatively.
"I see," Polly looked at the boy. Judging by the goodstate of his clothing, it seemed like Finn didn't fall off the bike on the way, which was good. She then turned to Marta. She raised her chin up slightly. She looked at a girl that once wore scarves and scruffy clothing. Now she was dressed like she came straight from Paris. "Did you get any chocolate Finn?" Polly asked as she brushed a few small cat hairs from his jacket.
Finn still couldn’t seem to figure out what kind of mood his aunt was in. She was being… strange and he glanced at Marta before looking back at Polly. “No?” He replied. “I had pork and some… some weird red things-poppers or something.” But now Polly had mentioned it, he did really fancy some chocolate.
Marta looked at Finn and smiled sheepishly. She too couldn't make out what went through Polly´s mind. She stood by her car and listened to Finn talking about the food. "They are called peppers, Finn," she clarified. "And they tasted good, eh?"
Polly nodded. She listened to Finn while he talked about the food. It was good to hear that the boy had enjoyed himself. "Well, next time, Finn. Ask for chocolate too," Polly smirked. It was quite funny. Even as a business woman, Marta couldn't help but be caring enough to bring and offer chocolate to people.
“Yeah-yeah they tasted pretty good. Better than your cooking Pol.” Finn joked cheekily after he had determined she wasn’t in a bad mood. He then gave Marta a rather confused look and shrugged his shoulders, he didn’t quite understand why Polly was going on about the chocolate. “Thanks for the ride Marta.” He then said, giving her a small wave and smile.
"You are very welcome, Finn," she smiled and waved at the boy too. She then looked over at Polly who walked closer to her car. After a few more steps, the women were quite close to each other. Polly let out a huff when Finn said that he liked the food he had at Marta’s was better than her cooking. "Welcome back, Marta," she said. "I hope you are back for long..." Polly nodded. If this girl left again... she would either kill her or drag her back to Birmingham by the hair. Finn and Tommy loved her far too much for her to just disappear again. "Good night, Marta," Polly said and then left for her house.
Marta was quite confused, but she got over it and got into her car. She was looking forward to drinking some tequila and cuddling her new cat.
Finn started to head towards the door pushing his bike, though he lingered in the drive until Marta had gotten into her car… just in case his Aunt did decide to try and shoot her.
Meanwhile back at Arrow House Tommy continued typing away. He took a break and picked up his glass of whisky as he got to his feet. Tommy removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves before he walked over to the fire and lit himself a cigarette. The whiskey had filled his head, like it often did late at night, with thoughts of that woman that had won over his heart and then left it shattered. The only woman he’d ever loved.
After standing by the fire for a few minutes Tommy returned to his desk and continued typing well into the night, fuelled by more whisky and cigarettes. Spelling mistakes started to creep into his words, mainly as he started to struggle to see the letters on the typewriter clearly. Eventually he had fallen asleep in his chair and when he did wake again the sun was starting to creep through the window.
Chapter 28: Gloves & Invitations
Chapter Text
Tommy let out a soft groan and stretched his neck from side to side before he reached straight for the half glass of whisky he’d neglected to finish that night. In one swoop it was gone. His mind felt a little foggy, whisky tended to do that but regardless he lit a cigarette and went about tidying his desk. He’s written out instructions for Frances and his family in named envelopes beside his uneaten toast, Tommy just needed a break. When he was a young boy he would often disappear into the woods for days at a time and sleep beneath the trees. He needed to see the stars again. Tommy gathered some clothes and supplies, only the bare necessities, for he could hunt if he was hungry. But of course there was whisky and plenty of cigarettes. He took Midwinter as he was the stronger horse for pulling a wagon and just like that Tommy was gone.
He’d left instructions for Michael to proceed with the board meeting, and submitted his vote in writing, suggesting they move forward with the Cuban shipments. That Michael should meet with Marta and offer her a far better rate than Michael had first suggested. There would be no startup fee. The Shelby company would also make a sizable donation to the Solihull hospital to ensure the boy Tommy had injured would get the best care possible with the newest medical technologies.
Out in the wild he could try to turn off that switch in his mind. Enjoy the quiet and the feel of the earth around him. Reset atleast. He wasn’t sure how many days he had been gone, he hadn’t really counted. But when the time finally felt right he packed up the wagon and rode back from the depths of the Lake District.
Marta had to delay the opening of the bar. First, they had to repair the damage done, and second... No one really wanted to cheer up and celebrate when Enrique was still balancing on the verge of life and death. Marta went to visit Enrique a few times with some of the men. He was slowly recovering. The doctor said that he had a chance of recovery, because he was still young and his body just wanted to fight.
The days were mostly the same for Marta. She would ride Athena in the morning, get something to eat and then it was business. She was happy to hear that Tommy finally decided to give the Cuban shipments a chance. Even her demand for no starting fee was heard, so she was just stuck with paying the cut to the Shelby’s and the bribe money. It was good business.
Marta was a bit sad that she didn’t get to see Tommy while discussing the business. She heard that "Mr Shelby was very busy". She believed that because she hadn’t seen the bloody man anywhere. And boy, did she look for him. She even went to The Garrison once. It looked... different. It was much more snazzy. She didn’t even see any of the old patrons there, not even sweet old Bernie.
What was most surprising, though, was that even after all of these years and changes... They still had a dusty bottle of lingonberry schnapps behind the bar.
"So, it's done now?" Marta smiled as she signed the paperwork regarding the shipments. She had invited Michael to her home. They discussed everything in peace while Amber brought them tea and some finger foods to nibble on. "Would you like some more tea, sir?" Amber asked Michael. He was just so pretty. He was young and he looked so put together. "Or something else to drink?" Amber added with a smile.
Marta couldn´t believe her eyes. Amber was really... attentive towards Michael.
Michael watched as Marta signed the papers and gave her a kind smile. “It is done.” He then said and reached out his hand to shake hers. Then that lovely blonde maid made another appearance and he gave her the same charming smile he had given Marta as he relaxed back into his chair and lit a cigarette. “Perhaps some of that lovely tequila, to celebrate new business?” Michael then suggested.
Marta shook Michael’s hand and nodded. "I would lie if I said that it was easy," she sat back in her chair too and just watched as her maid tried to woo Polly´s son.
Amber nodded. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, sir," She walked over to the drink tray and brought over two glasses with a bottle of the best tequila. She poured some for Miss Marta and then for the gentleman. She was almost sad he would be leaving. He was so handsome and so refined. And he smoked, which made him look much more mature.
"You can drink as much tequila as you wish, if you come to the opening of the Cosmos bar tomorrow," Marta nodded.
“Well the hard bit is out of the way now.” Michael said and took the papers to place in his briefcase which he then set down beside him. When Amber returned with their drinks he gave her another smile. “Thank you Amber.” He said, sitting forward and taking the glass. Michael tapped his glass against Marta’s. “Cheers.” Michael hummed before taking a sip. It was good fucking stuff. “Oh I will be there for sure. My friend Isiah won’t stop banging on about it.”
"Cheers," Marta smiled and took a sip of the tequila. She then chuckled when she heard that there was a buzz about the establishment in the city. "Well, I hope most of the people in the city will have a friend like your friend Isaiah. I am sure you will both enjoy the evening. There will be a lot of music, tequila and also some other Cuban specialities. You have to try croquetas, they are these fried pieces with ham. I love those." Marta looked at the man and asked, just out of curiosity, of course: "So, Mr Shelby is still busy?"
Michael couldn’t help himself and as Amber glanced back at him when she neared the door he gave her a small wink before he returned his attention back to Marta. “It sounds like it will be a fun night.” He stated. Any time that involved drink, sex and cocaine was a good night in his books. “Yes Tommy’s been busy.” Michael then said with a nod. At least that's what he had told him to say, the truth was no one had any idea where he was or when he would be back.
Amber smiled back at Michael too before she left the room, the cheeky wink he had sent her way nearly made her weak at the knees. He’d even remembered her name too! Amber was absolutely smitten and rushed straight to the kitchen to relay this information to Sylvia and Julia. The ladies loved to gossip in the kitchen.
"Oh, I do hope it will be a fun night," Marta nodded. When she didn't get much information about Tommy. She proceeded to give Michael a small shovel talk. "So, Mr Gray," she told him. "I think you have noticed that my maid has taken a liking to you," Marta nodded. "I would suggest you to be a gentleman. Amber hasn't had the best experience with men. I am just saying that if you hurt her, there will be a problem." Marta smiled prettily and clinked her glass against Michael’s.
“She has eh?” Michael replied, a rather smug smile on his lips. He’d certainly taken an interest in her that was for sure. “I am always a gentleman, Miss Cabrera. Don’t forget my mother is Polly Gray. She would bury me in the garden if I was anything less.” He said with a chuckle, tapping her glass again. “Will she be attending the party?” Michael then asked.
"I just want you to have this in mind. Before Amber was my maid, she was a maid to my stepfather, Richard Blenkinsop. He was the most disrespectful man I've ever met. He did not treat his staff well. That's why Amber is the only one who stayed." Marta felt protective of Amber. The young girl had told her about the things Blenkinsop did... Before Amber gave him his last breakfast. "I haven't asked her yet, but she might."
“I will bear that in mind.” Michael said with a small nod of his head before he finished off the tequila and started to gather his things. He needed to get back to the office to process the forms. “Ask her for me won’t you.” He then said, his smile was warm as he got to his feet and offered Marta his hand again.
Marta nodded at Michael's request. "I can ask, but I can't promise anything." Marta shook Michael's hand and then led him to the main door. "It was a pleasure doing business with you," Marta said.
Michael shook Marta’s hand firmly and gave her a nod and a smile before he walked from the front door. Though he paused for a moment and looked back, that familiar cheeky smile that was much like Tommy’s once was on his lips. “You should tell her to wear a green dress.” He then stated before he made his way to his car. Michael already had his nicest suit ready for the occasion, a grey number that he would wear with a green tie and pocket square.
Marta watched as Michael walked to his car and then had a request on what Amber should wear. Marta let out a small chuckle. "Right," Marta nodded. "I'll tell her," she promised.
Michael gave Marta another small wave before he put his briefcase onto his passenger seat and climbed into the car, excited to tell his friend about the beautiful maid he had met.
Once Michael was gone, Marta went back into the house. She picked up the kitten on the way and scratched its ears as she went to find Amber, asking her about the bar opening... And she gave her money to buy a green dress.
Marta then had to go look at the state of the Cosmos. After the incident with Tommy, they had to repair a lot of stuff and Marta wanted to see the bar in its full finished glory before it would open the next day.
Tommy rode the wagon up the long driveway of Arrow House. He imagined Frances had been standing in the window for days waiting for his return and he could have sworn he saw a curtain moving in an upstairs window. He led Midwinter straight to the stables and went about getting him in his stool and packing away the wagon.
Frances was of course awaiting Mr Shelby´s return. She would not even let him take a breath before she was behind him in the stables. "Mr Shelby, you have some mail waiting for you," the woman said. "And, I just got this. It is for you, Mr Johnny dropped it off earlier today." The maid handed Tommy a pair of driving gloves. They surely weren't meant for Mr Shelby to wear. "Oh and, some strange looking men in a nice car came in too, and told me to give you this." Frances handed a slightly bigger card to the man. It was an invitation to the opening of the Cosmos bar.
Tommy was spending some time with Monaghan when he heard Frances’ voice. “Did you miss me Frances?” He asked. Tommy seemed to have a little more life in his eyes, but he still seemed tired and he had lost some weight without her constant nags to eat. He gave his horse a final pat and took the gloves, placing them on top of the stable door for a moment as he opened the envelope to the card. His eyes scanned it slowly. “Hmm.” He hummed to himself before folding it back up.
Frances did not comment on the question. She just waited for the man to look at the things the strange people brought to his house. She looked the man up and down. "You should eat, Mr Shelby. Come inside. We made soup." Frances had tried everything - soups, stews, steaks, sandwiches, toast, eggs, bacon... Nothing worked. The man just ate nothing.
“So you didn’t miss me?” Tommy said, taking the gloves from the stable gate and putting them in his pocket. He wasn’t sure what to do with them. “I ate a stag for breakfast, Frances, I’m rather full.” Tommy then said sarcastically, brushing off her suggestion with a rather bad joke. It was a bad omen to kill a stag.
Frances sighed as she listened to the man. For a man who could kill a man, but couldn’t eat breakfast, Mr Shelby was still trying to be a joker. It was not working on Frances. "You are as thin as a blade of grass, Mr Shelby. With enough determination a stag would be able to eat you."
“Now wouldn’t that be a site to behold.” Tommy said as he walked past Frances and started to head back to the house. “You should sell tickets Frances, I’m sure there are plenty of people that would like to watch Thomas Shelby be eaten by a stag.” He called back to her as he walked.
Sometimes, Frances felt like she was the person who would rather watch Mr Shelby get eaten by a stag, than to deal with him. But then... At least Mr Shelby paid her well and she had this huge mansion with a full pantry of good produce mostly to herself.
Tommy made his way inside, back to his big empty house. He went straight up to the master suite and ran himself a hot bath. Tommy sat in the water for a while, his eyes closed. He’d been working on trying to calm himself down whilst he had been away, he found closing his eyes and taking deep breaths helped. After his bath he got dressed in a freshly laundered suit. He didn’t seem to wear his cap as often these days. Once he was dressed he made his way back downstairs. The only rooms in the house he ever seemed to occupy were his bedroom or his office and after he had retrieved his glasses from his desk he took a seat on the sofa by the fire and scanned through the last few days worth of newspapers.
Frances was willing to try. She grabbed a plate with two pieces of toast and put it on the tray with tea. She would bring all of this to Mr Shelby. "Are you planning on going to the opening of that bar? Don't you think Cubans are dangerous?"
Tommy glanced up when he heard the door open and returned his attention to his paper. His eyes then glanced at the tray. She was persistent, that was for sure. He took the cup of tea and took a small sip before he placed it back beside the toast that he had no intention of eating. “I think the Cubans should have killed me, and they didn’t.” He stated. Dangerous? Perhaps to some. But he highly doubted they would be dangerous to the peaky blinders. And an answer to her other question, he wasn’t so sure so chose not to respond to it for the moment.
Frances stood next to Tommy. "I have heard that they are led by a woman. What kind of woman leads a gaggle of wild men?"
“Yes, they are led by a woman, Frances.” Tommy replied, taking another sip of tea and keeping his eyes on his paper. “The fucking woman.” He added. Tommy knew that Frances often spoke with Polly, and was sure that Polly had likely explained why Tommy had become such a miserable bastard these last few years.
Frances furrowed her brows. "The Cabrera lady?" She asked to clarify. She then shook her head. "Oh, well, then there is no wonder. Someone like her is bound to keep close ties with criminals. I bet she doesn't have children. Childless women tend to be this strange..."
Tommy processed Frances’ words for a moment. The silence seemed long. It was rare for her to speak out like this. She was a trusted woman in Tommy’s life and he knew she cared about him despite how difficult he could be, but she rarely expressed her opinions to this extent. He was a little shocked and folded his paper as he tilted his head, watching her expression closely. “Are you feeling unwell Frances?” He then asked plainly. Though it was his way of indicating that she should keep her opinions to herself on this occasion.
"No, Mr Shelby," Frances shook her head and shrugged. "This is just what I know. And I know that these immigrants can be troublesome. Enjoy your toast," she added and then left the room.
Tommy simply shook his head to the woman’s comment and looked back to his paper. “Frances.” He then called, ushering her back as he took the gloves from his pocket and handed them to her. “Get someone to deliver these to this address.” He then said, and scribbled the address for the Cabrera estate on to his notepad beside him. He tore off the paper and handed it to her. “Put them in a pretty box… and put an invitation to dinner in there. Shall we say 7 o’clock?” He then said, knowing putting on a fancy dinner would cheer the maid up and with that he went back to his paper.
Frances took the gloves carefully and inspected them. They were good quality leather gloves, Frances thought to herself. She picked up the slip of paper with the address. "A dinner?" Frances asked. "A dinner here?"
“Yes Frances, a dinner here.” Tommy stated, looking up at her again. Though he could see she seemed to be happy to have an excuse to boss the kitchen around and get out all the fine china. “Am I not speaking clearly?” He then questioned.
Frances immediately perked up. "Dinner here," she said with a nod and then walked swiftly to yell at the kitchen staff and have them polish the china and cook something nice. Then, she went to send off the gloves and the invitation. There was much to accomplish. This estate had not hosted a dinner since... since Easter Lunch.
“And you will be nice to my guest Frances.” Tommy called after her. It was also something he needed to try and do himself, but he hoped that they could somehow make things better. He was sick of this big empty house.
That was yet to be determined. Frances was not going to hug the lady and tell her it is okay to leave a man alone, not when she had seen first hand the effect it had on the master of the house. Frances had her subtle ways of showing someone that she was displeased.
"So you say that she's pretty, eh?" Isaiah was already asking Michael about the girl. "How does she look like...?" Isaiah sat down on a desk in Michael's office. The office was good for working and good for gossip.
“She’s got this lovely blonde hair.” Michael said, a cheeky smile on his face as he took a gulp of tequila and quickly snorted the line of white powder from his desk through a small metal straw. He quickly wiped the end of his nose and leaned back in his chair. “And her eyes, her eyes were like stars… she couldn’t stop looking at me.”
"Good, man! I think you almost have yourself a girl!" Isaiah patted Michael's shoulders. "She coming to the opening party?" Isaiah wanted to see this pretty girl with stars in her eyes. He was so happy for his friend.
“Well we will see.” Michael said, though he couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face. “I told Marta to get her to wear something green, to match my tie.” He added before leaning forward to pour both men another drink.
"Oh well, she might just be yours and only yours tomorrow. Good for you," Isaiah said. "I might just find some Cuban beauty," Isaiah nodded and grabbed a glass. "Do you know if Finn's coming too? He should be looking for a lady too."
“If another man goes near her I will cut his throat.” Michael said with a chuckle and sipped his drink. “I am not sure.” He then replied. Finn tended to attend this type of thing, especially if the family were putting on some front for the papers to try and make themselves look like the angels of Birmingham.
"God knows this boy needs a woman to go to bed with," Isaiah laughed.
“He’s still a baby Isaiah.” Michael pointed out, though that wasn’t strictly true. He was a teenager now, albeit a young one. But he was certainly the least intelligent of the Shelby brothers.
"Well, he has to become a man one day. Why not during a party with so many hot foreign ladies!" Isaiah laughed. He was the soul of the party. The young Peaky Blinders were really growing up to be the same as the previous ones. Isaiah was definitely the Arthur of the group.
“I’ll leave that in your capable hands.” Michael said. Sometimes he wondered if Finn was one of these types that didn’t like ladies, the type that liked men instead. There seemed to be a few more of them these days despite the fact they would often get arrested and beaten. It was a new world after the war. Or perhaps his balls just hadn’t dropped yet.
Isaiah saluted and nodded. "I can do something about it. You just make sure you are nice to your lady, Michael," the boy nodded. "Some can play a little hard to get, but you have to be smart and woo them by pretending not to care about them. Then you just can’t keep them off you."
“I’m always fucking nice.” Michael said with a laugh and went about setting another line of cocaine down on his desk. The drug made him feel confident and happy. “I don’t think Amber is like that.” Michael said, she seemed to have already made her feelings quite obvious to him.
"Aamber," Isaiah smiled. "She even sounds sweet. I can’t wait to see this angel with eyes like the stars. But tell me, what about the body?"
“Ah the body.” Michael hummed and quickly snorted his next line of powder, it seemed to make his eyes even wider. “She’s got this perfect backside, not too big, not too small. And she was wearing this tight black skirt.” He explained.
Isaiah banged his hand on the table. "She sounds like quite the catch," the boy grinned. "Good for you, my man, good for you," he patted Michael’s back. He then snorted some cocaine himself. It was a good way to unwind. "I haven’t seen Arthur for a long time. Has he been praying or something? Or did Linda whisk him away to a monastery? I could see her putting nun clothes on him. Fuck Linda."
“Yeah fucking Linda.” Michael repeated. It seems both John and Arthur had recently stepped back, most of the beatings and burnings were handled by the younger ‘soldiers’ these days, and the older men only seemed to show up if there was serious shit to be handled. “I’m hoping he’s there tomorrow. We can get him on the sniff and make sure he remembers how to have a good time. God I hope Linda isn’t coming.”
"Linda is quite hot, though. It’s a shame she gave her body and soul to God," Isaiah shrugged. "We definitely have to have Arthur come! It will be a fucking racket the party, I am telling you. Some people even got like a card invitation. This is going to be big. Everyone says that the bar has the biggest dancefloor ever." The boy was even more excited, maybe it was the cocaine, who knew.
Michael opened the draw of his desk and passed one of these fancy card invitations to Isaiah so he could see all the details. Both boys were pretty ramped up thanks to the drugs. “If Linda doesn’t want to let him come we should kidnap him.” He stated confidently, now that would be quite the site.
"Fuck! You got it?" Isaiah looked at the card. "Pre-pre-mi-um tequila and Cuban spe-specialities! Even the words are fancy," Isaiah nodded. "Definitely. We will take him. And if Linda has something against it, we lock her up somewhere." The boy laughed. "I want to get fancy cards like these too. Maybe I should be an accountant too."
Michael tried not to laugh as Isaiah struggled to read the big words on the card. There was a reason Michael was the brains and he was the muscle. “Meet me here tomorrow at 4, we will make sure the great Arthur Shelby is in attendance.” He said with a happy nod. “And you need brains to be an accountant, Isaiah, your skills are best suited elsewhere.” He joked, standing up and patting his friend's shoulder before he tidied his desk. “Cmon, let’s get to the pub.” With that both boys went to enjoy their night of drink and drugs.
In the late afternoon a fancy looking box arrived at the Cabrera Estate and when Marta opened it to discover her missing driving gloves, she couldn't help but shake her head. She had no idea how Tommy got to those. But then she found the note, she got invited for dinner. She let out a small breath and looked at the clock. She would have to start preparing now. There wasn’t a moment of debate, so she ran to the bathroom and between running a bath and looking at herself in the mirror she was also choosing what to wear.
Marta was trying on dresses. She didn´t know which one to pick. She would put one on, look the mirror twirl a little bit, check how the dress fit her figure and then take it off. She could not remember a time when she was fussing over her clothing quite as much. She was nervous and she didn't know why. "Shit," she tried on a dress after a dress.
Marta went through all rings of hell, digging through her dresser. She just couldn't find something that would look good. She was also debating just wearing one of her work outfits, which would mean wearing trousers. While walking to take a gulp of tequila, Marta tripped over a box. She looked into it and finally found THE dress. No trousers today it seemed.
Once Tommy had caught up on the newspapers he sat down at his desk and picked up the phone. He called Lizzie to let her know he was now home, she filled him in on some meetings he had missed and after he had finished on the phone with her he called Polly’s house phone and leaned back in his chair. It was a chair that would spin so he was able to turn around and look out of the window as the operator connected the call.
"The Gray’s home, Polly Gray speaking?" Polly was lounging on her couch with a cigarette and some booze. She may or may not have also eaten some Cuban chocolate. She hummed to herself as she reached for her glass.
When the phone was answered Tommy turned back to his desk, tucking the phone between his shoulder and ear. “It’s Tommy.” He stated as he picked a cigarette up from the desk and lit it.
"Aah," Polly nodded. "No longer busy I see?" Polly asked him and sat up. "What's the matter Tommy?" She asked and stubbed her cigarette out. She picked up the phone and put it on the dresser instead so that she could lean on that. "Did you get any rest while being busy?"
“No longer busy.” Tommy repeated, nodding his head to himself as he returned to phone to his hand after lighting his cigarette. Rest? He wasn’t so sure. But there had been plenty of whisky and quiet to straighten his head out. Atleast he no longer felt like he was going to explode. “I took the wagon up to the hills, put my feet in the mud.” The gypsy way in his eyes was always the best. If it wasn’t for his ambition he would happily live like a nomad.
Polly smiled and nodded. "Well, good for you. I have not been that busy with Finn. He usually jumps on the bike and leaves for the Cabrera estate in the morning. When he gets back, if he gets back, he is fed and happy and keeps talking about dogs and a kitten and... Cuban children." Polly shrugged to her shoulders. "And you can't really stop him. And I don't want to stop him. It's better than if he were running around Birmingham, getting young girls pregnant or running rings around Moss."
Tommy let out a soft sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. It didn’t anger him that his brother was there. Perhaps Marta had been like a mother to him and he had missed her just as much as Tommy had. Finn wouldn’t even remember the Shelby boys mother and of course Polly had always been there… but she was Polly. “So he’s been staying there? Is he there now?” Tommy asked, looking up and the ceiling as it dawned on him he had not drank whisky all day and quickly needed to set that right so he poured himself a glass.
"Well, he is not here," Polly said and nodded. "And the bike is not here either, so I would say that he is indeed there now. Probably eating pork or chicken with rice and peppers," she hummed. "Finn said something about Marta telling him to ask me whether he could sometimes sleep over. But the question usually has the form of a statement. It's always: I'll stay at Marta’s, aunt Polly. I won't be coming home today, aunt Polly... He does come to change his clothes. That's true."
“Right.” Tommy said, his sigh audible down the phone. He didn’t quite know how to deal with that one. Tommy hadn’t seen Finn himself to forbid it, so he wasn’t necessarily doing anything wrong and he knew he had missed Marta. She had always taken good care of him and he likely much preferred being there having fun rather than being stuck at Polly’s house. “What do you suggest we do?” He then asked. But perhaps the only thing they could do was nothing.
