Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Etiene.

Dreary skies, once again, England did her the favor of dreary skies.

A window snapped shut as a cold, wet wind broke suddenly and a few eyes glanced at the sound. The coach was filled with two men and a woman. The latter being the source of the noise. The men glanced at her over their pipes and port and merely continued with their papers. In return, she paid them no kind. They were arriving soon anyway.

Birmingham's main station was simple and plain and Etiene assumed the city would be much the same. The skies were grey, so were the roads and buildings. It was as if God ran out of paint after finishing the rainbow and then went on to make concrete. Or perhaps it was man, for all his ingenuity, who lacked the imagination for color. Regardless, Etiene gripped her case and made her way into town. No one seemed to note her passing as she made her way through the somewhat busy station. Once in the heart of town the small market, she cornered a wagon that seemed to be headed in her direction.

"Can I get a lift, lads?" she asked the two men politely. The elder of the two glanced at her somewhat indifferently whilst the younger one's eyes lingered a moment longer that was comfortable.

"Where you headin'?' the elder one asked gruffly.

"Small Heath?" Etiene produced a sheaf of paper from a small leather bound book, "I'm told the house is between the hospital and the BSA factory."

The men exchanged a look, they knew of Small Heath and of its devils.

"What business do ye have there?" the younger one asked before he could stop himself. Despite her darker complexion which suggested some mixed heritage, for all intents and purposes, she looked to be a lady. Dressed in fashions beyond the means of Small Heath and with a rich, educated accent, this woman looked like she belonged in some grand estate.

She looked surprised by his very forward question but answered politely all the same; "I am opening a practice there." They gave her blank looks so Etiene sought to explain, "I'm a doctor you see, I intend to work there."

If they were confused before, now they seemed quite flabbergasted, the elder man began to chuckle to himself, "Those are some fancy ideas, Miss."

"Not so fancy, women have been employed as doctors for nearly fifty years," her eyes became quite stern now along with her tone. Any trace of uncertainty gone, her eyes flashed with indignation, "I will pay 10 shillings for a lift, if not, I'll find someone else."

It seemed the clinks of coin in one's pocket had no gender or ideology for the man nodded at his apprentice who began to load her luggage onto wagon. Not many people paid good money to go into Small Heath, and if she would be so foolish it would be on her own head. They set off without further ado. As they drove through the streets, Etiene noticed a distinct change in the architecture. Mainly how it was becoming more dilapidated and dirty as they moved through the rows of boulevards. She could tell they were getting close by the scent of metal and chemicals found only in industrial sectors.

"What'd you say the address was?" the man called from the head of the wagon.

"It's only the main road, number 17 with a dark blue roof," she called back confirming the information written in her book. The wagon came to an abrupt stop a few moments later. They had stopped in front of a stout building. Despite the state of some of the boulevards and streets, her street seemed to far enough away from the main hubbub of Small Heath that it was almost pleasant to look at. Her house had a faded blue roof with turquoise awning.

"Here you are," the younger man dropped her luggage on the ground. With a nod, she handed the man ten shillings, "All due respect, ma'am, do be careful." He glanced doubtfully at her one last time before climbing back on to the wagon. Etiene hardly lingered as the wagon disappeared around the corner.

Her luggage consisted of two trunks, a suitcase and her equipment bag. The latter two items were easy enough to move inside, however the trunks bore her some ill will. She cursed herself lightly, after all it was she who did the packing in the first place. Etiene was starting to wonder what consumed her to pack this much. With a deep breath, she braced herself and gave another pull. For a second the trunk seemed to give way but merely an inch forward before halting.

"Damn it." Etiene breathed and leaned forward against the trunk for a second.

"Who are you eh?" A deep voice forced her eyes up. Standing across from, at the other side of her trunk was a young boy. A young boy with a peculiar hat on his head and even more peculiar haircut underneath. The owner of the that voice stood beside the boy. It was a tall man, dressed similarly with a peaked flat cap and shaved edge haircut.

"Doctor Schofield," Etiene stood up straight and raised her chin a bit to seem more imposing. Ridicule and jeering were hazards of her occupation, and she was mostly used to it when received in small doses. When the man gave her a snort, Etiene barely flinched. She merely straightened herself even more. These were reactions she dealt with every day. Her occupation was in the hands of men and as such they seemed to take every opportunity to tell her as much.

