Chapter 7
Anna had never seen Polly so on edge.
She was running around the house with a feather duster, cleaning surfaces that had already been cleaned twice, readjusting picture frames by millimeters, and berating the younger maids until they cried. Ada and Anna were sitting on Anna's bed on the second floor, being as quiet as possible to avoid Polly's attention while Karl sat on the floor playing with a toy truck. Even Ruben wasn't immune to her fury; he had holed himself away in his studio and hadn't been heard from since the day before.
Ada was lying on her stomach reading while Anna thumbed through a months-old magazine. The sound of Polly's wrath floated through the door and Ada stifled a laugh. "I ought to have a word with her," she said. "She can't treat the maids like that."
"There aren't even that many people coming to the reception," Anna commented. "Why is she so bent out of shape?"
"It's the first time the family's been all together in ages," Ada replied. "Polly hasn't been in the same building as Tommy and Arthur since…"
"I see," Anna said. "She's letting Tommy come?"
"Arthur insisted," she said. "You'll understand when you meet Linda. She's very big on forgiveness."
"This will be interesting." Anna returned to her magazine, reading about last season's best-selling fashions.
"Is Isiah coming today?" Ada asked, peering over the top of her book to waggle her eyebrows at Anna.
Anna sighed and rolled her eyes. "He does what he wants."
"No, he does what you want," Ada laughed. "When are you going to own up to the fact that he's completely head over heels for you?"
"Ada," Anna warned. "I don't want to talk about it."
"If you don't feel the same way you really ought to tell him," Ada continued. "He's a good man."
"I know he is," Anna said. "And he knows where I stand."
"Does he?" Ada replied.
Just then, the door swung open. "Oh. My. God." Polly stood in the doorway, mouth agape. "You two have been lazing about up here while I break my back getting the house ready?"
"We're watching Karl!" Ada protested, gesturing to Karl, who looked up, wide-eyed.
"Karl is old enough to not need constant supervision," Polly replied. "Both of you get downstairs and help me."
"Mum," Anna entreated. "Everything's done. It's been done for hours."
"Go," she repeated. Her face was so menacing that the two girls couldn't help but obey, dashing down the stairs like naughty children, half-afraid that they'd be swatted with the feather duster.
An hour later, even Polly was exhausted and had given up the fight, and all of them had retreated to get ready for the baptism. Anna hadn't been to a church since she was a child, and she stared into her wardrobe, wondering what she owned that was appropriate. She settled on a relatively unadorned silk navy dress, covered by a cream knit cardigan. She put on a pair of low-heeled shoes and a matching cloche hat and headed for the door.
Polly was adjusting Karl's suit while Ada chatted with Ruben, and for a moment, Anna paused at the foot of the stairs. A warm feeling came over her, in spite of the fact that the day might not go well, in spite of the fact that there would be Isiah to contend with, and in spite of the fact that Michael hadn't spoken to her since the incident at the Kings' club. This was her family. She had made the right choice in coming back.
"Anna, you look lovely," Polly said, her face relaxing into a smile.
Anna couldn't help but smile back. "So do you," Anna replied, for as always, Polly looked perfectly polished and styled to a t.
"Let's be off, then," Polly said, herding everyone through the door and toward the car.
When they arrived, the church was packed full of Shelby and Lee family members and friends of all sorts. They were rather raucous for a church group, and Anna hid a smile behind her glove as they entered. She spotted Michael and Isiah first, next to John, Esme, and the gaggle of kids that made up their family. They made up the entire second row on the right side of the church. In front of them must have been Arthur and Linda. Arthur was the tallest of the Shelby brothers, with a bushy mustache and twinkling blue eyes. Linda was a petite blonde with a soft, graceful air about her, and she had a two-year-old girl in her arms with similarly blonde locks of curly hair. Polly led the way toward them and joined them in the first pew. She embraced them both warmly and fawned over the little girl, who was sucking her thumb shyly. Ada elbowed her way forward and embraced her brother fiercely, whispering something in his ear that Anna couldn't hear. Ruben shook Arthur's hand, hugged Linda, and then Anna was left, looking up at the strangers warily.