"I don’t know," Polly shrugged. "I am not bitching about this. I mean, Finn is growing. He should be able to do what he wants and if he isn't doing anything bad, I don't see the point of telling him he can't do it. I can't imagine Marta hurting the boy, so... I will just prepare him some more spare clothes to take with him to the house because he always comes back with mud on his knees, smelling like he has been shoveling shit for days on end."
“I suppose you are right.” Tommy said, pinching his nose again before he leant back in his chair. “Marta is coming for dinner… Well, I invited her to dinner. If she shows up maybe I should ask her why you are having to wash shitty clothes?” He didn’t know what else they could do. “Anything else happen while I was away?” Tommy just wanted to make sure he was up to speed with everything.
Polly perked up. This was starting to get interesting. "You invited Marta to dinner?" She repeated. A small smiled creeped into the corners of her mouth. "It's a business dinner? Something to do with the shipments...?" Polly was sure that this boat had already sailed, so... Why was Tommy inviting Marta to his home? She was so curious. She would have to ask Frances what actually happened in the house afterwards. "Well, I hope that the cooks will make sure the dinner is good. And I hope you won't throw all the nice china at Marta."
Tommy could sense his Aunt's amusement through the phone. “It’s just a dinner Pol.” He said, he wanted to try and put things right. Though he wasn’t sure how he could do that. He found it hard to imagine she would even show up, and if she did, would they simply end up sitting in silence while Tommy watched her eat. “I hear she went to The Garrison?” He then said, Tommy had eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing went on in the city without his knowing about it.
"It's just a dinner, alright. I will need to ask Frances what does one serve for just a dinner," Polly smiled and then lit another cigarette. "I heard the same thing," Polly blew the smoke out. "The people said that she just came in, looked at the pub... She seemed to be looking for someone too. Maybe she had a meeting there, but no one showed up? I don’t know. I don’t know what business she’s conducting. And then she ordered something they haven't pooped in years."
“I would really appreciate it if you had Frances stop spying for you Polly.” Tommy spoke, his tone dry as he shook his head to himself. When she spoke of The Garrison his eyes settled on an unopened bottle of Lingonberry Schnapps that was placed alongside some of his other drinks in the office, he’d always kept a bottle… just in case. “Lingonberry Schnapps.” He then spoke and stubbed out his cigarette.
"Frances also said that you don’t eat," Polly added. "Not even dry toast Tommy," the woman said. She would not say no to Frances’s intel. It was good to keep an eye on Tommy. If he thought he could just run off to the countryside and no one would be looking out for him, he was wrong. "Ah," Polly said. "Well, I think Marta poured me some of that after her mother's funeral," Polly nodded. "How fitting. The shit really tastes like something someone would drink on their deathbed. This girl, Tommy... She is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, just like you. But you’re not the same of course."
“I eat when I am hungry Polly.” Tommy stated. Perhaps he should get a dog and feed it the meals Frances brought to him, that way at least the women would give him a break. “Well I deserved a bullet.” He stated simply. If someone had come to his pub and injured on of his men, well they would be dead before they could plead for mercy. “So at least her soul is purer than mine.” Tommy said, time was moving on and he had some papers to attend to before Marta would arrive. At least he hoped she would arrive.
Polly listened to what Tommy had to say and she just felt like she knew why Tommy didn't get the bullet. "What did you get instead of the bullet?" Polly asked him. She was curious of course. She wanted to know everything. Sometimes, she managed to get some information from Tommy. But it was mostly a lost cause. "She’s got a soul, eh? You didn’t seem to think that when she was gone." Polly smirked to herself. "Well, I’ll leave you to prepare for "just a dinner". Ask about Finn’s muddy clothes and tell Marta that she should order more chocolate from Cuba. All the female workers in the office would appreciate that."
“A bottle of whisky and a cigarette.” Tommy responded to her questions about the bullet. It didn’t seem like a fair trade. He cleared his throat when she teased him about Marta’s soul. She was right of course, Polly was always right. But these subtle gestures she made to her family were starting to remind him more and more of the woman he had fallen in love with before she turned his heart cold. “Hmm.” He simply hummed. “Have a good evening Polly.”
Chapter 29: Dinner & Stables
Chapter Text
Tommy’s staff were rushing around the house preparing for dinner. The kitchen staff were over the moon to finally be able to serve some proper food and the maids were rushing around the dining room. One of Tommys butlers was waiting at the grand entrance to the estate, ready to greet their guest when she arrived. And Tommy, well Tommy poured himself a whisky and sat back in his office chair. Still wearing his glasses as he watched the window.
Marta was running a bit late. Getting ready for dinner as a woman was tough. It involved a bath, creams, and some make-up, but not too much make-up. Making sure the hair fell the way the lady wanted. And then of course, choosing a dress and everything that went under the dress. Thankfully, having money now meant that Marta had enough underclothing. She could choose the best. Marta spun in front of her mirror to see if her over the knee tights were still intact.
She slid in her high-heeled shoes and drove to Arrow House. Her heart was doing something strange. It was almost fluttering. When she stopped in front of the large countryside mansion she had to take a minute to take a few deep breaths and also to check the state of her make-up.
Tommy didn’t move from his chair as he waited in anticipation. The netting was drawn and from his desk it would be impossible to be seen from the outside of the house, but he could see over to the entrance quite clearly. 7 o’clock seemed to tick by and he kept stealing glances at his pocket watch and just as he resided to thinking she was not coming he saw headlights near from the end of the long driveway and sat forward in his chair. His heart seemed to flutter in his chest.
Once the car had arrived the butler gave the lady a moment to fix her appearance before he opened the door for her. “Welcome to Arrow House.” He spoke kindly.
Marta took a deep breath as she looked at the butler. For a second there, she felt like the Marta who had just climbed out of her tent and was looking for her horse, because she wanted to rob a pub. She let out a small breath and nodded. "Yes. Good evening, and thank you," she blurted out. This was something.
Even though she lived like a rich lady, her estate was much more homey and not as formal. Amber, of course, wore her maid uniform, because she felt good in it, but the Cuban folk on the estate just wore whatever they felt was most practical and comfortable for them. Even Finn learned to run around the grassy backyard without his jacket and sometimes even with his braces pulled down. Marta thought that he looked wild and free and happy like this. He could be a child and at the same time a grown up for the little kids.
This estate was very different, Marta was glad that she had taken her preparation seriously. She finally got out of the car and looked at the house. Almost as big as mine, she thought.
The butler held open the door of her car and waited for her to climb from it before he closed the door after her. “This way madam.” He then said, leading her through the front entrance of the house. That was where they first met Frances, the woman was waiting for them in the entrance hall whilst Tommy made himself look busy behind the desk of his office.
Marta walked into the house and looked around. It looked nice but it was surely less cosy than her home. Marta locked eyes with the older maid. She could see... She could see that the woman had her thoughts about Marta. Marta had no idea how much and in what way Tommy had talked about her to his staff. Yet she greeted the woman with a polite “Good Evening.”
"Good evening, Miss Cabrera," Frances said. "Mr Shelby will be with you shortly. Would you like to remove your cape?" The older maid asked and then watched as the butler helped the lady out of her cape. The butler then handed the cape over to Frances.
Tommy of course had watched Marta closely as his butler Phillip had escorted her inside from her car. He seemed rather lost for a moment. Should he stay here… should he greet her in the hall. It had been a long time since he had a guest to welcome to his home. Make yourself look busy. That is what he decided on. So he continued to sit behind his desk and act as though he was filling out papers.
"You can take a seat, Mr Shelby will be here shortly," Frances said. In fact, she had no idea where the man was. Marta was in the now empty dining room. She didn't go to sit right away. The fireplace was burning. She walked over there and just stood there, letting the fire warm her up. It was calming in a way.
There was a portrait similar to the one Tommy had in his office in the city hanging behind the head of the table in the dining room. A commission of himself with Monaghan and Midwinter hung behind the seat Tommy would occupy on the rare occasion he ate in the dining room. When Marta noticed the painting, she quickly walked over to it. She couldn't help but smile. Midwinter looked... Well, he did look like Midwinter. She had no idea how the artist managed to capture the horse so perfectly. It really captured the horse's essence.
Frances went to Tommy's office. She knocked on the door and let herself in. "The lady is in the dining room, Mr Shelby. “Are you coming or should I tell her that you've come down with an unexpected illness?" Frances gave the man a way out of this.
Tommy had gotten up from his chair and seemed to be taking rather slow steady breaths as he paced behind his desk. “I’m coming… I’m coming.” Tommy spoke. He hadn’t bothered changing, for he was usually well dressed regardless and as he walked from his desk he quickly stopped in front of a mirror and smoothed down his hair. “How do I look, Frances… other than grey?” He asked, making sure his hair was tidy before he walked downstairs with his head maid.
"You look a bit nervous," Frances said honestly. "I have never seen you acting like this, sir," Frances nodded. "So, take a deep breath. You need to shape up," she looked at the master of the house. "Otherwise, you look quite good. The lady... she seems to take the dinner seriously too." The maid concluded.
“Thomas Shelby doesn’t fucking get nervous.” Tommy told himself after Frances’ comment. Though at that moment it wasn’t strictly true. All sorts of things were running through his mind. What would they talk about? What if conversation did not flow? What if they just sat there in silence for two hours, and worse, what if he lost his temper? “There’s a bottle of purple liquor in my office.” He muttered to the head maid. “Bring that in will you.” Tommy said before he pushed open the door to the dining room, still wearing his reading glasses after he had forgotten to remove them from his face.
Frances nodded. "Of course, of course. Thomas Shelby doesn't get nervous," except when he does, over a Cuban woman. Frances followed him to the dining room and then spun on her heel. "Purple liquor, of course, Mr Shelby," Frances quickly went back to the office. Leaving the pair with some time alone.
When Marta heard the door open, she looked at the man in the doorway. For a little bit, she just stood there in her pretty pink and light red dress. She looked Tommy up and down. She noticed the glasses. That was a nice touch. She thought... She thought that Tommy looked like a true businessman in those. He looked very different from the boy she had met a few years ago. "Good evening," she greeted him.
When Tommy entered the dining room he noticed Marta looking at his painting. It was one of his favourites. Then his eyes fell on her for a moment. She looked strange, a little out of focus and that was when he realised he still had his reading glasses on and he quickly took them from his face and tucked them into the pocket inside his jacket. “Good evening indeed.” He spoke in reply. There was a strange moment where he didn’t know what to do, should he hug her… kiss her cheek. He decided neither and simply stood waiting for Frances to return with drinks. “You like the painting?” He then asked, glancing up at it himself.
Marta didn't know what to do either. Should she just go sit down? Or should she bow? Tommy was the master of the house, what does one do to the master and the host? Usually, when she went to visit someone for business, they would guide her through it. But this was an unknown territory for her. She turned her head back to the painting and nodded. "I do. I really like it," Marta nodded. "It really shows off Midwinter's attitude. I love that," Marta bit her lip a little. "And I guess Monaghan looks good too."
Frances was as quick as a thought. She brought a tray with whisky and the purple liquor Mr Shelby had requested. She placed the tray on the table. "I will go tell the kitchen staff that we are ready to serve dinner. Sir." Frances said.
Tommy kept his eyes on the painting for a moment, his hands slipping into his pockets. His head tilted slightly as he looked up at the artist's work. It was a truly stunning piece of art. “He’s a good horse.” Tommy stated before he took his hands from his pockets and glanced at his maid once she had returned. “Thank you Frances.” He spoke and finally walked to the table, pulling out Marta’s chair so she could sit.
"He is," Marta nodded. "He has always been," Marta looked down and sighed. She missed Midwinter too. She had no idea if the horse would even let her pet him now. She left him behind just as she had left Tommy too. Marta then looked up and listened to the maid. Then she walked over to the chair and sat down after Tommy had politely pulled it out for her. "Thank you Tommy… The invitation surprised me," Marta said honestly. "Michael told me that you've been busy these past few days," the woman said. "Did you manage to resolve everything you were busy with?" She asked out of curiosity.
Tommy gently pushed her chair in as she sat down and then poured them each a drink. A whisky for Tommy of course, and a lingonberry schnapps for Marta. “I had…” Tommy was about to lie that he had business in London but he stopped himself. There was no need to lie. “I did.” He said simply as he took his seat at the head of the table, glancing at Marta on his right before he took a sip of whisky. It wasn’t so much of a lie, but the truth was he had been the opposite of busy.
Marta couldn't help but smile when she saw the schnapps appear in the glass. He knew. He remembered. She then nodded. "That's good," she said and then took a sip from the drink. "I wanted to thank you for the very sensible offer... regarding the shipments, I mean. And also that you, uh, helped with Enrique and all of that. We probably wouldn't be able to help him without you," Marta let out a small breath.
She felt like saying some more, but the door opened and the maids came in. The table was already prepared, but they, of course, brought the soup. It smelled delicious. Marta had to admit that.
Tommy straightened his jacket once he had taken his seat and watched her as a smile crossed her lips whilst she looked at the glass of schnapps. That made him feel a little more comfortable, at least his gesture had made her smile. Though perhaps it was also rather sad that he had kept a bottle at the house after all these years, just in case. “You don’t need to thank me.” Tommy then stated with a small shake of his head. He didn’t deserve thanks. The maids then arrived with soup and Tommy sat back in his chair as they placed a bowl in front of him, he still didn’t feel like eating.
Marta watched as the maids worked quickly and efficiently. She even saw one maid dust the table off when she saw a small imperfection on the surface. "Thank you," Marta said when the soup appeared in front of her. She looked at all the cutlery on the table. There were... too many spoons. Oh, God. I've read about this, right? She thought to herself. Then she just let out a small breath and chose the spoon she liked the best. She began to eat right away. She was like five spoonfuls in when she noticed that Tommy had yet to touch his food. She looked at the man. "Uhm..." she went to put the spoon down. "Are you not going to eat?"
At one point Tommy had gone to pick up his soup spoon, though he released it almost instantly and relaxed back into his chair. Marta seemed to have a dilemma over her spoon choice and that entertained him somewhat, though you wouldn’t have been able to tell from his face. Tommy didn’t seem to smile anymore. “I don’t really like soup.” Was all Tommy said as he instead placed his cigarettes on the table and lit himself one. “I hear you went to The Garrison.” He then stated.
Marta blinked her eyes and then nodded. "Oh, sure. Not many people like soup... Finn for example," Marta looked around and then put the spoon down too. She instead took a huge sip of the schnapps. "Yes," she then said. "I went to The Garrison," Marta put the glass down and looked at Tommy. "It's different now," she added. "I didn't even meet Bernie there," she shrugged her shoulders. She felt somewhat strange, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. Was he nervous? Why was she nervous?
“Fucking Finn.” Tommy muttered to himself and shook his head slightly. He smoked and sipped his whiskey, yet his soup still remained untouched. “Bernie died last year.” Tommy then stated, the Peaky blinders had contributed to the funeral of one of their most loyal customers. If you looked close enough you could even see a small golden plague on the bar in the spot the old man would always sit.
The woman looked over at Tommy when he informed her about Bernie's passing. It somehow made her chest even tighter. Bernie was gone. The Garrison looked different. Tommy was different. She was different. "Ah-I didn't know that," she said. She then looked down at the soup and picked up the spoon to finish it. She didn't want Tommy to think that she was upset. This was probably not the time to be upset.
“Cancer.” Tommy stated plainly and when he had finished his cigarette he stubbed it out in the ashtray on the table. A dinner, why had he suggested a fucking dinner when he couldn’t eat. He tried, he picked up his spoon eventually and lowered it into his soup. But that is where he left it and he sat back in his chair again. “Polly said to ask why Finn comes home stinking of shit.” He then spoke.
"I mean," Marta said. "Bernie was also quite old," she shrugged. "He used to talk about some revolution in Europe or something. I guess that was a long time ago," she looked up at Tommy as he attempted to dig into his soup. "I used the gold coin he gave me to start the business when it all came crashing down. I owe him. So, if he has a grave, I will see to it that there are flowers all the time. Or beers. It doesn't matter." Marta had finished soup by the time Tommy spoke about Finn. "He takes care of the horses. He doesn't have to; he wants to," Marta clarified. "I have three," she mumbled. "He usually rides Apollo."
“Old indeed.” Tommy said with a nod of his head. He seemed uneasy, uptight perhaps. There was a strange feeling inside him that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He was restless and drummed his fingers against the table. “Bernie would prefer beers I’m sure.” Tommy then spoke and his hand reached up to his face and pinched his nose for a moment. Pull yourself together Tom for fucks sake. He told himself. “Well to save Polly losing her mind perhaps you could have your staff wash his clothes.” Tommy then suggested.
Tommy probably didn't notice, but Marta felt the same. She felt uptight too. It was like she couldn't breathe properly. And she didn't even put her tightest clothes on. Her dress and her underclothes had some sort of give. It was just this nagging feeling inside her. She was trying not to show it. She had a reputation to uphold for Christ's sake. She was a gangster now. Marta nodded. "Oh. Of course. That can be done. I just didn't want Polly to feel like... I just didn't want her to feel like I am trying to show her that I can take care of Finn better. But if it'll help, I'll have my staff wash Finn's clothes." This was awkward. Thankfully the maids came in when it seemed like the right time to serve the main course.
More whiskey. Whiskey and Schnapps. That would certainly help. Tommy leant forward and refilled each of their glasses as she spoke about Finn. “I’m surprised he hasn’t asked to come and live with you.” Tommy then spoke, muttering thanks to one of the younger maids that had come in to clear away their bowls. “Are you finished Mr Shelby?” The young woman asked. “Yes, thank you. Compliments to the chef.” He then said despite the fact he hadn’t eaten a single mouthful, he then took another gulp of his whisky.
Marta looked at the drink and then grabbed the glass. She watched Tommy interact with the younger maids. They were even younger than Marta. She looked at those maids. Call it curiosity, female intuition or jealousy... All of these will somehow apply.
Soon, the maids came back with the second course. It was... Well, it wasn't rice, beans, peppers and pork.
“Thank you Kate.” Tommy said to one of the young maids, sitting back as she placed their main course down. It seemed to be pheasant, likely shot by Johnny Dogs, served with a rich gravy, some potatoes and some greens. “Johnny Dogs probably shot these this morning.” He pointed out, saying anything helped break the silence. Tommy could swear he could feel Frances’ eyes burning him after he had sent his soup back to the kitchen untouched and instead of reaching for his cutlery he lit another cigarette.
Kate. Marta immediately caught the girl's name. She looked at her. She had to give it to the girl. She was quite pretty. But was she pretty enough for Tommy? Would he give her a shot? Marta had no idea.
She looked at the food and then at Tommy. When he was putting the lighter away after lighting his cigarette, Marta put her hand on Tommy's. "Are you really not going to touch the food?" She asked him.
Tommy seemed to freeze when Marta placed her hand on his, the cigarette suspended in his lips whilst he looked down at her hand. Time seemed to stop for a moment. His eyes moved up to look at hers. “Perhaps in a moment, perhaps not.” The occasional apple and slices of bread were all he would seem to eat, and that was when he was hungry. “I had a big lunch.” He then said, though of course that wasn’t the truth.
Marta listened to Tommy. She knew that the big lunch was bullshit. Tommy's idea of ‘big lunch’ was two slices of bread instead of one. Or two cigarettes. Double the amount of whisky. Basically, nothing that would sustain a man like him. Marta sighed softly and rubbed the back of Tommy's hand with her thumb. "No wonder you are so prickly then," she didn't want this to be somber counseling for the man. "Maybe if you ate more, you would be less irritable. If I didn't eat... well," she hummed. "Many more people would be dead." She nodded and then picked up her cutlery.
When she rubbed her thumb against his hand Tommy slowly turned his hand over and gave it a small squeeze before she picked up her cutlery and he picked up his whisky. “I’m not prickly.” Tommy then said, whatever the hell prickly meant anyway. “You’re a killer now then eh?” He asked, tilting his head slightly as he watched her eat.
"I have killed people, yes," Marta said without any emotion before she began to eat. Well, it wasn't rice and pork, but it was good. She enjoyed it. She wasn't a picky eater and she didn't forget to wash the food down with a good amount of the lingonberry schnapps. It was strange. She almost cried when she heard her favourite patron had died, but speaking about the people she had to kill was alright for her. Maybe it was because the people did her wrong.
Tommy finished his cigarette and sat forward again, this time picking up his fork. “Well I taught you something useful it seems.” He said, watching her eyes for a moment. It atleast explained the change in her, after a while death just became normal. He took his fork and picked up a knife before he cut off a small piece of the pheasant.
"I guess so," Marta nodded. "I am a much better shot now though," she added. "Even though I didn't only kill with guns," she said as she ate. She looked at Tommy from the corner of her eye. She then decided to let him eat in peace. Maybe looking at him would add up to his hesitation to eat something. Marta was satisfied with the food. The mood was... The mood was a little bit clunky at times, but at least they didn't argue.
Tommy was rather thankful that Marta didn’t seem to pay him much attention as he ate. Though he only took a couple small mouthfuls of the meat and a small amount of potato before he placed his knife and fork down on the plate. “Razor blades?” Tommy then asked, sipping whisky as he sat back in his chair. “I did always used to think you would suit a cap.” The image made his stomach warm, but there was still no smile to be found on Thomas Shelby’s face.
Marta guessed that letting Tommy eat something in peace worked very well. She felt a little bad. While Tommy ate a few mouthfuls, Marta... She ate the whole plate. She was really hungry. The food seemed to calm her down a bit. She was a woman after all. "Knives," Marta said as she finished the food. "I am clumsy, I would probably cut myself on the cap. It would be fun for everyone else, but not for me. I guess I am not a Blinder. I am a Bloody Crow." Once Marta was done with the food, she carefully wiped her mouth with the napkin.
“A bloody crow.” Tommy repeated with a nod of his head. “I’d like to see that some time.” He was intrigued at how a woman could take down a man with a knife. In fact it fascinated him. The maids soon returned to clear away their plates. Kate made another appearance and didn’t this time ask if Tommy had finished. “Would you like dessert Mr Shelby?” She asked and he shook his head. “No, not yet.” Tommy then spoke, finishing his whisky before he got to his feet. “Come on.” He then spoke to Marta and with that he walked from the dining room.
"A bloody crow. So much blood in my wings, I can't even fly anymore," Marta shrugged. "Thank you, it was exquisite. Compliments to the chef," when someone said the word dessert, Marta was rather intrigued. But she felt like it would be for the best to wait for a while. She saw Tommy get up, so she got up too. "Where are we going?" She asked Tommy. She had to walk a little faster. She wasn't used to chasing Tommy anymore. Usually, people who walked with her now made sure to slow down. "If we're going outside. I guess I'll need my cape." She nodded.
“Who needs to fly anyway.” Tommy replied softly before he had lead her through the house. He reached a cloakroom at the back of the ground floor. “You won’t be warm enough in just a cape.” Tommy said, shuffling through a collection of coats and he handed her one of his warm hunting jackets before putting an overcoat on himself. There was a cap hanging beside the coats and he placed that on his head, though this one was different. There didn’t seem to be razor blades sewn in to its peak.
Marta sighed softly. "Well, if you say so, Mr Shelby," Marta hummed and then put on his warm hunting jacket. Marta was immediately intoxicated. It was not from the booze she had consumed. Oh no. It was from the pleasant smell of Tommy’s jacket. It was just all Tommy and the smell of the cologne that lingered on it was the same he wore when they first met, even despite the fact he likely had far more money to buy the most expensive fragrances these days. She would have a hard time parting with this jacket, that was for sure. "But the cape came with the dress," Marta shrugged. It was a classic female response.
“And it was a very nice cape.” Tommy commented, glancing back at her as he walked out the door. It then dawned on him that she would realise he had been spying out the window of his office, for Frances had taken the cape before Tommy had come down to dinner. Perhaps she would not notice. “But you’ll catch your death out here without a coat.” He then said as he led the way across his large courtyard to the stables.
"Saw my cape, huh?" Marta asked Tommy. She didn't comment on this further. Tommy had his eyes and ears everywhere. It was only natural that he knew what cape she came in. It would also be only natural if he found out about her underclothes too. "Well, if you're trying to get me back for getting dragged into the cellar, I'll catch my death regardless of what I am wearing." Marta pointed out and walked with Tommy. She gently hooked her arm around Tommy's. "You have bigger stables than I do. I have to give you that"
Tommy nodded slightly when she mentioned the cape and sunk his hands into his pockets to keep them warm, it was certainly getting colder. He kept glancing back at her as they walked across the courtyard and it took him by surprise when she linked her arm through his elbow. It felt good to have her around again and to be visiting his home, he just wished there wasn’t this 3 year void between them. “You should have let your men beat me at least.” He commented and pushed open the stable door with his shoulder.
There were at least 10 stalls. Some horses were racers, others were being housed for other people. But the two most important horses seemed to have their own section at the back of the building.
"I don't think so," Marta shook her head. "Tell me, Tommy," she said. "Would you invite me here? Would you proceed with the business? Would you come to the grand opening of the Cosmos bar tomorrow and dance with me?" Marta asked with a smile. "Also, you didn't shoot me when I first appeared in my bar. So... I just didn't feel like having you beat up. But if you do the same thing again. I might." Marta looked around the stables. Some of the horses peeked out from inside their stables and neighed. Marta was waiting for one specific dappled grey head to peek out.
And then she saw him. It was Midwinter. And he looked almost the same as the day she had left.
