The Girl and The Gangster
Summary: After being turned down from every secretarial role in Birmingham, Alice becomes desperate. Unable to provide for her sick mother, herself and more importantly, her young child, she takes a chance on joining the Shelby Company ltd. But when she runs into a familiar face, her whole world comes crumbling down around her.
Chapter One
It was another gloomy day in Birmingham but that didn't surprise her. Alice hadn't been in this city for long, but they were just like the others; full of despair and empty promises. As she smoothed the creases out of her blouse with her fingertips, she stared at the exhausted eyes that stared back through the reflection of the mirror. Since her father died and her mother got sick, the pressure to provide a comfortable life for herself and her son became ever more apparent, but she had a reputation that seemed to spread quickly upon her arrival. Her family name struck fear into some and disgust into others. Some people didn't want to work with gypsies and no matter how hard she tried to explain that her father gave up that life to be with her mother, it still didn't matter; her brother Danny had made a name for himself and it messed with her future and her son, Johnny's.
"Mumma," Johnny called as he swung on the frame of her bedroom doorway. His voice seemed to snap her back into reality and as she looked at his chubby little face, she couldn't help but smile, "Nanny wants you."
She smiled at him and stepped towards him, placing a comforting hand on the top of his head. It was hard for her to believe that he was almost six, time had gone on far too quickly, but perhaps that was because she did everything alone. A busy life was a quick life.
"I'll go to Nan, go get yourself dressed for school." She watched him run to his own room before she made her way into the living room, frowning as she looked at her frail mother as she lay on their settee. "How are you feeling today, mother?" Alice poured her mum a cup of tea and helped her to sit up before placing it in her hands.
"Same as every day. Like shite. You got that job interview today, haven't you?" she asked as she blew on the hot tea.
Alice nodded and leaned against the fireplace, she watched her mother sympathetically as a sigh escaped her chest. "It's my last chance. The company's not ideal but if it's a job then I don't care."
"Are you not impressing the others in your interviews? Maybe you should show some skin, you're good at that, aren't you? That's how you got in this predicament, ain't it?"
She couldn't allow herself to get angry with her mother and her harsh critiques; it was the pain of her cancer talking and not her. "Nevertheless, I'm feeling confident. I've left a couple of sandwiches in the kitchen and your bed pan has been cleaned out." When she heard Johnny run out of his room, she took her coat from the bannister and placed it onto her frame.
"And how are you expecting me to get them when they're all the way in the kitchen? I can't bloody move from here, can I?" she snapped once more.
Alice took her son's bag from him and placed it over her shoulder and pushed him towards the kitchen. "Get nanny's sandwiches and hand them to her. And don't forget to give her a kiss." She watched him carry out his instructions and noticed how her mother's mood changed when the tot placed his arms around her.
"Love you nanny." He said before running back to his mother's side.
"Be good my Johnny boy."
"He's always good." Alice commented as she stepped out of the house onto the loud street. She sighed once more and forced a smile onto her face as she took Johnny's hand. "Come on, let's get a move on."
Once Johnny was safely inside the school, she had to make a long and hasty journey towards Thomas Shelby's office; her insecurities started to race through her mind as she jogged down the cobbled streets, her heels almost tripping her up. She kept one hand on the neat bun she had on the top of her head and the other on her handbag that contained all her certificates and qualifications. If she was a few minutes late, she hoped that he wouldn't mind.
When she managed to get to the office, she found that the doors hadn't even been unlocked yet; she made it within good time. She took out her compact of pressed powder from her bag and patted away her blemishes as she waited for someone to show up. She kept primping until she thought she looked presentable and when she heard a man clear his throat behind her, Alice almost dropped all her belongings.
"Are you here about the secretary job?" he said as he lit up a cigarette.
She nodded at him and held out her hand. "I'm Alice, you must be Thomas Shelby."
He looked at her hand with a raised brow before taking it. "I am, come with me." He took his keys from his jacket pocket, letting his cigarette hang on his lip as he unlocked the door. "I didn't think anyone would enquire about the job so quickly." He mentioned as he led her through his building.
"It isn't every day that an MP puts an ad in the paper. I feared that if I came any later that someone would steal the position from me." She tried her best to sound confident; there was no way that she was going to leave his office without that job.
"I suppose not." He took a seat behind his desk and waved for her to take the seat in front of him. He took a drag from his cigarette before keeping it between his fingers. "So, what qualifications have you got?"
She dug through her bag and handed him over the certificates her college gave her. "I can type, I can answer phones and I'm not too bad with mathematics." She watched him keenly as he read her paperwork. "I've a couple of references written there, just in case you need them." When he didn't say anything, she feared the worse. "Is there anything else that you're looking for, Mr Shelby?"
His icy eyes flickered onto her warm, hazel eyes then back to her pages. "You seem overqualified; I'm just looking for someone to answer a couple of calls, take some messages and write a few letters." He handed them back towards her and sunk into his chair. "I'm sorry, but you haven't got the job."