"Arthur, this is my Anna," Polly said, sounding as though she were bursting with emotion.
"Pleasure to meet you, Anna," said Arthur, who, in spite of having lived in California over the past two years, still had one of the thickest Brummie accents she had ever heard. To Anna's surprise, he pulled into her an immediate hug, and she patted his back stiffly.
When he had released her, Linda was smiling at her with a sparkle of amusement in her eyes.
"I'm Linda," she said, extending her free hand politely. "And this is little Lydia."
"Hello, Linda," Anna replied gratefully. "And hello, Lydia."
Lydia smiled up at her shyly, but didn't respond, and Anna looked away awkwardly - she never had been comfortable around children.
"What have you done with the boy of the hour?" Polly asked, peering around the church curiously. Arthur nodded over to the side of the church, where the prayer candles were lit. Tommy was there, a dark-haired young boy at his side and a small bundle that must have been Arthur's newest in his arms. He was talking out of the side of his mouth to the bundle, inaudible under the buzz of the crowd.
Polly stiffened. "He's with his godfather," Arthur said, clearing his throat. Linda smiled up at him approvingly.
Polly gaped at Arthur. "You didn't," she protested.
Arthur held his hand up. "Pol, I don't want to hear about it. Linda and I have been talking to Tommy and we discussed it -"
"I suppose anyone can be a good godfather a world away -" Polly started flippantly.
"Well that's what we were going to tell you, Polly," Arthur interrupted. "We're not going back."
"You're what?!" Ada crowed, drawing stares from the rest of the church.
"We're moving back to Birmingham," Arthur said, beaming. "Linda and I agreed that it's best to be near family. We're annoucing it at the reception."
Ada jumped forward to hug her brother again. "Oh, Arthur," she said. She pulled Linda into the hug, Linda seeming to smile against her own will. "I'm so happy!"
"We are too, sister. We are too," Arthur said, patting her back.
Anna sneaked a look at Polly, who was biting her lip, measuring her next words. "You could have warned us, Arthur," she chided.
"We wanted to surprise you," he said, studying her curiously. "I thought you'd be happy to have the little ones nearby."
Polly looked again at Tommy, who was softly bouncing Arthur's baby in his arms, his own son looking on curiously. A shadow passed over her face, and she pursed her lips.
"Of course I am," she said distractedly.
The processional music started just then, and people scattered to their seats. Tommy handed Arthur the baby, and he and Charlie took their places next to Arthur and Linda. Tension was radiating from Polly, and Ruben took her hand. She hissed something quietly into his ear and he nodded, stone-faced.
The pastor had reached the front of the church, and he led them in an opening prayer. Then, he invited Arthur, Linda and the new baby, whose name was Peter Thomas, to the front of the church. "Next," the pastor said. "I'll invite up the child's chosen godparents, selected by Mr. and Mrs. Shelby. Thomas Shelby, please step forward."
Tommy did, keeping his eyes forward.
"And Mrs. Polly Gray, please join us as well."
Polly's eyes widened, and for a moment, Anna thought she might refuse right there in front of everyone. But Ruben whispered something in her ear, and she squeezed past Anna to exit the pew and approach the front of the church. She and Tommy stood behind Arthur and Linda, and Arthur handed Peter to the pastor.
"Before we baptize this child, do you, Thomas Shelby, promise to be instrumental in the growth of this child, and to be his spiritual guide?"
"I do," Tommy said, firmly but quietly.
It was barely noticeable, but Polly's fists were clenched.
"And you, Polly Gray, do you promise to do the same?"
"I do," she said, her voice ringing through the church clear as a bell.
"Good," he said. "And do you, Arthur and Linda Shelby, promise to raise this child in the ways of the church, encouraging him and guiding him always?"