“Well I apologise.” Tommy said and he paused in his tracks whilst she spoke about dancing. The day that had danced at the races flashed in his mind. Though that day hadn’t seemed to end well for them thanks to Kimber. “I sure wouldn’t have held it against you.” Tommy said before he started walking back towards the horses. “Hello boys.” He spoke in Romani as he picked up a few carrots from the shelves and offered one to each horse. Monaghan took his, but Midwinter seemed distracted.
Marta shrugged. "I didn't know you wouldn't," she bit her lip and then walked up to Midwinter's stable. "Hey, you beast," Marta spoke to Midwinter in Romani too, since it seemed like it was now his preferred language anyway. "You look good," she added. Marta went to pet the horse's neck. Midwinter just turned his head slightly and bit her forearm. "Ow..." Marta let out.
Tommy had expected Midwinter to be grumpy with Marta, but he hadn’t expected him to bite her. Infact with Tommy he hadn’t seemed to bite anyone in years, not even Arthur. He stepped forward and scolded Midwinter in Romani. “You don’t bite.” The horse seemed to let out a huff and backed away a little. He then took Marta’s arm and pulled up the sleeve of her coat. “Are you ok?” He asked, inspecting her arm.
Marta didn't expect that either. She was so shocked that the bite didn't even hurt her! She looked at the horse. "I guess I deserved that," Marta said and looked at Tommy as he inspected her arm. "I am good. Nothing happened." She smiled. "I am sorry, Mid," she said quietly in Romani. She then looked at Tommy. "I guess he's really your horse now. Huh? He likes you better." She smiled a little bit. She looked at the horse. Maybe she had a deathwish, but she wanted to pet him again.
Tommy couldn’t help but feel that perhaps both himself and the horse had been hurt just as much by her disappearance. He rubbed her arm gently and pulled down her sleeve, his hand lingering on her hand for a moment before he let go and looked back at the horse. “She’s home now boy.” He spoke in Romani and with both of their words the horse seemed to creep forward.
Marta used this moment of closeness with Tommy and leaned into him. He was warm. He always had been warm and she loved it. She bit her lip and when Mid neared them again, she moved forward and petted him. She ran her hand along his head and then finally petted his neck. "Not so bad, isn't it?" She asked him. "I won't be leaving again, I promise."
When Marta leaned her body against him, Tommy slipped his arm slowly around her shoulder. He missed her, he couldn’t lie to himself and he didn’t want to carry on with this miserable lonely existence. He listened as she spoke to the horse, it was almost like she was comforting them both. “You promise?” Tommy then asked.
Marta looked at Tommy and then at the horse. "I promise," she nodded and tickled Midwinter's muzzle. The horse moved the muzzle around. It really did tickle him.
Tommy lowered his arm from around her shoulder to her waist when she stepped forward to pet Midwinter. His eyes were looking at her hair. These days it was shorter, but neat and well kept. Unlike Tommy there didn’t seem to be a grey hair in sight.
Marta then turned to Tommy, spat on her hand and offered her hand to Tommy with a smile. "Someone has to bring the Shelby’s chocolate." Marta nodded.
When she turned back to him he nodded, spat into his own palm and shook her hand.
Marta smiled and shook Tommy's hand properly. She looked at him and smiled. "You look good, Tommy," Marta told him. "And the glasses suit you too," she added. She could faintly feel Midwinter rubbing his muzzle against her shoulder. He was not letting his Marta go. Not again.
“You look good too Marta.” Tommy said in reply with a small nod of his head as he placed his hands back into his pockets and watched as Midwinter nuzzled himself against Marta. He himself wasn’t really a fan of the glasses, he thought they made him look old. But he needed them these days to read so he had little option. “Well that coat suits you.” He replied softly and removed his cap from his head before placing it on top of her head. “That’s better.”
Marta took a deep breath and chuckled when the cap ended on her hand. “Hand me the glasses too, will you?” She asked him and chuckled. She could hear Midwinter huffing behind her because she didn’t pet him after he had nuzzled her. Instead, he went to drink his water.
Tommy took a step closer to the woman as he took his reading glasses from his pocket. He unfolded them carefully and then gently placed them on her face. Once in place he tucked her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek for a moment before he lowered his hand. “You look like your surname should be Shelby.” He then said softly.
The woman blinked her eyes because the glasses made her see all kinds of weird. She must’ve also looked pretty funny. She looked up at Tommy and then made a good impression of Arthur. “Another bloody Shelby, eh? In this house? Oh fock this…”
She managed it, she finally managed to crack through Tommy’s solemn mood and the slightest hint of a smile finally appeared on his lips. There was a small chuckle, barely distinguishable from a cough. But it was a small break from his usual glum expression. “That was pretty good.” He spoke.
Marta took the glasses off. “I need to take these off, or they will make my head spin…” Marta handed the glasses over to Tommy and wrapped the coat around her body tighter because she was getting quite cold for her. She got used to the warm weather in Cuba. But a small smile grew slowly on lips as she finally saw a sign of life behind Tommy’s eyes.
Tommy took the glasses into his hand and placed them on his own face. The round frames suited him. “Do you think they make me look more intellectual?” He then asked as he leant his elbow onto the door of Monaghans stable.
"They make you look..." Marta hummed. "They make you look less like a gangster and more like... Some sort of politician. Like ministry of finance minister. The round glasses look like coins..." Marta chuckled.
"But then, you look good in everything you wear," she shrugged. "It's true," Marta nodded. "I have to admit that."
“Ministry of finance doesn’t sound particularly interesting.” Tommy then stated and returned the glass to his pocket. He then straightened his tie. “Don’t flatter me too much, my head won’t fit out of the stables.” Tommy then said.
"And now it fits, huh?" Marta teased Tommy. She smiled softly and looked down at her shoes. "I guess we both got older, huh?" She smiled at him. "You wear your hair differently now.”
Tommy shook his head slightly and suppressed a smile. “Just a little longer on the sides is all.” He then said in regards to his haircut, they had both changed, that was true. Tommy felt colder and older, but perhaps if he could have Marta at his side things would be different. Perhaps he could learn to smile again. “It’s not that different, greyer perhaps.” He added before he took his hand from his pocket and offered it to her. “Dessert?”
Marta reached to touch Tommy's hair. She didn't want to ruffle it. She just wanted to look at it more closely. "I don't mind the grey. I think it looks good on you," Marta nodded. "It's... It looks natural." Marta put Tommy's hair back to its place.
She then nodded. "Oh, yes. Dessert." Marta smiled. She grabbed Tommy's hand.
Tommy met her eyes as she fiddled with his hair and he gently squeezed her hand. In that moment he realised Polly was right, she had broken his heart, but she was the only one that could mend it again. “Naturally old.” He commented and when she had finished putting his hair back in place he stepped forwards so that their lips were closer. “I never stopped thinking of you.” He spoke softly.
Marta looked up at Tommy and let out a small breath. "Neither did I," Marta said. "I mean. I never stopped thinking about you. It would be weird to think of myself all the time," Marta smiled as she then wrapped her arms around Tommy and hugged him. She buried her face in his chest.
To say that Tommy wasn’t relieved when she stated she had felt the same would have been a lie. When she wrapped her arms around him he felt his stomach warm and he gently kissed the top of her head. He then moved his thumb and finger to her chin, tilting her head up gently so she was looking up at him. “You shook my hand and promised me you would not leave again?” He then spoke quietly.
Marta didn't really want to look up at Tommy because her eyes were glazed over with tears. She was just so happy to be home. Finally, she looked up at Tommy and nodded. "I promised," she whispered. She just wanted to hide in Tommy's embrace and stay there for a few days. Just stay there being warm and cosy.
When Marta finally looked up at him Tommy could see the tears swimming in her eyes. He moved his thumb from her chin and softly wiped a stray tear from her eye. “It has always been you Marta.” He spoke back quietly. They both had their problems, more so these days, but she felt like his safe space. The only person he had ever let close enough to truly understand him. With that thought in his mind he moved his lips closer to hers and kissed her softly.
And with that, all the pent up tightness in Marta's chest left her. It was not just that. When Tommy kissed her, tears were streaming down her face. Messing with her make up just a bit. She didn't really care. She just felt. "I will always choose you, Tommy..." Marta nodded.
Tommy pulled his face away just a fraction after they had kissed. One hand remained on her lower back, the other moved to her cheek as his thumb wiped away more of her tears. He didn’t quite know what to say, and he looked into her eyes during the small silence before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Just to hold her again made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.
Marta moved her head to the side and kissed Tommy's palm when he wiped her tears. She tried to calm herself down. When she managed. She wiped her tears as best as she could. "S-so, the dessert?" Marta asked. She blinked her eyes. She hoped that the maids wouldn't notice that she had been crying. "I hope it's as good as the food was. You should come over to dinner at my house soon too."
Tommy watched as she kissed his hand and he slowly lowered it to her waist. He rubbed her lower back for a few seconds as she wiped away her own tears. “There’s no need to cry.” He spoke softly but seemed a little tentative at her request for dinner. He could hardly eat in his own home. “Perhaps one day soon.” Tommy then spoke, straightening the cap on her head before he took hold of her hand again. “Goodnight boys.” He spoke in Romani to the horses.
Marta nodded. "I know. I guess I am just silly," Marta let out a breath and hummed to herself. "Good night," she told the horses and then held Tommy's hand. "Do you know what the dessert is? I am curious," she hummed. "And do we have to sit in the dining room?" She also asked. "I'd rather eat it somewhere else."
As they walked from the stable Tommy gave her hand another gentle squeeze, lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand when she announced she was silly. “I do not.” He then responded, looking across at her as they walked through the dimly lit courtyard. “What would you want dessert to be?” Tommy then asked. The kitchen could likely whip up whatever she wanted within little time. “And we can sit wherever you want.” Tommy wasn’t fussy, but he liked her suggestion, the dining room was vast.
“Well,” Marta hummed. “The maid looked damn sure they had a dessert ready. I won’t have them make something else. I am not that cruel,” the woman shook her head. “And I want to sit somewhere near a fireplace. I am freezing my backside off,” she smiled as she walked with Tommy back into the house. Once, there she took off Tommy’s coat and the cap.
The maids always kept the fireplaces roaring in the winter. Even though Tommy seemed to only spend time in two rooms of the house. The upstairs sitting room beside the library would likely be the most cosy. Tommy rubbed her shoulder when she said she was cold before he took off his overcoat and hung it up. “Imagine if you’d worn that cape.”
Marta shuddered when she heard about the cape. “Oh, no. Definitely not. You would be carrying an icicle inside of your house now.” Marta nodded and rubbed her arms with her palms to warm herself up.
Chapter 30: Dessert & Pipes
Chapter Text
Once they walked from the cloakroom Tommy stopped by the maids kitchen. “Frances?”
Frances was as quick as a thought. She peeked out of the kitchen and looked at the man. “Yes, Mr Shelby? Would you like tea to warm up after the walk to the stables?” She looked at the woman. She still couldn’t help but be wary of her. She was the reason the lives of many people were miserable, because Tommy was being difficult.
Tommy put his arm gently around Marta’s shoulder. She certainly felt cold. “Yes, some tea would be good.” He stated, he could sense Frances’ protective nature and gave her a raise of his eyebrow in warning. “Bring up the other drinks as well, and some dessert for Marta.”
Frances looked at Tommy’s arm around the woman and also listened to how the man talked about her. She wanted to know what the woman showed Tommy in the stables to make him this tame. “Yes, tea and a dessert for… Miss Cabrera,” Frances then disappeared into the kitchen to tell the young maids about Mr Shelby's request.
Marta looked over at Tommy. “Let’s go find that fireplace?” She asked him and cuddled closer to him to try and get some warmth out of him.
“Thank you Frances.” Tommy then stated, watching as the woman went off to give her orders. He looked at Marta, it just felt calming to have her close to him again and he showed her the way to the sitting room. The staircase in the Shelby house was rather grand and he moved his hand away from her shoulder once they reached it.
“Hmm,” Marta looked around the home. There were some more portraits of the family members. “It looks so nice here,” Marta said. “I do have paintings at the estate, but they are more general, to be honest…” Marta let Tommy lead her to the sitting room. Marta wasted no time and walked straight to the fireplace.
Tommy walked slowly, letting Marta have time to look at the pictures hanging on the walls. “Ada mostly decorated the place.” He pointed out. There were only a few of his choosing. When he had first purchased the house he had no intention of making it a home, simply somewhere to sleep at night, or try to anyway. Once they reached the sitting room Tommy sat down onto one of the comfortable sofa’s close to the fire whilst Marta warmed her hands.
“Ada has a good eye for decoration,” Marta nodded. She hummed and then slipped out of her shoes. She walked over to a sofa and knelt on to it rather than sitting on it. She placed the throw pillow behind her back and relaxed. Then, the maids came with the dessert.
“Aye she does.” Tommy spoke softly. Now it seemed he was able to get past his anger, he felt much lighter and his eyes watched her closely as she warmed herself by the fire. When she sat beside him he stretched his arm across the top of the sofa. Then Kate soon arrived with the dessert, he glanced at the side-table. It seemed to be a crumble likely made with apples and currents from the grounds with some homemade custard. “Can you bring the Whisky please Kate?” Tommy asked.
Kate just nodded and turned around to bring the whisky. Marta quickly grabbed the plate with the dessert. She hummed to herself and then began eating. “It’s really lovely, do you want to try it?” Marta scooped some of the crumble on the spoon. She held it in front of Tommy’s mouth. “Hm?” She tilted her head to the side.
Tommy gradually moved his head back as Marta offered him some of her crumble and shook his head slightly. “I don’t like custard.” He then said, trying to use any excuse that first came to his mind.
Marta looked at Tommy and shook her head. “You’re no fun,” she told him and then ate the spoonful of custard and crumble. “Don’t pour him anything, Kate…” Marta said, when the maid came back in. “He doesn’t eat anything…” Marta smirked. If Tommy wanted to drink, he’d have to pour the booze himself. Marta kept eating. The crumble was divine, a true taste of home.
“So I have been told.” Tommy said before raising an eyebrow. Perhaps Frances would have the nerve to deny Tommy whiskey, but he highly doubted Kate would disobey an instruction. “I eat when I’m hungry.” Tommy then said before gesturing to Kate to pour him a glass.
"I eat when I am hungry," Marta repeated and rolled her eyes. "Kate, what do you think? Should Mr Shelby eat more? Or do you like him the way he is?" Marta asked the poor maid. She smiled. She also wanted to ask if Kate slept with Tommy. But she didn't want to break the trust they had just rekindled.
“What is this eh? Pick on Tommy night?” Tommy shook his head to himself.
Kate knew better than to deny Tommy his whisky and quickly poured him a glass before handing it to him. Her cheeks seemed to go rather red. “Mr Shelby could eat more I’m sure. That’s what Miss Frances says anyway.”
Marta put the clean plate down on the coffee table and leaned back to sit close to Tommy. "Well, when Tommy makes it so easy to get picked on..." Marta smirked. She gently rubbed Tommy's knee and nuzzled her face against Tommy's neck. He smelled delicious. "See? I was right," Marta smiled. "Can I get a drink too please Kate?" Marta asked.
Tommy gave Kate a shake of his head and a look that indicated she should perhaps speak less. Tommy had occasionally slept with some of his maids, mainly Kate and another woman named Shelly who worked with the horses. But these were far from acts of passion much in the same way he fucked Lizzie in his office. Never kissing them. Hardly even looking at them. “You’re testing my patience.” Tommy spoke softly into Marta’s ear as he lowered his arm from the top of the sofa.
“Am I now?” Marta looked over at Tommy. “Well, well… you might have to deal with it afterwards.”
“Would you like tea or whisky Miss Cabrera?” Kate asked.
“I would like a lingonberry schnapps . I drank it in the dining room,” Marta bit her lip a little bit. She looked at Kate properly. “So, Kate, you think Tommy Shelby looks good, but could eat more, huh?” Marta asked. “Do you help him a lot?” Marta was curious.
“Just when Mr Shelby asks me.” The maid replied, her cheeks flushing slightly redder. The woman was intimidating. “I’ll-I’ll go and fetch that for you now Miss Cabrera.” She stammered slightly before the hastily rushed from the room, ready to beg Frances to take the schnapps back upstairs.
“Good. Thank you,” Marta nodded and watched as Kate was leaving. She wanted to make the little girl nervous.
Tommy took a gulp of his whisky before he took his arm from around Marta’s shoulder and sat forward to light himself a cigarette. “You expect me not to have fucked anyone in 3 years.” He spoke simply after running the cigarette across his lips a few times.
Marta then looked at Tommy. “Well, I am just checking who you fucked, you know…” She took the cigarette away from Tommy along with the lighter. She lit the cigarette and looked at Tommy. “How many?”
Tommy’s eyes followed the maid as she rushed from the sitting room and when Marta took his cigarette he did not look impressed. “I don’t see why that should be relevant.” He spoke.
“I am curious,” Marta said and then blew smoke in Tommy’s face. “Tell me, come on. Don’t be a pussy,” Marta smirked as she took a long drag from his cigarette and leaned over to put her lips against Tommy’s.
Tommy wasn’t quite in the mood for games and rubbed his thumb along his jaw for a moment, his eyes staring straight back into hers. “I cannot know every man you have fucked, because they would all wind up dead. So I don’t see a reason that you must know every woman I may have fucked.” He stated.
Marta huffed. "Five." She said and got up. "Oh. And don't bother. 3 of them are already dead. I killed one of them myself. One of them is," Marta looked Tommy up and down "half alive at best.. And the last is God knows where." Marta went to put her shoes back on.
When Marta looked him up and down Tommy couldn’t help but let out a small scoff. “Enrique?” He stated, watching her as she walked to put her shoes back on and Frances appeared and handed her the schnapps. There was a different side to Marta these days, that much was clear. His sweet Marta from the hay was still there, she had been there tonight in the stables. But this Marta was a little colder
"Thank you, Frances." Marta spoke, taking a sip before looking back to Tommy.
"Oh, please," Marta said. "He's twenty two. It would be like fucking Finn," Marta shook her head. "No," Marta hummed as she drank the schnaps as she smoked Tommy's cigarette. "The half alive one is you..." she told Tommy.
"See? You don't know them. So... It doesn't matter," she looked out of the window.
“You can go please Frances, thank you.” Tommy instructed, waving her away with the back of his hand. She had seemed to be enjoying watching someone take charge of Tommy. “Half alive?” Tommy repeated, rubbing his face with his hands. “Alright Marta.” He then nodded, she still had his lighter so he couldn’t even light himself a new cigarette. “Finn is what, 15? 16? It’s nothing like fucking Finn. And what? Because some of the people I have fucked may be from Birmingham that’s important?” He shook his head to himself.
“Frances get out!” Tommy then snapped as he noticed the maid still lingering by the door.
Marta looked at Tommy and then at Frances. "Frances, you can go," she smiled. "Mr Shelby will be alright after this and so will the carpet," she nodded.
Frances quietly backed away from the door. She wanted to stay in the corridor, though, to have something to tell Mrs Gray.
"That too," Marta nodded and walked up to Tommy. She leaned forward. She blew the smoke in his face. "If you are hesitant about telling me this, then how hesitant would you be if someone paid you to kill me or my men?"
“Jesus Christ.” Tommy muttered to himself and took a gulp of his whisky. “You think I would kill you?” He then asked. There was that feeling of frustration growing in his gut and he stood up once she had blown smoke into his face and walked past her to refill his glass of whisky.
"Under the right circumstances?" Marta said. "Yes," she nodded. "How can I trust you if you can't even tell me things like these that don't matter to me? I don't care if you fucked all of your staff, Frances included. I don't give a fuck, Thomas. I just want us to trust each other!"
Tommy had his back to Marta as she continued to speak whilst he poured a whisky. He rose the glass to his lips and drank it in two gulps before he carefully refilled it. “Fine… fucking fine.” He muttered, looking up to the ceiling and taking a deep breath before turning back to her and holding out his hand. But first he needed to smoke. “Lighter?”
Marta threw the lighter to Tommy and then walked over to an armchair to sit on it. "I am listening," she nodded. "It can be alphabetically or chronologically. You can pick," she said and then took a drag from the cigarette as she got more comfortable on the armchair.
Tommy didn’t make an attempt to catch the lighter. In fact he seemed to stay rooted to the spot whilst it hit the floor, his eyes still fixed on Marta. After a few moments he bent down and picked it up with one swoop of his arm before he sat back down on the sofa. He placed his whisky down and took out a cigarette, running it across his lips before he lit it. Tommy took a few slow drags before he sat back and rest his foot on his opposite knee. “Well first it was Lizzie.” He said eventually, he didn’t like it but if it made her happy to see the faces of those he had fucked everyday then so be it. “Infact there’s been a lot of Lizzie.” She had been the first person he had gone to since Marta had left, she had still been working in pleasuring men and Tommy had laid with her plenty of times before Marta had first appeared in The Garrison.
Marta waited for Tommy to speak. She had plenty of time. She sat back in the armchair. She was calm and collected, pinching the cigarette between her delicate fingers. "That's not surprising," Marta nodded. "That's why she was so... Hesitant to help, when I called."
Tommy couldn’t say he was particularly enjoying himself and simply took another smoke from his cigarette as his eyes locked with Marta’s. “Perhaps so.” He spoke simply. Tommy had gone a little wild these past years. He hadn’t been looking for love of course, because there wasn’t love for anyone other than the woman sitting in front of him. But he’d been rough and reckless. “Then there were women from the bar near The Garrison. I couldn’t tell you how many, I never asked their names.” Tommy added, sipping some whisky. “Kate, well you’ve met Kate. Her not so much as Lizzie.” He stated.
"Hmm," Marta nodded and put one of her legs over the other. "Kate is pretty, so why not," she licked her lips. She watched Tommy as he spoke. He didn't look happy doing it. Marta wasn't sure why. Marta took a drag from her cigarette and craned her neck back to blow it up to the ceiling. "I would fuck Kate too..."
Tommy shook his head at Marta’s comment then drank and smoked as he reeled off some more names. There were women Marta might know, others she could not. “Shelly, she works in the stables sometimes. May, Well I bought a horse from May, it was a nice horse.” Tommy exhaled slowly from his nose and seemed to have to think for a moment. There were alot of women to remember. “There were women at the races, women in London… there were a lot of fucking women Marta but none of them were you.” And that was what he had been searching for. “And then I got fucked by Sabini and he cut out my teeth with a fucking switchblade. “ Tommy said, shaking his head once more as his tongue ran over the two silver teeth he had in place of the teeth that had been pried from his mouth. Then once he had finally finished he knocked back his whisky and hastily lit another cigarette immediately following on from the first. “And no I never fucked Frances…Are you happy?”
Marta got up from the chair and put the cigarette in the ashtray. She then went to place the glass on the table. Lastly, she walked over to Tommy.
"Wasn't so hard, was it?" Marta gently caressed Tommy's cheek. She then grabbed Tommy by the jaw and leaned down to kiss him. She kissed him hard.
“It was pretty fucking hard.” Tommy muttered to himself and pinched the bridge of his nose whilst closing his eyes for a moment. It made him seem as though he had spent the last few years of his life fucking half his staff and the city. Which he supposed was true in some way. When he opened his eyes Marta was closer and the frustration seemed to melt away as she kissed him, in a way that was unlike any kiss they had shared before. His hand moved to her back and he pulled her closer.
Marta moved to stand between Tommy's legs as she kept kissing him. She huffed when she was out of breath. She moved to the side to kiss Tommy's jaw and his neck. She also bit his neck quite hard.
There was one woman Tommy hadn’t mentioned, but the way Marta suddenly bit the skin on his neck between her teeth reminded him. He let out a hum, the pain was rather enjoyable and seemed to add to his arousal. “There was one more.” He murmured against her lips as his fingers dug into her lower back.
Marta opened her eyes, when she heard about one more. She licked the spot on Tommy's neck where she bit him and then looked into his eyes. "Yes," she hummed and rubbed her nose against Tommy's. "Who was it?" Marta asked curiously.
“She was Russian, and she knew I was sad.” Tommy said, reaching a hand up to Marta’s cheek. “We worked together… well that’s a story for another day. But she would put her hands around my neck while we fucked so tight I couldn’t breathe… well so that I could see you.” He explained, his thumb rubbing her cheek as he spoke.
"And did it work?" Marta asked. She genuinely wanted to know. "Did you like it?" She asked with a hum as she let her hand move from Tommy's jaw to his neck.
She kissed Tommy's forehead and then his hair too.
Tommy was breathing slowly and gently nodded his head whilst Marta kissed him. “Yes it worked.” He stated quietly, like speaking too loudly would ruin this moment. “I would see you… just as clearly as I see you now.” He spoke, looking up at her.
"Will you come tomorrow?" Marta asked Tommy. "To Cosmos, I mean," she asked. "I would really love for you to be there," she nodded. "I can formally introduce you to the boys. I explained everything to them." Marta bit her lip and rubbed Tommy's chest..
Tommy had been unsure on whether he should attend. He knew some of the family would be going, they loved a party. But these days Tommy not so much. “If you want me to come… I will come.” He spoke softly as his hand moved her hair behind her ear. There was more expensive jewelry in her lobes these days. “But what will you introduce me as?” He asked curiously.
"I mean," Marta shrugged. "You can introduce yourself too. They know English to a certain level, right now..." Marta nodded. "I want you to come," Marta ran her hands through Tommy's hair.
Tommy shook his head slightly as she ran her fingers through his hair. “No, I mean how will you introduce me? As Thomas Shelby the businessman, Thomas Shelby the head of the peaky blinders … or Thomas Shelby your partner?” He spoke quietly, his crystal eyes locked with hers.