"I see," the man shook his head, amusement clear as day on his face. He did not even attempt to feign politeness for her sake or the sake of civilized society, "Hospital is that way." He jerked his head in its direction.

"Well spotted Sir," Etiene rolled her eyes, dropping her own pretenses of politeness, "but you see, this is my new house and office and where I shall start practicing."

His eyes narrowed slightly at the sarcasm in her tone. Apparently, he was not used to being treated with disrespect.

"Arthur!" a portly man with a stained shirt and round face scurried over from across the street, "Arthur, Thomas's called a meetin'."

The man, presumably named Arthur, turned his head slightly and the sun glinted on something metallic stitched on the edge of his cap. It caught Etiene's eye, "Aye Curly, I'm comin'. Come along Finn" the man and the boy turned away and then Arthur glanced at her one more time, "Help this Lady here with her possessions, Curly."

The man called Curly did as exactly as instructed and helped Etiene get her trunks in the house. He did not answer any of her questions regarding who that man was and refused to take a single penny as payment for his time. Even when she insisted, he insisted right back, "Mr. Shelby made no mention of payment."


"About time you joined us." Thomas glanced in his brother's direction, his blue piercing glare causing a pit in Arthur's stomach almost instantly. There was something about his eyes that spoke of danger and even as the elder brother, Arthur had never really been able to bare his brother's gaze longer than few moments.

"Sorry Tommy, was helping our new neighbor."

The statement brought a raised eyebrow. Very little happened in Small Heath without the Peaky Blinders knowing. Admittedly who rented a new house or started a new practice was hardly headline news, still curiosity flitted across Thomas's face. He liked to know facts, he hoarded bits of information lest they be useful, "Do tell."

"A new Lady Doctor's openin' shop in the blue house down the way," Arthur replied waving his hand as if it were of no consequence. The matter was a small one, and he had only even stopped there out of interest. The woman had seemed far too well off to belong in Small Heath. She was hardly important. Thomas seemed to agree for the time being moved towards family affairs regarding racetracks and bet placements.

However, after the meeting ended, he found himself wandering over yonder where his brother said the new doctor was nesting. Thomas did love knowing things, simply for knowing them. While a new doctor was hardly worth is time by any means, it was still something that changed in his neighborhood and his town. What kind of gangster would he be if he didn't know everyone who breathed the air or took shit around here? The blue house in question used to belong to a crotchety old woman who passed sometime earlier. The house was one of the nicer one's on the block; the old crone had maintained it quite well.

The 'lady doctor' in question had left her front door wide open and Thomas had to shake his head at her idiocy. She had no idea at all what kind of town she had come too. He had intended on merely looking at the house and moving on but found himself rapping his knuckles on the open doorway, "Anyone home?"

Glancing around he saw a half-emptied trunk. There was a mess of clothes pouring out of it. Next to it were some linens and what looked to be a bottle of scent. He smelled something aromatic in the air, but couldn't directly place it. There was stacks of books littered around the room. Some seemed to be medical related book but others were just story books, works of fiction. Thomas didn't know why one person needed so many books. On the counter was a framed document and nosy as ever, Thomas picked it up.

London School of Medicine for Women

It was a degree on fancy embossed paper that was made out to one Etiene Schofiled.

He heard her footsteps before he saw her but she eventually appeared in view. Her outer coat was removed leaving her in a white linen shirt and deep rich purple skirt. Her hair was askew, as if she had been rummaging around in a cupboard and she had dark honey skin. What caught his eye was her very dark eyes. People in these parts did not have dark eyes like that. They looked dark mahogany wood but swam in his vision like a cup of chocolate when sun from the open door hit them.

She seemed caught off guard by the fact that he was not just standing in her doorway but had made his way well inside her new home. Etiene leaned on her back leg defensively and looked at him guardedly, "Can I help you?"

"I came to warn you to keep your door shut." Thomas obligingly moved to stand just outside the threshold, "Never know what sort of devil might slip in."

This man was wearing the same hat and boasting the same hair cut as the man called Arthur form earlier. Etiene was getting a sense of some sort of club that she was unaware of. The threat his deep voice carried was not missed either. Etiene couldn't help but agree with him about leaving the door unlocked. She moved forward to shut the door and accidentally caught his eye. It felt as though someone had dumped her in ice water and she quickly averted her gaze and murmured, "Are there many devils around here?"

"You're the new doctor?" He chose not to answer which was unsettling.

