Nichole known as Nicholas when she was dressed as a man, stood there downstairs waiting for Thomas in the gambling hall. She felt so uncomfortable and awkward that she played with parts of her dress to the point where she started to ruffle it. Seeing this she quickly rubbed it back down, it wasn't something that she wanted to do so soon or at all to be honest. She didn't want to fuck up on this mission, she knew it was a big step for Tommy, so she had to look her best.
The dress colour she picked she almost wondered if he'd noticed the colour. It wasn't as if she had planned on it turning out this way, but it was just so pretty and reminded her of him that she had to get it. It wasn't before long did Thomas Shelby open the door and enter the room, though he stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the woman before him who stood sideways.
When she heard him enter the room she quickly turned around and when she did so her dress fanned out, the light blue that faded into the greenish bottom. Tommy took her in looking her up once and then down once. He didn't realize just how much she had grown, woman's size wise, since he had last seen her. She always wore those bandages that completely smashed her breasts... Tommy pulled a cigarette from out of his pocket and walked down past her, lighting it as he passed.
"Ready to go?" he asked, she nodded following him out of the building and into the very nice car he owned. Climbing inside in the front, thanks to the help of Thomas, she sat down next to him, wondering if he noticed the colour of her dress reminded her of his eyes.
"There's just one more stop we have to make first." he told her starting up the car and pulling away from the curb.
Nichole's eyes wandered as Thomas drove around the corner and toward the Garrison. She took notice of a woman standing outside in a deep red dress, it was then that it dawned on her that it was that barmaid, Grace. Turning to look at Tommy, she didn't say a word she just looked. She wondered just what in the world Tommy was thinking bringing the barmaid along. When they pulled up it seemed that Grace was just as surprised to see her as she was to see Grace.
Nichole didn't utter a word however, slightly curious as to if Grace knew that she was actually Nicholas. But, it seemed that Grace didn't have a clue that Nichole was actually Nicholas. Grace slid into the back seat, seeing as how Nichole was in the front. She didn't seem to mind all that much, but Nichole felt her hair stand up slightly on the back of her neck.
"I didn't know we'd be having company." Grace spoke up. Nichole sat there still facing front as Tommy turned around slightly, placing his arm back behind her on the seat to look at Grace.
"She's my eyes for tonight. She's very well trained in what she does." And with that Tommy faced front once again, removing his arm from the seat to change the gear of the car and they went on with the drive.
"And what is it that-"
"Nichole." Nichole said finally speaking up after Grace's hesitance in speaking the unknown name.
"Nichole does?" Tommy didn't really reply to her question as quickly as Grace would have liked. She sat there waiting as Tommy had been driving for a least a full minute before he looked in the rear-view mirror and made eye contact with the blonde haired woman.
"Making men talk." Tommy's eyes turned from Grace in the mirror and motioned their way over to Nichole, who seemed oblivious that he was now looking at her. "She can get the information that we need. She's sneaky that way." he watched as a small smile formed on Nichole's lips, funny because Tommy found one of his lips as well.
Both knew that Grace had no idea that she was Nicholas from the Peaky Blinders. They both knew this because Grace seemed rather thrown off by the occurrence of another woman, she had lacked to say anything as to why Nicholas was dressed as a woman hints; she had no idea. It was a good ways drive to the races, nobody really spoke all that much and Nichole, who sat upfront next to Tommy, could feel Grace's eyes on the back of her head the whole ride there.
Nichole gave a small sigh as she looked out upon the country side, knowing that it was going to be a pain in the ass with Grace. She had a feeling that the barmaid had a thing for Tommy, it wasn't that hard to see that he was slightly interested in her as well. Nichole could pick up on little things like that and it was funny how easy it was for her to feel the emotions so well. Perhaps that's how she had managed to stay alive for so long in a man's world.
When Tommy pulled up to the race, he hopped out of the car and let Grace out first then Nichole, Nichole looked over just at the right moment to catch a small smirk on Grace's lips, showing that she was happy Tommy had allowed her out of the car first; as if Nichole was competition. Nichole turned her back to both of them and rolled her eyes, seriously hoping that Tommy wouldn't get too involved with a woman such as Grace.
And there was just something about her that didn't add up from what Arthur had told her, the woman's story about how she came to be here in the little town around the same time that new copper came just didn't sit well with Nichole. She knew she was going to have to figure something out about the woman as all three of them walked inside through the back door to the races. Grace seemed on edge about going in through the back, probably worried about getting caught and thrown out, but Tommy reassured her that he always "came through the back" as he put it.
Still as they made their way through the people, Nichole could tell that Grace was starting to get cold feet about actually doing this when they were about to reach the main doors. Tommy had told her that all she had to do was pretend that they had gotten lost on the way to the bathroom and had found their way back to here. He also wanted Grace to inform the man at the door that Tommy didn't speak any English and that he was their "escort" for this event.