"I'll introduce you as Thomas Shelby the businessman, Thomas Shelby the head of the Peaky blinders, Thomas Shelby my partner and..." the last part Marta said in Spanish, "Thomas Shelby, a huge pain in the ass sometimes."
A hint of a smile appeared on Tommy’s lips when she repeated his words, for the first time it seemed their relationship was at least in some way official and he kissed her lips softly. “I don’t speak much Spanish.” He spoke against her lips.
"I don't speak much Romani," Marta shrugged her shoulders. "You will learn, with time. Just as Finn is now learning how to read again, with the children," Marta nodded. "I swear to god, the boy will know how to read by Christmas.” Marta leaned down to kiss Tommy. She kissed him softly. "I should go home."
“Just in the interest of complete clarity, I have no interest in learning Spanish and I bet you 10 pounds he will not.” Tommy then spoke, a little light seemed to have returned to his eyes, his face looked a little less solemn. After she had kissed him he took hold of her hand and kissed it softly. “I think you should stay.” He then said.
"He will learn," Marta didn't want to listen to anyone doubting Finn. "He will, he will, he will..." she whispered and kissed Tommy. "And I promised Amber, I'd be back. We have to order some more things for the house. We had to get rid of many because of Blenkinsop."
“We will see.” Tommy spoke quietly. He didn’t want her to go. He had just got her back and he wished they could stay just like this, just the two of them for as long as possible. There was time to be made up for. Tommy wouldn’t hear her excuses and once they had kissed he moved his hand around her waist to stop her moving away. “Stay.” He then spoke again.
"Come on, Tommy," Marta kissed Tommy's lips again and licked them. "I can stay tomorrow. We've got so much time, we can do whatever we want," Marta whispered. She went to whisper directly into Tommy's ear. "We can fuck as much as we want to, because..." the woman just shrugged. She wasn't ready to talk about that with Tommy yet.
Once she had kissed him again Tommy let out a small sigh and rested his head back against the cushions whilst he rubbed her back with his fingers. She was a strong woman now, life had made her strong enough to say no to him. When she whispered to him the hairs on his neck tingled. “Because why?” He asked.
Marta took a deep breath and gently rubbed Tommy's shoulder with her finger. It was her time for confessing something, she thought. She couldn't really look him in the eye as she spoke. "I-uh, I don't think I can have children," she nodded. "I thought about it long and hard, and... If I could, I probably would have one or two by now." Suddenly, the intricate pattern of the sofa was just so interesting for Marta.
Tommy’s face seemed to fall slightly and he had a heavy feeling in his chest. Before Marta he had never thought of having his own family, his own mini Tommy to run around this stupidly big house. Yet the news seemed to hit him like a punch to the chest. “Hey you don’t know that.” He spoke softly. He could see the disappointment in her face. Tommy had always thought she would be a great mother. “There are doctors now that can help and-and Polly, Polly would know.” Tommy replied, noticing that she couldn’t look at him he took hold of her chin to force her eyes on him. “And if it’s not meant to be… well, I wouldn’t love you any less.” Tommy spoke.
Marta listened to Tommy even though she wasn't looking. When she was forced to, she looked into his eyes. His words reassured her. She nodded a few times. "Okay, okay," she whispered and then wrapped her arms around Tommy. She hugged him tightly. She hoped that it was true. That Tommy would love her even without a child. "I am sorry..." she said. "I didn't want the dinner to end like this."
“Okay.” Tommy repeated softly and when she hugged him he rubbed her back reassuringly and kissed her check before whispering to her ear. “It doesn’t have to end like this if you would stay?” He tried his luck one last time.
"Fine, but you are telling Amber," Marta looked at Tommy. She wasn't sure if she was feeling up to something big in the bed with Tommy. It would be enough for her to just fall asleep in his arms and enjoy the closeness. "You will call her and you will say that you can't let me go."
A tiny smile crept across Tommy’s lips as she finally agreed. With the heaviness in his chest from her news he felt much the same, he just wanted to be close to her. “Then I will call her.” He said, kissing her cheek again.
"Good, but be nice to her, I mean it. Poor girl. She went through a lot with Blenkinsop," Marta nodded. "And now she is crazy about Michael. I gave Michael a shovel talk. Amber is not a girl you can fuck around with." Marta rubbed Tommy's shoulders. "But she is capable of taking care of the house..." she kissed Tommy's nose. “Would you like a massage? Your shoulders feel a bit stiff."
“I’m always nice?” Tommy spoke, moving his head away and looking at her with a pretend expression of surprise. “Well she will have her hands full with that boy I tell you.” He then said, Michael was a good worker and businessman. But he liked to party harder than the rest of them. “How about a massage once I call that maid of yours eh?”
"You are always nice?" Marta asked. "Amber told me that you called me a Cuban gypsy. And that you wanted to lead the dogs right into the drawing room. Also, you supposedly said you would start shooting people." Marta tilted her head to the side. "Well, well, well... I will have to keep an eye on those too." Marta then let Tommy call Amber.
“My darling, Amber is being rather dramatic.” Tommy said, his cheeky smile seemed to have returned and he stroked Marta’s cheek again when she tilted her head. Though in truth the maid was right, Tommy had been a mess of a man during their first encounter. “I will win her over with my natural charm.” Tommy patted his knees before he got up from the sofa and walked to the sitting room phone. Of course he didn’t need to ask for the number, he had made a point of finding it once he was aware Marta was back, just in case.
The phone rang in the Cabrera estate. Amber was just preparing to go to bed. It was really late. She had her hair put in an intricate updo which would make her hair curly the next day. She wanted to look pretty for Mr Gray, the accountant.
Amber walked over to the phone. "The Cabrera Estate. Miss Cabrera is not present at the moment. Shall I forward the message to her once she is back?" Amber sat down next to the phone. She was quite curious about where Miss Cabrera was.
Tommy glanced over at Marta on the sofa as he waited for the call to connect. A vision he had pictured for years, seeing her sat in his house. “Ah Amber.” Tommy said as she answered the phone. “It’s Thomas Shelby. Yes, Miss Cabrera won’t be returning to the house this evening. She asked me to let you know.” He explained.
Amber furrowed her brows. "Hmm. Is Miss Cabrera okay?" Amber asked. "She promised to return." Amber was suspicious. Miss Cabrera was usually pretty reliable.
“Yes she is fine and well.” Tommy responded and held the phone between his ear and his shoulder whilst he lit himself a cigarette. “Would you like to speak with her, or will you be taking my word?” He then asked curiously as he took the phone back into his hand. The maid was protective, that was what made her a good maid and he knew Frances would have been the same if the shoe was on the other foot.
"Oh, yes. I would like to speak to her. I would like to speak to her now, please," Amber sat down on the table where the phone was. She had time. She had nothing but time to make sure that Miss Cabrera was actually alright. After what the man had done at the estate and at Miss Marta's bar, one could not be too sure. She couldn't even believe that sweet Finn was a brother to this man.
“As you wish, goodnight Amber.” Tommy then said and lowered the phone from his ear. “She wants to speak with you to make sure you are not dead.” He then said and he leant back on the table as he placed the phone down beside himself for her to pick up.
Marta smiled and then walked over to the phone. She picked it up and briefly spoke with Amber. "Yes. I am alright, Amber. And Finn?" Marta inquired. "Asleep with Poseidon, perfect. Did he manage to get to his room this time, or...?" Marta asked. "Aha, managed to get to the room, didn't manage to get to the bed. So he's sleeping on the rug with the cat again," Marta chuckled. "Oh, no. No. Don't wake him. I'll be home in the morning, Amber. Good night." Marta put the phone down.
Tommy watched Marta as she spoke with Amber on the phone. He tilted his head once she had put the phone down. “So Finn regularly sleeps on a rug with a cat?” He was rather baffled, but if the boy was happy then so be it. It beat sleeping in the stables with a horse either way. At least he had his own room. “Finn’s made himself at home then?” Tommy then asked, he wondered how Polly would feel about the boy staying over so much.
"He is usually so tired that he either passes out on the couch or on the rug while playing with the new kitten, Poseidon. When someone tries to wake him he is grumpy. They both are," Marta smiled. "But he's got a bed prepared for him."
“What is he doing all day that makes him so tired?” Tommy asked curiously and finished his cigarette as he remained perched on the edge of the table. Finn was a growing teenager so the grumpiness didn’t surprise him, but he hadn’t usually been one to go to bed earlier than he was forced to.
"Runs around the backyard, rides horses, takes care of the horses... Sometimes he helps out in the garden if he wants," Marta smiled and shrugged. "And he helps with the three little kids we've got at the estate," she named some of Finn's activities. "And now he has someone his age there. Pablo's niece Milagros, or Mili, for short, came from Cuba."
Well at least it sounded like he was having more fun than he would be stuck at Polly’s house. “Well you best make sure they don’t end up in the hay together.” He stated. “I’m not having him raising a child before he can shoot a gun.” Tommy said before he pushed up to his feet.
Marta looked at Tommy. "Do you think that Finn would like to go to... hay with a girl?" Marta thought for a second. "I haven't thought about that, really. But Mili is nice," Marta smiled with a shrug. "And Finn can at least drive a car," the woman hummed. "So, shall we go to bed? I can proceed with the massage."
“Since when can Finn drive a car?” Tommy stated. But he knew the youngest Shelby was careless, and he was too young for children that was for sure. “Perhaps keep them out of the bedroom? Or off the fucking rugs?” Tommy suggested. It made him nervous. “Bed sounds perfect.” He then said, and picked up his bottle of whisky, he would need a few more before he was able to drift off to sleep.
"I may have given him a small lesson… and I'll talk to Mili," Marta nodded. Girls were usually the more mature of the pair. So it was only natural that Marta would give the talk to Mili. "But hey! Amber said Finn was sleeping next to a cat. So that means that he probably doesn't even want Mili to begin with." Marta grabbed Tommy's hand and then went with him to his big bedroom.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed as he led her to the bedroom. There was of course a whisky glass on his nightstand which he poured himself a drink into before he set the bottle down. He then took off his jacket and started to undo his tie when another thought crept up on him. “And before I forget if you keep blowing your cigarette smoke in my face we are going to have a problem.” He warned her half-heartedly as he took his pistol from his holster and rested it next to his glass of whisky.
Marta chuckled to herself. "And here I thought that you liked cigarettes?" The woman said and hummed to herself. She then reached to the side and unzipped her dress. She took it off over her head, revealing that she in fact had a knife and a gun on her the whole time.
“Yes, I do when I am the person smoking one.” Tommy pointed out. “Not when you have me tied to a chair or you have stolen my lighter.” He stated, whilst he removed his waistcoat. Once she had taken off her dress he took a gulp of his drink before taking a few steps closer to her. “Did you think you were going to need that for dinner?” He asked, pointing a finger at her knife
"Poor you," Marta purred. "I will try not to blow smoke in your face then," the woman nodded. Marta then removed the knife and the gun and put them on the nightstand. "Well, what if the cutlery here was dull, huh?" Marta asked with a small shrug of her shoulders. She proceeded to remove her tights slowly. One of those tights revealed a scar from a bullet wound on one of her thighs. It looked quite gnarly.
“Yes poor fucking me.” Tommy said, shaking his head to himself but he couldn’t hide his small smile. It would take some getting used to, that was for sure. He had always been a cold blooded killer covered in knife and bullet scars and Marta had not either, he seemed to forget what she had become every now and then. He wanted to inspect the gun and make sure it was in good working order, he wondered if anyone had taught her how to maintain and grease them. “Do you know…” Tommy was about to ask as he started unbuttoning his shirt when she removed her tights, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her though he frowned when he noticed the scar. With the top few buttons of his shirt undone he climbed on to the bed, a frown on his face. Someone didn’t seem to have done a very good job of stitching that up. “Looks like they struggled to get the bullet out.” Tommy said, his eyes fixed on it as he reached out to run his finger over it.
"Do I know... what?" Marta asked Tommy and then frowned when she watched him climb on the bed and inspect her scar. She let out a small sigh and let him look at it properly. "Well," Marta shrugged, "it was pretty deep and it was Pedro who did it. Our medic was killed during the incident, so... It was Pedro or keeping the bullet. It took a long time before I could walk properly. But hey, at least I don't limp. That would be tragic." Marta smirked. She had some more scars, but those were from knives or from falling. There weren't many of them, though.
Tommy kept his eyes on the scar, it was curious to him and he ran his fingers over it a few more times. “You’re very lucky.” He commented. If that had been centimeters higher it would have hit one of the main vessels. “You’re not allowed to die on me now.” He then said, looking up at her for a moment before he returned to unbuttoning his shirt. Tommy had been roughed up fairly badly these last few years. Where he used to have a few scars there were now many more. There was the bullet wound from Kimber and at least 4 other new ones. He had a scar on his head from the moment the priests men had fractured his skull and Doctor Fields had pieced his skull back together like a broken fucking vase. Then there were the lashing marks on his back. Tommy had certainly pissed off a lot of people, but thankfully most of them were dead - apart from that fucking priest.
"I wouldn't call myself lucky. It hurt like a bitch," Marta hummed and then looked at Tommy. She crawled into the bed and went to help with Tommy's buttons. She looked up at him with a smile. "You look lovely..." the woman nodded and then threw Tommy's shirt in the general direction of the hamper. "You tired, Mr Shelby?" Marta asked.
Once Marta had tossed his shirt from the bed he got up for a moment to remove his trousers, shoes and socks before he pulled back the sheets and got into the bed. “I look like a dog that’s been fighting all its life.” Tommy stated and rested his head back on the pillow. There was a small nod of his head. He did feel tired, his body felt more tired these days but his mind never seemed to stop.
Marta watched as Tommy shed more clothing. She smiled and then shrugged. "Thankfully," she said and then pulled on the string of her bra and proceeded to pull the whole thing off. She threw it on the floor next to the bed and climbed under the sheets. "I really like dogs," Marta smiled playfully and pulled Tommy closer to her.
When Marta removed her bra Tommy couldn’t help but run a hand over her breasts. “Hmm.” Tommy hummed and kissed the side of her neck. “May I see your gun?” He then asked, he just wanted to make sure it was in good working order.
Marta moved to lie closer to Tommy. She chuckled when Tommy ran his hand over her breast. It made Tommy look more like a normal man and less like this mythic creature that never ate… Marta nodded. "You may see my gun," Marta hummed softly and then reached for the weapon. It was apparent that she had used it a couple of times. She wasn't scared of it and she knew how to manipulate it.
When she handed him the weapon Tommy took his hand from her and turned the gun over in his hands a few times. “How often do you grease it?” He asked, pulling back the top of the gun to examine the chamber of the weapon. There was nothing worse than a gun jam when your life depended on the weapon firing.
"I give it to Oscar every week," Marta nodded. "He inspects everything and makes sure it's up and running," Marta gently rubbed Tommy's chest. "I trust Oscar and Pedro. We are the only three left from my father's previous organisation."
“Right.” Tommy said and closed the chamber before he held the gun in his hand and aimed it at the door. It felt nice, not too heavy, not too light. “Will you let me do it in future?” He asked as he handed it back to her, making sure the safety was on.
The woman grabbed the gun and then placed it back on the nightstand. "You mean, you want to inspect the gun yourself?" She frowned. "Look, if you're going to question everything my men do, they won't have much regard for you. And I won't blame them. They've had enough of northerners looking down on them like they are something less..."
“Yes I do?” Tommy replied. He wasn’t really concerned with her men having any regard for him. His priority was Marta and he wanted to be the one to protect her. “That gun could be the difference between life and death. I should be responsible for it.” He said before he momentarily moved to grasp his glass of whisky and take a gulp.
"Do you want to be responsible for it so that if something happens you can beat yourself over it?" Marta tilted her head to the side. "That's crazy Tommy," she caressed Tommy's cheek. "What if you went to my estate tomorrow?" She asked him. "You can meet the men. You can see Finn. You can talk with Oscar about the guns... You don't have to control everything."
“No, I want to be responsible for it so that I know it’s being taken care of properly.” Tommy stated and after finishing his whisky he slid open the top drawer of his bedside cabinet. He kept a small box of opium and a small smoking pipe. Tommy contemplated her suggestion for a few moments. “You think Oscar would be happy to see me?” He asked curiously.
Marta sighed softly and then shook her head at Tommy. She leaned on him. "You are so stubborn," Marta mumbled. She contemplated something for a bit before she gently bit Tommy's shoulder. "Oscar is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet," Marta said. "It will be okay."
“I am not stubborn at all.” Tommy responded and carefully loaded the pipe before lighting it and taking a very slow drag. It was the only way he had managed to sleep most nights since she had been away. The effect was almost instant and he started to relax into the bed. “And he can’t be as nice as me surely.”
"Oh, he is much much nicer than you," Marta laughed. "But thankfully, I like my men a little rough," the woman kissed Tommy's ear and rubbed his chest gently. She cuddled with him. She was getting more and more tired too. "It was a really good dinner. Tell your staff."
Tommy shook his head slightly and after a few more long slow inhales he offered the opium to Marta. “I think perhaps you should tell them, Frances would like that.” He spoke, his voice softer as his body started to feel like he was sinking in to the mattress.
"Are you trying to make Frances like me?" Marta asked Tommy and smiled. "I don't think that it'll be that easy," she hummed and kissed Tommy. "And I think that the people at my estate will love you..." Marta nodded and gently took the pipe from Tommy. "So it was you who switched my gloves for opium... how could you?"
“Well it would certainly make my life easier if she did.” Tommy stated, he couldn’t deal with the continuous spying for Polly much longer. “I’m sure Amber would say differently.” He then said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to his chest as she took the pipe. “I thought it would be more useful for you than fucking driving gloves.” He then spoke. “And I sent them back to you so don’t be too cross.”
"Oh come on, you love the gloves," Marta said. "They were so expensive. They are from genuine leather. And when I need to intimidate someone it's better to touch them with the gloves on. It's less personal, less warm..." Marta smoked the opium some more before handing it back to Tommy. "I am not dumb, Tommy. I know why I do stuff," she told him.
“I honestly can’t say I do.” Tommy spoke, feeling rather content now as the sensation of the mattress seemed to suck him in. Once she had passed it back to him he rest the pipe on the ashtray beside his bed and ran his hand along Marta’s cheek. “You won’t be intimidating me with those gloves will you.” He teased softly.
"Only if you ask me to," Marta promised. "After all these years, come on. Accept my invitation to put your head on my chest. I promise you it'll be good," Marta told Tommy. She then tried to move around in the bed to let Tommy lie down like this.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed to himself, he could imagine a scenario where he would ask that of her. But you never knew. “The man should be holding the woman.” He then spoke, at least that was the way the world seemed to think. “Are you not happy against my chest?”
"He probably should, but come on. It will be so comfortable. Don't you want to sleep on someone's tits?" She asked. "Be a good boy and listen to your business partner." Marta rubbed her nose against Tommy's.
Tommy let out a defeated sigh and shuffled on to his side, resting his head against her chest and placing a hand over her stomach. It felt good he couldn’t lie, especially with the opium making everything feel so squishy. “You can’t go calling yourself a business partner… you’re more of a customer.” He then teased again.
"A customer, eh?" Marta shook her head. She put her hand over Tommy's that was on her stomach. "What does that mean, love?" Marta asked and combed her fingers through Tommy's hair. She would see to it that Tommy would sleep on her chest more. It was nice. He kept her chest warm.
“Well it means that I offer a service, and you pay for it.” Tommy said, moving his head a little so he could see her face and kissed the skin of her breasts softly. “You have no personal share responsibility for my business.”
"Hmm. It doesn't even feel like I am paying you, because I am paying so little," Marta nodded. "And I get bonuses..." she hummed. "And I keep the moral of your business high with Cuban chocolate."
“Well then perhaps I will up my fee.” Tommy teased. The opium was having its desired effect and his eyes started to become heavy as he moved his head back against her chest.
"No, I mean. Instead of upping the fee, I can sell some of the booze to The Garrison. Not all of it of course. I want the air of exclusivity for my bar... But you know..." Marta nodded. She felt Tommy relax and gently rubbed his back. "We are not fighting anymore. We can talk..."
Tommy could feel his breathing become slower, his head becoming heavier against her chest. She was right, they didn’t need to fight, they could talk. “I don’t want to see your shit whisky in my pub.” He spoke, barely awake as with those words he finally entered sleep.
Marta shook her head. "Fine then," she whispered to her man and then closed her eyes too. The schnapps, the opium and Tommy's presence made her very sleepy and made it easy to fall asleep. She slept peacefully the whole night.
Chapter 31: Toddlers & Teenagers
Chapter Text
Tommy woke early as he usually did to the same dreams he had been having since the war. After the trauma to his skull sometimes his dreams would now reach him in the day, causing him to collapse, though he had not mentioned this to his doctor, let alone anyone else in his family. Thankfully that seemed to happen when he was alone with his thoughts. Waking abruptly hadn’t seemed to have woken Marta and he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead before he went to get himself ready for the day. If he was to spend the day at Marta’s estate he had to make sure his work was in order. Once dressed he went down to his office and went through his paperwork whilst Frances bought him coffee.
Marta woke up without Tommy by her side. She sighed and got dressed before going to look for Tommy. She walked through the halls and then met Kate who pointed her the right way to the office. Marta thanked Kate and looked her up and down before going to the office. She knocked on the door.
Tommy had his glasses on and was using his typewriter to write up some letters when he heard the knock on the door. “Frances for the last fucking time.” He said to himself, looking over to the door. “I do not require breakfast.”
Marta opened the door and shook her head. "This is how you treat your staff?" Marta asked. "Good morning, Mr Shelby," she said. She walked into the office and closed the door behind her. "Do you need help with anything? As your new secretary... I can help with all kinds of things.”
“Only when they piss me off, She’s asked me 4 fucking times already.” Tommy said, it was exasperating. “No, no I’m quite fine.” He then said, glancing up from the typewriter before he carried on. “I’m almost finished, I’ve already been at it for a few hours already.”
Marta walked over to Tommy. She placed her hands on his shoulders from behind and gently rubbed them. "I get her," Marta whispered. "She must be bored. Also, a master dying of starvation in her care would not be the best reference for her next job," Marta leaned down to kiss Tommy's hair. "I'll probably eat at home. Cuban and English breakfast have some similarities."
“Well there is plenty of cleaning to keep her entertained.” Tommy pointed out. He was in his work mode and hardly gave Marta a glance as he looked between his typewriter and his notes. “Now that will certainly offend the maid.” He added.
"Not my maid," Marta shrugged. "It's not my job to keep your maid happy. Except if it was Kate and there was no eating involved... well, actually, there would be eating involved," Marta hummed to herself and went to lounge on a nearby couch. She put her legs on the opposite armrest.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed along as Marta spoke, in truth he hadn’t been used to people being around whilst he was working and he zoned out after her first few words as he concentrated on what he was doing.
Marta lounged on the sofa. She was looking up at the ceiling when she heard the typewriter clacking. She absentmindedly placed her hand on her stomach and rubbed it gently. She sighed. She looked forward to going back to her estate. There were children and other people and animals... all the things that helped her not to think about the whole not being able to have kids thing.
Tommy glanced up from his typewriter as he decided to light himself a cigarette and take a sip of his now cold coffee. He noticed Marta staring up at the ceiling looking rather bored. “I’ll be 10 minutes. Go and get some tea if you are bored.” He suggested. “Or there are newspapers on the table.” Tommy added, his eyes quickly going back to his work.
"I am alright, Tommy," Marta whispered as she wrapped her hands around herself. She could wait for ten minutes. Sure. There was no problem with that. She just hoped that Tommy was punctual.
“Alright.” Tommy hummed in response, his fingers continuing to tap away on the keyboard. The sound of the tapping was only broken by his occasional smokes of his cigarette or when he had to load in some more paper. There was always more work to be done and he kept telling himself he would complete one more task… just one more task, but it seemed endless and 15 minutes later he was still working away. Though now the tapping had stopped as he seemed to be signing documents.
Marta waited. She watched Tommy from the 10 minute mark. She was hoping that he would stop himself... But he didn't. After a few more minutes, she got up and went to stand next to him. "Are you done or should I fuck off to my estate myself?" Marta asked the man.
Tommy hadn’t noticed Marta get up and walk over to his side. Her voice abruptly took him by surprise and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. It had been a long time since he had had to answer to anyone. This would take some getting used to. Tommy then looked back to his papers and signed one last page before he placed the top on his pen. “I will finish the rest tomorrow.” He stated and returned his glasses to his jacket pocket.
"Alright," Marta hummed. "Let's go. Am I driving? Are we taking my car? I want to make sure we manage as much as we can. I am opening the bar today," Marta was maybe a little bit on edge because of the fact that Cosmos was opening in the evening.
“I suppose we should take your car.” Tommy said as he got to his feet and planted a small kiss on her cheek, his hand lingering on her waist for a moment. “When did you learn to drive?” He then asked curiously before he quickly tidied his desk.
"Before I left for Cuba, Arthur taught me," Marta sighed softly. "It was when you were busy. So, we used to go to the cinema and I learned how to drive." The woman shrugged. "I drive so well that I had to buy driving gloves," Marta smirked and went to the door. She had to ask someone to fetch her her cape.
“Arthur.” Tommy said to himself with a nod and once his desk was in order he finished off his now, very much, cold coffee. He wrinkled his face slightly before he followed Marta from his office. Tommy checked his pockets making sure he had the essentials, like his gun, cigarettes, lighter and these days his glasses. When Frances appeared with Marta’s cape he took his nice coat from the coat stand by the front door which accompanied a flat cap, which unlike the one he had worn last night did indeed have razor blades stitched into the brim. “I won’t be back tonight Frances.” He informed her before he looked at Marta with her elegant cape. “Will you be warm enough?”
