Chapter Six: Prelude
Kate whistles cheerfully as she heads towards the Garrison Pub. The first thing she notices is the Shelby men are at a table in the front of the pub.
"Arthur, John! How nice to see you." she bobs her head in acknowledgement. "Mr. Shelby."
Thomas shoots her a dark look. "Mr. Shelby, still?"
"After you threw her over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes?" Arthur laughs. "Yer, lucky that she's even speaking to you."
"Thank you Arthur." Kate steps around the table, tousling Thomas's hair playfully. "You should listen to your older brother on occasion."
"What the f**k is the matter with you?" he demands as he puts his hair back in order.
"Geez Tom," John says with a grin. "Kate's just funning' with you. She didn't mean anything by it."
"One of these days," Thomas declares. "I'm going to forget I'm a gentleman and smack you."
"Really?" Kate says with a sassy smile. "Where?" His brow rises, clearly surprised with her question. She smiles. "Tell me when I circle back." She hurries towards the counter, where Harry is shaking his head in disapproval. "What?"
"I've warned you about teasing the man."
"I wasn't doing anything, just being friendly." She adds in a lower voice. "The man looks like he drinks vinegar, his expression is so sour."
"I heard that," Thomas says from across the room. "you witch."
"Sorry!" Kate laughs cheerfully. "Here's your lunch Harry."
"You're a good lass, Kate."
Kate turns and bumps right into Grace, who drops her tray, which is fortunately empty. "Sorry about that Grace." Kate picks up the tray and hands it to her. "I heard you singing, you sounded good."
"Thank you." Grace seems to a demure woman. Soft spoken as well, everything that Kate is not.
"Next singing night you have here, please let me know. I'd be happy to accompany you."
"Thank you." Grace uneasily glances towards Thomas, who is watching them out of the corner of his eye.
Kate glanced at the two of them and smiled. Thomas hadn't had a girl since France. Yeah, right. She saw the sparks flying between the two of them and it made her heart rise. That man needed someone and hopefully, Grace was the right one.
"Do you sing, Mr. Shelby?" Thomas glances up at her, a suspicious look on his face as she approaches him. "Probably not, considering your disdain for music, which is a shame. Otherwise, you could accompany Grace in a duet, be a treat for everyone."
Arthur and John snorted; Thomas kept his face impassive as he inquires. "Haven't you anything better to do than make a nuisance of yourself?"
"No." she says with a smile as Grace walks away from the table. Kate nods towards where Grace is disappearing the back room. "She likes you." Thomas snorts at her observation. "I know, I fail to see the appeal myself."
That irks him. "You're saying I'm not handsome?"
"No, I'm merely saying you're not my type. Tormenting you is so much more fun."She said with a wicked smile on her face as the two other Shelby brother's laugh, spewing their whiskey over the table. "So, can I get either of you some food? I should have enough leftovers to feed the three of you."
"Yes please." John says. "I can smell that chicken walking up here."
"Thanks Kate."
Thomas says nothing, causing her to sigh. "I'll bring you a plate as well."
"I didn't ask for it. Besides," his eyes narrow at someone behind her. "we've got company."
A gun goes off behind her. Kate would have been concerned that her life was in danger, except Thomas hadn't even bothered to move an inch. She shakes her head, knowing this is another business venture going down. "Boys and their business. I'm out of here."
Kate turns to walk out the door. She instantly recognizes Billy Kimber, having met him once. So, this venture is going to involve gambling. "Oi!" Kimber snaps. "No one leaves here!"
When one of his men grabs her elbow, Kate brings her other arm back and punches the man in the nose. He lets out a groan and holds his nose, which is streaming blood. She turns to Kimber a glower on her face. "Your business is with the Shelby family, not me." Kate states coldly, using her ladylike tone, reminding the man that she is clearly above him. "Keep your hands to yourself."
"Then you," he steps towards her, looking her up and down. "tell me who the hell Thomas Shelby is, since you clearly know what's what."
"Ask your informers." Kate snorts, Kimber is a weak man, and Thomas should be ready to take this man to the cleaners easily enough. "However, since you don't know which Shelby brother you're looking to do business with, I'd get another man to inform you. A man unreliable as that is not to be had." Kimber grabbed her arm and Kate slapped him hard. "Try that again and you will be sorry."
"Kate," Thomas kept a straight face, but she could feel his aggravation without looking at him. "keep moving."
"That's what I've been trying to do." She holds Kimber's gaze. "As soon as he moves out of my way."
After a moment of staring, Kimber obliges and steps out of her way. "Apologies, she's just a local gal."
"She's a firecracker." Kimber states. "Man could have a lot of fun with that."
Thomas laughs shortly. "I don't know a man alive who could handle her."
Kate smiles brightly and heads back into her restaurant, inwardly beaming at the compliment. If Thomas Shelby didn't even think he could handle her, no other man would!
That night,
Kate closes her eyes, swinging her feet off the edge of the dock. It's a cold, clear night. The stars are bright, the water is dark and there's a faint smell of cigarettes in the distance.