She bit her lip and put her certificates back into her bag. Alice couldn't bear to look at him as she walked back towards the door, but when she opened it, she thought of her son and the holes in his school shoes. She thought of her mother and the worry she had to of had for her own daughter and closed the door again. When Thomas looked at her, she turned around and held her bag in front of her body.
"May I ask why I didn't get this job? As you said I'm overqualified."
"Your list of previous jobs has all ended in your sacking."
"Does my surname bother you, Mr Shelby? Because it certainly bothered my previous employers." She took a small step towards his desk. "I have a little boy who needs me to get this job. He's the only reason why I'm here because I know what you do when you're not in Parliament. I may have only been in this city for a few weeks, but you have a reputation."
"If you don't like my reputation, then why are you fighting so hard for me to take you on?" he was intrigued by this young woman; she had a spark inside her that he hadn't saw in a long time.
"As I said, I have a child that I need to take care of." She sat in front of him once more and forced her eyes to stay fixed on his hard gaze. "I came here today, confident that I would get this job and I'm not leaving until I do, Mr Shelby. You're worried about being able to trust me, aren't you?" she fixed her hair and let out a deep breath. "I'm gypsy too, well half on my father's side, I don't disagree with what you do in fact, I could help if you needed… I know horses."
"All gypsies know horses." He replied, leaning forward to take a closer look at her face. She didn't look like a gypsy; she looked clean and she wore her make up well.
"Take a chance on me, Mr Shelby and I promise you won't regret it."
He thought for a moment and pointed the end of his cigarette at her as he said, "Will you be able to keep up with my lifestyle; between meetings with clients and letters to other MPs?" when she nodded, he raised a brow. "Can I trust you?"
"Of course. I don't know anyone in this city, all I've got is my boy."
"You'll get three pounds a week until you've proven yourself as an asset. Once you have, I'll up your pay to four pounds with a bonus before Christmas so that you can get your son something."
She placed her hands over her face as she tried to keep her emotions under control. Alice could've squeezed him, but she had to show that she was professional enough to work for him. Instead, she shook his hand once more as a grin appeared on her face. For the first time, she saw a hint of a smile from him.
"I won't let you down, Mr Shelby."
"Call me Tommy from now on, alright? You start on Monday, bright and early."
She nodded and held onto the edges of her coat, her hand rested against her thumping heart. "Bright and early, Tommy."
"I'll let you see yourself out."
For the first time in months, Alice was excited to return home to her mother; she wanted to see her proud of her once more. It was hard for her to get any sort of approval from her since she had a child without a father but guaranteeing Johnny a good life should gather some sort of respect from her. Agnes was fast asleep when Alice returned home, she didn't have the heart to wake her up as she didn't sleep often anymore. She tiptoed into the kitchen and threw herself together a little plate to eat. As she sat at the kitchen table, a piece of bread and butter in one hand and a cigarette in the other, Alice couldn't help but find pride in herself; she stood up for herself and she got what she needed without having to flash her knickers. Things were finally starting to look up for her.
A few weeks later…
Alice had found a way to get herself into a morning routine, she didn't want to arrive at the office after Tommy; she didn't want to let herself down like that. So, her mornings started at four, she had her mother bathed, clothed and fed by five. When Johnny woke up, he was washed and dressed but the only downside to her routine was that she couldn't walk him to school anymore. Her neighbour started to take Johnny with her own son, her time was limited with him. At least Tommy let her get out early most days to walk him home.
When she got to the office, Polly was the one to open the doors. She smiled at Alice and held the door open for her. "Good morning, Alice."
"How are you keeping, Pol?" she asked as she took her coat off, hanging it by the front door.
"I'm well. Did Tommy not tell you that he was going to be late this morning? Could've saved you the rush to get here." She offered her a cigarette and lit it for her once it was between Alice's lips.
"It must've slipped his mind," she skipped towards her desk and looked through Tommy's meetings. "He's got a meeting with a Michael Gray in five minutes."
Polly smirked and sat on the edge of her desk, looking at the young woman in amusement. "That's why he's going to be late. He's picking my son up from the docks."
Alice took a seat and smiled up at the older woman. Polly had become somewhat of a mentor to Alice, she helped her wrap her head around Tommy's business on the side and when she wasn't helping with that, they spoke about the spirits. Polly had given her a reading once or twice.
"I didn't know that you had a son."
"He's coming back from New York City today. His business is finished there, and Tommy promised he wasn't going to send him away again."
Alice could see the happiness oozing from Polly's face and it made her grin. "I'm glad, it's hard being away from our sons, isn't it?"
"How is little Johnny fitting in at school?"
"He got the cane a few times last week but apart from that, he's been as good as gold."
"He'll grow up to be a fine lad, I saw it in the cards." She said as she got up. "Seen as Tommy's not going to be back at the office for a while yet, do you fancy helping me with the books before the other girls get here?"