"Arthur," Marta repeated too. She apologised to Frances and said that she wasn't hungry after the splendid dinner she had served them, so she didn't want breakfast now.
"I am going to be alright. The drive isn't long and I can put my driving gloves on," Marta shrugged.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed, there seemed to be a lot of humming from him this morning. He was annoyed with himself, if he hadn't been so busy dealing with Kimber perhaps he would have had the time to teach her to drive. It hadn't even crossed his mind that she would want to learn, for Tommy had always driven them without question. “Alright.” He then said before Frances started with her usual pushy antics. “Yes-goodbye Frances. No-no I don’t want a sandwich.” He said in response to her as he pulled open the front door.
Marta took the sandwich from Frances. "Thank you Frances, you are very kind for thinking about all of this." Marta then led Tommy to her car. She started the car up and reached into one of the compartments to grab her driving gloves. "Take a bite from that fucking sandwich, Tommy. Before we leave the driveway." Marta mumbled.
Tommy was already outside by the time Marta had taken the sandwich and pulled his coat around his neck as they stepped outside, winter was certainly here. He got into the passenger seat which felt rather strange, he enjoyed driving and finding himself in this seat was rare. The sudden demand caught him by surprise just as much as when she had appeared beside him in his office and he raised an eyebrow in a similar fashion. “Or what?” He spoke. “You will place me in timeout like you used to with Jack?”
"God knows a timeout would help you," Marta said and then she used the mirrors to check if Frances was watching. "Or you will shovel shit at my estate or whatever. Take a bite and you can feed the rest to the dogs..." Marta sighed softly as she looked at Tommy.
Tommy shook his head slightly and let out a small chuckle before he placed his hand on her leg and gave her a small squeeze. “I will eat it when I am hungry, ok?” He spoke before gesturing to the road with his other hand. “Come on, you have a busy day.”
"Fuck you," Marta said. "I tried to help you," Marta shook her head and then put the car in gear and put the handbrake down. "Enjoy explaining that to Frances," Marta mumbled as she drove. She drove quite fast but she seemed to have everything under control.
“Fuck me eh?” Tommy said, inhaling slowly to keep his temper in check. “Frances needs to remember she is not my mother.” He then spoke, though it was more of a quiet mutter to himself as he kept a watch out of the corner of his eye on how she was driving.
"God forbid people be worried for you," Marta mumbled too. She was doing great on the driving front. Was it scaring her that Tommy wasn't eating? Yes. Was she able to do something about it? Apparently not. They arrived at the Cabrera estate in some 20 minutes.
Tommy decided it was probably best not to speak and rolled down the window. He smoked a cigarette as Marta continued to drive and when they arrived at her estate he swiftly got out of the car and seemed to have ‘forgotten’ the sandwich, leaving it behind in the car. While Marta likely faffed with her gloves he sunk his hands into his pockets and looked up at the house. It gave a different impression in the daylight. It seemed to have a more homely aura than his. Likely because there was actually some life inside.
Marta took her driving gloves off and chucked them back into the compartment. She then switched the engine off, got out of the car and locked it. She took the sandwich with her. Soon, the dogs noticed them. They began to bark and went to greet them. They were just oversized pups those two.
Tommys attention was taken away from the house as the two dogs bound over. “Hello boys.” He spoke in Romani and crouched down slightly to give them each a scratch behind the ear. Sometimes it would seem Tommy got on better with animals than he did people. Atleast they didn’t constantly nag him. “Why don’t you let them in the house?” He then asked Marta as he took a stick from the ground and threw it for the dogs to chase.
Marta looked at the dogs and when they had sniffed Tommy properly they went to greet her too. She smiled. "Good beasts," she told those two and let them run away to get the stick. "I tried. But they are like... They have no idea how big they are." Marta nodded. "They were inside for ten minutes and they managed to take down three lamps and a small horse statue," Marta sighed. "And not to mention, they shed a bunch. They will be allowed inside when it's colder. I am not cruel. But they will stay in the foyer."
Tommy watched the dogs as they chased the stick, they entertained him and it had him thinking a few dogs at his house might liven the place up. Not to mention a gun dog would help when he went hunting with Johnny Dogs. “I see.” He then stated, it was understandable, they were rather large. “So what’s on today's agenda?” Tommy then asked, waiting to follow her inside rather than barging through the door like he had done last time.
"Well," Marta said. "Agenda," she repeated. "First, I'll go grab some food from the kitchen. Then I'll have to change into something else. Then we can go see the horses and... I guess by that time Oscar will be ready to meet you. Pedro won't. If he can, he sleeps till noon," Marta shrugged. "Perks of being a well-adjusted bachelor I guess."
Marta took Tommy inside the house. She heard steps. She heard a lot of little steps. "Oh..." she said before three kids emerged from around the corner. One of them was little Maria that Tommy had met before, then there was a 4 year old Damiano and 8 year old José. "Miss Marta!!" Damiano wrapped himself around Marta and looked up at her. "How are you doing?"
José chose to wrap himself around Tommy. "Do you have any change for candies?" He asked.
Tommy nodded along with her plan, though he raised an eyebrow for the third time that day when she spoke of Pedro. “You let your men sleep until noon?” He spoke as he followed her inside, they then seemed to be swarmed by children. He recognised the younger girl and she made him think of the news Marta had shared last night. It caused a small discomfort in his chest, she would make a fabulous mother that much was clear. Then as he watched one of the boys hug her legs he seemed to have attracted his own little terror. “Cheeky I see.” Tommy said and ruffled the young boy's hair before handing him a coin.
"I am not their mother Tommy. I am not going to go out of my way to wake them all up," Marta shrugged. "If they have a task, they fulfill it. If they don't they get what they deserve."
"I am doing good, Damiano, how are you?" Marta asked the little boy.
"Good. Slept good.” The boy hummed and looked at Tommy warily.
José smirked and took the coin.
"José, what did your mother and I tell you about asking strangers for coins?" Marta asked. "That's what beggars do?" José asked.
"Yes. And are you a beggar?" Marta kept asking.
"No...? But he looks rich, Miss Marta."
Tommy looked over to Marta, he was finding it interesting to learn how she ran her operation. There would be differences and similarities, but he found it all quite intriguing. Though he wasn’t quite sure how she seemed to have the patience to deal with all of their families. Despite that thought he gave José a small wink when he stated he looked rich. That much was true.
"Oh this poor thing?" Marta pointed at Tommy. "I mean, I guess but have you ever seen a rich man that slim?" Marta shook her head. She then handed the wrapped sandwich to Damiano. "Share this, loves, will you?" Marta smiled. "Now shoo. Go play with something. And take your sister with you José! I don't want her crawling everywhere." Marta took Tommy's hand and led him upstairs to her room. She decided to change right away and then take Tommy to the kitchens to grab her breakfast.
“Funny, very funny.” Tommy said dryly before she shooed away the children and took his hand. He had a habit of taking in every detail and was rather quiet as she led him upstairs. Tommy’s eyes took in everything. He had a knack for being able to see something once and remember exactly what it was and where it was located whilst the layout of the building formed in his mind. Once at her bedroom he seemed to be rather interested in her dressing table and poked through some of the items. “So how many children do you have living here?” He asked, his eyes occasionally stealing glances at her as she changed.
Once in the bedroom, Marta quickly went through her dresser and picked out an outfit that involved trousers. The dress was nice but it wasn't everyday wear for her. She couldn't imagine dealing business in a dress 24/7. It was just not for her. "Just the three and Mili, and Finn... If I can even count those as kids still." Marta turned to look at Tommy. "Are you looking for something on that table?" She hummed. There were a lot of cosmetic products there. Creams and oils and... Make-up. And a half full bottle of wine because... There was always time for a drink.
“Finn does have a home.” Tommy commented, watching her rummaging through her dresser before he took his attention back to the ‘modern day’ potions and creams on her dresser. “Yes I was looking for your wrinkle cream.” He teased lightheartedly before he picked up a bottle of perfume and took a sniff. Girly things were rather mystifying to him but the perfume certainly smelt nice.
"Ah, sorry, I use the virgins' blood for the wrinkles. I bathe in that during the full moon in the cellar. Yeah. What a pity that they don't make virgins' blood more portable. One would think that these days there would be options..." Marta said sarcastically and shook her head, then put on her clothes. She sighed contently as the trousers wrapped around her legs and she could feel the upper portion of it hug her hips. "I am almost ready," Marta told Tommy and moved to the dressing table to use some sort of water to wipe off the remnants of the makeup from tomorrow. The water smelled pleasant.
A proper smile seemed to appear on Tommy’s face for the first time as he leant back against the dressing table, watching her as she took care in preparing herself for the day. Her words were entertaining for him and he looked down at her once she had sat down. “Do you drink the blood after, or is it just for bathing?” Tommy asked and found himself examining some of her lipsticks whilst she washed her face. “And how long does all of this take?” Tommy then asked curiously, there seemed to be a lot of changes. But it would work, if it took Marta plenty of time to get ready it would allow Tommy more time to work in the mornings before being rushed out of his office.
"Do you drink your bath water Tommy? I don't think you do. So, no I don't drink the blood." Marta smiled at the man as she wiped her face clean. "And it depends," Marta shrugged. "It can vary from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Especially if I wash my hair..." Marta put some cream on herself and then got up from the chair. "Would you like to try the lipstick on or what?" She asked Tommy.
“I only drink it if I’m bathing in whisky.” Tommy then replied, there was that mischievous Shelby glimmer growing in his eyes as he pulled off the top of yet another stick of lipstick. “2 fucking hours?” Tommy stated, women certainly seemed to like to take their time these days. Regardless of the occasion Tommy never took more than 10 minutes to get dressed and do his hair, but then again he didn’t have to faff with makeup and long hair. “I was looking for one that would match the virgin blood.” He then teased softly as he pushed himself from the dresser and moved behind her, holding the lipstick beside her head so she could see it in the mirror. “See, this one is perfect.”
Marta looked at the lipstick and took it from Tommy. "You really like this one?" She inspected the tube and the shade. "It does look pretty, yes, Marta smiled and then put the lipstick in her pocket. "I'll put it on once I've had breakfast. Lipstick and sour cream don't mix well," Marta patted Tommy's shoulder. "Done inspecting my room?" She asked him. She then heard someone running behind the door.
"See, Finnito? You're far too slow!" It was Mili. She was barefoot, playing tag with Finn.
“Aye… it’s devilish.” Tommy stated, a slight smile teasing his lips and when she stood he kissed her cheek. She might have just got dressed but he felt like ripping her clothes back off of her but he nodded his head. “I’m sure I can inspect it some more later.” He then added before his head quickly turned to the door at the sound of rushing footsteps.
Finn was chasing Mili through the long corridors. The pair seemed to have hit it off and often spent all day laughing and joking together. “Hey I’m not slow.” He laughed. Like Mili, Finn was barefoot and his trousers were rolled up his shins whilst his sleeves on his shirt were up by his elbows. They already looked like they had spent most of their morning rolling around in the dirt.
When Tommy heard his young brother's voice he suddenly went to the door and once he’d stepped into the corridor the boy ran past. “Finn.” Tommy barked and the young Shelby suddenly froze.
"You are! Otherwise you would've caught me by now," Mili chuckled. She had a long blue flowy skirt and a white shirt on. Her hair was long and dark and her eyes were green. When she heard someone shout Finn's name, she turned around. Who was that dude? "Who's that, Finn?" Mili asked.
Marta's face contorted into this: "Oops" look before she quickly stepped into the corridor too. "Good morning, you two. You look lovely," Marta smiled at the young people.
"Miss C., who is that there?" Mili pointed at Tommy.
“Lovely? Lovely?!” Tommy repeated quickly and took a step closer to his brother who seemed to quickly take a step away. “Look at your fucking hair. You look like you haven’t washed in days.” He said. The Shelby’s had a reputation to uphold. They were presentable and well dressed.
Finn’s goofy expression suddenly vanished as Tommy stepped closer to him. He didn’t even acknowledge Mili’s taunts and quickly reached for his hair to try and smooth it down. “Sorry-sorry Tom.” Finn quickly stumbled on his words as he tried to make himself look a little more presentable.
"What the fuck?" Mili said and then walked back a bit to look at Tommy. "So, like, who are you his dad or something?" She looked Tommy up and down.
Marta had no idea what to do. She took a deep breath. "Tommy. I am sure that Finn took a bath," she nodded. "And... And his hair doesn't look that bad." Marta cringed a bit when Mili went to ask Tommy who the fuck the man was. This teen was... Just like her, but worse.
“Excuse me?” Tommys attention suddenly snapped from Finn to the teenage girl. His temper was more dangerous these days than it had ever been. He’d always made an effort not to hurt women, and less so children. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t take his wrath out of the girl's father if she disrespected him. “His hair looks a fucking mess Marta.” Tommy then stated, though his eyes didn’t leave the teenage girl.
Finn took a few steps backward closer to Mili. “Just-just leave him Mili… come on let’s go see Poseidon.” He suggested quietly to her, just wanting to get away from the situation.
Mili looked at Marta. She wanted to know what was going on here. "Yeah, we'll go talk to Poseidon, but who is this guy?" Mili shrugged. "You don't even own this house!" Mili pointed out.
Marta took a deep breath and made a few steps to stand between Tommy and Mili. "Mili, this is Tommy. He is Finn's brother." Marta explained. "And, Tommy... I am sure Finn will get all neat and ready for the opening night at Cosmos in the evening. Right, Finn?"
"Aha. So, which brother is that? The one that has a terrible wife, the one with many kids or the scary, crazy one?" Mili asked Finn.
The girl was really testing Tomm’s restraint and he took a step forwards just as Marta appeared in front of him which gave him a chance to try and take a deep breath, though that attempt was cut short by more of the girl's cheek. “I think you should close your lips little girl.” He warned, trying to sidestep Marta so he could look at the teen properly. “Where’s your father, maybe if I beat some fucking respect in to him that will teach you eh?”
Finn took hold of Mili’s arm and gave her a gentle tug, whispering to her quietly. “The scary crazy one… come on before he kills us.” He pleaded, thankful that Marta was there. Finn was surprised to see them together, but after the news Marta never made it home from their dinner he hoped they would soon be back to normal. Then Tommy would be happy again.
Marta put her hand against Tommy's stomach when he tried to sidestep her. She didn't think that he would hurt Milli. He wasn't like that... 3 years ago, but she was better safe than sorry.
Mili huffed and shook her head at Tommy. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. She was not scared. "My father is in Cuba, so good luck finding him..." she rolled her eyes in a very teenagery manner and then walked away with Finn. She was muttering some profanities in Spanish under her breath on the way.
There may or may not have been a vision flash across his mind involving a certain Cuban teenager and his pistol as Marta pushed her hand against his stomach. Tommy’s head moved quickly, he didn’t want to take his eyes off the girl. “Oh I’ll fucking find him, don’t you worry about that.” Tommy warned her, thankful that Finn still seemed to have sense enough to take her away.
Once they were out of earshot Finn let out a rather shaky sigh. “Mili… Mili I told you he was crazy, you can’t talk to him like that… he’ll-he’ll stop me from coming here.” He said. It was obvious he was rather intimidated by his older brother. Finn had always idolised Tommy but in the last few years it had been hard, Tommy had changed.
Mili looked at Finn and shook her head. "Come on, Finn. Miss C. would make it work. She's really good. I've heard she keeps a knife and a gun. And if the dude is your brother, then he should be nicer to you," Mili said finally. "Race you to the yard?"
“Yeah but Mili, Tommy really is crazy.” Finn responded. It worried him, having Tommy here. This had been his happy place and now he felt like he was treading on eggshells. He wasn’t really in the mood to play now. “I think-I dunno maybe I should go home.” The Cabrera house wouldn’t likely be as fun with his brother's temper roaming around, unless hopefully Marta could keep him in check.
Mili looked at Finn and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't be a pussy, Finn," she said. "You are a grown up. You can wear your hair however you want..." Mili ruffled Finn's hair and chuckled when she saw him like that. "Much better."
Finn let out a sigh to himself. “I’m not a pussy.” He said, though actually when he thought about it he could make a hundred reasons as to why his statement had been false. “You don’t know what Tommy’s like… he used to be pretty fun and now-now he’s just cold.” He explained. Maybe Marta being back would help, it had already helped once before. “Hey.” Finn then said, a smile creeping back on to his face as she ruffled his hair.
"Let's go smoke?" Mili asked Finn.
“Yeah-yeah alright.” Finn replied. Hopefully some fresh air would make him feel a little better. The teens often smoked out by the stables in their own makeshift den that they had put together by collecting bits and pieces from around the house. Finn sat down onto one of the wooden stools and let out a sigh to himself. “You know Tommy and Marta used to be really happy together.” He then stated.
Mili rolled her eyes as she handed Finn a cigarette and sat close to him. “I can’t imagine your horrible brother making anyone happy.”
Marta looked at Tommy. "Thomas, you can't threaten a teenager," the woman told him. "It was possible to deal with it in peace, you know? You could've just told you who you are and... You know. These nice things." Marta bit her lip.
“I’ll threaten whoever I like if they disrespect me Marta.” Tommy stated, his eyes still drawn down the hall in case the cheeky teen returned. It would seem it was hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
"I didn't see you respecting the girl either, Tommy," Marta pointed out. "Now, let's go to the kitchen. I am so hungry I could eat a horse." Marta said and grabbed Tommy's hand in case they met the teens again.
“Well she fucking started it.” Tommy muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment whilst Marta took his other hand into hers. He knew it sounded childish, but his fuse seemed to always run dangerously short these days. He’d already demonstrated that at the bar on two occasions. As Marta walked with him to the kitchen he kept an ear perked, just in case. Though he did start to realise as they walked in silence that perhaps he could have dealt with the situation differently. “Does her father really live in Cuba?” He finally spoke after a few minutes of trying and failing to clear his mind.
"I would just like to remind you that Milli is 16," Marta nodded. "I would kindly suggest that you remember what you did at that time. You are older, Tommy. And Mili didn't get the same discipline as Finn, so it's only natural that she seems disrespectful to you." Marta looked at Tommy suspiciously: "Yes. Her father is indeed still in Cuba, and so is her mother..." Marta didn't tell Tommy that Pablo, the father of little Maria and José is actually Mili's uncle, so technically her guardian. She didn't feel like stirring the pot. Mili was the one holding the spoon.
Marta led Tommy in the kitchens. The adults who lived at the estate were there, some were eating and some still chatting. The men that were present in the bar weren't there. They lived in the city, to be closer to the bar.
Everyone went silent when Marta and Tommy walked in.
“When I was 16 if I’d have acted like that my father would have beat me black and blue. Same for the way Finn’s treating his clothes, if he’s gunna run around here like he doesn’t have two pennies to rub together can you atleast make sure he’s not wearing tailored fucking trousers.” No wonder Polly was growing frustrated with the state of his clothes when he came home, they weren’t cheap and he didn’t want his brother to become spoiled. Then the kitchen door opened and Tommy hadn’t been expecting it to be full of people. He could sense they were not thrilled by his arrival by the way the room immediately fell silent but he tried to get a handle of his frustration by staying quiet rather than starting another confrontation.
Marta sighed softly. Making Tommy remember his teenage years was not a good call either. Marta looked at Tommy and nodded. "Alright then," the woman said. "I'll make sure to buy him some not-tailored trousers. You speak as if YOU didn't have two pennies to rub together. If you want to keep Finn in a box like an expensive blinking doll, then fine. But don't expect him to be happy or to thank you for shit afterward."
"Good morning," said Marta. The adults of the estate looked at Tommy most of all. There were seven of them because they were missing Pedro, who was still asleep. There were two couples Sylvia and Pablo and also Julia and Mateo. Then there was Oscar. And then two maids - Amber and Sara. Amber jumped to her feet when she saw Miss Marta. "Good morning, Miss Marta, are you hungry?" Amber asked. Marta nodded. "Yes, Amber. I could eat something," Marta smiled. She looked at the table in the kitchen (the adults didn't really use the dining room, it was too posh for them) there was quite a lot of food. From beans and guacamole to some rice and sour cream, and of course, homemade tortillas, because those were not available in Birmingham just yet. The other adults slowly went to talk among themselves. They spoke quietly and in Spanish.
“Well times change.” Tommy stated in response to her. It was true. The Shelby’s at one point had been nothing more than poor gypsies, but these days they had a reputation to uphold and he simply let out a small sigh as she continued on. Once they were inside the kitchen Tommy seemed to hold back as Marta’s eyes lit up at the sight of the food. It all looked strange to him and he simply folded his arms and leaned against one of the counters off to the side. “If they are going to talk about me they can do it in English.” He then commented, his eyes slowly moving from person to person. It felt in some ways like an ambush.
"What would you like Miss Cabrera?" Amber asked as she walked over to the counter.
"Everything Amber, everything," Marta smiled at the maid and let her work on the breakfast.
Meanwhile, the Cubans really were talking about Tommy. He just seemed strange to them. They had no idea how this man was once someone who made Miss Cabrera happy. He was just so mean. When they heard the man, they looked at him. "Well," Oscar got up with a smile and walked over to Tommy. "Good morning, pal, I am Oscar," Oscar was quite short, but he looked quite strong.
Tommy kept his arms folded as he watched Amber prepare Marta a plate of food. He couldn’t name most of the items on the kitchen table, but everything looked far more colourful that English food. Then Oscar approached him and Tommy raised an eyebrow at the shorter man, it seemed to be becoming the theme on the day. His unimpressed eyebrow. “Pal?” Tommy repeated as his hand moved to his jacket pocket and he took out a cigarette, ran it across his lips back and forth before he lit it.
Oscar smiled and offered Tommy his hand to shake. He wasn't scared easily. It seemed like Mr Shelby was just a really... Just a really interesting character. "Yeah, amigo," Oscar smiled prettily and waited for Tommy to shake his hand. Oscar was in his mid to late 30s. He already had this salt-and-pepper beard theme going on and his hair was much greyer than Tommy's.
Marta reached over and plucked Tommy's cigarette out of his mouth. "Don't smoke in the kitchen please," Marta told him and gently stubbed the cigarette out. "We'll be going outside shortly, you can smoke there." Marta nodded and gave Tommy the cigarette back.
Tommy had held his cigarette between his lips as he finally shook Oscar’s hand. It was a firm handshake, like Tommy’s always were and he kept his eyes on the man, taking in every detail of his appearance. As he let go of his hand he went to hold his cigarette between his fingers when Marta pinched it from his lips and his attention was moved from Oscar to her for a second. Tommy Shelby smoked where he wanted, always… but she did say please and he took back the stubbed out cigarette without a word before his attention moved back to Oscar. He put the cigarette back into his silver box and straightened his cap, the razor blades glinting slightly in the light coming through the window. “Amigo.” Tommy nodded, his Spanish was limit but he came to the conclusion it meant pal. “My name is Mr Shelby.” He spoke slowly, making sure the Cuban man would understand him.
Oscar stood in front of the man and he couldn't help to feel the confusion and tension. It seemed like the man wouldn't know genuine human contact if it hit him in the face. Oscar didn't lose his smile. He wanted to burst out laughing when the Shelby repeated the Spanish word. Oscar then nodded when ‘Mr Shelby’ tried to introduce himself in English and very slowly. "Yeah, I noticed. Trust me, pal, I noticed," Oscar said. His English was good. In fact, he was one of the best people to speak English within this household. Oscar patted Tommy's arm and then walked out of the kitchen.
What was that supposed to mean? Tommy thought to himself. He wasn’t used to people speaking to him so casually these days. There were usually a lot of ‘yes Mr Shelby’ and ‘no mr Shelby’ not fucking pal. Tommy’ eyes followed Oscar out of the kitchen and he folded his arms again as he leant back against the counter. He was growing bored
Marta took the food from Amber. It was everything that was on the table wrapped in the strange flat bread. "Where do you want to go now? Do you want to see the horses?" Marta asked as she bit into the wrap. She was glad that Tommy didn't want to fight Oscar from the get-go. Everyone at the estate was nice in their own way. The hierarchy was a lot less visible than with the Shelby clan. Here, nobody was scared of Marta. They just had respect and were thankful to live at an estate like this.
"Are you hungry too, Mr Shelby?" Amber asked. She was a good maid. Of course, she was.
“Anywhere other than here.” Tommy muttered under his breath, hardly loud enough to be heard. He wanted to smoke and he needed to clear himself of this simmering in his gut that had stayed with him since the incident with the girl, plus the way they were whispering to each other in Spanish was getting under his skin. Tommy didn’t necessarily want to be this way, his temper was short and his patience even shorter these days. “No, I’m not hungry, thank you Amber.”
Amber just shrugged and went about her job. If the man didn't want to eat, then she wouldn't really try to make him eat. When Miss Marta didn't want to eat, Amber at least brought her tea with shortbread. Miss Marta would usually eat that at least.
Marta nodded. She wrapped the wrap in a napkin and then led Tommy out of the kitchen. "You seem to be really annoyed," she spoke as she munched on the food. "Maybe taking you here wasn't the best idea after all," Marta thought to herself. She didn't know what to do about it. She could buy Finn different trousers, she could talk with the small kids... But the adults, they were adults.
Tommy gave the Cuban adults one final gaze before he followed Marta out of the kitchen and he took a slow breath when she pointed out that he was annoyed. “I always feel fucking annoyed.” Tommy spoke, pinching the bridge of his nose and massaging it for a moment. That sometimes helped, but not today.
