Chapter twenty: Night of the swallow


"Where the hell have you been?" Polly demands as she approaches them, her eyes flashing.

"The night is young," Thomas says good-naturedly. "I've got a girl on my arm. Where do you think I've been?"

"You need to have a word with Ada." Polly says. "Tell her to slow down."

Thomas snorts. "You think she'll listen to me?"

"I've tried to stop her, but she's been drinking." Thomas reaches into his pocket for a cigarette and lights it. "She's been stuck in that little basement for weeks. What can we expect?" On cue, Ada shrieks loudly. "She's going off like a firecracker. Oh, Christ, Tommy, please."

Kate nods. "We'll have a word with her." Thomas exhales and shoots her a look. "Well, won't we?"

Thomas begrudgingly moves to where Ada is still dancing. "Ada?" he calls. "Come on." Ada stops dancing for a moment and looks up, her eyes bright from the exertion. Thomas gestures for her to come towards him. "Have a rest. Sit down."

"Come and look Esme." Ada says drunkenly. "Come and look at the family you've joined! Come and look at the man," Ada gives Thomas a shove. "who runs it?"

"Ada," Kate releases his arm. "you need to sit down for a bit. It's not good for the baby."

However, Ada is way past listening to anyone. "Chooses his brother's wives for them! he hunts his own sister down like a rat!" Thomas starts shushing Ada, as they all become the center of attention. Polly has finally hurried over towards Ada and gripped her shoulders, attempting to restrain her gently. "And he tries to kill his own brother-in-law!"

"Hey!" Kate raises her voice slightly. "Both men, had guns pointed at each other. Keep in mind your husband tried to kill your brother!"

"You watch yourself Kate." she stumbles slight. "My brother'll have you knocked up before you even realize what happened!"

Kate turns to him, her ears heating at Ada's comment. "Please, say I wasn't let this when I was drunk."

"Alright Ada," Arthur steps towards their small group. "That's enough."

"And now," she half-shrieks. "he won't even let me have a f**king dance!"

"You're pregnant Ada. You shouldn't be drinking, much less dancing!" she breaks free from Polly's grip. "Not even at a f**king wedding!"

"Sit her down." John snaps.

"Ada," Polly orders as Ada doubles over. "Calm down."

Ada's breathing pattern causes Kate to look down at Ada's feet, just as her water breaks. "Thomas, you better go get the car ready."

He rolls his eyes and takes her elbow as Polly starts directing the whole family to get Ada in the car. "Not now Ada." Arthur groans. "Bloody hell. You do pick your times!"

Kate laughs as he grabs his hat. "And another thing I can add to your lists of abilities. Your mere presence causes women to go into labor!"

"Don't be laughing too hard Kate." He grips her elbow and steers her towards the car. "You'll be next."

Kate stops laughing at those words. In fact, she almost stops breathing at those words.


Five minutes later,


Everyone piles out of the two cars. The women immediately get Ada out of the car and into the house. Thomas smirks at her again as he lifts her out of the car. "I got you."

Kate smiles as she leaves her hands on his forearms far longer than necessary. "Indeed. Thank you."

He leans forward and steals a light kiss from her before walking towards the house where Polly is scolding John and Arthur. "Your sister's in there giving birth and you're out here talking about a bloody car."

"Not much us men can do now Polly." Thomas says with a smile.

"Except go get drunk." Arthur states.

"Right," John nods his head. "come one."

"One man should be here." Polly says, her tone stilling Thomas in place, as well as her eyes.

Thomas nods. "You're right pol. Freddie should be here."

Polly steps forward, a faint twinkle in her eyes. "Is that a heartbeat I hear inside that chest?"

Thomas merely smiles at Polly. "The truce lasts until sunrise. On my oath. Tell Freddie he's safe."

As Polly smiles brightly, Arthur claps his hands together. "Alright boys, let's wet the baby's head." Kate chuckles as the two slightly drunken men totter down the street heading towards the pub.

"Kate," Polly gestures for her to come in. "let's get you inside."

"I'm not family and…this is an intimate moment that should be between families." Kate says gently. "I hear that you've delivered most of the babies around here, so, you've got the situation in hand. Besides," Kate looks up. "I left the restaurant unattended for today. I need to make sure it's closed up and they didn't burn the place down."

Polly nods understandingly. "Right."