"What are you doing?"
Kate spins around and falls into the water with a shriek. The water is freezing, causing her to shriek, which results in her inhaling a huge amount of water. Kate comes coughing up to the surface, floundering in the water as the weight of her skirts work against her. Kate hears a splash and soon feels strong arms around her.
"I got you." Kate hacks violently, knowing she's choking on the water. Thomas lets out a curse as he climbs up onto the dock before pulling her up. Kate gets on her knees, hanging her head down so she can drain the water from her lungs. Thomas stays by her, a hand on her back while she finally manages to expel the final bit of water from her lungs. Thomas looks at her, studying her carefully. "You alright?"
"Yes." Kate gasps as she sits up. "You move like a cat. No one ever creeps up on me."
"Do you want me to wear a bell around my neck?" he asks dryly. "What are you doing down here alone so late at night?"
"I needed some fresh air." Kate sits up; her white dress is completely soaked through and clinging to her. "And you?"
"Business." He stands up, exhaling deeply.
Kate frowns as she realizes that he dived into the water, suit and all. "I owe you a new suit, I guess."
"No worries." He exhales as he pulls her up from the ground. "Didn't cost me anything."
"Let me guess, the suit was on the house?" at his glowering look, she adds. "I know how these things run."
"The way you handled Kimber this morning made that clear."
"Familiar with, but not involved in." she exhales. "My father has been running his own kind of 'business' for almost twenty years now."
"You should watch yourself Kate. Men like Kimber are dangerous."
"I'm aware, but I acted that way since I've met Kimber once on occasion."
"And, who is your father?" he inquires. "He must be important, since he allows his daughter to run around in circles with the likes of Kimber."
"I grew up in those circles." She smiles. "I'll tell you someday, but not today. I need to get home and I am freezing."
"I'll walk you back."
"I'll be fine."
"Kate," he states calmly. "that dress of yours isn't hiding anything." She covers her chest, her face turning red. "And Birmingham isn't polite company." He hands her his coat. "Here."
"Thank you." she pulls his coat over her shoulders, the extra cold isn't what she needs, but the modesty is appreciated. As they walk down the street, she adds. "You can be quite a gentleman, if you chose to be."
He chuckles. "And you can be a lady as well."
She smiles. "Thank you, for saving my life." she can't resist adding on. "Hopefully Grace will appreciate what she's got with you."
Thomas keeps his gaze forward on the road ahead of him. "There's nothing going on with Grace and me."
"Really?" she says skeptically. "I hear you're taking her to the races this Saturday."
"It's not a date."
"Men always say that and next thing they know, they're head over heels in love with the girl."
"Why the sudden interest in my personal life?" he inquires.
"I'm merely pointing out the obvious facts. Men are so slow when it comes to gauging a woman's feelings."
"And women are exceptionally nosy."
"Indeed we are." She smiles.
They walk together in amiable silence until they're on Garrison Lane, with the Garrison Pub and Restaurant in sight. "Answer me this." Thomas says suddenly. "What were you doing down in the stables that night?"
Kate bites her lip before admitting. "I had a fight with my father. It was a bad one and…I just couldn't take it there with him anymore."
"What was the fight about?"
Kate's silent for a moment, not wanting to talk about it, but since he saved her life, she feels like she owes him. "A man that I loved."
"But, you don't anymore?"
"I do, it's just," she exhales raggedly as she unlocks the door. "he's dead now." She turns towards him. "Murdered."
Thomas's eyes tattle that little bit of information started to make things a bit clearer about her for him. "Did they catch the man?"
"No." She shook her head. "My father refused to even look into it."
He frowns. "But you're his daughter. Considering what you've suggested about his reputation, he should have torn the town apart looking for the man."
"No," Kate shakes her head. "He didn't approve of him, so, he wasn't going to risk causing any wars over a man that he hated." She exhales as she looks up at him, willing herself not to cry. "What do you think about his decision?"
"If I were in his shoes, I'd have found the man myself and shot him."
"Why?"
"Honor would have demanded it. Family comes first." He searches her face for a moment before adding. "Always.
Kate inhales sharply, for a moment wishing that her father had just one ounce of Thomas Shelby's honor. The silence between them makes her uneasy, as well as the piercing eye contact. The man has eyes that she swears could stare through to her very soul. "You should be going." She says as she hands him back his coat. "Thank you again, for saving my life."
He doesn't offer any more words. He just nods his head at her and goes along his way. Kate smiles as she steps into her restaurant and locks the door behind her. She watches him make his way down the street, coat over his arm. Even soaking wet, Thomas Shelby still cut a fine figure. Grace was a lucky woman.
MeriemDjez: Really? I had no idea. What a coincidence!
Idcam: Yes, but both of them are going to going to fight it and drag it out. Neither do I, but I do like who Thomas was when he was with her. But luckily here, no matter how much Kate throws Grace at him, we know who he's going to wind up with!