"Doctor Etiene Schofield," Taking a slight step back, she surveyed him again and held out her hand. His angular face, stiff neck and ramrod straight stance suggested military. In her life, she had seen and treated enough military men to know.

"I see," he looked at her with vague disapproval, "Should be more careful. This is not a quaint little London suburb you've come to." and he was gone, pointedly shutting the door behind him. Once again an unsaid threat lingered in the air after he was gone.

"I'm getting that sense." Etiene whispered to herself.

Of all the hellholes in all the world.

Both Thomas and Etiene were thinking the same thing that day in all truth, if for different reasons.


While none of the men seemed to hold any further curiosity about Small Heath's newest establishment, the women seemed much more interested. Of course, they had all heard of women taking up positions as physicians, it was still very uncommon. The first school of medicine for women had opened up some sixty years ago, but it was still uncommon. Female doctors still faced much stigma in a world ruled by men. Of course, Thomas got his prying nature from somewhere and the Shelby women were among the first callers that week.

Ada had commented on her interest in meeting this woman and Polly had been happy to oblige, wanting to gauge if this person could be of use to them.

"Good afternoon," She nodded graciously when the pretty little lady opened her front door, "Dr. Schofield I presume?"

"Yes indeed, word travels fast here," Etiene nodded and allowed the women entry. They were dressed in straight silhouettes that were the fashion, the younger woman's coat was adorned with fur at the edges.

The elder lady pulled off her hat elegantly, "My name is Polly Shelby and this is my niece Ada," She smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The woman stood tall and true, a warrior in her own right. Like a woman who had foraged her own path. She understood then, "We love down a few lanes and thought we'd call on our new neighbor."

"Pleasure to meet you," Etiene led them to the sitting room where there was a hot pot of tea already waiting with some small biscuits and pastries from the local shop. Once they were sitting, Ada began fawning over her.

"It is so nice to a have a woman doctor around here," she gushed enthusiastically. She was young and beautiful and quite vibrant. She seemed as if she were sheltered from some of life's hardships or perhaps she was too young to have experienced them. Still, she was a breath of fresh air compared to all the other residents of Small Heath she had met so far.

"Yes, indeed it is," Polly commented lightly, observing Etiene carefully, "You trained in London?"

The question of subtle, Polly was quite good at manipulating privileged information with gently prying and innocent questions and she was just getting started with Doctor Etiene Schofield.

"At the London school of Medicine for Women," Etiene replied good naturedly unaware of Polly's ulterior motives. It felt nice to have company. Her way of life often alienated most people and too often, Etiene found herself spending increasing amounts of times reading books by herself.

Polly seemed satisfied with the answer, "London seems a much more exciting place that Birmingham." The question was obvious.

"It is quite hard to get employment at a hospital as a woman and I could not afford to open a practice in London," Etiene understood the information Polly wanted. True enough Etiene had a small fortune, but it was hardly enough to buy real estate in the big city, "After the war, when I returned home, I found it much different then I left it."

"The war?" Polly raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I treated soldiers in a military hospital in France."

This left a slight silence for a second, "They let women attend as surgeons?" Ada's eye swam with adventure. She had taken that first aid class at the church, true enough, but Etiene's experiences were beyond her scope. As privileged as she was being a Shelby, not even she could imagine being allowed near an actual battlefield operation theatre both by her family and by society. It was intriguing.

"Yes, as doctors became fewer during the long battles, women like me became more in the demand nearing the end of the war," Etiene found herself liking Ada. The girl seemed to have spirit and hope. A combination which was so genuine and sincere that it made her smile. Still, she hoped someone like Ada never learn the truth about the brutality of that war.

"I take it that medal of commendation on the wall is yours then?" Polly keenly pointed at the framed medal that was hung beside the doctorate degree on the far wall. She had noticed it earlier and had mistakenly assumed it belonged to someone Etiene had lost. It turned out who she lost had been herself. Now even Polly had to admit she was impressed. The woman hardly seemed older than her late twenties but had accomplished quite a bit in her life.

"Enough about me," Etiene was becoming uncomfortable with line of questioning which Polly mentally noted. Most people became uncomfortable when questioned about their wartime experiences, "I would love to learn about you two."

Ada and Polly exchanged looks wondering how much to reveal and Polly decided to take lead of the discussion, "We Shelbys are a sort of pillar of the community around here." Ada snorted into her tea cup at that and Polly shot her a warning glance, "In fact I believe you met my nephews Arthur and Thomas earlier this week."