"Of course not, I'll be over when I open these letters."
"That'll do."
Once Polly had left her desk, Alice separated the letters that were addressed to her from the ones that were for Tommy. One stood out from the others. She recognised the poor handwriting and when she read what was inside the envelope, her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know how Danny found out she was working for the Shelby's or why he was so angry, but he threatened to come down to Birmingham if she didn't resign.
Once the letter was folded up and placed into the bust of her dress, she joined Polly at the table. Pol was able to catch on quickly that her mood had changed and without hesitation, she grabbed her hand and made the girl look at her.
"What's wrong?"
"Is Tommy mixed up in business with Danny Finlay?"
Her face screwed up as she tilted her head. "Who is Danny Finlay?"
"My half-brother. He thinks that he's the king of the gypsies up north." She took the letter from her bra and handed it over to Pol, watching as she read the letter slowly. "He wants me to stop working for the Shelby's immediately."
Pol peeked at Alice from over the top of the page, a smirk crossing her lips. "How long has it been since you've seen your brother?"
"He left when I was five, so nearly eighteen years ago."
"Now that your father's gone, he's trying to flex his muscles; show that he's in charge of the family now." She handed the letter back over to the girl and shook her head. "Don't listen to his threats. The gypsies up north are at war with the gypsies in the south and Tommy does business with the ones in the south and not in the north. When you're born into the gypsy bloodline, you better know your politics." Polly warned as she got up from her chair. "Go get yourself some air and calm yourself before Tommy gets back. We'll keep this between us."
Alice smiled and nodded as she got onto her feet. "Thanks, but I think that I should tell him, just in case Danny acts on his threats. Knowing him, he will, and he'll get somebody killed."
"Probably himself."
"More than likely."
"How does it feel to be back home, Michael?" Tommy asked as they walked into the office.
"I didn't think I'd miss Birmingham until I was a way from her for a year." When his mum ran over to him, her arms outstretched, her lifted her into a hug. "Glad to see me?"
"You have no idea, Michael. How was the big smoke?" she looked over his face, examining him for the slightest mark or bruise.
"Busy."
"Well, I'm glad to see that you're home, safe and sound." She nudged him towards Tommy's office and playfully rolled her eyes. "I'll let the two of you discuss your business, I'll cook us something nice for dinner tonight, as a welcome home."
Tommy watched Michael walk into his office and take a seat in front of the desk before turning to Pol with his hands in his pockets and his brow raised. "Where's Alice?"
"I sent her out to get some air."
"Get her to go to the Garrison and get a bottle of the finest whiskey."
Pol nodded and gripped Tommy's arm before he could walk away and looked at him seriously. "She needs to speak with you when you've got a minute, the poor girl's a bit of a wreck today."
"What's happened?"
"I think it's best if she explains… She wanted to tell you herself."
"Right, well we'll speak when I'm done with Michael." When Pol let go of his arm, he stepped into his office with a smile, shutting the doors behind him.
"You got yourself a new secretary? What happened to Lizzie?" Michael asked as he sat back into the chair.
"Since she's had Ruby, she's wanted to be at the house more… Look after the kids. You'd like this new secretary I've got, she's very good at her job. Too good for this place." When his office doors opened and he saw dark haired girl with a bottle of whiskey in her hand, he couldn't help but smile; there was something about her that made Tommy feel at ease. She kept his affairs in order and that's what he liked. "There you are, we were just talking about you."
"All good I hope." She took a few steps towards the two men but stopped in her tracks when he started to turn around.
He knew that he recognised that voice; he hadn't heard it since he was seventeen. It made a cold shiver run through him. She obviously remembered him too because she almost dropped Tommy's expensive whiskey. "Alice." He said lowly.
"Henry, what are you doing here?"
"Do the two of you know each other?" Tommy asked as he watched their interaction.
"We used to, a long time ago." He approached Alice, wary of how she was going to react around him. "I don't go by Henry anymore, I found my birth mum and I use the name she gave me; Michael Gray." He smiled slightly as he watched the confusion cross her face. "Tommy's my cousin."
"So, Pol is your mother." She stated as the pieces started to come together. Alice walked past Michael and set the whiskey on Tommy's desk. "Arthur said that this should do you, best whiskey at the bar."
"Alice, talk to me." Michael stared at the back of her head in disbelief; she was the one that left him many years ago and she was the one that refused to look at him.
"Later, Tommy's got business to discuss with you." She didn't look at him as she walked past him, she couldn't bring herself to do it. It had been seven long years and a lot had changed in both of their lives. She couldn't let her emotions cost her a job, not when she had to think about Johnny's needs over her own. She sat down at her desk and buried her head into her hands; she hadn't stopped loving him and she searched for Henry to no avail.
Alice could tell that more than his name had changed… There was something different about him, something dark and he wasn't the same person that she used to know. She felt like she was stuck at a cross roads. Alice wanted to get to know him again but if he was going to be trouble, then he couldn't be anywhere near her son.