Once the pair was away, the adults began to chat about those two even more. It would be the talk of the estate for a bit now, especially that: "The brother is so sweet, but that man...?"
"Hmm," Marta shrugged. "I can't do much about that, eh?" She said and took a bite from her food again. She would offer Tommy a bite too, but she was certain that it would end in an argument, so she ate her food herself. Marta led Tommy through the halls to the back entrance. She opened the door for Tommy. "Let's go look at the stables. Athena will be mad at me for not taking her for a ride this morning."
“It would seem not.” Tommy hummed to himself. Though he wished she could, or anyone could for that matter. The moment they had stepped inside Tommy lit the cigarette he had tried to smoke earlier and fell silent as he sucked the smoke in deeply. It helped to some extent, it was part of the reason he was always smoking. “Alright.” Tommy then spoke, smoking as he walked and she ate. The grounds were certainly beautiful.
Chapter 32: Defiance & Fires
Chapter by George_135
Chapter Text
Marta had finished her breakfast burrito by the time they had arrived at the stables. When the horses heard approaching footsteps, one of them peeked out of his stable. It was Hermés. Hermés was a little... He was a quirky horse. To be honest, he was a complete dumbass. When he stuck his head out of the stable, it was covered in hay. The hay was stuck in his mane on top of his head. The horse huffed softly. He thought that it was Mateo with apples. But he didn't see any apples.
Tommy fell inside his own mind as they walked out to the stables. He needed to try at least, try to be calm, that was the conclusion he came to and once he tossed his spent cigarette butt on to the ground he walked up behind Marta and placed his hand around her waist. “I’m sorry.” He spoke softly. It was an honest apology, he knew he wasn’t right but sometimes he just couldn’t help it and his eyes moved from her to the hay covered horse.
Marta was surprised when Tommy almost hugged her from behind. She leaned on him and nodded. "It's alright. I just hoped that it would go better," Marta shrugged and then looked at the horse. "Aah, Hermés," Marta walked up to the horse and began to pluck the hay out of his mane. "Do you remember when I called Midwinter the horse for women and children?" Marta asked and looked over her shoulder. "Well, this one, this one is the real children's horse. They can be pulling on his mane, running under his belly and he just stands. Does nothing. Never kicks, never bites. He is completely stress free," Marta smiled when all the hay was off the horse.
“I just…” But Tommy didn’t quite know how to explain it. He kept a hand on Marta’s waist and rest his other elbow against the stable door as he watched her pick the hay from the horse's head. Tommy fell quiet and simply watched the horse. He’d always had an affiliation with horses and this one was quite different.
"There there," Marta said. "At least you won't poke your eye out," Marta told the horse. Hermés went to sniff Marta and Tommy. What if they had apples, huh? And he loved apples.
Marta looked back at Tommy. "You just what?" Marta asked Tommy. If she had time for something, then she had time for Tommy to explain himself. She was curious about his feelings because they were usually hidden from her and from the rest of the world too.
Soon enough, the other two horses looked outside. All three horses were chestnut-coloured. Two stallions, one mare.
Tommy seemed to suck on his lower lip for a moment, pinching it between his teeth before Marta looked up at him and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I don’t know.” He said, a small shake of his head followed a short sigh. If it could be just to two of them for the rest of their days perhaps he would feel calm and content. “I just don’t seem to have much patience for anything these days.” He stated, which was something considering the lack of patience he had when they had first met. “And less fucking control.” There were less plans these days, and more clean up missions after Tommy went rogue.
Marta sighed softly. She went to hug Tommy for a little bit. She felt like she could not help him. And it made her feel a little bit bad. “It’s going to be ok Tommy,” She spoke gently, resting her hand on his cheek before she kissed Tommy's lips and went to introduce the horses. "So, this one is Hermés, you can do anything with this one. He's completely calm. Then we've got Apollo over there. He's slim, was supposed to be a racer but one of his legs is a bit compromised. You can't see it now, but the handlers said that it would show soon if he began racing. And then there's my mare, Athena... " Marta tried to pet the mare but she moved her head away. "She's just a bit temperamental sometimes."
When Marta hugged him Tommy held her close, rubbing his hand up and down her back. Sometimes being Thomas Shelby was hard fucking work. He hadn’t let anyone close enough to him these past few years to see how bad things really had been inside his head. The horses were a welcome distraction as she showed him around the stables, he would greet each one, petting them softly and whispering to them in Romani before they reached Athena. “Beautiful.” Tommy hummed in Romani and leant against the gate to her stall.
Athena moved over to the gate and then began to sniff Tommy's hand and arm. She then moved even more forward to nuzzle Tommy.
Marta crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Aha, of course. Step back, that's my man," Marta told Athena and heard her huff.
Finn and Mili were hanging out in their den at the back of the stable and he looked towards the crawl space entrance to their little hang out. “That’s Tommy.” He whispered to the girl, though he wasn’t doing anything wrong. All his brothers smoked, he just didn’t really want to run into his brother again.
Mili was laying down on the hay and smoking. "So what?" She asked and sat up. "He can't see us, so..." Mili shrugged. She held her cigarette in front of Finn's mouth. "Calm down, Finnito."
“Yeah but Tommys like-I dunno he’s not human sometimes. It’s like he always knows everything.” Finn said and ran a hand through his messy hair before he took the cigarette and sucked on it quickly. He gave her a smile from the corner of his mouth, he liked the nickname she had given him.
Tommy usually felt calmer around horses and the way Athena came closer and nuzzled against him helped him settle. He reached a hand around the horse's head and patted her softly. “You’re a beautiful girl.” He hummed, the way today spoke gypsy was like a lullaby. “Don’t be jealous.” Tommy said, giving Marta a glance before something caught his attention. Even chain smoking Tommy Shelby wouldn’t smoke in a barn. “Can you smell smoke?” He said.
"Jealous? Me?" Marta shook her head. "Never," she shook her head and watched Athena interact with Tommy. There wasn’t much sweeter than the way Tommy cared for a horse. While Hermes and Apollo kinda liked Tommy, Athena seemed absolutely smitten. Marta looked around after Tommy's question. She took a deep breath and she indeed smelled smoke. "Yeah," she went to look around. "Sometimes they burn grass in the surrounding fields. But this smell is different."
“Yeah right.” Tommy tutted as Marta went to investigate the smell. It certainly smelt like cigarettes to him. He gave Athena another gentle pat before he went to help Marta investigate. His nose was good and he pointed to the back wall of the stables. “That’s cigarette smoke.” He stated.
Mili shook her head at the boy and took a drag from the cigarette after Finn. "Not human, huh? Miss C. must be a masochist then."
Finn looked a little confused. He wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. They passed the cigarette back and forth. “What’s a maso… masochist?” He asked but suddenly froze when he heard Tommy’s voice again, but this time much closer and he put his finger on his lip. He didn’t want their little hideout being discovered.
"Cigarette smoke?" Marta shook her head herself. "Who smokes cigarettes here? It's like playing with matches here. Equally stupid." Marta let out a sigh and walked to the back wall of the stables, taking Tommy with her.
Tommy had a vague idea as to who it may have been hiding out in the back of the barn smoking cigarettes and knocked his hand against the wall. It was hollow behind. “What’s back there?” He asked.
"Means she's with the guy even if it hurts," Mili shrugged. "It sounds stupid to me, but some ladies are this delusional." Mili didn't really see Finn's gesture.
Finn doubted he would remember the word, let alone the meaning and gave Mili a shove when he heard a knock against the wall. At that moment his cigarette fell from his hand onto the hay which quickly started to burn.
"Fuck! Finn! What are you doing?" Mili asked when he shoved her. She then just saw the burning hay. "Put something over it! The blanket. The blanket!" Mili scrambled to grab the blanket they had brought to their den.
“It was an accident- it was a fucking accident.” Finn panicked, the fire seemed to spread quickly and tried stamping on the smoldering flames to put them out.
Marta furrowed her brows as she followed Tommy. She looked at the wall and said: "Well, there's more hay and feed behind the wall. The entrance is on the other side. It's like a little side shed to be honest. Marta looked down and gently kicked one part of the wooden paneling. It rattled. It seemed like one could remove it easily and crawl in.
Tommy pressed his ear against the wall and heard the familiar sound of that irritating teenage girl's voice. “It’s Finn and that girl.” He stated, standing back and folding his arms as Marta continued to investigate. Though his expression changed somewhat when the smell of smoke seemed to change from cigarette smoke to darker fire smoke.
Marta sighed softly. She was now a little bit irritated too. She did not care. If Finn and Mili wanted to smoke cigarette after cigarette, they could. But choosing a barn as a designated smoking spot? Big mistake. Huge. Marta could now smell the smoke too. “Please, grab the first bucket of water you meet on the way,” Marta told Tommy and she quickly dragged him over to the main entrance to the side shed. She grabbed her own bucket of water on the way. She opened the side shed and then threw the water from the bucket on the fire and on the two kids as well. She would not be mad if Tommy did the same. She looked at the two. “We need to talk now. Get the fuck out of here and inside the house. I am not going to say that twice.”
Tommy followed Marta quickly and when she asked him to grab water he picked up a bucket near Athena’s stall and hurried to follow her.
“Shit, shit.” Finn said as he failed to put out the fire with his shoe when he was suddenly drenched with water.
“Out, out, both of you out,” Marta told the two teens. She gently grabbed Mili’s arm and moved her out of the shed’s doorway. “We are going to the sitting room and you two will explain everything, understood?!” Marta pointed in the direction of the house and let the teens walk first
“You fucking idiots.” Tommy appeared behind Marta. He had been starting to calm down around the horses, and now he was boiling again. Despite the fact the fire was out he sent his bucket of water over the two teens. He had half a mind to smack Finn around the head with the now empty bucket. As Finn shivered from the cold water. When the boy went to walk past then both Tommy gave him a shove in the direction of the house.
Marta looked over at Tommy and touched his hand. “Let me deal with this myself, please,” Marta asked him. She watched Tommy’s expression and watched the two teens walk.
“Marta.. it was my fault… it was an accident.” Finn spoke after Tommy had shoved him out the door. He was used to being in trouble these days, but he didn’t like upsetting Marta.
Tommy was obviously annoyed, it was evident on his face with the way he was glaring at Finn.
“Shut up and get inside.” Tommy snapped dangerously which caused Finn to hurry off with Mili. His eyes followed the teens, if looks could kill they would have both keeled over. “Provided you deal with them properly.” Tommy spoke, trying to take a deep breath to calm himself down.
"You'll have enough time to talk in the sitting room, Finn," Marta told him and then let those two teens walk in their shame. "What do you suggest?" Marta then asked Tommy. She wanted to hear his opinion on what to do with the teens.
Mili was walking beside Finn. “I think we fucked up,” she told him quietly. “What are we going to do?” She asked.
Finn glanced at Mili as they walked inside. “It was my fault, don’t worry.” He murmured.
Tommy’s eyes watched the two teenagers the whole way back to the house. He didn’t feel like any of his suggestions would be helpful. “Beat them.” He stated as they walked. “Or hang them from the ceiling by their ankles.” He muttered.
"Something less medieval, perhaps?" Marta asked and then pointed the kids the right way to the sitting room. The two stood next to each other like they were to face a whole trial.
Marta looked at the kids. "So," she said. "Tell me. Who told you to pick a barn as your designated smoking spot. You both saw that cigarettes and hay don't mix well!"
“Hmm.” Tommy simply hummed, of course he wouldn’t have done either of those. But they certainly deserved something more serious than just shoveling shit. He kept himself quiet despite his boiling temper and sunk himself into an armchair, his eyes burning on Finn.
Finn didn’t want Mili getting into trouble. After all it was his fault the fire had started. He was shivering slightly from the damp clothes and cold air water. “No one.” He replied, unable to meet either of the adults' gaze. He could feel Tommy’s eyes burning on him. “No one told us to.. I just thought it would be a good place for a den.”
"And who gave you the cigarettes?" Marta asked as she walked around. She was curious. She really was.
"Pedro," Mili said immediately. "He said that we were old enough to smoke," Mili shrugged her shoulders and looked at Miss C. and at Tommy.
Marta nodded. "Well, I don't want to see you smoking in the stables again. It's dangerous. If we didn't have water there. You would burn and what is worse, you'd take the horses and all the whole building with you." Marta looked at the two. "So, Mili, you will help in the kitchens. Finn, you will help Mateo clean up the mess in the shed. And neither of you will be coming to the opening of Cosmos. You will instead watch the kids."
Finn let Mili answer some of the questions, still unable to look in his brother's direction. Though Tommy soon couldn’t hold his tongue much longer and stood up from the chair. “Is that it?” He spoke to Marta. It wasn’t enough in his eyes.
Finn's jaw had hit the floor when Marta told them neither could attend the Cosmo opening. He’d been looking forward to that all week and his attitude seemed to surface as he hardly noticed Tommy move. “Well then I’m just gunna go home. I’m not watching the kids.” He stated. Sometimes Finn was a bit of a quiet kid, mainly due to his lack of intelligence. In other instances the Shelby surfaced in him.
"What the fuck?" Mili looked at Finn. "The fuck you won't," she looked at the boy. "You drop the cigarette and then won't help with the fucking consequences?" Mili pushed Finn. "Fuck you!"
Marta looked at Tommy and shrugged. "What else should I do with them?" She asked. "Do I kill them or what?" Marta sighed and looked at the two who managed to somehow get in a fight.
“I’ll clean the mess up but I’m not fucking watching the kids.” Finn snapped and stumbled back a couple of paces as Mili shoved him. She was fiery that was for sure, but Finn wouldn’t raise his hand to a girl.
“That would work.” Tommy stated and walked to Marta’s side. When the teens started bickering he raised his voice. “Hey!” He barked and pointed to Finn. “You’ll do as you are fucking told.”
Mili looked at Finn and shook her head. "Well, then you don't have to get any cigarettes again. And you don't have to eat if you don't want to help with the kids!" Mili shouted at Finn. She was ready to leave the room. Finn managed to make Miss C mad and he didn't even want to help with the punishment. And they couldn't go to Cosmos! "Fuck you! You're just like the others!" Mili then walked out of the door and closed it with a loud bang.
Marta looked at Finn. She shook her head. "And ask Mateo if he has some spare trousers for work. You should fit those." Marta sighed. She wasn't in the mood to listen to Tommy bitching about tailored trousers.
“I can get my own cigarettes.” Finn mumbled to himself. The whole situation was starting to irritate him now and for some reason in his mind it was all Tommy’s fault. If Tommy hadn't been here everything would be fine and their den never would have been discovered. “Hey Mili, no I’m not.” Finn called after her with a sigh. He was frustrated and quickly rubbed his face with his hands before he lowered them and finally stared at Tommy. He was feeling brave, or stupid. Finn ignored Marta and stared at his brother. “This is your fucking fault.” He said, it was rare for Finn to speak like this. “If you’d just stayed at your sad fucking house everything here would have been fine!”
And that was that. Tommy had lost it and he quickly stepped forward, if he got hold of the boy there was no telling what would happen.
When Tommy moved to near Finn after Finn's little outburst, Marta immediately stepped in front of Tommy. In fact, she collided with Tommy in order to stop him.
"Fuck off to the stables Finn, now!" Marta told Finn loudly. She didn't need the source of Tommy's anger there. She looked up at Tommy and put her hands on his cheeks. "Hey, Tommy..." she said. "Kneel."
Just as he had in the upstairs corridor Tommy tried to side step Marta, though this time with more effort and his eyes seemed to glaze over. It was like he had suddenly become unreachable and unaware of his actions.
Finn still had the confidence to stand up to his brother, mainly because Marta had flung herself between them. “See Mili was right, you’re fucking crazy.”
Marta could not believe what Finn was doing. She outstretched her hands on either side to stop Tommy, treating him like a rogue horse. "Finn Shelby, if you don't leave this room right this second, I will personally see to it that you are on your way to your aunt in two seconds or less!" Marta raised her voice at Finn again. Mentioning Mili's name was not the best decision either. The woman then turned her attention back to Tommy. "Thomas," she said a bit quieter. "Listen to me," she whispered. "Kneel." She added.
Finn stared his brother down for a moment. The adrenaline had him acting like a proper Shelby for the first time. Usually he would have crumbled in situations like that. He simply shook his head and stormed out of the room and once upstairs to his room he held his face in his hands and let out a frustrated groan.
Once Finn was gone Tommy seemed atleast a little more receptive. Though he still couldn’t quite register Marta’s words with the ringing in his ears. It was like alarm bells mixed with the sound of mortar strikes. Like the war was going on inside his head. His eyes followed Finn all the way out of the door as his chest heaved up and down sharply.
Marta stood in front of Tommy to prevent him from chasing after Finn. She gently ran her hands over the man's chest, feeling his heartbeat was still rapid. "He is gone now," she said to Tommy. "He'll get it when he's older, Tommy... I am sure of that," Marta gently undid the very top button of Tommy's shirt. It was better for him to get the restrictive collar off his neck.
"Come on, get down on your knees, you'll feel a bit better. I promise. Marta put her hand on Tommy's shoulder and gently applied pressure to guide him down.
Tommys eyes still seemed rather vacant as he stared at the door that Finn had vanished through. Marta’s words slowly started to become a little louder than the clanging inside his head and it looked like he was becoming a little more present in his own mind as his eyes finally moved back to her. When she unbuttoned his collar he started to try and breathe a little slower but it was hard and he couldn’t bring himself to speak as she pressured his shoulders. There was a slight resistance at first, but his knees eventually gave in and he knelt down to the ground.
Marta sighed softly when she managed to make Tommy kneel. Being closer to the ground was always better. She could've made him sit back in the armchair, but she did want to see him on his knees in front of her. Was this self-serving? Yes. Did she mind? No. She stood above Tommy. "See? That's better," Marta hummed and ran her hand through Tommy's hair. She stood closer to him and let him rest his head against her stomach. "He didn't mean it," she whispered.
Tommy wasn’t even able to think enough to identify the fact that Marta may have had an alternative motive. He was too damn mad to think properly. “Fuck.” He said to himself as he pulled his cap from his head and tossed it to the ground. Everything felt hot and he quickly pulled off his jacket. The feeling of her fingers through his hair helped, as did the silence as he tried to regain control of his breathing. It was a good few minutes before he spoke again and moved his face away from her to run his hands over his face. “Fuck I could have killed him.” If she hadn't been there he was sure it would have been a different story.
Marta let Tommy take off whatever he needed. "Deep breaths, as deep as you can muster," Marta spoke calmly, trying to guide Tommy through this state. "Focus on how you're kneeling. Try to have your back straight. Put your shoulders back and down. They are still up and forwards as if you were preparing yourself to pounce." Marta spoke to Tommy calmly. She watched him go through his emotions. Then he let go of her because he needed to run his hands over his face, she sighed. "You were almost gone, Tommy," Marta nodded. It was scary. "Would you like some tea to calm down? You can have it with a bit of whisky. Maybe you could eat a bit of shortbread biscuit? The sugar could make you feel a little better."
Tommy closed his eyes and let Marta’s words guide him. It was different to how he normally coped with his anger. Usually it would have been with whisky and his fists. He’d punched many men repeatedly until you couldn’t recognise their faces since she had been gone. It was something he hadn’t learnt to control. “Yeah that’s been happening.” Tommy said, trying to hold his shoulder back and breathe as he kept his eyes closed. Trying to fight the noises in his head which seemed to be slowly quietening. How could he tell her that sometimes the noises seemed so loud that he would collapse into some sort of fit. It made him sound just as crazy as Finn had claimed he was. “Just some whisky.” He managed to speak quietly, his heart finally starting to slow.
"Tea and whisky," Marta mumbled and then went to look outside the sitting room. "Amber?" She called out. When she saw the woman in the corridor, she asked her for lemon balm tea, the irish whisky they had ordered for special occasions and a few shortbread biscuits. She felt like eating some herself. "You can go sit down on the armchair now." Marta said. She went to pick up his hat and his jacket. She put both on the sofa so that the jacket didn't get wrinkled. She then picked up a blanket and went to put it over Tommy's body. "I'll open the window for a bit to get fresh air in here. Keep the blanket on you so that you don't get too cold too fast. You are running hot, I can see it."
Tommy didn’t have the energy right now to argue, but he didn’t want fucking tea. When she went to the door to call Amber, Tommy stayed where he was, he felt like his energy had been zapped out of him and she was right, being close to the ground seemed to help. It had stopped him collapsing at least. When she returned he slowly got up, letting out a long breath once he was on his feet. The room was spinning and his head was aching. He slouched down into the armchair and rested his head back, closing his eyes for a moment. “I don’t need a blanket Marta.” He spoke softly, pushing it onto the arm of the chair before he loosened his tie. This wasn’t how he had wanted his day to go at all.
Marta sighed softly and then still tried to put the blanket back on Tommy, at least over his thighs. "Be good," she whispered to him and leaned down to kiss him. "We need the air here, and you are undressing by the second," Marta smiled and caressed Tommy's cheek. Marta walked to the window and opened it for a bit. She then went to take the stuff from Amber. "Thank you, Amber," Marta carried the tray over to the coffee table. She sighed softly as she poured two cups of the tea.
“Marta I don’t need a fucking blanket.” Tommy spoke, though his voice was lacking any real enthusiasm or malice. He sounded tired. That had been a close call. Could he claim that it wasn’t nice to have someone to care for him, no he couldn’t. But he felt bad for the way she was running around after him. When she gathered some things from Amber he sunk his hand into his trouser pocket and took out his cigarettes and ran one across his lips before reaching for his lighter.
"Tommy, please," Marta said. She didn't want to fight with him. She didn't want to fight with him over a fucking blanket. "Take a deep fucking breath and keep the blanket on your legs." Marta poured Tommy some tea and added whisky into it. She put a shortbread on the saucer.
“Alright, alright. Fuck.” Tommy said to himself and lit his cigarette, leaving the blanket over his legs and putting his head back against the chair as he slowly exhaled his smoke into the room. The cigarette helped, it seemed to melt away the pain in his chest, though his head was still pounding.
Marta put the cup of whisky laced tea on the table beside the armchair. Marta then closed the window, because the room was full of fresh air now. "Drink the tea with whisky, and then you'll get straight whisky. And for the love of God. Eat the fucking biscuit."
Marta was giving Frances vibes, though the problem was he could not dismiss her request without causing an argument. And he didn’t have the energy to argue, whereas he could at least order Frances to leave him alone. Tommy picked up the tea cup and took sips between smoking his cigarette. He was quiet, focusing on being calm and once the tea was emptied he held the cup out. It didn’t bother him that it wasn’t a whisky glass, any vessel would do. “Whisky please.” He spoke, breaking the silence with his request.
Matal looked at Tommy. She didn't want him to feel like she was making him sit down and drink and eat like a baby. But she just didn't want to see him like this. Marta then took the cup and poured him some whisky. She handed him the cup. "Tommy..." she said with a small sigh. "I am worried..."
“Thank you.” Tommy said quietly when she handed him back the cup full of whiskey. He took a sip before he spoke again. “Marta, everything is…” But he stopped himself. How could he lie and say everything was fine. He was consumed by his work. He couldn’t eat. He felt out of control. He felt exhausted but he couldn’t sleep without drink or drugs. Then there were the flashbacks and what he assumed were some type of seizure. Nobody knew of those, not even Frances and Polly. He had kept that well hidden at least. His kingdom was large these days, but he felt like he was crumbling and he certainly didn’t want to dump that all on Marta. They needed to be happy, though he didn’t feel as though he deserved to feel like that. Tommy had convinced himself that those that whispered his name were right, he was the devil. So with that thought in his mind he resorted to his earlier statement after taking another gulp of whisky. “Everything is fine.”
“Everything is fine. I just almost killed my brother but everything is fine.” Marta couldn't help but shake her head a little bit. For a small moment she thought that not being able to have kids in this setting was more of a blessing than a curse. But then... She really wanted to be a mother. Could she be a mother alone? Probably so. Did she want to be a mother alone? No.
Tommy took another drink from his cup and noticed her shaking her head out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head against the cushion and looked at her with a rather defeated expression on his face. “I don’t know what you expect me to say?” He queried, reaching to his pocket for yet another cigarette.
Marta looked defeated too. She shook her head, now more sadly than anything else. She looked down at her shoes. "Nothing," she whispered. "I shouldn't expect anything from you. I know. I am the stupid fucking barmaid who doesn't know better, right? I can put on lipstick and act really tough, but I am still just one of these annoying little things that dare to care about you." Marta looked at Tommy.
“Oh Marta. I don’t want to fight.” Tommy groaned a little with his words, sitting forward pinching the bridge of his nose as one of his elbows rested on his knee. “You know that’s not what I think. I don’t want to fucking fight.” He let out a shaky breath and moved his hand down his face, squeezing it before his fingers stopped across his cheek whilst his thumb pressed against his jaw. Was it a hint of fear glistening in those blue eyes, surely not, Thomas Shelby didn’t get scared. “There are demons in my head.” He stated, his voice soft and he sounded tired. “There are fucking demons in my head and I cannot get them out.” It was the only way he could describe his mind. It hardly made sense to him so how could he expect her to understand.
"I don't want to fight either, because there is no way to fight with you," Marta sighed. "I fight and fight and try and try again and I can never win." Marta shook her head and got up. She walked over to the window and looked out. "I can never know what you think," Marta spoke as she looked out of the window. "There can always be something else going on." Marta listened to Tommy who spoke about the demons in his head. "I don't know how to get them out either," Marta sighed. It pained her to say this, but it was the truth.