"We do," they said, beaming down at Peter.
"Then, it is my joy and honor to baptize this child in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost," he said, delicately dipping Peter's head into the fount. The baby stirred, raising his fists in the air, but didn't cry out. Linda wrapped him in a blanket and clutched him close to her chest, her eyes filled with joyful tears. Arthur looked at them with adoration, then turned to smile at Tommy. Tommy clapped his hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed. Polly glowered.
The pastor led them in a closing prayer and then the service was over. Everyone cheered, causing Arthur and Linda to laugh, and then there was a mass exodus from the church to the front steps. A photographer gathered them all into a group on the front stairs, packing them tightly as sardines in a can. Anna was squeezed between Polly and Michael, who had somehow found his way back to them. She didn't look up at him - they hadn't spoken since she'd left him behind at the club in Birmingham, and now was hardly the time or place. Polly was still radiating anger, and Anna was glad that the Grays were not the focus of the portrait, because they were an unhappy family indeed.
Once the photo had been taken, Arthur whistled loudly with his fingers. "There's a reception at Pol's, and you're all invited!" he announced. "The Mrs. and I will see you there."
Anna almost had to run to keep up with Polly's angry stride toward the car. Ruben caught her eye and gave her a look that clearly said Speak at your own risk, and so Anna silently slid into the backseat of the car where she didn't have to worry about making eye contact with Polly, who was sitting in the passenger seat while Ruben drove.
The car started, and so did Polly. "Can you believe him?" Polly cried. She slammed her hands against the dashboard of the car, causing Anna to jump with surprise and Ruben to cringe visibly. "After everything that's happened, after the way Tommy's treated Arthur, he just… just…" she sputtered.
"Now, Polly," Ruben said cautiously. "Arthur's a grown man. If he's decided to forgive Thomas-"
"Forgive Thomas?!" she roared. "You don't understand, Ruben. Tommy must have gotten into his head somehow. Because there is no possible way that Arthur would forgive Thomas after what he did. There is no way."
After this, Ruben was silent. Anna took her cue from him, staring out the window as they made the drive back to Polly's. The morning mist had given way to a beautiful, sunny day, but the inside of the car felt like an icebox.
The front drive of Polly's house was already filling up with cars, and Ruben dropped them off at the front steps before going to find a place to park. Polly turned to Anna before they entered. "Anna," she said quietly, peering over her shoulder to make sure that no one was listening. "You shouldn't let any of this fool you, do you understand me? Michael worships the ground Tommy walks on, but I won't have him taking two of my children from me."
Anna wanted to offer some word of comfort, wanted to somehow assure her that Anna wouldn't be lost ever again. But her mouth was dry, her stomach anxious. "All right, Mum," she murmured, squeezing Polly's thin, fragile-seeming shoulder. She looped Polly's elbow into her own. "Let's go inside. You didn't do all that cleaning not to enjoy the day."
Polly managed a smile as they entered the room, and immediately began to wander around with Anna on her arm, introducing her to those she hadn't met yet and welcoming everyone to her home. She played the part of gracious host with aplomb, completely erasing any sign of her earlier distress from her face.
Anna had to admit that the house looked amazing, and cozy in spite of its immaculate cleanliness. Everyone had gathered in the grand room. Men in suits were wandering with drink and appetizer-filled trays, and people were talking and laughing, Arthur and Linda in the center of it all with warm looks on their faces. Their joy was undeniable and contagious - everyone who orbited around them seemed to absorb it.
Michael and Isiah were drinking champagne and talking furtively in a corner, and Isiah caught Anna's eye as she crossed the room at Polly's side. Anna smiled, and he gestured for her to come join them. Just as she was about to, someone approached from behind Polly.
"Pol," Tommy said in a low voice. "I need to talk to you."
Polly's grip on Anna's arm tightened.
"I have nothing to say to you," Polly said in a low, menacing voice that didn't match the smile on her face in the slightest. Anna pretended not to hear, looking in a different direction.