Certainly, Etiene remembered the man named Arthur which meant the other man she met, the one with the striking angular face must have been Thomas. She had seen neither since her first day in Small Heath and had not missed them. She was unsurprised that they were important. They had all the airs of people who at the very least thought they were important. She kept her reservations to herself for now, not wanting to offend her guests, "More pastries?"

"No, we should be leaving," Polly had got whatever information she truly needed to judge Doctor Etiene Schofield.

Her conclusions: A deer who entered a wolf laden forest. Even Polly had to admit though, that at the very least, this deer was well equipped.


For the next several weeks, Etiene could spot the Peaky Blinders' comings and goings from her front window. Yes, she eventually did learn they were called Peaky Blinders from a scullery maid at a nearby by Inn where she had dinner some nights. Often, she spotted the brothers, Arthur, Thomas and John, walking over to The Garrison Pub and back. Sometimes Ada would go sneaking off in the late evening or Polly would head to church. This also meant that they were all privy to her comings as well. They watched as the front shop of her house became a small Doctor's office with a few chairs out front, a desk and examination table. They watched as medical supplies were delivered and stored.

They watched as a sign was put up: 'Doctor Schofield's Office'.

Once she was open for business it took a few weeks before she began seeing any significant number of patients. Even then it wasn't enough. Etiene was seeing five to ten patients a day and most of them were too poor to pay more than a few shillings. Some offered other forms of payment ranging from fish, chickens, potatoes and tea. Still Etiene was not making a great fortune.

She stayed well out of the way of the Peaky Blinders as much as possible. Etiene heard women gossip at the bathhouse about some of their gambling exploits and there was a slight chill when the mentioned some of the gang's more violent acts. They all mentioned Thomas Shelby, a handsome lad, but troubled.

Thomas was an enigma. At times, he was almost friendly, wishing her a good morning, and other times he treated her like the outsider she was. Etiene knew little about him besides the fact that no one looked directly at him when walked down the road, in fact, people went out of their way to a clear path for him. Etiene also recognized that no matter how hard she tried to steer clear of him, somehow, she was always in his path.

"Slow day?" John Shelby was passing by with his brother, Thomas and happened to spot her sitting on her porch with her legs kicked up. It was hardly ten am and it seemed the Doctor had no patients. He boisterously laughed, entertained at his own quip. Even Thomas gave a half smile, knowing full well the Doctor was having a hard go at it. A few of the men had bets going on how long she would last.

"Yes, it seems people are happy treating their ill and injured with magical herbs from maids and charms from con artists." Retorting quickly, she crossed her legs and lifted her chin into a most elegant pout. There was a line of irritation etched into her forehead which Thomas could not say he found unbecoming. He hardly thought about her except when he passed her home. Thomas always glanced at her when he walked, he wasn't sure why entirely. She turned her glance on him and he stared right back, "Off to torture some more horses?"

At this Thomas glared slightly and John's grin dropped, "Don't go disrespectin' us."

"I wouldn't go fighting with the only physician practicing here." It seemed that, while she generally understood who the Peaky Blinders were, Doctor Schofield missed the part where those that threatened them often ended up in bad health. Frankly, her patience was wearing thin with their taunts and making away with her good sense.

Thomas seemed to agree with John's sentiment but decided to be even more direct and stepped onto the porch. He kneeled in front of her chair until he was at her eye level. He could tell the Doctor had not been properly educated on the status of the Shelby family. Indeed she was harmless for the most part, but she was an able bodied physician who was not associated with the government hospital. That made her of possible use in the future. Thomas decided she needed to be aware of that fact.

"You'll treat who we tell you, Etiene."

Taken aback both by his closeness and his use of her first name, Etiene leaned back in her chair, her retort dying on her tongue. He was quiet but held such somber gravity in his stare, that Etiene fell silent. Thomas watched with satisfaction as her nostrils flared with anger but she said nothing. He could smell that same perfume from earlier, and was dissatisfied to find he still couldn't place it. Alas it would be a mystery for another day.

"Good day, Doctor." With that he straightened up and strode off.


Let me know what you guys think! I researched to try make the whole woman doctor in old England thing more historically accurate. Also I'm graduating medical school in a few months so the actual medical parts will be as accurate as I can make them for the time during which the show is set.