Grace wasn't about ready to go through with it so Nichole seen this as the perfect time to take the lead and impress Tommy, gaining some good grace with the man would be perfect for her. So, she walked ahead of both of the two that were talking quietly together in the middle of the hall. Once Tommy seen Nichole moving forward and stepping up to the plate he had to say that he was rather impressed that the woman wasn't afraid to get things done, much unlike Grace.
"Hello there." Nichole said cheerfully as she stood in front of the man. He looked down at her and raised a brow. Her smile grew with each word she spoke.
"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but you seem like a man of stature. My friends and I got lost going to the toiletry and we're not sure where we're at. Would you happen to know where the main dance room is located?" The man gave her a warm smile as he crossed his arms over his chest. Tommy and Grace stood behind Nichole as the man looked down at her.
"Yes, it's in through these doors here. Just go straight in and you'll be at the balcony to the entrance." It was clear that the man was attracted to Nichole by the way he looked her up and down and spoke. Nichole gave him one more beaming smile before she thanked him politely and grabbed Tommy's arm as they walked past the man and into the ball room. Tommy couldn't help but look over to Nichole, he was really impressed now.
She knew how to get what he wanted, she was indeed smart. But, the day was still long and there was still time for error. Tommy didn't want to think he was pushing his luck now, but saying that he wasn't happy with asking Nichole to come along would have been a big fat lie. Grace had backed down from the task he set her with and Nichole was there to pick it up and complete it.
There maybe just be hope for this young woman yet.
Nichole watched from afar as Tommy danced with Grace on the floor. She didn't like how the blonde was getting all up and cozy with Tommy, but then again it wasn't her place to say. The woman hadn't done anything to betray her trust yet, but there was still something that continued to nag at Nichole that something wasn't right about Grace.
Never the less, she allowed the two to dance, knowing that it was drawing over Kimber's attention; which it was. Pulling a cigarette from out of her bra, she lit it with one of the match boxes that sat on the bar. She didn't care if the man next to her gave her an odd look as from where she pulled out her pack of smokes, he wasn't her main objective.
What she had to do now was to make sure Tommy wasn't going to be jumped by any of Kimber's men, which was the reason for why she carried both her colts right around her thighs under her dress. She never left home without them because she never knew when she would need to shoot someone. After the dance was over, Grace joined Nichole over at the bar.
She ordered a drink, Gin and Tonic, such a womanly drink. Nichole sloshed her whiskey around before taking a small sip, savoring the taste as the burning sensation went down the back of her throat. Grace then pulled out her own smoke from her purse and lit it with the same pack of matches.
She took a rather long hit, she was nervous Nichole knew just by looking at her. The way she held the cigarette in her hand to the way her wrist was so still; it almost reminded Nichole of her first time going undercover. Key word being almost. Her wrist wasn't shaking like a lot of first time undercover people, so that raised a red light with Nichole.
Something about this woman seriously wasn't right and she would find out.
"So, is this your first time doing something like this?" Grace asked, Nichole glanced over at the woman behind her short bangs.
"I mean, working for Thomas?" A long frown formed on Nichole's lips as she then placed her eyes over her drink, watching the dark liquid move around in the glass. Grace kept her gaze on her for a moment till she figured the woman wasn't going to answer her, so just as she was turning her head away Nichole answered her.
"Mr. Shelby." Grace turned back, confusion was placed upon her expression.
"Pardon?" She didn't understand what Nichole meant. It most certainly wasn't the answer she was looking for either. Nichole picked up her cigarette and inspected the tip before taking a hit off it. She blew out the smoke from her nose; a very unladylike like thing to do.
"You don't have the privilege of calling him by his first name. To you, his name is Mr. Shelby. It would do you best to remember that, Grace." Nichole glanced at the woman, noticing the she quickly looked away.
She wasn't frightened, but at the same time she wasn't entirely sure on what she was suppose to do now. She hadn't expected the woman to come off so hostel with her. She almost wondered what she had done wrong to offend the woman, but she quickly came to learn that she hadn't done anything at all, besides call Tommy other than "Mr. Shelby".
"He didn't earn the respect and fear from everyone in Birmingham England just so women like you can address him by his first name. Nothing personal, it just pisses me off when someone is disrespectful toward him." Nichole said before she took another drag and then turned to the bar keep, tapping her finger on the bar and signaling for her glass to be topped off. Grace studied the woman for a moment, her eyes narrowed as if trying to figure something out.
"Have we met?" Nichole chuckled from such a simple question.
Of course they had met, several times actually, but Grace wasn't smart enough to see through that Nichole was actually Nicholas. Then again, if someone as simple as a barmaid that had a deep dark secrete was able to see through Nichole's disguise then it wouldn't be a very good one in the first place.