"Please," he entreated. "Just a few minutes. With everyone, not just me."
Polly let go of Anna's arm and whirled around to face him, dropping her smile. "This isn't like the old days, Thomas," she hissed. "You can't just call a family meeting and expect everyone to show up."
"That's not how it is, Polly," he muttered, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking around to see if anyone had reacted to her sudden coldness. "We'll be in the library in five minutes," he continued.
Polly snarled, cat-like, and grabbed Tommy's arm, dragging him away from the center of the room. He was stone-faced, trying to maintain some dignity. Anna could no longer hear what they were saying over the hum of voices, but she watched cautiously as Polly berated him in a near whisper, jabbing her finger into his chest. He held his hands up, protesting innocence. A group of people next to Anna turned to look, and so she strode over to the two of them.
Putting a hand on Polly's arm, she said, "Mum. People are staring."
Anna fixed Tommy with an icy stare, irritated with him for goading Polly. He stared back at her with furrowed eyebrows, as though he wasn't quite sure who she was, though they'd spoken on multiple occasions. Then he turned back to Polly.
"You're welcome to say your piece, Pol. God knows I deserve it," he said. "But not here."
"Fine," she snapped. "We'll be there in five minutes."
"Good." Tommy stormed off toward the library, visibly agitated.
Polly smoothed her hair before turning back to Anna. "Five minutes," she said briskly. "Go tell your brother. Though I'm sure if Thomas is planning it, Michael already knows about it."
She walked away in a huff, leaving Anna bewildered by the turn of events and still confused by the idea of a family meeting. For fear of angering Polly further, though, she immediately looked around for Michael. He was still chatting with Isiah in the corner where she'd seen them before. Anna gritted her teeth, hoping that Isiah wouldn't add any further complication to things.
"Hello Michael. Isiah," she said by way of greeting. Isiah smiled, and before he could respond, she continued. "Michael, Mum wants to see you in the library in five minutes."
"What for?" he asked, looking around curiously.
"Tommy's asked for a meeting."
For the first time since they'd reunited, Michael looked truly caught off guard. If he were anyone slightly less poised, he might have spit out the sip of champagne he'd just taken. "He what?"
Anna sighed. "A meeting. In the library."
"And Mum's going to be there? And you're going to be there?"
Anna bristled. "He asked for the family," she replied, trying not to take offense at his tone. "I'm going to go over there now if you'd like to join me."
"Yeah, all right," Michael responded, still looking dazed. "I'll be back, Is."
They started to walk in the direction of the library, but Isiah grabbed Anna's arm, holding her gently back. "Come see me after, yeah?" he asked, a crooked smile pulling at his lips. He could be so charming, and his good looks seemed to knock the wind out of her even as she meant to push him aside.
"All right," she said, unable to keep from smiling back at him. "But I've got to go."
"Be quick," he grinned.
She shook the breathless feeling off as she trotted to catch up with Michael. He strode along, unaffected by her presence. "So what's happening with you and Isiah?" he asked her, looking straight ahead.
"What has he told you?"
"Nothing," Michael replied. "He's afraid I'll kill him if he tells me anything."
"You wouldn't, would you?" Anna asked warily.
He stopped outside the library door, turning to look at her. "I'll not have you fucking about with my friends, Anna," he said, rubbing a hand over his face with exasperation. "What's going to happen when you toss him over?"
"I'm not -" she protested, not sure which of his statements she wanted to address first. "It's none of your business who I spend time with."
"It is if it could cause problems for my business," Michael said, sounding for all the world like a scolding father.
"I'm not discussing this with you," she answered petulantly. "Let's go in."
He opened the door for her in a way that managed to be both polite and condescending, and she walked through the doorway with as much dignity as she could muster.