Tommy seemed to hunch over and hold his hands against the back of his neck, his eyes looking down at the floor before he decided to push himself to his feet. He seemed a little unsteady but managed to get his balance. His eyes watched her as she stood by the window, similarly to how she had done when he had first come to this house. Tommy put the blanket onto the chair. “Maybe I should go and lay down and we can start the day again. Or… or do you want me to go?” He asked, watching her as she sighed. Tommy Shelby always had a plan, a way to win every battle. But he was loosing the battle with his own head and he didn’t have a fucking plan. “I just don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know what to fucking do.” His voice seemed to crack a little with his final statement.
Marta looked down on the floor. She heard Tommy speak. She listened to him closely. Her chest hurt as she listened to Tommy. It was like there was something pressing down on her. She had no idea what that was. When she heard Tommy's voice crack, she closed her eyes. She didn't want to cry, but she cried anyway. She couldn't stop. She just couldn't stop. "I don't want you to leave."
“Then I won’t leave.” Tommy confirmed, his voice gentle. He could feel emotions swelling in him that he wasn’t used to. This wasn’t just the sadness or grief he’d lived with during their time apart, it was something else that he’d been pushing to the back of his mind as he pushed on with everything else. He walked over to her when he noticed she was crying and joined her by the window. It was time for him to be honest and he put a hand on her lower back. Tommy looked outside for a while before he kissed the side of her face softly and whispered to her as he spoke, his voice sounded different. Fragile some would say. “I don’t have a plan this time Marta… how can I have a plan when I don’t know what this is?” He tried to explain, he wasn’t even sure if he was making sense and he turned and perched himself on the window sill so he was looking up at her as he pressed a finger firmly against his temple. “I don’t know what this is.”
Marta moved to press herself against Tommy's side. She was sobbing quietly as she looked outside at the countryside. She listened to Tommy and she watched him explain that his head was not in the right place and he had no idea what to do. Marta closed her eyes and tried to press her eyelids together to stop herself from crying more. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to be so strong... but she couldn't. She opened her eyes and looked at Tommy. "You've got money," Marta said. "I've got money," she whispered. "You've got contacts and doctors... please," she said. "Seek out help," she nodded. "It must be hard to do that... but Tommy... I have no way of helping you," Marta shook her head as more tears came.
Tommy moved his hands to her cheeks and stood up from the window ledge, moving his face closer to hers as he rested his forehead against her own. “You help me by just being here.” He whispered. That was true, for if she hadn't been here to help he likely would have collapsed with one of these strange episodes he’d been experiencing where something seemed to enter his mind and the nightmares he suffered at night broke out into the day. His thumb wiped away some of her tears as he held her cheeks.
Marta took a step towards Tommy and leaned her forehead on his chest. "I can't do more, Tommy. I would like to do more for you, but I can't..." she cried softly against Tommy's chest. "We can go lie down," Marta said then. "We still have time," Marta nodded. "You can rest up a little more," she bit her lip softly. "I can lie down with you."
Tommy hated how upset he had made her. It was part of the reason he kept things to himself, he didn’t like to burden people with his own fucked head. Arthur had found god, that seemed to have helped him. John had his kids to keep him going. But Tommy, what did Tommy have in this world to save him. Horses? “You are enough Marta.” He whispered to her, kissing the top of her head when she pushed her face into his chest. His knees were feeling weak but he rubbed her back anyway. “I’ll figure something out.” He always found a solution, but this one seemed to have him backed into a corner. “I would like that. I would really like that.” Perhaps if he could just manage to sleep when he woke up he would feel better. One could only hope.
Marta looked at Tommy and nodded. "Right, right, let's go," she smiled a little bit and then grabbed Tommy's hand. She grabbed the plate with the shortbread too. She then led him back to her bedroom. This time, they weren't there to inspect Marta's make up. "You can lie down," Marta hummed and placed the plate of shortbread on the night table. She would be able to eat all of those biscuits. They were so good.
Tommy walked with Marta to the bedroom and gave her hand a comforting squeeze. When they reached the stairs he walked a little slower than usual, he really did feel exhausted and had to hold the handrail to get himself upstairs. Once they’d reached the bedroom he didn’t want to crease his shirt or trousers, but he didn’t have the energy to take them off and settled on just removing his jacket before he gingerly lowered himself onto the bed with a small grunt much like an old man would. He would have to get one of his staff to deliver a new suit and shirt for the evening at Cosmos. He just prayed a rest would help him feel a little more normal.
Marta took some of her clothes off and looked at Tommy as he fell onto the bed. She sighed softly and then climbed into the bed with him in her underwear. "You look tired," Marta smiled and rubbed Tommy's chest. She then reached for the shortbread and began munching on it. She tried to be careful not to get much crumbs into the bed.
Tommy didn’t even get a chance to respond. It was like the moment his head hit the bed his body shut off and the lights went out, which was highly unusual for him.
Marta sat up when she didn't hear Tommy respond. She sighed softly and then placed her head on his chest to hear his heart and breath. She blinked her eyes and listened in.
Tommy’s heart thankfully seemed to be beating a little slower and the same thing could be said for his breathing. Being asleep certainly helped his body recover. It didn’t last long though and 45 minutes later the sound of the shovels started and his eyes opened quickly.
Tommy was alright, thankfully. But Marta didn't feel like falling asleep, so she just kept her head on the man's chest and made sure he was okay still. Soon, though, she felt Tommy shiver slightly, and his heart beat also picked up the pace. His breathing changed too.
Chapter 33: Bathtubs & Duds
Chapter by George_135
Chapter Text
After Finn had helped Matteo in the stable he went up to his room and had been snuggling with the little kitten. Now the adrenaline from his fight with Tommy had worn off he was rather afraid and had decided that in fact he did not want to be anywhere near his furious brother, so he snuck from the house, grabbed his bike and went to cycle back to Polly’s house. Intending to return once the adults had all gone to the party to try and make peace with Mili and help with the children.
Mili heard Pedro, who had FINALLY woke up, say that he saw Finn leaving on the bike. That made her mad. She was cutting onions and bell peppers and she was imagining they were people.
Tommy let out a gasp as he suddenly awoke, his eyes bursting open and he tried to sit up but there was something heavy on his chest. It was like he had forgotten where he was when his eyes found themselves in an unfamiliar room. Then that split second thought was over. It was Marta… and it was Marta’s room. He was safe and he rested his head back on the bed before he ran his hands over his face. “I’m ok… I’m ok.” He spoke, trying to take a few deep breaths as he moved a hand to Marta’s head. “I’m ok.”
Marta wasn't asleep, so when Tommy moved to sit up, she tried to move off his chest. She wasn't very successful. "Sorry," she hummed and rubbed Tommy's chest. "See? You should sleep on my chest. That way you can sit up whenever you want." Marta smiled.
Once Marta had moved Tommy propped himself up on his elbows. Taking a few deep breaths as she rubbed his chest. The boys hadn’t done a great job of patching him up after the Kimber incident in Small Heath and he winced slightly when her finger ran over the scarred bullet wound. “You do have a point.” Tommy spoke softly and closed his eyes for a moment as if he was trying to tune in with himself. His heart felt lighter and he didn’t feel like he couldn’t catch his breath, so thankfully the rest seemed to have helped in some capacity.
"I always have a point," Marta sat up and leaned on the headboard. She hummed softly and reached for more shortbread. She took a bite and then offered a bite to Tommy. "Do you want to bathe with me?" She asked Tommy. "I'll have to bathe before the grand opening and it's boring to bathe on your own."
Tommy sat forward and stretched his hands down his legs as if he was limbering himself up. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept in the day. “Yes-I’ll bathe with you.” He said and glanced back at her rested against the headboard with a slight shake of his head. “I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.” Tommy said softly before he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it to the ground. There were scars running down his spine now that crossed each other, they looked relatively new. He found it rather meaningful that they both now wore scars from bullets and lashings. “I need to phone the house, get them to bring me a new suit.” He then spoke.
"I don't care, just take a bite. These are the best shortbreads. Even all the Cuban adults like it, which is a win, considering that they were quite apprehensive about everything English before. For example milk and tea. That was the thing they didn't get the most. "And sure, I've got a phone over there," she hummed. "Who lashed you?" She asked him.
Tommy suppressed a sigh and decided it was best to just do as she asked, he didn’t want to fight, he didn’t want anything to ruin the rest of their day so he leant over and took the shortbread from her. “The fucking Italians.” He said, holding the shortbread in his hand as he got up and walked to the phone. He dialed Arrow House and whilst the phone was connecting he took a small bite from the shortbread and placed the rest down on the small table.
Marta was happy that Tommy at least took a small bite from the shortbread. "Good boy," Marta praised him. It was all she wanted. Just a bite. Marta furrowed her brows. "Fucking Italians have different ways of dealing with people," Marta hummed and began to stretch her body on the bed.
"Arrow House, how can I help you?" It was Frances.
Tommy gave a small shake of his head when Marta praised him like a child. “They certainly do.” He spoke and when he heard Frances pick up the phone he straightened his back. “Frances, it’s Tommy.” He spoke. “I need a fresh suit brought to The Cabrera Estate and a…” But he paused and glanced back at Marta on the bed. “What colour are you wearing tonight?” He asked her.
Marta watched Tommy as she stretched and hummed happily when she felt her body becoming a little less stiff. She then looked at Tommy and smiled. "I am wearing red and white," Marta nodded with a small smile." She then got up and walked over to Tommy. She hugged him from behind and kissed his neck.
“Red and white.” Tommy repeated with a small nod of his head before he put the phone back to his ear. He wanted them to look good together. “A white shirt and a red tie Frances, and a red pocket square.” Tommy spoke clearly before looking back to Marta. The colour of his suit and waistcoat would be important too. “Navy, black or grey?” He asked.
Marta removed her lips from Tommy's neck and thought for a second there. "Navy," she nodded. The night would be colourful. So... Tommy would stick out like a sore thumb in grey or black. Marta wrapped her arms around Tommy and rubbed his chest and stomach. He was still so warm from the bed.
“A navy suit and waistcoat please Frances.” Tommy then said with a small nod of his head. He let out a soft hum of content as Marta rubbed his chest. “Yes I ate the sandwich.” He then lied. “Thank you Frances.” Tommy finished the call and placed the phone back down.
Marta smacked Tommy's backside after he had put the phone down. "Liar liar pants on fire," she hummed and walked over to eat some more of the shortbread. Then she lit a cigarette. She took a deep breath as the smoking opened up her lungs. Marta sat on one of her tables in her underwear. She looked around the room to look at the clock. They still had time, the Cosmos opened at 7.
“Hey.” Tommy said, letting out a soft chuckle as she hit his backside. When she went to perched on one of the table he walked to her, placing his hands on her hips and kissing her softly between the smokes of her cigarette. “Will you do a speech?” He asked
Marta smirked. Maybe she was treating Tommy like a child, smacking his butt and praising him... But Tommy thankfully didn't seem to mind. Marta kissed Tommy back and held the cigarette to his lips so that he could take a drag. "I haven't thought about a speech," Marta hummed. "I just thought I'd be there, I'd enjoy the night with the new customers. I'll drink booze, eat all the delicious snacks and dance..." the woman purred, she loved the feeling of Tommy's hand on her hips. "I don't know if people need an old hag boasting about how she opened the bar to connect communities and bring a little bit of home to Birmingham for her friends." Martaw shrugged.
Tommy took a slow inhalation of the cigarette when she held it to his lips, gently blowing the smoke back towards her before kissing her again. “I think that is exactly what they all want to hear.” He said softly, reaching for her face and stroking her cheek. Her eyes still looked a little red from her crying. “And who will you dance with?” He then asked.
The woman closed her eyes when the smoke washed over her. "Is this a payback for something?" She asked him and tilted her head to the side. "Cheeky," she hummed and took a puff from the cigarette herself after kissing him. Marta nodded. "Alright then, I'll tell them all about it," Marta rubbed Tommy's side with her free hand. "I will dance with everyone," Marta smiled.
“Perhaps.” Tommy said, his cheeky smile appearing between kisses. She made him feel better just by being here, he could feel that heavy weight he’d been carrying since she’d been gone starting to lift. “Well that might make me rather jealous.” He spoke, and moved his lips from her lips down her neck slowly, nibbling at her skin in a similar way she had done to him.
"What doesn't make you jealous, Tommy?" Marta asked the man and purred. She moved to sit closer to him. She wrapped her arm around him and played with his hair. "You don't have to worry," Marta hummed. "Cubans are warm and welcoming, but they respect when someone's taken." She bit her lip gently. "Though I am sure that women in Cuba would scratch my eyes out just to get to you..."
“Nothing when it comes to you.” Tommy hummed, continuing to kiss her neck, occasionally pinching her skin between his teeth as he moved to her collar bone and reached his hand around her back to unclasp her bra. As the garment fell to the ground he moved his body closer, one of his hands grabbing one of her breasts and giving it a squeeze. “I’d love to see them try.” He then hummed against her skin, his voice becoming rather breathy.
"Oh, is that so?" Marta smiled and craned her head back to let Tommy wreck it more. She placed the cigarette in an ashtray. She helped to remove the bra and then looked up into Tommy's eyes. "Would you now?" Marta smirked. "Oh, the women would love your eyes most of all," Marta smiled. "They would all love to get their hands on you."
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed in agreement. His hands seemed to move quicker as his heart quickened whilst that adrenaline started to pump through him. He wanted to fuck her, and fuck her harder than he had ever done before. “Now who’s sounding jealous?” He asked, moving his attention back to her lips as he kissed her harder. Whilst kissing her he moved her legs around his waist and in one effortless motion lifted her from the table and carried her to the bed.
"Definitely not me," she hummed. Marta wrapped her arms and legs around Tommy when he decided to carry her in the bed. "Lock the door, please?" Marta smiled at her man and then kissed him back for some time. Her Cuban friends and even Amber had a habit of just coming into the room. Marta felt like some part of Tommy she knew was back.
Tommy lowered Marta down onto the bed, there was that hungry look in his eyes and he pinched her lip between his teeth when she asked him to lock the door. “Do your friends not knock?” He hummed and quickly went to lock the door. Before he rejoined her on the bed he removed his trousers, socks and finally his underwear before he crawled onto the bed his lips meeting hers again as his hands wandered her body.
Marta shook her head. "They do not," she smiled. It was true. In this house, they lived very openly, so... Knocking was not the thing they did. Marta managed to slip off the rest of her underwear before Tommy came back to bed. She moved the blanket around so it was comfortable for the both of them. She wrapped her arms around Tommy and kissed him. "I've missed this."
Tommy couldn’t keep his hands off of her, they ran along her chest, her stomach, her thigh, anywhere he could reach he wanted to touch. His breathing became quicker as the passion seemed to consume them both. He was ready to fuck the life out of her. The moment had consumed him so much that he was only able to manage a small grunt in reply as he kissed her hard.
"Tommy," Marta said to the man, when she saw him slipping away. She wanted him present with her for this. "Tommy," she hummed and placed her hands on his cheeks. "Can you hear me?" She asked him and kissed his cheek and his ear. "I love you," she whispered to him.
“Hmm.” Tommy hummed again when she spoke his name and his eyes met here’s when she lifted his head between her hands. “I love you.” He hummed in response as she kissed his ear. “Now may I please fuck you.” He whispered, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.
"I love you so much," Marta hummed softly and kissed Tommy's chin. She moved her hands down to touch Tommy's back and shoulders. She then chuckled when she heard Tommy ask her. "Say please some more, it sounds very good coming from you. Come on, say please," she bit her lip as she looked up at him.
Tommy moved one of his hands between Marta’s legs and gently stroked her, his eyes displaying his hunger as he started to pleasure her with his fingers. “Fucking please.” He spoke, watching her face for signs of pleasure.
Marta huffed when Tommy said nothing and instead let his actions speak. The woman nodded to herself and looked into Tommy's eyes. "Well," she licked her lips and leaned her head back as she arched her back. "Since you asked so nicely," she nodded and closed her eyes. "Let’s fuck."
Tommy felt rather excited by her reaction to his fingers dancing between her legs. Then just like that they fucked, perhaps the most passionately they had ever done so together.
After all that time, fucking Tommy was truly the thing she needed to properly ‘come’ home. What she understood after that was that no one even compared to Tommy. It was sad for all the other men, but not sad for Marta. Marta moved around in the bed to cuddle Tommy. "You doing good, old man?" Marta teased him. There was nothing old about Tommy when they were in bed fucking together.
Once they had both reached a rather spectacular climax Tommy had collapsed beside her. His hair was messier than usual and hung over his forehead thanks to the light sweat he had developed, and his chest heaved up and down as he caught his breath. Though it was a little different to the angry heave he had exhibited earlier. “I’m not that fucking old.” Tommy hummed, rolling on to his side and placing a hand across her stomach.
"You are not," she hummed and put her hand over Tommy's hand on her stomach. "You've got some grey going on in your hair, but you are..." Marta nodded. "In bed, you are still very agile," she bit her lip and then kissed Tommy's forehead. "It was very good," Marta nodded. "I am satisfied."
“I’m very agile regardless of whether I am in bed or not, thank you.” Tommy hummed. “I don’t get a bad back just yet.” He then added, kissing the side of her head. Time was ticking away from them, but he could spend the rest of his days quite happily right here. “Ada, said there are women now that can change the colour of their hair with dye.” He then said, “perhaps I should try.” Of course Tommy Shelby wasn’t actually bothered by the change in his hair, it was all part of growing he supposed.
"Well, if only it was dye," Marta said. "I've heard they put some sort of paint thinner on their heads to be blonde. Or get blonde streaks, I've heard some even lose their hair over it. Stupid cows," the woman shook her head. She ran her fingers over the back of Tommy's hand. She liked his hand there.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
“Best keep the paint thinner away from Pol then eh?” Tommy joked. He felt lighter after their time in bed together, his face didn’t seem as stern and serious. Finally they were back together. When he heard the knock on the door he didn’t seem to care that he was naked and gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll get it.” He said softly before he got to his feet.
"You are naked," Marta informed Tommy and just watched as he walked over to the door. God. She hoped that it wasn't Amber. In fact, she hoped that it was no one. She didn't feel like putting up a show for anyone in the house. Especially Mili and the other kids.
Thankfully, it was just Pedro. He was finally awake and up and running.
“Is that a problem?” Tommy asked, flashing her a cheeky smile before he decided he should probably put some underwear on just in case it was one of the children. He swooped his underwear from the floor and pulled them on before he unlocked the door and pulled it open. “We are a little busy.” He stated to the man that had been standing there waiting. Tommy wasn’t sure they had met yet.
"Not for me," Marta shook her head and then sat up to put a blanket around her body. She watched Tommy get dressed with a small sigh of relief.
Pedro looked the man up and down. Pedro was slim and tall and he had a moustache. "Busy," he repeated Tommy's word and then handed him a bag of Tommy's clothing. "You are Mr Shelby? Somebody dropped this off for you," the man shrugged. "Also, Amber said that if you two are hungry the lunch is done," Pedro added. "It's early, because Mili was really efficient in cutting the vegetables."
“Busy, yes.” Tommy responded, matching the man’s look as he too looked the Cuban man up and down. He then took the clothes and placed them onto the table beside him. “Thank you.” Tommy then said, offering his hand to the man. “Shelby, Thomas Shelby.” He then introduced himself. “Ask Amber to bring up lunch will you, I think we will eat in the bath.”
"Pedro," Pedro said and then shook the man's hand. So, this was the one that stole their boss' heart and soul. Pedro wasn't surprised. It was probably the eyes that made Marta want to lose all her freedom just to be with this man. Pedro didn't judge. "Yeah, I can do that," Pedro nodded with a smirk. "Enjoy the bath, I guess..." he said and then left for the kitchens.
“Nice to meet you Pedro.” Tommy shook the man’s hand a little firmer than usual, but at least he seemed in a better mood than he had been when he met Oscar. “Let Oscar know I want to meet him after we are done.” With that Tommy shut the door and pointed a finger to Marta. “You stay right where you are.” He said before he pulled off his underwear again and went through to the en suite to run them a bath.
Pedro nodded before he left. "Well, I'll make sure to warn him," Pedro hummed and left those two to their devices.
Marta did want to get up. She huffed when Tommy told her to stay in bed. She whistled when Tommy took his underwear off again. Marta yawned. She was not tired, it was just from lying down in the bed for too long. "Someone has to grab the food from Amber," she protested.
Tommy started the water in the bath and put some soap in to create some bubbles. “She can bring it to us.” Tommy called from the bathroom as the water ran. He then appeared in the doorway. “Or are you worried she will become jealous?”
Marta sighed softly and got up wrapped in her blanket. "I don't want her to become traumatised, even more than she is now," Marta walked over to Tommy. "While your maids were alright with fucking you, she was not alright with Blenkinsop fucking her," Marta nodded. "It was one of the reasons she helped me with getting rid of him. Why she wanted to do it herself."
Tommy stayed leant against the doorway as Marta approached him. She truly was a beauty. “Well then perhaps you should deal with the maid.” He said, pulling her close to him and kissing her cheek. “I don’t know why I’ve never thought about using Cyanide, very sly of you.” He complemented
Marta hummed and then kissed Tommy's cheek too. "I needed him to die without all the mess," she whispered. "I didn't want the carpets to get messed up," she nodded. "I couldn't do it myself. If I was accused of doing it, I wouldn't inherit the house," she nodded. "It was all planned. And Amber is very good at adding cyanide to scones," Marta smiled. "She managed to call the police, act like she is the most innocent doll and she is scared because her master choked on a scone," Marta nodded. "What a pity... poor Richard."
“Well it sounds very thorough of you.” Tommy stated. Though it did make him a little apprehensive to eat any of the food that came out of Amber’s kitchen, of course it didn’t make much difference as he struggled to eat anyway. The water was ready and Tommy gave Marta another soft kiss, this time on her lips before he went to shut off the taps.
"Don't worry," Marta smiled. "There's no cyanide in the house now," she shook her head. "There are kids here," she hummed and kissed Tommy. She heard Amber knock on the door and nudged Tommy towards the bubble bath. "Get in," she smiled and then walked to the door to take the big tray of food from Amber. "Thank you Amber, you added whisky? That's perfect. What are you doing with your hair? Making them curly? Ah, alright. I know. Michael will attend the opening night. I see, I see."
“Alright, alright.” Tommy hummed, smirking to himself as he watched Marta stroll naked to the door. He felt home. She felt like home. Tommy then walked to the bathroom and relaxed into the water, resting his head back against the back of the tub as he waited for Marta to return.
Marta thankfully had her blanket on. She let Amber place the food on the table before whisking her away. There was enough food for two people on the tray. Marta brought it all to the table in the en suite. "Now, are you going to eat, or is it just me eating?" Marta asked. She was already putting a bunch of rice into her bowl, adding beans and bell peppers and chicken on top.
Tommy smiled to himself as Marta returned, he looked rather relaxed and stretched his arms along the edge of the tub. He leant forward and took a curious glance at the food. It looked unfamiliar and that made him a little uneasy. “I’m er- no, no I’m alright.” He said before he sat back into the water.
"Yeah," Marta said. She then got into the bath with the bowl of food in her hands. She began eating, once she sat down. The food was good. The chicken was well seasoned, the rice was fluffy, the peppers had tremendous flavour and if Marta didn't eat some beans with each meal... the Cuban ancestors would be so mad. "Julia cooks." Marta said.
Tommy was rather content sharing the bath, he tilted his head as he watched her eat with a soft smile on his face. He was quiet and let her enjoy his food, but he couldn’t help gently running his foot up her leg.
Marta hummed as she ate most of the toppings first. She was left with some meat and rice that got all the flavour of the meat and its juices. Marta carefully moved forward to sit closer to Tommy. She scooped a small spoonful and offered it to Tommy. "Just this spoonful, it's meat and rice. You'll live."
Tommy looked at the spoonful, seeming to react like the spoon scared him and pulled his head back a little as she neared him. There were only a few foods Tommy would actually eat. “Marta, honestly I am ok.” He said softly.
"Tommy, honestly, it's just food," she hummed and then sighed. "Polly used to give me stew all the time," she said. "I am just trying to be nice," she said and waited for a bit.
When she sighed Tommy let out his own small sigh. Perhaps the reason she treated him like a child was because sometimes he did in fact act like one. “Alright, alright.” He hummed and leaned forward to open his mouth.
Marta smiled and then moved closer to Tommy. "It's tasty, I promise... just one bite, honey, just one bite, and then you can drink some whisky with it!" Marta really went all out mother on this one. She had witnessed that Sylvia did something similar. If she wanted to give the kids medicine, but they didn't want it, she promised them that they could drink sweet tea immediately after that.
Tommy raised his eyebrows to her for a moment, shaking his head to himself before he tentatively took the food from the spoon. His palette wasn’t particularly advanced and he found the more intense flavours rather overwhelming. He couldn’t chew it. “No-no.” He spoke, trying to look for where he could spit out his mouthful.
Marta sighed softly and then grabbed a napkin. She handed in to Tommy and looked away so that he could deal with spitting out the food in peace. Meanwhile, she poured him whisky. She hated giving him the whisky as the palette cleanser, Tommy had drank whisky far too much anyway. Marta handed him the glass. "There you go."
Tommys eyes were actually watering as he spat the mouthful of food into the napkin and he let out a small cough before folding up the tissue and wiping his mouth. “That was… different.” He said, quickly taking the whisky and knocking back the entire glass to try and rid his mouth of the flavour.
"Yeah, it was," Marta placed the bowl on the tray on the table. She was really at a loss. Should she make Julia make a bland chicken next time? Or was it just plain rice for Tommy? What other than toast and a piece of biscuit could Tommy swallow and stomach?