"I work for Mr. Shelby, so you've probably seen me around." Nichole said, watching the dark liquid fill the glass before the bar keep left the two of them to continue talking.
"I know you're the new barmaid for the Garrison." Nichole started, knowing Grace was listening carefully to every word she was saying, so she was going to try to get a reaction from the woman now while the two of them were alone and Tommy was speaking with Kimber.
"I also know that you appeared only a few days after that new copper came to town." That's when Nichole caught it, it was slight, but she caught the hint that she needed. Grace's shoulders raised, not much, but by a mere centimeter – if that – and that told her that Grace knew the copper somehow.
"So, why not tell me just how big of a coincidence that just happened to be?" Nichole put out the rest of her cigarette and turned her full attention to the woman.
Nichole rested her arm against the bar and waited for her reply. Grace just kept her eyes locked with Nichole's, Nichole wondered just how long the woman would be able to do so till she broke the contact.
Grace knew she was in a corner, she knew that Nichole was onto her, but how did she know? Grace had kept it a great secrete from everyone about why she was here, even going so far as to lie to everyone just to keep them off her trail. But this single woman that sat here before her had seemed to figure out Grace within seconds.
"It's as Mr. Shelby said, Grace-" Nichole gave a small smirk, her lips turning up just enough to show a small part of her teeth.
"I'm very good at what I do."
It didn't take long for Mr. Kimber to become attracted to Grace and wanted to make a deal with Tommy. He'd give him what he wanted to make his betting legal, but he wanted two hours with Grace. Tommy agreed and headed back over to the bar and informed Grace what she had to do now. Nichole knew that the woman did not want to do this but Tommy reminded her that it was she that asked to work with him and so she was drawn into a corner and had no choice but to agree.
Billy Kimber had taken Grace back to his house for two hours time. Tommy wasn't allowing it show that it bothered him, but Nichole could tell that it was indeed getting to him. She knew Grace had an impact on Tommy, but she hadn't guessed that it was by this much. In return, Kimber said that Tommy could take his wife.
So, the three of them sat quietly in the car, Mrs. Kimber sat in the back as Nichole sat in the front with Tommy. They were parked in a quietly sectioned off forest where Tommy had parked the car. The deal was almost done and Tommy was just so close to getting the piece of paper that would grant him to turn his work legal.
"That woman, Grace." Nichole started, running her finger along the scar that was covered by the tons of makeup she had placed on her face.
She was nervous on how she should go about telling Tommy that Grace was in league with that officer that was on his case about every little thing. She watched from the comer of her eye as Tommy sighed deeply probably still concerned with the woman whom Nichole just mentioned.
"What about her?" The tone of his voice didn't show it, instead it was very boring and seemed unamused. But, Nichole had been around Tommy long enough to know that it was eating away at him. So, she figured she'd ease his pain a little.
"She's in league with that copper that came for the guns." Tommy's eyes instantly turned to her, completely ignoring Mrs. Kimber who sat in the back looking rather confused. Nichole held her gaze as Tommy's smothering one bore into her.
She knew he was looking for a lie somewhere within her eyes, but he found none. Still, he was no fool and had known for a while now that there was something different about that woman. Her stories just never added up.
He looked away from Nichole, ashamed that he allowed his feelings to get in the way of his head. Tommy stared out off into the distance for a long while. Nichole had figured that he was deep in thought, and she was correct.
"I knew there was a reason why Pol called you out here." She raised a brow, not fully understanding what he meant by that. Then it dawned on her, she leaned forward to try and see the man's face, her teeth gritted together.
"Thomas, I am not lying about this shit." Tommy turned and their eyes locked again. That's when she seen the hurt that rested in them. His bright eyes shimmered with so much pain almost making Nichole feel sorry for the older man.
"I know… I know you're not. That's why you're here. You're here to help me and watch my back." Tommy's voice was so soft spoken, very unlike him to be like that unless they were completely alone.
The war had changed him, Aunt Polly would often remind Nichole, the war was something that changed many of the men that survived and returned home; nobody was ever the same. Thomas Shelby was no exception to that fact.
"But..." Tommy started, he didn't even have to finish.
"But, you're a good man, Thomas Shelby, and you're going to save that girl anyway, aren't you. You know Kimber is going to have his way with her with or without her permission. Now knowing that she's with that copper, she's more than likely packing, she'll kill Kimber if something isn't done." At that moment, the two of them in the front seat were once again aware of Mrs. Kimber who moved about in the back at the notion of her husbands death.