"If you need me," she says. "just call the pub and I'll run on over with my medical bag."

"Come on Kate." Thomas says as he reaches for her arm. "I'll make sure you get back safe."

"Keep an eye on her Thomas." Polly orders before ducking inside the house.

"Oh, I intend to." Kate laughs lightly as he pulls her into the waist. "Come on, let's get you on over to the restaurant. And then, I'll pour you a few drinks."

"One drink." Kate says firmly. "I'm never, ever getting that drunk ever again."

"You're kind of fun when you're drunk." She groans as he laughs at her. "You're much more relaxed around me."

"I've got a sneaking suspicion that I did something that night that you're not telling me."

"You'd be right about that." She stops and stares at him. he smiles at her before confessing. "Alright. Kate, our kiss tonight…that wasn't our first kiss."

"What?!" Kate stares at him as the blood drains out of her face. "That's impossible. I can't remember."

"That's because the first time we kissed was the night you were drunk." He grinned as she blushed a violent red. "Do you want to know what happened?"

"No!" She moans. "I probably did something horribly stupid."

"It wasn't horrible Kate." Kate covered her face in humiliation. "You told me, I needed to get married." He rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "Said I was lonely and…I took it out on everyone. You said…I needed someone to make me happy. Someone to make me smile." He reached for her face, tilted her chin upwards so she could see his face. "Then you said, maybe a kiss would make me smile again."

"I am so embarrassed."

"Don't be." He leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth, lightly. "That's when you kissed me." he smiled at her. "Wasn't nothing to shout about. But then you asked me if you did it wrong and asked me to show you how to kiss properly."

"And you let me kiss you?" she moans. "I was beyond drunk!"

"I wasn't planning on it, but, you were quite insistent. That second kiss, I wasn't expecting. I'd kept your arms restrained, but your head moved forward and kissed me anyway. And that kiss Kate," Kate stilled. "it was like … I'd woken up. Once I got over the general confusion of what had hit me. I kissed you back and you clung to me. When I stopped kissing you, you'd passed out in my arms."

"And..then you-

"I put you up in your room fully clothed and left you alone."

"Well, at least you were more of a gentleman than I was a lady."

"Kate, if it weren't for that kiss, I'd probably be with Grace now instead of you."

"Grace!" Kate's eyes widen. "You need to tell her that we're courting."

"Why? There was nothing between her and I."

"Thomas, do you know what rumors are circulating around the pub? I think people have bets speculating as to who you're going to wind up marrying!" he has the audacity to look amused. "This whole town is very curious about everyone's business! I even know what nights you walk her home!""

"Well, I do that on occasion. it's a rough neighborhood and she's a good bookkeeper."

Kate nods. "I'm not going to argue that fact, I'm glad you're kind enough to do that. what I mean is, women sometimes can get the wrong impression."

"Alright, I'll talk to her." he straightens up. "So, who's in charge of this bet?"

"Harry is." Both their heads jerk at the sound of Christopher's voice. He grins at them as he approaches them. "But, I'm going to clean up well by the looks of things here."

"How so?" Thomas questions.

"Well, I'm the only one betting on you. I expect to rake in a fortune after this display."

"Go on with you." Kate says, giving him a slight shove.

"Alright. I left the front door to the restaurant unlocked. You got your key?"

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow Christopher."

"Right and Mr. Shelby," Thomas arches a brow at Christopher's bold attitude. "are the odds in my favor for me to win?"

Thomas is silent for a moment before nodding his head. "Very likely." He looks to her. "What do you say Kate?"

Kate bites her lip before moving around him. "They're in your favor. But remember, we just started courting today. Doesn't mean we're getting married this week."

"Well, you heard the lady." Thomas places a hand on her waist and falls in step beside her. "I'd increase your bet."

"I intend to! Goodnight!"

"And not a word to anyone!" she calls behind her.

"Are you kidding?" he laughs. "I'll be able to buy my own place after this!"

"Why," Kate looks up at him as they round the corner to head towards her restaurant. "am I encouraging him to gamble on our relationship?"

"Because, you're a gambler at heart Kate. Otherwise, you wouldn't be taking a chance on love with me."

"Well, based on what you told me, Mr. Shelby. It's not so much as a gamble as it appears I lost my bloody mind!"


Idcam: I know! It took forever didn't it?