Ada was sitting on the sofa, holding baby Peter above her head and cooing at him delightedly. Esme sat next to her, smiling up at Peter, John at her side locked in conversation with Arthur, who was standing with Linda near the center of the room. Finn perched on the edge of the sofa, listening to Arthur and John intently. Polly sat primly in an armchair across from the sofa, and Tommy stood slightly away, out of Polly's peripheral vision, smoking and looking out the window.
He strode over as Michael and Anna entered. "Michael. Good," he said. "Anna, I'm glad you're here."
Anna stared at him, slightly bewildered, and managed a polite nod.
Tommy cleared his throat. "Now that everyone's here, I'd like to propose a toast."
Polly rolled her eyes, but raised her glass, and everyone else followed suit.
"To Arthur, Linda, Peter, and Lydia," he announced. "Welcome home."
"Welcome home," everyone repeated in a more subdued manner than Anna was used to from her cousins. Awkwardness hung heavily in the air, stretching from person to person like thick spiderweb.
"Now that we're all together," he continued, beginning to pace, "I have some things I'd like to say."
John shifted uncomfortably, and the look on Polly's face could have frozen flames.
"The first of which being that I am sorry."
Polly snorted, but Tommy carried on.
"I did what I did two years ago for a reason, but I was wrong not to trust you all with my plans. I was…"
Arthur had approached Tommy's side, and put his hand on his shoulder. "We know, Tom," he said softly.
Tommy cleared his throat. "Losing Grace and then almost losing Charlie very nearly destroyed me," he said. "And I am truly sorry that I brought you into the process."
"It's all right, Tommy," Ada said, rocking Peter gently in her arms and casting a glance toward Polly. "We're family. We forgive."
"I've spent the last two years working to become worthy of your forgiveness. I want us to be together again, to be a family again. And now that Arthur and Linda are back, I feel that we have a chance to do that." His voice was almost painfully sincere, soft and near-breaking. Even Anna could feel her heart wrenching as he focused on Polly. "Pol," he said. "Please come back. Things are better; you can just ask Ada. It's just like we always wanted. Everything official."
The room was silent for a moment, anticipation heavy in the air.
Polly crossed her hands in her lap, possibly to keep them from trembling. Then she looked up at Tommy, and her eyes shimmered like flames. "You thought if you got me here in front of everyone that I'd be forced to forgive you?" Her voice was menacing, the rattling of a snake before the strike.
"No, Polly, I just-"
"Listen to me, Thomas Shelby," she said, rising from her seat. "You may have tricked Arthur into forgiving you-"
Here Arthur tried to protest, but Polly held up her hand so emphatically that he barely got a word out.
"You may have tricked Arthur into forgiving you, but you won't do the same to me. I've given enough in the service of King Tommy Shelby," she spat. "I'm done. And the rest of you would do well to follow in my footsteps."
She turned to Arthur next, pleading. "Especially you, Arthur. You finally got away. Why on earth would you come back?"
Arthur shrugged, taking Linda's hand in his own. "I'm a Shelby, Pol," he said. "I've done some things I'm not proud of. Some of them - maybe even most of them - were alongside Tommy. But I'm living proof of the fact that people can change."
"He didn't accept you when you'd changed, Arthur," Polly insisted. "He tried to keep you here, as his mad dog. Don't you remember? Did that California air addle your brain?"
Arthur stood tall in the face of Polly's fury. "That's between Tommy and I," he said. "He's apologized for the way he treated me, and I've chosen to forgive him."
"You never were the smarter one," she replied cruelly, turning on her heel and heading for the door.
Linda furrowed her eyebrows with anger, and Anna cringed seeing the hurt look on Arthur's face. However, he just took a deep breath and patted his wife on the shoulder. "S'alright, Linda," he said. "She's not ready."
The door slammed loudly behind Polly as she exited, and no one spoke right away. Finally Arthur cleared his throat. "She'll come around, Tom," he said. "In the meantime, you have Linda and me."
"Me and Esme, as well," John said.
"And me," Finn interjected.