Tommy couldn't help but look at Nichole for a second longer before he started up the auto and got it moving toward Kimber's manor. When they arrived, both of them went rushing inside, hoping that Grace hadn't been molested by Kimber or even worse had shot and killed Kimber. Nichole tried her best to keep up with Tommy, but due to the fact she hadn't worn heels in nearly fifteen years she was a little slow in them.
She watched his back as he raced up the stairwell, leaving Nichole in the dust. By the time she reached the top, she heard shouting and an argument.
She rushed into the room and just caught the last look on Kimber's confused face. Out of breath, Nichole watched as Grace moved over toward her and stood there with tears in her eyes. A broken piece of glass laid on the floor. Something had happened but Nichole wasn't about ready to acquire what went down. Grace was safe and that's all that mattered at the moment.
"Take your damn whore and get outta my house."
"Yes, Mr. Kimber." Tommy said, bowing slightly before turning and placing his hands on each woman's back and escorted them out of the manor. On the long silent car ride home this time Nichole took the backseat, allowing Grace a view of the road to get her mind off things.
She started going on about how Tommy had held her with such a high view earlier this morning and by the end of the day she had become nothing more than a common whore. Tommy didn't have anything to add, he was too focused on his own thoughts at the moment. Nichole knew what he was thinking, how could he expose this woman for being in league with the copper.
After Tommy and Nichole had dropped Grace off at the Garrison, they both headed back home. It was now late and the sun was just setting when they walked inside the house. Nobody seemed to be home and the betting room was closed for the day. Just as Nichole was about to return to her own room, Tommy's voice stopped her from heading to the stairs.
"Care for a drink?" She turned to look at Tommy.
Today's events were clear on his tired face. She knew that now was not the time to leave Tommy alone after he asked her for her company in the way he did. Needless to say that it did surprise her, but she accepted his offer and they both went into his office for a drink and a rather long talk about how sure Nichole was about Grace being with that new copper.
She explained to him from her seat in front of his desk how Grace had reacted, she showed signs of lying and what's more she wasn't nervous being undercover almost as if it were a norm for the woman.
Tommy didn't say anything as he allowed Nichole to explain only sipping on his drink and relaxing back in his seat. His eyes didn't move from hers but neither did hers move from his. Once she was done they both sat there in a comfortable silence. Nichole had already wiped off her face clean from the makeup with a tissue that she carried with her. Her scared up face was Tommy's main focus tonight in the office. She noticed this but didn't bother to call him out on it just figuring that he was watching her as he was thinking to himself.
"You're sure about this? About her? About Grace being undercover?" Tommy asked, his tone serious like always. Nichole nodded, knowing that she had never been any more sure in her entire life.
"Yes, she's shown all the signs. Didn't you find it strange that she showed up only days after the copper showed up. That she's working at the Garrison, the place the Peaky Blinders hang out most outta their day. That she's been asking questions and has even agreed to work for you. What woman in their right mind would want to work for a gangster, Tommy?"
"You wanted to work for me." Nichole shook her head.
"That's so much different, Tommy. We're family, we've known each other since we were little. I've lived with this type of lifestyle my entire life. I wanted to work for you to help protect you from women like her." Tommy leaned back and looked at Nichole with a brow raised.
"You're jealous-"
"Oh for fuck's sake, Tommy!" Nichole could no longer keep her tone settled as she threw her body up from out of her seat.
"We're fucking family! How could I possibly be jealous of the way you look at her or what goes through that head of yours when she comes over to pour you a drink? Tommy, I'm not jealous! I'm here to keep you from getting shot in the back by bitches like her! Why is it so hard for you to wrap your head arou -" Nichole stopped, it dawned on her.
She looked at Tommy and it was almost simultaneously that they both knew what Nichole was thinking. Tommy's gaze never broke from her's even after the fact that she was looking at him with such a worry and almost baffled expression.
"You love her." After a moment, Tommy looked down and away. This was the first time Tommy had ever failed at their staring contests. Nichole shook her head baffled with her new discovery about Tommy and his feelings toward his woman, Grace. Her mouth was a gape, she didn't know what else to say to this now known fact. Tommy stood up from his chair and walked up to her side, they were should to shoulder as he stood beside her, his gaze on the door as hers was on the wall behind his desk.
"You're better at your job than I originally took you for. Get some sleep, Nichole." Tommy told her as he headed for the door and opened it, shutting it quietly as he left her alone in the office. A sudden rage filled her body and all the documents and supplies that rested on Tommy's desk found their way to hitting the wall and floor as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She picked up the chair behind her and threw it into the wall, destroying a leg or two off the chair.
She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a raspy cry. Things were so much more complicated than she had ever imaged. She worried greatly for Tommy's safety now more than ever. She didn't know how things would turn out. Would Tommy stay by the side of the woman that he loved and in the end get shot in the back or would he take Nichole's words to heart and see what needed to be done.
Only time would tell.