Tommy discarded the napkin onto the tray and then leant out of the bath to pour himself another whisky. He took a sip this time and then leant back, he could sense her dissatisfaction. “I’m sorry.” He stated, but he just couldn’t eat it.
"I am just thinking about what to make you," Marta sighed. "Other than a biscuit and toast," she shook her head and looked down. "I mean, don't worry about it. I won't pressure you. I don't want to make you sick."
Tommy reached a hand for her knee and squeezed it gently beneath the water whilst he held his whisky with his other hand. “It’s ok.” Tommy said. He didn’t need her making special meals for him. “Toast is fine.” With that Tommy placed down his whisky and sunk his head under the water so he could clean his sweaty hair.
"It's not Tommy..." she whispered. This was starting to weigh on her mind somehow. She was worried for the man. It wasn't normal not to eat. Finn would say that not eating was not human. "I suppose there would be no dinner invitation from my side," Marta shrugged. "No picnic, no lunch... no Christmas feast."
When Tommy pulled his head from the water he ran his fingers through his now wet hair, it was likely strange to see his hair looking so out of place. But the water certainly made it look greyer. “You can have all of those things.” Tommy said as he took hold of one of her feet and started to gently massage it beneath the water.
A sigh escaped Marta's lips. "I mean I can have it but..." she shrugged. "What's the point of it if it's not everyone meeting over a nice dinner. I can't watch you drink whisky instead of eating and enjoy my dinner without feeling terribly worried for you." She lay down against the tub and closed her eyes for a bit.
Tommy watched her curiously as he continued to massage her foot with his thumbs. “I do eat Marta.” He stated and once he had sufficiently massaged one foot he picked up the other and did the same. “I just have a small stomach I suppose.” He stated, though he understood the problem was likely more meaningful than that.
Marta took a deep breath and then disappeared under the water. She needed to make her hair wet. Having a small stomach was the most pathetic excuse she had ever heard, but she took it. It was not the time for fighting. She had told Tommy what he should do. She told him to get help. If he didn't want to get help... It was his choice.
Tommy let go of her foot when she dunked her head under the water. She seemed to hold her breath for a long time. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps she would rather drown herself in the bath than discuss his eating habits any further. Each to their own. Time was pressing on and he took his glass of whisky into his hands and finished it as he waited for Marta to reemerge.
Marta ran her hands through her hair under the water to split them and make them wet properly. She re emerged after a little while and let out a small breath. She then turned to a different small table and went to pick some hair products.
When Marta’s head emerged Tommy patted her leg gently, nearly all the bubbles were gone and he slowly got out of the tub and picked up a towel to dry himself.
Marta always made sure to take care of her hair these days and got out of the bath as well. She had a long way of preparing for the opening night before her. She wrapped herself in a gown and went to sit down at her dressing table.
Tommy took a few minutes to suitable dry his body and ruffled another towel through his hair. It still looked rather messy when he emerged from the bathroom and walked up behind her with his towel slung over his shoulder, still very much naked. He looked at her reflection in the mirror and kissed the top of her head. “You are mad at me?” He asked.
Marta looked over at Tommy and shook her head. "How could I be mad at you..." Marta hummed and then picked up some of the creams and put those on her face.
“I don’t know, you seem to manage rather well sometimes.” Tommy said and started to rub her shoulders whilst her kept gazing at her reflection in the mirror. “I’m going to get dressed and see Oscar whilst you are getting ready.” He stated, after their conversation that morning it was clear she would need a few hours to prepare herself.
Marta looked at Tommy and sighed softly. "I am not mad at you Tommy," she told him. She then picked up a huge tub of some cream. She would use that on her body to make it smooth. "Don't get dirty," Marta smiled at Tommy. "And be nice to Oscar."
“Alright.” Tommy hummed and kissed her head again before he stepped away to get himself dressed. “And I’m always nice.” Tommy stated with a small chuckle. It only took him 10 minutes to get himself looking smart. Frances had obviously freshly ironed his clothes and pressed his trouser. “How do I look?” He then asked as he walked back towards the mirror and started fixing his hair after helping himself to one of Marta’s combs. Though his hair was looking rather fluffy after drying from the bath. At home he would use a special wax to set his hair, but he doubted Marta would have any here.
Marta looked at Tommy once he was ready. She smiled. "You look good," she looked at him properly. "Maybe the hair could use some work," she reached for a small bottle on the table. It was avocado hair oil. She put the tiniest amount on her palm and then rubbed it against her other palm. "Put your head down a bit?" She told Tommy. She then gently massaged the little bit of oil into Tommy's hair. It didn't make it look greasy. It made it smooth and shiny and a bit less fluffy.
Tommy tied his red tie in the mirror and straightened his pocket square. His eyes followed her curiously as she poured a small amount of oil in to her hand. If there was one thing Tommy was a perfectionist about it was his hair, but he trusted her. “My life is in your hands here.” He said with a cheeky look in his eyes as he let her take charge of his style.
"It will look the same. It will look the same like before, but it will be more shiny and less fluffy," Marta then moved away from Tommy and pointed at the mirror. "What do you say, love?" She smiled as she stood beside him. She then went to grab some things to use on her hair. She wanted them a little bit more fluffy an curly.
Tommy couldn’t stop the small smile that crept across his lips when she called him love and when he looked in the mirror he carefully fixed his fringe a little higher. “Perfect… perfect.” He said and kissed her cheek as she went to gather herself some more supplies. Thankfully Frances seemed to have packed Tommy some aftershave and he squirted a few pumps on to his hands and patted it in to the skin on his neck.
Marta smiled at Tommy and winked. "You go talk to Oscar love, I am going to get ready," she hummed happily and then began to wrap her hair around these little tubes. She was humming some sort of song to herself.
Tommy straightened the lapels of his jacket in the mirror. “Wish me luck.” He spoke and gave a curious expression as he watched her twist her hair around some strange looking tubes. These women these days. “Where will I find him?”
"First floor, the room next to a statue of a pouncing cat," Marta smiled as she kept adding tubes to her hair. She was working quite efficiently to make her hair look the best. She was planning on wearing the same outfit that Mili wore. It would be a white shirt with a skirt, but then... Marta wanted a red skirt.
“First floor, pouncing cat.” Tommy stated to himself and nodded his head, giving her one final kiss on the cheek before he walked to the door. “And how long will you be?”
"Long," Marta smiled and looked at Tommy. "You can get to know Oscar," Marta smiled. She was almost done with the tubes. Then it would be time for make up, perhaps some more creams and then dressing up. Then the hair could be done.
Tommy gave her one more small smile before he left her room again. After his rest and their rather thrilling fuck he felt like himself again, his confident composed self. He walked the halls and came to the statue of the pouncing cat before wrapping his knuckles against Oscar’s door. As he waited he slipped his pocket watch from inside his jacket and checked the time.
Oscar heard the knocking and walked over to open the door. He was halfway through getting ready and didn't have his shirt on. It showcased his broad shoulders and pronounced abdominal muscles and pectorals. Oscar was shorter but quite wide. He looked at the man. "What's the matter?" He asked. He refrained from calling the man a pal or amigo or fratello or anything like that.
When Oscar opened the door Tommy slipped his pocket watch back inside his jacket. “Nothing is the matter Amigo.” He stated, clasping his hands together infront of his waist. “I need you and your friend Porto… Pedro, the one with the moustache. Find him and meet me in the drawing room when you’re dressed eh?” Tommy spoke.
Oscar's eyebrows shot up when the man called him amigo. He was a bit apprehensive to come to the drawing room. What did the guy want from him anyway? Did Marta know about this or was he trying to sidestep her in a more abstract sense? Oscar just nodded. "Alright, pal. Be right there," Oscar closed the door and quickly got dressed. He then called up Pedro. They came to the drawing room together. They had no idea what this was about.
Amber saw that the men were somehow congregating in the drawing room. She decided to investigate. Once the door was closed, she tapped over to it and put her ear on it. No one was going to overthrow this matriarchy.
Tommy made his way down to the drawing room, he wasn’t sure how long the men would be but he made himself comfortable and was just about to find Amber for a drink when he heard the door open. “Take a seat boys.” Tommy said, gesturing to the sofa infront of him. He’d made himself rather comfortable in his armchair... well the armchair he’d now claimed as his own.
The two men looked among themselves and then looked at Tommy. "We are okay to stand," Pedro said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What is this about?" He aske Tommy. "Yeah, what is this about, amigo?" Oscar asked and tilted his head to the side.
Amber stood behind the door still. She was so curious. She would report everything to Miss Marta.
“Please take a seat.” Tommy repeated, gesturing to the sofa. “I just have a few questions for you both.” He then explained and took a cigarette from his jacket. “And I wanted to apologise for the incident at the bar… well both incidents. I come in peace.” He then explained, running his cigarette along his lips before lighting it. “See it turns out you two.” He pointed at each of them with his lit cigarette in turn after exhaling some smoke. “And myself.” He then said pointing to himself before he smoked again and then tapped his ash into an ashtray beside him. “Are all equally responsible for keeping my soon to be wife out of harms way. So in the interest of harmony I think it’s good for us all to demonstrate we are capable of that important job.” Tommy continued his explanation. “So please, sit.”
The men looked at each other. Oscar sat down on a sofa. Pedro chose to kinda lean himself on one of the tables. "So, what do you want us to do?" Pedro asked. "Do you want us to keep Marta from doing stupid shit? Or normal shit, like riding horses or somethig?" The man smirked. "If you know Marta, and I guess you do, then you know that it won't be easy to keep her from doing stuff."
Tommy waited for the men to make themselves comfortable before he spoke again after another drag of his cigarette. “No, no nothing like that. You sure know you can’t stop that woman doing what she wants.” He responded. “But know this, if she was to get injured on your watch-or worse. The consequences, well they would be severe.” Tommy warned gently before he withdrew his pistol from its holster. It was his favourite revolver and it was obviously well cared for in spite of the destruction it had caused. As he withdraw his gun he held his finger far away from the trigger, showing them he hand no intention of using it before he opened the chamber and emptied the bullets on to the table infront of him. It was a simply task, but it would atleast put his mind at easy. “Reload it will you.” He then said, taking out his pocketwatch. “Like her life depends on it.”
"What the fuck?" Pedro shook his head. "What the fuck is this? You come to this house, Marta brings you to this house and you threaten us?" The man got up from the table. "And now you are trying to put us through a fucking English test of reloading revolvers?" Pedro had no tolerance for this nonsense.
Tommy pinched his nose and let out a small sigh, he hadn’t meant to offend but he simply needed to put his mind at ease because he certainly wouldn’t spend every moment that they weren’t together worrying about her wellbeing. “Reload your own fucking weapon if you must.” Tommy stated as he lowered his hand from his nose. “But it’s this, or my men will be tailing her every fucking move, which in turn is your every fucking move. So which would you prefer-pal?” Tommy responded, all things considered he was remaining rather calm.
"Does Marta know about this?" Oscar asked. "Have you told her you are going to put us through the gauntlet of tests to see if we are capable enough of being her guards?" The man kept sitting on the sofa. "I must warn you that this is very disrespectful and Marta is not going to be happy about this," Oscar then got up and went to reload the gun for the man.
“I asked her who maintained her weapon, she said you would be happy to show me.” Tommy stated, he didn’t see any harm in throwing in a few extra tests for his own peace of mind. “I’m giving you a chance to show off here boys, I thought you would be eager to impress.” Tommy added, leaning back in his chair and stubbing out his cigarette. “One day that woman will be Mrs Shelby, so if my disrespect ensures she is safe I think I’ll happily have my ear chewed off on this occasion.” He had slipped a blank bullet into his gun that morning, just in case this situation were to arise and he was rather intrigued to see if Oscar would identify it. Blanks were hard to tell apart, but they were fractionally lighter due to the lack of gunpowder.
Oscar loaded the bullets into the chamber, all but one. He placed the gun on the table and then looked at the blank one. "You wanna protect her with this little bee, huh?" Oscar asked. "Maybe not," he threw the bullet at Tommy's chest. Oscar turned around to sit down.
"If you're going to treat us like apes all the time, you might be surprised to find out that she will not want to be Mrs Shelby." Pedro shrugged. "Can I tell you a story about this man named Marco?"
“That little bee is an original Webley and I will have you know it’s very capable of blowing people’s brains out.” Tommy stated and a smile crossed his face when Oscar threw him the blank bullet which he caught in one hand and placed back on to the table before his eyes moved to Pedro. He was certainly the more fiery of the pair, a little like Arthur. “I’m not treating you like an ape Pedro.” He then stated plainly and emptied the contents of his gun again, deciding perhaps if he was to demonstrate his own competence they would be a little less hostile towards him. He mixed the bullets together. “If they have fucked I would prefer not.” Tommy then said as his nimble fingers quickly reloaded the weapon, though he doubted his comment would stop the man. Once the gun was reloaded, all but one, he picked up the blank and tossed it to Pedro. “You’re up amigo.”
"I think you should hear the story about Marco," Oscar said and then plopped down on the couch. "It's a story with a meaningful message. The message being - do not fuck with Marta. Or talk shit get hit or this sort," Oscar hummed. He then heard some quiet meowing. When he saw it was the new kitten Poseidon, he picked the little creature up and let it rest on his thighs.
Pedro rolled his eyes and then walked over to the gun. He picked it put, unloaded it, added the blank one into the mix and then looked at Tommy. "Marco was our friend," Pedro looked at Tommy as he reloaded the gun. "He told Marta that everything was fine and that he'll protect her. He said she doesn't need to take the gun to this one meeting." Pedro was done with the gun with the blank bullet still on the table. "The meeting turned into a fucking bloodbath."
Tommy simply nodded his head and gestured with his hand that the men could continue with their tale, though he doubted they wouldn’t have continued it either way. As Pedro spoke he lit himself another cigarette to try and take his mind away from his need for a whiskey after the way this little meeting had gone. He knew Marta well, but it was true that he did not know this new Marta as well as he had known the young girl that had gone away. “So this Marco was a traitor?” Tommy spoke, leaning forward and picking up his weapon, he left the blank bullet on the table and took the bullet that should have regularly been in its place from his pocket and placed it inside his guns chamber before placing the gun back into his holster.
"Marco was a traitor," Oscar nodded and then scratched Poseidon's head. He hummed as the cat began to roll around on his legs.
"Marco was a total bitch," Pedro said and pulled a part of his shirt away revealing a bullet wound scar. It was in the same place as Tommy's scar from Kimber. "So, we come to the meeting," Pedro said. "Marta can't protect herself because Marco said that he would protect her. The partners start shooting. We have no chance because Marco told more people not to bring guns. He said that we would come in peace and we'll get better deal. I had my gun, Oscar had his... but it was not enough." Pedro nodded. "After this was over, we helped one another to get the bullets out... And you know, when Marta was okay to walk and run and slit a guy's throat. She slit a guy's throat."
For a moment Tommy was distracted by the kitten rolling around in Oscar’s lap. He didn’t have so much of an affinity with cats than he did dogs and horses. They were strange to him but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and looked back to Pedro whilst smoking his cigarette. He looked at the bullet wound, it was almost identical to Tommys. But of course Pedro would know that, the first time they had met he had been shirtless himself. “And she learnt a valuable lesson eh?” He commented. “Don’t put your trust in anyone else to protect you.” He queried, he hoped that was atleast one of the outcomes.
"Yeah. And from that moment on, she had protected herself and she had done it well, so if you'll try to tell her that she needs more protection from someone else, you might sleep on the couch," Pedro hummed and then went to sit down back on the table.
“I know her well Pedro.” Tommy stated, stubbing out his cigarette and getting to his feet. He needed a drink and right now he did not care what it was. “It was for my peace of mind. If you spend most of your time with her… I just needed to know.” Tommy said, he needed to see with his own eyes that they could atleast handle a weapon properly… just incase. These fucking Cubans with their pride. “Drink?” He suggested as he reached the drinks table and lined up three glasses.
"Tequila," the men said in unison. They looked at one another, they thought they could trust the man for now. They also thought that the man would attend the opening bar party, since it would make their boss really happy.
Amber took a step away from the door. She nodded to herself and then ran upstairs to tell everything to Miss Marta. Well, maybe she would leave out the thing about Marta being the soon to be wife, but otherwise, she would tell everything!
Tommy looked between the bottles on the stand, they all looked different to whiskey but he didn’t know which one was tequila. “And which one would that be?” He asked, glancing back at the two men. There was no embarrassment, Tommy was older now and if him being an English man uneducated in the Cuban ways then they could have their fun.
Pedro smirked. Oscar smirked too. Oscar then went to show Tommy one of the bottles. "Let's drink this one. There is the gold one and silver one. I like the silver one better. The gold one is for ladies. They make drinks from that one," Oscar proceeded to pour them all a glass. "Come on Pedro," Oscar called up his best friend. Almost brother. They would of course protect their best friend, almost sister.
Tommy wanted to learn more about the Cuban’s and their culture and he took note of the slight differences in colour between the silver and gold. “Cocktails eh?” Tommy queried. He was sure Polly would become rather fond of that particular new spirit. Once the drinks were poured Tommy handed a glass to each of the men and held his own up between the three men. “To Marta.” He stated, a small toast to the woman they all seemed to love with their lives.
"To Marta!" Oscar laughed and then drank all of the whiskey in one swig. "Aah, it's good," he said. Meanwhile, little Poseidon tapped over to the new person, Tommy. He meowed and began to rub himself against Tommy's leg.
Bottoms up. Tommy told himself and like Oscar gulped the tequila down in one. It was different to whiskey that was sure, but he surprised by how smooth and light it felt travelling down his throat. “Hmm.” He hummed. “Not half bad.” Tommy then said and picked up the bottle to refill each of their glasses before he returned to the armchair. He didn’t feel the need to quiz the men further. If Marta trusted them he needed to learn to trust her judgment. They seemed like good men. “Maybe tomorrow we could go hunting?” He then suggested, he was willing to try to ease tensions. Thomas Shelby wasn’t all bad.
"I don't know if I'll be in a state to hunt," Pedro said honestly. If he knew one thing about hunting, it was that one had to go hunting early in the morning. It was not his time to be awake. "The parties in Cuban bars are usually pretty tough even for Cubans," Pedro tried to make up an excuse.
Suddenly, the door to the drawing room opened. There were the little kids. José was carrying a bucket of sand, Damiano was carrying a few small shovels... and little Maria was carrying a tiny Cuban flag made of paper (clearly by children).
“Alright.” Tommy spoke and took a sip of the tequila, it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. “Well perhaps one day.” He then stated and as he checked his time on his pocketwatch the children came rushing in. They reminded him a little of his nieces and nephews, mainly the way Anna, Jack and William had been when they were younger. Hunting gave the perfect opportunity to get to know the men a little better. There was time for both talking and silence.
"Why do you need the sand José?" Oscar asked the boy as he looked at him. "I want to build a sandcastle?" José asked. "You want to build a sandcastle here?" Oscar said. "In Miss Marta's spotless drawing room?" Oscar inquired.
Maria tapped over to Tommy and wrapped her arms around his leg. She didn't say anything but she just hugged.
Tommy was starting to wonder just how much longer it would take Marta to get ready, the time was almost 6pm, but the thought was pushed from his mind as the little girl hugged his leg. “Hello little Maria.” He spoke and put his whiskey down on the table beside him before he picked the little girl up and sat her on his knee.
Marta was long done with her preparation, now she was just listening to Amber talking about what she had heard the men talk about in the drawing room. Marta also dealt with Amber's nervousness. Amber was nervous about meeting Michael again. After they were done talking, she walked downstairs with Amber. She heard some commotion in the drawing room.
Maria liked when the adults paid attention to her. She cuddled closer to Tommy and waited as Oscar explained to José and Damiano that they couldn't build a sandcastle in Miss Marta's spotless drawing room.
Tommy found himself distracted by the little girl, she seemed very sweet and he let out a soft chuckle as the little girl cuddled closer to him. “What’ve you got here eh?” Tommy asked as he pointed to the flag that the child was holding. He probably sounded funny to her with his thick brummie accent.
Maria moved the paper flag around and then handed it over to Tommy. Damiano had made the flag with the new coloured pencils they got from Marta.
Marta walked into the drawing room in her party clothing. She had a white shirt with no bra under it. She had a long red skirt which had quite a long slit along her leg. "What's happening in here? Why is there a bucket of sand?"
Tommy gave the little girl a small smile and waved the flag back and forth when she handed it to him. “What flag is this then?” He asked the little girl. Tommy recognised it as the Cuban flag, but he wanted to try and see if the little girl would speak to him. When he heard Marta’s voice he quickly looked up and his love for her was obvious on his face. His eyes wide and lips slightly parted. If they didn’t have an audience he would have fucked her right where she stood. She looked stunning and the skirt seemed to match his tie perfectly.
Pedro picked up the bucket of sand and went to take it outside. On his way back, he brought Mili. She was supposed to watch the kids and it was almost time to go, so... She was supposed to take over the child duty in a bit. Mili was not impressed and it showed. Her expression was sour and she had her arms crossed in front of her chest.
Marta looked at Tommy and Maria and tilted her head to the side. "Are you trying to change nationalities Tommy?" Marta smiled as little Maria kept repeating: "Fla! A fla!"
It took Tommy a moment to process that Marta was actually speaking to him, he was more focused on admiring the way she had dressed, the way she had perfectly set her hair and the way she was wearing just the right amount of makeup. “No, no, not just yet.” Tommy finally replied and he gave the little girl a quick glance and handed her back the flag. “Yeah here you go, it’s your Fla.” The man said. Now his woman was in the room, the child swiftly took a backseat and he carefully set her down.
Marta smiled and looked at the two other men. "Were you here plotting to kill me and take over my business?" Marta asked Oscar and Pedro. Pedro nodded. "Oh sure, Tommy made sure we could reload quicker than you. I am going to change. Give me five minutes," the man smirked and left.
Little Maria went to show the flag to Mili. Mili didn't care. She was being a proper teen. She had no idea that Finn would come back and they would win the best night without the adults.
Once the little girl was off his lap Tommy got up and went to pour Marta a drink of tequila. “I dunno about that, I’m sure she would kick your arse.” He said, giving Pedro a small wink before he walked to Marta and handed her her drink. “But atleast you found the dud eh?” Tommy said and put his hand on Marta’s waist as he gave her her drink. “You look gorgeous.” Tommy then whispered into her ear.
Finn had rode his bike back to the Cabrera house and had picked some flowers from the garden to give to Mili in some way of an apology for the fight. But he didn’t want to enter the house until Tommy had gone so he was currently sat out in a shadowy corner of the courtyard waiting for them all to leave.
Marta smiled and then took a sip of the drink. "We should all go. We've got two cars, so... That's me and you and Amber and the boys... and then Mateo, Julia, Sylvia, Pablo and Sara..." Marta organised everything as she sipped on her tequila. "The children and the cat are here. So, Mili... The house is yours for the night."
"Hmm," Mili hummed annoyedly. She didn't look at anybody, especially at the blue eyed devil.
Tommy didn’t pay the sulky teen any attention, that was the best way to ensure he didn’t get irritated. He wanted the night to go well. He kissed Marta’s cheek once she had organised everyone and carefully knocked his glass against hers. “I hope you’ve been working on that speech.” He spoke softly and finished off his tequila in one gulp. “You know, this stuff ain’t half bad.” He said before putting down his empty glass. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that Finn was nowhere to be seen.
Marta laughed. "Don't worry," Marta smiled and then took a coat from Amber. "Are we all ready? I see Pedro coming, let's go to the cars." She smiled. "I thought you'd love it." Marta nodded and then pulled Tommy outside of the house. "Amber is sitting in the front," she said and looked at Tommy, Oscar and Pedro.
Tommy did a check of his pockets to make sure he had all his important belongings, like his lighter and cigarettes and then allowed Marta to take his hand and lead him out the house. “Amber is sitting in the front?” Tommy repeated once they were outside. “Right.” He then said with a nod, trying not to sound overly irritated. Tommy then glanced at the other men. “I ain’t sitting in the middle that’s for sure.” He then said, he didn’t fancy being squeezed between the two Cuban men.
"Oscar is sitting in the middle, he's the shortest," Pedro laughed and patted his friend's shoulder. He went to sit on one side in the back. Marta waited for her people to get in the car. She closed the door behind Amber. She looked beautiful. Her hair was nicely done, she had a little bit of make up on, and she had a pretty dress. Michael was bound to be smitten.
“Perfect.” Tommy said, joining Pedro’s enthusiasm and patting Oscar’s shoulder as he passed him to get in the other side of the car. The drive wasn’t long, that was a blessing atleast.
George_135 on Chapter 1 Sun 05 May 2024 08:23AM UTC
Comment Actions
Aliceindrugs on Chapter 22 Thu 23 May 2024 10:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
George_135 on Chapter 22 Fri 24 May 2024 03:10AM UTC
Comment Actions
PsychopatheThePatate on Chapter 25 Sat 25 May 2024 01:22AM UTC
Comment Actions
George_135 on Chapter 25 Sat 25 May 2024 05:52AM UTC
Last Edited Sat 25 May 2024 06:02AM UTC
Comment Actions
Aliceindrugs on Chapter 26 Sat 25 May 2024 12:53PM UTC
Comment Actions
George_135 on Chapter 26 Sat 25 May 2024 02:42PM UTC
Comment Actions
Aliceindrugs on Chapter 29 Sun 26 May 2024 02:25PM UTC
Comment Actions
George_135 on Chapter 29 Tue 28 May 2024 11:55AM UTC
Comment Actions