Ada just smiled, her eyes full of worry.
"Thank you," Tommy said, looking around at them solemnly. "We're going to need all hands on deck."
"Why's that, Tom?" Michael called from the side of the room. He grinned as though he were in on a secret. Arthur and John exchanged a confused glance.
"Shelby Company Limited is expanding to the states," Tommy said, his lips turning up into the first smile that Anna had ever seen from him.
The room burst into cheers, and Ada's hands flew to her mouth.
"I didn't want to tell you until I was sure, Ada," he said. "Come here."
Ada stood, and she looked as though she might cry. Tommy put his arm around her shoulders. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet the United States ambassador for Shelby Company Limited: Mrs. Ada Thorne."
Everyone erupted into cheers again, Anna clapping her hands joyfully.
"You bastard," Ada said, laughing as she dissolved into tears. "I've wanted this for so long."
He pulled her into a hug. "You deserve it, Ada. New York won't know what to do with you."
She whispered something in his ear, but it was drowned out by everyone's excited chatter and Peter's crying, as he'd been disrupted when Ada had handed him to Esme.
"Let's get back to the party before we're missed," Ada said, wiping her eyes. "I'm afraid we're not being very good guests. Tommy -"
"I'm going to go home. Can Charlie stay with you?"
Ada nodded, clasping his shoulder briefly before exiting the room. Everyone began to drift from the library when Tommy's voice cut through again. "Anna," he said. "Can I have a word?"
Anna's stomach tightened as she remembered what Polly had asked of her earlier. Was he going to ask her to join the company? She wouldn't dare incur Polly's wrath that way, but at the same time, the warmth in the library was undeniable… everything she had missed for the previous eighteen years.
The room was empty except for the two of them, and Anna realized she couldn't recall a time they'd been alone. What did he want?
"Anna," he said. "I know you don't know me very well, and I'm sorry for that. I haven't wanted to make things worse with Polly."
Anna nodded in understanding.
"I was hoping she would be ready to mend fences, but I can't blame her," he continued. "But I'm not quite sure how to proceed without her."
"Tommy," Anna interrupted. "If you're going to ask me to work for you, I'm sorry, but I just can't. Not now. I've only just come back and I -"
"I know, Anna," he said. "It's all right."
"Oh," Anna replied, turning slightly pink.
"I only need a favor, and you're welcome to say no," he said casually, taking a seat on the sofa. Anna stayed standing, feeling uncomfortable.
"What is it?"
"Part of the reason I need Polly back is because of Michael," he explained. "I think he's up to something."
"And you need Polly to keep him in check," Anna realized.
Tommy nodded, and Anna laughed.
"You're asking the wrong person," she said. "Michael doesn't tell me anything, either."
"Would you tell me if he did?" Tommy asked. He looked Anna directly in the eyes, his ice-blue eyes piercing her brown ones.
She shook her head. "No."
He smiled. "I didn't think so," he said. "Can't blame you for that. But listen. Our move to America is predicated on our being a legitimate business. If Michael's doing anything to threaten that…"
"I understand," Anna replied.
"I've tried to impart that to him, but I'm afraid Michael has a mind of his own," he said. "I know he's up to something, Anna. I'm going to find out. It would be better for him if he stopped before I do."
"Why haven't you said this to him?" Anna asked.
"I need Michael," Tommy said. "He's a great bookkeeper, and he knows everything about our business. It's not in my best interest to estrange him unless absolutely necessary."
"So you want me to talk to him?"
"Only if you want to."
"I'll think about it," Anna replied, remaining guarded. She was irritated with Michael; that was a fact. But she wasn't ready to give up on him, not yet. However, Tommy didn't seem like the kind of person she wanted to be on the wrong side of either. Then she thought of Ada's joyful tears, and wondered if Michael's actions could somehow take that away from her. "I'll let you know," she said.
"Thank you," Tommy said. "Welcome to the family."
Anna smirked, her stomach twisting with guilt.
